Gadgets galore!!!!!

Whew - last week was a bit of a whirlwind. This coming week is a LOT quieter which is great - I don't think I have any meetings or major things happening outside the house so it will be heads down to get a few things done at home. Including today where I will be taking photos, editing photos and writing blog posts for QUILTSocial. My week is coming up soon and of course I am a bit behind the deadline. Each time I get better at hitting the deadline - one day I will be on time and shock the world!

I am also trying to edit all blog post pictures as I take them and put them in the appropriate folder so that I don't have to keep going back to try and find the ones I want.

Today is an odds and ends day.  A whole bunch of different things that have popped up over the past week.

I used to be a gadget girl. I would buy ANY gadget out there. Some I used, some I did not. I had purchased this pen - it is called a Fabric Folding Pen by Clover. I don't think I ever used it and once when I was cleaning up, I think it went to a guild to be sold at a quilt show.

Fabric Folding Pen

At one of my classes last week, Judy brought in the pen and was raving about how much easier it is to fold things so I broke down and REPURCHASED the pen.  I want to try it for turning pockets and things of bags which I seem to be doing a lot of lately. I'll let you know my thoughts when I use it which will be soon.

Another product that I have but haven't used much is called Transfer Eze.    This is a "pliable film" that you put in your printer. You photocopy the hand embroidery design onto the Transfer Eze. Peel back the sticky backing and place on your background. Then you will stitch through the Transfer Eze, the background and I like to add a light interfacing to the back of my projects - that is a LOT of layers to hand stitch through.

Transfer Eze

I spent a bit of time (this morning) trying to find my sample and I have no idea where it is. I remember when I was cleaning up the project (Snow Days) that we used it on that I wondered where to "file" that sample so I could find it for future. I do NOT have a box for hand embroidery stuff. I have put it in a logical (at that time) place but where that is - I have no idea. I will find it as my brain will be processing that all day today!!!  If I find it - I will start a demo project box for hand embroidery stuff. Where where where could that thing be????

Anyway - I am not sure that I like the product - you are now having to embroider through that extra layer. And Linda brought in a sample where she had used the Transfer Eze. She had left the product on her project for a LONG time and the stuff becomes a bit brittle and thick.   I have heard others say that it is a bit of a challenge to "rinse" out. More like a good soaking is required.  Like everything else - TEST TEST TEST before you commit yourself to a big project. I will say that it makes it a BREEZE to get your pattern on the fabric ready to stitch. Fast!!!

Hard to see here - but this is Linda's sample with the hardened Transfer-Eze

Speaking of Snow Days - I saw another completed top yesterday.

Lauraine's Snow Days.  Love those brilliant colours!!!!   Thanks for bringing it in!!!!

I forgot to post this earlier this week, but a certain someone - we shall leave her nameless to protect the innocent. She was busy getting a small piece ready to quilt. She basted a couple of lines of stitching through her piece. And look what happened....................

YES - that white - that is her notes!!!!   Nicely basted to the back of her piece. We all got a chuckle out of that. (And she wondered why it felt thicker than normal!!!!  - come on - we have ALL done that at one time!!)

I love presents!  OK - everyone loves presents. Look what I received the other day!!!!

Mini notebooks and pencil set - all bicycle themed of course!!!!   Thanks Ronda!!!!

I have a few other things to post as well, but I realize I haven't taken pictures yet - so that will have to wait for another day.

Oh yes - forgot to blog about what I did on Monday. So we are now on a BIG kick for applique. This is the year that I am going to accomplish something. Project number one - is already DONE!!!!!

Remember - Simple Country Sampler - DONE - well the top is done and all that was left was some applique. 

Onto Project Number Two. I have to stop for a moment. I believe it was Mary Kay who left a comment a couple of days ago about cleaning up. Mary Kay was cleaning up closets/pantries and her sister asked if she was dying!!!!    That is so funny because I often think the only reason I am getting this stuff done is so that someone else doesn't have to deal with it should I die. Well - as far as I know - I am no where near my death bed, but just in case - I had better work faster!!!!   Every project I complete is one less for someone to wonder about when I am no longer here.


OK - onto Project Number Two.  I dug out Amish with a Twist (the original one). Marlene is also going to work on hers on applique day. I think we are in about the same stage of completion.

Amish with a Twist (the original)

 Normally I would not have started this project, but because the store (Cockadoodle Quilts) closed half way through - we only got some of the fabric. Marlene and Mary in their wisdom decided that we need to push on so we could order the missing fabrics while they were still available. So because of them, I started to work. Got all the blocks done (this was a long time ago) and sewed the top together. In my silliness, I did not pay attention to the length of the sashings. I cut what the pattern said which was NOT the size of my blocks.  I sewed it together and it looked like a kiddie wave pool!!!!

I went back for a quick peek - I signed up for this Block of the Month on July 17, 2013. So that is not bad by my standards!!!!

Anyway - the quilt had been completely ripped apart (not the blocks). I cut the sashings down (thank god the error wasn't in the other direction!) and got the top reassembled. Then I added the piano key border.

My Amish with a Twist - the original

 There is one final border to put on - there is applique in two corners so that will be my project for the next applique day!!!!   Can't wait.

Project box organized for the next applique day

Then I sorted through the scraps that were left over - I have started to cut out a new little project. I know - we can't let anything go to waste!!!!

These were the little little pieces and they went into a scrap box for plain fabrics and the triangles went into the HST box

So soon another project box will be completely cleaned up!!!!   I am getting very excited about this process!!!!


I watched a movie the other night - from the library called Philomena.  It is an excellent movie, but terrible what happened to these girls.  Just goes to show that we have come a long way, but definitely shows that "image" was important and sex education was severely lacking.  While watching the video - I got another binding hand stitched down.

Binding hand stitched - this is my quilt

 Got lots more to go - well about 5 and I have a couple more movies on order from the library so I will slowly work my way through them. There is NO rush for those quilts - they will just go into a pile of finished items  - I'm not worried about them.

In preparation for the next round of QUILTSocial - I am testing the embroidery part.  I love it - I get the machine fired up, set the embroidery and then leave it to work in the dark!!!!  Now if I could just have an assistant to do paperwork - I would be happy!!!!!

The Ruby Royale alone in the dark

Some people actually use VIDEO baby monitors so they can see what their machine is doing when they are not beside it!!!!   Not a bad idea since the thread can break or run out of thread and that is DOWN TIME!!!!

Yesterday, I received the sad news that my Uncle Paul passed away. He had been ill with cancer for a couple of years. I had a good visit with him last year when I was in Saskatchewan and he was the recipient of one of my tractor quilts which had plush on the back. He loved the quilt as it kept him warm. RIP Uncle Paul - I will miss the twinkle in his eye and his ever present smile even when he was sick.

Tractor Quilt

On that note - I had better get myself organized. I have over 100 pictures to edit (most will get culled - but there are probably 25 that I will keep and edit) and then upload to the internet and then write the text.  Sounds easy but for some reason takes a long time. Usually because I think another picture or another sample will show what I want to say better and then I have to go and make that happen!!!!   And we wonder why producing a movie or TV show or a photo shoot costs so much. If we could only snap ONE picture not ten in order to get the one we want!!!   I do enjoy it so I'm not complaining.

Have a great day!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!