Ready, set, sew................

I know I am on vacation and supposed to relax. Well guess what - sewing is very relaxing for me especially if I don't have a deadline. And since I am here and nothing else to do and NO deadlines - well only one, I brought my sewing machine and a "few" projects.  No one needs to know what I brought - you will only see what I finish or what I am working on!!   That little secret is between me and the girls!!!

I will say that I am getting spoiled here. At home I sew in the basement, but look where I sew here.   And I can't emphasize enough how I LOVE LOVE LOVE my little sewing table from Inspira Cabinets.  It is the best.

My Inspira sewing table

It was a bit tricky to get the table set to the correct height and I had fiddled with it at the retreat. Wasn't perfect, so I fiddled some more here (this time I didn't have to buy a wrench because I had the wrench with me!)  Now the table was a smidgen too low - just a smidgen.  If only I had brought the sewing pad that I use at home. Alas - didn't have it with me.  Hey! - the folder I use for my Monday and Thursday sewing groups works like a charm.  So ladies - every time I sew - you are SUPPORTING me!!!!!

Just the "lift" I need from the Monday and Thursday groups to make my table perfect!

You can purchase an insert for any sewing machine to go in the table. One of the best things I like about this table is the space on the right hand side. There is a gap between the edge of the table and the sewing machine ...............

Table surface to the right of the sewing machine and a gap between the table and the sewing machine

The gap is a perfect spot to put the thread catcher and look at all that space to put stuff.

Ample room on the right for project pieces. 

You know - you have stuff to put there - your tools, your tea, and the pieces that you are working on.  I know there is another brand out there, but it does NOT have this space to the right.  If you remember, I had to have an extension put on my table at home - while we need to have room to sew on the left, we NEED room to put stuff on the right.  My only complaint would be that there is NOT a lot room on the left if you are sewing a quilt top.  You can purchase a bigger table, but for the few tops that I will sew while away and I don't make big ones (well not many) - I can manage. The table has wheels although I just carry it as it isn't that heavy. It doesn't come with a cover.  I puchased fabric in Orillia to make one.  I am not even certain that I brought it with me.  NO - not there is so much stuff that I can't find it - well maybe.........

My view from the sewing machine!

The living room with the sewing table

My ironing area (which is just to the right of the sewing area). Iron and ironing board are from here. Great little Black and Decker iron!

My cutting table

A nice big long counter top - works perfect for putting on borders!!!!!

So what have I been working on????   Well I haven't done much, but I had to do something or I was going to go crazy.   I decided that I would put the last three borders on the girlie John Deere quilts.

A quilt on the floor????   Let me test that out for you!!!!

Quilt number three - DONE!!!!!

Quilt top number four - DONE!!!!

All I have left for scraps

Obviously math is NOT my strong point.  Before I left the retreat, I had calculated how much more green plaid fabric that I would need for the last borders and the binding. I stopped at Lens Mills and picked up what I needed.  However when I went to work on the quilts, it was pretty obvious that I didn't have nearly enough to make binding for FOUR quilts.   Sadly - I need 1 1/4 meters more!!!!   DUH!!!!   Oh well - that project is now shelved as I can't do more on it here and it won't take long to get that fabric and finish making the bindings when I get home.

Project - DONE as much as I can while I am away

A bolt of green plush for the backings

Speaking of John Deere quilts, Diane brought me her HUGE bag of John Deere fabric so I could swap/borrow with her.

Huge bag of John Deere fabric

 Before I left, I sorted out what I wanted and when I am back home, I will cut and sew the last two John Deere tops.  Whatever I have left for scraps is going in the bag - BACK to Diane.  I never never never want to make another John Deere quilt again!!!!!   I still have stuff for a couple of other tractor quilts - I'll deal with that mess when I am home.

To be cut into John Deere tractor quilts

While I was working on the girlie John Deere quilts, I needed an ender and leader project.  Happy to report that all those blue/yellow half square triangles are now pinwheels and ready to move onto step two. And I'm going to need a border for this quilt - I don't have one with me.

Pinwheels - DONE!!!!

 Well - it was time to pull out another project.   This was a pack of flannel charm squares that I got from the sale of Joanne's (Cockadoddle) personal stuff.  It was included with another project, but that meant mixing flannel and cotton and I didn't want to do that.  So I went to my stash and found some tone on tone flannels and had to buy some since the colours are very muted.  I cut and cut and cut before I left and threw it into a bag.

Got everything sewed - right??????   Again - I don't do a lot of fussing when I prepare this kind of project - I just cut.  I think there were 40 charm squares so I bought another woodsy flannel that I cut two more 5 inch squares from.  I had cut the "correct" amount but as I got to the end - I realized that I had a problem. I had thrown in a few scraps so I could make the last piece and OH CRAP - there isn't enough!!!!!   And I had one extra 5 inch square. Let's just say that my math skills are suffering these days!!!!

Not enough framing for the last block - oh crap!!!

I decided to lay it out anyway and well - you can see there is ONE block missing.   Hmmm - I think if I can find a bit more blue - then I will remake the two in the bottome left corner (so I don't have brown and brown touching).  Then it should work out rather nicely

Blocks ALMOST done

Guess what that means????   An excuse to check out that fabric store I passed on my way here!!!!!   The one with the big sign that said "Welcome Quilter's!!!!!"   I wonder what time it opens?????

Fabric store!!!!!

Now in case you are thinking that I have spent all my time sewing - NOPE - not even close.  We were down at the beach for a couple of hours yesterday - I took lots of pictures and that is for tomorrow's blog.  I went into town to get some photocopies made and mail some letters. And then I went out for a trip around the island. Well not really - I just went to Robin's for dinner.   Literally she is FIVE KILOMETERS away!!!!

She called this pizza place and we went and picked it up.  Fabulous and very tasty pizza.  The place is called Glasgow Glen Farm.   OH MY GOD - I just checked Facebook and their cinnamon buns are ready.

Oh my - do I dare go??????   They look so yummy

And if the cinnamon buns are anything like the pizza - I may be waddling home!!!!

Glasgow Glen Farm

Did I mention that they make cheese as well?????   Oh yes - lots and lots of GOUDA.  I bought some and some fresh bread yesterday for lunch today!!!!!

Gouda - lots and lots of gouda

They have many flavours of Gouda. Is it lunch time yet?????


I got a great tour of this part of the island. So much to see but nothing really opens until June 5. Then I have a feeling there will be an onslaught of people.

Yes - that is MY car in front of Robin's house!!!!! 

It's a great property - cute house - they have made it very cozy! I love it.

And look what Robin lent me!!!!   Yep  - that is a certified time waster!!!!   But I LOVE LOVE LOVE puzzles and haven't done one in a long time.   Today will be the day to get started.

A puzzle to work on!!!!!!!!!!

As for those cinnamon buns - I think I will pace myself and wait until next Saturday!!!!!

It is time perhaps for our daily walk on the beach - got to work up an appetite (or justify) eating all that fresh bread (which I don't normally eat - I really don't like bread) and the cheese, but this is a special occasion.  Yes - I bought the bread because of the cheese not because I like bread!!!!


If you think I am slacking off - think again - almost 16,000 steps yesterday. I see the wind is back today but not nearly as bad as when we arrived.

Oh yes - I was reading a quilt magazine (brought some of those to read and NOT take back home) and I found this quote which I love - The Dalai Lama says, "Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly!"   I love that -   so learn those rules!!!!!  I've always said it is more fun to break the rules than follow them, but yes - you need to know the rules - otherwise what is the fun if you don't know you are doing something you shouldn't be!!!!!

Have an awesome day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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