Despite having an extended nap on the sofa (after I finished reading my book), I did manage to get some stuff done in the afternoon. I'm feeling better, just tired. Nothing that some good old-fashioned napping and liquids won't heal.
But now it's time to hit the studio. I thought I would get the big stuff out of the way while I still had some energy in me. I have a customer who always wants me to sew the bindings on for her. I'm OK with that, I charge her for it.
I had two to do. I started with the biggest one! One of the hardest parts of sewing that binding on is manipulating that big quilt. If you read my blog posts (QUILTsocial) this past week, you would see that I have a way around that. And I'm following my own advice in the photo below. Makes putting the binding on a whole lot easier!
Tables adjusted to support a big quit when putting on the binding |
I was only sewing the binding to the top. She's going to hand stitch the binding down. I don't think she's quite finished binding the last large quilt I quilted for her. She's got a lot of work ahead of her!
Then I put the binding on the next one as well. Same customer. She had brought both quilts in a tote bag that she had made, but sadly it didn't have a nice support for the bottom. Since I'm such a nice person, I made her a plastic bottom for her bag. All she has to do is make a cover for it! No picture but I think everyone knows about the plasti core I use to make the bag bottoms.
Getting ready to stitch the second binding down |
Actually, after I stitched down those two big bindings, I stitched the binding to one of my table runners. I had to be careful because, with my stuff, the bindings get stitched to the back so I can pull them to the front and machine stitch. The customer quilts, the binding went on the front and will be stitched to the back by hand.
That was enough machine work for the moment. I decided to stitch down one of the sleeves that I had prepped the day before.
Finished wall hanging |
While I was hand stitching, I decided to finish listening to an audiobook that had been on my iPod forever. I finished the book and still had more stitching. I thought I would figure out (once again) how to download an audiobook from the library onto the computer and then onto the iPod. When I arrived at the computer to do that, I was directed to a NEW app that will download audiobooks!!! WAIT A MINUTE! Let's try that. The app is called LIBBY. Within minutes, I was back downstairs listening to a new audiobook on my smartphone. Works for me!!!! Check it out - it's great and works with any of the library systems. But here's a very disheartening thing. You can change the speed at which the person reads. Why does everything have to be rushed? Can't we just learn to do less and just enjoy life a bit more? Do not compare me to that statement - that isn't what I meant!!!
Now I had a bit more energy so back to the sewing machine for a wee bit. I had already rearranged these blocks to the point that I was comfortable with the layout. Is it perfect? Maybe not, but good enough.
Blocks laid out and ready to stitch together |
This might be a better border option |
The multi-colored print is a Laurel Birch. While I don't have any left of the one that I used in the quilt, I found another similar one (cats) in my stash. Good enough for me!
Here are the fabrics for the Trend-Tex challenge. Did I post those yesterday? Well, I did some preliminary work on the design and hope to start sewing later today.
Trend-Tex fabric |
When I did a little bit of piecing, I also worked on the next block of the pixelated apple. The one that I took to Monday last week and haven't had a chance to finish.
Pixelated apple block - Number 11 |
After trimming two more quilts this morning, there is now a definite gap on the work tables. And there are still four more quilts to trim. I'm not doing them all at once. I'm doing them as I have the time to bind them. Then I can start tackling other areas of those work tables to get things prepped and out of the way. I still have 19 days before the next sit n sew and I think I can make good progress in 19 days.
More space on the work tables is freed up! |
And here's my work area. I've got two of my quilts to sew the binding to the front. There's two that need the binding sewn to the back and two rag quilts and the cat mat that needs to be clipped. And now that I can easily get audiobooks - hmmm, I might be spending more time doing hand stuff. And there's a wee bit of that on the list of UFOs for 2018.
My assignment for today |
But first, it's weigh-in day at the gym. I'll be anxious to see what the results are. This is the last day of the 60-day challenge and I feel absolutely amazing. Matter of fact, I had a wee shock this morning. As I stretched and put my hands on my waist, I thought - WHOA - that's my rib cage I can feel in the back! Where did that come from? It's seriously been about making choices and portion control. It certainly hasn't been about working out because I've barely been to the gym in the last month. OK - I go for my weigh-in and the steam room! That's going to change once I feel better.
Yesterday, DH asked me if I wanted any Tostito's chips which I used to eat. It wasn't that I used to eat them, but I'd eat a LOT of them. I thought about my pants and said "no thank-you". I'll share the pants story with you tomorrow. I'm not starving and I'm not depriving myself of anything. I'll go into more details tomorrow
And I'm off to test wind chimes this morning. I can hardly wait!!!
Have a super day!!!!
Ciao!!!