At the end of the rope!

Despite the fact that I'm running behind - I'm not sure how I managed to get so behind so quickly. I think it's called ignore the deadlines and then suffer the consequences. Anyway - I'm NOT at the end of my rope ---- yet!  But if I was, I'd just tie a knot at the end of the rope and hang on! (tight)

However, I'm happy to report that yesterday was a fairly productive day considering it was a sit n sew. I managed to get one project done that needs to be out of the house NOW. It was an experiment and I'm quite happy with it. I need to make more! Will share with you when I can.

After that was done, I puttered with a couple of table runners and some of the homework blocks for the Farm Girl Vintage. I hope to share those this week if I can get a few minutes to edit the photos. There's another sit n sew on Thursday and I have to do a major cleanup for that one. Yeah!

It rained all day so it wasn't a huge deal to be in the house and having company was even better. We were a small group but that didn't stop us from having a lot of laughs. It was a hoot.

But after they left, I had work to do. It was submission deadline day for one of the magazines. Which now that they and I have a system in how these submissions work, it goes fairly smooth. It still takes time to assemble all the details. Wait - before I assemble the details, I have to do a few things.

1. Check the submission blurb for the theme. 
2. Check the available fabric collections - keeping in mind delivery dates. 
3. Download the fabric collection to EQ8. (Super easy process thanks to Northcott's way of doing it)
4. Mess around with the files in EQ8 to see what designs I come up with. I usually try to do more than one design to broaden the possibilities that a design will get chosen. 
5. Once the design(s) are created, I need to create a bunch of files - pictures of the entire quilt with and without fabric, as well as pictures of the block (s) also with and without fabric. 
6. Compile the pictures into a document, providing all the measurements. 
7. Fill out the submission form, providing inspiration and other information. 
8. Create a .pdf of their document and my document 
9. Send

NO guarantee that any of the designs will get chosen. I look at it as a learning and creativity exercise for those projects that don't get chosen. Three of my quilts are in current magazines. I'll try to post those this week as well. There's this massive time crunch right now. 

Anyway, it was into the wee hours of the morning, but I managed to get most of what I wanted to be submitted to them. 

That's not even writing the pattern!!!  I've thought of writing patterns for you to enjoy (and buy). I might try one or two, but pattern writing is a whole other ball game. Checking and rechecking to make sure there are no mistakes. It's quite the exercise and unless you sell a lot of patterns, I'm not sure it's worth my time.

One more quilt was accepted a week ago so there are two that need to be made in the next while. I'm waiting on fabric for both of them so I can't even start. I may be working on that at the upcoming retreat. I can't wait for the retreat!

What did the others work on at the sit n sew day? Sharon was still working on her Border Creek Mystery. She only works on it at the sit n sew days which is a good way to do a big project like that. You don't have to unpack and repack, you just grab that same bag and go. I think she's almost at the halfway point. We see progress each month and it's exciting to see that. I think she has a lot of cutting to do now. But soon she'll be getting to the stage where the blocks will actually start coming together.

France is the queen of rope bowl making. She brought more rope to make another bowl. She also brought the very first one that she had made.

First rope bowl

It's amazing how the type and size of rope can affect the shape of the bowl. And it's very interesting to see how you hold the bowl in the making process and how you pull the cord will affect the shape of the bowl. Then there are the embellishments and thread choices. All in all - I love rope bowls.

Sharon and I had a good laugh as France had to slip out for an errand and left her bowl like this at the sewing machine.

Rope bowl in progress

And this is the bowl that she made. Look at how smooth that one is shaped. I don't think you could get smoother sides than that. She's become quite proficient at these bowls.

Version one of the rope bow for yesterday

 And this is the second bowl that she made yesterday.

Completely differently shape for the second rope bowl

Don't forget that I do a class on the rope bowls at Oh Look Fabric if you're interested in learning more about them. There'll be one scheduled for July and August. Just need to provide a date for those classes.

Here's my second purchase for the Row by Row this year. I bought a kit from the Hobby Horse. It's pretty cute and I love the fabrics that they used.

Row by Row kit

There are TWO quilts that I have inspiration for from the rows. This fits in with one of the quilts. I'll be sharing the others as time goes on. I'm being selective in what I buy just because I have to.

On that note, I'm out of here. It's Monday sewing and I can't be late this morning.

And hopefully, that crate will arrive this week so everyone's curiosity can be satisfied.

Have a great day!!!!


Ciao!!!