Ready or not - I'm gone!

It's time to leave for the sewing retreat. These are just the best vacations and so many others would like to come, but even with four retreats in a year, I'm never without participants to fill them and there's always a waiting list. I would love to schedule another one (or two), but that wouldn't go over so well at home. So for the moment, four it is.

It was a busy day yesterday but still had time to head off to the movies with Lynn to see Oceans 8 and then to spend an hour chatting with a friend last night. And that's what it should be about. Not deadlines!!!

I'm happy to report that the quilt I was piecing yesterday morning? Well, it's done. The binding is sewn on, the sleeve is made and I'll hand stitch that down at the retreat and get it into a UPS box while I'm away.

I'm rather pleased with the quilting. I choose an overall design from the built-in stitches on the long arm. There are so MANY different options to quilt something - the software is flexible and will basically do whatever you tell it to. Here's the back of the quilt. Nice circles and nice, even placement of the rows. I'm happy!!!

Quilting on the magazine quilt

I even had time to rifle through a basket of fabric because I decided that I wanted to make a gift for someone. Dug through the fabrics, found what I wanted and I'll make the quilt when I'm back. Nothing special, but a way to get rid of more fabrics!!! That's all that counts.

However I got caught last night when at dinner, I told DH about my plan to make this quilt. He just looked at me. OH - I said - that quilt that was supposed to be a wedding gift (a "few" years ago) well it's in my retreat bag and instead of one big quilt, I have enough to make two lap quilts. I want to get it done because he's on my back about it. Not only that one, but I have another "wedding" gift to make. That one was also promised years ago. I decided instead of making one big quilt that I would make two laps. One of the lap quilts is done - one more to go. I might even get those two items (gifts) off my list this year. That would certainly stop the harping from DH. And even though I said that things are quieting down, he said - Right - that'll never happen.  He's right because I got two more magazine quilts on the go when I get back. Just found out last night.

Sorting through a basket of fabrics for a gift quilt

I also had time to cut two small bags that we're going to make (in a class) at the retreat. The instructor is coming to us to teach the class. We've talked about it forever and now we have it happening. Pretty exciting and going to be fun!!!  I had to dig through my zipper bucket to find two zippers. Then I changed my fabric colors based on the zippers. How silly is that? But there are a lot of zippers and I can't buy any more until the lid fits nicely on the container. It's like a jack in the box at the moment.

Bucket of zippers

 And before I turned out the lights this morning, I got a few things lined up on the cutting table that needs to be dealt with when I get back. It's stuff that I've been moving forever from table to table and enough is enough. It's time to get this dealt with and move on. Just a waste of time to keep moving this stuff. So something to occupy my mind when we're back on Sunday afternoon.

The cutting table is full of stuff to sort and put away

And YES - that is a cordless drill on the table. It needs to be charged and then put away. I have to dig out the charger.

I tidied all the paper stuff that was on the kitchen table. OK - so I just crammed it into the office. When I'm back, I can't wait to get to the morning of paperwork and afternoon of quilting. And while I'm away, I hope to grab a few moments (on the deck) for a bit of planning with those quilt deadlines.

On that note, I'm out of here. I still have to take the girls for a walk and pack the car - OH - I should pack some clothes I guess.

Have a great day!!!!

Ciao!!!!