And so this happens

If I were a mental health expert and I was to diagnose myself, I would say that I border on being manic. I go go go and then crash. Thankfully I don't get depressed. Maybe I'm ADHD. I was up early yesterday and had a busy day. I had dinner around 6 and crashed on the couch. Got up at midnight and went to bed. Needless to say, I've been up for hours this morning! I can't stay up late, but I can sure get up extra early!

And the blog is late and I'm not going to post what I promised. I spent a LOT of time editing pictures for the table runner class. There are a LOT so I'm going to have to break it up over a couple of days. Since all the pictures are now edited, that can easily happen tomorrow. So today, you get what happened yesterday.

First things first. I'm on a roll this week - that manic behavior rises its ugly head and I HAD to get a quilt quilted yesterday. While you might think that this quilt is mine  - it is not! It was pieced by a guild member years ago when we were at a retreat. For whatever reason, she didn't like the quilt when it was finished and gave it to the guild as part of their community projects. I said I would quilt it because it's larger than most people like to do on their domestic machines. I got the backing, the batting and the top in a large garbage bag. I hate to admit that the quilt has sat at the bottom of the pile for a while. I had looked at it several times and I couldn't see the top. How could I possibly have lost that bright orange quilt top?  A while back, I decided to take a good look and there was the top tucked INSIDE the batting. I had to piece the backing and needless to say - it got quilted yesterday. I see there is also binding in the bag. I see that I'll be trimming this and binding it later this week.

Community projects quilt - DONE

I was in the process of loading the quilt when Ronda arrived for our sewing day. Of course, between quilting a quilt and trying to do everything at once - well that manic behavior! I had to get everything ready to wash my Pandora bracelet as we decided that was a good place to start. So it soaked in soapy water for a bit and then I scrubbed it down with a soft toothbrush.

Washing my Pandora bracelet

Ronda very kindly loaded all the charms and whatnot back onto the bracelet (after it was dry), except that she forgot to put the clasp on it! I guess I'll have to figure that out today. By myself!  It would appear that I have a LOT of dangly charms versus the bead type charms. Now how did that happen??? Ronda tried to convince me that the bracelet was too heavy and that I should take some of the charms off. NO - I want them all on. It was a wee bit heavy when I first put it on, but it was fine.

My Pandora bracelet

Then I was off to trim that Toronto Maple Leaf quilt. Good grief - the backing is fleece which is 62" wide. Can you see that almost 6" of that fleece is taken over by the licensing wording?? That's almost 10% lost.  Come on people!!!!

Licensing on the fleece takes up almost 10%

Then I got the fun task of binding that same quilt. And now it's finished and gone!!!  There are only three customer quilts to finish before the end of the year. You know what? I think I might actually make that deadline.

The binding is on the hockey quilt

Ronda was working on a small baby quilt. It's a very neat way that you put the borders and backing on. I think she was following a video online to make it.  And then I totally lost track of what else she worked on.

A baby quilt

Well, I was back at Audra's quilts. Can I really get them all finished by Christmas? There are four to complete. I got the top finished on the Simple Country Sampler. Not my colors, but I worked with what I had in her box.

Simple Country Sampler

I'm happy to report that the backing and the binding are now also made and this one is ready to be quilted. It's on the schedule for next week.

Another quilt ready for the "to be quilted" pile

Since I'm on a roll, I might as well keep going. There is ONE quilt left to piece of Audra's. I dug it out and had no idea what to expect. Hm - this isn't going to be so bad. Here's the top as I found the blocks. Only 10 blocks missing. 

Garden Twist quilt  from In the Beginning

There were two little baggies with the components for the missing blocks. Bless her heart, but EVERYTHING was impeccably labeled. Thank you, Audra!!!!

The components for the missing blocks

I've already made half of the missing blocks - thanks to being up way before anyone else. It was even too early for the dogs. I didn't get a picture with the new blocks added. You'll see it soon I hope.

Then I was off to my finishing corner. I've pulled out all the quilts that need labels (OK - not all the ones that need labels), or binding. The machine is set up and I'm ready to go.

The finishing corner

Remember how I said that I might be able to make 100 finished projects this year? Well - there are almost 20 projects in that corner alone and each one might need one or two hours. I think I might be able to make it.

Here's quilt number two of Audra's and it's completely done. The binding is on and there's a quilt sleeve hand stitched in place. I was texting with her daughter last night and no labels. Not my choice, that's what I was told. She probably doesn't know the difference, but I'm going to leave it at that.

Underground Railroad Quilt from Quilt in a Day

That makes finish number 74 for the year!!!  Not counting quilts that got moved to the "to be quilted" pile nor customer quilts. I know I can make 100!!!!

I have too much stuff and I spend more time than I would like managing that stuff. Here's some stuff that I pulled from that messy corner and I want to try and deal with it today. I know - it would be way better to pull one box at a time out of the messy corner and deal with that and then get another box. I can't seem to work like that. I've tried and it just doesn't work for me!!!  I need to see this huge pile and then I whittle away at it. When I need the space, I cram everything back into the messy corner. Now how unproductive is that?

Things to tidy up today

 Again, due to my early hour of getting up, the table looks much better than this. I won't have to put as much back when I need the cutting table. Who knows - I have a fairly relaxed day ahead of me - I might just get more of it cleaned up.

Yesterday was like Christmas at my house. I was expecting someone to stop by and deliver a coffee maker that they no longer wanted. It's going to a good home with the Monday sewing group. The doorbell rings - oh the coffee maker is here. Nope, that would be the UPS man delivering a box from the US. Two of my magazine quilts have arrived safely at home. I really must show you my quilt storage area one day. It's insane.

A box with two quilts arrived safely home

We're merrily sewing away and the doorbell rings again. Oh - it must be the coffee maker this time. Nope - this time it was Canada Post delivering a VERY HEAVY package that I had to pay HST totaling $7.55 PLUS a handling fee of $9.95 for a total of $17.50.  Mind you considering what was in the box, I should be very happy that that's all I had to pay!!!!  I'll share with you what was in the box on another day. I'm seriously running out of time. Let's just say that the box was packed on December 5 coming from the US and arrived at my house on December 13. Not back considering the mess our postal system is in at the moment.

A mystery box arrived

 And much later in the afternoon, the doorbell rang yet again. This time it was the coffee maker. It's all ready to go on Monday!

Before my brain shut down at dinner, I did manage to work a wee bit on the puzzle. I have a feeling that there are a lot of missing border pieces in that huge mess of pieces. I almost have one side done!!!

Progress on the jigsaw puzzle

Today is a day of prepping for tomorrow and paperwork. Plus I have one more quilt that I want to get quilted and try to clean up that mess on the cutting table. And there's much more on the list to do. I need to learn to STOP and relax. My problem? I fall asleep if I'm not busy!  How did I ever survive in an office sitting in a chair all day???

On that note, I'm out of here.

Have a super day!!!!!

Ciao!