Homework is done!

What a difference a week can make! The weather was absolutely gorgeous yesterday and so much of our snow has melted. I have pictures to share tomorrow. However, it wasn't quite like that first thing in the morning. I got Murphy ready for her walk and went outside. Thankfully I had my hand on the railing. The entire step, driveway and it seemed like the street was coated in a thin layer of ice.

I decided to come back in. Let's say it was an uphill battle. I had to hold onto the railing while pulling a very unhappy dog and trying not to slip. In an hour or so, all the ice was gone, but first thing in the morning, it was just too dangerous to be outside.

I took the girls for their walk later in the afternoon and the forest was filled with slush. Four inches or more of slush. They didn't care, but it was hard to walk. After the snow we had and then the super cold temps, I figured it would take longer for that snow to melt, but it was slush! There's little snow left in our backyard and you know what that means? Mud! I can't wait for the temps to drop again. But not to minus 30.

Once the girls were happy, I walked back through the forest to the grocery store and our new post office. I'll save that story for tomorrow when I have a bit more time.

It was a 16,000 step day yesterday which means that I could pretty each whatever I wanted! Short again of the calorie intake if I'm to believe my FitBit and MyFitnessPal.

Something else happened yesterday morning. Talk about tidying up! I have two bedrooms upstairs that needed to be rearranged. I spent a couple of hours whipping them into shape. I'll share that with you - I'm super excited about what I did and it's all good!

Then it was down to the studio to get some work done and LOADS got done!!! I'm very happy with the progress.

I started off by finishing my homework for the UFO class this coming weekend. It would appear that I can be motivated by money and working in a group where money is involved. So those two blocks are now finished. I know - they are very pink. I don't suppose that Shelly would want them???  LOL - She hates pink with a passion. Oh - I should take a close up photo so you can see the stitching I did on the blocks. Very cool.

Homework blocks for Month 4 of Stitcher's Garden - DONE

If anyone wants to participate in the group UFO thing (and there's money involved), the next physical class is this weekend. In keeping with the dates, if you want to participate via the internet, you have until Sunday AM to get me your money (e-mail works fine and fast). You name the project and let me know what your final goal is on that project for the year and what your monthly goal is until the next meeting which is March 17.  Does that make sense? If not - e-mail me and I'll get you straight. You can also hand the money to a significant other in your house and I'll let them know if they can release money back to you or not for that month. Gosh - It really works!!!! I'm so motivated that I can't wait to start on the next blocks.

I got to work on a customer quilt and it's now finished and ready to be trimmed.

Customer quilt - DONE

I had a mild panic attack while quilting that quilt. The computer helps to set the number of rows in order to complete the quilt. I was thinking I must have entered the wrong size as there seemed to be a LOT of the quilt left and only a few rows of stitching left. But it was perfect. Actually one of the better finishes that I've had. I still feel like it's a crapshoot to get the pattern exactly matched up with the bottom. In this case, I overshot by ½".  That's impressive!!!

There was only ½" of stitching that overshot the edge which is amazing!

The next customer quilt is pressed and loaded. Ready for me to get at it, likely tomorrow.

Next customer quilt is loaded

I decided I had better get my block finished for our group exchange. I trimmed the block - obviously didn't do a good job centering the darn thing! What was I thinking and I really should have used one more layer of stabilizer when I did the embroidery. The design is very dense and you can see the ripples around the edges of the orange slice. More learning!  I might restitch that design just so I can get the proper stabilizing technique under my belt.

My block for the group exchange

There's one more thing that needs to be added to the block, but I have to make a quick trip to Micheal's to buy something. You'll have to wait and see.

I have six more blocks to make for the others in the group. There are 8 of us in total. I've made my block and the snowflake block you saw the other day. Some very cool themes and I think I have something in mind for all the rest of them. Again - it's all about focus. Says she who was late with her own block in the first month!

I designed that book block. The entire block measures 12 ½". And I wrote a whole story - basically instructions that go with the block. My group members are going to hate me! It's not that bad.

As I was sewing the last of that block together, I noticed a Ziploc bag by the sewing machine. Oh, shoot - those are those paper pieced blocks for that mini wall hanging for my Mom. I might as well get the darn blocks done. I finished three blocks.

Three more blocks for the fall mini quilt

 There are nine blocks in total in the quilt and guess what???  Yep - all nine are done!!!!

All nine blocks are done for the mini quilt!!!

As I was finishing up the last block, I thought of a fabric that I had in my stash. It's a small piece, basically a scrap, but I'm going to make it work!  Funny - I've had that fabric for years. It's been used obviously since there's not much left, but my brain seems to know what I have in the stash and I found it within seconds since everything is sorted by color. This was in the YELLOW basket. Go figure. There's a warm brown for the sashings between the blocks.

Fabric pulled to complete the fall mini quilt

When I was bustling around in the morning switching furniture, I thought of one project that I really should finish so I dug it out and took it downstairs. I know - I don't need to be doing that, but I figured that it wouldn't take long to finish it off. I need finishes!!!!  I'll go through the box maybe later today.

Then when I was tidying up after my applique class from a week ago, I saw this wall hanging that I had taken as a sample. It's fusible applique, and the edges are not finished. You know, the age old question - should I finish those edges or not? I promised the class that I would have it quilted by the next meeting as the quilting of applique patterns is a question that we're going to address next class.

Sunflower stained glass wall hanging

I decided to bite the bullet - I want the edges finished. I think they look much better. So whipped one of the machines into service for applique. The Husqvarna Viking sewing machines really are amazing for applique. Not only do they have a built-in satin stitch (there's a difference between that and a zigzag), but they have needle up/down, foot pedal advances by half stitches which is perfect for tight areas and turning corners, the sensor foot which raises the presser foot up slightly with the needle down which makes for hands free machine operation and allows you to guide the fabric and they have stitch restart which ensures that you always start in the same spot when you start a new line of stitching. Need I mention the built-in bright lights, the fabulous curved front extension table - well - I could go and on, but needless to say - I LOVE the Husqvarna Viking sewing machines for applique. Well other things too, but for applique - they are the best.

Stitching applique on the Designer Brilliance 80

I think you'll have to enlarge the photo - oh - I'll do it for you.  There you can have a better look at the sections that are finished with a satin stitch versus those that are not.

Satin stitch on the edging of the pieces on the left, the pieces on the right are not done yet

It's all about preference and time is a huge factor as well. With all the tools on the HV machines, it really didn't take long to do that stitching. Mind you, I've been doing it for years - I do have a little bit of experience with it. But anyone can learn!!!!

On that note, I'm off. It's Monday sewing! My favorite day of the week.

I sure hope that all of you are managing to get a wee bit more focused in what you're doing. Whether that's cleaning up the house, cleaning up the studio, decluttering, sewing, reading or whatever. I must say that I make myself the priority in the house. Without that little bit of selfishness, I wouldn't be a happy person!

Have a great day!!!!

Ciao!!!!