The Big Move

ACK!  I took pictures this morning on my phone as I thought - "oh that will be easy to upload to the blog." Except that I usually transfer the photos from my phone via e-mail and I don't have access to e-mail on the laptop. ACK!!!  I need to make some changes here. Sorry - no pix yet again.

The computer will go into the shop today. I can't even get it to reset now. It's stuck at the logo. I hate computers with a passion!!!  I'm not going to let it bother me. I don't have time and what's the point of getting upset - it won't change anything.

I'm happy to report that the quilt top for the magazine quilt is DONE!!  I had a wee issue with one of the fabrics originally slated for the top. I wasn't going to get it in time so I had to rejig the pattern. After getting approval from the editor, I was ready to go. But with the week away and that rejigging, I needed a bit more time. I threw a sewing machine into the car and did some of the work while I was away.

Then yesterday we had a snow day because of the weather. NO Monday sewing, but that was OK - I was thinking of not going anyway. So I hunkered down in the studio and sewed my little heart out.

A quarter of the top was finished last night and I finished the rest this morning. I'm happy with the results. I would have liked the original fabric and it would have been way faster, but this end result is just as nice.

I have to make the backing and the binding today and it had better get quilted as well although that's probably not going to happen. The key to successful sewing? Take your time, know what you're doing to avoid ripping. I know that I have tons of seam rippers but do I know where any of them are? Nope - I could only find one that I hate. I had two partial seams to rip out. That was IT!!!!  I don't pin - that saves time and there are a LOT of intersections on this quilt - every one of them match. Pinning takes too much time and pins shift. I never pin unless it's a border or long stretches of fabric with no seams to match.

I had to pop out for my massage yesterday. Very happy to report that the knot in my left shoulder is so much better. I have more movement in my neck before I'm in pain. There's still a long way to go and I've got all kinds of exercises to do to help loosen the knot and keep it loose. And I seem to have caught Laura's cold. GRRR - we should have had face masks in the car!!! It's just in my sinuses so not a huge deal. Thanks, Laura!!!

How did I stay so focused yesterday? Well - a deadline definitely helps the situation. I don't think I took a break other than to pop out to the appointment and to take a potty break from time to time. I'm getting so much better at focusing. I get everything set up and I'm good. Oh - I was listening to an audiobook. That makes the time go by very fast. This was a LONG book - over 14 hours. I think I had listened to about 3 hours before I went away and it was a so so book. Lots of boring details. Then BAM - one of the main characters gets murdered (well not proven yet), but he dies. Oh - what happened? Then I really got into the book.

I now have ONE HOUR left. Hope to finish it while I make the backing and the binding and load that quilt.

However, I did have a few distractions yesterday. The demolition crew is arriving at 9 AM to dismantle the basement. Technically they are coming to remove anything wet. That would be the floor and some of the walls. ACK!!!  I don't know how big the area is, but I can sort of tell by looking at the floor. OK - it's going to be big. The question is going to be how many rooms are going to be affected by this?

The main room for sure and probably 1/3 of that floor will be up by the end of the day. The furnace room is concrete, but I bet everything in there needs to be moved. There isn't much, but there's a wee storage area off the furnace room - that will have to be emptied. A couple of tubs so not a huge job. The storage room floor will have to go - not all but part of the wall in there is going. The big question is do the floor and the walls need to be removed in the fabric storage room. If those have to go, then we're in huge trouble.

So I packed up a bunch of stuff yesterday and hauled it up to the upstairs. I'm setting up a new sewing area in M's bedroom over the garage. Actually, there are two "empty" bedrooms upstairs and a huge bathroom. All will be pulled into service as a new sewing area. I sewed in the studio yesterday, but this morning, I'm planning on moving tables, sewing machines, ironing board and a whole lot more. There's a bunch of stuff at the bottom of the stairs to go up and I made a few trips yesterday when I needed to have a physical break from the sewing. Oh, joy - Just what I need.

However, this scenario is making me think very seriously about what I'm moving. I'm going to try and keep this focus going. There is lots of stuff that I'm moving that need a few hours of work and the project will be complete. There's stuff that's been moved around and all the stuff needs to be sorted. If it's just fabric, then into the storage room it goes. If it's a project, then it needs to be put into a container and put on the UFO shelf. There might be tools or whatever. It's time to get this mess cleaned up!!!

NO - I'm not ready to get rid of stuff - it just needs to be better organized. Last time we had water issues in the basement, I was in way worse shape than I am now. That was a HUGE eye-opener and this is going to be a huge eye-opener as well. It's time to get this totally under control. I think there's going to be loads of tips for organizing coming up. Watch for those.

Now I'm going to try and find someplace on the internet where I can upload those photos and then put them on the blog. I took some before pictures - well the way the studio is this morning. I know it's going to only get worse. How much worse? Only time will tell.

Yesterday, I was feeling overwhelmed. Once I got to work on that quilt and called the contractor, I was in good shape. There's no need to worry about something that can't be changed. The important thing is to focus on what we have control over. It was just the thought of what had to be done that was overwhelming. Once I got started, that wasn't the case. And in fact, the tasks that I had to do were very doable in the timeframe I had. There is NO POINT in worrying. It only knocks years off your life! I don't worry! Onward and upward! Today is a new day.

I can't wait for those huge fans to come into the house. I remember from the last time - they were NOISY and they ran for days. I can't hardly wait for that exciting thing to happen today.

Have a super day!!!!!

Ciao!!!!