And I was doing so well

I'm really trying to keep up with my ongoing classes. In the past, I've not been good with this which is why I have so many HUGE UFOs that are waiting to be finished. I currently have four ongoing classes (including my UFO group). One class has two quilts so that is five quilts in total that I'm trying to keep up with each month. So far I'm doing great. I was hoping to have two of the five quilts completed for class later today, however, an e-mail arrived yesterday that threw that concept out the window.

The e-mail said, "how are you doing on that magazine quilt that is due May 17th?"  OH - shoot. So I had to drop the quilt for today and get back to work on the magazine quilt. That date was in the back of my mind and I was working on the quilt. I think I was in denial or something! Needless to say, a good part of the quilt is now cut out. Some of the blocks are made and I have a totally free day tomorrow to finish piecing it. Quilt and bind on Monday and hopefully in the box on Monday as well.

The Task Master didn't fail me. Oh - for those of you who have no idea who or what the Task Master is - it's a list of tasks that I would like to accomplish that week. The book is an ordinary lines journal and I create the deadlines and write out the weekly tasks. That's after evaluating the amount of time that I have and only scheduling what needs to be done or what I want to accomplish in that weekly timeframe. That deadline was in the deadline book - I was just ignoring it.

That just goes to show that if I don't keep up with that weekly meeting with myself to evaluate the deadlines, this kind of thing happens! There's a lesson to be learned. Write the stuff down - OK - I do that. Then pay attention to it! I don't always do that! And it's not from lack of time or being busy - it was outright neglect of what the Task Master was telling me to do. I guess I shouldn't have been sitting out in the gazebo reading! Oopsy!

So let me show you what I've been working on when I should have been doing that magazine quilt.

The other day I was sorting through stuff (no - I was actually in a panic looking for a bag of blocks which I haven't found yet) and I came across these two projects. Hmm - I've decided that I need to get my act together for my half square triangles so I kept these two bags out.

Bags of blocks

I was using them as my ender/leaders as I was sewing the quilt that I'm teaching today. And look - I managed to get the green/yellow/white quilt together! Now that impressive. Yes - it's busy. 

Quilt made from half square triangles

I'm happy to report that the quilt lies absolutely FLAT. Not because I pressed the heck out of it - oh no. ALL the intersections are twirled on the back. EVERY single one and that's a lot of twirling.

All the seams are twirled

In case you have no idea what I'm talking about with twirled seams, here's a tutorial. It's a super way to get something with lots of seams to lie perfectly flat.

How big do you think those half square triangles are??? And where did they come from? 

Perhaps this photo will put it in perspective for you. Yep - those little HSTs are TINY!

Tiny half square triangles!!!

And where did they come from? Yes - they came from somewhere. No one in their right mind would start out to make HSTs this small.

They are the cutoff pieces from the Celtic Solstice mystery quilt by Bonnie Hunter several years ago. Here's a link to a blog post about the quilt. And here's a second link.


The day was not completely free of errors. I was merrily sewing along and then realized that something wasn't right. I had to remove ONE entire block and rotate it 90 degrees. Then I had to take another block apart and rotate the bits because it was totally wrong! Let's hope that everything else is OK.

Oops - a block needed to be rotated

And yes - I mapped it out on EQ8 - well more like EQ7 as EQ8 hadn't been released yet. 

The quilt was mapped out on EQ8

I think it measures 26 inches square or that might be 22 inches. It just needs backing and some binding made and it goes in the "to be quilted" pile.

Before I checked the e-mail, I then moved on to work on this next bag of half square triangles. Remember - these are my ender/leaders. Technically I was piecing the quilt for the class today.

Next ender/leader project

Yes - those half square triangles are as small as the green/yellow/white ones. I love working with those small pieces!!

Ronda and I had a sewing day yesterday. There's plenty of room for four machines in that Studio. I was sewing at one and embroidering on another. She sewed on one of my machines and the other one was idle all day.

This is one of the things that Ronda made. She also got some homework done and I won't share that with you yet. I did notice that she completed the homework she said she would and didn't work ahead!

Superman zippered pouch!

We had a couple of questions about the pattern and then when it didn't make sense, she did the corners the way we always do them. It was a bit weird. I want to have another look at that pattern. It really didn't make sense.

I had a class the other night - making journal covers for Mother's Day. I have a really good student - she's nine and comes to class with her dad. Both of them are so much fun and so nice to see Dad so involved. This is the journal cover that was completed in class and I bet her Mom is going to be thrilled.

Journal cover made by my nine-year-old student

Back to those nasty half square triangles. When I was embroidering the other day, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to trim a big bag of half square triangles. I know - when I should have been cutting out the magazine quilt. Anyway - all those half square triangles are now trimmed. Sure helps when you have a decent blade in the rotary cutter.

Trimming some half square triangles

 And here's the huge stack - all done. They just need to be put into the appropriate bag for that size. I think there are one or possibly two more bags that need to be trimmed. I'll keep them handy. It's a great job to do when you're feeding that embroidery machine.

Half square triangles - trimmed!!!

I did a fair amount of embroidery the other day. I got all the blocks finished for the quilt that I'm teaching today. I have to trim the rest of the blocks that I embroidered and finish assembling the quilt. I have about half of the sections are together. I'm going to take a couple of hours this morning and work on it in the hopes that I can get it almost together.

Machine embroidery on the Designer EPIC (Husqvarna Viking)

I did something else yesterday, but I can't show you. All I can say is that there are some super cute embroidery designs out there. I mean CUTE!!!!  I need MORE time!!!  If anyone needs something embroidered, let's chat! I used to sit down to embroider, but there wasn't time for that. I can see why people want their embroidery machines on a slightly higher table and then they can just stand to rethread the machine.

Speaking of embroidery designs - I got this package of embroidery designs when I was at Quilt Market one year. It's very American and well - it's not something that I would use. There's also a tote bag that I made using the Brother Scan n Cut. It's up for grabs - free if anyone wants it. Shoot - I should have taken a better picture of the designs. If anyone wants it - email me and I'll send you a better picture.

American themed embroidery designs up for grabs

Also in that bag of stuff that I was sorting through the other day, I found this pattern. NO - it's not up for grabs. I was certain that I had purchased it, but didn't know where it was. Now I do. Every time, I see the pattern for the larger version, I want to buy it, but have refrained. I'll make the small one and be happy! The pattern is by Sassafrass Lane in case you want to buy it.

Mini camera pattern

 I think that covers everything today!!

Oh - the good news? I completely finished that one nasty paperwork task. The final e-mails were sent last night. All that remains is to sort through the paperwork that I have in my possession and it will all go in the recycling bin, but I'm holding onto it for a couple of weeks in case there's an issue with the paperwork that I have prepared.

Two huge paperwork tasks this coming week and after that, I think the stuff that has to be done will be done. Won't that be nice? Then I can spend my time sorting through papers and pitch and purge!

I also need to go through my deadline quilts and figure out how to get everything done before or after our upcoming retreat so I can go to the retreat and sew on my own stuff for once! It's all about planning!

On that note, I'm out of here!

Have a super day!!!!!


Ciao!!!