Busy as a bee

I could sure get used to this very relaxed pace, but would I get anything done?

My deadlines are well under control and I found out yesterday that only half of one project is due on July 1. Yeah!!! BUT - I'm going to forge ahead and try and get it all done so it won't become a deadline issue.

I was up late last night "forcing" myself to stay awake so I could finish my book. Holy - it was a bizarre book and I really felt for the main character who had everything go wrong for him and it just kept going wrong. The Blackhouse by Peter May. A decent read and quite different.

When I get tired, it doesn't matter how exciting the book is, I want to go to sleep, but I wanted to finish the book so I literally willed myself to stay awake. At one point in the night, I woke up with a vision of where that missing quilt block is hiding. But it didn't pan out. I can't believe I lost that block. The moral of this story is - NEVER make things too far in advance because you'll lose them!!!  I should have put the block with the book, but it was done and I didn't want to have to see it every time I worked on the other blocks. Good grief - what a dolt!!!

I bet I come home from class today and find the block - sitting on the cutting table. Taunting me! Laughing at me!  Oh well!!!  The funny thing is that in the past, I've struggled to get my prep work done for class and I've often just reviewed the pattern, explained the block and then made it afterward. This time I have it done and can't find it!

I did get a lot of work done yesterday and I'm not quite ready to share it with you. We had our Lilla class at Oh Look Fabric last night. The homework blocks are amazing. I hope to get all the homework blocks up in the next couple of days. Some of those blocks were - well, let's just say that the designers did NOT always find the best way to make those blocks. I didn't even bother to e-mail them since they are not receptive. Won't be recommending those authors.

The last mini red/white block is almost completed. This morning, I was finishing up the rest of the homework for today's classes. I need to pack and then I should be good. Here's the thing - when I'm prepping for classes, I sometimes raid my stash of quilt tops, blocks or whatever. NOPE - can't do that this time. I had to "create" quilts on EQ8 - which is fine and super easy. But that huge empty room downstairs - ACK!!!!

The floor is still dampish. I wonder if that is going to be a problem? I meant to call the restoration company and ask them, but I got caught up in the tasks of the day.

I even had time to visit with Pauline and had a cup of tea as we looked at her sewing space. She has TWO UFOs. Both are quilts waiting for their binding!!!!  If only that were the case at my house, but I'm good with the situation and I definitely see the light at the end of the tunnel. The biggest problem right now is that I'm working on several quilts that are huge - well at least in supplies and they are taking up a lot of space. If I could take a day or two and focus and get them done, that would free up a lot of space. Maybe, I'll do that once I'm back from the sewing retreat or even this coming week depending on how the deadlines go.

Thanks for the visit, Pauline! I borrowed her portable design wall which I used last night. I had read reviews online and they were NOT favorable, however, I had no problem with the wall and it worked like a charm. However, I was supposed to take her Trendtex challenge piece that I brought home from Quilt Canada and while it was out in the hallway, I totally forgot to take it with me. Never mind, I ended up at her house in my INDOOR shoes. Some days - I wonder where my head is.

Almost 16,000 steps yesterday. Went to the bank, the grocery store, the mall where I mailed what I got at the bank, and then stopped at the library on my way home. It was a glorious day. I think it took me an hour and a half in total. Took a bit longer as I was transferring more embroidery files at the library. I've now transferred everything that I have access to.

I had these great visions of being able to get back to the long arm soon after they get the floor completed. I had set aside my scissors and other tools and put them in the cabinet that sits beside the machine. However, I realized that I don't have any thread and zero ideas where it is. And I've no idea where the white cabinet is either!!!  Oh well - next week is going to be interesting. I know how I'll be spending my long weekend.

I've no idea how many boxes they packed up but it was lots!!!  There are over 50 boxes in the hallway and I know there are way more in the POD.

I managed a reading session in the gazebo after my walk and I worked on my homework for the UFO club. Super productive day - not stressed, just happy!!

I did throw that quilt into the washing machine before it dried and left a water stain on the quilt.

OH MY GOD --- I had to take a wee break and spent some time looking for that damn block. Then I decided to search through a box of stuff that was sitting beside the computer. I FOUND THE BLOCK!!!!!  PHEW - just in time for class. What a dolt. I think I must have left it on the kitchen table and then piled a bunch of stuff in the box to deal with. Well, two weeks later and the box is NOT dealt with. That's why there's clutter in my office. I don't care!!!  I found the block!!!!! To think the darn block was a FOOT away from my computer all this time!!!  That's hilarious!

Back to the quilt washing. Once it was washed, I laid it on the kitchen island to dry. There's a very slight discoloration where the stain was. I don't think I'm going to attempt bleach - could you imagine if the bleach bled into the black???  I threw it in the washing machine with no soap, no detergent for a quick wash.

Very slight discoloration

I know - you're saying that I'm being picky cause you can't see it. But I know it's there. I'm over it. Time to move on.

BUT, the texture of the washed quilt is AMAZING. It's heavily quilted and after the washing, it's super soft and very cuddly. It's a wall hanging size but goes to show that those very heavily quilted machine quilts can be soft and cuddly but they need to be washed. Several times! This quilt gets a lot of travel time with me so that helped to soften it up!!!

The texture is gorgeous on this washed quilt

OH MY GOD -- I'm so happy. I don't care what happens for the rest of the weekend - I found my block. OK - I'll shut up about it!

On that note, I'd better get myself going or I won't finish the wee bit of homework that's remaining and I'd better set that box out and see what else I stuffed into it!!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!