Sit n sew day

You'll have to wait for more of our class show and tell while I take today to share with you what happened yesterday at the Sit and Sew. 

First off - I'm going to be late this morning. I got up way later than normal. Why? Because I went to bed with something on my mind (nothing bad - just something that has to be done). I didn't advance it yesterday at all and it weighed heavily on my mind. So I woke up in the middle of the night. I got up and did stuff and then I went back to bed. Bottom line - I'm now way out of my routine for the day. That's OK - it's probably a good thing to happen from time to time.

That includes Monday sewing. I normally take handwork to do - today I'm taking my computer. I have some design work to do and it's due today. So I'll design while I talk and then send everything off when I get home.

Remember that dressmaking class I talked about a while back? Guess what I did at 2:30 AM or whatever ridiculous time I was up? Yep - I registered. At first, I was going to have to register in person because I didn't have the prerequisite class. Well, things got rearranged and the first class is available so I registered from the comfort of home and in my jammies. That saved me a couple of hours!!!  I can't wait to get started. We start with skirts! Can you see me wearing a skirt? Well - it might happen. I'll give you plenty of warning.

And now onto the sit n sew day.

See how nice and organized everything was before the group arrived? I meant to take a picture when all nine of us had our stuff laid out, but I totally forgot.

Studio B looking pretty spiffy!

I did manage to cut more pillowcases components yesterday. I received another huge donation so that is good. We're going to make our 100 pillowcase kits for the workshop on December 3rd. I can't wait. I wnt to do some live Facebook postings that day so you can all share in how much fun we're going to have.

Now here's some dedication for you. Yesterday was the Davis Cup (tennis) and we had a devoted fan amongst us. She streamed it on her smartphone. Can you see how she propped up the phone so she could watch while she pressed her blocks?? It's the pink thing in the middle of the picture.

Watching tennis while pressing

Then she (I should say, Ronda - just so you know who is the crazy one!) moved to the cutting mat and her smartphone came with her.

Watching tennis while trimming

See why I don't watch TV? That's like having a ball and chain attached to your foot. Too much maintenance and dedication and time devoted to watching something. I don't miss TV one bit. It's been so long now, that the word is pretty much no longer in my vocabulary - well it is to talk about it, but I never think to watch TV if I'm having a spare day. Well - of course not! I never have a spare day!

I did manage to get some quilts trimmed and ready for the binding to be sewn on. I also managed to get two bindings made. I think there are five items or is that six in a pile that needs the binding put on.

Sharon (we had three Sharons yesterday) so this is Border Creek Sharon, was working on her blocks. She's on Clue Six of eight clues.

Block from a Border Creek mystery

I'm not sure which of the mysteries this is from, but it was several years ago. She got her blocks assembled and went to cut fabric for the next part and NO FABRIC. It appears that she left the extra fabric at home and that was all that she brought. Yikes!!!  That's a nightmare for me. So she hung around and visited for a while and then left shortly after lunch. I then commandeered the table she was sitting at so I wasn't tucked away in the corner.

I decided it was time to get that darn jelly roll rug ready to sew together. I had joined my strips in the morning and now it was time to insert the batting.

Here's my bag of pre-cut batting strips before I got started.

Bag of batting strips ready to go

I don't know what I was thinking but the darn bobbin ran out and I had merrily sewed at least two strips before I realized the bobbin was empty. I'm using my old sewing machine and I guess the bobbin sensor is now gone in that. Oh darn - bit by bit that thing is falling apart. But I've got a story about later this week so you'll get to see more. 

The bobbin ran out and I was merrily sewing

Guess what - I did that twice.

Bobbin ran out again!

By that time, only Ronda was left to hear my "kind" words to myself! But this time, I realized it soon after the bobbin was empty. I got a huge laugh out of that!

Of course, working with that big long strip, you end up with twists so, at one point, I laid it all out on the floor and then I was good.

The rest of the strips to sew 

I didn't bother to roll as I went and when I was finished, I had this lovely mess to deal with.

I'm finished part one of the jelly roll rug

Now I have two giant balls of "string".

Two balls of fabric "string"

What does the bag with the batting strips look like? Well, there is a dent, but not much.

Yes - go back and look at the bag before I started. I swear, I didn't take any out. I bet there's enough here for another three rugs at least. And I've got a HUGE bag to trim down. Anyone want some batting strips to make a jelly roll rug? How about placemats or a pillow as I've seen there are now has patterns for those. You could make a bag as well. That link takes you to a YouTube video - I haven't watched it so I've no idea whether it's a good one or not. But seriously - I want all that batting used up by the end of the year! I have a goal!!!


Ronda was working on one of the community projects kits that we had made up. It got finished - you'll see a sneak peek in a bit. Then she moved over to sewing binding on her quilt - by herself! I usually do it for her. But this time, she did the entire thing. And I think she did an amazing job.

This is the back

And here's the front.

Machine binding

She made a few slips on the back, but on the whole - she gets an A on this one. See - if I make her feel good, I won't ever have to do her bindings again! But don't tell Ronda!

I had put a call out for anyone with a community project kit to try and get it back to us by December 13th. I got FOUR finished tops back yesterday and I have a feeling, I'm going to get at least one more this morning. There are still more out there, but we're going to have a very busy day making backings and bindings with what we received so far. I'd better get that long arm fired up!

Finished quilted tops for community projects

I let Lynn loose with my box of rickrack and she had fun finding "trim" for her house quilt. I forgot to take a picture of that. Diane was working on another one of our community project quilts. You'll have to wait for that picture. Sharon (1/4" foot Sharon) was working on a bargello - I forgot to get a picture. Liz was working on something that I don't even remember. It's not that I don't remember, I'm not sure that I even looked. Oops!

But here are a couple of other projects that were worked on. Sharon B (we should have called her Christmas Sharon) was using up some squares of Christmas fabric and was making a tree skirt and placemats. I think she had just a few squares left when she was done!

Christmas placemats

Elaine was working on her July Shop Hop quilt. Nice blocks!!!!

Shop hop blocks

Oh - I did find another picture of what Lynn worked on once she finished her house quilt. This is from another Shop Hop that she participated in last year.

Lynn's shop hop blocks

And I found a sneak peek of the community project quilt that Ronda finished.

Sneak peek at a community project quilt

Elaine brought me this cute coaster. What do you think? Is that me??  Oh yes - to a TEE. Thanks, Elaine!

Coaster

Once everyone left, I decided that I needed to get a quilt quilted. It wasn't loaded which is unusual for me, but I had been goofing off with other things. I got the quilt loaded and although it was quite late last night, I got the quilt done. Yes - it's HUGE.

Customer quilt - DONE

I had a special request to quilt dinosaurs on the quilt. What do you think??? And I also learned how to rotate a picture and keep it rotated. I'm not using my usual software so this is a good thing.

A ferocious dinosaur on the quilt

The quilt is quite busy so you don't see the dinosaurs right off, but they are there. It was a nice quilting pattern to put on a quilt. And now anyone else who wants dinosaurs on your quilt can have them.

I was prepping some stuff that I have to do later today and guess what? You can't use a cotton setting on something delicate like tulle! Ooops - it was working just fine until I rested momentarily in one spot. Not to worry - I still have enough on either side of this boo-boo to do what I need to do.

What happens with a cotton setting and tulle

I'm super excited today. I'm blogging on QUILTsocial and today it's all about the NEW Husqvarna Viking DESIGNER EPIC 2. Humor me and check it out. This sewing/embroidery machine is unbelievable. What it can do is incredible.

On that note, I'm out of here. A busy day of sewing, but I think I'm going to cut Monday sewing short and get my butt home and in front of the computer to get some very urgent stuff completed before I go to bed tonight. Then tomorrow and for the remainder of the year - I had things to do, but NO DEADLINES. I can hardly contain myself with excitement.

And as I announce the classes for the upcoming year, I'm keeping in mind those of you who aren't close enough to me to attend a class. There's going to be something for you!!!

Have a super day!!!!


Ciao!!!!