Sun up to sun down

Thanks, Carolyn, for the offer to bind quilts!!! I will start working on the binding as soon as those quilt backs are DONE! Only three more to make! 

I never get too much done on a Monday, as I seem to chat more than I sew! But I got the next quilt loaded on the long arm, and the next piece of machine embroidery prepped and ready to go. Plus, I cleared up a few things, and those worktables are almost clear! So it was a good day!

Worktables are almost clear!

Oh my -- I have serious allergy issues these days. Itchy eyes, sinus pressure, and a drip. Good grief --- aren't we past that time of year? Have my allergies to dogs returned, or is it just the dust? I've taken a pill this morning, and let's see how it goes. But a real pain! 

But you didn't log in to hear me whine about my sinuses, so let's look at what happened. 

I fired up the serger and made some pet mats. I managed to get two, with a bit left over for a third from what was in the bucket on the cutting table. 

Two pet mats

I was busy working at the cutting table and realized that one of my books had fallen into that scrap bin. Sigh............. I need to finish clearing off that table. 

My book fell into the scrap bin!

I had started making more pet mat bags that have been sitting on the work tables forever. There are now eight new bags waiting for scraps. I won't have to make bags for a long, long time!

Eight new bags for pet mats

And I made these little covers. 

A mysterious little cover

What the heck are they? Well, they are to cover some chains. But what is the chain for? I hope to show you tomorrow. Think storage! 

Fabric covered chain

I have to say that I LOVE that new serger! I hope to use the cover stitch over the winter as I made some T-shirts! And other things, of course!

I also had a floor mat on the worktable that needed the binding to be made and sewn. I got the binding made, and it's sewn to the mat. I didn't get a picture last night, so you'll also see that tomorrow. 

The binding for my mat

I only managed one more quilt for Quilts of Valour yesterday. I knew that would be the case, and I'm still on track to get all eleven done by Thursday evening. There are FOUR left to quilt. 

Quilt for Quilts of Valour

And that pile gets higher! But I hope to start working on binding the Quilts of Valour quilts this week. I also have some writing that NEEDS to be addressed very soon, so that will take priority. After the last of the Quilts of Valour, NO MORE quilts will be quilted that need to be bound until this is cleared up!

Quilts to be bound! 

And one more hooping of the embroidery is done! There are FOUR left. The next hooping is prepped and ready to send to the PFAFF creative icon 2! The next quilt is loaded on the long arm except for the batting, so that is all ready to go later this morning. 

One more hooping of machine embroidery

People keep asking me how I managed to get so much done. Well, I work in Studio B (most days) from sun up to sun down. OK -- that's a total lie since I'm downstairs well before the sun comes up and after the sun goes down. But you get the picture. I do other things during the day but put in some long hours. 

Speaking of sun-up, I managed to change the time on the clock in my car. This used to be a terrible ordeal every time the time changed. It's so easy that it's child's play. If only it were so easy to use the navigation system! 

Time changed in the car!

I managed to put some things away as well. I recently got THREE new mats for my Scan n Cut, and they are now with the others, and I'd better get myself busy one day and get back to work on that machine. 

Three new mats for the Scan and Cut

I also got two new blades. 

New blades for the Scan and Cut

I'm good for supplies for the Scan n Cut for a while. All I need is to find the time to cut something! 

OK --- so I'm going to throw in the towel on this one. Call me a hypocrite or whatever - I am beyond caring. I have a love/hate relationship with that big online store. And you know that I love to read. I used to keep track of books in a series through another website, but our favorite retailer soon made it difficult for that website to maintain the databases, and they had to shut down. A sad but true fact. 

One of the reasons I hate them so much is that if they find a good thing they can make money on, they shut down the competition. They are that powerful! Alas, I struggled to find a substitute, and there isn't one - at least not that I'm aware of. And every time you pop in the name of a book, Goodreads comes up. YES -- They are owned and operated by that favorite retail store!

I have been using it - I know -- shame on me! Well, I've decided to embrace this part of them. I will use their "want to read" feature, and I will fill it up! I have a lengthy list of series that I want to read or started to read. Now that the other database is gone, it's hard to know where you are. So I'm adding all that information to my Goodreads account. Then when I want to read a book, I'll check that list, and then I can use the library facilities to get it. I will NOT buy from them. They can mine my reading choice data all they want -- I'm beyond caring at this point and going for convenience. 

My "want to read" list

I know someone gave me the name of another list, and I think I started using it, but I can't remember what it is now! I should be firm and resist! 

I'm up to 84 books now, and I've barely skimmed the surface. Perhaps I'm a bit too ambitious with my reading desires since I read about 50- 60 novels in a year. And I'm a sucker for those Book Reviews in the newspapers. As soon as I see them, I want to read them. They are now being added to my "want to read" list! 

So what is with the girls? When I put Murphy's harness on in the morning, you would think I was walking her to something terrible. Head down, sad face, but the minute the door opens, she's the happiest dog on earth! 

MOM, I hate getting dressed!

Lexi just looks at her leash and says, "hurry up!"

MOM -- what's that blue thing? It's scary!

I decided to take them to the dog park again. I have no idea why since they pull and tug so much that I'm sure many of my aches and pains result from that! There was only one dog there, so we didn't stay long -- they are not that excited to play with other dogs there anyway, but it gives Murphy a chance to run and chase leaves without ripping my arms off. 

Happy amongst the leaves

And Lexi made a liar out of me! We put the pumpkin on the back deck, and I thought the squirrels would have fun with it. When DH saw a nibble out of the side, he said the girls were eating it, and I said they would never eat the pumpkin and that it was the squirrels. Imagine my surprise when Miss Lexi stepped to the pumpkin so she could nibble at it. Oh, Lexi! It's not like we don't feed you!

Lexi eating the pumpkin

I MUST remember to bring in that lawn furniture today. It's getting cooler, and before I know it, there will be snow on the ground and freezing temperatures which won't make it fun to bring in the furniture. 

Shoot -- I don't see the event on the website for Stitch by Stitch, but I'm hosting a Zoom event starting Monday all about mySewnet, which includes interfacing with the sewing machine, your computer, your phone, and a whole host of apps and programs. You could call the store to ask about it and get signed up. As I mentioned, even if you don't own the technology, it's great to know what is happening in the sewing/embroidery industry because it will only be developed further! 

On that note, I'm out of here!!

Have a great and PRODUCTIVE day!!

Ciao!!!