I'm here to make people happy!

YES --- The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is definitely a must-see -- I spent quite a bit of time there a couple of years ago. I talked about it in this blog post. The experience was humbling, and I have some time on Sunday, so I may go and check it out again. The displays change, but the subject matter does not. Sadly, human rights are not equal among genders, races, statuses, and many other factors. We must learn from the past and move forward, but will it ever be equal for everyone? We can only hope. 

All I ask of anyone is respect! It doesn't matter the situation - it matters just to respect each other and any other living creature in our world. Respecting each other can change the world. 

A smile, a thank you, or an acknowledgment can go a very long way!! 

But onto Quilt Canada and what happened yesterday. By the way, there is no new artwork today. 

I was mostly in the classroom again yesterday. The classrooms are on the first floor, and the exhibit hall is on the third. There is one elevator, which is slow, and one escalator that runs up in the morning and down later in the day. 

I suspect because it's easier for me to move around quickly, that I got assigned this task, but you know what? I'm perfectly happy to be going up and down as needed. And it's fun to make sure that everyone is having a great experience with the machines in the class. 

This is one set of two staircases between the three floors. There are escalators for this particular set of stairs, but only one on the second set. 

How many times did I go up and down these stairs? 

I happily took many steps throughout the day, and once I got people going, I made it back to the booth and spotted some people I knew. It's so great to catch up and see people in person. 

Remember that big white box I was moving from the hotel to the convention center? Well, what is in that box? 

It is the NEW PFAFF creative icon 3. It will be officially released in the fall of 2026. So this is not quite a fully functioning machine yet. Yep -- software is an important component of any new sewing and embroidery machine, regardless of what brand you look at. New features and benefits are about to be released. I do NOT have all the details, or I would share them with you. 

PFAFF creative icon 3

As the classroom person, I was able to listen in to what the teacher was teaching, and oh my -- I see another fun project. So many great ideas and there is just not enough time! But I learned of another great little restaurant near the convention center. When the class and I arrived, there was practically no one in the restaurant. They served a great corned beef sandwich - it was fast, and the food was good! 

From the coverage on the wall, it looks like it's been there a long time. 

Oscar's deli

So yes—getting out and exploring the city, even with little time on your hands, you never know what you are going to find. 

Remember the quote on my bed—"Your world will expand with every step you take outside your comfort zone." Not only that, but if I were to eat at the convention center, I would most likely run into someone I know, and then I would be yakking. Not that I mind—trust me, I love to chat and visit —but it slows me down when I'm on a schedule. 

I had the wonderful job of packing up the sewing machines in one of our classrooms. The class wasn't full, and there is no class in that room today. So I boxed up 21 machines. Once you get into a rhythm, it goes quickly.

However, when I was putting the machines into the boxes, I forgot to include the bobbin we removed from the machine. Don't worry - the class got a different bobbin to use in class. 

And all was going very well. I was making great time. Once the class finished, I had the last 6 machines to box up. And to insert that missing bobbin into the boxes I had packed in the morning. When I was done, I had ONE bobbin left over. Are you kidding me? 

One bobbin left over.

Those machines will be sold to customers, and no one wants to be shortchanged a bobbin. The big question now is which box the bobbin belonged to. 

Which of these boxes is missing a bobbin?

So I used logic to figure out which one. I know - that sounds absolutely absurd, but some of the boxes had been packed earlier in the day, and I was certain that all of those had the extra bobbin inserted in the box and that it had to be one of the six that I had just packed. Hmmmm --- which one of the six should I open first? 

Hmmm --- I bet it is the last one I boxed because I wasn't paying attention at the time, as I was listening to the instructor as she packed up the last of her things. I pulled out that last box and reached into the machine to feel in the bobbin case for a bobbin, and there was NO BOBBIN. Eureka!!!! Logic and common sense prevailed, and I quickly found a home for that remaining bobbin!!!

The first box I pulled was the right one!

Here is the information for my upcoming class at Carellen Sewing Center. I will be at the store on Monday, June 22, from 1 to 4 or 6 to 9. There is limited seating for the event, so make sure you get your name on the list. 

Quilting with a digital cutter

While the Singer Momento 24" digital cutter will cut many products, like paper, vinyl, and cardstock, the focus of these demos will be on fabric. See what it can do to make life easier for you if you are hand piecing, into English Paper Piecing, or just for making it easy to cut your shapes for quilting and your applique. Do you need to back your fabric, and if so, how? So many questions will be answered in the demo. Be sure to get yourself on that list. 

And then on Tuesday, Carellen will be hosting me as I do two demos on quilting with your embroidery machine. Those will be amazing as well, and I have loads of samples in my suitcase here at the hotel. So you can't say you saw everything at the show because the samples aren't there! There will be loads of great ideas, so if you have an embroidery machine and don't know how to maximize it for quilting, be sure to sign up!!!

By the way, I will be doing similar demos at Sticharie in Petrolia, Ontario, next week. I will find that information - I don't have it handy, but if you want more information, contact the store. There is some cool new stuff that makes embroidery and quilting come together!!! 

It was challenging to find a spot last night for a large group to eat, so we ended up at a pub near the convention center. It was quiet for a Friday night, but I'm sure our group made up for it in spades. 

And we got to play music bingo. Oh my!! 

Music bingo

There were some great songs with loads of memories, plus a new song or two I wasn't familiar with. And we won two pitchers of beer, which was hilarious since almost no one at the table drinks beer. But we managed to get rid of some of it! 

One of our pitchers of beer

I am not really a big drinker anymore. If I'm going to have sugar calories, I want them from chocolate! 

Then a couple of us left to get some shuteye, though I did NOT fall asleep until hours later. I have classes next weekend, and I have a lot of work to prep for them. I made great progress last night. But when we exited the restaurant, it was pouring rain. I took a picture of the three of us and shared it with our group. I won't post it, but needless to say, we looked like three drowned rats when we arrived at the hotel, which was only a short distance away! My thick flannel shirt was soaked, but it's dry this morning. 

I did manage to do some damage yesterday, and with the help of one of my colleagues, I did some thread shopping. These are Madeira threads, which I haven't worked with much. So these are 30-weight cotton threads. 

Thirty-weight cotton threads

The front of the box

And I bought a few spools of other threads as well; there are still others you did not see. 

More exciting thread

I did pick up a few other spools of thread, and you'll just have to wait to see them when I get home and get a chance to use them. 

I also bought something else that I had already researched at home. I just needed to pick it up along with a few other supplies. I'm excited to try it out, and I can now finish one of my jackets. And while we were chatting last night, I realized that I meant to bring the pink jacket that I made for the wedding (Italy) and totally forgot about it! Darn!!!!

Well, it is time to get the day rolling. It starts early at 8 AM because classes start at 8:30, and there are eager beavers who arrive early. I need to get their machines threaded, and bobbins wound, and show them how to use the machine. Then, a few machines to box up so we don't have to do it all later in the day. 

I haven't seen the quilts, I haven't really seen the vendors, but I will see what I can see today. It's rare that I actually get a chance to check out the quilts, and I only saw the Trendtex Challenge online, and I have bids on two of the quilts. 

Here's a thought for you—do you think that for something like the Trendtex Challenge, the five fabrics should be more cohesive than they have been in the past? Would it encourage more people to participate? I totally get that this is a challenge, but if the fabrics are uninviting or totally bizarre, it is going to throw off those who want to take it on. 

Here is the link for the auction again - there are some very unique and interesting pieces, and I hope to bring home at least one of them. They will mail the items—you do not need to be present. The auction closes in 6 hours!!!!! 

And what is interesting is that it's not always the ones the judges like that get the most bids!!! Perhaps we need to have an online session to help people figure out how to do a challenge. Any takers on that? When the Trendtex Challenge is released in the fall, I might just host a class for fun to see if anyone joins, and we can brainstorm together to work on the challenge. Yep -- and there goes my free time. But I love to teach. I need to teach, or I will wither and die! Or I'll spend all that time in front of a jigsaw puzzle!

And on that note, I'm out of here. I have to iron a shirt today—WHAT????? 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!

PS --- Be sure to let your friends know of the upcoming classes so they have time to think about what they want to take in the fall. The more people in the class, the more fun we will have. The details on where to get the patterns, timing, etc., will be up next week if I can get my act together.  Since they are on Zoom, anyone, anywhere can join.