Upcoming classes for learning

GASP ---- I cannot give up Outlook! As a matter of fact, since I did all that switching of files around, the darn thing has synced just fine. I'm not sure what all that was about. 

Old habits die hard, and I've been using Outlook for years. Yes, I could go directly to the server to get those emails, but I like how Outlook works. Yet, I use Samsung Mail on my phone. It acts differently, so I can never find anything in my phone email, especially if it's in a folder. I hate responding to emails on my phone because it's so tiny. The biggest thing about Outlook for me is the folder system. 

Can I create folders on the server? Without those folders, I'd be lost. I've neglected email for two days, and I'm now in trouble because MANY emails are waiting to be dealt with. I haven't used Outlook much in Windows 11, and it feels very different, so I need to sit down and understand how it works. Perhaps I should use Outlook on my phone so all three inboxes are on the same platform. However, they will look different because the OS is different. 

Thanks for the suggestions about giving it up. When it works, it works like a charm—and it rarely doesn't. It's just the issue of syncing, which sometimes takes a while. I can still access Outlook and that inbox on ALL my computers, so it works! 

A lot happened yesterday, yet I barely have anything to show you. The quilts are trimmed and ready for delivery, and the machine embroidery projects are being trimmed. I hope to finish those today. 

Here's the next customer quilt. 

Customer quilt - DONE

So, everything is going according to plan—just not fast enough! This week's list of things to do is still long, but some items are not time-consuming. I'll do what I can.  

Here's some information about classes that you might be interested in. Please note that all of these classes are NOT about making something. They are about learning tools (software) you have or improving skills to finish your existing projects. That's all keeping my word: not to offer NEW things to make but to help you finish existing things. 

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Crossing the Finish Line (on Zoom) through The Hobby Horse Quilt Shoppe

This class is about finishing your quilt - different binding styles (and there are MANY), labels, and quilt sleeves. This is the second offering of this class, as the first one sold out quickly. It runs from January to June; the first class is this weekend!

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mySewnet Embroidery Software (on Zoom) through Needleworks Studio (Cochrane, Ontario)

This is about learning to digitize and edit in the mySewnet Embroidery Software. The software will work for ALL embroidery machines, as you can select the appropriate file extension when you export the files. You should be familiar with the software's basic tools, and you'll need the Platinum level. 

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Machine Embroidery IN-PERSON workshop

Date: February 21 - 23 

Place: Springhouse REtreat (New Hamburg, Ontario)

Cost: Approximately $300, including two dinners (must work out the details later today)

This will be an excellent opportunity to get hands-on experience with your embroidery machine. We'll be talking stabilizers, and you'll have a chance to experiment with them and learn which ones to use when. Tools to exactly position designs are a huge feature of many embroidery machines, but many people do not know how to use them correctly - you will after this workshop. Project in the hoop, and learning all about embroidery hoops! What's nice is that you'll be using your embroidery machine to do the learning. It's going to be loads of fun!!!!

Only a few spots are left, so let me know if you are interested. 

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And YES, there is a Virtual Retreat this weekend. I don't really have time, but I will make time. Well, I'll be working while on the retreat—that's OK!! The links will be posted later this week. 

And that's it! Today is going to be a ridiculous day. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I have THREE appointments this morning and one this afternoon. So that is going to eat into my work time considerably. But it must be done, so let's start by meeting with Brooke at 6 AM. But it's all a good thing because the more I stretch and the deeper I can stretch out that left leg, the better it feels. It still tingles, but the pain is now down to a dull ache. I feel amazing! 

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!

The plan for 2025

It warms my heart to know that I am not alone! Boxes and bags of stuff are being donated to various organizations nationwide. We will conquer this mess we've created, but we must be mindful not to let it happen again. Slow and steady is all I can say. 

Let's not forget to keep celebrating those little steps. Maybe it's one magazine that got tossed, or perhaps it's a book that you donated. It all counts. What's most important is that as you start to let go, the more you want to let go. 

I think that's why I was a bit overwhelmed yesterday. I see what needs to go and want to do it all NOW. Time doesn't allow it at the moment, and I really need to get rid of the stuff I've already designated to go. It's like the floodgates have opened, and I now see myself taking the tub of the financial papers on my desk and sorting them upstairs in Studio U. Most will be purged, I'm sure, but the fact that I can visualize that is amazing! 

Before that, I need to finish the writing and clean up Studio U so I can make another mess! It really is a good place to sort and organize. 

I really want to regain all the time I spend decluttering. I hear some of you saying, "Just leave it." But who will clean it up later? By having less, I'm gaining more time—less time searching for things and less time managing. Plus, the sense of well-being from having a decluttered home? That's worth the time to make it happen. So, the lesser of two evils is to deal with it. It WILL happen!

I set three tasks for yesterday and worked on all three. Did I completely finish them? Not quite, but that's OK—progress was made. I cut some quilt blocks until the light got so bad that it was hard to see values in the fabric. The overhead light in Studio U is NOT conducive to quilting. I'll finish the rest of my cutting later today. 

The sample-making went well. Sometimes, the hardest part is coming up with ideas. I even thought about what samples to make as I walked the dogs over the last few weeks. Hmm—I had the first couple in mind and couldn't get beyond those. Then, I got a piece of paper to write down the ideas. I never wrote a thing down. 

But when I started making the samples and doing it methodically, it was easy to come up with the rest. I can't over plan—I need to get my hands dirty, and then it'll happen. This is why one must do, not just sit and think! 

I'm also going to try to have a more relaxed 2025. Not that 2024 was stressful. Yes, it had its moments, but that will always happen. It doesn't matter how much you plan; when things go wrong, it can become stressful. I've got to try to keep that schedule open—that's my biggest issue. And so far, I'm good. 

I have loads of downtime in a day - you don't always hear about it. But I like reading and read 75 books last year, including fiction and nonfiction. I walked 4,500 KM with no headphones, no music, just my brain to entertain me. I get a solid 6 - 8 hours of sleep every night. I went on five quilt retreats and took the summer off. So don't tell me that I don't take time for myself. I do - it's just that sometimes, the work gets concentrated, mostly because I don't manage my time well enough and procrastinate, creating urgent deadlines! 

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Here's a reminder about the NEW classes/lectures for the first six months of this year. All of them are on Zoom. If you are in a continuing class from last year, I did NOT mention it here. 

The Hobby Horse: 

Crossing the Finish Line  -  A six-part series on different ways of finishing a quilt. Check the link for all the details.

Chatsworth is a four-part class on making a quilt. You also need the book, and the paper-pieced foundations will be helpful; otherwise, you'll have some wonky edges to sew. 

Thimbles and Things: 

Saturday Sampler:

A four-part lecture series on various quilt-related topics, including batting, pressing, and color, and a "clinic" on fixing things when they go wrong. 

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My five clubs (only five of them) are full. Here's one thing I've noticed. If you don't charge for a club, getting people off the distribution list is hard if you haven't heard from them. But if you make them pay, then no money, no emails! I must keep that in mind going forward! I still have one list to contact, and I'd better do that soon! I could delete people from the list, but some are lurkers. They are happy to be in the background, but how will you learn without feedback? Without asking questions - how will you learn? Without doing anything, how will you learn? 

I think I will set an objective for these people - if I don't hear or see one thing from the lurkers, they will be off the list. It's not about my and my anal idea about keeping a clean distribution list, but it's for them and the guilt they must feel! The two groups are machine embroidery and digital cutter. I'm going to give them a goal for 2025. If they don't touch their machine by June, I want them to SELL it and get rid of the guilt! 

So there's not much new starting this year, but that's OK. We all have loads that we need to finish, and I'm trying to teach more techniques than projects to allow us all to learn rather than add to our pile of UFOs. 

I signed up for the Conquer Challenge 2025 and set a goal that is still a stretch for me but less than 2024. I won't tell you the amount of KM I committed to yet. 

I also created a new virtual challenge to replace the one in Africa. It's a very cool challenge. I may have to tweak it a bit, as I don't think I put myself everywhere I want to be. Have a look. 

My new personal challenge

I'm starting in Detroit and walking through all 48 continental states. I wanted to capture a city in each state, but I think I have missed some along the eastern coast. I must review it a bit closer and make sure that I touch Ohio right after Michigan. 

How many kilometers is that? A lot—it's 15,870 KM. I set myself the maximum time (three years), and I'll have to supplement with cycling a bit as I will NOT be walking that much in three years. But it's fun to map, and since it's all in the US, I bet Google Maps has mapped the entire thing. 

Speaking of walking, look at this. 

MOM -- great smells along the walk

It was so nice when I went for my afternoon walk, but they made me feel very guilty, so I went for a walk and then returned to get them. 

It took Murphy a bit to settle down. She's a bully and has to be in front. But once she settled down, the rest of the walk was pleasant. I may take them both for a short walk more often! 

My walking buddies

And there's Murphy with her current teddy bear. I went to arrange the bear's ears for the photo, only to discover that it only has one ear! Where is the other one? No one knows! 

MOM - he still has one ear!

Well, I'm off to make more samples this morning. I give myself until the end of the day to complete them, including the stitching. I must move on. With the samples I'm making, you could never be done. But enough is enough. Don't worry—you'll be very aware of those samples in a bit. 

We're chugging along on the EXIT Game—the Advent Calendar. DH wants to do more than one a day, but I say no. I love slow and steady, and if we zip through them, what will we do at dinner? Except for that one day, all of these puzzles are very doable! I'm not sure I would get them all by myself, but the logic is there! 

And that's a wrap for today! Stand up/Sit Down! As I become more aware of my daily movements, I often use my arms to get out of the new office chair, which has arms. I also sometimes use my arms on the table to get up from it. Now that I'm aware, I'm trying very hard not to do that. Use my quads and core, but don't rely on the arms! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

2025 Classes

I need to set up my second bird feeder and install the darn new pole, but there isn't time. Then the birds will come back, and the ones that like the suet will be with them. Thanks to Tammy for keeping me updated on the birds—I'm terrible at knowing who is who! 

But it isn't so much time; it's like I'm in hibernation mode. I've been napping a lot this week. Is it because I'm tired? I'm getting decent sleep, but perhaps not as long as needed. Is it because it's cold and I'm a bear? Is it because I'm very dehydrated? Or is it because my brain is overwhelmed with what I've assigned it, and it is just saying, "No?"

It's probably a combination of all those things. Despite having someone come to discuss a quilt I will make for them, and Murphy going to the vet for her regular check-up, I managed to get all four presentations done or mostly done. I'll sort the slides on the last one at lunch! That's cutting it close!

Murphy is such a "brave" dog when she's on her own terms. She was pretty well-behaved at the vet and only barked a few times, which is a significant improvement. But when it came time to get on the table? WHOA!!! You are NOT putting me up there!

MOM - why can't we leave? 

Once on the table, she was OK with everything except the second needle. MOM - that HURTS. I need to go home NOW!!!!

And the second she was off the table and had a treat, she was her usual self! 

I am now even further behind on other things that need to be done, but it will be quiet after today. I knew it would be crazy to prepare for those four presentations, two of which were moved because of the holidays. This should be the last time that happens, at least for these sessions, which end in June. 

Here's an interesting thing about classes. Before Zoom, hosting an online class was almost unheard of. Everyone would trudge their sewing machines and supplies to the store. And if I were offering lectures like I've done since 2003. people would come to the store for a one-hour look at the new assignment for the month. 

I did a random and unscientific survey on what people want as we plan for 2025. Guess what? Online is the way to go, especially for the lectures. Think how much time it saves everyone. No one needs to pack up their stuff, and everyone gets a front-row seat to see exactly what is being explained—it was never like that! 

Best of all, at least for my students, is the follow-up. They get a recording of the class for 30 days, the slides, and many other handouts as applicable. That NEVER happened in the in-person classes. 

I am a firm believer in online classes. You can do it online if you have the right technology and knowledge. I don't have to take a bunch of step-outs to show my progress, and I don't have to pack and carry a bunch of stuff. And when I get home, I have to unpack it all. 

While some of you out there prefer hands-on, I get it. We all have different ways of learning, but as we age and are still thirsty for knowledge, I think online is the way to go. It is excellent to have platforms like Facebook where you can share photos or ask for help. It is so much better than it used to be when we all went home with a list of blocks to make, and you were required to take notes or remember! 

Speaking of online classes, I saw a crazy new paper pieced BOM. I'm not allowed to publicly share that photo, but it's very cool, and I wonder if there would be enough people wanting to do a paper piece Block of the Month? It would start in February or thereabouts. I think that is when the pattern is being released. When the pattern can be shown, I'll let you know. 

I promised to list my class and club offerings for 2025 on the blog, but I haven't done so yet. So here's a quick recap. Note that nothing much new is being added at this point. I am trying to be very reasonable with my schedule; nothing new has been added. One thing will go away (Out of the Box). I'll cut back on others at some point, but for now - this is what it is. 

NOTE: ALL classes mentioned are on Zoom. And if there is room in one of my clubs, I've noted it. 

The Hobby Horse Quilt Shop: 

Crossing the Finish Line - (started in October) will continue until June

Crossing the Finish Line - demand was so high that we're going to run a second class from January to June (a shorter version - but I want all classes to finish before the summer)

Chatsworth - Will run as a monthly class from January to June. 

You can sign up for Chatsworth on the website, and I'll check on the second Crossing the Finish Line. I may not have provided dates for that one yet. 

Thimbles and Things: 

Dear Jen - continues until June 2025. 

That leaves an opening for a second class. Do people prefer the technique lectures (Saturday Sampler), or would you like a project class? I have several ideas, but I'm open to anything. 

CrazyQuilteronabike: 

Spice Market - continues until June.

UFO Club One and Two - will continue for 2025 (January to December). I may have ONE or TWO spots open, but everyone loves it so much that no one wants to drop out. 

Machine Embroidery Club: will continue for 2025 (January to December). Again, I may be able to squeeze one or two more people in, but it's very popular. 

Digital cutter club: will continue for 2025 (January to December). There will be spots available in this one - we are cutting anything - paper, vinyl, and fabric. 

Many Blocks: will continue for 2025 (January to December). This class is similar to the UFO Club but without a financial commitment. The projects are those quilts with MANY blocks (like Dear Jane, Town, and Country, 365-Day Challenge, 100 block challenges, and temperature quilts) that we had great intentions of completing and did not! You set your goal! There is space in this club for anyone who has that type of project and needs motivation. It's free, but I would prefer you not start a project just to join. I would prefer that you are trying to finish an existing one. 

Embroidery software (mySewnet)

I will continue to teach classes at Stitch by Stitch in Kingston and Needleworks Studio in Cochrane. You must check the stores' schedules for information. I have yet to provide the new dates and topics to the stores, but we are continuing the sessions. NOTE: Each store will have different monthly topics, so all sessions will be different.  

And now I better organize myself as it will be a long day in front of the computer!!!

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!!