Now that's OLD!!!!

It was one of those days! I got some machine embroidery done, and it turned out amazing. I need to get some more done for my upcoming Facebook Live (April 8), but I just couldn't get my head around it. And I'm supposed to be making another jacket for an upcoming wedding, and I can't wrap my head around that one either. I might just buy pink Lulu lemon pants and go with that! I am NOT one to dress up - ever, and especially not when traveling! 

I did get some binding on some quilts, which was great! The day was not a total loss. 

I only needed one more strip for the black binding, and now both of those table runners are done! Yep—two projects that were in the "to be quilted" pile for a very long time are now done. I quilted them both with the embroidery machine, and once you get the hang of that, it's a snap to do small projects. Yes -- I could have quilted them on the long arm as well, and I could have done it in free-motion sewing mode, but it's good to have samples of all kinds of stitching. 

Two table runners are done!

I made those as part of a series of table runners that I taught at Ruti's Needlebed (now closed) in 2012 or thereabouts!

Then I got to work on this small project, which also needed the binding. It also needed a sleeve in the event I want to hang it up. I made the sleeve for it and will hand-stitch the loose side down later today. 

The hanger is hiding under the binding.

Can you believe that I also needed more binding for this one? What is wrong with my math these days? If you look at the top right-hand corner, I was short about four inches of binding. I'll pin this to my design wall once the hand stitching is complete. 

My word of the year is complete.

But one more project is almost done, and that works for me. I have one last project to put the binding on, and I might work on that today, or I'd better get organized for the machine-embroidery sample I need as soon as I get back from my trip. 

Having gotten reinspired by Margareta's book, I decided to tackle some of the paperwork that has been sitting out for a while. OH MY!!!! This was on the front of the folder. I don't even know where the folder has been stored for all these years. 

A label on the folder of paperwork

And as Margareta mentions in her books, when you are Swedish Death Cleaning, enjoy your things, enjoy the memories, but then get rid of the stuff that you don't need. And boy oh boy, did this folder bring back some memories. 

The oldest bill I found was dated 1993. Yikes!!!!! What the heck is wrong with me? This folder obviously got shoved way back in some drawer and has not seen the light of day for a very long time. That's over 30 years old! 

A 33-year-old receipt

I found several receipts from Consumers Distributing. Remember that store? You ordered from the catalogue, and then they went into the back to pick up the items for you? Well, by the look of two of the items, I was preparing for M's arrival as I had ordered a mobile and a nursery lamp - whatever that is. I bought this on January 20, and she was born on March 1. She's now 30!

A 30-year-old receipt

I rented my maternity clothes and found the bills for that as well. Good lord -- I can't believe how deep this file got buried. 

Invoice for renting maternity clothes

What's even worse is that I found the change-of-address and the moving bill from two moves ago!! And we lived in that one house for 6 years, and we've been living in this one for 23. Oh boy!!!!! 

Change of address from two moves ago!

Can you imagine if I had saddled someone else with dealing with that folder? It would have been quite embarrassing to say the least. I found bills for golf clubs, which DH says were mine. They were? I remember having clubs, but not that those specific ones were mine. 

Anyway, it was fun sorting through it. I'm not quite done, and I'll try to finish it off this morning. I think that's the oldest paperwork in the house. There are still folders sitting on the floor in the office, but as mentioned, slow and steady is my style, and that's all I can say about that. 

I walked to the mall yesterday and saw this beautiful display in a shop window. I didn't get a close-up, but all those flowers are crocheted! They are not for sale - it's a window display. What will happen to them when they change the window display? 

Crocheted flowers in a window display

I also bought a new carry-on piece of luggage, which I brought home. YES -- I carried it home (only 6 pounds), and I didn't want to wear out the wheels on the 15-minute walk home! DH has been wanting a new carry-on for a while, and, of course, he wanted a fancy name-brand one. I decided to buy this one for me ($90 on sale), but the minute he saw it, he wanted to use it! So he is going to test it out today as he flies somewhere. 

And there is that Murphy dog. She is obsessed with her ball, and it's too wet and cool to throw outside, so I throw it in the house, which probably isn't a good thing. The floors are slippery, and she just goes full tilt. Which is not good for her back legs. Thankfully, the weather is warming up, but she is relentless in asking to play ball. I put her ball and her stuffed toy back in her toy box, and within minutes, she was there. Not only did she grab the ball, but she also grabbed the stuffed toy and brought both of them into the family room. 

MOM - I NEED to play ball!

I just missed getting the shot of her with both of them in her mouth. 

OK -- I'm leading up to some very bad news. I'm in total denial. No one got hurt, no one will get hurt, and of course, it's related to technology. 

I have been diligently transferring data from the hard disk I said was going to fail. The way it's been acting up, I knew something bad was going to happen. Last night, I was trying to save some files for my Monday sewing group presentation, and I should have just saved them to the new hard disk. 

Then I got this message. 

NOOOOOOOOOOOO

Sigh --- it was just after dinner, and I gave up. I shut down the computer and went to watch a YouTube video, but even that was too much for my brain. So I went to bed and had the best sleep ever. Over 8 hours, including almost two hours of deep sleep! 

I don't think the disk is completely fried yet, and I will continue to migrate data off it as best I can. But I have a feeling I'm going to have to pay to recover data from the darn thing. I should have been doing the migration faster!! 

I have most of the documents off, but there are still a lot of pictures on that hard disk, and while I need to clean them up, a lot could go; there are many that I want. Sigh........................    I have only myself to blame for not getting it off when I knew it was going. 

How did I know that? When the disk becomes sluggish, the computer doesn't want to recognize it as quickly as it should. That's a sign. I could try a defrag, but it's too late for that. 

Well, live and learn—it's not the first time a hard disk has failed. I need to take note. This disk was over 7 years old and probably older. They have a shelf life—I'm going to start migrating the data over after five years, and, more importantly, I'm going to clean up the darn data and back it up. Thankfully, some of the data is sitting on OneDrive, but there is still a lot that isn't. 

Well, that's a happy thought to start the day!

Here's another happy thought. DH and I were chatting about the new S26 smartphone. I was curious to see what the difference was between S25 and S26. Of course, there is NO change in the phone capabilities -- those have remained the same for years. But the ability to do more AI stuff is HUGE. Sigh --- so our smartphones are now driven by social media since the only place people are using AI is on social media. And these phones are getting more and more expensive every year! 

Well, on that note, I'm out of here and on my way to the gym for spin class. I have a lot of stuff to accomplish today, and we'll see how I make out after my amazing sleep. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Gazebo time!

Despite this newfound focus, it seems challenging to move ahead. WAIT --- I know that I'm getting things done, but the progress seems slow. I know it's not, when you consider how many hours I actually sew each day. I make the most of the time I spend in Studio B and call it a day. There is NO RUSH to get these things done!

Oh my gosh --- what am I complaining about - I still accomplished a LOT. The abbreviated "Dear Jen" is now quilted. I was hoping to get it trimmed, but that didn't happen. A job for today. 

The Dear Jen quilt is quilted.

I actually like this quilt (love that setting), and I think if I had continued, I would have loved the larger size as well. But it just wasn't speaking to me, and instead of making a lap quilt or a larger one, I ended up making a cover for my embroidery machine. So I'm learning that if I don't like a project, it's OK to stop, make it smaller, but get it done! That is HUGE for me! This self-awareness journey of the last ten years has taught me so much about myself, and I'm still learning. 

The placemat is trimmed and bound. 

The placemat is done!

The soccer quiltlet is also bound. 

The mini-soccer quilt is done!

I love that both of these items were created from scraps that would otherwise have languished in my stash. DONE!!!! 

The placemat is in my pile of other placemats that will be donated later this year. I have an outlet for them. I've decided to donate the soccer quilt to a NICU, but I need to reach out to see if anyone has a connection, rather than taking it myself. Does anyone in my area donate to the hospital? 

This machine embroidery postcard was on my Visual To-Do list. I had a small category of NEW things to do. They were small things that I had left on the cutting table at the end of the year. It's nice to do something new every once in a while. I decided that yesterday was the day, and I was also experimenting with this project, so I could use it in my machine embroidery class this coming weekend. It's not quite finished, so that's on the agenda for today. 

Machine embroidered postcard or rug mug!

Let's say that this small project is not without its challenges!!!! 

Then I made the binding for my denim quilt, but it's waiting for those labels. I see someone left an email address in the comments. I'm assuming it's for the label company. I also sent them a message from their Etsy account, which I need to check. 

I made the binding for the denim quilt, and it's waiting for the labels to arrive before I put it on. 

The binding for the denim quilt

Now I've have a stack of quilts - well, one quilt and the rest are small projects that are waiting for the labels. And when I trim Dear Jen, it's going in the same pile. I want these done!!!! 

The pile of projects that need the binding attached

I've sent them another message this morning, and will use the email that someone posted. I had received confirmation of my order and a tracking number when the order was initially placed. However, the email is a NON-reply email, and the tracking number is for packages traveling from Europe. Which mail/courier service? 

I had an optometrist appointment at 10:20. OK -- at this office (inside a LensCrafters), the three women (I've met two) are kids! Are they even old enough to be an optimist? But I'm OK with that. It's within walking distance of the house, and I'm not getting in my car for an appointment if I don't have to.  

I had time to stop at the thrift store before the appointment. HEY -- I wasn't going to let someone scoop my jigaw puzzles. Have you noticed the new obsessive behavior? 

The two I wanted were still there, and I threw in the colorful one at the bottom because it's so colorful. It just caught my eye. Three puzzles for $18, including tax. The one in the top left is brand new, still in the cellophane! 

Three new puzzles

And yes - I completed the fifth and final one of the DowdleFolkArt puzzles that I purchased last week. Imagine that - I purchased them last Friday, and all five are now done. I've given them to KU to do, and then they will be going back to the thrift store unless someone near me wants them. There are 300 pieces in each, and they are easy enough to do in an evening. 

The last of the Dowdle FolkArt puzzles

It amazes me how quickly one can turn over 300 pieces, but 500 pieces take forever. OK - it seems to take forever! This one was a bit trickier, and I suspect the pieces are identically cut. OK -- I don't suspect, I recognized the pattern, but that didn't help me assemble the pieces. I started with the sky and then the house, and then built out from there. Interesting how different they all went together based on the picture. 

I have to clear off a table in Studio B to work on the next one, which is 1000 pieces, and I can't leave that on the kitchen table. UNLESS -- I clear off either the desk or the table in the office and work there. Hmmm --- but the light is much better at night downstairs. 

When I came downstairs, Miss Murphy was surveying the puzzles I had laid out so I could take a picture. 

MOM - I'm guarding the puzzles for you!

I didn't go for a walk in the afternoon since I had walked a lot in the morning. But I still needed to be outside, and oh my—how could you not want to be outside? The weather is stunning. Since there was no snow left in the gazebo, I got my lawn chair out and slipped my orange jacket on, and I sat out there and listened to my audiobook for a bit. 

It's gazebo time!!!

Murphy was beyond herself with joy, and Lexi, the cuddler, was right in there for some close encounters. 

MOM - I need some attention

But seriously? I always wonder if Murphy understands boundaries, and yes, she does, but only on her terms. She was standing on the edge of the pond and tossed the ball on the ice multiple times. Each time, she looked tentatively at the ice surface, deemed it solid enough for her, and went on. 

MOM - the ice is thick enough to hold me!

She is careful not go to the other end, as that is where the heater is, and the ice is open there. It's too bad she doesn't identify with the length of her leash!!!!

As the weather warms up this week, I suspect I'll be out there a lot! It's beautiful and close enough to the forest that I call it forest bathing. You really do NOT understand how amazing that is for mental health. I have no issues these days, but just taking a few minutes each day to relax in the peace and quiet—priceless. 

Oh my -- I love the quote of the day from my Yogi tea. I have to laugh at this, though—if you enter it with grace, is it OK if you fall out of it in a mess? 

Quote of the day

I'm not good with change, but I'm also not going to be left in the dust because I'm afraid of the unknown. That's where the adventures begin, and I'm still way too young to enjoy adventures from my armchair!

I also finished an audiobook yesterday, which is good because another one came in. I have quite a few on hold, but many of the books are weeks away from coming in. I really must get my new headphones up and running and throw the old ones away. HEY -- they are on that table I need to clear up, so that will be something to accomplish today. 

I'm off to spin class. My knee is feeling pretty good these days, but it doesn't like the prone position. Even though I have my knee elevated at night (a flat knee is bad), it has its good and bad moments. But for walking? Oh my—it's doing pretty well. I'm still careful, as if I twist it, it's not happy. Even the pulling I get when walking Murphy isn't good for it, so I try to keep her under control, which is no small feat. But it's coming along. I might try a bit more pressure in spin class today. Trust me -- I'm not going to go too far to mess it up. I do NOT need to be a hero. But I need to keep my body moving!

And on that happy note, I'm out of here. 

Have a wonderful day!!!

Ciao!!!

How does this work?

I packed the car, and I was off! The traffic on the way here was insane. All the traffic on the eastbound 407 was diverted to the westbound 401. That's where I was going, but seriously? One minute, you're going east, and then you're going west? I'm not sure what the issue was, but it was a complete mess. It only delayed me by 7 minutes, so all was good. 

The house is beautiful and features many high-tech amenities. I'm going to call it the QR Code house because there seem to be QR codes for everything! 

The sewing room is in the basement, but no worries - there's an elevator to get you from the main floor to the basement. When I sent a picture to DH, he wasn't impressed. Hey buddy - you may need that someday if you want to stay in our house! 

The elevator

I didn't need the elevator to get my few possessions downstairs. I love coming to retreat with FEW things. It's so easy to move in and move out! 

There is a fancy fridge with a window in one of its doors. I'm not sure why I need a window into the refrigerator; I haven't figured out how to turn on the light. It's there, nonetheless. I do like the inside of the fridge as it has more than two drawers and it's very convenient. I'm not sure I like the doors as the shelves on them are very deep and bulky. 

The fancy fridge

However, there is also water and ice available on the outside. So I took my giant water bottle and held it underneath that gadget, expecting to get ice and water. Nope - I got a bit of ice. OK - that's good. Now, let's fill it up with water. Ooops -- despite holding my water container under the nozzle, the water shot out elsewhere and onto the floor. From the sounds of the snickers from the table, it happened to others as well. We got a good chuckle from that. 

Getting water from the fridge

And then there was the microwave this morning. The microwave is built into the lower cabinet. Hmm - I've never operated one of these before. How the heck does it work? 

The microwave

OH - I managed to get the drawer open. Yes - it opens as a drawer, not a door that swings out. AH -- that actually makes more sense than having it high over the stove! OK, where are the buttons to make it work? 

The microwave is a drawer!

AHA -- I found the little panel at the top is a flip-down panel, and there's a button to open and close the drawer. Despite my figuring out the power settings, my oatmeal still boiled over. Hmm --- I'll have to try something else tomorrow. But how the heck would you ever wipe the top of that unit? It's underneath and would not be easy! 

Oatmeal still boiled over! 

And this is the powder room on the main floor. Oh my --- that is quite the decor! It's actually an I Spy game with many insects flying or crawling around, and a sign on the wall telling you how many of each are there. It's certainly enjoyable, to be sure. 

The main floor powder room

I went for a walk in the afternoon and discovered an Adventure Lab (Part of Geocaching), so I followed that and learned a lot about the small town we are located in. It's a beautiful location. 

However, something bad happened on the walk. I was walking along the main street and spotted a small garden, backyard, and knick-knack shop. OH MY GOD --- I want everything in the store! There are so many cool things, so I'm going back today or tomorrow to pick up some goodies! The nice thing is that everything is made by Canadian Artisans!! YES!!! I'll support local! There might be a few things that are not - but the main artwork is all Canadian. 

This is one of the art pieces that you can buy for your backyard. The shop is called InSeason. If you're in the area and enjoy backyard decor, it's the place to visit. 

Backyard artwork

Now, the question is: did I get any sewing done? And the answer is yes. I've brought this quilt top to MANY retreats, but sadly, this is the end of the line for this one. I had to add more blocks to make it bigger and had just enough black and white fabric with me to make the required number of blocks. It's great when you make yourself a note that only 14 blocks need to be made when, in fact, you need 24!!!! 

But the sashings were cut, and the blocks were assembled. And it's done!!!

One quilt top - DONE

As I was laying it out, I realized that I was right under the elevator, which happened to be upstairs! 

Oops - not a good place under the elevator!

However, all is good, and then I got out the next project and have been working on it this morning. I hope to finish that one off as well, and then who knows? 

What a great group of people we are. A group where not everyone knows each other, and it's working out just fine! Then, many of us ended up in the sunroom, which is also stunning. I love the house, but it's not one that I would buy. Some of the things are a bit weird for me! But well equipped!! 

And on that note, I'm out of here!!! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!

Checking off the list

We had a great time at Monday Sewing, and I'm improving at accomplishing something while we visit! 

How am I doing on completing the samples that I need to have in my suitcase by 1 p.m.? The binding was put on the small machine-embroidered (quilted) quilt. 

The binding is done!

Then, I got to work on the floating stitches sample. Like the previous quilt, these blocks were part of a tutorial for a QUILTsocial tutorial, but I ran out of time to finish them. That's because I was trying to make 16 blocks, which takes time. I abandoned making a larger quilt and decided to make two quilts. The one with four blocks would be easy to travel, so the four blocks were assembled. 

The four blocks are assembled

I LOVE the look of it, and it's the perfect size for a table topper. 

Then I threw it on the long arm to get it quilted quickly. But what's this all about? My thread was catching - I suppose because it's near the end of the spool. I had no issues using it, but I got a chuckle when I walked around to pull the thread off the machine. 

A dangling spool

And I'm happy to report that the sample is bound and ready to be packed. 

The floating stitch sample is done!

Phew!!! Amazing what one can do when you need to focus! Next up was to finish the reading pillow. All the pieces are cut, the interfacings are fused in place, and I'm ready to sew in the invisible zipper (feet are already sitting out). The last thing is to serge the edges together. That shouldn't take long; I could finish it at Quilt Canada. WAIT—I need to remember to bring a pillow insert! 

Then I had time, so I dug out the fourth bonus project. I wanted to do some embroidery on rope bowls, but nothing was made. I grabbed some bits of rope that were in the storage cupboard. I had two pieces that both made a trivet approximately 10" in diameter. 

Rope trivets

I need to work on the ending, but I'm good with this for the sake of these samples. BOTH of them have been embroidered, but I'm saving that for those who attend Quilt Canada to check out and my machine embroidery club. Let's say that they are FABULOUS!!!! I've NOT done machine embroidery on a rope before—something similar, but not clothesline. I had two different densities and was concerned one might be too dense. 

Plus, I'm a stickler for having the back look as nice as the front. Let's just say - mission accomplished!  I used designs from the mySewnet embroidery library, created a design using a SuperDesign from the mySewnet embroidery software and the Encore tool (so cool!), modified an existing SuperDesign to get the third motif, which I stitched this morning, and the fourth one, is coming from the library again. 

My clothesline rope

Having access to all those tools and designs, I have ZERO reason to purchase any embroidery designs. Yes, there are cute motifs on the market, but I like to do my own thing. Thanks to Carol for the inspiration on what designs I chose for two of the bowls. Well, in fact, I'm making three trivets and one bowl. 

I have one item left to embroider, and I might just get that done before I leave. If not, I can always work on it at Quilt Canada. 

OK --- I knew my sewing machines had rulers on the front. And yes - it's in inches and cm. DUH!!!!

The rulers on my machine

So, I'm trying very hard to get comfortable with CMs. I mean, it's crazy since the hoops are in millimeters. Our measurement system in this country is metric, so I should learn this. By learning, I mean I know how the system works, but I'm not familiar enough to visualize what 150 mm is. I need flash cards!!! I will become comfortable with it! 

As I was madly searching through my stabilizers, I came across this package of what I thought was stabilizer sheets. Perfect! NO—the entire envelope was literature on various Sulky brand products. I didn't have time to go through it completely, but I've left it out for when I return. It will all get tossed I'm sure. 

NOT sheets of stabilizer! 

I'm also trying very hard to keep things tidy in Studio B while I'm working. If I know I'm done with a particular color of thread, it goes back in the box, and the box goes back on the shelf! And I will say that I LOVE being able to bring my boxes of thread out onto the worktable rather than having them stuck in a drawer. That system would not work for me! 

It takes time, but once you get it the way you want, it is worth all the hassle. And yes -- while one machine was embroidering, I was sewing on the other! That's such a luxury!! 

Machine embroidery and sewing! 

So yesterday, Murphy was hanging out in her bed in the front window, and I had just returned from walking Lexi. I could see Murphy in the window as another dog walked past; she was just lying there watching! No barking, no getting up! 

When I came into the house, I was going on and on about what a good dog she was! Then I noticed she was chewing something, so I went to investigate. Good grief -- she had one of the clips from my new chairs! WHAT? Murphy!!! I have no idea what the clips are for - perhaps if you want to stack the chairs? No clue, but this one is toast! 

The clip is toast

Here is Lexi doing one of her favorite things—wandering among the tall grass. I hope there are no ticks in there. Yes, the dogs have tick and flea prevention medication, but what if they bring the tick into the house and it falls off? We are not prone to having ticks in this area—at least not yet. 

MOM - I'm in my happy place!

The other day, someone mentioned that I looked pretty tanned. I was a bit taken aback because I'm not out in the sun a lot. Wait a minute—I walk every day, and yes, I am looking pretty tanned. Look at that tan line on my leg! 

My tan line

I didn't complete anything further on that to-do list, but I created another one this morning of things that I MUST get done before I leave today. Technically, the sewing can be done at the show, but sending out these emails is a priority, particularly for those where I need the group distribution list. So that's what I plan to do this morning. Then I can throw the last bits into the suitcase, and I'll be off. 

If you're going to Quilt Canada, be sure to stop by the PFAFF, Husqvarna Viking, or the Singer booth (they're all connected) and say hi! 

By the way, I had LOADS of fun yesterday as I puttered with my own samples. There was no need to take notes or pictures so I could show them to others. It was glorious! 

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

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Done, Done, AND DONE!

 Yesterday, it was all about getting things done! I think it was one of my most productive retreat days ever! And how did that happen? I seemed to spend a bit more time sewing and a little less time chatting! 

But I still got to chat with everyone, and I still say that I have the best friends and we have the BEST time at Virtual Retreat! It's nice to know that we can laugh and chat without physically being with each other! And we solve all the world's problems! If quilters ruled the world!

OH -- here's something to be careful of. I noticed this at one of my Zoom sessions last week and yesterday. If you have a NEW iPad, be aware of the camera. ALL iPads now and some Macs come with the Center Stage camera, which TRACKS your movement in the room, and it's an ULTRA-WIDE ANGLE lens. Yep --- it's hilarious and creepy, so if you're on Zoom and move around the room -- that camera watches your every move. So be aware, but you can disable it!

And now to what I got done yesterday. 

Oh, I noticed a bit of plaster on the steps and then realized that when the picture fell off the wall, it took a chunk out of it! Ooops!! The walls need to be repainted anyway!

A chunk out of the wall

The binding is now completely on the first of eleven Quilts of Valour quilts!

Binding on one quilt for Quilts of Valour

Then I pulled out this small wall hanging that was trimmed and ready to put the binding on and noticed the edges were getting frayed from being carried around (an example for machine quilting), so I dug out some fabric. It's now bound and has little folded corners on the back (top) to use as a hanger. I did not take a picture of that. 

Small wallhanging - DONE

Then someone commented that I said I was going to work on my sewing machine cover. So that got pulled from the pile of stuff on the floor. I may have to deal with all that since to find a good home for my new machine, I want to move a relatively large shelf, which I'm sure when repacked properly, would hold a lot of space for more projects. So that involves a whole lot of moving and shuffling, but it would be nice to get that cluttered shelf unit out of the main sewing space. 

Let's just say there is stuff where I want to put the unit. So I will have to play Tetris a bit to make it work. That's not going to happen today or this week, as when I'm back later this week, I have quilts that need to be done! And they will be the focus of the next two weeks. 

The sewing machine UFO

I pulled out all the pieces of the sewing machine cover. This is the main body. A two-way zipper in the top can be opened up to access the handle. And the zipper was in, and the embroidery was done. 

The main body with the zipper installed

The two end pockets were also embroidered and done. 

The end pockets

The front and back pockets were also done! Oh yes -- another project that I had made good progress on and then abandoned. I know why I abandoned it! I didn't like how the lining was put in, so I left it. 

The side pockets

But yesterday was the day to tackle it, and so I did. The pockets were attached to the main body, and I tested it for size! Yep -- this fits perfectly on the smaller body sewing machines. 

The cover fits like a glove

As I was working on that, I contemplated how to put the lining in. Don't forget there's a zipper at the top, so you can't just whack in the lining. 

I chatted and listened, and before I knew it, the lining was in! I was going to leave the last bit of stitching around the zipper for this morning, but I decided to forge ahead, and now it's completely done! 

The COMPLETED sewing machine cover

It's quite pretty, but I'd rethink my choice of colors next time. I was trying to use lightweight linen from a particular company, and the colors were extremely limited. I will admit that I HATE that lightweight linen, as it frays like mad! 

The top of the sewing machine cover

And it seems to look different than the original. Their pockets didn't go all the way around, but who cares! It's done, and I like it. 

The side pocket

See - there are pockets all the way around. 

Nice big pockets all around the cover

The back

The opposite side

I need to find more UFOs like that to work on for the UFO club. I got that done in a couple of hours! But I will say with the UFO club that I'm tackling HUGE projects that take way more than a couple of hours, and that's good because those need to also get done! I might save smaller ones for Monday sewing and Virtual Retreats. 

And sadly, this will go on a sewing machine in my storage room, so no one will see it, but I don't care -- it's no longer a UFO, and my sewing machine will have a cover while in storage. The sewing machine in question is my Designer 1, which will become my travel machine for retreats and workshops. That sounds good to me. And now I have to make a couple more covers (four to be exact) to cover the machines that sit out in the workspace. Those larger machines are just too heavy to carry to retreats. 

However, the other covers will NOT be this fancy, and I won't put that zipper in the top, although I like the idea of having an opening in the top. I will quilt up some yardage (I like the small layer of padding around the machines) and make some quick ones. I have to think about the pattern for that!

I don't know why I didn't get a good sleep last night. I could go to sleep but couldn't seem to stay asleep. Now, why is that? I'll be having a little nap right after lunch! But I'm off to spin class!

Then it's Monday sewing, and I have another binding on the table ready to go. I like cleaning off the table and closing the machine every night. It doesn't take much to open it up and rethread the needle when I sew, and it keeps the machine and the area neat and tidy if I'm not working. Oh, shoot --- the under-the-desk drawer- tomorrow!

OH --- I forgot to mention that a retired librarian (Elaine) was on the call, and she was a wealth of information. Thanks to her, I found a WEALTH of resources in Hoopla, so there'll be more on that another day! WOW!!!! I'll never want for something to read or something to browse with that service available for FREE to residents of this city. It's almost like we have TOO many resources and can't keep on top of them all. 

And here's the last post for QUILTsocial. Check it out --- so cute. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!