Progress

 A week is a long time to be at a retreat, but it is heaven. I'm not thinking about the girls. They are in good hands. I miss them, but sometimes, it's great to get a break from their antics -- just like your kids! We go home tomorrow, and I'm sure I'll get the cold shoulder from the Princess and five minutes of love from Murphy, and then she'll be off to get into trouble! Dogs don't appreciate the passage of time; all is forgiven as soon as you are back! 

We have been housebound here, not because of circumstances but by choice. We have all that we need, we went on one shopping trip, and there's just no need to leave when you have good company, lots of projects, and an excellent setup to make our lives easy. And only ONE coffee run has been made! 

After much discussion last night, we agreed (or I proclaimed) that this is the best retreat house. Retreat at the Farm. Why? Some of you say there's a much larger house available, but sometimes large isn't always better. This one is cozy, and six fit comfortably. We get to visit with everyone who is here. The stairs are better here, there are no small steps to the sewing room, the kitchen is more than adequate with new appliances, and well --- it's just a nice setup! 

We're so thankful to the owners of these retreat houses for making it possible to get away and sew with minimal effort on our part! However, there is a lot of wind at the moment, and this side of the house is very exposed. It's not cold, which is surprising, but you can hear the wind howling and the house bits creaking. It's not bad -- just a windy day. 

And this retreat is booked up solid for this year (except the summer), so it's also good that it's not just me who agrees that it's a nice house. 

I made excellent progress yesterday and finished up all the blocks from the scraps of Farmer's Wife. 

Scrappy blocks from Farmer's Wife scraps

I put them on the wall, but I'm sharing that photo with the scrap class this morning (yes --- I even have Zoom while on retreat), and then I'll share it with you. I'm quite surprised at how large this project will be when done. And it all came from stuff that most people would throw away. So yes -- -there are loads of things for me to work on when I downsize that only require a small amount of storage space. It took me 2 1/2 solid days of sewing to get those blocks; under normal circumstances, that could take several weeks. 

Then I finished trimming those half-square triangles. 

Half-square triangles 

And found a few flying geese in the bag as well. These are leftover bits from a quilt I designed years ago, one of the few magazine cover quilts I made. The picture should be at the top of my blog on the right-hand side. 

Some flying geese units

There are still three projects in the bag that I have NOT touched, and I may or may not touch one tomorrow. I'll see how today goes because today is a BIG day. 

But first, here's one more project that I worked on yesterday. I started these tumbling blocks 25 years ago to make a queen-sized quilt for M. What was I thinking? I had no idea. 

Over the years, I've pulled them out and worked on them, but not seriously. For some reason, I cut MANY of the dark diamonds,s and rather than throw them out, I'll make them into blocks. I'm sorry -- my head doesn't like to throw out just because. I love working with the small pieces, and the sense of accomplishment will be a thrill at the end, so I plod along and am pretty happy. 

The tumbling blocks project

I've cut up all the white and medium fabric I had, and I think I will need a bit more to accommodate the number of dark blue diamonds. 

I thought I would at least get all the white and medium sewn together that I could. Except it was after lunch, and I was getting tired, so when I got back from the walk, I realized that HALF of what I had sewn needed to be corrected! ACK!!!! 

Sewing the white to the medium

The white has to go on a particular side of the medium to get the values in the right place, and I found two backward blocks. 

Tumbling blocks 

Let's just say that all the blocks are now correct, as I fixed everything that was sewn incorrectly, and all the white that I had is sewn to all the mediums I had. The next step will be to add the dark blue, see how much white and medium are missing, and add it to that bag. But I am done with that project for this retreat. But progress is being made, and this time, significant progress, so I was happy about that. 

We all have ONE project that repeatedly returns to the retreat!

Then I got to move on to another HUGE project. Over the years, there have been some big projects that have gone around. Do you remember the Town and Country quilt from The Gourmet Quilter? Dear Jane? The 365-day quilt project? We now have a club to deal with those, and about 25 of us are in that group. 

OH --- here's a story about Dear Jane. I'm writing each night in my Happiness Journal, and in 2012, we were working on Dear Jane at The Hobby Horse. I got a chuckle because I was EXCITED to start and made SIX blocks of 169. Sigh...................

While I have a "few" of those many block projects, focusing is critical, and I've picked ONE -- the 365-day project from Kathryn Kerr. 

I was sure I had completed the blocks up to February 19, so I committed to getting all the blocks finished for our next session. Well, I started the process yesterday, and the first thing I did was to see what was done. AHA --- all of January was done, but there was a BONUS block for January 1 for those that felt the first block was too easy. Well, one has to do the bonus block -- no???

Bonus block for January

So all of January is complete, including the bonus block for 32 blocks that measure 3 1/2" UNFINISHED. Yes --- that's insane, but I love this quilt and want to say I've made it. 

Then onto February to take inventory of what is done. 

Hmm --- not a good start as I look at the first block to see that I did NOT do it the way the pattern is. The corners are slightly different, and why the heck would I have done that? So the dilemma is --- should I remake the block?? I know you are yelling at me to NOT remake the block, but it's set aside for me to contemplate. Removing and fixing the two corners would be easier than remaking the block. I'll see how it goes. 

February 1 block is not according to the pattern

However, the inventory came up short. I had abandoned the project on February 8, NOT the 19th, as I thought. My commitment is to finish all the blocks for February. I could whine and change that, but I'm going to take on the challenge and see what I can do. Especially since I'm at a retreat, which is the ONLY project on the agenda for today. I've looked at the blocks, and some are nasty, but for the most part, they are variations of a four-patch. That should be doable. 

So, in addition to the bonus block for January 1, I made the block for February 9. Only 19 more blocks to make, and then there is the large center block which I may make if I get time. That large one was NOT on my commitment list. 

February 9 block

Yes --- I realize this is a HUGE commitment to take on with all the other projects, but if I don't focus on it a bit more, it'll never get done, which would be sad. I do NOT plan to complete the quilt this year, but I'd be thrilled if I can complete half of it. 

Remember to check out the last day of QUILTsocial. After a wee bit of practice, invisible zippers are a snap to insert. I love them! 

Well, that's it for today. I've got Zoom all morning, so that'll cut into my sewing time, and we may have to cut our walk a bit short to get back in time. No worries -- it'll all work out. 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!!

From the heart!

 Here we are on Day Three of the retreat. How fun to run away from home for a week and get to sew with friends all day. And if you don't want to sew -- that's OK. I only brought a few projects, but I brought some doozies! Lots of improv stuff, which is fun to do, and I don't really stick with them at home. 

We took a wee break in the afternoon and went to Creekbank Sewing. While they sell a competitor's sewing machines, I really like the store. It's currently situated on a Mennonite farm, but it will be relocated sometime later this year. We saw the new spot, and while it's going to be close to the original, it will now be off the main road, not on the farm.  

Anyway -- the staff is very knowledgeable and EXTREMELY helpful. I went with the intent of purchasing something that I thought was $99, only to discover it was $73. OK -- that was a bonus, and I decided to splurge on something else. The large purchase was the Bernina Big Books. Shhh --- do not tell anyone I have those books, but they are excellent reference books and can be translated into any machine brand. I have a few already and was glad to find the other one I wanted at a reasonable price. 

We didn't stop at the Misty Marketplace on the corner in Conn. Another time -- that trip already took two hours. Considering that we were five, which makes it challenging to check out, these guys are on the ball. And the store is 30 minutes away, so we did very well on time. That's it -- that's the only place that I wanted to shop, so I'm done. I'm going to hunker down and sew on my itty bitty projects for the rest of the week. 

Plus, we're supposed to have snow today, so best to stay home and sew. 

So let's see what I'm working on. My current project was the Boho Heart. While the top was done, I decided I didn't like that the heart touched three sides of the quilt. I extended the top by adding 6 inches, and I'll add three inches to each side. 

Here's a shot of it in progress. I'm working with my scrap box (from this quilt) and discovered that I was missing some strips that were long enough. You can see that I'm halfway through the extension. And instead of just sewing six inches to the top, I opened up the seams and added the six inches by staggering where the seam would be. 

Progress on BOHO Heart

Then I started removing the entire strips and adding a completely new one. I found that much easier as it was less handling of the quilt and just seemed easier and faster. 

So this is what it looked like at the end of the day. I made it all the way across the quilt. And we all agreed that it looks better. 

BOHO heart with the extension added 

However, the right side of the project was more challenging than the left side. I needed three fabrics, so many strips are hanging off the quilt. But that's OK. The worst is over, and it shouldn't take long to finish that off. I can't add the side strips, so I will do that when I get home. I needed two extra black-on-white fabrics, which I picked up at Creekbank. 

This corner is missing a few strips

But the day wasn't without mishaps. I was chatting away and obviously not paying attention, and this happened. 

Ooops -- those strips are going sideways!

I added the piece, and it was going sideways, not vertically. Sigh.................... 

Having sewn all I could, I put it away and pulled the next project out. I love being here because I stick with a project rather than putting it away. As I finish up with something, I load them in the car. Then when it's time to leave, there's not much left to put in the car. Yep -- I've learned, and it's such a pain to make many trips to the car when it could be done a little bit at a time. 

Oh -- I designed a quilt in EQ8 for those 83 little blocks from the day before. I'll need some background fabric which I have at home. And this will get bundled up and off to Diane, and we'll have a child's quilt from it. 

This was my next project. I had this block from Green Tea that needed to be sewn together. It's not my best sewing -- I did improv on the green part, and while it doesn't look like the pattern, the block is together. And it's going to stay that way. 

A block from Green Tea

It looks fine when I see it in the picture. Who would know that the tips of the leaves are supposed to be a point? No one! Get over it!!!!

Every time I pass the cutting table, I trim a few more half-square triangles, making progress without boring myself to death. 

The diminishing pile of half-square triangles

And one must be careful with what one says. Maryke walked past my table and commented on the cute little tin that housed my next project. I said she could have it. I said that everything was up for grabs, and of course, everyone wanted my sewing machines. OH -- well, that wasn't quite what I meant. Anyway, the tin is gone. 

A cute tin went to a new home

It was filled with all the leftovers from my Farmer's Wife quilt. The goal is to make improv blocks and then use them for a quilt. These were too pretty and have a very different feel from most of my other scraps, so that's my project for today and possibly tomorrow. 

Scraps from Farmer's Wife quilt

And another reason we need to be careful is I was commenting on how happy I was with my treat toolbox. It's got EVERYTHING I bragged, and I immediately broke my pencil lead (to mark the Y seams on that Green Tea block). I discovered that I did not have a pencil sharpener in my box. Sigh.......

My retreat toolbox

At one point, my bobbin ran out, and I decided it was an excellent time to clean the sewing machine. Can you believe how much lint I pulled from the bobbin case? 

That's a lot of lint

It may have been overdue for a cleaning and a new needle and needs to be serviced. 

Last year, we made a mat for the house, and it's held up very well. We peeked at the guest book, and the place has been booked with back-to-back dates for quite a while. That's great because it means the house will stay in business. Thanks to everyone who has helped that happen. December always seems to be wide open! 

The mat we made for the retreat house

The mat has a lot of wear right where the floor is cracked, but the paint has held up very well. I LOVE it. 

This is the road we walk on. It's not a very busy road, and it's clear, so it's an excellent place to walk. There were a few slippery patches, but we could still make good time. We went for a long walk in the morning and a short one in the afternoon. 

The walking scene

I love this sign. Let's just consolidate all those highways into one. It cuts down on land use and signage!!!

Highway sign

Been sleeping like a log, and it's great! 

ACK!! I just remembered that I should include the QUILTsocial posts this week. So here they are so far.

QUILTsocial Day One 

QUILTsocial Day Two

I'm doing some fantastic projects this week, just in time for Valentine's Day!!!

OK -- Now I'm off to sew. 

Have a super day11!

Ciao!!!!

The Big Red Dog

I know there are urgent needs to be on the roads right now. Some people have essential jobs, but seriously? If you don't need to be on the highways when the OPP asks people to stay home, stay home! A massive 100-car pileup means that people have to be outside in those ridiculous temperatures, people are stuck on the closed highways, and you won't get anywhere. I just shake my head and ask what is wrong with people. Is their entitlement so broad they think it's OK to be out there and add to the issue? And expect the emergency workers to get them back on the road? 

Yep -- I agree that people have plans, but we need to be more flexible. Well, it just boggles my mind. We didn't even go out for dinner last night, but we stayed home and had nachos! And the restaurant is a mere five-minute drive from the house. 

But I digress! 

I don't want to say that I'm out of the woods with this "illness," but I'm not 100%, but good enough to keep going! I was happily having a nap when I almost choked on my drool? And then I couldn't nap after that! But I'm still getting lots of sleep and drinking, so I'm good. 

When I walked the girls in the morning, the temperature was +4 C, and it was raining. When I went for my afternoon walk, it was about - 12 C (feeling like -20). What a change a few hours can make. It's still ridiculously cold with a significant wind chill. I could hear that wind all night. Thankfully, the wind and the cold temperatures won't stay long, and the temperature is expected to go above 0 in a few days. And thankfully, we didn't get much snow. But what we got is blowing around and creating those whiteouts on the highway, which are dangerous. 

That wind was so strong that, at times, on my walk yesterday, I could barely walk. I felt like those crazy weathermen amid the hurricanes! I shall take the girls out this morning, but only for a half walk each. Maybe this afternoon, we'll go again. 

I now have 140 KM to get by the end of the year! 

The birds returned yesterday, checking out the suet and the feeders. 

Cardinal and friend at the feeders

And this crazy girl thinks it's perfect weather to play ball. I don't think so!

MOM -- let's play ball!

Meanwhile, the husky wants in. 

MOM -- let me in -- it's cold out here! 

It's Christmas Eve, and I'm taking the day off from ANY paperwork. I'll get back to it on Monday. I deserve a break from that dreaded task! 

I finished the top of the mini Farmer's Wife. It's not that big -- about 30" square, and I have to work on the backing and get it quilted and bound. 

Mini Farmer's Wife quilt

Another exciting mail day! Oh my, what did I get in the packages this time? 

I've got mail - AGAIN!

There's one meter of fabric, so I can finally bind the Among The Stars Again quilt. I didn't want to do a scrappy binding, and I didn't have enough of any one fabric. After searching online, I found the fabric and finally got it ordered. 

Binding for my Among The Stars Again quilt

The other thing is my new phone. WAIT -- I mean a replacement phone, and it even says that on the box, and there is no fancy packaging. 

My replacement phone

So I'll need to transfer my photos later and switch the phones out. Can I actually do that on my own? Probably, but I'm not looking forward to it. 

The new phone

I am trying to get that stack of quilts bound. I needed to make the binding for some of them, and I started with my leftover binding bits. I have LOTS of binding bits -- enough for MANY quilts, so rather than cutting up new fabric, this is the place to start. 

Two containers of binding bits

I will get the binding attached and sewn to the back of the remaining quilts, as that is the hardest part of the binding. And once that is done, it should take little time to topstitch the binding to the front of the quilts. 

Sewing the binding to the back of the quilts

This pile has the binding attached to the back. There are seven quilts in this pile. Under that pile are a couple of quilts that need sleeves added or a label sewn on. 

Quilts with the binding attached to the back

And this pile needs to have the binding made (or found) and stitched on. There are five projects in this pile, two of which are mine. 

Quilts that need binding

I don't know if those counts are correct, but they are in that range. I still have a lot of quilts to bind before the end of the year! And I want to get it done as I have other things I'd rather be working on!

And how could a day go by without working on the puzzle? I placed a few more pieces in the border, but the top border seems longer than it's supposed to be, so I'm sure I've goofed up somewhere. Piece by piece, it's going together. This one is definitely using visual skills. 

The mystery puzzle

Speaking of visual skills, we decided to watch a movie last night. DH had the list of films on the screen, and Murphy went crazy! Why? Because she spotted Clifford the Big Red Dog (which name I had to mention, just to drive Murphy over the bend). What was hilarious was that she went right up to the TV and put her nose on Clifford! Now, why is that? Recognition? The color? The shape of the dog? 

Clifford the Big Red Dog

Lexi just lay on the couch and couldn't have cared an iota!

So I gave Murphy a treat (and myself), and we both curled up on the side of the couch that never gets used. I had a hard time staying awake, but I did. Murphy didn't last long before she was out of there, as she gets overheated and needs to move off the furniture. 

MOM -- this is a great angle to watch TV

Remember, there is a Virtual Retreat today, starting at NOON. I don't know how much talking I'll do. I'm trying to save my throat; although it's not sore like it was a couple of days ago, I find that on any day we have long Zoom sessions, my throat is dry and raspy. So I'll watch how much I talk! I should be heads-down sewing bindings on! 

Here's the link for today. 

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81403746455?pwd=ckhUK3dkQjdvSWt5UFhRS3BacGZJZz09 Meeting ID: 814 0374 6455 Passcode: 175110

Have a happy Christmas Eve, and STAY SAFE. If you don't need to go out --- don't go. Guess what? If you haven't finished shopping, perhaps you don't need that last-minute gift anyway. Since I've given up gifting items to people, my holidays are completely stress-free, and I don't regret it for one minute. No rushing or buying things people don't want and will never use. I love it!!!

I've started reading the third book of The Seven Sisters series. This one is called The Shadow Sister. OK, so can I hate one of the sisters? I won't tell you which one, but seriously--- that sister has a problem. If you've read the series - you know which one! That will keep me entertained for a couple of days. I'm first in line for the next book on my hold list, so hopefully, it holds off for a day or two. I only need one book on my shelf as I only read one at a time. 

Well, it's time to walk the girls. I'll be dressing extra warm this morning -- two pairs of pants - one lined with fleece! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

A feeding frenzy

I'm not out of the woods yet, but feeling better. Let's hope this doesn't develop into something serious -- I don't have time for serious! Lots to drink, lots of sleep -- that's my healing process!

It's probably too early to think about cleaning up, as most of you will be thinking about Christmas, but if you're starting to think about how to downsize your stash, here's an excellent and FAST way to make that happen. Comfy Cases, an organization that distributes colorful pillowcases to sick children, donated over 4,500 pillowcases across Ontario, including about 800 Christmas-themed ones. So if you have Christmas fabric that you will never use or children's prints, consider making a pillowcase or donating the fabric to Comfy Cases so one of their sewists can make them. 

It's better that someone gets joy from the fabric rather than it languishes in your stash! Something to contemplate this holiday season! Here's a link to the website, so wherever you are located, there's likely a chapter. Get in touch and help brighten a stay for a sick child!

For the moment, I'm going to continue to focus on Quilts of Valour and Project Linus, but then I have Diane, and well, she's just the best! Without her, I'd be in a real mess. We all need a Diane! 

Speaking of that, I did not work on quilt bindings yesterday. I did not sew much. Too exhausting! However, I did work on this. OH -- and that missing piece? It had somehow fallen behind the sewing machine -- the only place I did not check, and as I was chain-piecing, it snagged on my fabric, and there it was!!!

My missing section

I made good progress on my mini Farmer's Wife quilt, and before I went to bed, all the pieces were cut, and the names of the blocks were stitched on the sashing. To put the quilt on point, I had to make one more block!

The mini Farmer's Wife quilt

As I lay in bed this morning contemplating if I wanted to get up or just rest some more, I realized that I don't have any commitments today, so I can nap whenever I want. I got up, and this is what happened. 

The mini Farmer's Wife quilt is together! 

So now I need to trim the edges (one must always do that with an on-point quilt as it's hard to get those triangles exact!) and add the borders. Then I'm going to find something for the back, and I've got labels to make for the quilt. It's the perfect size to travel with, and it's all about using fonts and making labels on the sewing machine! The original quilt would take up an entire suitcase as it's enormous!

The other day I mentioned that we had no birds at our bird feeder. Well, yesterday, it was like a bird convention, and they couldn't get enough, and I would have needed several feeders to accommodate everyone. 

A feeding frenzy

And they were enjoying the fresh water from the pond. Yes -- the birds are happy at our house! 

The rather large bird fountain!

So why does this happen? Murphy goes outside for a few minutes and returns, covered in leaves and mud. Lexi goes out and comes back in totally clean. Sigh...... One of those girls is high-maintenance, and it's easy to tell which is which! 

MOM --- it's glorious weather - I brought in leaves for you!

Never mind the muddy tracks on the floor. Thank goodness, that doesn't bother me, and it's a bit of dirt -- what do I care? 

Paw prints on the floor

It was another 15+ KM walking day! The weather was so lovely that one has to take advantage of it, and I still need 154 KM to bike or walk before the end of the year! A bit aggressive, but I'll make it! But what is weird is that I"m walking in very non-technical socks. These are just decorative socks, and I've no issues with my feet. It all boils down to the shoe size. If the shoe is too small, you'll have trouble regardless of the type of sock you wear! 

No issues with my decorative socks

And more computer work got done, and I was sorting through some folders, and OH MY!!! There's the missing Goats in Pajamas pattern!! I couldn't find this a while ago and had to improvise. But now I have the real thing! OK -- so while my filing system is good, it still needs a wee bit of tweaking!

My missing pattern

And yes -- I needed to work on the puzzle! I've got most of the border set out, and according to the picture on the box, things mostly appear to be in the same position, but is that right? I noticed the cat sitting on the tuffet in the picture, but the cat is not on the tuffet in the puzzle. And there are all kinds of letters and numbers throughout all the pieces. It's slow going! But I WILL get it done. Then will I be able to solve the mystery?

Progress on the puzzle

Someone asked me the other day how many books I have on hold or in my possession from the library. I would have tons, but I need to read them faster. So I have 6 books out from the library (only one is a novel), and there might be one or two on hold. As for audiobooks -- I have one that I'm reading, the next book in The Seven Sisters series came in yesterday for a total of TWO books on my shelf, and there are three on hold. There are so many books to choose from that it only makes sense to have what I can actually handle, and it's too much time to manage it all. The less, the better!

I'm reading The Maid right now. Oh boy --- if there is no justice at the end of this book, I'm going to throw it out the window. Wait -- that would mean I have to throw my phone. Well, you get the idea. It was the number one choice on Goodreads in the Mystery/Thriller category. It highlights how easy it is for someone to be manipulated and how people take others at face value! 

You know that I've been having a terrible time with my phone. In the middle of a conversation, my voice cuts out. I can hear the other person, but they can't hear me. I've been to the Bell store numerous times, I went to the Samsung repair center, and I've been to the local diagnostics shop at the mall. No one can help me, and they toss the issue off their plate. I don't know why I'm not more upset by it, but I should be. 

On top of it all, I'm paying insurance on this darn thing in the event of loss or theft. Well, it turns out that I'm paying for malfunctioning as well. After a call yesterday to the Bell support team where they went through all the scenarios, I've already been through all that. They gave me a phone number for the insurance company, and they could repair or replace it. As I was listening to the menu options, I could fill out the claim online, so I went there. 

Stupid system -- it asked what date the problem occurred, so I entered a date and typed in 500 characters with the situation. The system responded by saying that my date was invalid and they couldn't help me. Good grief, so I went back in and typed a date a month ago, and the same thing happened. Seriously??? So I typed in today's date, and that worked. 

Then I got an immediate response saying they would replace the phone, but I had to pay the deductible ($300) and return the old one within 14 days. And all the while, there are prominent notices that fraud is illegal! They didn't ask questions -- the computer generated that answer. I don't get it. 

But what is disturbing in this whole mess is that I'm paying (leasing) the phone for two years. The warranty by Samsung is one year. I'm also paying insurance on the phone, so by the time everything is said and done, I'll have paid for that phone even though I'm supposed to be leasing it. I'll be thinking about how I manage the phone thing next time. But if I didn't have that insurance, I would be out of luck and have to buy a new one. However, someone mentioned that Bell should be providing a working phone for the duration of the contract. I AGREE!! I was too tired yesterday to care -- I just said charge me the $300. 

Oh well -- the new phone is on its way to me. I doubt I'll get it before Christmas, but hey -- at least it was free shipping!!! And it's the same model, so I don't need a new case! A minor miracle in a mess. 

On that note, I'm out of here!

I don't know how much I'll get done today. I feel great, but I'm still not 100%. Naps are good, and I'm not afraid to take one. And what's with this massive winter storm? It's still 4 degrees C here with some wind and rain. The WINTER storm keeps getting delayed. The biggest issue for us will be ice when the temperature drops. Snow would be good, as that is NOT quite as icy as freezing rain. 

Remember the Virtual Sewing day on Christmas Eve. We'll start at NOON. 

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81403746455?pwd=ckhUK3dkQjdvSWt5UFhRS3BacGZJZz09 Meeting ID: 814 0374 6455 Passcode: 175110

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!!

I've got mail!

It was bound to happen - I've developed a sore throat! It's been years since I've been sick, and I could feel it coming on yesterday. Well, nothing that a few throat lozenges can't cure! (I hope!) I've no plans to go anywhere, and nothing urgent to do, so the timing is right. But still -- I HATE being sick! So far, it's just a sore throat; let's hope it doesn't develop into something more. 

I accomplished more paperwork, and I'm getting things under control. I still have one distribution list that has to be created today, and then everyone will have been contacted. Then it's time to start planning! 

I got one binding done. Yep -- I slipped on that goal, but I'm not going to worry about it. 

Binding on a Project Linus quilt

I've got a couple of quilts set up to work on later today. But I also want to work on some other things. I have finished the Farmer's Wife quilt, and I needed to clean up the bits. The book has been loaned to someone, so it was the leftover scraps to deal with. There is also one extra block. I want to make a small sample that I travel with, so I started making three more blocks. 

Cutting three more blocks for Farmer's Wife

Here are the three partially finished blocks and the one finished block. Where is that missing section? How can I lose that so quickly? 

Four extra blocks for a mini Farmer's Wife quilt

I got another community project quilt back. So this got added to the stack of quilts to be quilted. It was a quilt that was supposed to go into a magazine, and then got the magazine folded, so I had fabric and a plan. Rose did a great job, considering I gave her a picture of the finished quilt without instructions! Thanks, Rose!

A community project quilt

Well, it was my lucky day - I got a lot of mail. Well, in the last two days. 

I'm going to leave out names -- the senders know when they are! A HUGE thank you to you all! 

OH --- this kit came as part of an Advent Calendar. I had seen one completed in our Out of the Box class, and it's so cute. The person who sent me this kit does not like handwork, so she forwarded it to me. THANK YOU!!! I love it -- I doubt I'll have time to finish before this Christmas, but I'll get to work on that! Will the sender be mad if I do all the work by machine? Hey -- who says you have to do what the kit says!

Redwork Tree Kit

How many of you have knitted a dishcloth? So most of us, but look at this one. OH MY -- it's hilarious! 

My FISH dishcloth

Do you see what it is? It's a FISH dishcloth! I would love to be at any dinner at this house. The maker is always making little money holders for her grown kids! It seems there is much frivolity and fun! 

I got the FQ I won while attending a Zoom meeting at a store. This was the one where I was trying to fly under the radar, and my name got called out. Oh well! 

The FQ I won

This next item did not come in the mail but was delivered to the door. These are the patterns for the 365 quilt. This is a project I'm going to tackle next year. I doubt I'll be able to finish it next year, but I will tackle it. I have about 45 blocks completed out of 365. So let's see how much I can do. I have a huge basket of scraps for this, and I'd like to get that cleaned up!

The patterns for the 365 quilt

And then this box arrived.

A big box

Oh boy --- I had this product in my hands a week ago and wasn't sure, but when someone mentioned they bought it because they saw it on my blog and that there was one left, I had to buy it! Talk about FOMO!

What is it? 

An ESCAPE Advent Calendar

Yep --- another adventure advent calendar! I'll save this one for next year. Let's hope it's easier than the one I got this year. My brain may be in a new dimension by then. 

And then, to get "free" shipping on this order, I had to buy two more puzzles. 

The ORANGE puzzle

The barn quilt puzzle

I can't believe I did that. I NEVER do that. But this all came from Puzzles Canada in Georgetown. The service was FAST, and the staff was accommodating. You can visit in person or shop online. But if you are looking for puzzles, I'd check this place out FIRST. 

Speaking of puzzles, I put the other one away, and someone asked for it, and it's gone! Now that the table was clean, I decided to open this puzzle. This is a mystery puzzle and was loaned to me by a friend. Actually, it's called an ESCAPE puzzle. I know  - just shoot me now! 

An escape puzzle

As I was positioning all the pieces, I noticed many numbers that have nothing to do with the picture. And the PICTURE on the box is NOT what the final picture will look like. Oh boy! I have never done one of these before, so it will be challenging. I'll have to go by color for most of it; the colors are muted. 

Sorting the puzzle pieces

I'm working on the border, and it's challenging since some of the pieces (who am I kidding -- MOST of them) will fit into each other. The only clue you have is color! Thankfully, I changed the lights in that corner, so I have excellent light to work by. 

Working on the border

Once I'm done with the border, I'll start picking the like colors and work from there. There is a solution to the mystery, which I have carefully put back in the box, and hopefully, I can figure out the puzzle. 

Do you consider puzzles a time waster? I don't. Yes -- they consume a ton of time, but you get HOURS of entertainment for your money. You don't have to find a home for the end result -- you simply pack it up and pass it on. And the brain power used to make these is enormous. Color and pattern recognition and a lot of cognitive skills are required to put together a puzzle. 

But how the heck did this happen? I said I did NOT need any new puzzles as I have 30 in the closet. NO MORE puzzle buying for a long time! 

OH -- a stack of puzzles

I'm still unpacking stuff that I bought a while ago. Here is a beautiful array of thick shimmery threads. 

Beautiful threads from Wonderfil

And the quest for mylar continues, but with a bit of research and some help from many who are scouring the shelves of stores across the province or doing some research, I stumbled upon a site last night that has cleared up the mystery. Once I wrap my head around it, I'll share the information with you. 

I find it fascinating to learn the WHY and the HOW instead of just taking it at face value, and trust me, some of the stuff we have seen online is NOT correct. But we all know that - right? 

So I've got a bit of paperwork this morning, and then I'll spend the afternoon sewing unless I'm out walking. Another 14+ KM day yesterday, and I still have 169 KM to walk or ride my bike before the end of this year! I WILL do it. 

Remember that we have a Virtual Retreat day on December 24. For those of you who will be spending the day at home alone. And by the sounds of the weather forecast, that could be MANY of us. Here's the Zoom link. We start sewing at Noon!

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81403746455?pwd=ckhUK3dkQjdvSWt5UFhRS3BacGZJZz09 Meeting ID: 814 0374 6455 Passcode: 175110

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

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!