Do you want these items?

I spent part of the day making and editing videos! I'm not good at it - well, I'm OK with it, I'm just slow because I'm still learning, and I don't do it often! What the heck would we do without Google?

For those who were unable to attend Quilt Canada 2025 and would like to view my concurrent show, "Celebrating 25 Years of Teaching Quilt Making," here's the link. I still want to make one more video of all the multi-part classes I've taught, and it seems I missed one! So I'll add that one in. I hope to complete it today, so I can upload it. 

In case you're wondering, my voice is not that husky. However, the second part of the video was shot early in the morning on the final day, and my voice was starting to wear out. 

I was also learning how to record movements on my computer screen, i.e., showcasing software or a website. That took forever to figure out, and I had issues with my mic! But I managed to get it organized, and there are a few spots I want to edit out. 

However, a lot of other things were accomplished as well, and I'm going to start with some things I no longer want. 

The first are these two small bags, perfect for handwork. I've used the green one, so the handles are a bit dirty, and it has a dent in the front, but the blue one is brand new. 

Two bags, great for handwork

This is what they look like on the inside. There are two zippers, so a front and a back compartment. This is side one, with plenty of pockets to store items and a generous space for your fabric. It's a great case and I used it a lot, but I no longer have time for handwork. However, it would also be great to take your supplies to quilt retreats or sewing days. 

The inside of one side of the bag

There are even pockets along the sides on the inside. 

Pockets on the sides

And here's what's on the other side. 

The opposite side of the bag

Here's another case that I purchased, and it's also never been used. It's a hard shell, and I love the motif on the side. 

A storage case

The interior is relatively bare, making it a good place to store supplies or bags of supplies. I have a larger one where I store my binding scraps. 

The inside of the storage case

And then there's this bag. It's actually a fishing lure bag, but I used it for handwork. I know - why so many bags? I've no idea. It just seemed like a good idea at the time. 

Another bag for handwork supplies

It features numerous zippered pockets inside the cover, as well as multiple zippered pouches. I loved this bag, but it hasn't been used in years, and if someone else can use it, then it should be passed on. 

The inside of the bag

Here's the inside of the other cover - again, it features lots of zippered sections to store small items, making it perfect for handwork supplies. 

The other side of the bag

I also have three of these decorative storage boxes. They are cardboard, and I used them to store bag supplies, but all that has been moved to new containers. 

Three decorative storage boxes

And lastly, for today, there is a large metal tin. It was initially for biscuits? Biscotti? Anyway, I also used this until my great sort, and I no longer need it. 

A metal tin

So if anyone would like any of those items, send me an email (elainetheriault@gmail.com). They are free and they are great items - I just no longer need them. 

The remainder of the empty containers (mostly open baskets and tubs) were moved to the storage area, and I'll pull something when I need it. I already went in there this morning to find a tub to put my Deco-Bond pieces so they are contained. I like to have a few empty containers on hand, rather than having to run to the store each time I need something. 

I got another customer quilt done. 

Customer quilt - DONE

Another small one, but it's nice to have a break from the bigger quilts. There are three more small ones and one lap-sized quilt for customers. However, I need to adjust my routine today, as I have a project that needs to be quilted, and it's scheduled for later this afternoon. It's already loaded on the long arm. 

I also tried something different. When I was at the long arm shop the other day, I noticed that she didn't use the side clamps. Instead, she pinned the elastic to the quilt. Hmm -- that eliminates a lot of issues, so I tried it. 

The clamps

The pins

The funny thing is - why didn't I think of that? It's simple - I unscrewed the bolt that holds the clamps to the elastic, and voilà- it worked like a charm. No heaviness on the edge of the quilt, and no clamp for the machine to hit if there isn't enough backing. I may be smart, but there are times when simple things like this escape me. That's why they tell you to hang around more intelligent people than yourself! I need to do more of that! 

One of the Monday ladies did a DoorDash stop at my house and brought over, not one, but TWO pieces of homemade pie! Yum - I had one as my afternoon snack, and it's delicious! Thank you!! In exchange, she got a bunch of template plastic! 

Homemade pie!

And in the admin department, I'm a failure! But the story is so funny! We got a smart TV a while back, which I never watch, and have no idea how to operate it. I could figure it out if I wanted, but who cares? If I want to see something, I watch it on my computer. 

Anyway, DH has been bugging me about getting fiber to the house and something new for the TV. I know that our TV signal now comes in over the internet (I think), so I finally called our provider earlier this week and requested a new modem and inquired about the fiber option. No -- we do not have access to fiber in our neighborhood. I don't know what he expects fiber to give us that we currently don't have, but he wants it! We have zero issues with speed. Sounds like me and fabric! Or how I used to be with fabric. 

The box arrived the other day, and I placed it on his desk so he could attend to it. He got home from his trip and immediately opened the box. But when he went to the TV and started talking about the different pots on the back, I got scared and said, 'Leave it, I'll make the switch.' 

That was quite the ordeal because all the wires are tucked behind the TV, and it's not easy to access them. Plus, when they installed the new TV, they had ziptied all the cords together. 

The scary scene behind the TV

The power source is also quite different, and it required some ingenuity and the use of an extension cord to make everything work. I was thrilled to see that the modem has a reset button on the side, so we no longer have to unplug it to reset it. 

A reset button!

Plus, it doesn't have all those crazy flashing blue lights on the front that were very annoying in the dark. Now there are three small white buttons on the front. You can't see the white lights in this picture. 

The new modem

Once the new modem was installed, I had to figure out how to get us back online. The instructions weren't all that helpful, but I managed to make it work. And the nice thing? It reverted back to our network name and password! I had visions of going around the house and reconnecting everything. 

Speaking of connecting everything, I forgot to mention that when we were at the retreat house a couple of weeks ago, I noticed that the MICROWAVE has internet connection. Seriously? Why does a microwave need to be connected to the internet? 

Anyway, I was pretty pleased with my task and sent DH a note saying, 'No need to thank me, as I bought something expensive for the long arm as my reward!' That was the magnets, which I had purchased the day before. 

He comes home and goes straight to the TV -- notice his priorities. Then he says, 'Where's the new box?' Box? I got a new MODEM!!! Oh, it seems that there is a box that runs the TV signal, something called 4K. Oops! 

Well, I needed to call the provider for more discounts, so I guess I have to call back and ask for this new box as well! 

However, I'm thrilled with the new modem, which features a reset button and fewer lights. I'm a happy camper! 

Then, to clean up the cutting table, I cut up a large bedspread that I had purchased to make a jacket sample. I made the jacket, which I don't think I ever shared. The bedspread worked great, but the one I bought was horrible. The stitching was all done in a triple stitch or chain stitch, although it doesn't appear to be a chain stitch. Anyway, it was done on a large commercial machine, and it was horrible if you needed to rip out. Also, the filling was not nice. 

I decided to cut the remainder up and use it for pet mats. 

Prepping pet mats

This morning, all the edges got serged, and all that remains is to weave those ends in, which is super easy with my handy bodkins. And I know exactly where those bodkins are, as I'm diligent about putting them back in their spot. Once things have a home, I'm meticulous about putting them back in place. 

As I worked, I kept an eye on my third cone of thread, knowing I would soon run out. However, with the Husqvarna Viking Amber Air S600 (a complete air threading serger/cover stitch), it's a breeze to rethread the upper looper. What's nice is that you don't need to unthread and go from left to right, and so on - you can simply rethread the looper and continue! 

Running out of thread

If I finish something, like a spool of thread, I usually put it on my list to get more. I don't think I need to buy more white serger thread for a long, long time. No need to start a list. There is a drawer with black and cream, one for colored threads, and another for that woolly nylon stuff. All sorted and neatly organized! 

My white serger thread supply

So even though my serger is currently tucked in the back corner of the room, under a cover to keep the dust out, it's still handy! I would NOT be without a serger, and I would make room for it to sit out! 

The serger is tucked away, but still very accessible

And there's the latest on the cutting table. Yes - there's still a lot of stuff on it, but it's all spread out. There are a few things that I'll put away later, and several things that I am currently working on. Or trying to work on, but I never seem to get to them. 

The state of the cutting table

I'm now creating samples that I need for writing, and I have two rounds of writing to complete before the end of the month. I hope to finish the samples for the first two days of both writing sessions by tonight, and then I can complete the writing hopefully today or tomorrow. I'm off to retreat again tomorrow (don't ask!), so I'll have some time to write, but I'll be away from my primary machines, and it'll be hard to get more work done. 

And if you're in Saskatoon or the surrounding area, be sure to visit me at The Sewing Machine Store on July 16th and 17th. It's a series of lectures, and here are the topics and times. Even though it says PFAFF, anyone will gain some helpful information from the lectures. If you're interested in seeing what the Momento can do, check out the last event! 

Wednesday, July 16th from 9 am -Noon
    PFAFF® How to get the most out of your Sewing Machine Features 

Wednesday, July 16th from 2pm – 5pm
   PFAFF® Sergerific Tips & Tricks! 

Thursday, July 17th from 9 am -Noon
    PFAFF® Fancy Footwork! 

Thursday, July 17th from 2pm – 5pm 
         PFAFF®  Appliqué Made Easy with mySewnet™ & MOMENTO™   

I'm eager to go, but I have so much to do before I leave, and the extra retreat is throwing a curveball into my schedule. I wasn't supposed to have anything booked in July, and then the opportunity to test out two new retreat houses arose, as did the events in Saskatoon. 

On that note, I'm out of here. Another busy day ahead, and I can't wait to get started! 

Have a great day!!

Ciao!!!

Tips for attending a quilt show

WOW—the temperature is relatively high! In case you are wondering, I turned the AC on last night. Not so much for ourselves, but we have a guest, and I don't want to kill them! Everything worked fine, although cooling the house down takes a long time. Even a few degrees made a big difference. However, Studio B is like an icebox this morning. I have some things to block the vents, so I must remember to attempt that. 

OK -- the vents are sealed off, so hopefully that will push the cool air upstairs. 

I know this is too late for those attending Quilt Canada 2025, but it's something to consider for future shows, including guild and big-name quilt shows, or any significant event. 

I'm posting this because I was reading some disturbing comments on Facebook last night, and they show a lack of common sense and knowledge about how quilt shows, especially the large ones, work. 

I read repeatedly that the vendors need to be dispersed and that the long arm and sewing machine companies should be in a different spot than the stores. Seriously? Do you know that there would be no Quilt Canada without the sewing machine and long arm companies? NONE—ZIP!!! The sponsorship from those corporate companies is what floats that show. 

Secondly, can you imagine if there were rows of 10 by 10 booths with no relief? Guess what? Those larger booths are spaced to provide some relief from the crowds in those smaller booths. 

If you can't get into a vendor booth, do not blame the show organizers. If the vendor chose a 10 by 10 booth, that is THEIR choice, not the organizers. People forget that the International Center, a hotel space, a convention space, etc, are NOT free! It costs MANY thousands of dollars to rent that hall, and the organizers don't just willy-nilly give the space away. If the vendor booth is full, come back! 

Renting booth space costs a lot, and many vendors can't afford a double booth. That is not the organizers' fault; it's economics. Many of those vendors came from a distance that prevented them from going home. They now have a hotel and meals, and a closed store, or extra help they had to hire to run the store. When a vendor comes to a show, it costs them money! So, for most, a double booth is beyond their budget. 

How to avoid the crowds. Here are some excellent tips for avoiding the crowds. 

1. It doesn't matter which show you attend, the first day will always be the insane day with line-ups everywhere. The second and third days will be a better choice, especially if you have mobility issues and need more space. I find it absolutely exhausting to swim like a fish through the mud and refuse to attend a show on the first day. I stayed in our booth the entire day to avoid the crowded aisles. 

2. If you must come on the first day, zip to the back of the hall, start there, and move forward. You would have had the entire back of the show to yourselves!!!!! There was loads of room, and by the time you hit the vendor mall, it would have been easier, not like walking in a bowling alley, but easier!

3. NO need to hit the vendors to get those bargains! There are NO bargains usually at any of these shows. The vendors pay BIG BUCKS for a booth, and if they bring bargains with little margin, guess what? They won't cover the cost of their booth. So there are typically NO BARGAINS. We do not need to fear missing out on something --- those same products are available online or in their brick-and-mortar store! 

4. If a vendor booth is still busy after starting at the back and working forward, it is popular. Perhaps you can take note of the store and visit it online. Or wait. 

Oh, and another thing: I've seen people insist that other shows were better laid out—more space between the vendors. And that would also be false. The vendor booths are set out using pipe and drape, which has a huge cost. If there was space between the vendors, that would be a double pipe and drape—one for my booth and one for yours. That would cost double the money, so the vendors are always side by side/back to back! 

I have attended and set up many shows over the years—I know what I'm talking about! 

To a certain degree, vendors usually choose where their booth will go. If a vendor is on a corner, it could potentially be more open. Keep in mind that if they only have two back walls and keep the corner open, they lose display space and space to display what they are selling. Again—it's all about showing you what they have to entice you to buy! 

Another comment was that the Vancouver show was more open, with no issues walking. The big difference between the two shows was the attendance. Toronto has not seen a significant event like this in many years. The pent-up excitement and demand were HUGE. There were 22 buses on the first day, 15 on the second, and I'm not sure what the number was on the third day. That's in addition to the people who came by car. I don't know the attendance numbers, but I will bet that the numbers in Toronto far outscale those in Vancouver. 

There are two valid comments about the show's setup, and there is not much that Quilt Canada can do about it. First, the food. There were only two vendors in that show, one inside the hall and one outside the hall. Two was not enough to deal with the volume of people, and it will never be. Will the International Center do anything about it? Probably not. Can Quilt Canada bring in food vendors? Absolutely not! 

Will the International Center have water stations installed for refillable bottles? They should - but that is a complaint to direct at the International Center - it's their facility. But why would they, when they can charge you a ridiculous amount for a bottle of water? Do you see a water refill station at the airport? Of course not, because the water vendors would complain bitterly. Do hotels or convention centers have water refill stations? 

Here's an interesting fact if you think the above is silly. When a truck arrives with the contents of a booth, this is mainly for the corporate vendors, as the smaller companies do their own work of getting their stuff in and out of the show. Having your crate/pallets or whatever moved about 300 feet costs THOUSANDS of dollars. I am NOT kidding when I say that, as I saw the bills while working at a fabric company and attended Houston and other big shows. It was insane. And of course, you must wait -- give me a pallet jack and I can move that thing myself for FREE! 

How do you deal with those issues? Bring your lunch! You never know what you will get at a trade show anyway, so we always bring our lunch or snacks or whatever. We also bring our water and never rely on the show because most times, it's crappy, has long lines, and is expensive. BRING YOUR OWN!!!

The last area of contention is a biggy, and other than throwing money at it, it can't be resolved. That is seating. Yes, there are no places to sit except in the food court. Why? The almighty dollar rears its ugly head again. Any organization renting chairs in the International Center is OUT OF THIS WORLD. I heard something like $35 PER CHAIR!!! Yes, that is NOT a typo. 

Do the math -- if you wanted 100 chairs, you are talking another $3,500. The costs are already out of this world, so when something has to be cut, it's the chairs! Know this and plan accordingly - you can return to the lunch seating areas and hope a chair is available. It is NOT an oversight on the organizers - it is purely economics. 

OH - someone also said to make the aisles wider. Those aisles were at their maximum width, and any show I've attended over the many years in that hall has been set up the same way. The aisles are the SAME width as always. What to do about it? Well, it's like driving a car and you need to merge, or walking on the street. 

BE SELF-AWARE. If you meet someone, then move to the side of the aisle beside one of those big open corporate booths and have your chat. If you stop in the middle of the aisle? Guess what - you've created a block in the stream, and it will get ugly behind you. 

Instead of complaining about things, think about how you helped to create the problem. Learn from it, and next time, do things differently. I hate to be the negative Nellie on this, but I've been on the organizing side of things for years. Do people think shows are set up for their sole enjoyment? No—it's a two-way street here, whether you enjoy your show experience or not. 

And now I've run out of time to talk about anything else that has happened. But that's OK. I needed to get that out! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!!

The art of packing a car

It was the final day of Quilt Canada, which was exciting. It was still a busy day, but definitely not as crowded. There are pros and cons to attending the show on which day. The first day is always insane—and this time, there was so much pent-up excitement that it was doubly insane. Day two is always much calmer, and day three is nice. The final day was still quite busy, but you were no longer the salmon swimming upstream in mud - you were the otter who lazily swims along in a river! 

I noticed a comment on Facebook that one lady would never return—it was too crowded and there were no bargains. First, nobody said anyone had to provide bargains at these shows. Each vendor pays a lot of money to have a booth, and they don't want to fill it with bargains, as they need to cover many costs and make a profit. So never expect bargains at a show. 

Crowded? Then go on a different day. That's just silly to say you won't go back. We don't need negative Nellies at the show - they just ruin it for everyone else. 

I will confess that I go to these shows, besides being hired to work at them, because of the networking! I have met so many people in person that I only knew from Zoom. HELLO to everyone who stopped by. I know there were more, but I was either busy talking to someone else or perhaps they didn't see me. A huge thank you to everyone who stopped or attempted to stop! 

I had fascinating conversations with many people, and you know me—how could I live with a wide open calendar? There is stuff happening, and that's all I will say now. 

I arrived at the venue early in the morning and took a video of my concurrent show, Celebrating 25 Years of Teaching Quilt Making. I have two videos, which I will splice together and then post on YouTube. Oh boy—my voice sounds very gravelly! Hopefully, the audio will be OK. I hope to accomplish that later today or tomorrow. 

Actually, I need to do that today because of the Wi-Fi! I'm going to a retreat and don't want to upload a video on someone else's Wi-Fi.  

I have loads to tell you about the Trendtex Challenge and other things, but there isn't enough time this morning. Oh yes, I'm already up and at work and making significant progress. 

I also want to thank all the volunteers who helped at my show. I know I made a couple of mistakes in the schedule, but it was chaotic at the end, and something I should have done a bit earlier. Anyway, it is what it is. 

I want to thank the volunteers who took down my show yesterday. They got themselves organized, and with six of them, taking down quilts, folding them, and putting them back in the bags, it took them 30 minutes, which is what I predicted! 

There were two big suitcases, a ladder, a step stool, a wagon heaped with quilts, and a bag of supplies. With the help of Rose and John, we made one trip to the car! That was a godsend, as I was apprehensive about getting it all to the car. The next step was fitting it all into the car. I had already put some smaller stuff in the car earlier. 

I thanked Rose and John and then loaded the car. Oh my—it all fit! That's awesome. 

The car is full

I locked up the car and proceeded to finish packing up a classroom of sewing machines. It was only when I was back at our booth helping them dismantle everything that I realized I still had a suitcase with samples, an embroidery unit, and a sewing machine in a box to add to what was already in the car. Oh, I totally forgot about those things. 

So I took the suitcase and the embroidery unit out to the car, and I had to literally unload almost everything and start all over. Thankfully, all the quilts were in plastic bags, so they were OK to sit on the ground. 

Repacking the car

The first time I loaded it, the car wasn't even close to full. But now? The car was full! 

Now that's a FULL car

This was the view from the front seat looking back! 

No looking out the back window

I had left room on the front seat for the sewing machine—thankfully, it was a midsize one, not a huge one. 

The passenger seat

I had loads of room to drive, but was a bit iffy about looking out the mirror. I managed OK, and thankfully, there wasn't a lot of traffic when I left. 

When I arrived home, it took almost 20 minutes to unpack the car, and I left it all in the hall. I sat down with DH and a beer and watched whatever he was watching, which I NEVER do. I'm trying to psych myself up for that vacation!

Everything made it into the house

The wagon was left in the garage, and all the quilts are around the corner! 

There is no time to waste, as I'm off for a four-day quilt retreat. My bags are packed, and I had to refresh my memory this morning about what I packed. Oh yes—all is good. 

I fired up the embroidery machine this morning and already have the first hooping of a project complete. While that was stitching, I loaded a quilt on the long arm. Then, it was time to tackle that cutting table. 

Cleaning up the cutting table

The projects on the right-hand side are lined up and ready to be embroidered today. All the bags on the floor are in their proper slots, and some of the stuff from the show came down and is sitting on the floor to deal with later today. 

All of Diane's fabric has been sorted, and most of it is gone! I'm so happy about that. It all went to a good home, and I pulled out some larger pieces for quilt backs. I started measuring and labelling this morning. There is also a tub of scraps, which I'll use to make some quilt tops. 

Labelling quilt backs

When I looked at the shelf in the storage area with the fabric for quilt backs, I noticed that these were not very well labelled. So they are out, and I'll deal with them in the morning as my two machines run on their own! 

More backing to label

The quilt on the long arm isn't huge, but I intend to run that embroidery machine all day - I have a lot to do. 

Well, on that note, I'm off! I have lots to do, and I am so fired up that I am ready for anything today!! I'm having a whole day to myself, no talking, no noise—just the machine noise. Hey, I loved talking to all of you, but I'm glad for a day of silence!!

Have a wonderful day!!!

Ciao!!!!

Quilt Canada Day Two

It was another insane day at Quilt Canada, but that's wonderful. It's so nice to see the enthusiasm and the pent-up excitement being released within the walls of Hall One! I have not been out of our booth much, and my head is swimming with ideas! 

I did manage to get over to my concurrent show later in the afternoon, and I wish I could spend the entire show there, as it was exciting to see people's reactions to the show. My most profound appreciation to everyone who managed to get there to see the show, and my deepest apologies for not being there to walk down memory lane with you and hear your stories! 

Today is the last day, so be sure to get to Quilt Canada if possible. I have heard some people say the ticket price to the event is high (I don't remember what it is), but seriously? It's excellent value for your money! You'll see many amazing quilts, including the National Juried Show, the Trendtex Challenge, all the concurrent shows, and of course, visit the vendor mall! You do not want to miss this. 

There were 22 buses on Thursday, 15 yesterday, and I don't think there are any buses today. The aisles will be easy to walk down. Today is the day to come! 

It could be several years before Quilt Canada makes it back to Ontario. 

Speaking of the Trentex Challenge, thanks to whoever is voting on my piece! The Trendtex Challenge is a fundraiser, and well, let's get out and bid on any or all of the quilts. I have two on my watch list now. 

If you are not coming, check out the quilts online and then bid!!! These quilts are beautiful, and supporting our industry and the Canadian Quilters' Association is great. And don't forget to watch your bids on my quilt. 

I'm unsure if this link will work, but here's the link to the one I made. 

I spotted this T-shirt on the first day and asked if I could have a picture! I love it! 

Have you heard this before? 

And there's our Paul -- he just has to get pictures with all the ladies! And talk about "loud!" What's with the red sequin jacket? He's a good friend, and you just can't help but laugh when Paul's around. But he seems to dwarf me in that photo. Did I shrink? Or is he wearing platform shoes? 

Having a good laugh

Yesterday involved lots of talking, selling, and demoing, and the hours just flew by! 

I woke up early this morning to tidy up. I need to deal with the stuff on the cutting table tomorrow. Maryke and I browsed many things, and some got left out, so putting things away will be a priority. I also need to do some work on the long arm and the embroidery machine. 

What I need to deal with tomorrow

Today will be another long day. The show goes to four p.m., and we have a classroom of sewing machines that need to be reboxed, the booth has to be disassembled, the concurrent show has to be dismantled, quilts folded, and everything stowed in the car. The best news is that I have NOTHING to do tomorrow. Well, that's a total lie, as you all know. I have loads to do, but there are no commitments, and I can hardly wait! 

I am almost but not quite talked out! I have very unhealthy habits during shows - not eating or drinking properly, and my steps are a bit behind, but it's only for a couple of days, so that's OK. I'll get back on track tomorrow. 

Well, be sure to check out the online auction if you can't make the show. They will ship the quilts to you, and since they are small, the shipping shouldn't be too onerous! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!

Quilt Canada - Day One

What just happened? The doors burst open at 9:30, and people poured in. We saw them racing down the aisles in the quest for something! Let's say it was a madhouse all day, and I was in LOVE with the entire chaos! I thrive on that chaos, and my enthusiasm goes through the roof. Maryke had to calm me down in the car on the way home! Oops! Perhaps I overdid it a bit!

I want to thank everyone who stopped by to say hello! What an incredible day! Seeing so many people have a body below their Zoom head was so good! Thanks for all the little goodies dropped off—everyone was so thoughtful. I LOVE YOU ALL!!! I appreciate those little gestures, as sharing my passion makes me happy, and if you are happy, I'm thrilled! I can't even begin to name names, as I would surely forget someone!

What was even funnier is that many of the people on my Zoom calls (even Monday sewing) had never met each other in person! It was such a fun day! 

I hope that everyone had a chance to check out my concurrent show—it's all the way at the back. Be sure to look at the posters outside the first booth! That's a real trip down memory lane! I must remember to get that video and pictures this morning to assemble a presentation to share with you. 

One of the things we try to do at any show is keep the embroidery machines working slowly to showcase their capabilities. That was very hard to do with so many interruptions, and we demoed many sewing and embroidery features! 

I almost hate to say this, but lunch was—well, it was nonexistent. Why can I survive on nothing to eat all day and yet be starving by 9 a.m. when I'm home? Life works in mysterious ways!!

If you can't attend Quilt Canada, check out the Trendtex Challenges online. This year, the bidding has moved to an online silent auction. I'm not sure I like that method, as I love the thrill of the in-person experience of scouring the sheets to see if anyone has outbid me or just to check out who is bidding on what. 

Yep - I can do that online, but the experience isn't the same. I did not have time to check the quilts out except in mad dashes the previous day when walking past them on the way to my show. I hope to have a bit more time today to look. I hope it will be quieter today. WAIT - a minute -- I don't wish for that. I hope it's crazy busy again, but it's quieter in the latter half of the day, so I might get to zip out and check some stuff out. 

If you check out the online auction, check out this one, which is mine. I see it has a few bids, so thanks to whoever has bid on it! Do you see all those little flowers? Each petal was stitched by hand! I used one of the Clover flower makers to do that while on numerous Monday Sewing Zoom and Virtual Retreats. I'll take some close-ups of it to better explain what I did. I rarely think an entire project out beforehand, and this was no exception. I made it up as I went. 

I see a couple I'd like to own, so I'll look at the bidding process later today. 

Oh my—the Pony Express is alive and well even when I'm not home! Or should I say, a pop-up location for the Pony Express happened at the volunteer table at my show. I saw people dropping things off and picking things up. It was hilarious, and some things got dropped directly to me at the SVP booth. 

Thanks, Mary, for the last delivery of my thrift store book finds! 

A Pony Express delivery

I also got this old-fashioned hanger, which I will use for a project. It will reside on the table of the current projects. 

An "old-fashioned" hanger

I am in my glory for the next two days, even though we must tear it down at the end. Tear down is a fast thing, and then it will be over! But we still have two days to enjoy. So if you've got nothing to do, be sure to pop by and check out everything. 

One of the big things this summer seems to be wool! I see wool fabric and patterns for wool, and OH MY—punch needle is back! I don't know how often I taught punch needle at the Creative Festival, but it was my go-to class for many years. 

Maryke and I met with another friend (Carol) last night and headed out to dinner. It was great to catch up! Then home, and we were in bed somewhat early. 

But not before we had some entertainment from the girls. I don't know what happened to Murphy's ear, but seriously? How cute is that? 

MOM! Maryke! LOOK AT ME! I'm cute! 

That dog knows she's adorable and isn't afraid to show it! 

I'm so cute and I'm not afraid to show it! 

Well, I must get myself ready. There is nothing to prepare this morning—yeah! We just need to get up and go! I'm excited! Today, I'll be in the Singer booth between the PFAFF and Husqvarna Viking booths, so if you want to learn all about digital cutters, I'll be there! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Set Up Day

 OH --- as promised, it was a long day! We loaded everything in the car—OH MY -- what a task! We were off and arrived about 8:30. It's been such a long time since I've been to the International Center that I kind of forgot the lay of the land, but it soon all flooded back to me. How many carts of notions did I push up that ramp for Alma or Gail? 

And then, how many boxes have I moved for SVP? Oh yes -- I have a long history with the International Center! 

But not only did I have to deal with someone else's booth this year, but I also had to ensure my show was set up. 

I CANNOT thank Cathy H, Jocelyn S, Mary H, and Maryke W enough for everything they did. The show looks fantastic, and I could not have done it without them. You guys are the best!! 

There are just a few small things to add this morning, and it's ready! 

The setup for our booth also went smoothly for the most part. But here's the thing—we are 100% reliant on the work crew for a lot of stuff. And that work crew is unionized—I'm pretty sure about that. Many are young, and I wonder how good their language skills are. 

If you want something, it takes forever! Case in point, we had a skid of sewing machines moved to a classroom. The plan was for the strapping young guy to remove the machines from the skid and place one on each table. OH NO - he says. I just drive the pump jack used to move the skid. I'll send someone else to do the lifting. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? 

After waiting 10 minutes, I moved all the machines in about 10 minutes. By the time someone arrived, we were already unboxing machines. I just don't get why a simple task is so difficult to accomplish. I'm not going there, but it's frustrating, to say the least. 

While I'm not a fan of setup day, I LOVE being at the show. There is so much going on, so many people I haven't seen in a long time, beautiful quilts, enticing booths to tease money out of your wallet. Oh my --- it's a great show!!!! And I haven't even seen it yet, other than what I saw as I racked up MANY km yesterday walking back and forth through the hall. 

The chaos of the setup day!

One of the new retreat houses has a booth. I am checking this retreat house out in a couple of weeks!! If anyone is interested, there are still a couple of spots - we are firmly booked at 6, but I'd be willing to take one or two more if you are interested! It's in St. Clements, Ontario. It's called Anita Retreat.

Anita Retreat booth

As I was ripping around, I had a question for Vanessa, and was about to chat with her, but realized that she was live streaming as she counted up the inches of binding she had received from people! 

Vanessa is live-streaming about binding! 

I haven't taken any pictures of my show yet, but I'll document it this week and share it with everyone after the show. 

We finally left the SVP booth at 5 PM. I know—it's always a long slog. I don't know that it needs to be that long, but it is. I'm not in charge, so there is nothing I can do about that. It is going to be a very busy day at the show, and I can't wait. I must remember to drink lots of water, as I have a feeling I'll be chatting a lot with people! 

Getting into the show is not cheap, but you will get good value for your money. There are MANY quilts to see - you have the National Juried Show. We watched the awards ceremony online last night, and it was hilarious, as some of our Monday Sewing Group was also watching, and we were chatting back and forth on our chat app. It was almost like being in person, but no one had to SHUSH us when we talked too loud! 

There are the concurrent shows, and there are quite a few of them—my show (of course!), the youth challenge, rosette winners, and others. You can check out the complete list here. 

There is the Trendtex Challenge, which is a little different this year. First, all 82 of the quilts are spectacular!! I usually buy one, but which one do I want? So many to choose from. One of my quilts is in the show -- check that out! All those darn 3-D flowers! Made by hand! The silent auction is ONLINE this year. What? I'm not sure I'm a fan of that, but it allows people who can't attend the show to participate. I'll see how that goes - it will take longer to check on the bids!! But you can vote here. Don't vote for the one I want, as I'll outbid you! Just kidding - it has happened in the past - we've had bidding wars at the last minute! I should post my collection of Trendtex Challenge quilts someday. 

Before I go, I want to congratulate Cathy Harnish!! She won second place in the Wallhangings category—ones made from patterns or books—for her Long Time Gone, which is from the class I taught! I'll grab pictures later, as I'm running out of time. 

She also has her Tula Pink Butterfly Quilt in the Rosette Show, which was also a product of my class. You must check out Cathy's amazing long-arm quilting on both. She has a computerized long arm, and she knows how to make it sing! 

Be sure to stop by the booths to say hello and check out the quilts in the show celebrating my 25 years of teaching quilt making!! The quilts the students loaded are SPECTACULAR!!!! Thanks to everyone for loaning the quilts! 

Well, I need to get myself organized for the day. 

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!!

Prepped for Quilt Canada

What can I say? It was a crazy day, but everything is done. I spent most of the day at the computer! 

It took me FIVE hours to complete the labels. I know—five hours to make 30 labels! But they had to be formatted, and some of them needed a little bit of editing. But all is good. 

I had a few other things to print, so I prepped those and was about to load them on my USB to take to the print shop when I remembered they needed to be in PDF format. I wonder if I can print the Word documents. Probably. 

Anyway, I was printing away, counting, and recounting that I had everything when I realized I had forgotten to load one document on the USB. CRAP!!! It wasn't there in any format, so I would have to go back!

I also wanted to get some of those plastic tabletop display holders. OH MY --- I had sticker shock when I saw the price. I thought they would be about $12, but the cheapest was  $25. I could buy four for $84, so I went that route and got $5 off at the counter. 

Sticker shock on plastic display holders

We finally got our Bombas socks! I ordered some for DH and some for myself. He is so picky about stuff that I'm sure he'll find something to complain about - he's a glass-half-empty person! I will wear mine - perhaps I'll wear a pair today since they match my shoes! How cool is that? The labels are upside down in this picture, and the other image with the labels right side up is fuzzy, so this is what you get! 

Bombas socks

If you want to try them, use this website. At checkout, use the code Jenna20 to get a 20% discount on your first order. That's why we bought so many pairs. 

We have company for a couple of days. A quilting friend is attending Quilt Canada, and it makes a whole lot of sense for them to stay here rather than book a hotel. Hotels are just at a crazy price these days. And I have a spare room! I managed to get most of the quilts put away, and the rest got shoved into a corner of the room. Thankfully, it's a decent-sized room! 

She pinned sleeves on three of the remaining quilts last night while I completed the binding on the last quilt. I pinned that sleeve on this morning, and everything is ready. Oh, and I still have to throw a few samples into my sample suitcase, but it's mostly done. 

Here's what a quilt show looks like before it leaves your house. 

All the quilts for the concurrent show

There are 28 quilts here, with three more coming directly to the show. Each one is in a clear plastic bag so it doesn't get dirty during transport. Inside the bag, each one has a big label with its number and other important information. Two suitcases are under those quilts, but they won't all fit, so I have my wagon to help transport them. 

The other items, such as a ladder, step stool, tools, printed material, etc., are all waiting at the front door. We contemplated loading the car last night, but I did not want to leave those quilts in the car. Even though we live in a very quiet neighborhood, I was not taking that chance. We must be up early, load the car, walk the dogs, and leave. 

I'm excited about the day. Why, I have no idea, as set-up day is one of the worst days of any tradeshow. It's long and hard work, but you get to see so many people you haven't seen in a while, and that's the exciting part. You know what they say—many hands make light work, so let's hope that this will be the case today. 

We also got this in the mail yesterday, which means we are just one step closer to that wedding! 

The upcoming wedding

I do not envision any major planning on my part, so I will go and relax! Will that statement come back to bite me? June next year will be a hectic month as there are other events that month as well. At least I won't have a quilt show to put together! 

Weddings are so different today—well, all events. There is no longer a return card; you can do that online at a website. Who knew? 

I have one article that I need to work on, so I'd better take some time this morning to finish it. It needs to leave my house ASAP. 

If you are coming to Quilt Canada, stop by and see me. I'll be in the Husqvarna Viking/PFAFF and Singer booths for most of the show. We are in booths 307, 308, 310, and 312. It's all connected, so you can't miss us. 

And then be sure to come visit my concurrent show, which is part of Quilt Canada. Those shows are at the back of the hall, so you have to walk through the vendors, through the National Juried Show, and past the food court, and there we are. I'm on the far left-hand side—Booths 500-509, not 599, like I wrote yesterday. 

I should have rented an extra chair so people could come and sit. Hey, if there are open chairs, that means I need a volunteer, so sit down and entertain yourself. I haven't seen all these quilts opened up, so it's going to be a surprise even for me. But it will be a great show, so be sure to come on out!!!!

On that note, I'm out of here! 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!

Prepping for Quilt Canada

Will the chaos ever end? I contemplate this every day! Will there ever be a lull in my life when I can work on my things and spend time as I wish? I get pockets of that, but then something crazy happens, and chaos ensues! 

Let's hope that in the fall, with fewer class commitments, that will be the case. We'll just have to see how that works out, as my schedule for September includes a Facebook Live, a two-day embroidery workshop, a seven-day quilting retreat, and the Buckhorn Quilt Show, where I'm the featured quilter. I won't be home for much of August! ACK! I can see it now! July will be all about prep! Prep! Prep! Prep! Prep! Prep! Prep! Prep! Prep! 

After that - it should be smooth sailing. Just say NO!! But when a great opportunity comes along, how can you say no? At least with fewer classes, there will be more time to focus on these bigger events. The quilt retreat will be fun, and no prep is involved! 

As for prepping for Quilt Canada, I think everything is under control. There is a lot of paperwork to accomplish today and some more printing, but I will do what I can. At the very least, there are 30 quilts to display, and the quilts are the most important part! Do I dare say that it shouldn't be too big of a deal to get the rest of the paperwork completed? LOL!!!! I can see it now - it's 3 AM and I'm still struggling with something! 

I got to bed much later than usual, but all is good. 

To my knowledge, there are still four quilts that need a quilt sleeve pinned on. And one binding needs to be on a quilt—don't ask the story about that one. It is a quilt of mine that needs the binding. I hope there are no more surprises. 

I have a bag of quilt sleeves that I use for temporary sleeves. EVERYONE should have one or two of these! Mine are various lengths, which is good since the six quilts that needed sleeves are of various widths. I laid the sleeves on the first quilt and picked the one that worked the best. Two are on, and I was able to find a sleeve the exact length required! Will I get so lucky with the last four? 

Finding the appropriate size sleeve

And in case you don't know what a pinned-on sleeve looks like, here's a picture. The sleeve is a fabric tube, and I pin it on the top and bottom using safety pins! It's super simple! 

The sleeve is pinned to the quilt

I need to make the setup and tear down super easy for the volunteers, so there is a little more work required on my part to make it easy for them. That work is almost complete! When in doubt, add more information, make a list, and print a label! 

Stop by and say hello if you come to Quilt Canada. You'll find me in the SVP Booth - Husqvarna Viking, PFAFF, and Singer. My rejected Cherrywood Challenge will be on display in the Husqvarna Viking booth. And you can check out my show, "Celebrating 25 Years of Teaching Quiltmaking". That is in booths 500-599. It's so exciting to see it all come together, and there is that trip down memory lane surprise to share with you! Plus, I have a quilt in the Trendtex Challenge. Check that out as it was a tremendous amount of hand work, but it looks fantastic!!! Lots to see and do! 

I quilted another quilt yesterday, which you can't see yet. And there goes another roll of batting! I seem to be ripping through the rolls, but that is good. There are many quilts that need to be quilted, and I must get to them! It would be so nice to reduce the number of those quilts, and I have plans for that. I must look into another batting order - I like to keep a bit on hand. 

Another roll of batting bites the dust

I've mentioned this before, but when I quilt with the computerized long arm, I use a small piece of tape as a marker to advance the quilt. When stitching, I often place it on the rolled-up quilt top so I don't stitch over the tape. Sometimes, it gets caught on my sleeve and I can't find it. I couldn't find the tape yesterday, so I got a new piece of tape. Oh, it turns out the tape was attached to the front of my T-shirt in a very strategic spot! 

Since I already had a new piece of tape, I placed it on the wall for the next quilt. For the remainder of the day, every time I spotted that tape out of the corner of my eye, I thought it was a bug! 

A tape bug

Of course, Miss Murphy is a bit upset because there is a lot of packing and stuff going on, and she has no idea what is happening. I heard her snuffling in the corner as I finished a quilt last night. 

Mom - I can't settle!

Turns out she didn't like the way the mat was placed. This is how I found her this morning. What a nice, dark, and cool corner to sleep in! 

Mom - this is much better!

As I sat in the gazebo yesterday for a short break and a snack, I watched the bees in the flowering bushes. With my Zoom settings on the phone, I easily got this picture. Not the best, but that bee did not want to stay still. He was like a kid in a candy shop and didn't know where to turn first! 

A bee is doing its thing

And now there are FOUR blooms on the pond. The thing is going to go crazy in the next month. I love that we do NOTHING for the fish or the plants. They just grow and thrive on their own. I only have to clean the filter for the pump and top up the pond if the level goes low. But the sound of the water? I love it! 

Four blooms in the pond

And of course, my faithful, not-so-helpful companion is everywhere! 

MOM - I need sunglasses! 

My dentist still hasn't called me to make an appointment to fix my tooth. It's a bit rough around the edges, but it's not a crisis, and I don't have time anyway! 

We were supposed to get our yellow fever vaccines yesterday, but let's say DH threw a monkey wrench into the mix, and the appointments had to be rescheduled. I refused to reschedule with him, so we will do separate appointments. Sigh. It's going to be a fun vacation—it's going to be a fun vacation—it's going to be a fun vacation. Now you know why we NEVER travel together. 

Here's one thing about my walks: They are the best planning time in the world. I envision things, make up mental lists, look at various scenarios, and so much more. Then, when it's time to execute the plan, it comes out like a hot knife through butter. Yes, sometimes there are things I haven't considered, but with all my experience, I can usually make stuff on the fly! It's all a part of life! If you say something with confidence and authority, it's believable! That's actually a big issue today! Too many people are spewing falsehoods confidently, and we are getting into trouble. 

About all those SOs: I know I still say it a lot on Zoom—A LOT. But I'm catching myself doing it now. That means I will be able to correct it, but it's going to take time, and I only have ONE Zoom left for June! I will continue to work on fixing that little habit. Then I'll move to the next one! 

And on that happy note, it's time to start the day! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!