How a little bit of FOCUS can WIN in quilting

Like all the quilters out there, MOST of us struggle with focus. We spot a new class, a new pattern, some shiny new gadget, and we are off in another direction before we even know what happened. After many years of following my eyes and ignoring the ever-growing mound of UFOs, a few UFOs are hanging around. 

I also had no issues buying fabric, like it was candy! It was because of that mound of fabric that several years ago (around 10, I believe), I stopped randomly buying fabric just because I liked it. I still buy fabric, but only when I need it, and it is a good idea to be careful with prices these days. 

But those UFOs are still there! The brand new kits are still there, and all the patterns I knew I had time to make are still there! 

I started keeping a list of UFOs in 2017. The intention of the list was to pick 12 bigger projects and work on them during the year. I keep adding to that list every year and will do so again, but sadly, it's been a challenge to tackle every UFO on it, as some are HUGE. The 2017 list is complete and resulted in 22 quilts, not 12. Why make one of the same thing when you can make two? Everything for 2018 is also done. There are two left for 2019, and I plan to work on those this year. 

I've also completed some of the others in the years 2020 - 2025, and I think it's a good idea to have a list! Here's the thing—when I start a project, it's because I really want to make it. I use good fabric, and after evaluating the projects, I still want to work on them. 

I also started the UFO club back in 2020, and that has been an enormous success. I haven't kept track of everything that I've accomplished, but it's been a lot. Not as much as I would like, but more than if the club had not started. 

Now here's the thing --- I got swamped with work during the pandemic years and even after, and so there were times when my focus wasn't on finishing those UFOs. And I would pick a large project and work on small bits each month. I have made progress, but it was hard to see. The piles of UFOs haven't changed much, and let's not forget that "current" projects table, which is still buried!

I'm switching tactics! I've decided to work on the almost-completed projects instead of the big ones. Last month at the UFO Club, I put SIX things on the list of things I wanted to accomplish. None of them would take very long to complete -- perhaps a day each at the most. 

Because I was away earlier this month, I left the UFO stuff to this week. I wasn't feeling up to snuff for a day earlier this week, so I'm down to the wire - yet again! However, I made good progress yesterday. I won't share it with you yet because I want the UFO Club to see it first. 

But there are a few things I can share with you. I have to say that the six things I chose have been sitting around on the current projects table for a very long time. I put them into the blue bucket that sits on the cutting table, and if needed, it was easy to set the bucket on the floor to access the entire cutting table. That system has been brilliant and is working like a charm. One of the tricks to completing things is to find a way that works for YOU!!! 

Some of the projects were at the finicky stage - I needed to find some supplies (which I had), or I needed to do a bit of stitching, or whatever, but all were finicky! 

One of them involved this Halloween fabric. 

Halloween fabric that I had to dig out of a tub in the storage room

The second project involved all this fabric. I took what I needed, and then what to do with the rest? It's a nice collection, and there is quite a bit of fabric left. The solids were placed in the solid fabrics bucket. 

The leftovers from another project

The scraps and the remaining fat quarter bits were put into a plastic bag and shelved. I don't really have a spot for collections, but maybe I should make one. There is loads of fabric there to make another quilt and still have leftovers. 

The leftover fabrics from making a quilt

Someone had asked me the other day about what to do with leftovers from a collection. If I really like the collection, I want to keep it together rather than put the fabrics into my stash. At some point, it might get pulled apart. I'm not sure. 

That project also involved removing all the stabilizer from the machine embroidery. 

All the stabilizer has been removed

And I chose a backing, but the more I looked at it, the less I liked the cream backing with the clean white background. 

Not a fan of this cream colored fabric on the right

I went back to the stash of backing fabrics and found this instead. This had been purchased as backing for a specific quilt. Well, the quilt isn't even on the radar, and there was just enough. It got used for this quilt! 

The new backing fabric

Once those two projects were marked "complete," it was time to evaluate the remaining four. Again -- these were all in bits and pieces, and I had to take some time to organize myself and see what needed to be done, what materials still needed to be found, etc. 

A few half-square triangles were made while working on those remaining four projects. 

More half-square triangles

I mostly worked on one project and got all the stitching done yesterday, and finished up the machine embroidery this morning. And then I spent the rest of my early morning work session focusing on the interlinings, stabilizers, and batting needed for the projects. Everything is pretty much cut, fused, and ready to assemble. 

The four remaining UFO projects - ready for assembly

I also went back to the current projects tables to see what I could work on for UFO Club for January. Again, I picked several small projects that won't take long to do, but have been hanging around for a long, long time. While you can't really see an improvement in the current project's tables, some of the areas are now down to ONE layer of stuff, not many! And those projects are on my 2026 goal list. 

If I were smart, I would just continue working on the new batch of UFO stuff once I complete my writing assignment! Or at least do one a day until they are done! 

I have had enough of this mess, and I want it out of my house or at least as a finished object, or as something ready to be quilted. That's a whole other story that we won't go to at this moment. 

Earlier in the week, I was feeling a little down looking at all the stuff that had to be done, but after yesterday, I'm fired up and very confident I can finish those four projects today. Most should take about an hour. OK -- If I have goofed on the time and each takes two hours, I still have time to complete them before Sunday morning. 

Here's the other thing. I've been waffling on a mystery sew-along that I saw online. It looks interesting, it's not very big, but I've been waffling. This morning, I made a decision. I will NOT do the project. I do NOT need to add to my to-do list. I already have significant tasks assigned for the months ahead, and why go off track when the year hasn't even started? Usually, at this time of year, I'm gearing up to begin teaching a new class. Not this year, and I am thrilled to have the extra time on my hands! 

It makes me a bit sad, but let's get real here! Am I serious about the UFO mess, or am I just blowing off steam? I AM SERIOUS!!! Plus I have two challenges facing me in the early part of the year and I had better get started on those! 

I walked past Indigo yesterday and had to stop in to see if there was anything I "needed." I found nothing, but I noticed they are still doing the jigsaw puzzles, and this one was complete!

The completed jigsaw puzzle at Indigo

When I left the house yesterday at 4:45 AM to be at the gym by 5, it was crazy foggy outside. This is the view from my car in the parking lot. You couldn't see anything. Thankfully, the roads were pretty empty at the time. 

You could barely see the building for the fog

But it kind of freaked me out when I turned onto the main street and immediately saw flashing police lights behind me. WHAT? I didn't do anything - I'm barely on the street. It turns out he was using the flashing lights to go through all the red lights. Hmmm --- in a hurry for a bathroom or coffee break, or was there a place he needed to be? I noticed that one of his headlights was out, so I was going to use that as ammunition if he stopped me!

What is with the weather? I went to the gym in shorts yesterday! Yep—the weather here is crazy warm.

Shorts at 5 AM on December 18 OUTSIDE

For any of us who thought we might have a white Christmas, think again. All the snow is gone except for the piles I shoveled at the end of the driveway. It started to rain in the afternoon, and I think it rained all night. It's still raining. My backyard is bare, and while the pond is not entirely free of ice, it's definitely not stable. 

And I've learned that I sew and function BETTER when I'm alone. I need access to all my machines when I need them. I need the space. So when KU returns, I will have Studio U set up for her. It's a complete sewing room, equipped with rulers, cutting mats, etc. I'll put my old sewing machine up there for her, and she can sew to her heart's content. 

If she wants advice, she has to come down or text me! I can work in a group setting, but I have to be prepped for that, like at a retreat. But to work in a group setting in my place? It doesn't work for me. Unless there is a specific event, like the play date scheduled for Saturday with one other person. But we are working on a particular project, and each of us has an embroidery machine. That I can cope with! This date has been pushed back for almost a year! Today, well, tomorrow is the day!

Oh my --- I had a dream last night. Actually, I've had many dreams over the last couple of nights. One night, I dreamt that I was pregnant. Oh, my— what does that signify? I was afraid to look, but it's actually a good dream. It means new beginnings, personal growth, creativity, or significant life changes. Yes --- as I'm ramping up for 2026, there are a lot of changes! 

Last night, my dream was about being on a cruise ship! Oh my god --- I have vowed that I am years away from taking a cruise for vacation. I don't have anything against cruises; it's just not the type of vacation I want at this time in my life. 

Anyway, that dream can also be impacted by new changes (destinations), but I think it mostly came about because I finished reading 438 Days by Jonathan Franklin. OH MY --- it's a true story about a man who was swept out to sea and drifted for 438 days. He left Mexico and ended up on the Marshall Islands, 7000 km away. If you look at those teeny tiny islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, you have to say he was incredibly lucky, or there was divine intervention to have him drift to that tiny string of islands. 

What I liked about the book was that there were two men in the boat, but only one made it. The difference? One had hope and fought to live, the other gave up hope and died. That's it in a nutshell. I'd like to think I would be the one who lived. But I can't imagine being on a 23-foot boat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean for 438 days. Yikes!!!! Just the thought of being on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean is too much at this point! 

It's a good read if you like true stories. 

As predicted, my arms are sore this morning from my workout, but nothing is going to stop me from working. 

I'm home alone all day, except for the girls, I have my projects mostly prepped and ready to assemble, the weather is crappy, so no need to be outside. I'll put on some good music, and I'll be sitting at the sewing machine for most of the day!!

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!

Working on UFOs

I hope no one was offended by my comments about the technology and the class in yesterday's post. Yes --- the participants were very accommodating, but all it takes is one offhand comment to go the wrong way. I should be above it - I'm a big girl. But there are times when even my shiny disposition just has enough, and it was 99.9% because of the technology.

My apologies if anyone was offended, but I was FRUSTRATED!

I had two classes with presentations yesterday morning, and a Virtual Retreat all afternoon, and not a single drop! Of course, the number of participants was significantly less. My guess is the dead pods just can't handle the extra bandwidth for the larger group. Let's hope they arrive in time for the next class. Otherwise, I'll have to Zoom from the kitchen or the office! 

So here is the good news! All EIGHT of the dog quilts are done! Bound and done! I'm pretty excited about it and certainly glad that I achieved that in a relatively short time, as I started piecing them at my September retreat!

All EIGHT dog-themed quilts are done!

What is astounding is that all the fabric for the fronts and the back is DOG-THEMED, and I didn't have to buy anything for the quilts. That is remarkable, considering the dog-themed basket still has a lot of fabric left in it. And sadly, there are "several" other baskets that had themed fabric in them. Food, bicycles, and the millennium come to mind! 

I need to write out some thank-you cards to go with the quilts, and they will be ready for pickup/dropoff later this week. 

I've noticed in our UFO group that several members are tackling fabric categories to get rid of - it could be panels or a particular line. Some of them have been working on those all year, and while they are making progress, they are not yet done. 

It was never in the cards to completely eliminate all the dog-themed fabric. My goal is flannel. While Diane did a great job using up the children's flannel for me, there is still flannel in the storage room. It's going to be used for backing those "favor" quilts I have to finish. There is a large basket of scraps from which I'm making scrappy blocks (crumb blocks), and the resulting squares will be used to make quilts. 

I have sorted and bagged the scraps by color, and I should really grab one of the bags and throw it into my retreat bag. It's a fun and simple thing to do at a quilt retreat, or I should designate a day once a month to make those crumb blocks. I need to make time to do something if I want to get rid of that stuff. 

Now that my technology is working (the microphone), it's easy for me to sew and chat on Zoom calls, so that is good. I'm getting better at it, but still not as productive as I would like. However, I did some machine embroidery yesterday while on the call. I have some experimenting to do, and I have accomplished that. Oh yes - I did get some sewing done, which I didn't take a picture of, but that is a start on one of the quilts that's been on the design wall for a long time. 

I have also set aside some items on the current project table that I need to purchase fabric for. I also pulled some items off the table to set aside for my new UFO projects this month, and I filled the blue box on the cutting table with those items. 

OH -- I just pulled the bag of blue flannel scraps out of storage, and I'll add it to the retreat bag. If I don't, I'll forget! Wouldn't it be nice to get all that flannel used up, and I would have an entire shelf free in the storage room! I'm going to work on it!

I've been a bit lax in taking photos of what's happening in Studio B, so I'll try to get some pictures today. 

But here's my UFO for this past month. This was the "list" of things to get done for yesterday. I wanted to put the binding on TWO of those children's flannel quilts, make binding and backing for two projects, insert an invisible zipper in a cushion, sew it together, and finish one of the Halloween ornaments. 

My UFO list for November

I got the binding and backing for these two quilts. This is Toes in the Sand. 

The Toes in the Sand quilt is ready to be quilted, and the binding is made

And this is the bicycle quilt. The binding and backing were sewn for this, and both projects were moved into the "to be quilted" pile. What astounds me is that it was easy to complete both of these projects, so why did they get set aside? 

Another quilt moved to the "to be quilted" pile

Instead of just binding two of the twelve children's quilts, I went ahead and bound all twelve! The cushion and the ornament were not completed. But that's OK - I made giant leaps and bounds in getting some UFOs out of the way, and this pile of quilts will be picked up later this week. I don't care if people don't complete their entire list for the month. I care that they make progress! Life happens, or they work on one area more than another, like I did with these quilts. 

The twelve quilts for Project Linus

I feel pretty good because my "system" is working. Because all these UFOs are spread out on the project tables, it's easy to select new projects for UFO. While working on the UFOs, I'm clearing those tables, although it doesn't look like anything has been taken off them yet! As someone mentioned, it's like having a smorgasbord of projects to choose from! That's hilarious, but true!

This is what I've pulled for UFO Club this month, although it's probably a bit ambitious, since I'm away for two weeks. Although one week is a sewing retreat, I could technically take some of this stuff and get it done there.

Two more quilts need binding and backing. And one of them needs a border. The cushion and ornament are also here, as well as a notebook cover, a small tote bag, and DH's golf towel, which needs a minor repair. So I'll have plenty to keep me busy this month, and all of it is piled into the blue box on the cutting table. It would seem that I will use that box for my UFO box, which is what I need to work on in my free time each month. I think it's working just fine! There are also two new, small projects in that blue box, which I want to complete ASAP. 

The UFOs for December

And should I get to the point where one of those tables is actually clear, I would have an extra table for someone to sew at if I go that route. A goal!! If you haven't noticed, I'm a big fan of setting goals! I could remove the items, but I don't want those sewing days to become a significant effort on my part, or what's the point? So I'd better sew my UFOs up much faster than I am! However, I'm making progress, and I wasn't before, so it's going to happen faster than we think. Most of the items on the tables are small, so I can tackle multiple in one month. 

I have ZERO desire to start anything new. Oh, the thought crosses my mind when I see the work others are doing, I remember my vow to myself to FOCUS. I want those tables clear. But I certainly don't need to rush to get them done. Those are my projects, and I want to enjoy working on them. And I don't want to work under pressure to complete them, although I sometimes work best under pressure; this is a hobby. I'll work under pressure at work!

 I'll start a new project when I need to, like for a class. But should I ever complete all the UFOs and have the luxury of picking a new project, will I be as excited? I don't know - it would be fun, but I'm happy to work on UFOs for a long, long time. 

Well, I guess I had better get moving. It's going to be a busy day, and I have a lot to get done. When have I not had a lot to get done? Off to spin class! 

Have a wonderful day!!!

Ciao!!!

On being productive in the sewing room!

Go Jays Go! 

I'm not a dedicated fan (no Jays sweaters or other merchandise for me), but I do like to see "our" team win. Unfortunately, I can't stay up to watch it. Besides, we don't have a working TV at the moment, but I could watch it on my phone. But I do check the score! Go Jays Go!

Yesterday was UFO Club, and you all know that there are three tables filled with stuff that needs to be done. In the past, I've focused on larger projects that take months to complete, but I'm going to switch tactics. I'm going to assign myself a bunch of smaller things, so I can see the results (empty table space) much quicker! 

So, this is what I showed for Show and Tell. At last, the binding is on my Chatsworth quilt. Yeah --- the binding had been stitched to the back of the quilt, but needed to be appliqued to the front. It's DONE! 

The binding on the Chatsworth quilt - DONE

I was supposed to get the border on my Tula Pink Butterfly, but I'm still undecided, so I grabbed Toes in the Sand instead and added the two side borders. I know, I know. How long did that take? Not long! 

The top of Toes in the Sand - finally done! 

And you've seen this little guy. Technically, he's not a UFO since I started and completed him just recently, but I bought the kit many years ago, and that qualifies as a UFO. 

The happy witch ornament

And for next month, I assigned myself a bunch of smaller tasks from those tables. In the pile are two quilts that need the backing and the binding made. One of them already has the fabric pulled, and I found something perfect for the backing of Toes in the Sand last night. Completeing those two task shouldn't take long. I said I would complete the binding on two of those quilts that have been in the pile for almost a year. There's also one more small ornament that is almost complete, and a cushion that needs an invisible zipper and then serged together. 

My UFO projects for next month

None of those jobs will take very long. But yet, I get caught up in other things. I WANT to change that, and I can, now that I don't have as many classes to prep for! This is now the time to put my money where my mouth is! 

Well, after our UFO Club yesterday, I was fired up! So many things that people have accomplished, so many exciting projects, and well, I decided I was going to get myself in gear and do something. We also had Virtual Retreat yesterday and for some reason, the way I have the camera/mic and my sewing machine set up, it works. So I was able to sew while I chatted, and I accomplished a LOT. 

First, I retrieved a tub from the storage room to organize my November UFO projects, ensuring they wouldn't get lost or forgotten in the mess. Then I'm resolving to get those done NOW rather than waiting until later. 

Next, I grabbed the first quilt that needed binding and put it on. OK -- this isn't the second quilt in the UFO pile, it's another one. Once I got the first one on, I decided to grab the next one and do that as well. I mean - from the pile still on the table, not just the two I pulled for UFO. 

Working on binding

And so I kept going. I had to make binding for most of the quilts in that pile, and I have a hunk of that diagonal striped flannel, which works perfectly for these bright children's flannel quilts. And soon, I had a stack of quilts with the binding stitched to the back. 

A stack of quilts with the binding sewn to the back

I still have four more quilts to add the binding to. I'm not stitching it to the front yet. I'm getting the binding on all of the quilts, and then I'll change the presser foot and threads and start appliquing. My new goal, but don't tell the UFO Club this, is to get the binding on that entire stack of quilts!

I switched fabrics for two of them, since the quilts were predominantly purple and pink, and found a hunk of flannel in the storage room. Then I have these two blue ones and thought I should get a blue flannel, which I don't have, and then I decided there is enough color in some of the blocks that the rainbow binding will work for these, and I still have a huge hunk of the rainbow stripe. 

Two of four quilts still to make binding

What I love is that there is absolutely NOTHING else on my sewing table. The machine is happily sewing these bindings on as if they were butter. Nothing to fall on the floor, I can glance up and see the Zoom group on the large screen to my left, and it was a fantastic sewing day!!

And to keep you in the loop on my cutting table, this is the state of it last night. The first pile is the backing and the Toes in the Sand quilt, which will require an hour of work, so I hope to get that done today (Monday Sewing). There is the rest of the pink flannel, in case I didn't cut enough strips, the rainbow fabric at the end to finish the blue quilts, DH's golf towel that needs a minor repair, and one small project that I'd like to finish today as well. 

The cutting table with current stuff on it!

I just needed a little bit of focus, and for some reason, everything came together yesterday. If I can be as productive in the future as I was yesterday, I want MORE virtual retreats! It was fun to chat with everyone, and yet I accomplished a lot. I need to make the most of these sewing days. I know -- if I don't get it done, it's not the end of the world, but this stuff is easy and a bit of focus doesn't hurt anyone. 

Besides, it's going to be so nice to have a big empty spot on those tables, but I'm sure I'm just going to fill it with all the stuff that I had to store on another table for the jacket-making class. BUT this is huge. I'll take the productive moments when they happen! It would be amazing to get all of those children's quilts out of my house by the end of this month. 

I cannot say enough about these Virtual Retreats. They are a lifeline to the world. OK -- that sounds a bit desperate, but I get the opportunity to chat with friends, learn new words and concepts, understand how various tools work, and we get to share and commiserate with each other. I would NOT trade those virtual retreats for the world. And they are easy. Don't get me wrong - I love going to an in-person retreat, but they are expensive and I can't do that once a month! 

In case you are interested, the next one is scheduled for November 15 and 16. I can't wait!!! I had to move it because of my travel schedule. Yes, there is some travel required for November, including a major Pony Express pickup, a guild lecture, and customer events (the number of days is still being confirmed, hopefully today), as well as visiting family. So it will be somewhat busy, but not crazy! 

A note that tomorrow's blog will likely be delayed by a couple of hours, as I'm traveling late tonight and might have a sleep-in. I'll see how it goes. Plus, I'll be in a different time zone. 

And now, I'm off to spin class. And then we have Monday sewing, and I'm excited to pick up where I left off last night. I've got bindings and quilt backings to make today, and I'm on a roll! Look out, world - I'm coming through! 

WAIT --- I mentioned that I learned a new word yesterday. I was describing the narrator's voice in this audiobook I just finished, and TWO people called out a word. WAIT -- what? Apparently, there is a word for that type of speech. The kind of speech that is littered with lots of "s" or "sh" sounds. In this book, I was NOT a fan. 

Sibilant. Seriously? I had never heard of that word! So then the joke became - how to make a sentence using the words sibilant and confluence. How about - the confluence of sibilant voices in the church was like the sound of the wind rushing through the tree tops when a cold front is moving in! Does that work? 

On that note, I'm off to spin class now. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!

The power of a stare!

Only a few more days to get through this crazy schedule. It took quite a while to get the UFO presentations put together --- many group members were very busy over the summer, and we had a lot to see! 

Time was running out, and so I shortchanged the girls on their walk. They were not happy about it. I was about a half hour late in getting out of the house with them, and can you tell they were not happy? 

MOM -- we are waiting PATIENTLY!!!!

Seriously, it's quite creepy to turn around and find the two of them staring at me. They know the power of a stare. There are times when they are beside me and fussing, but the stare I think works much better!

I am still looking for pictures of my quilts that were displayed at the Buckhorn Quilt Show. I will review my emails, as I believe one person sent me some photos, but I haven't opened that email yet. Next week, I'll hang the pieces here and take pictures. What a silly thing to forget to take pictures of ALL the quilts. 

After the UFO presentations, I had lunch, and then I decided that it was such a nice day, and I wanted to just veg, so this is where I ended up. 

The view from the gazebo

I haven't had a chance to sit out there and do nothing for a very long time. Or I haven't felt like I had the time to sit there. I didn't really have time, as I have a lot of stuff to prep, but I just needed some downtime. And I don't regret it!

Late in the afternoon, when I was "bored" of doing nothing - OK, I was reading my book, I came in and got some emails done. It's actually quite nice to get those UFO Club follow-ups done while the information is still fresh in my head. 

Due to the large number of photos included and their size, it's often a lengthy task to compress the presentation to a manageable size for email transmission. BUT with my newfound skill of compressing the photos digitally, it works. However, I had forgotten how to make that happen, but at least I knew I could do it. So I Googled it and remembered, and within seconds, the file was compressed and ready to send. Hopefully, I'll remember that for the next time without having to look up the instructions. 

And that brings me to a good point. I do not know how many times, when teaching, someone will lament that they have forgotten how to do something. Guess what? That's normal. And if you start searching Google and look at the resulting AI synopsis, there are so many ways and tips to help you learn. We all learn differently. 

The bottom line is that you CANNOT learn and remember something new the first time. OK -- some people can, but most of us cannot. You will have to repeat the task multiple times, and then it will stick. 

I remember when I first learned how to put binding on a quilt, and this goes back 25+ years ago. I took a short class with Gail at The Hobby Horse. We each did the final join in the class with two strips of fabric. I had to bring out that sample, which was attached to written instructions, for many, many quilts before that process stuck in my head. 

When I learned a different way to make the join, I also had to bring out the instructions many times before that method got into my head. It's OK and perfectly normal to have to rely on instructions to learn something new. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Yet, people feel they are "dumb" when they need that backup. It's a natural process of learning, and you will catch onto some things much quicker than others. 

NEVER apologize if you are slow at learning -- especially to me. You are learning, and I am here to guide you through that process. If you get so caught up in your "perceived failure to learn," it's only going to make the learning that much harder. Make mistakes, ask questions, and expect to repeat the task over and over again before it sinks in. Also, don't be afraid to muddle for a bit before you ask for the fourth time. You are making yourself so nervous because you can't figure it out. Walk away, take a break, get fresh eyes, and come back. You would be surprised at what your brain knows, but your head is making you feel you know nothing. 

That's why when I teach something, I highly encourage people to look at it later that day, the next day, or as soon as possible after the class. Try it at home, look at my videos or slides, and see where it will take you!

I don't know what Murph's issue was yesterday, but I suspect there was an animal of some kind under this little deck. And she was trying to dig it out. I caught her as I was making my breakfast and looked out the kitchen window. 

MOM -- Dad lets us do whatever we want! 

I dropped what I was doing and went out and had a wee chat with her. I got back into the kitchen and looked out again, only to find her madly digging! Murphy! So I had to put the chair there to discourage her. She promptly lay down to stare at me through the kitchen window! I do not think she was happy about my actions!

I'm going to digress for a moment and discuss the media. Please note that this is a general observation and not referring to any specific action that has happened, but it's incredible how the media can add fuel to the fire or calm the storm. 

It's interesting how the media is mentioned in the ebook I'm reading, Angels Flight by Michael Connelly (1999). 

To give you some context for the following quote, it's about Detective Bosch in LA. Like most cities around the world, major incidents (riots, looting, fires, natural disasters, etc.) can get out of control, and many times (I'm generalizing here, so don't yell at me) are fueled by the media.

And it's nothing new. This is how Connelly referred to the media way back in 1999. 

I just find it fascinating and disturbing, and it makes me wonder sometimes who is really in control of people's actions. And the fact that today, with so much AI, it's becoming harder and harder for people to distinguish what is real and what is not. 

I think the only thing we can attempt to do is educate ourselves, listen to both sides of the story, and don't believe everything you read or see. 

Well, I see time is marching on, and even though I only have 50 pages to finish that book, I need to get to the gym. I've been very lax over the last two months with my walking. I need to get myself up to speed on this new fitness tracker. You know me --- I like the old, and this new brand is throwing me for a loop, so I need to learn how it works properly and where to find the data. 

Here is the list of events over the next week. After that - it's quiet!!!! I sent out a group email to the Colour My World group, so if you did NOT get an email yesterday and you are interested, let me know. The sign-up cutoff (including paying) is midnight on Thursday evening. 

September 23 - Stitch by Stitch, Kingston, Ontario, A what's new with PFAFF and Husqvarna Viking. Two separate events. Check for times - one is in the afternoon (PFAFF), and the other is in the evening (HV). 

September 25 - Store Opening - Sewing Machine Magic - Cobourg, Ontario. This store sells PFAFF sewing machines, and I'm excited to present a series of demos that day. It's all about the magic!!!!

September 27 - Colour My World (Online class hosted by me) at 9:30 AM. I need to send out an acknowledgment to those who have paid. But you have all the information you need. No supplies required for the first class. 

September 27 and 28 - Virtual Retreat - the links will be posted on Wednesday. I'm looking forward to sitting down and having some time to do my homework and catch up with friends! 

And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the spectacular light show last night. We had thunder, rain, and lightning. At times, the lightning was so bright, it was blinding! I didn't get up to watch it, but spotted it through the window as I was trying to get to sleep! 

I'm off to spin class. 

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!!!

Springhouse Retreat - Measure Twice, Cut Once

Yesterday was a bit of a crazy day. It seemed like I spent a lot of time on my phone—yes, my cell phone, which does not work at my house. It actually doesn't work well in my neighborhood, but it works just fine elsewhere. 

This means it's the connection to the tower, which I was told a while back. I need to be persistent in getting my provider to fix the connection. But sometimes, it's nice not to have a working phone! It's a good excuse not to talk to people—not that I don't want to, but it can kill time. 

But I must be responsible and call them next week to try to resolve the issue. It's only been five years or so now. Good grief!!

So, what happened at the retreat? Well, you know what they say - what happens at the retreat stays at the retreat, but a few things are noteworthy. OK - One thing in particular. I have my water bottle, which is 32 oz, and I try to drink a full one each day, which I know is NOT enough water. But I'm on a mission now. I'm trying to drink MORE. And one of the retreat participants, who shall remain nameless, but she's encouraging me to get my butt in gear and drink more. 

Yesterday, I drank almost THREE of those containers. Thanks for the push!!!

My water bottle

It wasn't that big of a deal, but if I needed the washroom - it's right here! I've already drank almost one full container! My biggest problem is remembering to drink. Isn't that sad? That bottle can be sitting right in front of me, and I can just ignore it! But I will try and make a considerable effort to continue this habit. Can one develop a habit in 5 days? Well, we'll see what happens. 

I'm dehydrated, which is not good, so drinking water should be part of my "new" healthy regime!

I had a lot of trouble with my sewing machine yesterday. It's older, so it no longer has a sensor for low-bobbin thread. Yep - I sewed almost an entire border on a quilt before I realized. So I got that fixed, and then, I ran out of thread on top. I didn't see that because the lid on the machine was closed. When I went to the washroom, I returned to find this on my machine!!! LOL

HA HA --- Happiness!

But the good news is that I am getting some things done. I aim to finish or advance one thing each day. Here is my Bargello quilt top. It's a little smaller than I would like for a lap quilt, but it's all good. 

My bargello quilt top

The binding and the backing are also done! 

This one is ready to be quilted

And now, back to the elephant in the room. Since more people are coming to the retreat today, I had to cut that quilted fabric down to the appropriate size. So I moved the lamps to the floor and spread the HUGE piece of fabric out. 

Preparing to trim

It was huge, as I had the extra fabric for the quilted pillow shams. I intended to trim it like that, but I cut it about two inches larger to remove the excess fabric and make it easier to move around. 

Once the excess was removed, it was much more manageable. I used many rulers, a tape measure, and a laser square. 

Checking the corners

Oh my goodness, what a job! It seemed every time I measured it, it was a different measurement. I got it all set up to cut last night and then went to bed. I had only one shot at it and did not want to screw it up! So first thing this morning, I measured again - MANY times and checked the corners for 90 degrees. Then I bit the bullet and cut. 

Cutting the top

Then, I turned the quilt and cut in the opposite direction. I tested it by folding and refolding it to see if it was square and the correct size. It might be out by 1/8" along the sides, but I'm happy with that, so it's done!!! Yeah!!!!

I chuckled when I looked at some of the cords on the tables. I asked what type of cable this was. Do you know? 

This is MY cord - do not touch

It was a cord that someone had covered with a macrame sleeve to prevent her peeps from "stealing" cords when they left her house. That's a clever idea! 

We have picked a very snowy week, and the winds are gusting like crazy! So, there were a few drifts in the yard. It's fascinating to watch the equipment in action. I'm sure the family thinks we are all city folk who have never seen this stuff. And we don't see it regularly, but I love watching the equipment work. Let's say the young operator was having a blast, as he had snow flying through the air! 

Plowing the yard

Then, he cleaned out the driveway and went down to the house's garage. Yep -- there we were with a front-row seat! 

Clearing the snow

We had a chuckle later in the day when someone needed a little boost to get their car out of a snowbank. That required a different tractor, but the vehicle was out! I do not miss my low car in these snowy conditions! 

Getting the car out of the snowbank

Oh, I finished another project last night. The top for my Trendtex challenge for Quilt Canada is together! I lost a piece of fabric somewhere, but I found a solution with the pieces I had. I must get it quilted and move on to the next part. I must keep at it, or the piece will not get done. 

I have the next project out, and I should be able to finish it this morning. There are many projects I can work on—this will NOT be like the last retreat, where I got to work on everything I brought. I did go a bit overboard, but that's OK. 

I will have to attempt to schedule an in-house (my house) solo retreat day at least once or twice a month. That would be a day without interruptions from Zoom, class prep, or anything similar. I likely will not be able to get that done in the next two months, but there's always April!

We walked to the road and back, but even with my boots, the driveway was slippery. I was careful, so there were no accidents. Today is going to be warmer, but it's still very windy! So we'll see what happens. I may focus on stretching (and drinking water) this week instead of walking. 

On that note - I'm out of here to do some sewing!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!

It's all about finishing UFOs

Today's post should be called EXIT Game excitement! We sat and mulled the darn puzzle over at dinner, and I was getting tired of it and wanted to leave it. DH continued to mull it over and then said something VERY IMPORTANT. We forgot a VERY VISUAL clue, and as soon as he mentioned it, finding the answer was easy! So, points to DH for solving that one. Hanging up the laundry was easy. 

We moved on to the next door. I was trying to print a quilt label as he mulled over the cards. What could it be? He was looking at blank (black) cards with his flashlight and nothing. So I had a look and found the answer within a minute! Ooops!!! So we solved TWO puzzles yesterday!

But at one point, he was getting frustrated. AHA --- doesn't it feel much better to mull it over one more time than look at the clues? We're on Day 10 now (out of 24), and we've only looked at clues twice. The first clue was because I had looked at the clue last year and maybe Day Three? But we're getting better at it. Hmm --- what do we always say? You must PRACTICE, and solving these puzzles requires practice. OK -- so it requires a bit of out-of-the-box thinking, which we both have, but this is pushing us. 

What will we chat about when we reach the end of these games? Oh -- I'll be scouring the internet for others as we love them!

Yesterday was the UFO Club, and I'm amazed at how muchpush pushing themselves (including me) to get things done! It's great to have a deadline, and it's even better to complete some of these long-overdue projects or at least make progress on them. I'm working on Cabin in the Woods and have TWO on the go. That's what I used to do when teaching in the past. I'd finish one bit of homework to show them the final look, and one would be in pieces. 

My plan for yesterday was to have all the applique cut for the center. I had most of it cut, but not all. I didn't penalize myself because I had made a great effort to get that done. Last night, I sat with Harry Potter, and I finished all the cutting. 

Here's one of the quilts. You can't really see, but there are two fish and a canoe along the bottom, a bear and two deer (elk) just above those, and an an eagle in the top. 

Cabin in the Wood Number One

Here's the second quilt, which also has the same applique pieces. I wasn't sure about the applique, but now that it's done, I LOVE IT!! 

Quilt number two

I'm using various fabrics for the applique - some are batik, something similar to ultrasuede and wool. Why not? It's all an experiment. I had done hand applique on the leaves on the first one, but I won't do that this time. I'll do everything by machine. 

Here's a closeup of my salmon. I love how he turned out!The shapes are not fused to the quilt yet. I'll stitch them down and then sew everything together. Hmm -- how much could I get done if I focused a bit more this month? 

The salmon

My homework for next month is to finish cutting ALL the applique shapes for the remaining FIVE borders, but I have a plan. Then, it all needs to be stitched in place, so it will take a while before I'm done with these two quilts. 

I had to laugh because when I was at the retreat, I managed to sew TWO UFOs in two days, but they were easy. Remember these quilts? The center of this one was made of THREE play panels, and then I added the blue border and the crazy pieced mitered border. But it was a project that I could finish in ONE day! 

One UFO done at retreat

This one was already cut, and it took two days to finish it, but both of these UFOs were easy!!

One more UFO done at retreat

The ones I seem to tackle in UFO Club are the sew-alongs ($10 quilts) from years ago that I never finished. Those were ones that we split up over a year, and I just got behind - very far behind on some of them. In the last ten years, I've become more diligent about keeping up with the class, so those quilts should no longer be an issue. And also the number of classes is significantly reduced! But I have enough of those big UFOs to last a LONG time. 

So what happened here? They are pretty good about sharing, but Murphy wouldn't move her big butt, so the little guy was forced to sleep on the step? What's that all about? 

GRANDMA - help me!!!!

I almost died laughing when I saw that, but I had to run for the camera first! He's so cute! And I guess he's not afraid of the stairs!!

But then he got to come and sit with me while I did the UFO Zooms. He's quiet as a mouse and happy to be with me. 

My supervisor during the UFO Zoom

As I survey the wreckage that was my "to-do" list for the week, I see that I'm a bit behind in some of the paperwork. I HATE carrying over tasks from week to week (it's a pain to rewrite them), but it must be done. I make the list for the week on Sunday night, but I was tired, so that's first on the list of things to do this morning! And if I'm really good, I can get a few things done BEFORE I make the new list this morning! 

Well, I'm off to spin class this morning - yes, even though it's a holiday, some of us still want to get our butts out of the house and onto a bike! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Even tiny progress is progress

 It was a crazy day, and there are two more Zoom presentations today. But after today -- I have ZERO presentations until January 6. I can hardly wait for two weeks of downtime! And next year, the classes have been slashed in half! So, there will be less prep and less follow-up! 

Zoom has been a great way to stay connected to people during the pandemic, but I definitely see a fall in attendance. And it doesn't help that we are one week from Christmas! 

I have already sent half the follow-ups from yesterday and two more to do later today. The presentations are done for this morning. Phew!!

After the presentations, I had fun puttering in Studio B yesterday, and I actually got stuff done for me! That is so refreshing. I'll talk more about UFOs another day, and my puttering will end tonight as I'm off for a few days. But I'll still be in touch on the blog -- hey -- when have I not? 

One of the groups that will continue to run next year is Many Blocks. For those of us crazy enough to take on one of those crazy projects like Dear Jane, 365-Day quilt challenge, Town and Country, and so on, these are challenging quilts with MANY blocks, hence the name!

I have quite a few blocks cut and ready to sew, but I had more urgent stuff to sew, so I only got two blocks done this month. 

Two blocks for the 365-day quilt

I'm OK with that and hope to finish sewing the remainder of the March blocks this month. The number of pieces in each block will blow your mind, and in the top block, the half-square triangles were trimmed to 1". YES -- trimmed to 1"!!! But if I can finish those March blocks, I'll be a quarter of the way, and that's an incentive for me to keep going. With fewer projects on my plate for 2024, I can actually get some sewing done!

At the end of the day, I had a few minutes, so I trimmed up the half-square triangles that had accumulated. There are still many of the Barn Star Sampler triangles to stitch together, but I think I'll put those aside and start working on the 365-day blocks as my enders and leaders. 

Half-square triangles trimmed

It was a late night, but I finished a customer quilt. 

Customer quilt - DONE

I have one more that I'd like to get finished today. I still have a few to finish before the end of the year, and once I'm back later this week, I'll be at the long arm every day to try to get the pile done. It would be nice to start the new year with a clean slate. I'm almost there!

No time for decluttering yesterday as I had to finish my UFO homework. You'll get to see that tomorrow. How nice to work and NOT be doing it minutes before the presentation! Can I finally be moving in the right direction? I think so, and I must be VERY DILIGENT about not loading the plate up. If I do, I cannot do justice to the things I want to spend time on. 

I even pinned a project to my design wall for inspiration that I want to work on as part of another group running next year. I can't wait, as I haven't been able to participate in Out of the Box all year because of time restraints. I still have to tell them the subject for January, but if you're interested in joining that group, we have loads of fun and had a STRONG participation yesterday, even this close to Christmas and changing the date. The members are super creative!!! 

Think about the Quilt Retreat I mentioned in January in Shelbourne. There is still ONE spot open, and you can come for a few days or the entire week. Let me know if you are interested. 

I also have a Journal Making Retreat scheduled for January 9 - 11 in New Hamburg. If you are interested, let me know. You do NOT need any supplies; you will get a kit, and two dinners are included. Here's what we'll make, and these are absolutely STUNNING!!

A journal cover (yours will look different)

Some of the pages

I am NOT teaching this, but I will be attending to make my journal! It promises to be loads of fun!!! 

I will finish my Virtual Challenge of walking 4,400 KM for 2023 TODAY. There are 4.6 KM left, and I'll have that quickly done by the time I finish walking the dogs. Yeah!!! 

I was chatting to someone yesterday about decluttering. Many people are cleaning out parents' homes and are saddled with this huge job. Do NOT do this to your children. I hope you respect them more than that! 

And that's a wrap for today. Loads to do - as usual. But calm and relaxed is my new motto!! And I'm thrilled that we have chosen to opt out of anything Christmas. Not that I don't believe in Christmas, but I don't believe in the stress that occurs because we are trying to do too much to make everyone happy! 

To recap --- there are TWO retreats with spots.

• A journal-making retreat - Jan 9 - 11 in New Hamburg
• A quilt retreat (work on whatever you want) - January 29 - February 4 (stay a couple of nights or all six)
• Out of the Box - Zoom Club (Sunday Morning) - You get a monthly word prompt to create something.SMALL and UNFINISHED is great, and you can continue to work on your project the following month if you wish.
• Many blocks -- Zoom club (Sunday morning) where you get the motivation to finish these giant projects we took on and are currently sitting there as a UFO. 

Let me know if you're interested in any of the above, and I'll pass along the appropriate details. elainetheriault@gmail.com

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!