Quilted jacket must watch videos!!

LOL --- communal sleeping, as in at a retreat, is not for everyone. I have very few issues, although I like it when my roommates are quiet! Even sleeping in my own bed doesn't preclude me from getting a good night's sleep. The night before, I slept like a log. Last night? I was tired at 8 PM, but by the time I got into bed, I was wide awake and couldn't fall asleep. Sigh......

Now that I'm back home and have access to a sewing machine, the big question is where to start? I decided to get some of those bindings out of the way since they are taking up a lot of room. 

I'm happy to say that I have the binding on this quilt, which was the largest and heaviest of the seven projects waiting to be bound.  

The binding is on this lap quilt.

I'm not sure how much of this quilt I shared with you, but it was one I made while working on samples for my Facebook Live on felting with the embroidery machine. The blocks are made from denim that has been felted, using snowflake patterns. I put Fireside Fleece on the back, so it's nice and heavy. I put it on my bed last night, but even that weight didn't help me sleep. 

The details of the felted snowflakes

And there is my lovely tag on the back of the quilt. This is the side that shows. 

My personalized label

And this is the underside. While it's not a full-blown quilt label with all the information, it works for information purposes. Yes, it could be easily cut off, but it works for me. 

The underside of the label

Next on the list was to get the binding on Dear Jen, or should I say my abbreviated version of Dear Jen. 

The binding is on the Dear Jen wall hanging.

And there is the back with the little white tag. This one will become a cover for one of my sewing machines. 

The back of the Dear Jen quilt

I got lucky because this was all the binding that was left! About one inch! 

Barely had enough binding.

Before I put a quilt in the "to be quilted" pile, I always make the binding, and sometimes I worry I haven't made enough. There was a lot left over from the snowflake quilt, and barely any for this one. If I actually run out of binding for any that have been put away, I'm sure I'll figure something out. 

Then it was on to the next project: the mitered-border print table runner. 

The binding is on the mitered table runner.

I decided not to put the white tag on the back of this one. I may or may not keep it, and if someone wants to use both sides, they won't have to worry about the tag. 

The back of the table runner

I got three of seven quilts bound. Well, I should say projects since there was only one quilt and the rest were small. I have to deal with a sleeve for two of them, and I don't think I have anything prepped for that, so I hope to get at least one or two more projects finished today. 

I needed to take a break. I stood for two days at the retreat, cut itty bits of fabric, and had no issues with fatigue. I sewed three bindings on, and my back was tired! Go figure!

Later in the day, I went back to the sewing machine and decided to work on one of the two jackets that needed some machine stitching. 

Sewing the seam allowance down with the sewing machine was NOT an easy feat, but it was doable, and I was happy to have my PFAFF creative icon 2 handy to deal with all the layers. 

Sewing the seam allowance down by machine

This was my view as I sewed. I had to sew from the inside of the jacket to make sure I caught the seam. 

A challenging seam to sew

Then I turned it right side out and realized I had used BLUE thread on the red fabric. Good grief!!!! What a silly person I am, so I'm in the process of ripping that out and will redo it with blue thread on the inside and red on the outside. And there's another reason why things take so long! I repinned the seam before I started unpicking, then it shouldn't be so hard to redo. I have to finish grading the second seam before I can sew it down. Then all that will be left is to add the snaps, but I need to get a table press first, and there is some hand stitching to tack the facing in place. 

The wrong thread color!!!

Not a super productive day compared to what it could have been, but I'm happy I got those three bindings on. 

It was sunny, and the girls spent a lot of time outside, even though it was chilly. The two of them can handle a bit of cool weather. 

R&R for everyone!!!

I know a lot of people poo-poo YouTube as a time-waster, and it sure can be, because there is a lot of silly stuff on it. And just because people can make an educational video doesn't mean it's worth watching. However, I happened upon this series of videos, which, if you are in any way thinking of making a jacket, you NEED to watch this series. Grainline Studio, the design company of the Tamarack Jacket (the pink-and-purple one I'm making), has made a 15-video sew-along. Jen starts with an extremely detailed list of everything you need, then moves on to printing and assembling a PDF pattern together, sizing, and so on. 

Yep --- I should have watched them BEFORE making the jacket, but I have managed just fine. BUT even if you are making ANY jacket from quilted fabric, you will find those videos amazing!! In just 2 videos and part of the third, I have learned so much that I want to remake the Tamarack Jacket, or I'll likely make a different style, but I'm fired up to try out a few things. I'm not a fan of the curved bottom of this jacket and would like to change the pattern to make it square. I wonder why she designed the bottom that way? 

My Tamarack Jacket

You can't see it in the pictures, but it's curved along the side seams, which, to me, is just a lot of extra work for no gain. Maybe it sits better when you sit down? 

Anyway, here is the link to the first video; the following ones appear automatically, in order. They are very well done. Hopefully, that will introduce you to YouTube's educational side. As I've said many times, my dad spends an enormous amount of time on YouTube learning how to rebuild parts for stationary engines. 

If you have ANY inkling of making a quilted jacket, please watch those videos—the techniques she talks about apply to ANY quilted fabric jacket. They are well worth your time. 

And on that note, I'm out of here as I want to get a lot done today, and we'll see what happens. 

Have a great day!!!

Ciao!!!

Celebrate the small successes!!!!

THANK YOU -- I didn't get a chance to cut up those photos, but I will today! I needed that wee push — I shouldn't even have needed that, with all my newfound philosophy on decluttering and getting rid of things, but sometimes — you just need a push. 

It's Monday Sewing today, and I have a LOT of tidy-up jobs to do, which is perfect to do while chatting. I have quilts to trim and bind, photos to cut up, and I might even be able to remove several items from the Visual To Do list. 

BUT let's talk about celebrations! For those of you who are organized, this is going to seem absolutely ridiculous. Still, for me, who typically has papers scattered all over the office and nothing is filed, it was like winning an Olympic Gold yesterday. DH asked for my paperwork so he could do a preliminary on the income taxes. WAIT — they are not due until April 30, but why not get them done now? I had given him all my invoices the other day, and yes --- they were all in one spot and even totaled. Celebration number one! Or should I say Gold medal Number One!

Then yesterday, he asked for not one, but two utility bills. I would typically say, " Let me find those - it might take some time." Instead, I dropped everything and said, " Give me thirty seconds." I went to the filing cabinet and produced both documents in less than 30 seconds. OK -- that was more than a gold medal win! That was huge, and it felt so good not to put a task on the to-do list. Yeah!!!!  

I noticed all the paperwork back on my desk this morning, and it'll take just a few seconds to file it back, and trust me -- I will do that!

Slowly and surely, I'm working through the paperwork, and each day I pick something. With fewer classes, there is less paperwork, and so there is a light at the end of the tunnel. All in due time!

It was another busy day, and I started by working on the small soccer quilt. It barely took any time compared to that giant quilt I did the other day. By "busy," I don't mean the crazy busy "this has to be done" kind — I mean I just did stuff instead of eating bonbons! I will always be working - I will always be busy, but there's a difference between doing and doing because you have to. 

The small soccer quilt on the long arm

I even put a more intricate pattern on this one since it was small. It's all about soccer with soccer balls on it. 

The quilting on the soccer quilt

When that came off, I put the table runner on. 

Now it's the table runner's turn to be quilted.

And that one got done as well. I used scraps of batting for both, which helps get rid of those piles. 

The table runner is quilted!

And I almost got the backing completed for the Dear Jen quilt. 

Working on the backing for the Dear Jen quilt

It's going to be very scrappy with many different black fabrics on the back, and I'm OK with that. What else was I going to do with all those small pieces of odd-colored black? This is a perfect use for them, and I have one more row to sew together and put on the bottom. Then it's ready to be quilted. Then I want to get back to the constellation quilt, but hey—I can't do them all in a day!! I'm trying to quilt what I finish, but I'm still waiting on those darn labels. I MUST do some research to see how to contact the company. They must be lost in transit, which is a total pain. WAIT — I just found them on Facebook, so I hope to send them a message today. 

After that one gets quilted, I have to get back to a couple of customer quilts and to some community project quilts I've neglected long enough! I have to get working on those and get them out of the house. All the batting is pulled for ten of them, and it takes up a lot of visual room downstairs. 

This was Murphy and me during our morning cuddle time. She is such a goof, but loves the cuddles, so I try to spend some good quality time with her every day! Just her and me!

Cuddles with Murphy

Later in the morning, she was outside in the sun. We had a wonderfully sunny day, and all the snow from the night before is gone and more. With the forecasted very warm weather this coming week, I doubt we'll have much snow left. And NO — I have not broken down to shovel the remainder of the small path in front that leads to the backyard. I'll let the sun take care of it! 

Sunbathing

But man --- Murphy can be a pest. Last night, wouldn't settle. She wanted in, and then she wanted out. Then she wanted to play ball, and then she wanted a cuddle. And if she doesn't get what she wants, she sits there and makes these small, discrete, yet very audible noises. It's almost like a purring sound. She knows enough not to bark, but boy oh boy!!!! After one more time outside, where she was out for almost 20 minutes, she came in and finally went right to bed. Now what was that all about? 

And one more Dowdle FolkArt jigsaw puzzle bites the dust. All the pieces were there for this one. This set with the houses is part of a series -- spring, summer, winter, and fall. This is summer, and I have two more left - fall and winter. I might as well continue working on them - one a night and get them done. I'm enjoying the process and don't rush it. It takes me about 2½ hours for each one. You would think that, being so small, I could just whip them together, but there are some tricky bits. I should be faster on the next two? 

One more puzzle! 

I laugh when I'm doing those jigsaw puzzles because one of the exercises in The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron is to NOT read for one week. GASP!!!! Not read—how would that work? But the premise is that if you are not reading, you are doing something else. OK -- she has a good point there, and for me, that something else is doing a jigsaw puzzle. 

And have you ever noticed how long it takes to read/listen to a nonfiction book rather than a novel? I can listen to or read a novel all day, but I can only read nonfiction in small bits. I have a wee bit of catching up to do, and I almost finished one novel yesterday. That is such a lie -- I listened to 40% of it! I believe it's another Canadian author - Kelley Armstrong. New-to-me author, and one of her books came up on The Globe and Mail list, but I had to go back to the first one. OK -- I have NO idea where this is going because the detectives are also the bad guys? I'm sure there's a reason for this. 

But here's something to contemplate about books, and it shows you where life is headed. There is an audio, nonfiction book on my list. I had to return it many months ago unfinished. I placed a hold on July 30, 2025, to get it back, and I still have over 2 months to wait. When I walked into the library yesterday, there were FIVE physical copies I could have borrowed. I did not because I already have two nonfiction ebooks to read and don't have time for this one. But once I'm done with these two, I will go back and get a copy. 

I'm off to spin class in the cold this morning. Hopefully, this is the last cold morning of this winter! I'm done with the ice and the cold. Fingers crossed --- don't forget that PLUS ONE!!! The forecasters do it so we have hope! 

Have a super day and YES -- I will cut up those photos later today! I can & I will. Watch me!!

Ciao!!!

Be careful what you impulse buy!!!!

I swear this winter is hanging on as long as it possibly can. We had a cool, but sunny day yesterday, and things were melting like mad. There is still some snow on the small pathway that leads to our backyard, and I was so tempted to help it melt by shoveling what's left, but I didn't. What will the neighbors think!!!!

And I spotted a house on the next street over that is the same house as ours, but with a metal roof. It faces the same direction as our house, although perhaps not quite the exact same angle, and guess what? It STILL had snow on the roof in the valleys around that window!! By the way -- before last night, all the snow was gone from our roof. And I need to pursue locating an engineer who can help evaluate the situation. 

The sidewalls were very dangerous in the morning, with a thin layer of ice in lots of places. By the afternoon, everything was dry. And guess what? We had just a skiff of snow last night, so we now have the potential for ice this morning. Sigh...........  

But the days are getting longer, the sun is shining more, and spring is on its way!!!! 

It's March 1, and it's M's 30th birthday. How the heck did that happen? Happy Birthday, M --- love you to the moon and back, even though we don't get to see you that often. Maybe one day, Mom and Dad will pick up roots in a city that really doesn't have roots for us and move. 

Speaking of melting snow, the gazebo is clear of snow. I could get my chair out, sit down, and do some gazebo bathing. Heck - it's close enough to the forest and surrounded by trees, I could call it forest bathing! 

It's almost lounging outdoors time!

We still have lots of snow in the backyard because it doesn't get direct sunlight all day. The girls are having fun romping around, especially if I'm outside! 

Hey Lexi -- you can't catch me!!!!

I have to laugh about this because when we were at the quilt store the other day, I bought an IMPULSE item. I saw this kit to make two bowl cozies, and I have wanted to make one for a long time to use when I heat my bowl of soup in the microwave. For $12.00, you get fabric and the batting to make two of them. 

A kit to make two bowl cozies

So nothing funny about that. Then, when we went to Michael's, we were looking for the fabric aisle, which I hear is at the store in Kitchener. I agree - the fabric is NOT the best quality, and they have a lot of novelty prints, but I did find some funky stuff in North Vancouver. Anyway, while we were there, I spotted an entire bag of the Wrap and Zap batting product for $11.99!!!! With a coupon and my senior discount, I could have practically stolen it, and I have tons of fabric at home. Oh well. 

I don't remember working on this yesterday, but maybe I did. Well, if you've already seen it, here it is again. I now have the blocks in three rows. I've cut some more black and sorted out the other pieces of black to make this big enough to serve as the backing for my abbreviated version of Dear Jen. 

Working on the backing for Dear Jen

I was hoping to get more sewing done yesterday, but the quilt on the long arm required a LOT of babysitting. Constant babysitting, and even then, there are a few spots where the fabric went wonky. Don't worry -- it's my quilt. The denim I bought for the quilt was labelled 100% cotton, and 100% cotton denim has some stretch, but this denim had spandex or lycra in it, and, as it was quilted, the fabric wanted to tuck because of the quilting design. It has small tucks, and no one will notice, but I had to babysit to prevent even more tucks. 

My quilt

It turned out way nicer than I envisioned, and I'm really happy with it. You'll see more of the quilt if you watch my Facebook Live on machine embroidery on March 18. Even if you don't have an embroidery machine, I think it's a good idea to watch. You can learn about the technology in the sewing and embroidery world, and someday you may want to do this. You do NOT need a high-end embroidery machine! 

It seemed it was a day filled with laughter, as I had a few small bits of paper that I had pulled from somewhere, and I needed to deal with them. 

At some point, I had purchased a box of small quotes - they were notes that you could slip into someone's lunch box or briefcase. I only found one of the notes; I have no idea where the others are, and maybe I used them all. 

The little notecard

Inside the notecard

Inside the notecard

Isn't that nice? I'm all about celebrating anything! Just like in The Artist's Way -- you need to celebrate everything, no matter how small. It's important! Very Important!!! 

Nothing funny about that, but I also found this piece of paper, and if you're not familiar with the terms, that file listed is the contacts list in Outlook. That was probably me trying to find the file or move it from another computer, many years ago. That paper is gone, but I kept the card because it can be used in a junk journal, which I will get to at some point because I'm feeling so much freer in my time. 

The elusive contacts file for Outlook

So much so that I sometimes feel lost. Am I really allowed to sew on my projects without an immediate deadline? How is this possible? 

I also got some machine embroidery done. While I was babysitting the long arm, I let the embroidery machine run. At one point, I needed to dig out my metal hoops, which I keep stored in their original boxes. They all contain some very powerful magnets. 

The long arm had finished, and so had the embroidery machine. I left the long arm and went to the embroidery machine. I realized I needed more magnets, which were in another box. When I returned to the shelf, I spotted this. 

My "lost" scissors

Good grief — the scissors I use for long-arming got attracted to the magnets in the box and were stuck there. Good thing I did my tasks in the sequence I did, because I would have needed the scissors for the long arm to cut the thread. I would have seen they were missing, but I would NEVER have thought to check those boxes!!! I might still be looking for them this morning. 

While I was watching a video, I managed to get all the letters off one of the borders. One down and one more border to go. 

Removing the lettering from the border

I've been wracking my brain to see if I could do anything with the photo-transferred pictures. Could I make a sample of them? And if so? What? If I were going to make a sample with photo transfers, it would be nice if the people were ones I knew. I thought of making a picture book and giving it to the family member who asked for the quilt. But I think I just need to bite the bullet, cut the pictures up into scraps, and put them in a pet mat. 

Yes -- I can give myself permission to do that. But I can't just yet. Help me!!!

Both of our girls are exhibiting completely different behaviors. While Murphy is still full of vim and vigor, she has become obsessed with sleeping in Studio B. I think I mentioned that, and yesterday I caught her hesitating much longer than usual at the bottom, gathering the courage to go up! I must put those little carpets on the treads and see if that makes her feel safer. She has learned to slow down before attempting the stairs because she slips. But this hesitation to even start is new. 

She won't come upstairs (2nd level) anymore, and if she does, it's just to see that I'm OK, then she goes back downstairs. I know she is slowing down, but it's almost time for them to go outside, and she is nowhere to be found. 

But give her a ball, and well, she reminds me of Chuck and his ball, Wilson (Castaway). I swear she is trying to talk to it!

Hello Chuck (the balls are called Chuck-it!)

But Murphy was a very good girl yesterday. We met up with Suzie, who was walking Dexter, and she didn't bark. Since we were both going in the same direction, we were able to have a chat. I swear that is the FIRST time that Murphy didn't attempt to bark at another dog, and we could walk together. Way to go, Murphy!!!!

After dinner, I got one more of the Dowdle FolkArt puzzles done! Two pieces were missing from this one. 

Spring Dowdle FolkArt puzzle

There is a girl I follow on IG who is a professional puzzler. Anyway, she does puzzle competitions and stuff like that. I haven't seen a post in weeks, but last night, one came up about how to become a speed puzzler. Good grief -- she had a 500-piece puzzle that she assembled in less than ONE hour! This 300-piece puzzle took two hours or maybe a bit more. HEY --- I'm not doing this to stress myself out - I'm doing it for fun!

So I read The Artist's Way the other day. Actually, I listened to it. I had also downloaded the abridged version, which is 3 hours instead of 12. I listened to that yesterday, and obviously it's much shorter, no quotes, and not as many lists! But if you are looking for a quick read, there's some good stuff in it, and obviously lots of the same stories. 

The book is not just about creativity and art. The book is about changing your life, learning to celebrate each and every little thing. It's about decluttering your house and your mind so that you can live without all that baggage. There are many good lessons in the book. 

I thought I was doing well, but the more I declutter my schedule, the office, my life, the better I feel, and I have so much "free" time. I'm giddy with excitement. I'm now free to do the things that I have wanted to do for a long time. And I can do it guilt-free. And when the day comes for me to move, I won't have much crap to move. 

There is one quote from the book that I love, and it is attributed to Miles Davis: "Do not fear mistakes. There are none!"  That is so true. I can't tell you that often enough, and you'll hear Julia mention it multiple times in The Artist's Way. Those "mistakes" are simply steps along the journey. They are meant to happen -- they are part of your journey to learning and finding new ways. 

On that note, I'm out of here to see how icy those sidewalks are. I see the sidewalk plow passed about 6 AM, so they should be somewhat decent. 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

The good and bad of technology!

Easy come - easy go!!! We just had a dump of snow last night, and I'm scheduled to work out at the gym this morning, then I'll be back to shovel snow!

But that's OK -- I've had another productive day!!! Maybe not quite as much as I would like, but then, when do we ever complete what we set out for ourselves? 

I spent the morning on the computer and managed to get the most urgent stuff out the door. I still have one document to write, and then I need to get back to some serious writing. 

I now have both computers up and running, so that is good news. It didn't take much to find a spot for it on the corner of the desk. 

My two computers at the moment

So for any group emails, I'll write them on the new computer because that's where any attachments, etc., reside, and then I can send them to myself. Once it arrives in the old computer's email, I can forward it to the group. A bit convoluted - I totally get it, but for the moment it works. And once those distribution lists are transferred, then all is good. I still need to check the download folder on the older one for anything. 

I know—I should keep the download folder empty, but alas, I did not. So I know there is stuff in there that I may need. However, you'll be happy to know that I'm keeping the download folder on the new computer empty! I'm like a new person! But going back to fix things is a nightmare - well, not a nightmare, but something that I shouldn't have to do. However, it's the situation, so let's just suck it up and move on!

I noticed that the Outlook Archive folder is staying empty - WAIT - I found one email in there this morning, that I had deleted. What's that all about? At least, not all emails are going in there. There are 5000 files in the Delete folder that I can't empty. Sigh........ I swear there is something in this Outlook software that just isn't right! But I'm going to persevere. Next week, I can spend more time on it. 

I didn't have room for the keyboard on the desktop, and I was going to get a small TV table, but WAIT -- there's a drawer that I can pull out when I need it. Perfect solution for a temporary fix. And I had to laugh because there's even room to the right of the monitor to put stuff - something that I've always wanted on the other computer!!! I am NOT putting anything there!

Temporary spot for the keyboard

Two other things happened to the computer yesterday. I had purchased a code for the 2026 Conqueror to keep track of my steps for the year. However, I wasn't able to use the code and kept getting an error. I ignored it until yesterday, when I finally faced it. I had contacted support, and they told me to just retry it. So after several days, I did that. Guess what? It worked this time. 

All set to track KM for 2026

Their system was probably overloaded and couldn't handle everyone signing in at once. I went back to having the system automatically log my steps, and it asked if I wanted to apply those steps, and I said yes!!! So there I am, right on target - 10 km every day for 365 days. 

I had to print something. OH - the printer isn't connected to the new computer. I needed some code from the printer in DH's office. He's on a Teams call and doesn't need me in the background messing with the printer. I left it for the moment and shuffled the files to the old computer to print! I know -- stupid, but it works for the moment. 

Then I was mandated to call our communications provider. I needed to make changes to my MIL's phone, which is on our bill. She had all kinds of long-distance calls that she used at one point, but no longer does. My job was to reduce the bill. I called to see what I could do. I was supposed to do this several months ago. 

The bill was $105 a month. I know that the call center people are trying to be polite, but OH MY GOODNESS, the preamble they go through. "Thank you, Miss Elaine. We appreciate your business. What can I do for you today?" Then they repeat my question, and then, well, they are so wordy, it drives me mad. But wait - it gets worse. She comes back and says she can drop the bill to $95 per month. WHAT??? Are you telling me that unlimited long-distance calls between the US and Canada only cost $10? Not true -- come back with a better offer. 

She comes back with an offer of $75, and I tell you that isn't good enough for a phone that is only needed to let people into the apartment. She has a cell phone. So while I was waiting yet again, I checked the website and found something called Home Phone Lite for $58. While not perfect, it's almost half of what she was paying. 

When the call center person came back on the call, she said that $75 was the best she could do. OK -- I admit - I lost it! I told her I found the Lite service FASTER than she did and that I wanted it. She said, " Let me check if you qualify for that. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? 

Apparently, we now have Home Phone Lite. No services - just a phone. SIGH......

Then DH had two questions regarding the TV: the remote we struggled to get wasn't working, and he had gone through all the troubleshooting suggestions on the TV, but it still wasn't working. That "NEW" box has been a thorn in his side since he wanted that upgrade. So I asked her about that, and she said, "No problem, I'll place an order for a new one to be delivered." I was highly skeptical at this point because the last time they said that, it took months for a new one to come, and only after three failed attempts was it finally delivered by the technician. The other thing he wanted was to get access to a service we are paying for, but he has never been able to connect to the new box. 

Well, imagine my surprise when a package arrived yesterday. This is what was in it. 

A NEW remote

YES -- that is a new remote, and it arrived within 24 hours of me chatting with the call center. Now that DHe has a new remote, he should be able to install the service. What I'm going to do is write all the information - account number, etc., and put it on a sticky note on the TV. In the future, when he needs something with that #$$^&^&%^ box - he can call himself!

They could cut the script in half and take a whole lot less time. And I'm not knocking anyone, but I don't think the call centers are in Canada, and I'm OK with that. But there are two issues with that— I don't think they listen, or perhaps I should be more specific—I don't think they understand what we ask. It takes several iterations to make that happen. And since English isn't their first language, they are slow, and with the long script -- it's frustrating. 

However, after my successful morning at the computer, I got myself downstairs and got lots of work done. I completed all the work for one of the three classes and now just need to load a few pictures into a presentation. One down - two to go! And I'm making significant progress on the UFO stuff, so that is good, and I can't wait to get these piddly things done and out of the way. 

I don't think I even care about getting them done - I just want them out of the way and off those tables. I need less visual clutter, and by golly — I'm making that happen. Trust me -- I'm super excited about it, and I look forward to emptying that UFO bucket each month! I'm not sure I'll be able to complete all the small things, but if not, I'll just continue right after the call and try to finish it that day. 

I got a quilt quilted—one of mine! Only 300 other ones were shouting at me while I was quilting it, saying they wanted to be next! 

My quilt - quilted!

I like dense quilting on my quilts, so of course, it takes quite a while, but I was able to take it off the machine last night. Yeah!!!!

The quilting

And I got to use my "new" tool that I almost bought a duplicate of. When working on a white quilt, it's a hassle to get all the threads out of the way. Trust me, it seemed to take longer to remove or move threads than it did to quilt. And the backing is very light as well, so I had to check both sides of the batting. 

However, I spotted a red and a green thread in the first row. How the heck did that happen? 

Two missed threads under the white

So I took the very tiny tool and managed to slide it between the sewing stitches, then pulled the thread out!! 

The tool allowed me to remove the thread

There was still a green thread in there, but I wasn't able to grab it; it was less noticeable, and I moved it closer to the stitching so it virtually disappeared. 

Threads disappeared

What miracle tool is this? It's called Soft Touch Thread Pick, and that little hook on the end is tiny, but it works!!! I found it with my knitting tools, but it's too small to help with dropped stitches - it needs to be with the long arm tools, and that's where it is now!

Soft Touch Thread Pick

I also managed to get a lot of HSTs sewn and trimmed. 

More HSTs trimmed

The tray still looks like I haven't touched it! But it's so easy to find pairs to sew together, and yes—I have made a dent, but you just can't see it yet. I love it when I find a solution to a problem, and that makes it so easy to deal with. A jumble of triangles in a drawer wasn't inviting to work on! 

The tray of HSTs

And Miss Murphy! That dog is just a busy girl. They are both sleeping in the office with me at the moment, but during the day? Murphy just needs to be on the move. Inside, outside, inside, outside. Play ball, upstairs, downstairs - she is active! And she's over 10 years old!! 

Then she decides that it's OK to throw her ball into Lexi's bed. Sigh...... That's because I won't play ball with her while I'm eating my lunch! 

MOM -- I need you to play ball with ME!!!

Well, it's going to be heads down today. The local ladies from our Monday Sewing group were going to have lunch today, but there is a lot of snow, so I don't think that is going to happen. And the few customer quilts and my quilts can wait until next week. It's going to be heads-down for the next two days, minus shoveling snow, to get everything done and into a presentation. I should be able to make that happen! 

And on that note, I'm off to the gym to see what torture that Brooke can throw at me today. I have to say that now that I've settled into a 20-minute after-spin class stretching routine, I'm good. I need to keep working because it's not my knee joints that hurt - it's the tendons that are killing me! Some days are good, some days are bad. But I'll keep working, and hopefully one day, I can loosen all the tendons and muscles that are locking up those ujoints!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

The never ending little job list

The little jobs around the house NEVER end! 

I "fixed" the bubbler for the pond. I had brought the entire thing into the house and realized that the teeny tiny hole at the end of the tube was clogged with debris. So I poked that all out, put some water in the sink, and VOILA - the bubbler is working again. Now, to put it back into the pond. 

Then I opened the door to the furnace room to get a basket and saw water on the floor. The furnace, which is only a couple of years old, has sprung a leak. Not my problem - we rent it! But I need to call them, but not before I clean the reusable filter, which I've been meaning to do for the last couple of months. 

I now have to add that service call, which actually needed to be done a month ago, to the list of things to do. I'm feeling pretty good about the paperwork - there will always be lots, but I think I have the critical stuff under control, and that's a good thing! However, it's a constant struggle to complete all the small tasks. 

However, there is even better news this morning. Look! This is dog quilt number SEVEN!!!!! 

Dog quitl - Number seven

I have loaded the final quilt in that series onto the long arm this morning, and if all goes right, it'll be done by the end of today. That will keep me on schedule to get these quilts quilted by Friday, and then it'll be a push to get the binding on, so they can leave the house sooner rather than later. I'm not doing so bad, considering I made these in September. Of course, as I watched the long arm in that tricky spot, it worked like a charm!

Taking stock of what still has to be quilted before the end of the year, I came up with this. There are eleven quilts in the "favor" pile, and 7 more of the children's flannel quilts. There are customer quilts, but I'm not counting those. They will get done, but I use new batting for them, and the backings are made. 

I still have this much batting from that closet. WAIT -- -there is still the top shelf in that closet - this is all that remains from the piles I brought down. Keep in mind that all these 18 quilts are smallish -- 50 by 60 at the largest. There is enough batting in these piles to easily make the batting for those quilts. And I'll bet there will be some left over! 

Batting bit that I want to use by the end of the year

I would love to get these quilts out of the house by the end of the year, along with whatever customer quilts I have. That's my goal, and it's a lofty one considering how much time it took to quilt those eight dog quilts. Those eighteen also need the backing made and the batting sewn together, so it won't be quick. I'll do them in groups of four and then take a day or two break, so I should be OK. 

Let's see what happens, but I have a goal! 

It would be nice to start the new year with a "clean" slate of new community projects and no more favors! 

There are times when I worry about myself! I am pretty enthusiastic, not quite as bad as Murphy, but energetic. I sometimes buy things and then forget that I bought that item. It has resulted in duplicate purchases on occasion. 

I've been chatting about prewound bobbins for the long arm for the last couple of days and how much I love them. I am fortunate that my long arm is excellent at maintaining tension. I can change thread weights and batting types, and it just loves everything I throw at it. So that's a positive. 

Anyway, I noticed two boxes sitting ON TOP of the little cabinet where I keep my long arm tools, that I use EACH time I use the long arm. OH - what's in these boxes? OH MY GOD -- they are prewound bobbins - exactly the kind I'm going to purchase. How long have they been sitting there, and where did I buy them? 

Boxes of prewound bobbins

You know what they say -- a hoarder doesn't see the junk in their house because they are so used to seeing it. Well, that was the case for these two boxes. I cannot believe I've overlooked them for how long? 

What colors are they? I bet Cathy knows just by the numbers, but I had to open them up! I'm very excited that I found these before I place my order, hopefully next week. 

Neutrals

And they allow me to function in the real world and drive a car? It was when I went to get a basket from the furnace room to store all the pounds that I spotted the water on the floor. It's not a lot - probably a hose that came loose, and it's all going in the drain, so no issues. 

The accounts will be set up, allowing me to purchase the pre-wounds and the new thread brand going forward. I understand that the price of thread is going to be affected significantly by tariffs, so having a Canadian source for the thread going forward is a good thing. 

Speaking of Canadian sources for thread, have any of you spent any time on the Wonderfil website? You should because they have a ton of information about threads. And for those VISUAL learners, guess what? It's all on YouTube! Be sure to check it out, because then you'll know just as much, or more, about thread than I do!

While the cutting table is looking a bit disheveled these days, it won't be so bad when I start binding those quilts. I have quilt number seven to trim, and I'll do that while number eight is being quilted. Then I need to dig out fabric for the bindings. 

The current state of the cutting table

I thought I'd pop into the thrift store. It's on my way home from the dentist. I had an appointment to rebuild a tooth whose filling had broken off way back in the summer. I went to the dentist to report it, and well, it never got followed up on. I know I've mentioned this before, but as a child and young adult, I had a strong aversion to the dentist. Now - it's no big deal. Just zone out when he does the nasty part, and then just lie there and think. I probably would have had a nap because I'm so relaxed now. What happened? My dentist can never retire, but he's about my age, so I know that's inevitable! What will I do? 

I had a look at the purses. One of my students mentioned she finds purses at the thrift store and takes them apart to use the materials. I would definitely ONLY do that on a sale day because it's much cheaper to buy vinyl by the yard! And you get a lot more. Some of those purses are going for over $20!!! But if you're looking for a small amount of something unique, this could be the place to find it. Plus, you get a great zipper and lots of fancy hardware if you make bags, which I don't make a lot of. 

One-half of the purse selection at the thrift store

I spotted new packaging for the Dowdle puzzles. Is that new or a new line of puzzles? If you have a puzzle fan in your house and Christmas is approaching, the Canada series is a fun option! I see a few on the website that I've not seen before! They also have US cities and parks. I love these puzzles. The old packaging is on top and the new one is on the bottom. I couldn't find any information on the boxes on the bottom - no size, no number of pieces. Are they knockoffs? OH -- it's the FOLK ART series. 

Dowdle puzzles at the thrift store

OK -- I looked, and the website directed me to another website, which led to a rabbit hole. There are so many puzzles. I do NOT need another puzzle. I cannot buy another puzzle - I have no storage room left. I will NOT buy another puzzle! 

What do you think? Is this quote accurate? 

Is this you?

It certainly seems that way when it comes to learning. We become so settled in what we know that we forget how exciting it is to learn or explore new places by immersing ourselves in a book or any kind of learning environment. I've said so much on that, but it's true! I won't become a broken record, but don't be afraid of trying something new. If you make a mistake - guess what? You are fortunate! Because you won't do that again, and now you have learned something! 

I have to laugh because I'm probably the only one who stops and takes pictures of "nothing" when I'm out walking. I spotted the school bus for the school that M used to attend. Her friend's pictures were on the back of it for years. Now it's just the name! But I grabbed a photo and sent it ot her!

Then I spotted this on the sidewalk. By the way -- all those CUT S/W places on the sidewalk? They are all shaved flat now! 

Another sign on the sidewalk

I guess this metal plate will eventually be inserted. It's quite a big job to put those metal plates in there. What is the purpose? 

Tactile Warning Plate

Well, in fact, they are called Tactile Warning Plates and are designed to alert the visually impaired that they are approaching a corner. I walk over them a thousand times a day (OK - not that many), but I walk over them all the time. Since I don't have any visual impairment, I guess I ignore them with my feet. BUT if I were visually impaired, I'd be more aware of them! 

Now here's that little guy with attitude! He is pretty feisty and not afraid to use his outside voice in the house! 

Grandma, you are not listening to me!

DH said he spotted a lady walking by on the sidewalk. Bear was turned around and staring out the window, which is one of his favorite things to do. The lady was laughing so hard at him and took his picture! It's even funnier when Murphy is in the window too!!! You can just see his tiny head from outside! 

But this morning, he was fast asleep in his bed while I loaded the last dog quilt. Or was he sleeping? 

Grandma -- I'm watching you!

It's undoubtedly a three-ring circus with three dogs. My girls are more needy when he's here - they don't want all the attention to go to him. And between letting them in and out of the house, feeding, walking, and other tasks, it can consume a lot of time during the day. But it's all in the name of love, so I don't mind. 

I have one appointment this afternoon, and you have to wait to see what happens at this appointment! The rest of the day is mine! 

I have nine items on my paperwork list - can I complete them all in a couple of hours? None of them should take a lot of time, so I'm hopeful! And I was looking for a piece of paper in the filing cabinet yesterday and came across a whack of service records for my 2011 Toyota Matrix, which was two cars ago! Let's just say that a large stack of paper has been dealt with, and one more empty file folder now sits in the filing cabinet. That cabinet is NOT super jammed, and I really should take one folder a day and deal with it or whatever, and then I can file new stuff in it that is sitting out on the spare desk. 

It's time to get the day started!!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!