Just when you thought you were done

Thanks to everyone who joined in the Zoom presentation last night all about sewing machine needles. Can you believe that besides lots of people from Canada, there was someone from Mexico and another person from Australia? That just shows you the reach of the internet. I love it!

I spent a good part of the day running around taking pictures. Editing them and putting together a slide presentation. I had long ago realized that a slide presentation is the only way to go for these kinds of presentations. You cannot hold items up to the camera and expect people to see what it is you're showing.

Let's just say that needles are HARD to photograph because they are little. But I think the presentation went off pretty well. A couple of small glitches, like when I was able to share my screen with everyone, but when it came to sharing the screen on my phone, my mind blanked on how to do that. Oh well!!!  Going to try a microphone next time - just to see if there is any improvement. Slow down...... so just a couple of small things to fix.

I would like to try broadcasting from the basement - just because the light is much better there. That's all up for an experiment this weekend.

The hardest thing? You are talking to a screen. A totally inanimate object. There is NO feedback and no one to look at. I have to do a bit of practicing at looking at the camera while using the presentation as my prompt. Just like the newscasters who read from the teleprompter!!! 

The other thing - I briefly thought about snatching a few photos from other websites, then I realized - I don't want to get dinged for copyright. So I used some of those sites for research, but all the content was mine. That's how I learn anyway - so it was all good.

Again - thanks to everyone. I have a couple of links to post today.

Here's the picture of the small needle case that I made to put my partially used needles.

Needle case for partially used needles

If you want to make your own, here's the link. It was a tutorial I wrote on QUILTsocial.

Here are the websites for good resource information on sewing machine needles.

Schmetz Needles
Klasse Needles
Organ Needles
Review of sewing machine needles


The best site is Schmetz Needles. Loads of information about types of needles and lots of technical stuff if you're into that.

There's also an app that you can download for your Smartphone or tablet from Schemtz with a lot of the same information. It's a handy resource to have when you're trying to figure out which needle to use. Just go to the Play Store or Apple store and download it - Schmetz Needle App.

Oh yes - the other thing that I hadn't addressed was what needle to use for stitching down fusible applique. Personally, I don't seem to have a lot of trouble with my needle getting gummed up, but should you have that problem, you can now get these new needles. They were hanging on my design wall last night and I didn't want to rush downstairs to get them.

Super Nonstick Needles

They are called Super Nonstick needles or on the package, they are called SUPER UNIVERSAL.

You would have thought I would have included them since I've been stitching fusible applique. Like I said, I'm not having any gumming so it never occurred to me to include them.

The presentation was a lot of fun! I have several other topics that people suggested and I might just look at putting another one together. However, I received some fabric yesterday that I've been waiting for. The quilt needs to be in the US by June 4th. That has become a priority for me. And I have to get my mini quilt for Quilt Canada (which has been canceled) in the mail by June 1st. I'm still finalizing the design.


With all the walking, presentation making, and porch visiting, I didn't really get much else done in the day, however, I got a bit more done this morning.

Working between the two studios is definitely a lesson and prepping me for the sewing retreat. I had thrown some supplies into the laundry basket but didn't really make sure that all the supplies were there. I had brought up some stabilizer and black thread to finish the Halloween wall hanging, but I forgot the GREEN thread for the eyes.

But here's the wall hanging. There are THREE stars (ONE small and TWO big) left to stitch. Oh - and the moon. Then I get to rip the stabilizer off the back, make the binding and the backing and it's done! I have to say that it's exciting to work on a small project that won't take long to finish up. One more done (almost) from that laundry basket.

The Halloween wall hanging

I must say that I was lazy. I set the satin stitch to a width of 2 and decided that I wasn't going to change it (decrease) to go around the points of those SMALL stars. I think they turned out very nicely.

Star with satin stitch

Was it me and my skill? Partially, but the biggest help is the Sensor Foot Lift and Sensor Foot Pivot functions on the Husqvarna Viking Opal 690Q. The Sensor System raises the presser foot just slightly when you stop (with the needle down). You can pivot a millimeter, then take a half stitch with a tap of the foot control. When you get the hang of this system, it's so fast and so easy!! So yes - lots of skill on my part, but with a wee bit of assistance!

I know some people go on about their knee lifts, but that involves some thought. With the Exclusive Sensor System, there is NO THOUGHT required. The machine does all the thinking for you -  automatically - EVERY time. This is a feature I fell in love with over 20 years ago and I would HATE to sew on a machine that doesn't have it. It's brilliant and such a time saver. There's NO PRESSER FOOT lever on the Opal 690Q. It's all automatic or you use a push-button on the front of the machine.

It's almost too easy!!!  So those points came out super perfect with little effort on my part.

The second bat got done as well.

The second bat got done

With this top, there were two pieces of fabric. One was larger and it was slated for the backing. Oh - this checked fabric must be the binding. I opened it up. OH NO - It's another piece that needs to be satin stitched. You're kidding me??

Another top to satin stitch!

I must remember to get a white thread for the eyes. I'm not worried. It won't really take long to do the satin stitching. I was hoping to finish off the cat wall hanging and then change the machine back for piecing. I think I might have to set these applique projects aside as I get to work on the quilts that are urgent. It's not so much that the quilts are urgent, but the Vintage Christmas homework is due tomorrow. Now there is a second sewing machine in Studio U (and one set up in Studio B) that I could use to piece. I'll see how it goes today! It's not like it's a huge deal to change the foot and the stitch plate for piecing. Gosh - I'm a princess!

Next time, I throw projects into the laundry basket, I should check to see that I have everything I need to get them completed. No worries - it just means more steps as I run downstairs to get the supplies. And my Fitbit LOVES steps. When you need SEVEN miles every day, you aim for steps anywhere.

The audiobook I'm listening to? It's disturbing. It's called The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler. It's a physiological thriller, but very graphic and very gruesome. And very disturbing. I have three days left to finish it so I'll be hanging around with my headphones on all day.


Wow -- another whirlwind day planned. Thank goodness it's cool outside.

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

Multitasking is not a good thing

I really do need to create a list of lost items. Not that that is going to help me find the missing items, but at least I'll know what I can't find and I can celebrate when I find the darn things. Like those bodkins and the doll patterns and a person's phone number and, and. I might have a stab at creating that list later today.

I actually got excited yesterday. Why? Because I had a couple of errands in the afternoon and another Zoom call. I had THINGS to do! I had three things to mail at the post office so that was my big excursion. It was a non-event. I was the only person in the store beside the clerk and she took my items, I paid with my debit card, and I was out of there.

I had to pick up something from Diane - more on that by the end of the week. And I had a great call with a friend. But besides that, I got a lot accomplished yesterday. I've realized that the more time one spends on the computer (and going through e-mail), the less one gets done in a day. I try to limit my time on e-mail, and I figured I'd have to spend 3 or 4 or sometimes even more hours in a day to keep the mailbox clean. That's not going to happen at my house.

I try to deal with the personal e-mails first and there are a few that I need to respond to. I haven't forgotten you! Then I try to deal with the work ones and lastly the ones from mailing lists. I check my favorite links first and then the rest - well. I'm not sure how to deal with it all. I don't want to delete myself from some of the lists as I do like to see what's currently selling in the quilting world even if I'm not buying.

These days, there is much more than just e-mail. People might send a text, or an Instagram message or through Facebook or Instagram. And let's not forget What's App. It can be a lot to digest in a single day and you could really spend a lot of time keeping up with it all. Matter of fact, you could spend the entire day! And as much as I love you all, I don't want to spend my entire day responding or reacting to messages and pictures. I aim for a happy medium.

I have to mention a new author (new to me) that I finished the audiobook yesterday. The Widow by Fiona Barton. Oh boy -- this is a thriller and it was great right to the end. I seem to be reading books set in Europe these days. First, it was France, then the UK, and my current one is set in Sweden. The bonus of the audiobooks is that the narrators use the accents that pertain to the region and it makes the book so much more interesting. I LOVE it. Anyway - if you haven't read The Widow and like physiological thrillers - this one is good.

I was busy as a bee yesterday. I did clean a few more things off the worktables. I tell you, why or why do we collect those little trinkets that we pick up at shows? The companies make them so darn enticing - shiny! And we NEED to pick them up. Seriously??? I think they should ban that kind of stuff. It just becomes junk when we get home. I think that's the worst problem that I'm dealing with. I'll be sharing some of those "treasures" with you.

I think with anything - the BIGGEST issue we all face is making the decision. Do I keep? Do I recycle? Do I give away? Or sell? Or repurpose? Or whatever - but we tend to fall short on making decisions and so stuff becomes clutter. I'm getting better at making decisions. Whether it's right or wrong - just make a decision and move on!!!

I think I now have ALL my embroidery floss in one area. I seem to have inherited quite a bit from other sources over the years and now it resides in one container and one basket. I'm sure that could be compressed a wee bit if I went in and sorted it a bit more. But my goal is to get like items together. Then I can sort through the stuff another day.

Two containers of embroidery floss

And there's one container with Perle Cotton.

Perle Cotton

Then I looked at some of the patterns that were sitting on the table. Oh boy - There's a small handful of some OLD patterns. When I gave all my patterns away last year, I went through the containers and kept a few as keepsakes. Don't ask - I'm allowed. There are less than 10. But what about those patterns on the right and in the middle. Do you all remember those?? That was the sort of thing that was being designed (and made) just as I was getting into quilting. Oh - yes - I can so see myself with that sweatshirt with the big flowers on the front! NOT!!!! And that dress? I don't think that's going to happen. It's just not my style.

Clothing patterns

I'm sure that no one wants those patterns. And I'm sure they have been circulated a few times from one household to another. So here's the thing - do I do us all a favor and toss them? I think I should. However - should anyone be interested, I can provide better pictures and you're welcome to them. Otherwise, I think I'm going to recycle them.

Some of the clothing patterns are definitely vintage - or close to it since vintage is supposed to be 100 years. Look at this little pattern for making a doll dress (16" doll). It's very old. I'm keeping that little stack for me. Just because!

Vintage doll pattern

I got the binding completely sewn on the wall hanging. The sleeve got made as well. It's pinned in place and now needs to be hand-stitched.

The sleeve is ready to be handstitched 

 I got a customer quilt done. Yeah!!! I'll get it trimmed today so it can be picked up later this week. The next quilt is already loaded and ready to go this morning.

Customer quilt - DONE

I got the border on this quilt that is going to Quilts of Valour. The binding and the backing got made as well and it's in the queue to be quilted this month.

Quilt top, backing and binding ready to be quilted

My current audiobook needs to go back in 4 days so I have a lot to listen to over the next couple of days. I decided to continue sewing in Studio B and got this little quilt together. This is the one that I ripped apart the day before. The one that had Cuddle, flannel, and cotton in it. The brown border and the corner blocks were supposed to be Cuddle. I substituted cotton for both. I realized when I went to press the last border that I sewed it on upside down (there's a directional print) so that has to come off today.

Small quilt is back together

I checked the hunk of fabric (flannel) for the backing. Of course, it's not the right size. So I'll have to find something else. I was thinking of adding another border to make it a little bit larger. It's 30 by 36. I'll see what I do about it later today. I might even replace the flannel as well. I should have done that right off the bat.  You know- we all talk about multi-tasking, but I am NOT good at it.

If I'm listening to an audiobook, I need a totally mindless task to do. I can't think about two things at the same time. Stop the book and PLAN, then do the mindless sewing. Oh well - I'm not worried about it. It's not like I have anything with a deadline right at the moment. OK - that's a total lie, but you know what I mean.

I'm just plugging away at the piles - one thing at a time with the odd small (new) thing thrown in. I'm loving this process.

I got this block back in one piece (and all points are now going in the right direction) and the seams are pressed to my satisfaction. I'm happy and the block will be filed away with the other Christmas Fig blocks.

Christmas Fig block

In my cleaning, I found a little bag of half-square triangles. Already trimmed so later today, those will be placed with the others in the tin.

Half-square triangles

I trimmed the last of the random ones sitting on the cutting table and those will also be filed away later today. It's one thing to get these things sewn and then trimmed, but one must be diligent about putting things in their permanent home or it becomes clutter. Ask me how I know that!!!

More half-square triangles trimmed

AHA -- it was time to grab something NEW from the laundry basket. Remember - this isn't new - it's just the process of whittling down some stuff that's been hanging around.

I grabbed this. Now - you're NOT allowed to judge me. I like to fiddle with small things and I'm a keeper of all things. This was in one of the scrap bags from a while back. I had embroidered snowflakes on the border of a Santa quilt. I didn't like the look, so I ended up appliqueing snowflakes. What to do with the border? Instead of trashing it, I saved it with the scraps and never dealt with it.

The seam is split open

I managed to get FIVE little blocks with embroidery on them. This last one was on the mitered corner seam. And the seam had started to come open. What to do? I zigzagged the seam back together and then cut out the block.

That required setting up the sewing machine for something other than a straight stitch. I do love the safety setting. Even though I choose a zigzag stitch, the machine wouldn't sew anything but a straight stitch UNTIL I turned off the Stitch Width Safety. Thank you Opal 690Q by Husqvarna Viking for that little safety feature.

Safety message

And why is that important? because I like to sew with my Straight Stitch plate on the sewing machine. So I switched stitch plates, changed the foot, and changed the threads to bobbin weight thread and decorative thread.

Rejigging the sewing machine for decorative stitches

Here's a picture of my repaired snowflake block.

The repaired snowflake block

And here are the six blocks. Now to find something to make with them. In the meantime, they go into the orphan block box.

Six embroidered snowflake blocks

So with that small task out of the way, it was time to choose one more "new" project from the laundry basket. I choose this one.

NEW project

This shouldn't take that long to finish. The applique is all fused in place, but I like to do a satin stitch around the raw edges. It's just a "ME" thing. The stitching is completed around the lettering, but not the cat, the bats, the stars and the moon. I had brought up the necessary supplies (thread and stabilizer) and I was ready to go.

I managed to get one of the bats done this morning. All those points, but when you know how to turn the corners and you have a sewing machine (the Opal 690Q) with the most AMAZING satin stitch ever, well, it goes fast.

One of the bats is done

Here's a closeup of one of the points. Not bad!!  And I have WHITE Bobbin thread in the machine. Like I said, the satin stitch (not a compressed zigzag) is the BEST ever.

Detail of turning the corner with satin stitch

A quick update on the backyard. Those lily pads are growing like weeds and the leaves hit the surface a couple of days ago. This is a picture I snapped when it was feeding frenzy time. Those fish are little pigs. They love to eat.

A feeding frenzy in the pond

I've got a load of things to get done today and one of them is to finish off my presentation TONIGHT on needles.

Sewing machine needles

Here's the information to get into the presentation. You should just be able to click on the link and that'll take you to the meeting. You shouldn't need the ID or the password. But just in case.


Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89221265363?pwd=SWxkV0srSFAxd2s5dmFGSDJvWURuZz09

Meeting ID: 892 2126 5363
Password: 480367

 I was hoping to set it up as a webinar, but I can't do that. So it's going to be like a meeting and we can have up to 100 people attend. I really just want to test the format and my tools and see how it goes. I'll welcome any feedback. There'll be a chat room on the right-hand side of the screen so you can ask questions. I'll explain all when we're at the meeting. And if you have any specific questions, you can send them to my e-mail and I'll try to have answers by tonight.

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

Have a super day!!!!!


Ciao!!!!