Will this work??????

It is 8:24 AM and I have already been up for hours, my kid should be downtown by now having dropped her at the GO station for the 7:36 train. Amazing how kids CANNOT get up for school, but can be awake at the drop of a hat for a photo shoot!!!!!    Just glad I didn't have to drive her downtown.  DH is still away and I would love to just PLAY, BUT no - I am swamped with work and so my nose is to the grindstone to try and meet all the deadlines.

Oh yes - big help from M last night because she made pizza for dinner. I must say that she makes a pretty good pizza - with chicken and all kinds of veggies. Very healthy!!!!!   Thanks M for making dinner while I was working.


Yesterday I got rid of two quilts, quilted two quilts and took in FOUR quilts and two to be basted. Somehow that math is NOT working for me. The number of quilts I am working on should be decreasing - NOT increasing!!!!!    Bottom line - unless someone pays me a LOT of money, I am not taking any more quilts to be done before I leave (unless it is already on the schedule). Anything coming in now has to wait until September. Sorry - that is just life!!!!   And I want to have one (a life that is) so no more quilts - for a while. Trust me - the number I would like to have quilted before I leave is big - not all HAVE to be done, but I would like to get them all done.

Quilt number ONE

Quilt number TWO 

AHA - this is NOT the same quilt.

Here they are together. Both are trimmed and I have to put the binding on one. 

Was going to put that binding on last night, but decided that I had a couple more urgent items to take care of. Including listening to the last CD of that book. Oh good grief - right to the end it was sappy and well - I am NEVER making the mistake of taking out one of her romance (or anyone else's) romance novels. Give me a good thriller any day.

I did get another block traced for the embroidery and started to work on it. Oh yes - this is coming together nicely and working on the pieced blocks as well. I will try to get everything laid out to show you in a couple of days, but laying it out for a picture is NOT my priority. You see - I am going away next weekend to a quilting retreat and so some things JUST have to be done PRE retreat. And that is what I am focusing on.


There are two quilt shows coming up which is what is complicating my life. I have THREE more quilts (two are mine) that are due for the first show, a customer quilt that has to be done and then ONE more quilt for the second show. Let's just say that I am working to rule right now!!!  No time for messing around.

One of my quilts that needs to be done is going to be a challenge. You remember my hand quilted blocks that I put together. Well I wanted to put a border on it. I got the first set of borders on a while back, but before I can quilt it - I need to put the other set on as well. It is hard to take a picture of this so bear with me while I explain it to you. I have a quilt with the center quilted. Then I added the border and the border backing to each side of the quilt. That was easy - I sandwiched the quilted quilt top between the border and the border backing and stitched. EASY EASY.

The issue was how to put the top and bottom border on. Because the center part is quilted, but the outer edges are the empty border and border backing. Does that make sense?????   Anyway I decided that Y seams was the way to go.

So I sandwiched the quilted quilt between the top border and the border backing. I stitched from one end of the quilt to the other. Then I took the quilt out of the machine and sewed the top border to the side border and then the side border backing to the top border backing. Repeat for the bottom.

Here is the Y seam to add the top border

Then I pressed it. I got it partially loaded on the long arm last night.  That is my job this morning  - to try and get the borders quilted. I am a bit at a lost as to what to quilt in that border - it is HUGE. Piano keys???? A chevron????    And let's not forget that I have to insert the batting before I quilt it. Oh boy - I LOVE a challenge. 

Here is the other side of the partially loaded quilt. There is NO batting under that border - YET. 

 Oh and to keep with the scheme of the quilt - the batting HAS to be polyester. ICK ICK ICK.



Well good thing problem solving is one of my strong points. I think I just might pull this off and will anyone be the wiser how it was done?????   I won't tell if you won't.

Since I have to get the binding on this quilt and the due date is April 19, I am sneaking it in front of a couple of customers. (I'll be taking it to the retreat to bind at night) Don't worry - I might be helping the customers bind and there is a logical rationale for that so don't think I am short changing the customers!!!!!


Have any of you seen this cute little sewing machine????

LEGO sewing machine

This little sewing machine is made from LEGO. It is very cute. Actually if you do a GOOGLE search on IMAGES for LEGO sewing machine - there are MANY versions that come up. Have a look. Ronda's husband spent a LOT of time yesterday (on his day off) searching through his (ooops - I mean his son's) LEGO collection and this is what he came up with.

Don't you love it!!!!!!!!!!! Look at all those spools of thread, the ELEGANT handle and that SONAR control panel is perfect!!!!!!

Side view

However I think he was going to look at what it would cost to get the pieces for the one above. Anyone interested????   It is so darn cute!!!!!!!!!!!!   I guess that is what happens when you have girls - no LEGO. I love LEGO. I think Berke needs MORE LEGO - then I can borrow the pieces that I want. I know he has some of these pieces in the car I got him at Christmas.


On that note - I am out of here to try and figure out how to get this quilt done.


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Trunk shows!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One last thing about those romance novels. I won't get graphic because I am sure that most of you have read one of them in your life time. Here is something to contemplate - what is the difference between this very descriptive kind of romance novel and you know - that bad stuff that starts with P??????   Well they NEVER mention the proper name of the various body parts in a romance novel. I always wondered about that - was it to "protect" the innocent readers or to not cross a line into bad stuff?????   Like I said - just something to ponder!!!!!!!!!!!


OK - I  am BACK in business!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    I managed to not only get ONE quilt done yesterday, but got a SECOND one done as well.



Can you tell what colour thread I used for one of them???????

If you guessed BLACK you would be correct. For some reason, black thread is full of STATIC and it is hard to get the thread off my hands. I give it a fling and ooops - there it is - on the wall. A quick swipe of the wall and it is all gone. 

Customer quilt number ONE 

Customer quilt number TWO

Detail of quilt number TWO

I just want to reiterate to everyone. When you put the borders on your quilts - MEASURE MEASURE MEASURE - you cannot just sew those borders on the quilt. The wider the border is - the more ruffled it will be and makes it VERY difficult to quilt. And despite the fact that everyone says "oh - don't worry - that will quilt out". It isn't always pretty!!!!!   And that's all I am going to say on that subject for the moment.



Last night, I was the speaker at the Missisaugua Quilt Guild. I LOVE doing trunk shows. However it means going around the house and dismantling all the quilt displays that are hanging on the walls. And then to figure out to fold, bend, squeeze those quilts so they fit into the suitcase and ooops - the over flow has to go into an IKEA bag.  And still more that I wanted to take and I did NOT take anything that is going in the upcoming shows.

Ready for the trunk show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look what happens when you open that zipper!!!!!!!!!   The quilts just spring out!!!!!   Yes - you can put a LOT into one of those big suitcases. 

 And I met a wonderful lady who has joined the guild. She is from Russia! We had a great talk. It is amazing how many people lately that I have bumped into (at the gym) who are from Russia/Soviet Union. Such nice people!!!!   Hmmmm - may have to go there one day!

When you go on vacation and you are trying to squeeze those last minute items in your suitcase and you have to sit on it to zip it shut. Do you ever wonder what would happen if that zipper popped??????   I mean - wouldn't that be funny?  Well not really - but I can just imagine, the suitcase coming down the luggage chute and POP!!!!!!!!   What would you do??????   I can't even begin to imagine, although I must say that I travel pretty light the last couple of trips and I had no problem zipping up my suitcase.

As I start to gather things for my trip - 11 weeks -  that is almost ONE QUARTER of the year. OH MY GOD - what have I done?????   But I plan to go as light as possible. I have done this kind of travel several times now and I "think" I know what I am going to need. We'll be doing laundry every couple of days so other than getting BORED of the same clothes, you don't really need much.


On that note - I am off to quilt again today - this upcoming show at the Missisaugua Quilt Guild on April 19 and 20 and the Brampton Quilt Guild on May 4 and 5 is really stressing me out. Not only do I have my own quilts to get ready for the show (5 in each), but I still have a couple of customer quilts that have to be done for the shows and a couple of others than need to be done as well.

Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Authors

Oh dear - I have to tell you this story because it is pretty funny and all the more reason that we should research our authors BEFORE we pick up a book to read.

I like audio books because I can listen to them while I stitch in the evening. Yes - I am still embroidering in the evening - I have MANY blocks for the Snow Days quilt started (for various reasons). Trying to find a natural progression for the class and I HAVE IT NOW.

Anyway - one book that I picked up earlier this year was a thriller by Sandra Brown. Oh - I like this author. So at the library a month ago, I pick up another Sandra Brown. I plug it into the CD player and start playing it. Hmmmmmm - this doesn't sound like a thriller.   (OH yes - there was NO description of the book on the cover). As I continue to listen - this is definitely NOT a thriller.

Wait a minute - is this the same Sandra Brown??????   AHA - after looking at her web site, she also writes ROMANCE novels, as well as thrillers. OK - so this romance novel - well OH DEAR - makes me blush. And the lead character - so arrogant. I could kill him and she is falling for him. Oh GOD - DON'T DO IT - DON'T FALL FOR HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


YES -  I admit it - I am listening to the silly book. It just passes the time and well now I have to know if the lady's husband really did commit suicide??????   (One CD to go)

BUT - in case you didn't know - READ that cover or do some investigation BEFORE you start reading the book. I will know in future - get Sandra Browns' THRILLERS, NOT the romance. The romance is like a Harlequin romance.


On that note - I am out of here.

Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dragon Star - April reveal

Yesterday was a very deceptive day. the sun was out and the temperature was above zero. You had the impression it was a warm day, BUT the wind was biting cold and it was nippy.  I'm ready for those warm days anytime!!!!!!!!!!!

Last night was our Dragon Star class. Some of the ladies slipped a bit with the homework, but this quilt is a LOT of sewing. Don't let it become a UFO!!!!!    A little bit every day and it will get completed.

Here is what we saw last night..............  (and it might be a bit hard to tell from the photos since the quilts are lying flat, but everyone pretty much changed the values that went in the big star and the quilts are all going to be so different!!!!!!!!)  I can't wait to see the finished products!!!!

Angela

Lynn

Atty

Andrea

Joyce

A photo of Joyce's quilt so far

Sheila

Louise

Marnie

Marnie's flying geese

Teresa

Isn't that impressive!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Awesome work ladies!  Keep it up. So close to the end!!

Here is a picture I took last night of how to sew those curved seams.

Start by removing the paper from the paper pieced unit. Then find the center of the corner flying geese unit and the pie shaped piece. Match the centers and pin. Then match up the end pieces and pin with two pins. Then match the other two ends (or edges of the blocks). Then sew that curved seam. Don't forget the stiletto will make quick work of that seam.  And sew with the RUFFLED piece on top!!!

I went back into my blog to see how I sewed the last part of my Dragon Star quilt together. I was at the retreat house in Bracebridge. The blog date is July 10, 2012 (if you want to check that out). I started at 10 AM on Sunday morning and this is what the quilt looked like.  I hadn't even finished paper piecing the flying geese or the border.

This is what the quilt looked like twenty four hours later. I did not sew all night, but just kept myself focused and the more I got done, the more I wanted to finish the quilt.   Hmmmmm - I wonder if it too late to change the colour of those flying geese units that touch the star tips.  Or maybe I change the star tips!!!!!!!!!!!!   I will have to look closely at it, but I might be able to slip in a piece of the green background (I have LOADS left) in between the four back geese and the point. It will shorten the geese slightly, but no one will know. I won't tell if you don't!!!!   Yes - I think that is what I will do. Shouldn't be that hard??????

The layout of the curves and while they look nice here

When you go to sew them together - it doesn't look so nice

So - make sure you use those registration marks. 

Good luck to those making Dragon Star. STOP - if you have any issues.



On that note - I am back to the long arm - making progress, but not quite as quick as I would like.


Have a great day


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




Update on Scrabble - those dreaded designers at EA GAMES decided to upgrade the online Scrabble interface. After removing the app from my iPad, and reinstalling it, I am finally able to play Scrabble once again on my iPad. HOWEVER, I can only play with random opponents. I cannot access Facebook. I can play Scrabble on my Android phone, BUT - as soon as I touch the link to one of my friends - it creates a brand new game with that person and then goes into the rest of my games. At this rate - I will have HUNDREDS of games on the go. And I don't like playing on my phone as it drains the battery rather quickly. And after MUCH digging on the support page which isn't very helpful, I managed to find a reference that EA GAMES knows that many people cannot access their Facebook friends through the iPad app. Hopefully they will get it fixed soon - I MISS my Scrabble games.



Catch you later.

While the cat's away - the mice will play............................

Yes - I got stuff done yesterday, but NOT enough. After getting frustrating by complaining rather BITTERLY (I thought) to EA GAMES about the latest version of Scrabble, I did manage to get some work done. But why they had to put out a totally inferior product (an ugrade) which EVERYONE hates, but they won't change. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR   - well that is beyond me. Why fix something that isn't broken??????   Am I bitter - or yes - I had about 16 games going and it was a great source of entertainment while I had lunch. Now I am just sitting there (all alone) eating my sandwich!!!!!   OK - it's not that bad - I just practice bridge instead!

But have you ever had one of those days when you know you got work done, but what the heck did one do????   That was yesterday. I did get some quilting done - yeah!!!!   Oh dear - custom quilts slow me down so much - I am going to have to stop taking them in!!!!

I decided to continue with the clothing classes and this time we are making a jacket. Yes - as if I didn't have enough to do. But I had the pattern and the fabric so I managed to get it cut out and I also got more work done on my dress. I have to say that the dress is looking awesome. I have a bit more work to do here (before next class) and THIS TIME I am going to do it.

Then I chat to the girls at the gym - OH MY GOD - MANY of these people are HOOKED. They are at the gym - 5 or 6 or more times a week. I go three times - how will I find the time to go more often?????

I am tired and would love a nap right now, but that will have to wait. Had to get up early to drive DH and his golf buddies off to the airport. Then M said - Now that Dad is gone - what should we do??????   Hmmmm - I like that. Have to find something creative to do while he is away!!!

And I got the schedule of articles that have to be written for A Needle Pulling Thread before I leave. Why am I still here blogging?????

Thank goodness, I got into the garden when I did because the weather has been FREEZING ever since.


On that note - I better hit the machine - I HAVE to get this quilt off today. Many more waiting!!!!!



Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My name is Chloe and I need a home.........................

My name is Chloe and well - I don't exactly need a home, but I had a pretty exciting weekend. You see - I belong to a girl named Alysia and that girl was going away for the long weekend. Alysia asked her friend Berke if he would look after me. Berke said yes. I like it at Berke's house - they take good care of me, BUT all of a sudden Berke was also going away for a night and I had NO WHERE to go.

I ended up at this other house - another one of Berke's friends named M. He sure has a lot of friends. Well M's mom was really nice and let me stay.

There are TWO dogs here - a little fuzzy dog who kept sniffing my butt and thought she could bully me around because I am so small. HMMMPPPP - that didn't last long. And there is this big black dog who basically ignored me.

I LOVE IT HERE. These people are like my servants - I want something - I get it. I want to go upstairs - they carry me, I want to go downstairs - they carry me. Yes - I know I can walk up and down the stairs by myself (they don't know that though - well they didn't at first) and so I got carried around a LOT. I LOVED IT. And everyone would come over and scratch my ears or pet me. I was soaking up all the attention.

I FOUND this awesome mat that is just FOR DOGS. I want one just like it. 

Berke brought over my blanket and that lady put it in a dog bed. AH - what a sweet life

So comfy!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes - I'm coming - do you have something for me??????

Peek a boo!!!!!!!!!!!!

You called?????

And they have this WONDERFUL big reflecting thing in the bag yard. I could see myself and I am GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!!!   That lady and M were very afraid that I was going to fall in. I mean - how stupid do they think I am?????

I'm over here - 

I only got to stay ONE night and I was sad when I went back to Berke's house. Wasn't as much fun.


I even got a walk all the way to Tim Horton's and I got half a timbit. WHOOOPPPEEEEEE - I love this place. But I was the BEST dog on the walk. That fuzzy dog and the big black dog - they have no idea how to walk on a leash. I KNOW how to walk on a leash. I was a very good dog the entire time I was here.


The fuzzy dog and the big black dog were telling me that when they have other dog guests that the house is chaotic. It was so quiet when I was there, that everyone almost forgot that I was there. They even said - that it would be fun to have a third LITTLE dog around. Oh OH OH - maybe I can go back and live there forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Well I have to go now.


Have a good day


Love Chloe (Ciao!!)

The Easter Bunny hit our house!!!!!!!!!

Yes - I know Easter isn't really about the Easter Bunny, but - well that's how we celebrate!

First - the Easter Bunny had to prepare the goodies. Even though your child is almost an adult - traditions are important so yes - the Easter Bunny hit our house

The Easter Bunny is ready to hide the eggs. Note the cute little basket that I made many years ago for M. 

I did have a bit of problem with the hiding. I managed to fill 87 of those eggs, however, there wasn't much in each egg. I went around to my usual hiding spots. Hmmmm - I barely touched the amount of eggs in the bag. OK - so then I went around one more time and managed to hide all those eggs.


I get a text at 9 AM - is the hunt ready????   Good grief.  Of course - the hunt is ready. The Easter Bunny is no slacker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

M - who missed quite a few on the first round. She didn't look UP!!!!!!

Then we were off to brunch. Of course we took the young ones with us. Aren't they cute!!!!!!!!!! 

 There was an amazing buffet with lots of goodies and OK - we sampled most of them, but didn't go crazy - EXCEPT for the waffles - OH MY - they were good.

The waffles - we decided that NO - they are not as good as the genuine Belgian waffles we had in Belgium, but they were mighty tasty!!!

The chairs were dressed for the kids. Well at the table where they could decorate cup cakes or paint eggs. 

Of course - our kids had to get in there. But NOT until all the other kids had their turn. 

The Easter eggs

M has been bugging me about a juicer for a long time. I finally broke down and bought one. Didn't do a lot of research on them, just bought what I thought looked good. Here she is experimenting with it - I think she was disappointed that gobs of juice didn't get extracted from her fruit and veggies. BUT - it is not a miracle worker. I had better have a look at it.

M and her juicer

Quilt that I got done last week. Very hard to trim this one with the black top, batting and backing!!!!!!

\
Time to ramp up today and get back to work after taking a couple of days off. Besides - the weather today is pretty COLD. No one would want to be outside.

And so Roll up the Rim ends. Here is my haul and now time to  get them used up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I managed to get a LOT of paperwork completed yesterday. It was a very productive day from that perspective. The quilting - well I didn't get much of that accomplished, but getting some of this paperwork out of the way is a bonus for me. And it has to be done. I need about one solid week of days like that and I would actually see a HUGE improvement.   I hope you looked at the show n tell from the $10 classes. Lots of neat stuff there.


Oh yes - I thought you would be interested in these pictures. A couple of weeks back, I did the cardio testing for the Maximum Heart Rate. Maria snapped a couple of pictures of me all suited up!!!!!!!!!!!!  Actually this mask is NOTHING compared to the mask for the high altitude training. This one is soft and pliable - that other one was pretty rigid and hurt my nose.

Hard at work - getting MHR

So yesterday I did something that felt VERY STRANGE. Although I have done it before - the last time was just not quite so dramatic!!!!


I booked a couple of flights. Want to see where I am going????  Here is the first ONE WAY flight...........

A bit hard to see here - but basically Toronto to Vancouver - Date: June 16

Here is the second.....................   also ONE WAY flight

Need better graphics!!!!!!   Anyway - that is St. John's, Nfld to Toronto - Date: Sept 1, - Mine is the direct flight. 

That means there is ELEVEN weeks between those dates and 8,000 KM approximately.

See that red line - that is more or less - those 8000 KM. 

No turning back now - I have sunk too much money into this trip. Just got to get on my bike and train. But not before the garden is up to snuff and the quilts are up to date and everything else that needs to be taken care of has been taken care of. Oh boy - this is going to be quite the adventure!!!!!!!!!!!   Actually I HATE getting ready for vacation - usually running around like an idiot. I am going to try and be more in advance.

And for the record - I shut my computer off last night!!!!!!


On that note - I have work to do today and I had best get started.


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!