Excitement!!!!

Yesterday was a great day!   I got back to work on quilting the mystery quilt from Long Arm University. I had struggled a bit the day before with the designs and I think mostly because I was tired. Yesterday I was on fire!!!!!   I really got into it and I HAD to finish last night. And then I whipped that quilt off the machine, made the binding and actually got 1/4 of the stitching done before I had to go to bed.

The quilt on the machine

Detail of some of the quilting

Look at all that marking!!!!   Got to wash this quilt when I am done

More details of quilting

Quilting detail

Quilting is DONE!!!!!!!

Binding in progress

The back - you can't see, but I had to put red thread in the bobbin where I did the spikey things in red. I could not get the tension right and the yellow bobbin thread showed through a bit. But it looks like a sun or star burst on the back

I had to laugh as I was quilting this because I remember back in 2005 when on New Year's Day I worked on another project. Have a look at the colour scheme!!!!    Is this a New Year's colour theme or what?????

Convergence quilt made on New Year's Day 2005

In the morning, I got other stuff done - well not done enough to write in my book, but made progress at least.

This quilt has been quilted FOREVER. I had found it in the border/binding/backing buckets with a SMALL piece of fabric for the binding. Grabbed the bolt of fabric (that I still had - yeah) and made the binding

Good calculations because with the small piece I found, this is what I had left over. That scrap went into the Bonnie Hunter scrap pile

Made the sleeve as well. Yes - I know that is a bit of a big gap between the two pieces - I may add another little sleeve in the middle. And then this got tossed on the TO BE HAND STITCHED pile, which is getting bigger and bigger

I love looking at pictures in home dec mags or studio mags and seeing all the creativity on the walls. I am slowly trying to do the same at my house. I finally got the hammer out yesterday and whacked up TWO more pictures. The two that I had framed the other day. It is VERY hard to see them in these pictures, but this is the staircase to the basement. When guests come - I shall tell them to HUG the banister. I love it and as I come downstairs every day (well many times every day), I get to pass these great pictures with MANY MANY memories. I am really excited about this wall. I have a LOT more frames to put up. Just got to find the right pictures to put in them.

New pics on the wall

Series of shots at Geysir  erupting in Iceland (2010)

Me riding my bike up the White Pass in Alaska (2010)

Do you remember me showing you that little tool for cutting off the corners of that quilt I just made?  Well Cindy said "THROW THOSE TRIANGLES AWAY". OH MY GOD - you CANNOT throw those away. So I put them all in a nice new tin that I got for Christmas. Then I thought I had better check to make sure they are not too tiny.

The bits in my new tin

And look - those half square triangles measure ONE and ONE QUARTER inches - that is NOT too small!!!!!

I shall have to whip up a mini quilt with them!!!!    More enders and leaders!!!!    And how is progress on Bonnie Hunter? Well I am ALMOST done sewing the black/white half square triangles. And leaving them on the cutting table - yes I am working my way through them. Maybe today I will be done??????


I also got excited yesterday and put all my PLAY yarn TOGETHER. It was in several drawers. After putting all the yarn on my binding table, I was able to EMPTY one of those rolling storage units. I must get it out of the storage room now and see if I can shove all the paperwork into it. Then it can be whisked away when people come over. Yes - I know, I should just get the paperwork done. Well I spent about half hour yesterday and did make a dent so I am NOT slacking!!!!!!

Anyway - look at this MESS!!!!!!

All my play yarn!!!!   Stuff I bought because it looked great - good for couching on landscapes or whatever project I had in mind when I saw it. But what a mess. 

Then I wanted to bind the mystery quilt and all this stuff was in the way. I had been to Michael's earlier in the day and purchased some containers. I was hoping the yarn would fit in one of them. CRAP - the yarn filled ALL THREE containers. But of course - I just threw it in because I wanted the space.


This morning - I emptied the containers again and played the yarn in them in an orderly fashion.

The organic colours

The BRIGHT colours

This box still needs to be sorted

Stuff to move to other locations because there are homes for it in other places 

And look what else I found - ONE SKEIN of yarn that I can use to make dish clothes!!!!   Wow - there is a pattern on the back of the label. Hmmmmm - could I con someone into making me dish clothes (and how many does this skein make anyway????) or shall I just bite the bullet and do it myself.

Wool for dish clothes

And how about this for silly dog pictures.......................

When she curls up, she fits in this bed, but honestly in this position - why bother sleeping in the bed at all!!!!!!

I haven't been  able to get into the Family Tree Maker software. For some reason, the system is telling me that I have an account already, yet it won't accept my password and then it says it will send me a link to get me in and then it does NOT send me the link. I will call them today - perhaps they were off yesterday.


HEY - This & That is starting the new MYSTERY - Number 3. If you are interested - check out Sherri's blog.


This & That Mystery # 3


I have got TWO very nice little projects (that are almost complete I might add) from this. And it is kind of fun to work on something you don't know what the end result will be. I have to pick colours - not sure what I am going to pick this time.

OK - I see that I have some smart friends who are trying to help me memorize the "word of the day". I shall remember audodidact FOREVER now. But here is a new word for my friend - first I will see if she knows the word - INCHOATE (it is an adjective)    (in-KOH-it). Hmmmmmm - what does that mean??????   Who makes up all these words anyway??????


Here is the word in a sentence - My instructions for Dear Jane are currently an inchoate series of ideas.



See what I mean!!!!!    So much excitement happening here. Oh - I am going to have to talk to my FRIEND (that would be Marian) to see if she can get me one more of those rolling shelves from Cosco. Wait - first I need to measure the space and make sure it will fit in that storage room. Oh yes - it will fit there. Then back to Michael's to get more boxes (they are 50% off this week) and get that storage room in order. I am LOVING this organization thing. I mean when I want something - I know exactly where it all is. And if that is NOT exciting - well - it is just EXCITING.

Just so you know that I am NOT a complete idiot when it comes to technology - my phone wasn't working properly for the last couple of days. The phone worked, but it wouldn't update the weather channel and I couldn't get my Michael's coupon - IMPORTANT stuff. But I managed to figure out what the problem was and it is working just fine!!!!!!    There is HOPE FOR ME.

Oh OH OH - I wonder if the new clue for Border Creek Mystery is available???????


On that note - I have a LOT on the schedule today and must get started.


Have a good day!!!!!



Ciao!!!!!!

On-line classes

Although I LOVE to teach, I am NOT a good student myself. I know - that is VERY BAD advertising. And one of the reasons for being a bad student - I am often not prepared. Case in point - yesterday!!!


I had signed up a couple of weeks ago for an on-line class with the Long Arm University. It is a mystery in the sense that you do not know what you will do until you sign up. The class fee is VERY reasonably priced and while you take the class online, Cindy also sends you a DVD and all the printed materials (and this year - we also got that little template I showed you yesterday).

I got the instructions, I printed them out, but that is as far as I got. Anyway - I chose my fabrics when I was in the US the other day and I spent a good part of yesterday sewing the darn top together. It took a bit longer than I thought - but then doesn't everything??????


I started out in the morning with this...................

Partially sewn components

Then I got ONE block done - only three more to go

And at last around three PM, the finished top. Grabbed some fabric to make the back and thew it on the machine.

Whew - that is done. The class only started at 11:20 AM so I wasn't so far behind.

The class is pretty neat - you watch the video (very well explained video) and then you go and do the stitching on your quilt. Part 1 was ONE HOUR of video (you get your moneys worth).

And this is what I did with Part 1 (there are SIX parts in total)

Hard to see the stitching as I used matching thread

All free hand

LOTS and LOTS of swirls

I go half way through Part 2 of the class and then I knew I couldn't go any further. I was so tired from the night before - had to pick M up at 1 AM and that just throws my entire schedule out of whack. I am TOO old to throw my sleep schedule off.

I notice in the class photo album this morning that one lady has hers quilted, washed and BOUND!!!!!   Obviously she got a good nights sleep the night before!

So I curled up in my big comfy chair (actually the Lazy Boy is MUCH more comfortable) with a BIG quilt and I was out!!!!!  


Of course when I woke up at 10 PM, I couldn't go right to bed, so I read for a bit and then did my education for the day.............................

First - The WORD OF THE DAY. And if I had to make a sentence using this word - I am an autodidact (for the most part) when it comes to quilting!!!!   Now the trick for me is to REMEMBER these words so I can use them in Scrabble or in day to day conversation since the calendar tooted that it would boost my IQ. Well - if you have no memory, no amount of word learning is going to increase my IQ!!!!!!

Next - we have the Scrabble question of the day.   Do you know the answer - well I actually knew all the values of the letters (maybe I am not so forgetful after all), but I made a fatal error with the calculation - so I was only partially right!!!

And let's not forget the Happiness Project Journal. 

This is the one sentence a day journal. It is neat the way it is set up - all five years for the same date are on the same page. The yellow dot is where you put in the year. That is so cool - then when you write in the book next year - you can see what you did one year previous. I LOVE this little journal. I got one for Christmas and had bought myself one - so I am good for 10 years. Then I will be too old to write or care about my day!!!!!!   (Just kidding!!!)

Let's not forget the quilting journal. OK - this is just a journal. But my intention is to write what I COMPLETE this year. Add pictures or whatever, but I think it would be fun to see how much one can actually accomplish in a year. Otherwise I may just have to sell everything I own since I don't finish much. This book will be the proof!!!!!   Of course - I haven't got anything to put in it yet but that is OK. 

Now a BAD thing happened yesterday - well two bad things. First Larry went home and I didn't even get to say good-bye. M tells me after they took him. Oh dear - Larry will be so upset!!!!   It was only a week, but I miss talking to him while I make breakfast!!!!   I hope he likes it at home!!!!

Second - and this is REALLY BAD. This past summer was a family reunion of my mom's family. One of my cousins took it upon herself to make a book with stories and pictures of what we know of the family history.

Family History book

Shannon did a great job, but I want to take it further. OMG - what is WRONG WITH ME??????    After talking to my parents in the morning, I dug out my Family Tree Maker software. OK - have a look at this picture - what do you see??????????????????

CAN you SEE the date???????   

OMG - I got excited about this family tree stuff in 2009!!!!!!!   Bought the software and it was NEVER OPENED. OK - I am pathetic - just pathetic!!!!!  


Anyway - I have now installed the software, my parents have sent me TWO family member contacts who are also searching this stuff out and could be valuable sources to get more information. One of them is here in Toronto - the other is in England. Ah - a trip to Scarborough is easy - but England will be more fun!!!!

The system is telling me that I am already signed up and is trying to send me the password I used, but no e-mail. I guess I will have to call them to see what is going on.

This is a HUGE can of worms - I just know it. When do you stop collecting pictures, information, arranging trips to visit the HOMELAND - well you get the picture. There are books to read, people to talk to (JOYCE - I need your help!!!!!). So you see how BAD this was!!!!



Back to the organizing - as I said - everything is put away, and MOST "like" things are together. I was trying to figure out how to deal with all the paperwork spread on the table. I need fixes that make it easy to whisk stuff away when people come over. While searching through some white plastic drawer units that I think will be perfect (6 drawers - would be good to sort this paperwork stuff) and it is on wheels. But have to figure out what to do with the stuff in the drawers - well a lot of it is projects, so technically they can get moved to the project closet and free up some space. But I find this - (there was more perle cotton in here and it got moved to the perle cotton container)

Drawer of crochet cotton

Hmmm - now what can I do with this?????   Obviously I am NOT going to be crocheting doilies, but I must find something CREATIVE to do with it. There is a LOT - or I could simply donate it to a senior group or something and then it is gone. I'll have to contemplate that. And I think I need to buy one or two more storage containers and then I need another shelf to put this stuff on.

We are going to start taking Christmas decorations down today and that means that storage room is going to get hit. Oh dear - it has to be done. Actually it is not in bad shape, but just need to get a bit more organized.


Well - that is it for me today. I got a TON of stuff on the agenda list (oh yes - as I rip those calendar pages off - I feel bad to throw them away as the back is blank) - well they make good TO DO lists for the next day or GOALS that one can paste up some where. Oh - I know where I can paste them.

Have a great day!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!

It's a NEW YEAR!!!!!

Wow - today is New Year's Day. What the heck happened to 2011????  

This is the day (time of year) when I get all nostalgic - remembering all I did last year, what happened, who died - you know all that stuff in life. But while I am being nostalgic - I am also going to be quilting!!!!!

And you all know that I have BIG intentions this year to clean up some projects. I feel very good in that last year I was finally able to get the studio cleaned up. Now that all "LIKE" things are together - it will be easy to organize the threads, or the patterns or whatever. I am going to like being able to tweak the storage issue!!!!

I hope to avoid stuff like this happening ---   before I started making the bindings for quilt tops as I finished them, I would set aside the binding fabric and put it in a box. Then if I was finishing one of "those" quilts, I would go to that box and get the binding. OK - so the box was NOT very big. Anyway when I looked at the box yesterday, I found fabric (the only one labelled) for Lover's Knot. HA HA HA - this quilt was quilted and given away years ago. So much for that system!!!!    I have since put the box by the FOUR buckets of quilt tops that need borders, bindings and backings. As I go through my ONE border/binding/backing PROJECT A WEEK - I will be checking to see which projects those fabrics belong to.

Now one more key thing for me is to NOT add more projects to my 2012 shelf. First off - there is already way too much on the shelf and it would be nice to actually see a dent made in it - not just kept full. Keep my fingers crossed on that one. Perhaps if I made a list and then I would know if I snuck something else on the shelf????   At least I would know what extra I put on it. Hmmmmm - might be a good task for later today - course I might just give up when I realize the quantity of stuff there.

Have a look.....................

WOW - I hope there are 500 days to 2012!!!!!

These next pictures are more for me than you.

My little rolling shelf - JAMMED with projects

Laundry basket jammed with borders, bindings and backings (OK - there are three Miranda bags in there to finish as well)

Big rolling shelf (lots of things that won't take long to finish - like that jacket which just needs buttons)

Customer quilt to get quilted

Quilts that need hand stitching on the binding

Dear Jane (THE project of the year)

The books and more fabric for Dear Jane class

Bonnie Hunter mystery - Orca Bay

The CURRENT sewing projects (No - I DID NOT get all those Elm Creek blocks done) - Why does everything take longer than it is supposed to?????

Cutting for Mondays

Administration CRAP!!!!   At least it is sorted by category!!!!!

The design wall

So yes there is a LOT of stuff to do, but WE managed to get one project off the shelf yesterday. M made herself a pair of PJ pants. When she took her sewing class - she choose fabric that was HORRIBLE to work with and she wanted pockets. Not to be persuaded to do something different, I let her work on it. Well - we still need to do the waist band and the hem. I suggested that she work on something much easier - like PJ pants from flannel. The flannel had been washed for a while and yesterday she decided she better get busy and get them done.

Well she cut and she serged and she sewed and...................................

VOILA - PJ pants!!!!!!    Actually she did a pretty good job at them. A tad more work on straight seams and I think she will have it down pat!!!!!     Hmmmm and what happened to that smile?????   She was smiling when she finished them!!!

Then I got myself busy with a screw driver and fixed the long arm. How that little gismo popped out I have no idea. But I guess that teaches me a lesson - DON'T play with it. Anyway I managed to get Caroline's quilt DONE!!!!  

CAROLINE - are you reading this???????    Your quilt is quilted!!!!

Caroline's quilt - front - that is MINKY on the front - a pain to work with

The back is flannel. And yes there is batting in there as well. Let's just say this quilt is HEAVY

And look - little Sammy just blends right in!!!!   I put it on the floor to see how wonky it was after I trimmed it. Nope - seems to be pretty good. So I got the binding on while M was sewing her PJ pants and it is now in the pile of quilts that need hand stitching. I had better get it done before she comes back from her vacation. 

Speaking of binding quilts - I CANNOT sit in that comfy chair and bind. I think I got TWELVE inches done last night and then BOOM - I'm asleep!!!!!!    Back down stairs to the wooden chair!!!!   Drat - because it was in a nice cozy spot of the living room.

A nice cozy spot to read or sew. I even added an extra work surface (those trusty TV trays) so I could put my stuff on. It was perfect - a little too perfect obviously. One thing - I do NEED to make a quilt for the living room. You can see that purple/pinky quilt just peeking under my table runner. That is my FIRST official quilt as a quilter and you must curl into a ball or use the quilt diagonally to get anything from it!!!!   I don't have anything on the shelf to make for that spot - hmmmm - I do have a flannel quilt cut that would be perfect there. Wait a minute - I am NOT allowed to add anything. Well since I am the boss - we'll see about those rules!!!!

And today - I am supposed to be working on the Long Arm University mystery quilt. Well - I am supposed to be quilting the quilt. I have a bit of work to do before I can load it on the machine. Thank goodness the teacher is on Mountain Time!!!!

The mountains part of the blocks

What I have so far - this was the fastest I ever choose fabric for a quilt. We were at Joanns and in less than 5 minutes - I went with these three colours!!!   Yes - I know I bought new fabric, but I needed yardage and I don't have yardage. 

A neat NEW tool that is super for cutting those mountains

Makes them a breeze to sew together - no marking with a pencil and then trimming. 

Have a look at the new add on to my car.....................

Isn't that cute!!!!!!   I don't look like me - but everyone else looks exactly like the picture including the girls!!!!!    Too darn cute!!!!!   The only problem - it is on the outside of the car and I am afraid it won't stay long. Already had to massage part DHs ear back down. M thinks he was trying to pick the decal off!!!!!    Wouldn't surprise me!!!!

This is Larry who is still with us and I think he is a happier bird for his visit. We bought him some millet and he is LOVING that. He had NO TREATS in his cage - boring!!!!!!!!

I think he devoured this stick of millet in TWO days. But he is sure chirping a lot more. He just needs love!!!!!    HEY MARY - what else do we need to do for Larry to make him happier???????

And this is Sparky this morning. Boy does she look bored!!!!!!   All those toys and NO ONE to play with.

Well that is it for today!!!!    I have a million and one things that I want to get done today. I will be lucky if I get ONE thing done.


Have a GREAT NEW YEAR'S - DON"T make resolutions, but have goals, WRITE those goals on a piece of paper. I saw a note the other day - if you want to change something - let's say you want to lose weight - WRITE DOWN THREE reasons why you want to lose weight. Tape them to your bathroom mirror. Not how much you want to lose, but WHY and it will become ingrained in your brain and make it easier to keep on track. I remember when my brother and SIL wanted to buy a new truck. They put a picture of that truck on their fridge - it was a constant reminder of the sacrifices they made to get that vehicle!!!!  

God - my bathroom mirror could be covered!!!!!!!    Hey - at least it is a step in the right direction instead of doing nothing.

And I have THIS BLOG to thank for getting my sewing room in order. I wrote about it - I took pictures of it - I made it a living breathing thing that I was in control of. And then I took pride in it and now it has become habit (obsession) to keep it tidy. The blog worked for me - but I am for hire if you need, get a journal and a camera, write notes but the important thing you CANNOT just make it happen in your head. You MUST MUST MUST write down your goals. It has been proven that GOALS do not happen any other way than taking charge.




Have a great day!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!