The slow return to normal

It warms my heart to read the latest comment on my blog. Someone volunteered at Quilt Canada to learn more about what goes on behind the scenes. That is so true! It also helps you understand why some things are the way they are. I don't know who that was, but I love you! Without volunteers, a show like that wouldn't exist. I understand that we all can't volunteer for various reasons, but I recently met a shop owner from out west who came to check things out and offered to volunteer her services. 

That makes me very happy! 

And now for the slow return to normal. I know that sounds like the most ridiculous thing in the world. It's not like I had major surgery or illness, or that I was away, but with everything that has happened in the last couple of months - classes, Quilt Canada, working long hours, and constant time commitments, it has taken a toll. Dare I say I'm getting older and my body isn't recovering as quickly? I hate to admit it, but it's true! I so want to be in denial about that. 

And I MUST MUST MUST drink enough water in a day. I'm tired because of everything that went on, but I'm super dehydrated, which makes the situation so much worse. I know what I need to do, and I'd better do it! I know a certain someone who will be on my case when she reads this! I hear you --- gulp, gulp, gulp!

The good news is that I finished my article and sent it this morning. That was the most urgent thing on my plate, and it's done! I also had a machine embroidery software class in the morning and had to prepare for that. It's also done, and the follow-up is sent. Yes, I have a lot of other things to attend to, including some class follow-ups, and I'll work my way through that list this week. 

I didn't do much else all day - how sad is that? I read and napped! I'm okay with that, but when there's so much to accomplish, I find it annoying, so I have to deal with it. 

I didn't even step into Studio B yesterday, but I have big plans today. I feel rested, which should help, although I am still dehydrated. And I'll get some computer work done, but nothing urgent to deal with. Yeah! 

That Muprhy sure knows how to test her limits. I swear she has the behavior of a three-year-old and isn't afraid to show it. 

While I was having lunch, she plopped herself amongst her blankets that were strewn across the floor. She did NOT touch those blankets while I was away last week. Why? Because no one would touch them to redo her puzzle. But as soon as Mom gets home, it's okay to unwrap the puzzle. 

MOM - I missed you!!! 

Once she had the toy out, she grabbed it and flung it. 

MOM - it ACCIDENTALLY went on Lexi's bed

And since she is not allowed on Lexi's bed, she did what she could to avoid getting completely on it. I couldn't get a better picture, but at one point, her butt was in the air as she tried to act casual as her front was splayed on the bed. 

Mom - I'm NOT on the bed!

What a girl! Three-year-old? Definitely! 

And here's my flowering tree in the backyard. I know I take a picture of it every year, but we are lucky to have various flowering trees and shrubs that bloom for the first couple of months of the summer. It's a Cornus Kousa as far as I can tell, but there's probably a more common name for it. 

Flowering bush in the backyard

I have a lot to share with you, but I need to conduct some research or take more pictures before I can do so. And since I was away right after Quilt Canada, that hasn't happened yet. But today? I have big plans for today! 

I am working on the few classes I'll be teaching for the fall, and once everything is organized, I'll let you know the details. Where and how to sign up. That should happen relatively soon, so if you can, pass that information on to your friends if you think they would be interested. I have a folder with emails from people for the Colour My World project, and I will start assembling the distribution list for that. So, if you are waiting for confirmation or more details, they are coming. 

I've been trying to move the email I need to act on into my "action" folder, so please be patient while I work my way through that. 

There is the Virtual Retreat tonight! It's going to be loads of fun and a great place to discuss Quilt Canada. I'd love to hear your feedback and comments, so be sure to drop by and share your memories. Remember, the Virtual Retreat is open to anyone - it's just a place to chat with others, meet new friends, and learn a ton! Above all, it's a place to connect with like-minded people!  

June 28 - Starts at 6 PM

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82693702241?pwd=QpQkm8Ppppy1XwCPOqva1bcgJCWKdP.1

Meeting ID: 826 9370 2241
Passcode: 795071

June 29 - Starts at 3 PM NOTE LATER START TIME

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81073536036?pwd=uxRqMnK1aSKrmrcSO78w8QQs5g44eA.1

Meeting ID: 810 7353 6036
Passcode: 596838

And on that note, I'm out of here!!!!

Have a super day

Ciao!!!!

The aftermath of a sewing retreat

I am thrilled to say that it took me three trips to unload the car once I got home from the sewing retreat. One for all the loose stuff in the front seat - water bottle, glasses, etc. And two trips with bags and the sewing machine. Wow -- I love that and I didn't run out of stuff to do! 

In the morning, we stopped in at a local quilt shop as they were having a sale, and a few things went into my bag. Suitable for backings at that price! I should take pictures to share. However, I have other things to share this morning. The store is located on a farm, and they raise Clydesdale horses. They are beautiful! 

Beautiful Clydesdale horses

While I was sewing in the morning, I peeked out the window to spot a chicken taking a stroll through the parked cars. I wonder if it thought it was going to find some goodies? 

Cluck - cluck! 

While I love being on a sewing retreat, I also love coming home and sorting through the project bags and getting ready for the next one. Don't ask! 

I made great strides and progress on that black and white project. A strip was sewn to both sides of the red squares, and I believe there are 40 of them. I don't remember. Then, my job was to sew the remaining small rectangles into pairs, so I could sew them to the sides, as shown in the bottom left, to form a square. 

My ender and leader project

I think I've completed about five squares. At least with this round, as there is another round of black on white to go on. I had a fifty-fifty chance that there was an even number of rectangles to make the strips. I lost! 

One rectangle left over

No worries. As soon as I got home, I grabbed the box with the black and white scraps and cut a new piece. I've no idea if I have enough or too many. I'll just keep sewing and let it be a surprise. 

My black and white scrap box

Now that the project is bundled back up into a plastic bag, it is ready for the next retreat. It's a good, mindless project to use as enders and leaders at a sewing retreat. 

Then I got serious about emptying the two project bags. The black and white quilt top I completed has been stored in the storage room, and I will add a backing when I get to it. The small Christmas one also went into the storage room, as that is where I store the community quilts. 

One of the project bags to unpack

These plastic bags that sheets come in are the BEST for UFO projects, especially those you are taking to retreat. I see people carrying plastic tubs filled with all kinds of stuff. I just want to take only what I need. For smaller projects, these zippered bags are the way to go! And nothing falls out of these ones with the zippers. They don't take up a ton of room either! They are my new best friend. You can put the components of a queen-sized quilt in one bag! I may have a few extras available if anyone is interested. I got a ton of them from Diane. 

Zippered bags

Someone brought me some new books, so they went onto the bookshelf. 

"New" books to add to the reading pile

As I emptied the bags of their contents, I went to my large retreat basket, which sits under a table, to find what was next on the retreat list. Usually, I'd take this huge thing, but it's heavy when full, so I now take the two smaller tote bags and it works! I filled my two project bags, and there are still three projects in this tub. They will have to wait for another retreat. This area was jammed before I removed the items for the last retreat. 

The holding basket for retreat projects

There are two bags filled with retreat projects for the next retreat. They don't take up a ton of space, they are light to carry, and when you have two - one for each side - you are balanced. No MORE taking copious amounts of stuff, and I will NEVER take a hard plastic case to a retreat again! Two trips into the house - and that included my clothes bag, my office bag, food, and the sewing machine! TWO TRIPS!!!!! Less the first one with all the crap stuff from the front seat. 

Almost ready for the next retreat

I also examined Diane's triangle project. Oh boy - I was right - it wasn't cut properly. 

The pattern said to cut equilateral triangles using a blunt-tipped ruler. I dug through my rulers and found these two. 

Checking for proper cutting

Depending on how you position the ruler, they are NOT equilateral triangles with a seam allowance at the top. So I'll position the ruler as shown above and trim off one side. Then it will sew back together again with zero issues. 

NO seam allowance at the one corner

It's going to be a great project to work on during the virtual retreat. So it is sitting beside my computer. And I must get out my heat press to prep the pieces of the Mondo bag lining and prepare the handles. Then it can go back to the next retreat so I can get it done! 

The project is waiting to be pulled apart

Of course, the girls were happy to see me. They had a dog sitter while I was away, as DH was also away. Not good timing, but that's the way it works at our house. They were quite clingy to say the least, but they didn't really want me - they just wanted a walk, and the second I went to the front door, they were right there! Look at those faces! Lexi is lecturing me, and I think Murphy thought I had food! Such cuties!

MOM -- we need a walk and we're hungry! 

I didn't sleep well last night. No - that's a lie. I slept well once I finally fell asleep. I got up many times - to use the bathroom, get water, eat, and mindlessly scroll on my phone. It wasn't until I wrote out a to-do list and started reading a novel that I found myself drowsy and asleep before I knew it. Sigh!!!!

But I was up at the usual time and off to the gym to see Brooke. Oh boy --- so much weight lifting! I'm tired! I think it's going to be a two-nap day! One for sure!

And YES -- there is a Virtual Retreat this weekend. It's going to be loads of fun as people recap what happened at Quilt Canada. Not that anything bad happened, but it'll be fun to hear people's perspective! The Virtual Retreat is open to anyone and is available on Zoom, completely free of charge. Here are the links. 

June 28 - STARTS at 6 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82693702241?pwd=QpQkm8Ppppy1XwCPOqva1bcgJCWKdP.1

Meeting ID: 826 9370 2241
Passcode: 795071

June 29 - STARTS at 3 PM  (NOTE - the later start time!) 

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81073536036?pwd=uxRqMnK1aSKrmrcSO78w8QQs5g44eA.1

Meeting ID: 810 7353 6036
Passcode: 596838

And on that note - I'm out of here. I have a very long to-do list, and I still need to clear that cutting table so I can get some work done! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Quilt Retreat - Day Three

OK -- so what happened to the weather? It's only 19°C this morning, cloudy, with rain expected. If it were me, I'd have all the AC units off, but I'm not alone in the house. I've turned the temperature up (or down), turned the fans off, and I'm still cold. I'd get my jacket, except my roommate is still sleeping! 

We are leaving today, and I'm glad that this retreat is a short one. OH - not because I haven't enjoyed myself. I've done a lot of sewing and met new friends, and it's all been great. However, I have a lot to accomplish in July, and with barely any time between Quilt Canada and this retreat, I really need some time to regroup.

I've been watching the timer on my sewing machine - strictly for fun. It shows how many hours and minutes I've been sewing. I've been pretty busy sewing for three days, yet the actual amount of time the machine has been working? Not even three hours! That's insane!!!!

I went for a walk in the morning and chose a different direction as I thought I might locate a geocache or two. Well, my head was so turned around with the directions. When I got to the road, I turned, and my first thought was - mosquitoes and bugs. Hmm - let's not forget ticks. I keep forgetting them because they're not on my radar, but they should be! 

Do I really want to walk down that road? 

I turned around, and oh my goodness, they are laying fresh gravel. It didn't seem to need new gravel, but that didn't stop the trucks and the grader from working. 

Fresh gravel 

I don't know how many big trucks passed me. I stopped and stood on the side of the road, and all was good. 

The massive gravel trucks

I managed to find one geocache, but not before I carefully went into the ditch (checking for water) and searched a tree. Gosh - I sure hope there are no snakes around here! I didn't find the next one, so I decided to continue walking and forget about the geocaches. 

A cache hidden in plain sight

And then it was back to the house and back to work. I got the borders (4) on this small quilt, and it will make a perfect quilt for a child. 

Quilt top - DONE

The others went into town for lunch, where they met other members of their sewing group who didn't come to the retreat. I stayed at the house and sewed. I had lots of large pieces left in the kit and decided to make the backing for the quilt. 

The backing for the quilt

And now we know why kits are so expensive!! YES --- plenty of fabric in the leftovers for the backing, and I still have about 1 yard of fabric leftover! That's OBSCENE!!!

The binding strips were cut, so I sewed them together and pressed them. It's ready to go in the "to be quilted" pile when I get home! That is always very exciting!!!

Ready to be quilted

Here's a picture of the sewing room. There is plenty of room for six people to sew. It's all very modern, lovely tables and chairs, ironing stations, and cutting tables. This is looking towards the kitchen. 

The sewing room 

And this is looking into the room. There is plenty of natural light, but also pot lights overhead that provide good light even at night. Although we sat around the kitchen table last night and talked. I did NOT sew after dinner, which is very unusual for me. 

Lots of natural light

The retreat house is called The Fabric Loft Retreat House. 

After lunch, one of the ladies came and got me as we were going to a quilt store that was 4 KM away. WOW!!! But when we arrived, it was closed as they were preparing for a GARAGE SALE today! Oh boy --- it's only 4 KM away. I suppose we'll go and take a look this morning. It's called Bobbins and Bolts. They also raise Clydesdale horses on their farm!! 

Bolts and Bobbins

Karen (the retreat owner) also has fabric in the loft over her garage, so we went over before dinner and had a look. OK - I bought a pattern and some fabric which I didn't need, but it was pretty! 

I'm now working on the last project in my bag, but it's a doozy!! It's a bag of Oh Canada fabric - some yardage and lots of scraps. I'll bet there's enough fabric in the bag for four lap quilts and possibly five! 

I worked out the measurements in the afternoon, and I've been spending my time cutting, which I never do at retreat, but it's working. 

My cut pieces for the Oh Canada quilt

I started sewing this morning, and I'll continue to work until we leave shortly after lunch. Checkout time isn't until 4 PM, but I think I only stayed right up until the checkout time once. That was a 3 PM checkout time. I have a two-hour drive home, and while I could take the toll highway, I wasn't planning to, although I might consider it. It isn't cheap, but it saves a lot of time. I think most of the others are planning to leave around noon. I'll see how it goes. 

I got a chuckle this morning as this is the condition of the room! The tables are covered with fabric and stuff. My table is not too bad, but compared to some of the other retreats, it's a bit messy. But that's OK - we're allowed! 

The sewing room is a tad messy!

It's been great fun, and I'm looking forward to the next retreat. Oh, you don't want to know about that one. All is good, but let's just say that July is a busy month! Not with deadlines - OK, there are a couple of deadlines, but with travel, retreats, and those couple of deadlines, it's going to be jam-packed. And people are eager to finalize plans for September! A couple of phone calls and a few hours should have everything organized! 

And you won't believe this. I was on a call yesterday, and guess what happened? They couldn't hear me a couple of times. And I thought it was only my cell tower back home. Sgh....  I must try to get that fixed as it's annoying as everything! 

On that happy note, I'm off to continue sewing on my quilt top, which will be donated to Quilts of Valour. Y p - I spend my retreats sewing on everything but my projects. O  - the occasional oe gets thrown in. But it all has to be done, so let's just pick one and move on! 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

Quilt Retreat - Day Two

Significant progress is being made at the quilt retreat!! Thankfully, the temperature is dropping, so it's much more comfortable. I don't think any building was comfortable the previous day. Yesterday, we were nice and comfy, and with lower temperatures today, we may not even need the AC. OK, so that's me, but the others may feel differently. I actually felt slightly chilly in the room this morning!

Shoot, I meant to take a picture of the sewing room, but I'll save that for tomorrow. 

I started the day (after several hours of sewing) with a walk. Of course  - I like my morning walk. But where to walk to? I just started walking on the road and went where it took me. The big question is, when should I turn around? I ended up walking to this little spot. 

My destination on the walk

Back in the day, I'm sure that was the spot for a little community, a school, a community hall, or something. Sadly, there is just this sign left. 

I was watching my FitBit to see the steps/kms I was taking, and the darn thing was lagging. Let's just say that I got almost my daily quota in that walk—it was close to 9 km! Thankfully, there was some decent shade for about half the walk and a breeze on the way back. And the temps were still lower. It was all good! 

But it was a two-nap day! I was just tired, and I don't think it was from the walk, although I'm sure that didn't help. But with all the pressures leading up to Quilt Canada, and now having "nothing" to do, my body just said - I'm tired! So I listened and had two naps. I'm perfectly OK with that. 

I didn't bring many projects, so the goal will be to touch them all! OK—I'll do what I can. I have this Mondo bag that I started at another retreat. I've brought it to several retreats since. My goal this time was to finish improv piecing the lining! There were four sections, and I'm happy to report that all of them are done! You saw section one yesterday. 

Section Two

Section Three

Section Four

Someone said I may like the inside better than the outside. The pieces are the leftovers from Urbanology. OH—I said that yesterday. Well, no worries. I still have a small bag of scraps, which I'll throw in the retreat bag for next time. I'll piece them together to make a zippered pouch or something. It seems a shame to let them go to waste. 

Yes, I know many of you wouldn't touch those small scraps, and that's OK. We each have our idiosyncrasies—I LOVE little pieces. Trust me, when I have to downsize, I'll be using those scrap boxes of mine, and they will keep me busy for many years. Should I ever get dementia, give me a bag of fabric scraps of various colors, and I'll spend all day sorting them. Then mix them up and give them to me the next day! 

I pulled out the next project. This one belonged to Diane. It is a nice geometric quilt, and the columns were sewn together, but I have to say they were not well sewn. So I decided to rip one of the columns (there are 18) apart and check if they were cut properly. I don't have a 60-degree ruler with me, so one is apart, and I'll check the cutting when I get home. 

Ripping apart some triangles

If all is good, I'll resew the column together. If not, I'll recut the triangles to a consistent size and sew them together. I sorted and folded all the strips, which thankfully Diane labelled. 

Ripping those columns apart and recutting (if necessary) would be a perfect job for a Virtual Retreat. There is one this weekend! It's Saturday night from 6 - 9 PM and Sunday from 3 - 9 PM. 

Diane's geometric quilt is sorted

Then it was on to another project. This one belonged to Barb. Yes, I know—I come to retreat to sew little scraps together or work on someone else's project, and I'm OK with that. It all has to be dealt with, and this next one is easy. Patience is a virtue!!!!! 

The next project

I made the half-square triangles for the blocks in the border. This morning, I added two small borders and made the pinwheel blocks. There are two more borders to add, and the binding is cut, and I'll work on that this morning. I hope to use all the excess fabric for the backing, and then that can be done and added to the "to be quilted" pile. It will be donated to Project Linus. I already asked, and they will take this kind of quilt. 

Also, in my retreat bag, I had some half-square triangles (enders and leaders) that needed to be pressed and trimmed. I take a wee break, press four, and trim them. 

Trimming half-square triangles

There is only one large project left in the bag—more scraps! Two bags of triangles (enders and leaders) can easily stay in the next retreat bag. I did very well packing for this trip. How many retreats did it take for that to happen?

And here's the sunrise this morning from the sewing room! 

Sunrise

It's a bit different being a guest at a retreat instead of the one who did all the organizing, and I LOVE it. When the group has questions, they ask each other! I'm free to do whatever I want and I can leave whenever I want—not that I want to leave early—but it's great fun! This isn't the first retreat where I'm a guest—I did attend a large one in the US many years ago! 

I took a quick trip to Lindsay yesterday to pick up lunch supplies. I can't believe I forgot those supplies, but no worries! 

Well, I must finish the blog, and then I'm going for a walk. I will not be going as far as I did yesterday—I'm only going one concession, not two! But this road is busy—school buses, cars, and municipal trucks. But all is good, and they give me a wide berth! 

Have a great day!!!

Ciao!!!

Quilt Retreat - Day One

I got up bright and early (OK—the usual time) and prepped to come to a quilting retreat. I know—the timing wasn't the best, so soon after Quilt Canada, but it is what it is. I had an opportunity to visit a brand new retreat house, and well, when opportunity knocks, you need to take advantage of the situation. 

I used those packing skills I learned at Quilt Canada to put everything into the car. 

A few things for the retreat

I have probably brought the least amount of stuff ever to a retreat. A sewing machine, two bags of projects, my office bag with nothing besides my computer, clothes, and some food. That's it!!! The fan is NOT mine. 

My meagre pile of sewing projects

My two bags look small in the corner, but that's OK. I know I have enough to keep me busy while I'm here! And because I don't have a huge variety, I'm "forced" to sew what I brought. 

So, where am I? This new place is called the Fabric Loft Retreat House. This is the house, and it looks intriguing. The sewing room is in the front over the garage. 

The new retreat house

This is a wonderful older farm house that has been completely renovated on the inside. The sewing room is large and bright, although we've been sewing with the curtains/blinds closed because of the sun. We are trying to keep the heat out! Although we do not have central air, standalone units in the bedrooms and the sewing room make for comfortable sewing. I find it cool this morning in the sewing room. 

My favorite thing about this house is the sewing tables!!!

The sewing tables

They are sturdy and adjustable! Oh my --- I love them so much that I might replace two tables at my house—the ones that I use for my embroidery machines. There is ZERO bounce on these, and even though I have wooden banquet tables at home, these are much better! 

I didn't measure the tops, but I believe these are 2 feet by 6 feet or something like that! 

My neat sewing station

The owner, who is very sweet, came over last night to see how we were making out. OH—the house is located on a farm near Lindsay, Ontario. This is good because in the morning, when I packed, I brought lunch for yesterday, but completely forgot about lunch for the other three days! DUH!!! 

We love the adjustable tables, and I found a handle under my table. OK, but how do we adjust the height? No wonder I couldn't spot the mechanism because it was covered with my scraps. 

My scrap pile

If you move the scraps, guess what? There's the handle! You can buy mechanized ones, but seriously? How often are you going to move it up and down? I lowered mine by about an inch this morning as I felt my neck and shoulders tight—probably from not sewing at all for weeks! It feels much better. 

The handle to adjust the table

Now, if I were smart, I could search and find some of these online and have them delivered by the time I get home! 

Some of these pictures need to be rotated, but that's not going to happen—I'm not sure how to do that here. Anyway, these are my enders and leaders. This is what remains from the blocks I got from Barb when she downsized. I have a full set of blocks made, and these are the leftovers. AH—the leftovers—there are always leftovers! 

My enders and leaders

I had made 120 six-inch blocks, and for the first project, I pulled out the bag and sewed them into four-patches. 

Sewing the blocks into four-patches

Then, I sewed the four patches together, and by mid-afternoon, I had a quilt top! That makes me very happy. This quilt top will be quilted and donated to an organization! 

The first project at the retreat

Then, onto the next project, a Mondo bag that I started several years ago at a retreat. I am working with some Tula Pink fabrics, which I'm not really fond of, and I certainly don't need another tote bag! Hence, it has languished in the retreat box for a while. Well, it has to be done as I don't have much else to do. 

The outer part of the bag is done, and I need to make the lining. In an effort to get rid of the small bits, I'm piecing them together. These are actually the cutoffs from the Urbanology quilt I taught several years ago. YES—there are curved scraps, and I'm determined to use them up! You know me - make something from nothing! 

The scraps for the lining

Here is one of the four panels required for the lining. One down—three to go! That is progress!!

Panel one of four is complete!

After dinner, I went for a walk—actually, it was about 8:30. While the temperature was 31 degrees with a humidex of who knows what, there was a bit of a breeze, and the sun was behind the trees, which was very pleasant. 

Walking along the road

I'll be out for another walk as soon as I finish the blog. Let's walk before the temperature goes nuts, although today is supposed to be several degrees cooler than yesterday! 

This is how Miss Murphy stays cool. I put some water in her pool. The only problem is that I usually use the larger pool, and when she attempted to lie down, that wouldn't work! 

MOM -- the pool is too small for me!!!!

I slept like a log and heard nothing all night, so that was great! It is very quiet and the house is quiet - there is room for six people and we are six. 

And on that note, I'm out of here!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!