All Aboard!

Can you believe that August disappeared in a blink of an eye.  When I closed my eyes Saturday evening, and opened them it was Sunday and September.  Wholly toledo!  This year is chugging like a locomotive faster and faster.  All aboard!  Boarding now, September, lasting 31 days.  Next stop, October.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Before I know it, 2019 will be completely history!  The train has to slow down.  I cannot cram enough into my days.  I need more time, I feel like it is running out.

I recall the glory days of attending school.  The clock went ever so slow, and then after having children, they seem to suck up all of your time leaving you with scraps of time that does not allow anything to be accomplished.  For years, while at work, I would say aloud, “come on 4 o’clock!”  And then one day it hit me, I was wishing my life away.  The time continuum at work goes just as fast as time at home.  Every now and then I have a Friday that seems to creep.  I relish the creep days.  They used to be every day in my youth.  Now they are few and far between.

So how does this parlez into the quilting dept?  Well, you probably guessed that not much got accomplished.  I did not meet all of my goals.

My last post, I stated my goals as the following:

• Stay cool~ these were the hottest days of the year.  Such a drain on my energy.  Not executed flawlessly, but ended on a lovely note.  Friday we had a cool front, cool enough to turn off the AC and let the fresh air and the 76 degree temperatures permeate the whole house.
• Finish quilting the chandelier quilt….done!  It is officially quilted to death.
• Finish the 81 patches.  These are done with a couple of hitches.  First problem, after squaring them up they were so wonky that more than one row had to be added back and then re-trimmed.  Upon laying out of every other block of star and 81 patch I realized that I do not have enough 81 patches.  So even though I met the goal of the existing, I have to make 2 or three more.  This is a great task to pull so many fabrics to achieve a random look.  I am currently working those now.
  

  
• Play with my new ruler base and ruler work on a quilt…..in the works.
  

  

During playtime with my new ruler mechanics, it is going to be quite the learning experience.  I have the versa tool from Handiquilter.  This ruler is small and probably designed for sit down machines.  The curves are small and hard to navigate on the outside loop to make clamshells.  I find it hard to keep to the ruler.  The machine is so heavy (which I usually quilt one handed anyway), but your arm tires more quickly because you are going slower.  I need to become ambidextrous to use both my arms to run the machine, but fear my left arm would be worse.  I am enjoying it, and it is very pleasing to make perfectly straight lines.

I did actually accomplish another project for the week but failed to take pictures.  A long time ago Nancy’s Notions sent me an order, and they sent the wrong fabric.  After contacting them, they told me to keep the fabric in error and they would just send out the right fabric.  The fabric that was wrong, was a double knit tshirt fabric.  Very nice fabric, but not for most of my projects.  While digging around looking for fabric to pull for the 41 patches, I came across it and made some diaper inserts.  All I did was rough cut 4 layers of this stuff pinned together and stitched with a knit stitch to secure it all together.  We needed new ones, had the stuff, took me less than an hour.  Done.  Utilitarian.  Me, very happy!  Made a small dent for other fabrics to move in (insert Cheshire cat smile).

This week has left me feeling a bit like a pincushion.  (Stick a pin in me and call my job done!)  Acquired at a local antique store.  Not sure if it is old, but I like it and the price is right.

My goals for the upcoming week:

• Practice more with the versa tool
• Research options for more rulers, for curves that perhaps are bigger with inside and outside curves.
• Finish the 81 patches and sew the stars to have a completed top
• Oil, grease, and clean my 221
• Enjoy my extra day off, Happy Labor Day to me!  And to you too!

I hope you feel you have utilized your time wisely by reading my blog.  I appreciate all my readers, thank you!

 

 

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