What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

 Yesterday, it was all about getting things done! I think it was one of my most productive retreat days ever! And how did that happen? I seemed to spend a bit more time sewing and a little less time chatting! 

But I still got to chat with everyone, and I still say that I have the best friends and we have the BEST time at Virtual Retreat! It's nice to know that we can laugh and chat without physically being with each other! And we solve all the world's problems! If quilters ruled the world!

OH -- here's ...

OK --- so the lawn furniture got put away. Phew -- we can all rest easy now. It wasn't so much the furniture; it was shutting off the tap to the backyard that was the critical thing here. I noticed that DH put one piece in the shed, but it was the largest piece, making it a challenge to get the rest in there. But I managed. And I drained 200 feet of garden hose, and it's all stored away. The deck is mostly swept -- I would have used the leaf blower, but it was at the back of the ...

The allergies were well under control yesterday! I don't have a fever; I've checked a couple of times. And every once in a while, I get a humbling day like that where my allergies just go berzerk! Then they are good! I've no idea why, but I know I've disturbed a LOT of dust over the last couple of days. I've Swiftering, and hopefully, everything is OK. 

OMG -- I just finished reading a book this morning, and I want ONE more chapter! Seriously! This book had plot twists and turns, and you think - AHA -- I ...

I've been humbled! Someone thought I was getting along too well, and I was brought to my knees. Personally, I think someone has a voodoo doll of me and stuck pins in my head! My sinuses just had a field day with me yesterday, and I was brought down! 

That and the damn phone, which I'll mention in a minute. 

During Monday's sewing, we had been chatting about sleeping. Yes -- I have my bad nights, just like everyone else. For the most part, I have zero trouble sleeping. On Monday night, I went to bed and fell ...

Thanks, Carolyn, for the offer to bind quilts!!! I will start working on the binding as soon as those quilt backs are DONE! Only three more to make! 

I never get too much done on a Monday, as I seem to chat more than I sew! But I got the next quilt loaded on the long arm, and the next piece of machine embroidery prepped and ready to go. Plus, I cleared up a few things, and those worktables are almost clear! So it was a good day!

Worktables are almost clear!

Oh my -- I have serious allergy issues these ...

 You had better sit down for this one. Even I was exhausted when I went to bed! 

I'll start with the quilt report. Yes --- more quilts are done for Quilts of Valour, making numbers 5 and 6 of eleven. Can I get five more done by Thursday evening? 

Quilts of Valour quilt Number 5

Quilts of Valour quilt Number 6

I know I will - - I'll make it a priority. Even with automation, quilting two quilts in one day is time-consuming! 

Four of the remaining five quilts

And I played bobbin chicken, and I won! I was getting close ...

Thanks for all your comments! Yes -- we are all obsessed (I'm good with that!), and we all have some tidying to do! I did a bit, but not nearly enough. But that's OK. It's happening - just a bit slower than I would like. The laundry is in the front hall, so I will remember to do it. That's how obsessed I get -- I don't even think about things like laundry. I completely forget. The furniture in the backyard? Yes -- I must remember to bring that in today when the weather is still so warm! 

But ...

 I don't know what it was, but I couldn't sleep last night. As a result, I got up and watched a work-related video, and then it was REALLY late for me, and I got up late, and the blog is late, and my entire day will be behind! Do I care? Not really! I like being on schedule, but it isn't going to happen today, and guess what? It's my schedule today -- no pickups, no dropoffs, no Zoom. It is me alone who dictates when and what I do!

Based on the state of the house ...

OH  --- Elle mentioned in the comments about waiting to see the BIG totals at the end of the year. The number of quilts made, donated, the fabric used, etc. 

I am NOT good with that kind of stuff! Well, I am, sort of. I do have some tallies, but I doubt I've captured everything. I have a folder called "year-end review," and I think I put pictures in it at the beginning of the year, but it's missing lots. However, even the stuff I remember from the last couple of months will be impressive. 

I'm now at ...

I'm amazed at how focused I am here and how much I have accomplished! I even managed a long walk. Anything can be accomplished when there are no distractions and you are motivated. Now, if I had brought all that missing fabric, I wouldn't be quite as far ahead, but I would have some more finished projects, but that's OK. 

I managed to finish one of my UFO projects (due on Sunday), so I've saved myself a $10 penalty. I won't show you the homework yet, but suffice it to say that it's made ...

 Oh my -- it would appear that I'm back in the swing of things, and it only took one day! I have guild presentations this month -- some on Zoom and some in person. I have to travel to a quilt show (Courtepoint Quebec Salon 2022) for work. Oui -  in French, no less, and there are new store openings, classes, demos, and lectures to prepare! Yikes --- I knew this was all coming, so I'm not surprised. It just seems that I went from ZERO to 100 in 60 seconds. 

Actually, it's not all that bad -- it's just a ...

OH MY --- it's back to the ROUTINE! I'm on my way to spin class this morning, and I hope they let me in! I had put my membership on hold, and I see they put the return date as Novemer 30! I tried to get it changed the other day,, and they noted that I'll be in this morning. Then I can get it changed. I'm sure it will work out just fine! But it feels a bit weird to be in my cycling shorts!

I'm happy to report that the LAST of the eleventh ...

I have to laugh as I looked at the title of yesterday's post -- The eleventh quilt is done! The deadline for this particular push on the Quilts of Valour quilts is November 11. Yet the date yesterday was October 1? How is it that I finished something more than a month in advance? You know --- finishing the last quilt at the 11th hour? I think the old Elaine is still walking the Camino! However, I want to do a second grouping of 11 quilts, and that one may be down to the wire!

Anyway -- something has changed in me ...

 ACK -- I'm a bit behind in responding to your comments! I need to do that every day as I love to get comments from you all, and I feel bad when I don't comment back because often, that's the only way we get to stay in touch; otherwise, it's a one-sided conversation! 

Can you believe it's the last day of September? I've felt a bit "nostalgic" all week as this would have been the week I would have arrived in Santiago! I've been thinking about the people I met and figured many would ...

Oh my gosh!!! I'm so excited!!!! The eleventh quilt for Quilts of Valour came off the long arm last night, trimmed and ready to be bound!

The last of the grouping of eleven quilts for Quilts of Valour

I feel like I've just run a marathon and beat my personal best! I'm excited about accomplishing so much in a relatively short time. Yes --- there was a reason the Camino sent me home early. Perhaps I didn't need to walk the entire thing to learn about myself! 

I now have a binding marathon ahead of me, but ...

We all have them -- those lazy days! I had one yesterday. I had a chat with my boss, then I had an errand, and it was much later than planned by the time I got home. So I wasn't motivated to work on quilts, but I did get one quilted. This is number EIGHT!

Quilt for Quilts of Valour - DONE

That leaves THREE more to do for this grouping of 11 eleven quilts, an incentive set out by the Quilts of Valour group. I got the binding on this one as well. It would appear that I did NOT ...

 Gosh --- I'm getting positively dull, and I'm getting bored! 

I finished two more quilts for Quilts of Valour, which makes numbers 6 and 7; only four more to go to finish this group of eleven. 

Quilts of Valour #6

Quilts of Valour #7

I think I need to take a break after these eleven quilts are done. I have until November 11 to complete the second group of eleven, but I'm starting to feel pressure to work on other things. I have classes starting in October, and I have things to prep for. So even though I ...

I have been totally neglecting my e-mail. Once I check it on my desktop computer first thing in the morning, I glance at it on my phone throughout the day, but I rarely respond to anyone. Then when I try to sync the desktop the following day, it takes a LONG time for the e-mails to go through, including the one where I've e-mailed myself the pictures for the blog. Sigh..............

It is supposed to sync automatically throughout the day, and not sure why that isn't happening anymore. I think I have figured out how to force it ...

The woes of the internet! For whatever reason, my e-mail doesn't want to sync (yet again), so I may or may not have pictures! I sent the e-mail hours ago, and I've restarted the computer TWICE, and still nothing! GRRRR!!!! I must call Microsoft and see what that's all about. I can see the e-mails on my phone, but not on the computer. 

And while I can do a send/receive, it won't sync, and that's what needs to happen for the e-mails to download. OH --- good --- it just synced. Why does it work sometimes ...

I'm so amazed at what I'm accomplishing. I have ZERO ideas about where the drive comes from, but I'm so happy that I found something creative and useful to do in this "downtime." Technically, I could be working well ahead on my homework projects, but that will come later, and then YEP -- I'll be in a mad panic, but then where would the fun be without some panic? 

I know one way I'm able to get so much done is to be EFFICIENT. Make every movement or step count, and I've been getting in ...