What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

Yes -- I need to figure out how to change the stride on this new fitness tracker. I haven't found that yet, BUT I found the sleep app. Someone at the retreat mentioned that they use the sleep app to monitor their sleep, and I dismissed it. How can this app know so much about your sleep from a little band around your wrist? You think I would know better by now. 

So I did that last night. And I had looked at my previous night's sleep. OMG -- it's pretty bang on. And the snoring? There's even ...

Thanks for the vinegar tip! I need a spray bottle for the vinegar to make it easier to apply. And I know where to get a great one. I've heard that before, but never got myself organized to make that happen. 

Shoot --- something bizarre happened in the morning and I was going to tell you about it, but it's gone! Maybe by the time I finish writing this morning, it'll come back to me. Anyway, I finished getting everything ready and packed it all into the car. There actually wasn't too much this time. Some items ...

Well, to start my day, I seem to have lost the dongle that connects my mouse to the computer. I had to take it out yesterday as I needed the room in the USB port. YES - I should have put the dongle into the mouse where it belongs when not in use, however, I didn't do that. And now? Well, I've searched my backpack, but I haven't found it yet. I'll search again. It's not a big deal, but it's a pain in the butt. 

Lesson learned -- do things the right way every time ...

I have a question to ask, and I don't mean to offend anyone by asking—that is not my intent. I'm merely curious. Is there anyone out there who uses scented laundry products? That could be detergent or dryer sheets. I'm curious because the scent is too strong for my nose. And I think that's just because I've become so used to NO scent that anything out of the ordinary becomes too much. 

Even walking in the neighborhood and smelling the dryer sheets from vents, if someone is drying clothes, is too much for my ...

I laugh about the subwoofer! It would be in my STASH room if it was bolted to the floor beneath the family room. It's going to stay where it is - behind the sofa. But it makes sense - it's a SUB woofer, and it's just an ugly-looking box. I've no idea why, for 20 years - it had to sit front and center in our family room. But that's a thing of the past. 

And if all goes well, the old TV and surround sound will be picked up in an hour! I have a few other ...

Yesterday was like a "vacation" with only one presentation, but I can't say I accomplished much. I did, but it wasn't what I wanted. However, I'm thrilled with what I made. Unfortunately, it's a gift for someone, so I can't share it yet, but I will. And it involved paper, not fabric. Imagine that! 

Wait - I took one picture to share with you. 

Cutting paper on the Singer Momento

Yes, that is the Singer Momento digital cutter, and I love it! I had fun manipulating an already-made design in the software and using some cool ...

 So, did you have a chance to read the 50 Ways to Keep a Quilter Happy while on Vacation? I had a blast writing that series, and my mind is spinning to develop a new, fun theme. 

If you didn't check out Numbers 50 - 49 and 48, here's the link again. 

And here are the next three. Numbers 47, 46, and 45. 

Two more presentations are finished for this week. The Machine Embroidery series, honoring National Embroidery Month, is winding down. I have a few more this week, and most of the weekend is free, so I have ...

 When we were at the retreat this past weekend, we discussed many things, and you know what they say—what happens at the retreat stays at the retreat. But I wanted to share a couple of things—only because they are super fun! And some great memories!

One of the topics discussed was the Row by Row Experience, which I will share at the end of this post. 

We also chatted about the first time I met the owner (Laurie) of Stitcharie, which at the time was located in Wyoming, Ontario, but has since moved to Petrolia. 

That summer, I ...

OH MY! As I create a folder each day to store the blog photos, I date it. It's January 25 already! Where has the time gone? 

Someone mentioned the stand-up/sit-down exercises. The chair height is important! Obviously, we are NOT doing this from a step stool. If you can do that, then you're still young! But try various chair heights, and as you become comfortable with one height, find something a bit lower. I get it that some of us have knee issues, so the height can't be too low. But how easily can you get ...

 We have a situation in our house. It's not serious if you are human, but it's pretty bad if you have four legs. In the past, our girls were used to being on their own. If one or both of us were gone, they handled it gracefully. Now that we both work from home, we are here for the girls 100% of the time. 

So when DH went away earlier this week, the girls, and Lexi in particular, were NOT happy. 

After the walk, I was taking off my shoes and saw this: Lexi was sitting in front ...

I counted the number of flannel quilt tops in that bag—25! To be fair, some of them are relatively small as they were made for children. But still! And I forgot to mention that I have a few bolts (5?) of flannel fabric that has to be used up! So yes, 2025 is the year of eliminating flannel from Studio B. WAIT—I also have a large flannel kit. That should be added to the mix. I wonder if there are more flannel kits? 

I'm happy to report that another flannel quilt from the 2024 pile is loaded ...

I don't want my personal issues to become an ongoing topic on this blog. Let's just say there are good days and bad days. So far, it's been a bad day!

I had to finish editing something this morning, which was way overdue. What does one do? You get creative. I tried sitting down, but I couldn't even edit one sentence without having to walk. So - I have a stand-up desk of sorts in Studio B. 

Holy—that's so different from sitting down, and at times, I felt a bit of relief. The biggest issue ...

OK --- First, if you sent me a note about the Spice Market class, I created the distribution list last night and will be sending out a note this morning. Everyone who sent me a note is in the class if you want to—some people just asked questions, and they are on the list and have the option to stay in or opt-out. I have not yet reached my 100 limit on Zoom, so all is good. I ask for your patience just a wee bit longer. 

It's so nice to be home and not have to run around ...

Oh gosh—I'm a hypocrite!!!! I went to the event and brought something home! No, it was not a brand-new, top-of-the-line sewing and embroidery machine, although it was very tempting. No - it was a charm pack. 

A charm pack

I got caught up in the moment! When they went around with a bag of prizes, I reached my hand in, and this is what I got. Wait—I cheated and peeked into the bag to get something I might use rather than some swag that I would not! I can easily sew those squares together and make a child ...

Oh my goodness --- I guess I'm not alone in getting mail for the previous owners of our houses. What surprises me is how much of this stuff there is around and what that is costing the world in general. In terms of postage, paper, and resources, it's insane. There must be a way for these companies to write a small program and run it annually to find mailings to the same address with different names. A quick follow-up would eliminate the duplication. I may never get it resolved. And YES - years ago, I sent the letters back, with ...

Oh my gosh—someone posted a comment that they had to BUY scratch pads to make lists, etc. I wish I was closer because they would NEVER have to buy another scratch pad again!

I didn't get a chance to call the school yesterday, but first thing this morning! 

While I was in the mood, and on a high from the previous day's success, I decided to tackle more stuff in the office. 

I grabbed one of the shelf supports from the supply bag and fixed that shelf. While it's not the same type as what is ...

Yeah for BANNING multitasking! I'm all for slow and methodical work, which suits me perfectly. 

Having said that, I am doing one task in quilting but also trying to clean out the kitchen, and one thing is leading to another. 

I've been "nagging" about cleaning out drawers for the last while. Right? You're doing that, aren't you? I decided to clean out the spice drawer. 

DH went through them and decided what he wanted to keep and what to throw. I then washed the drawers and ordered something because I couldn't find it in the ...

I got a chuckle from the comment on yesterday's blog. The minute something is in your hand, deal with it—toss, keep, and put it immediately where it should go. I'm trying very hard to do that. I'm still dealing with quantity at times, and it's overwhelming. I'm also still at the sorting stage, where I don't want to make decisions until I see the entire picture of that group of items. 

But I'm making progress, and YES -- when I have something in my hand, I try very hard to make that toss ...

Someone mentioned that they are also in the process of doing a file sort/reorg. Yep—it can be tedious, and we'd all rather be sewing. For myself, it's the satisfaction of knowing that I've gotten a little closer to the ultimate goal of getting that stuff all cleaned up. That feeling now supersedes sewing at my house! 

I don't spend a lot of time sorting, especially if I'm not in the mood. Aim for 15 minutes a day. Surely, we can give up 15 minutes of sewing time to push ahead with the decluttering ...

I had a super fun day yesterday at Sew Productive. We made MONSTERS, which you'll see in a moment. 

I presented a couple of lectures on Husqvarna Viking accessories. I will give one more on Friday and a lecture on quilting at Thimble Quilts and Sewing in Lasalle, Ontario. 

I have written so much about Husqvarna Viking sewing and embroidery machines and almost all the accessories, and you have access to all that information. 

Where do you find it? Well, on QUILTsocial.com, of course. 

So here's the deal: I can't provide links to all the posts ...