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Saturday, May 02, 2020

Piecing in to May!


This is the kind of little stuff I want to use.

All of those cut off triangles – many of them gifted to me in baggies by well meaning students who wish to feed my addiction for small pieces and parts.

ALL of these wonderful fabrics and prints.  SO much color – a treasure trove – and oh, the variety!

I love paper piecing – and generally stick with a design where the seam goes edge to edge across the paper so that I can chain piece sections.

Makes sense, right?

Well, ,every once in a while a design comes along that doesn’t do that.  The design starts in the CENTER of the paper and you work your way out to the corners and edges.

My love of vintage machines only goes so far and I start to wonder with all of the stops and starts and short seams in the middle of a paper foundation if there has to be a better way to piece these.

There is.


Big Beast Janome 11000.

It does a gazillion wonderful stitches, has the embroidery module, everything – and what I am using it for?

Straight stitch, presser foot lifter lever and a thread cutter.

I’ve yet to learn to use all of the other amenities – because there are some things I just like BEST on a vintage machine.

At one time I thought this machine would be great for embroidering labels – especially for quilts I was gifting to someone.  But that hasn’t happened.


What has happened is this!

I have a bit more than a dozen made – but yesterday things just kind of fell apart one after the other after the other.

Have you EVER missed a seam allowance not catching one fabric clear in the middle of a block and you didn’t see it until you had trimmed the block and were removing the paper and oops – your fingers go through??  Well yes.

And the whole block is sewn with such tiny stitches because it makes the paper easier to remove and…you find yourself just pitching the whole thing?

And then you pull it back out of the trash and at least cut off the last 4 large corner triangles because you can use them in another block.

While all of this was going on, my battery back up system for the long arm machine started beeping.  Every 30 seconds.  And I went to check it out.

I couldn’t figure out what the deal was, so I turned the beeper part off and went back to the Janome.

A couple of minutes after that – the overhead lights went down to half-bright.  WEIRD.  Like REALLY WEIRD!

And just as I was commenting to the cats how weird this really was, the whole building shut down.  Power OFF.

Even if I had switched to the treadle there wasn’t enough light to see by.  There wasn’t a hot iron to press with – and I was kind of fed up with the whole thing by this point. 

IT WAS A SIGN!

And so I took the drive I had been dreading and headed over to Independence for some groceries – because you can’t have enchilada casserole for dinner with out enchilada sauce.  And other things that were on the list.


And the angels began to sing!!! 

“Halleluiah!”

This is the first time I have seen toilet paper on the shelves since March.  And let me tell you – when the sign says 1 per customer – you are going to grab that 12 Mega Roll pack and run with it!

I was down to the last roll at the QPO – I’m now good for the next 4 months or so.

While all of this was going on – I received a frantic message from my friend Andee that my Twitter had been taken over and was spewing forth foul spam.

ACCCCKKKKKKK!

You guys, this was such a nightmare!  I don’t even watch porn so why would I send it through my readers?  At any rate – I changed my password numerous times, but it continued.  I revoked all permissions from various apps that post to Twitter for me, and it continued.  I finally deleted my entire Tumblr account which was really just a mirror site of things I post to Instagram, and this morning there is no more filth. And no more Tumblr.

To those who endured it. I’m so sorry.  And I’m seriously reconsidering why I have to post to each and every format anyway.  At this point I am on the fence of whether just to also discontinue Twitter.  I’m not engaging with folks there – it’s just another mirror site of things I post elsewhere.  Time to clean the closet.

But it was just that kind of day, you know?  The kind you wish you could have a do-over on.  The kind where temps don’t reach beyond 49 chilly degrees with breezy yuck and you just want to take it to the return counter and say, I need a different one – this one doesn’t work for me.

Let’s hope that today is a better one!


Let’s make it better with a 25% off sale!

I really DO love May! And to celebrate the beauty of May (with a do-over day today) I am putting all digital patterns in the Quiltville Store at 25٪ off using coupon code DIGITAL25.

This coupon code is good for the entire month, but code must be used at time of purchase for the sale price to be in effect. Don't forget to use the code!

No refunds if you forget, okay?

You'll find everything in the digital pattern section of the Quiltville Store.

Where you will also find the Addicted to Scraps book still at the low low price of $15.99 while lock-down lasts. (June 10th here in Virginia.) 

And it comes with a free Wanderlust table runner PDF pattern, so maybe instead of purchasing that one at 25% off in the digital pattern sale, you’d like it for FREE with the purchase of Addicted to Scraps?  No coupon required for the book purchase.

The weather promises to be better today.  There may be a hike today.  Or I might just take today off and do little-to-nothing.  We shall see.

Oh, and that enchilada casserole turned out SO YUMMY.  Leftovers for lunch today.



Quiltville Quote of the Day -

I believe this whole sheltering at home has had many of us tackling projects we had pushed back due to lack of time.

Closets are being cleared of old clothing and gear. Garages, attics and basements and sheds are being emptied-contents being reevaluated as to keep or to let go.

Many are doing the same with emotions, old hurts, belief systems that no longer work, and will come out of this Covid storm ready to move forward in better directions.

Letting go isn't something we do just once. Repeat as often as necessary!

We will be different when this is past. For the better.

Have a lovely Saturday, everyone!




24 comments:

  1. Thought I had can of enchilada sauce! none in my pantry!!! Oh My!!! Little disappointments seem magnified... sigh... glad to hear you are 'cooking' at the Inn, will help keep the building "alive" during this 'trial' -- you are the epitome of good cheer in the face of frustration and challenges, big and small... hope the electrical at QPO is easily remedied... Cats in Carlsbad, CA

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  2. Everybody has a day like that every so often, in various formats....sometimes I recognize as it's happening, sometimes at the end of the day I see it....but, yes, the next day is usually better and back on track! I try to look for ONE productive thing in the day- for you it was TP!! Happy sewing!

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  3. Thank you GOD that there is NO real "Groundhog Day" Can you imagine??? I am so glad the sun is shining today and things will get done because my health is actually holding up through this! Blessings to you Bonnie for all you do and all you share with the world :)

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  4. Thank you Bonnie! You put into words many of my thoughts and feelings. I agree that Covid has definitely made for some reflection on what is important and what is not. It also has given us TIME which we never seemed to have enough of. Time to do past projects, time to clean and purge, time to reconnect with our inner selves.

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  5. Sorry yesterday was not a good day. I hope today will be much better for you.

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  6. Bonnie,We all love you to the Moon & Back !! You can take a burn pile and turn it into a beautiful Rose bush. You have made us see things in the "Glass is Half Full" mode,and not that "It's Half Empty"
    Thank you for being part of our lives everyday :-)
    Dot

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  7. Thank you for your daily postings! They are refreshing & uplifting. Really love hearing about Zoey's latest adventure. Yes, take a day and do nothing after an "icky" day. It will replenish your spirit.

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  8. Please accept a virtual hug from central Virginia. I'm glad I wasn't a recipient and I agree that there are way to many platforms. Simple is better and apparently safer too. Quilty inspiration coming your way from me to you!

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  9. Enchilada casserole sounds good. Would you mind posting your recipe? Thanks. And I hope today is a better day.

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  10. Hi Bonnie:

    I know just what you mean about the TP. I have seen it in two stores, but only a couple pkg of a couple kinds, Cottonelle, Charmin Ultra Soft and Angel Soft at one store. None of what I use. Still no Northern. I Did pick up a 6 pack for my bathroom, so I am back to having enough tp in the house for several months again.

    I have days like yours every now and then. Lately it has been I just have no motivation to be doing the things I know I need to do, like more masks, get to transplanting baby plants and starting new seeds. It will be gardening time in a month.

    Oh, and the black bear is back, so can't let Bandit, My snow shoe kitty out. He wants out, but I have to watch him like a hawk, look at the woods for the bear with the binoculars, and worry about him the whole time he is out. He is very wary, but all it takes is a couple of seconds and he will be gone, meaning forever. So, best to just keep him in, listen to him complain.



    Have a Great Day, enjoy the Sunshine!

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    Replies
    1. Our 4 year old tuxedo cat wants out everyday , so we began using a leash and watched closely. He is very comfortable now and spends many hours outside our door.

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  11. Those kind of days help us appreciate the good things - like delicious enchilada casserole, blue skies, sweet dogs - we just have to look harder for them on "those" days. Our weather has been warm & windy, which is no good for my allergies, and so I make more trips up & down the stairs. Hoping to be able to get plants/flowers for this next weekend (we don't plant until Mother's Day weekend here). Ready to pretty up our patio and front courtyard. Hope the weekend is much better for you.

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  12. Hello Bonnie!
    I can related to this kind of day. I've learned to just not struggle with it; and quit right away. Pack it up, close it tight, shut it off and go do something else - like your grocery run. The more you try to sruggle through the frustration, the worse it gets. Yep, go for a walk, sit in the rocking chaiar and read a good book, spend the day doing a jigsaw puzzle. You still get to enjoy the day and do something else that you enjoy.

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  13. Can I just say, I LOVE your attitude!!!

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  14. Sorry you had a bad day. I was able to get about 20 boxes of fabric for FREE today. A lady was cleaning out her grandmother 's sewing room. There is alot of very vintage fabrics but that is fine. As I have been looking through it I think of what you would say, "It is just fabric, just sew it up." So no matter how ugly it is I don't care. It will get sewn into some kind of block. Hope you have a better day tomorrow.

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  15. I have found bajillion little triangles that I think came from one of the mysteries. They been my leaders and enders through the last three weeks of working on three projects. They're going to square to 1 1/2". Not sure what I'm going to do with them and the little two patches that can be turned into four patches. When I have an empty design wall I'll figure it out.

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  16. These hackers are so unpleasant. I've been sent blackmail emails quoting an ancient password that hasn't been used for years, but it is the thought of an unwanted invasion that spews disgusting lies so you know it is rubbish anyway. I've had emails from friends who usually call me by my nickname without any chatter, blunt wording, no hello, just a link. Block and delete! Turns out they were old email addresses.
    But I'm very wary. I do not use instagram as, when I opened up an account so I could see the quilty progress linkies, I immediately had a follower who appeared to be a man that I didn't know - and I hadn't even put any photos on the site! Made me squirm!
    Have fun with the machine - when the power is back on! It certainly sounded weird!

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  17. Those kinds of days can be so frustrating, but it looks like you made lemonade out of those lemons! TP score!! That enchilada casserole sounds good..... really good...... any chance for a recipe share? I looked in the recipes and didn’t see it. For me, this quarantine has gotten me out of my cooking rut and I’ve been trying all sorts of new recipes. Hope today is a much better day!

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  18. Is the "snail trail" pattern in one of your books or will you be releasing it somewhere down the line? I would love to make a quilt like this! Thanks.

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  19. Thank you for your fun, informative and real life happens emails. I look forward to "seeing" you everyday :) :)
    and Thank you for the idea of using up my bag of 1/2 triangles !!!!
    Have a wonderful productive week ahead. See you tomorrow Hug

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  20. I quit Twitter a few years ago and don’t use Facebook’s Messenger because of those types of hacks. I do use Instagram though and block any weird followers I get - usually male with raunchy photos.
    I am so sorry you had such a rough day, but glad you scored some tp and look forward to Part 6 of your unity quilt tomorrow.

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  21. Hi Bonnie, Your enchilada casserole sounds delicious. Would you mind sharing the recipe? I enjoy your Blog and your stories with the cats and Zoey. I have 3 cats and they enjoy being with me in my sewing room. Thanks for all you do.

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  22. bonnie, I love your blog but I must say that I miss "our" Zoey every time you don't post her! She is just that adorable...

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