Friday, October 9, 2026

TBs done, zippers ordered, ballot, and weekend plans

I finally got those six TBs done. Two of them had lime green zippers so I added the same color for the snaps.  Every time I use The Hulk to install snaps I am so glad I made the investment!  He makes it so easy!
I need to get the making of TBs, PBs, and the scissor pouches wrapped up in the next few weeks. I ordered the zippers I needed for theses TBs and PBs plus a few more so I could get the bulk discount yesterday morning. They are scheduled to arrive Saturday so this weekend I hope to get many of these finished. I did what work I could on some of them like pressing the zipper pieces to size and quilting the lining. Once I get the zippers so I can construct the zipper pockets, they will finish quickly.
I needed more iron-on fleece pieces for PBs so I got those cut.
The very first thing I did after work was fill out my ballot. It is ready to go! I will hand deliver it to the BOE today which is just a couple miles down the road from where I work.
This weekend I need to cut out the fabric for the PBs and TBs that will be table gifts for the cross stitch retreat I am going to. I also want to put a dent in getting the scissor pouches made. I will be spending my weekend in the sewing studio! Have a great weekend!

Thursday, October 8, 2026

Cutting vinyl and 6 more TBs almost done

While the light was good when I got home, I cut up the rest of the vinyl I had for PB fronts and for TB zipper pockets. This ought to last me a few days.
I finished up the zipper pockets for the found scrap fabric and now all six TBs are ready for the final stitching of the self-binding.

Wednesday, October 7, 2026

A mixed bag of activities

Wednesday is recycling and trash day, so I took care of that last evening. I taped the quilting lines on the four thread beds of the current group I am work on,  got one quilted and the flannel sewn on
A lady I work with wanted a baby quilt for a friend, so I got the label made and sewn on. It will be delivered today.
I dug out my yarn winder and wound that beautiful natural colored wool yarn into a ball. I now have the knitting needles with a counter ready to go.
This is what I am going to make. The pattern said it needed 145 yards of yarn and the skein band said it was 200 yards. Let's hope I can get this made for this winter! LOL!!
Last thing I did was look for the scrap of one of the batiks I was using for the current group of thread beds. I had thought I had cut the fabric for the zipper pockets, but I can't find those. I finally found the scrap that was left (I had already cut the lining pieces). I can easily get the two pocket pieces cut from this scrap.

Tuesday, October 6, 2026

A small bit of progress and s cool skein of yarn

I didn't get much done last evening. I was tired from driving on Sunday and Monday - an hour each way to the birthday party then Monday to an eye doctor appointment. All I managed to get done was the zipper pocket for four more TBs. I am using up small pieces of batiks for the lining on these.
One of the guys at work had gone to Virigina over the weekend and brought me back a present! It is a beautiful skein of wool yarn! It is the natural color of the sheep and it is a warm deep chocolate brown color. I want to knit a neck warmer out of it. I just have to find a pattern.

Monday, October 5, 2026

More TBs and PBs, cake, and a bolt

It was another busy weekend. I managed to get twelve TBs completed and 8 PBs.
Sunday I went to a birthday party for a family member at a Mexican restaurant. The food was good and the company was great!
One of the guys picked up some of the bolts that flew off the bridge as the steel was getting chopped up for recycling and removal. When the shear would cut the steel especially at the knuckles where the steel was bolted together, the bolts would snap off the fly all over the place. He gave me one as a souvenir.

Friday, October 2, 2026

A back up for the back up

I have a Pfaff 1475CD sewing machine. I bought it in 1993 I think. Over the years I decided to buy another one as a backup. I took it with me to California when I went to my brother's house a couple years ago. He and his wife needed cushions and pillows made for their breakfast nook. I left it in CA because I need to go back to make drapes. I came across an excellent opportunity to get another 1475 at a really good price so I bought it. I had emailed the seller about how the machine would be packed.  They had a 100% rating on eBay.  The machine arrived in just a couple of days. It was packed very well!
Lots of bubble wrap and some Styrofoam packing! I got everything out of the box and was excited to plug it in. It works like it is brand new! Woohoo!
I still need to go thru the rest of the stuff it came with.
I also got my order from 123stitch. I saw the model for this chart in April when I was at Hobby House Needleworks, but they didn't have any in stock. I finally just ordered it.   I saw that 123stitch had sewing machine needles on sale and I needed some so I bought a few packs of those.
I have been cleaning my space at work so I can take my backup machine and sew at lunch. Call me crazy! LOL!! Have a great weekend!

Thursday, October 1, 2026

It was TBs last evening

I got the zipper pockets sewn together for the next six TBs. I had eight cut from that same purple fabric as the PBs I showed yesterday, but I only have six zippers that were the right color.
I did get the outside fabric and liners taped for quilting. They are sitting beside the sewing machine just waiting for me!
I did head outside for about a half hour to trim two bushes and my blue spruce. I will have to clean up the stuff I cut off tonight.