One Word 2023 Resolution

WITH a New Year comes people talking about making Resolutions. Putooey! to that I say. Myself, I do not remember making any resolutions, ever. Well definitely not out loud or written down for all the world to see. Maybe in my head, and that didn't get too far.

But, after finishing a romance mystery last week, where four women, of various ages and stages in their lives, had made a ONE WORD resolution, I thought, easy peasey. Pick the One Word, any word. How hard can that be! There are lots of words. Hmmm. 

My first choice was BEGIN. Yes. I am a fantastic beginner. I love to begin anything and everything. To finish is another story, unless on a deadline. Okay, then choose FINISH. Oops, maybe not because that means I have to finish anything and everything started. No way. I get bored or stop at a certain point because I don't like doing the next step or I don't want to finish at all. Instead, maybe throw away or give away. Hmmm. That sounds like CLEARING. Yes, I can clear away.

Examples - suggestions:

Clear the mind - go for a walk/drive/sew.

Clear the body - eat, ugh, more fruit less junk.

Clear the closet - give away clothes, shoes.

Clear the garage - recycle empty, saved, just in case boxes.

Clear the cubby hole and junk drawer - dried up pens, solidified erasers, scrap paper that has old notes.

Clear the room - donate supplies, furniture, recycle electronics.

Clear the quilts - finish or give to someone else to finish (I have a great group of gals that will finish the quilts I do not want to finish and then give away to someone).

Clear the soul - reenergize YOU.

What is your One Word resolution?

YOU humans and the new year resolutions. Okay, if I must, my resolution is to sleep more, ignore more, order you more than I did last year. That makes my One Word, MORE. Seems like more fun is to be had in 2023.

 

Labour Day Clearout at Quiltnasium.com

    Quiltnasium.com    72 Chaparral Cove SE, Calgary AB

    We are clearing out almost everything so that we can concentrate on in-house classes, 1-day sew days and 3-day retreats. We will continue carry certain fabrics and some notions for your convenience but not the full range that we have today.

    Therefore, we ask your help at finding new homes for what we have. If you come to the Home Studio, please wear a mask and use the hand sanitizer provided at the door because we want everyone to be safe.

Thank You to all,

Clean, Listen, Observe

   The only good thing about not having the cleaning lady come in or vacuuming and dusting for a month is that you can see if you missed a spot when you clean.

   Have you noticed there is no traffic noise, no people noise, only nature's noise and beauty?

   Sunday, Princess Sassy Pants & Co sent out this message, 'Shhh...Listen'. I had already been sitting quietly drinking hot chocolate out on the deck enjoying the quietness, walking down to the garden, watching kitty hunting on and around the dry bed waterfall;

listening to the geese honking at the fox running across the lake ice; avoiding the rabbit pooh;


looking at the Schubert and May Day tree starting to bud;




watching the snow melt; awing at the new rhubarb and day lily shoots poking their heads out from under last year's foliage; 





feeling the warm sun rays shining down from a blue cloudless sky. Ahh! 

Have a great week!

Quilts Bound

   Very busy and tiring week. Have been working diligently binding quilts. My absolute favourite thing. NOT. It's good that all bindings are all sewn on by machine otherwise I'd only have maybe have two small quilts fully completed. Quilted quilt ages are between 15 years and 1 month. It was why even finish them because they are just occupying space in a room. But, now I've found a place for them to go to that will take any size and I'm in the reorganizing purging mood. (According to my horrorscope horoscope this purging mood will last for at least another month. Look out house stuff.) 

Here are half of the quilts.

Farm panel 

Two fabric quilt

Stars

My expanded version of the Paddle Wheel pattern.

   Besides these quilts being completed, the new den is completely empty and waiting for a new uncarpeted floor. It feels so good I don't want to put anything in it. 

Imagine, an empty room. AHHH.

It's Winter, Clearing and Sew Time

       It's Sew Pieceful Time! I'm working on the new Moda Schoolhouse blog hop, fifteen 18" blocks, using a Kansas Troubles dark green background and Inspired by King's Road for the blocks. I think it looks like a flower garden at night.

If you are interested in how we pressed them check out facebook Quiltnasium where both front and back are posted.

   Clearing snow from tree branches, hmm, Christmas not far away, AND that means
we need to get after the Winter and Christmas quilting. No time like the present, he he, get it, present. Anyways, go to Christmas collection fabric  and Panels at Quiltnasium for your jolly deals of reduced fabric and all panels.
  

Block Bonanza Setting Seams

   Way back when, many gals in the Calgary area participated in-house, the four years we ran the programs. Many more gals participated via mail. Because it was so much fun back then, we are starting a new Block Bonanza in the fall. 

Today I spent part of the afternoon cutting out the background fabric for testing the upcoming Block Bonanza quilt, Diamond. Here is a teaser. Can't think of a better use of the long arm take up bars. Can you?

Be sure to sign up for Quiltnasium's newsletter to hear for the upcoming registration.

   One of the things that will be important in piecing the Diamond quilt is setting the seam. This is an old tailor’s trick, to make the seams lay completely flat. Even though tailors would be using wool or wool blend fabrics, the actual technique is the same and the result is just as effective.

In quilting, we lay the seam on the ironing board with the side up that the fabric is being pressed to. Most quilters press the seam with steam. (I do because it helps the fabric do as I want it to do.) Then fold the fabric over and steam press again. Warning: when using steam be careful not to stretch the fabric. 

Now, what I've learned is to press the seam on both sides thus causing the thread to embed into the material which give you a much crisper finish. Then open the fabric over the seam and slightly finger press the seam. Then steam press the seam. If you allow the block to cool then that keeps the fabric and seam as it should be because you are not disturbing the fabric. Remember cotton is easily influenced to move.

Enjoy your week!

      I'm so excited, mom is letting me tell you all that we celebrated our first year anniversary together last weekend. She has helped me get back in shape of being a cat. Now, I tear around the yard and up and down the stairs. I jump up on the bed without a footstool. I'm bring mom all the presents she needs. Best of all, I got a new scratching post. MEEOWW! We both love each other very much and think that life couldn't be grander!