I’ve entered a phase of UBER productivity– beavering along on so many things here this post could be a longer version of War and Peace. So let’s just get started and I will try to talk less and show more!

After completing my Frisch Halloween panel quilt, I did press the BUY button on this year’s “Barn Dance” version. For one thing– I tempted at least one of you to buy it, so in all solidarity, I needed to get it myself. For another thing, why leave the space on my shelf vacated by “Jeepers Peepers” empty?

Then, since panel quilts are now my future– look what I bought at Marden’s for just $2.99!

🙂

This was a piece of extreme good fortune– my dear SIL loves Mr. Rogers and this will make an out of the park wonderful Christmas gift. I’m adding a couple of borders and a red buffalo check fleece backing so the DD can fold Fred inside and have something usable for her couch instead of making “the hood” take over her living room decor. She won’t now be mad at me. I’m sending it right off to my longarm friend, as I honestly have no clue how to quilt it and I just want it done.

I’m still working away on a long time UFO Halloween quilt– I now have 11 bats with nine to go. They are going together quickly, so I may just leave this out through the end of the year and have another fantastic finish. I love this thing– just look at those albino bats!

There was no room in my “to be finished” box for the last two Halloween finishes, so I decided to go through it and make room. Now that everything is out of the attic and somewhat sorted, I’d like to do an UBER sort and really get organized. Some of the quilts in the “to be finished” box require very few stitches to finish! So here we come to the sad story of Frivol Kit #5 which has been living there for six years.

I did not sign up for the Frivol series of project tins, but was delighted to get all of them at half price on eBay the year after they released. I made Kit #5 right away– my favorite– with a few adjustments, I made it a custom fit for my living room coffee table. I even lovingly and cleverly pieced together a backing, out of other French General fabric I had in my stash. Just look at that join!

At this point in my life, free motion quilting on my sewing machine was not cutting it– not enough throat space, and not enough shoulders, either! I wanted a long arm, but so pricey! So I found a local shop that rented theirs out by the hour– it was just perfect. The nest was empty and hubby was traveling frequently, so it was a bit of a drive but I imagined the wonderful days I would spend out of the house, finishing all my quilts.

A little hour lesson from the shop owner, and I was on my way. It was very quiet in the shop that day– I would have her all to myself if questions came up. Her son called– I remember thinking how nice that was– my son calls very infrequently. But I had my plan of what I wanted to do, and set right in.

The shop was in an old building– creaky floors and all. Turns out, the floor under the machine was not level, not even close. So in the uphill direction, the sewing head was the immovable object. I just couldn’t get any rhythm going.

So wait a minute– you’d think I could just go the downhill way across the quilt each time– easy, right? Well in that direction, immovable force became unstoppable object. Quite a few times, the head slammed into the rail at the bottom side of the longarm– I was worried the shop owner would wonder what I was doing with her pricey machine!

But, no, after two hours, she was still on the phone with her son– the two of them driveling over some family drama in great detail, within earshot. I remember thinking, “thank God my son does not call me and has a thriving business to attend to all day.” My beautiful Frivol was pretty much ruined with cockeyed quilting. I couldn’t imagine she would take the time to level the longarm, so I just left. I threw the poor thing to the back of a very high cabinet– the “needs to be completely unpicked” or “throw it out when you can bear to face up to it” pile. That’s when I decided to commit to buying the longarm– Mr. SFO would be fantastic at leveling a thing and he has. So there’s that.

Time changes things. Although the coffee table I measured it for is long gone, I now see it as a perfectly good everyday table runner that I would never be afraid to wash! It took me less than two hours to bind it. Another space freed up for the next thing!

Here’s another little UFO from that era– a practice free motion assignment from a Lori Kennedy Craftsy class. I did an ace’s job on this one!

In another unfortunate fit of temper, I screwed up that part where you attach the ends of the binding. They were twisted, and I bet it was late at night. Thrown to the side! So simple to just unpick and resew and another perfectly acceptable finish– check!

And the binding is also on my Star of Wonder quilt– I bought this kit, so thank you Kimberly Jolly for the binding fabric pick– it is impeccable and looks fantastic on both sides.

I’m going to decorate a little early for Christmas this year– I have a full house for Thanksgiving, but not much else for the rest of the year.

While the sewing machine is tip-tapping, you can be sure the embroidery machine is rip-rapping! I told you last time I would let you know what happened with my teensy 32ct cross stitch ornament stitch-out. Fail.

It was just way too dense– you really can’t even see the crosses. I had to stop it before it got to the end, for fear of damaging my machine. One of you suggested using 100wt silk thread– thanks and that might have worked, but this is a for sale project, and I really can’t ask everyone to buy specialty thread.

For test #2, I went back to 14ct designs, which leaves no room for detail. In my opinion, these are getting there, but still need more contrast– maybe some backstitching? They’re also a little to big– I may just reduce them to 16ct. Test #3 is today– these little oval and circle hoops are just too darling and I will definitely persevere until we get something usable. I can just see one tucked into a Christmas card, a special gift tag, or used an ornaments on a small tree. If you like the way this project is headed, definitely stop in to Hobby Lobby and buy a pack of tiny hoop circles and ovals– they are just $2.49 for a pack of eight. I’ll probably also include a suggestion for finishing without them for those of you who are Hobby Lobbyless. They are online, but the shipping would be too much.

The larger “Joy Birds” set is finished and will release on Friday– so happy with these. I just love birds like my mom and grandma before me. I fully intend to start releasing hand cross stitch charts– I am almost done with the Villages of the Month. These birds would be so easy to do by hand, too.

Finally, since I mentioned Christmas decorating, I am doing what I’ve been thinking about for many years! That is– gluing the little knobs back on my wooden advent calendar, changing the batteries in the Hallmark light up ornaments, washed up all the ceramics, and yes, I even rinsed out and changed the salt and pepper in my Christmas salt and pepper shakers. WOW! PFOOF!

So that’s my week’s progress– I am super energized right now and I hope the vibe rubs off on you as well. Working towards finishing up as much as I can before the end of the year, and then SEW excited to see what 2025 brings. Have a happy week!

xox
Carol