Machine down

I've got all six quilt tops ready to go, backing fabrics washed and ready for pressing, batting cut.
This morning I pinned my first baby quilt and as I was about to get ready to quilt, I went to fill two bobbins and the bobbin winder stopped winding. I can see that there's some thread wound around the winder underneath the thing the bobbin sits on. My attempts to gently pull it out failed.
I put in an S.O.S. call to my service person. If I have the machine at his place in Newmarket at 9 a.m. tomorrow, he will fix it on the spot (and maybe fix the automatic threader as well). So I'll try to be patient and perhaps press and pin another quilt or two while I wait for my machine to return home safely. I guess I should really have it serviced in general but there's a waiting list for that. Maybe while we're away...

Long weekend, busy weekend

Middle day of three day weekend. 9 a.m. I have finished Missed Deadlines I, II and III. The labels were a pain to do but the hangings turned out alright. The stitching on the back of one of them didn't look too hot so I took a magenta Sharpie and went over the stitching lines. The back looks great but when I flipped it over, I saw that the stitching on the front, originally white, is now slightly magenta in some places. But the effect is nice so I'm not obsessing. Not my best work, but finished.
Yesterday we went to Sew Sisters to buy batting (half the price of Fabricland's...) so I can progress on the baby quilts. I still have to go to Fabricland to buy backing materials. Hopefully at noon-ish so I can continue sewing until then and we'll probably combine the trip with a visit to my mother.
So the sewing plan for today is to finish ripping out stitches on an unfinished quilt in preparation for requilting, making journals and fabric journal covers for Jordie and Eli, and maybe placemats or a tablerunner for David and Judy.
But first a bite of breakfast.

Second pink baby quilt top finished

Once the strips are cut, sewing them together takes really very little time. I now have to figure out how to do the same cutting strips from my fat quarters...

Baby Boom

My relatives and friends, here and in Israel, are dropping babies at a fast pace. And I'm trying to keep up with baby quilts. I have one baby boy who was born in Israel while I was there but I didn't get around to finishing anything then. And this past week, my aunt and uncle had a new great-grand-daughter as did Menachem's aunt and uncle, both babies in Israel. Also, a pupil of my father's is having a baby boy next month and a friend's daughter is having a baby girl in January.
I bought some pink and green fabrics for baby girl quilts while in Israel and with a little bit of fabric I purchased at Fabricland earlier this week, I had enough to do four quilt tops. I cut the fabric last night into eight 4.5" strips. I sewed the strips together this morning and then recut into nine 4.5" strips and sewed those together. All this between 6 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., including shower and breakfast, before I left for work.
I have one top finished with 4" finished squares which repeat in a diagonal pattern. Very pretty in pink. I will lather, rinse and repeat twice more and that will take care of my baby girl quilt tops.
I actually have two more tops ready from leftovers from other projects which could definitely be suitable for boys.
I need to buy backing, batting and then quilt. I will either free-motion in the one stitch I know, use my machine's serpentine embroidery stitch or stitch diagonally through the corners of the squares.
I had cut some 1.5" or 2" squares from previous quilting projects and had started sewing them into rows but found it too tedious. I ripped out the seams (not that many) and will make the squares into 9 patches which I will alternate with solids or softly patterned neutrals to make more baby quilts.
I am really trying to avoid purchasing what I don't need to. I have fabrics which don't really go with anything else so I may need to purchase stuff to be able to use them but I am trying not to buy anything just because it's lovely...
The original reason I went to Fabricland was to buy one spool of thread for one of my "Missed Deadlines" pieces. I will try to finish them off this weekend so I can concentrate on not missing the baby deadlines.

Time Flies When You're Having Fun

Actually, it flies no matter what. Another week has gone by. Did I do any stitching during the week? Not really. Can't recently motivate myself to jump out of bed first thing in the morning. Then I spend too much time at the computer or watching the old movie channel. And since I'm usually at my best first thing in the morning, things don't approve when I get home from work so I go back to the computer and TV.
Yesterday, Saturday, I did jump out of bed because November 1st library show deadline is looming. With my slice finished and out of the way, I got started on three smaller pieces. My starting point was three circles made using coffee filters as the template. This was for the "Grounds for Change" challenge which I had planned to enter but missed the deadline. Then I was going to answer the call for entries the "Bend, Fold, Manipulate" exhibit and made three circles, using folded and manipulated fabrics but again I missed the deadline. Not that I couldn't have been ready. I think my hesitancy was rooted in self-doubt rather than time constraints. I am well on my way to finishing "Missed Deadlines I,II, and III".
My day was, however, interrupted by errands. We started at the hazardous waste depot where we dropped off some paint and a dead TV set. Then to Costco for quick and thrifty visit (i.e. we weren't sucked in by all the "deals" and only bought what we needed and what we think is a great birthday gift for Alanna. Then to Chapters to get a gift certificate for Mindy who never forgets our birthdays like we forgot hers... And then to Dearborn to buy accoutrements for Amit's Tripp Trapp. We got last year's model plastic seat on sale. We were not, however, about to pay $90 for two small padded cushions. I don't think he really needs them but if he does, I'll sew them. Same goes for the harness, which he does need but which I can buy the straps and closures for at Fabricland and make it myself.
In the evening, we were invited to Devora's for dinner. It was lovely, relaxed and I didn't feel tired until someone said it was almost 10. Too much excitement for me.
This morning, Sunday, I started sewing at 8 a.m. and didn't stop until noon. Partly because I need some thread and partly because I'm hungry. So off to munch and then decide what to do -- buy thread and continue or call it a day.
Oh, I also finished hemming the 5 flannel receiving blankets that Carmit asked me to make her. Actually she only asked for 3 but I couldn't decide which colours so she'll take what she wants and I'll keep the rest for someone else.