OK, I’ll admit to being pretty psyched about finishing the quilting on Ablaze. Sleeve and binding – no problem!

I decided I’d show it at the Berkshire quilt festival in October – still no problem. The question? should I show another one? Seems like I MUST have most of them done by then actually…. So which one next. When I was talking with Pat, she almost blurted out “Do the Winter one!” which surprised me only because I thought she’d pick the seasons quilt.

The trick is of course that I probably should do a big quilt next because soon (ack) she’ll be handing off the NYQuilts! raffle quilt to me to quilt. Even if I do only an all over design with some accenting of the pieced bits, it will take a good week to quilt.

So I got out the winter quilt (working title now “Midwinter afternoon”) and measured it. As I told her – this thing isn’t small – 48 X 84″ or so. But it’s smaller than the queen sized one that will be coming. So I got together a sample and tried out some light threads which seem to work fine on the white. This is applique and quilting at once so there are more threads involved than if I were just quilting. Probably.

Maybe I’ll look at it a bit more before starting. But any time now.

I have til tomorrow to decide whether or not to show it in Pittsfield! No pressure.

Yesterday was hot. Today was miserable. Ask Bill.

Nonetheless I did get into the final border of the second October quilt. Perhaps more importantly I have a tentative title for it. Ablaze. Came to me as I was rounding the first corner.

Tonight I stuck my head outside the house around 8 pm to catch whatever breath of air there might be, give the front garden a little water and just try to get cooler. I leant my head back and saw the most beautiful pink cloud. So I ran upstairs and out on the back porch, where I took some wonderful photos of the sky.

ooooooh aaaaaaaaah. Sky blue pink.

Most days, the mail goes through. Most days, the UPS and FedEx guys deliver.

Today I was on the phone when the UPS guy came. We waved at each other. When I hung up the phone I went out for my package. Gosh – looked like an elephant stepped on it. This was my order of 300 sewing machine needles! OK, not just for me -I’m sharing with a few others.

I literally didn’t have to open the package because the one end was already open.

I reach inside and pull out a couple of those air pillows, a couple of styrofoam peanuts. And a tiny ziplock baggy. In it, a matchbox size plastic box with 100 size 80 needles. That’s it for the box. No 70’s! Of course – THOSE were the ones I was looking for.

The only other thing in the box was the receipt and a note of thanks from Ericas, which conveniently had a phone number. I call and explain the situation and the woman Michelle says she’ll probably call me back but that they’ll file a claim etc. I offer to send digital pics of the box. Probably not necessary she says.

When I hung up I thought – oh what the hey. So I did that. Probably a half hour later the phone rings and it’s Michelle again – they didn’t have two more packs of 70’s but they have one and that will go right out. the other will come as soon as it arrives, at no extra charge of course. That’s fine.

I upload the pictures in a little web page, since these are not good days to be sending attachments to folks, I figure.
Sorry about the pop up – I put it in an account I don’t use much.

That was probably the most exciting moment of the day until Deirdre caught a mouse. I didn’t see the mouse alive which is a whole new experience in itself. Usually our guys catch them but don’t know what to do next so they just carry the poor mouse around. LOL. I’ve rescued many a mouse! Maybe I won’t have to do that anymore, if Deirdre can instruct the others.

Other than that – HOT. Unbelievably hot. I’m about to start the last two passes in the outer border of the first quilt. Thus endeth Tuesday.

I’m always after people to clean and oil their sewing machines:

And looking for new and exciting ways to make my life easier. I realized (by chance) that the thread I was using was breaking, not because the thread was weak but because the quilt was rubbing up against the spool enough to increase the tension on it and POW – it would snap! Later on, I needed to clear off the ironing board, so I put my tin of cashews (snack food of champions!) under my thread lifter.

Later on, no thread breaking. Why? Because the spool is now above the level of the quilt, no matter what!

One of those silly silly discoveries that you make that work out really really well.

Best Brush Off of the Day:

Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in employment opportunities with the Professional [really really niche organization] of America – Eastern Division. Unfortunately we can not offer you further consideration at this time.

I wish you well in your career pursuits.

Sincerely,

Actually I shouldn’t complain. They at least responded to the letter and resume I sent them. Unlike so many (read – MOST) of the places that don’t even let you know what the story is after a face-to-face interview. So points for that, really really niche organization….. :-)

Meanwhile it was WAY hot here today. Went for a drive to the East Greenbush Community Library and the Grocery Store – the first mostly to see what sort of display opportunities they might have and well, to both, seeking A/C opportunities.

Hot hot hot. Now back to quilting.