Saturday ramblings

So far it's been a busy weekend. I put the last Hotel Hope quilt top on the machine yesterday afternoon - at least the last one I have that was made by someone besides me - and started quilting it. I didn't think I'd get it done until today, but I kept plugging away. I quilted until the Mariners lost to the Astros. Then I resumed listing to "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban". I noticed it was starting to get dark, so I figured Fred would be up to say good night soon, and then I'd head to bed. I kept quilting, Fred didn't turn up, and it got later and later. By the time I finally Fred must have fallen asleep - he had - I was almost done. I reached the end of the quilt about the same time I reached the end of the book. I used a panto I've not used before - Popcorn by Jodi Beamish - and I really liked how it turned out. By the time I was done it was 10:30, so I headed to bed.

The last couple days I have hit the jackpot as far as mail and UPS deliveries go. I ordered new pantographs from three different sources - two packages arrived yesterday and one today. My second Vogart transfer arrived today. A small order from Z&S Fabrics - I know, I know, but dieting doesn't mean starving! - arrived today. Two Aunt Martha's transfers for baby quilts arrived yesterday. A back order from Checkers containing a couple new quilt books and some Mary Engelbright tins for decorating my sewing room. Packages arriving is the best thing about shopping online!

I'm always striving to be more organized, and my pantograph storage was driving me nuts. I had to pull out almost every roll every time I wanted a particular design - even though I thought I'd organized them in a logical manner. So last Monday was my evening to solve this problem. I put them all on an alphabetized spreadsheet and assigned each one a shelf location. My shelf is a very inexpensive one that we used to use at work, but it had sat unused for several years so our facilities manager said I could buy it for $5. Worked for me! I labeled the shelves to match the chart. Then I put a lot of spare ribbon to use by tying one around each design - the "rubber" bands I'd put around them kept disintegrating. This morning I added all the new ones. I didn't realize I had so many - almost 50! There are a bunch I've never used yet, so I'm hoping many are suitable for either the quilt tops I have waiting already or all the scrappy tops I've been putting together these days.

Once I finished my organization I put another quilt on the longarm. This is one made by my friend Kim - the friend whose son is in Iraq and is part of the tank platoon we did the quilts for. In August Kim is moving to Finland for a year as her husband will be working there. She's clearing out almost everything as they have put their house on the market. She brought over the roll of batting left over from the Iraq quilts - probably about 22 yards - so I'm quilting a quilt for her. It's from African fabrics, and I'm having lots of fun with the custom quilting. Unlike most longarmers I like doing stitch in the ditch, and this quilt has lots of it. Plus applique to embellish and quilt around.

My back has given out for tonight so this won't be finished until tomorrow. I'll get a better picture of it then. Fred's going to work out so I'll have a bit of quilting time. I want to fix him a nice breakfast when he gets home, and then the kids are coming over for a Father's Day celebration in the afternoon.

All weekends should be this productive!

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Gratitudes:
1. Fred cleaning up the kitchen after dinner
2. Receiving an organizational gene
3. A comfortable relationship with my longarm - I'm not so much a newbie any longer
4. Healthy Choice fudge ice cream bars
5. Rain showers for our garden

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