To-Do Tuesday #231 Weekly Update
Join us today for the 231st weekly To-Do Tuesday list and update. Gladys Taber wrote, “Contentment is a list with half of it crossed off.” We are joining Linda who is hosting the To-Do Tuesday linky party. Thank you, Linda!
To-Do for last week October 19th – 25th:
- Layer and start quilting the ballerina quilt – √ Done
- Continue working on the Christmas toppers – Nope
- Visit good friends in their new home – √ Done
To-Do #1
The ballerina quilt is all layered and one line of quilting is in, in spite of several attempts to thwart our efforts. First, we ran a diagonal line of tape to use as a guide for straight stitching from corner to corner. No problem, except we used painters tape . . . which does NOT stick well to fabric, apparently. Go figure. So, after starting to quilt this behemoth of a quilt, my straight line to follow was nonexistent. The tape was a loosey-goosey mess. After taking it out of the machine, and retaping it with our usual white masking tape, back to the task of quilting.
I was celebrating the near completion of the first line of stitching, only to pull off the tape to a different issue. Big sections of skipped stitches! Many, many, MANY in a row. What the heck??
After a bit of a discussion, we decided that it was time to get Ellie in for a check-up. Just look at the big sections of skipped stitches in the photos above! In two or three weeks, quilting will continue on the ballerina quilt, whenever I get Ellie back from service. Waaaaaaa!
To-Do #2
None of the buttonholing was even started on the Christmas topper. See above. More waaaaaa!
To-Do #3
We spent a lovely Saturday visiting our friends Ken and Carol in their new home. And what a beautiful home it is! We didn’t take any pictures but we did enjoy a wonderful lunch and got a full tour of the new place. They will be happy there for many, many years to come!
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To-Do for the week of October 26th through November 1st:
- Beats me – it’s hard to make any sewing plans without a machine! I may have to take a few To-Do Tuesdays off until mid-November. Good thing we got the Thanksgiving topper finished up last week.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, I’ve heard. I dug out Lili tonight thinking I could still continue quilting. Well, no. It’s been so long since I’ve used Lili, I was thankful that she was threaded and had some bobbin thread. I sewed a basic seam, took it out, and measured it. It was thrilling to see it was exactly 1/4″ with no adjustments. I can/will work on my leader/ender project! Lili has a buttonhole stitch but I am certain I need a different presser foot (where might they be?!). SEW . . . there may be some sewing but very little, especially once the bobbin thread is gone. I didn’t even remember that the lid opened to display the thread (Aurifil). Three weeks is going to be a LONG time. HAHA!
P.S. I really miss the thread cutter and the knee lift and that it is tall enough for the hole in my sewing table. One bright spot is that Lily and Ellie use the same power cord so there was no crawling around on the floor for power. Sweet!
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Hi Roseanne. I’m sure we all can feel your pain with having to wait to get Ellie back. One of my quilting buddies and I were talking yesterday. She had called to get one of her machines serviced. Our favourite technician has no openings for a machine to be taken in until January! He is still feeling the Covid Crunch poor man. We are all looking forward to seeing Addison’s ballerina finished and your fun topper, but we all can wait to see what fun you come up with in the meantime 😉
How frustrating to have all those skipped stitches after the problems with the painter’s tape. I’m glad you decided to get Ellie a tune-up and can use Lili for your leader/ender project if you feel so inclined.
Bummer! Put you will get that machine back and running better than new! At least your sewing doesn’t have to completely stop.
How frustrating! But you know when it’s time to take the machine in for a service day! Here’s hoping it will be back sooner than you think. Now nice that you have a back-up machine!
I hope the service fixes your long arm issues. Good luck!
Well, that sounds frustrating! I hope it doesn’t take too long to fix your machine. It’s nice to have a backup – hope that will help you get a little something done!
Oh dear!!! I hope Ellie is feeling better SOON!!! … so that YOU can also feel better, too. Quilting withdrawal is NO fun at all!!!
Take care!
Oh wow those skipped stitches are big. When I took my machine in earlier this month, I sat down and made a list of what I could do, like tidying, cutting for another quilt, a bit of applique etc. And then… I got out my back up machine and like yourself – made do!
Oh, rats!!! Ellie is acting up at just the wrong time. I am very glad you have a machine you can do some leaders and enders on, but boy oh boy that does put a cramp in one’s sewing. Lets home the spa stay is a short one!
Oh, NO! I feel your pain. I have a Featherweight I use when I go to sewing dates but it is NOT my Baby Lock. No self threader, no thread cutter, no automatic foot lift…..But it does sew. Perhaps a spa vacation would sound good to you too? Visiting with friends must have been so much fun. Like someone else said, I guess you could prep for the next several projects. Good luck….and I recommend a good book!
Oh bummer about Eliza, but I’m sure she will be ready to roll after her time in the sewing spa 🙂 Meanwhile, you’ll get used to Lilli and then have to readjust back to Eliza. It makes life interesting and keeps us on our toes! Glad you were able to spend time with friends and see their new home – that’s always a good way to cheer up.
WTH! I’m sure you will be pleased to get Ellie back from her spa visit! Isn’t it weird how we can forget about how to work an older less used machine? At least you can do leaders and Enders for a bit. Maybe rewinding a bobbin will “come back to you” after you use it awhile! Or maybe there is an online manual? Good Luck! Fingers crossed that Ellie returns soon!
Awww Roseanne, I’m sorry about Ellie. Ballerina quilt is being very obstinate! You still have lots of time (she said confidently) for your Christmas topper. Sounds like you had a nice relaxing visit with your friends. Good luck with Lili and yes it’s always nice not to have to crawl on the floor. Every time I do that I have to make sure there is something (or someone) close by to pull me up!
Thanks for linking to To Do Tuesday! 😀
Oh wow, so sorry, Roseanne! I hope Ellie gets back home and working better than ever sooner than later! That leader-ender project sounds like the way to go, or some prep for the next creation you have in mind!! Try to have a good week anyway!
Get well Ellie! I know the pain of having your favorite machine serviced!! You are making good lemonade from a lemon situation. Hope you have a safe and happy week! What is with this Ballerina quilt and quilting challenges? First the tape and now this. Best of luck Tiny Dancer!!!
I feel for ya! I am still waiting for Betty Boop to come home! 🙂 Meantime…I do have some tedious leaves to hand stitch. It is very slow going…almost a non existent activity, but my fairy godmother doesn’t seem to want to do it, either, so I am going to have to force myself. 🙂