I love my Fusion by HandiQuilter– I really do but (and I do mean BUT) they recently did an upgrade to the ProStitcher computer/program. They’ve had two webinars about the changes but no videos yet. Overall, the upgrade is more sensible than the way that the software operated but there are some significant changes as well. As a result of those significant changes, I can’t do some of the things I used to be able to do.  And by “can’t” I mean that I knew how to do them but the act of doing them has changed because the screen lay-out has completely changed.

Previously, I had purchased 3 or 4 videos that explained how to do specific things and those things changed with the upgrade. Now I can’t do those things and, unfortunately, I had to do one of them last night but was unsuccessful. I had guidance from one of their instructors on the phone and it still didn’t work.

Tonight, I play a frog (rip-it, rip it) and take out that six or so inches of quilting and re-do the steps that I was walked through last night. Hopefully, I can do it right this time (and hopefully, I can remember the steps).

Sewing, pretty much. I know– that’s such a surprise, isn’t it? I finished the quilt that I was working on and did some quilting practice, too. I’m getting better but, it is not easy.

Pictures of the quilt are below . . .

I’ve been dragging! I wake up in the middle of the night and take more than an hour to get back to sleep– yeesh!! So, when I go downstairs to sew, I stay down there til my stomach is growling soooo bad that I can’t stand it and then I come up for dinner, rest, and some hand ripping-out. Long story– bad quilting because I got the quilt top off alignment. Not to worry– it’s mine and it was intended to be a practice quilt so we’re good.

I’m going to put the finishing touches on a new quilt tomorrow and I’m going to set up the laser light on the quilting machine so I can see if I can handle working with it. I’m so tickled that things are coming together as I work on it.

I know I promised them and they are finally here . . .

She just loves these jackets!  She knows that they’re hers and what they are for– she gets so excited to see them come out every year, even though these are new ones.  It’s so fun to make her happy!

Yes, I’m actually drawing lines and having them make shapes!! YAYYY!!!!! It has taken a year and a half but I finally feel like I’m doing it right! If I continue to build my repertoire, I can eventually start doing quilting for others. YAYYY!!! In the interim, I’ll continue to use the ProStitcher but, with a FREE upgrade on that, I’m not going to complain. Some quilts will just look nicer because I can’t draw really good flowers and leaves yet. Eventually, yes, but not yet.

YAYYY!!!

Wow-wee!! (How long has it been since you’ve said that?) I’ve spent nearly the entire weekend SEWING! I took Friday and Monday (today) office and spent hours and hours sewing and embroidering stuff. I’ve pieced a quilt and embroidered some burp clothes as well as a “Free Standing Lace” poinsettia bowl– gorgeous!

In between I did some other things like attend a wedding reception in Timbuktu (okay, it was only Springfield, Virginia but it felt like Timbuktu) and went to a HandiQuilter event but the vast majority of the time has been spent . . . SEWING.

There are some hobbies that are so fun to get into, it’s just so rewarding. Ahhh . . .

I had an appointment this morning and, though I have today off, it wasn’t a big deal. Went to my appointment, stopped on the way home to get an electric tea kettle (I really need to start drinking more tea!), and then I would have lunch, exercise, and start in on sewing. Brian and I watched a “Fast n Loud” together while I ate lunch and then I went downstairs to sew. At about 2:00, I realized that I’d left something out of the plan so I came back upstairs and rode my bicycle. At least I did something for the day.

More of the same tomorrow. I’m going to put up pictures of Lexi’s jacket(s) as soon as we can find the second one. Yep, that’s right: in this whole huge house, we can’t find the second jacket that I made her. We’ve looked EVERYwhere– it’s like she gave it away to one of her friends or something! So weird.

Anyway, as soon as we find it, and yes, we are still looking, I’ll put up pictures.

It started out with me going to a doctor appointment and rushing home to work. Then, I had a one-on-one call with my boss (it’s a usual weekly thing, no big deal) then I had to leave to get my flu shot at Brian’s office (thank you AGAIN very much!!) and then, I had a meeting with my peers and director to determine how many things are really wrong with a database program we use, followed by more rush work and then a quilt guild meeting.

Tomorrow– I promise!

Tomorrow night is the quilt guild so tonight, because my Lexi asked me to do so, I made her new jackets for winter. One is a light lavender and is a little lighter weight fleece and the second is blue and made from a heavier fleece. I’ll take pictures tomorrow and post them here for you.

Brian was walking her after dinner and a neighbor asked where he got the light lavender one– Brian explained it to her. I’ve apparently got an order for two more!

Well, we’ll see!

Tonight I stitched out 3 different applique ducks for baby burp clothes– man, are they cute! While I was doing that, I was doing another layer of cloth on a log cabin quilt I’m working on but that’s easy to do when The Beast is doing the work.

I’ll put pictures of them on the site, soon!