Something New & Tuesday To-Do's

Happy Tuesday to all!

*First of all, I just found a bunch of comments from the

last few weeks that never went to my email.  I apologize

for not responding...and I'm still trying to figure all of this

out:  the new Blogger format...UGH!

As I write this, it's 25 degrees and snowing!

Winter has hit right in the middle of fall. 

I'd be happy with a couple more weeks of

autumn but I guess snow is cool, too.  It's just

that Christmas songs are popping up in my head.

Can't they wait just one week?!?

With so much going on lately, I've been a little off

on my Tuesday lists.  Travel and fall clean-up

first, and now a "little" sewing room construction.

My list will follow but I'm excited to share how

my "surprise" construction project turned out.

Several years ago we re-floored our entire house,

some in carpet and the rest in wood flooring.

I spent so much time picking out the perfect wood floor

(it's really hard to match it to so many surfaces)

but it was worth it--we love it.  The decision to

keep carpet in the bedrooms was an obvious one

(though I think I'd be happy with wood everywhere) 

but when it came to my sewing room I wavered back

and forth for months:

Carpet = better for my back when standing, quieter,

warmer, no fabric-fuzz showing constantly.

Wood = much easier to maintain in the long run,

no allergens, prettier (in my mind), chair can roll

I figured my back was the main issue so I went with

carpet (a short berber)...and soon regretted it.

I liked the cushion and warmth but it started showing

wear within months where I stand at the cutting table.

Then I had a freak accident:  a whole domino

mishap with a soy candle grand finale.

The kind that you watch happen in slow motion.

It cleaned up--and came right back within

weeks (repeatedly) so I finally just lived with it.

And, I would find myself sitting at my machine,

slightly off and contorted in my chair because it

didn't roll well and unknowingly I wasn't lined up

correctly--and this was actually hurting my back

probably more than standing on a hard floor would.

Within a year, I'd decided I needed the wood but

it just seemed so wasteful to pull practically-new

carpet that I put it off, all the while keeping an eye

on the product, making sure it wasn't discontinued.

Sad empty sewing room, yucky floor

Lately I've been getting some extra sewing in while
watching movies and football with the hubs.  When I

do this, I set up a temporary sewing station that

happens to be on the wood floor.   I've been able
to feel the difference an easily-rolling chair makes

so...I finally ordered my floor.

I have felt pretty guilty about that first bad decision.

When they took the room measurements I was told

a transition piece would have to go in the doorway

even though the same wood is in the hallway.

 (It's not a floating floor.)

It's a little hard to explain but this really upset

me because I love the look of the smooth flow

 from room to room and I knew it would be a

reminder of that bad decision. However, I held on

to a wee bit of hope because I knew the installer

to be very good at what he does.  Just maybe...

By the way, if you want a

Fabric Collection Reality Check, there is nothing

like moving everything out of your sewing room

to make you realize that you should stop buying.

  

Okay, we already knew that but I mean

REALLY realize!

So guess what?  When the installer arrived, he took

one look at that doorway and said, "Oh, yeah. 

I can make that work."   A ha!

And by 3 pm, I had a new floor.

Sidenote:

How funny to look at these pics from last Thursday,

knowing it was so hot (84 degrees in the house).

Just a few hours later, the cold north wind came up

and the temp dropped fast.  Now I'm looking out

at snow.  This is much more cozy!

But, anyway...

The minute they left, I walked into my room and

knew it was the right decision.  I love the look and

the practicality of this floor.  Fuzz, dirt, spills and

wear but in an instant, it can be back to looking

brand new again.  Carpet on the other hand...

The doorway is not 100% perfect but it's so close.

No one will ever know and it's so, so much better

than a dumb plastic transition piece sticking up.

I chose to leave the carpet in the closet because

without it it would be nothing but a fuzz collection

in there.  This transition looks fine and it's not even

seen when the door is shut but I think that plastic

strip would look just awful in my doorway.

Okay, I've gone on about my floor long enough.

What have I gotten done?

September Glow had to come down off of the design

wall for the floor installation so, after some feverish

sewing, I was able to get 7 of the 10 into rows.

Love those marking pins.

I had to re-figure the arrangement of the last

three rows but all 10 are sewn up now.

I also sewed up 6 "catchers" for the chicken coop

from their feed bags.  I won't explain these;

just know they are part of a system that keeps

the coop much cleaner, especially in the winter when

it's no fun being out there in the cold.  It's a big deal

get these done because I always put them off;

plus, they take up so much space in my closet.

Our oldest son came home for a quick visit and to

celebrate, belatedly, his 21st birthday, along with

our granddaughter's first birthday. 

My Meow! quilt was gifted along with the

Snow Day quiet book (timely!) and 2 cute sweaters

knitted up by Vicki at Vicki's Crafts & Quilting.  How

fun to give ALL hand-made gifts!

In all, not much accomplished but I did empty

my entire sewing room and then bring it all back,

which is bigger than a thorough cleaning and

reorganization.  In my mind, this trumps anything

else on a weekly to-do list!

Next week?

I so (sew) need a nice calm week of sewing.

It seems it has been forever!

1) Get September Glow into one piece!

This is also my October goal so it needs

to happen in the next couple days.

2) Load Ombre quilt

This was from last summer.  I have no plans for

it so I set it aside till I found a backing but I've

finally decided to just use a white-on-white that I

need to move out.

3) Work Christmas gifts

I've been in the mood to do this all last week

but now that there is snow on the ground?
Definitely!

4) Enjoy my floor

Easily accomplished with #'s 1, 3 & 4.

I'm thinking it needs a nice big jelly roll rug.

I'm wondering if a large one would be hard

on my shoulders/back, or even my machine?

So, the cold days have hit.  I have a day of sewing

ahead, soup on the stove and some sourdough

bread in the oven.  Remember all that broth I made

last summer from our old chickens and fresh herbs?

And the lemon thyme that I dried?

It's time thyme to start putting it all to use.

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

A great recipe made even better with some

extra effort.  (I add extra lemon and 

often replace the kale with spinach.)

Happy quilting!

Linking up to

Home Sewn By Us:  Tuesday To-Do #64