The lazy days of June and July are behind us. School started back here on August 1st. Hubs and I are finally over COVID. Fall is right around the corner. Time to get busy!

Looking for some new ideas?

Canadian designer Ira Rott has released a new pattern tech edited by yours truly – Sunflower Power Jelly Roll Rug Pattern. It looks way more complicated than it really is! Give it a try and make a cute fall quilt for your home!

Electric Quilt offers EQ8 Classes At Home for those of us who can’t make it to the in-person EQ University. I signed up for one of the classes.

Cross-stitch is experiencing a revival. Be sure to check-out Kimberly Jolly’s Flosstubes on the Fat Quarter Shop’s YouTube channel. You can also check out the myriad of quilting tutorials, as well. See if your local library offers a cross-stitch or needlework group.

Looking for a quick quilted project to donate to charity? How about placemats for Meals on Wheels? Many quilt guilds often list Meals on Wheels as one of their community service project partners in addition to Ryan’s Case for Smiles (pillowcases). There is also a designated group that will receive the guild’s quilt donations, but this group varies by guild. It’s usually DFACS or some other children’s support organization, homeless shelter, sheriff’s office or refugee support group. Use your your stash and your favorite quick quilt pattern to make a hug for someone else! Here are some ideas, more ideas and even more ideas.

As for me, I’m currently completing a picnic-size quilt for the Davis Direction Foundation Silent Auction & Fundraiser. It’s to help out my friend and provide a little PR for my sewing classes. I am targeting home school groups and youth organizations who want to learn how to sew. Taking my show on the road! I’m approaching it like tutoring. I can use the group’s space or space at the library, community center and even a local coffee shop for private or semi-private lessons. I’ve also discovered that the picnic shelter at a local ball park has electrical outlets. Great way to teach a sewing lesson while one of the siblings is playing baseball, football or soccer. Joann’s and Hobby Lobby will let you use their classroom space if no one else is using it. Larger groups of 3-5 can come to my house for Crafternoons or sewing lessons. Sure, a dedicated maker studio would be ideal, but I have no desire to finance or manage a physical location outside of my own home. I’ll be happy to rent space as needed – if the business gets to that point.

The side hustle and volunteering with Sadie are starting to ramp up! Time to get busy!

Stay quilting my friends!

“I’m cheap,” our instructor freely admitted at the class on Thursday as she carefully pocketed the envelope in which I’d placed my kit fee, rather than hand it back to me. I was amused, but said nothing. We’d heard that phrase throughout the day in reference to many things in her creative process and life. Her mindset is certainly about paying the least amount possible for EVERYTHING.

As a recent retiree, I am certainly cost conscious, but I prefer the term frugal over cheap. I generally focus on value for money spent, rather than always getting the lowest price possible. This is reflected in how I run my business. I charge a fair price, while giving customers good value for their money. Cheap customers are why I stopped making t-shirt quilts. I merely referred them to an online service that could churn out the “blanket” they wanted at a super cheap price. More discerning customers who appreciate craftsmanship were referred to a local business that specializes in memory quilts. Now that I have more time to devote to quilting, I have resumed making memory quilts for those who are “quiltworthy.” Most folks are still referred to the local/online service providers.

Receiving my final paycheck on Friday forced a bit of a reality check as I reviewed our expenses over the past four months. Yes, I budgeted correctly for an average month. That said, I underestimated our pent up demand for travel and the cost associated with properly outfitting hubby for hiking trips. Inflation’s impact on everything else was also an unknown. Travel aside, our expenses in retirement (so far) are actually quite a bit lower than they were when we were both working full-time. This echoes what one of hubby’s former coworkers stated at his team’s retirement celebration. We no longer pay a premium for items and services to make life more manageable for us. There is no longer a need a daily pet sitter, more meals are eaten at home and we are able to take advantage of free/low-cost entertainment offered at non-peak times. No back-to-school wardrobe, new lunch box and classroom supplies for me this year either! Health insurance will actually become our largest monthly expense once COBRA coverage begins. That’s pretty sad, isn’t it?

Frugality over three decades it what made it possible for both of us to walk away from our jobs this year at age 57. We aimed for FAT FIRE, followed Dave Ramsey’s wisdom and finally figured out how much was enough with Wes Moss. Once we hit that number, we planned hubby’s exit strategy and later mine. No regrets.

This week I took a hand embroidery and beading for quilters class with Catherine Redford. What fun!

Definitely stepped outside my comfort zone on Thursday with going to a class where I knew not one person and doing stuff way more advanced than my simple redwork and cross-stitch skills. I did enjoy the folksy look of the hand embroidery sampler, but really LOVED the beading lessons. I was amazed at the difference a bit of simple hand stitching and bead placement can make in a project. This is the extra bit of oomph I’m looking for to up my show quilt game.

Also attended my first official guild meeting this morning. There’s definitely a lot of talent and opportunities for leadership, social and skill development (for me) with this group of ladies and gents. One of the ladies I met at the embroidery class yesterday recognized me and took me under her wing during the meeting. I really appreciated her showing me the ropes. I checked out a book from the library and picked up some fabric to make placemats and a kid quilt for the charities the guild supports. Hey, opportunities to practice my FMQ and ruler work! 🙂

Enjoy some photos from Thursday’s class!