QAL #1: Farmhouse Star QAL with Lori Holt begins on Memorial Day. I have the shapes and circle templates. Apparently I also need a pattern, which is on backorder. Isn’t there usually a free sew along guide that goes with each pack of the Sew Simple Shapes? Looks like participants must now pay $12.00 for a pattern on top of the $$ spent on plastic templates. That’s just crazy. I’d rather have a book of projects than have to collect individual patterns.

QAL #2: Great Granny Squared hosted by Fat Quarter Shop begins 6/6 and lasts through the end of August. Guess this will be the one I do since I already have the book and fabrics in my stash. It’s two blocks per week, which is totally doable.

While I’m glad to still have an online option to keep me feeling connected to other quilty peeps, I miss sewing with friends. Stitch N Quilt’s closing left me without a “quilty home”. It feels strange to be out of school and not able to stop in to see Miss Pat.

The other LQS have pretty much put most classes in vacation mode until Labor Day. They host open sew days in the shops 1-2x per month. Guess I will be making the rounds to see if I can find a new quilty home. Quilt guilds are starting to come back to meeting in-person, as well. I’ll have fun visiting area guilds to see which one clicks.

After twenty-one and a half years, today was my last day as a school librarian, I attended the EOY breakfast celebration, did my retirement walk, turned in my badge, keys and laptop, said my good-byes and walked out the schoolhouse doors one last time. Retirement officially began at 12:36 p.m.!

Know what I’m most excited about? Not having to be somewhere by 7:10 a.m.! Right now, it feels like it always does when we get out for summer break. After a 3 year hiatus, we’re hosting our annual Memorial Day weekend cookout for a large group of friends. My energies will be spent prepping for Sunday’s festivities. On Monday, I’ll crash and begin my annual summer decompression ritual.

Yesterday, I was asked to sew a patch to a t-shirt that someone wanted to give as a gift.

Said patch turned out to be a varsity letter on a super stiff felt background – almost like sewing on leather. Off to Joann’s I went with Sadie in tow to find a matching thread. A Gutermann polyester topstitch thread was almost an exact match! Of course, Sadie got her daily quota of petting during our shopping trip.

Thank goodness the t-shirt turned out to be a sweatshirt. It was made from a fairly stable knit fabric, making it easier to sew. Once I decided placement, it was a matter of gluestick/heat set/pin the applique in place and stitch around it. Even with all the fancy feet my Baby Lock Jubilant has, I listened to my inner voice that advised me to “borrow” the vintage zipper foot from my Featherweight accessory box. Low shank feet are universal and it worked like a charm. My coworker was very pleased with the finished result.

I have to hand it to Baby Lock – my Jubilant does a fabulous job with almost any type of fabric I put under the needle. All it needs is a scissors button and a straight stitch needle plate. Baby Lock – are you listening?