Tag: life

Deciding which quilt retreat to attend

May 6, 2026

Ok, you’ve compiled your list of quilting events. How do you decide which one to attend?

After the surgeon’s report that my husband did not need surgery at this time, the option to travel is a reality once again. I went through the list of potential quilting events I’d compiled over the past few months. Many were already sold out, including one location where my husband had wanted to tag along. Events with only dormitory style sleeping arrangements still available were removed from consideration.

Four events remained – each one requiring air travel. I kept circling back to one and finally registered after estimating travel costs (a bit of a splurge, but within reason). The draw is that it’s in a city I’ve never been to previously and the event offers classes with instructors who are on my instructor/class wish list. An opportunity to take a class with two of them in 2024 (much closer to home) was cancelled. I’m taking full advantage of this unexpected second chance. This is the type of quilty bucket list travel I planned for in retirement.

Over the years, I’ve learned a few things about myself:

  1. Cruises are not my thing.
  2. I enjoy solo travel. A private room option is essential – and I’m willing to pay a reasonable upcharge for it.
  3. While I will occasionally share a room with someone that I know, I am not into sharing a room with total strangers.
  4. Retreats in new-to-me locations are given priority consideration.
  5. Instructor led classes are highly preferred where significant travel is involved.
  6. If the proposed projects don’t appeal to me, I’ll pass.
  7. Sometimes, it’s absolutely worth splurging a little bit more just for the experience.

My preferences mean there are events I’ll likely never attend – and I’m totally okay with that. I don’t feel the least bit left out. In fact, I find inspiration in the projects marketed by various companies sponsoring quilt cruises. I can always buy the pattern or kit and make it at home, on sew days or at other BYOP retreats.

Photo by Mauru00edcio Mascaro on Pexels.com


Good things come to those who wait

January 31, 2026

My new sewing machine WITH a stitch regulator is due to arrive mid-week. Cue the happy dance music!

This time last year, my sewing machine dealer strongly advised that I move on picking up a new machine before price increases due to tariffs went into effect. Unfortunately, that wasn’t a possibility as I’d needed to buy a replacement vehicle at the time. Over the next several months, I watched prices keep increasing with lackluster sales promotions. Dealers became even more selective on which machines they’d accept on a trade-in – if they even accepted trade-ins. I kept saving money and waited to see if a used machine came on the market or if prices return to reality. Neither happened.

I practiced FMQ on my Janome 8900. (I’ve gotten pretty good at variations of a loopy meander plus a boxy meander). I took a longarm quilting fundamentals class at a local quilt shop. This helped me realize 3 things: (1) I prefer to FMQ sitting down, (2) a stitch regulator is a game changer for me and (3) I’d still continue to send larger items out to a longarm quilter. Scheduling time to use the longarm has been a hassle due to limited availability of time slots. We’re limited to hand guided only – no computerized E2E for folks who rent time on the machines.

So when a substack article writer mentioned how his dad had negotiated a great deal on the sister version of my machine of choice, I reached out. An Elna 782 with the ASR for the same price my local Janome dealer was selling the 9480 without the ASR in December 2024. DEAL! They are the exact same machine – just a different color scheme and badging on the outside.

I’m supporting a family-owned business and got what I wanted at a really fair price.

I‘m good.

I’ll post pics once Ellie arrives, gets unboxed and set-up.

A new school year begins…

August 4, 2025

The 2025-26 school year kicked off in a number of metro Atlanta school districts today. I enjoyed scrolling through the first day of school pictures on FB while drinking my morning tea. For the first time in two decades, I no longer have a niece in school. The youngest graduated in May and she’s moving into the dorms at Georgia Tech next Sunday.

Personally, the month of August will be spent learning more about Adobe Illustrator and EQ8, experimenting with some sewing techniques and renting time on the longarm machine at Tiny Stitches. Yes, you can say I’m big supporter of lifetime learning!

Using bits from my scrap bin to try a braid block pattern and binding with my new left bi-level foot.
One quarter of my Giant Dahlia quilt is complete – 7/26 ECQG class with Michelle Yeo from Australia

September brings a return to teaching classes and private lessons. Two fall classes are scheduled with the SQTM and I may teach a Saturday morning members-only machine maintenance workshop with my guild. I’ll also be partnering with a couple of local shops to host free Block Party workshops during school breaks so kids can come work on blocks to enter into next year’s quilt show. Preparations for the June 2026 show begin to ramp up with required monthly meetings of the entire Show Committee.

A return to school also means an uptick in therapy dog visit invites. Sadie is definitely ready to get back to work. We took six weeks off this summer from therapy dog activities. It was much needed. The public library READ visits are already scheduled, as are the usual visits with Georgia Tech. I’m waiting on the local elementary school where we did a weekly READ last year. It’s still in limbo. I’ll be bummed if it doesn’t continue; however, that’s outside my control. My friends to the north have plenty of visit opportunities available within my 30 minute drive window. That’s a good things.

Fair warning to those not familiar with ATL and back-to-school traffic. School is in session and traffic definitely heavier, but the real scary show comes after Labor Day. If you commute long distances to work, use the restroom before you leave. Bring a snack, a drink and some patience. You’ll need all three if you get stuck in bad traffic. Oh, you might also look into a Peach Pass, if applicable to your commute.