Handy Tip and Tidying Up

In an effort to finish as many projects as I can this summer I have adopted the practice of binding for a few hours each and every evening while watching TV before bedtime. We don't watch television in the lightest and brightest of all rooms which makes needle threading a challenge. I have started pre-threading my hand needles during the day and have them ready to go now when I sit down to bind. I found this super-duper needle threader when cleaning out some of my Mom's sewing accessories and few months back. I have found it to be sturdy, as well as pretty and substantial; but, best of all, it threads even the finest of straw needles! I am now threading up five or six needles with whatever color thread I will be binding with and place them into the handy-dandy domed needle case to use later. Can you thread up needles ahead and place them into a square of flannel or felt? Sure. But this is a much more efficient and safe way to store them, read on.

This was also found in the recent clean-out. I have fallen heir to many valuable treasures from my Mom's sewing box. The way this works is this: the threaded needles are each inserted into a slot and wound into the case by spinning the center wheel. You can see a demo here. I love this; it really works and definitely earns its place in your chair-side sewing box besides being a fun little "toy" to have! Both of these notions are by Clover and I assure you that I receive no compensation from Clover, only my tried and true recommendation. Check them out. 

Placing the domed cover over your threaded needles, it locks into place, making this completely portable.

You can toss it into your to-go bag and your threaded needles will be tangle-free and ready to use!

Speaking of efficiency; I have been spinning my wheels in the sewing room lately; I have been busy as a bee but not showing much forward progress. A quick look around revealed why. I had piles of mess everywhere! Every pattern I had been thinking about, book that I had pulled off the shelf, piece of fabric that I had dragged out and half-finished project was either piled up or draped over something else. It was high time to clear the deck so that I could breathe think work again!

In less than an hour and a half I had everything cleaned up: sorted, stashed, filed and/or completed. Work surfaces were cleared, (except for what I am actually working on) and order was restored.

First thing: I got caught up with the latest BOM blocks from my LQS. Without all the piles surrounding me I worked quickly; it felt good to be unencumbered, I tidied right back up when I was done. I can now enter this space again with a lighter, free-er feeling and get right down to business. Am I alone in this or can you relate? That tidying that we put off can really drag us down to the point where we get nothing accomplished. The amazing thing (at least to me) is that it never takes long to restore order!

I placed an order for fabric the other day. Imagine my delight to learn, when I opened the package, that I had hit a jackpot! A full three quarter yards of jackpot, too; WOW, it was my lucky day! 😊

Life is Good!

Whipped Cream

What's your most embarrassing moment? I might have just had mine this past Friday evening.  I had organized a small dinner party for a friend who was returning to town for a brief visit after moving away a few years back. Two of her friends in attendance I met for the first time when they walked in the door, there were six of us gathered. We had a lovely time and lingered over dinner, all of us finally adjourning to the kitchen as I sliced up the Chocolate Chess Pie that I had baked for dessert. The refrigerator contained a bowl full of freshly whipped and sweetened cream for dolloping. I opened the door and reached for the bowl... it slipped from my grasp and hit the floor. I doubt that any of you reading this could even begin to imagine the distance or trajectory that whipped cream will travel before depositing itself at its final resting spot(s). It wasn't pretty. I was covered, literally... shoes, legs, skirt hem; the floor was bathed in frothy whiteness as was the wool hooked rug in front of the refrigerator door. I cleaned up the mess as well as I could while urging my guests to carry their now unadorned pie back to the dining room while I attended to the task at hand. Of course they waited for me. I cleaned up as much as I could and hurriedly made the kitchen presentable. Over the weekend the rest of the cleanup occurred: little dots of cream were removed from the pendant lights hanging over the kitchen island, from nearby and not-so-nearby cabinets, from underneath the refrigerator, from inside the refrigerator door, door shelves, door gasket, etc. I'd like to try and forget that this mishap ever happened, especially while attempting to be the perfect hostess... unfortunately those tell-tale sticky specks won't let me, they're mocking me. Looking on the bright side: it could have been worse, it could've been spaghetti sauce!

Life is Good!