Family and health issues slowed me down!

I was doing great with getting quilts layered, quilted and bound and finished most of the tops I brought home from our winter place.  Then family issues happened and I discovered it is hard to sit at my sewing machine and can't contemplate new projects while my brain is engaged with the stress they seem to create for me.  I did head to my mom's to work on clean out of 30 years worth of papers (which ALL need shredding, a slow and tedious job) and to try to help her declutter magazines, books, sheet music etc.  All was progressing nicely and I was knee deep in 'stuff' in her laundry room when my dh called to say that he had a detached retina.  We have been there before and didn't want to go there again but what can you do.  The good news is that when you know what it all about, you recognize the symptoms immediately and the sooner you get treatment, the easier and better and more successful it is.  After a rushed trip back home and a huge thanks to our neighbour who drove him to various appointments in multiple locations the first day, I spent the next two days driving him here and there and spending time waiting.  Good thing I brought home lot of mom's magazines and had a bunch with me to read before recycling.

But, back to quilting.

I cleaned up my entire sewing space and started playing with zippy pouches thanks to inspiration from the gals in my modern guild.  We are in a swap with the Victoria guild so needed to practice my zippers!

Cathy, who writes a blog called the Blueberry Patch, had a tutorial on using fabric at the end of the zippers to be able to insert them and keep the ends nice and neat and square so I played with her technique and was very pleased at how it turned out.  Thanks Cathy!

And last Sunday, I started this tote and finally got back to it yesterday afternoon.  It is my first time using Soft and Stable in a tote and I really like working with it.  Very nice to sew through.  Also used a magnet closure that you stitch on with your sewing machine.  Wasn't too sure about sewing through plastic but it worked.  The closure is by Dritz and I will look for more of these.  Easy and fast and simple way to add a closure to a bag. The kit was from the last quilt show I attended and the shop was a cute little place that had travelled from Sechelt, B.C.  Great little booth with lots of inspiring ideas and projects and of course, kits to purchase.