Hopscotch
I have fond memories of playing hopscotch with my school friends during recess. There were two hopscotch grids near my classroom where we gathered. One was the traditional shape, the other formed a snail or labyrinth shaped path. There was an order to how you hopped your steps and then returned along the path back to where you started. Hopscotch has a vey different meaning in the adult world. It means to jump from place to place or project to project, perhaps with little order. I took the “adult” route this week.
Bernina 990 Progress
I continue to have fun learning and sewing with the Bernina 990. My big breakthrough this week was learning to edit the colors in the embroidery design program to match the colors I wanted AND minimize the thread changes. Here is why it is key.
Previously, if I wanted to stitch out the red and blue earrings in the same run, the program stitched leaves for the red earrings followed by the red flowers and then the leaves for the blue flowers, etc. So start with green, change to red, change back to green and finally change to blue. Now I can set up things up so it goes green, green, red and blue. Not such a big deal in this example, but imagine if I were to make 4 pairs of earrings in a single run. The need to jump up and down to switch thread is greatly minimized.
I couldn’t resist leaping to yet another free standing lace (FSL) project and testing out several of the bookmark designs I acquired at the beginning of the month.
Why not make a Table Runner?
The answer to this question might be because I simply don’t have the time to hopscotch over to yet one more project. At the same time, I don’t want to acquire any more UFO’s (unfinished objects). They tend to clutter my workspace and my brain.
With my very last 15 minutes of studio time I stitched one of my flying geese borders. It is part of a block in the table runner I am making.
Rainbow Scrap Challenge
You may recall that my September goal was to finish quilting my 2024 RSC quilt. To quote an aerobics teacher from decades back, “Stick a fork in it.” In other words, it’s done. Of course I have a few minor fixes, and other finish work, such as adding the binding before the quilt is functional, but at least the quilting is done.
Question of the Week
How do you feel about hopscotching from one project to the next and back again?
I’m linking up to the following posts:
The lacework is fascinating. It must be fun to watch the machine as it does its thing (and you hope the programming works properly and the thread holds out). “Stick a fork in it” — I must remember to apply that to quilt projects!
The good news is, I have become comfortable enough with the machine that I only the watch the start of each new color, say the first 30 seconds or so. If the thread breaks (very rare) or the bobbin runs out of thread I can hear the machine stop. I simply return to the machine and change the bobbin or rethread machine. Hit start and it is off and running again. OK, it is mesmerizing to watch the pattern evolve.
Thank you, Nann, for sharing your thoughts.
Hey, did you know about the Bernina Stitchout app? You can monitor the progress of your machine embroidery stitchout from a smart phone and it will notify you if there are thread breaks or when it’s time for a color change. I haven’t tried it myself (because my embroidery module is STILL unused as I’ve been blissfully piecing and stitching appliqué instead of embroidering). Here’s a link to download the app from Bernina: https://www.bernina.com/en-US/Campaigns-en-US/BERNINA-Stitchout-App
You are the best, Rebecca. Actually, I do know about the app, just haven’t added to my iPad (which I have nearly all the time because I listen to audiobooks) or my phone, that I don’t carry and have set 24 hours a day to do not disturb. The reality is, because of how open our home is, I can hear the machine from anywhere in the house. So, if I exit the studio, say to have lunch, the machine chugs away while I prep and eat. If it stops, I return to the studio when I am ready and do what needs doing. Some of those embroideries, especially if I create multiple designs in a single hoop, can take 6 hours or even more to stitch out.
Your earrings are fabulous, Gwyned! So glad you figured out a way to make the process more efficient. And fun bookmarks, too! Congratulations on finishing the RSC quilting – that is a big accomplishment! I do have a tendency to “hopscotch” around with various projects throughout a week, at times. But when a finish is in sight, it can definitely feel really good to stick with one thing and get it done!
Thank you, Diann. I’m loving the OESD FSL patterns. The earrings are lovely. So light and comfortable to wear, too. Naturally, I had to test a pair before selling them at my open studio in November. Nothing like a nearly finished spot to narrow the focus.
Congrats on finishing the quilting, a big check mark for this stage of the project. Your thoughts on several projects going at the same time nailed it with, “it clutters my brain” exactly how I feel. One project at a time, no UFOs. Love the lace work you are making with your new toy.
Thank you! Yes, it does feel like a major accomplishment to finish the quilting. Here’s to our brains being free of clutter.
I try to stick to three projects that way I can change what I feel like doing but still not get caught up in way too many projects
Excellent plan, Karen. Minimizing the number of projects is a good solution.
I tend to always have several things going, so I do hopscotch from this to that. Sometimes I have 2 projects going at the same time, quilting and sewing or sewing and embroidery, etc. That can get confusing!! Love the lace projects, can’t wait to see the quilt!!
I’m seeing that hopscotching around is fairly normal in our world. The tough part for me is remembering where I left off when I am tackling multiple projects.
Now that I have finished quilting the 2024 RSC, I will need to focus on the finish work. I can tell it will take me several weeks or more. I’m eager to see it on the bed, too. Promise to share it when I am done.
Your free standing lace is absolutely gorgeous!
Thank you, Vicki. When I purchased the Bernina 990 I was given a VERY generous starter box containing all sorts of goodies from OESD. I had no idea what OESD was. So ignored it. Then curiosity got the better of me. Checked out the site and was wowed by their patterns. All my FSL patterns come from them.
Hourray for finishing the RSC quilting! I can’t wait to see full photos of it! Well done with the earrings and bookmarks too, it’s always so rewarding to master new skills and dealing with the color changes is a big step forward. Thank you for sharing your progress and linking up!
Thank you, Frédérique. I went through the usual newbie ups and downs after I bought the Bernina 990. I figured with 40 years of quilting learning a new machine would be no big deal. Then it was. Now it is as if I have had the machine for years vs three months. Of course, there is always something new to learn. That’s half the fun.
Those earrings are beautiful. I admire your patience to learn all about your machine. The bookmarks are beautiful. Congrats on finishing the quilting. I always seem to have several projects going at once as I like variety, but I do try to not have many UFOs. I work to bring each project to a finish before I start another large project.
Thank you, Cathie. I am having fun playing with the various earring patterns. It is a collection of 10 designs. It’s fun to switch out colors. As an added bonus they are a dream to wear.
The earrings are very interesting, they’ll sell well at your studio open house. I used to be able to work on several quilting projects at a time but no longer. It’s enough to juggle machine piecing, hand applique and hand quilting, now I’m participating a BOM and a BOW! I have to immediately piece those blocks as soon as I get the pattern. Happy stitching!
Let’s hope you are right about the earrings selling, Gretchen. I’m trying to find something that will tempt people to make a purchase or two. My quilts don’t lend themselves to impulse purchases.
I have fun watching you and others tackle BOM and BOW projects. Perhaps someday, in my spare time…
I hopscotch from project to project all the time. Every day. Pinball sewing is what I sometimes call it. Your 2024 RSC blocks were so interesting, so I’m looking forward to seeing the finished quilt.
I love that analogy, Sara. It does feel like bounce off the bumpers and being back up by paddles. I also want to see the finish 2024 RSC quilt. Hopefully, that will be incentive enough to buckle down and do it.
Awesome work on the earrings and bookmarks. The RSC quilt is just amazing. I’m so in love with it. Congrats!
I consider myself a butterfly, going from one project to another to a new one and back again. I probably have over a dozen projects “in progress” at any time. Sad, I know. Lol. Enjoy! ;^)
Thank you, Chantal. Just as I purchased the Bernina 990 for our eventual move to a CCRC, I made this quilt for the primary bed at the CCRC. Because it is scrappy it contains fabrics from my decades of quilting. Thought it would be fun to have it as visual memory of many of the quilts I made over the years.
Wahoo a finish with your quilting! I hope you did a long happy dance! I like your earrings. I hope they sell! As far as your question. . .oh yes, I hopscotch or maybe I am a butterfly like Chantal! I have multiple projects going on at any given time so if I get stuck, I can play with another project while I think about getting unstuck!
Let’s just say I did a little shuffle. Actually, I picked up a bit. It is my own form of happy dance. When I am immersed in my work surfaces become cluttered. I need open space to think and function.
I’m enjoying the butterfly image. It’s less frenetic than the one I shared of going from project to project.
I love the earrings & bookmarks. The lacework is lovely. And congrats on finishing the quilting on the RSC project! I do flit from project to project which is why I love doing RSC. I work on lots of blocks each month & it’s great. But it takes a long time for a finish & I’m getting stressed at all the non-RSC WIP’s around here. So I’m making a goal for RSC2026 to work on one or two blocks & then each month pull out a WIP in the color of the month & finish it. That’s my thinking right now in Sept. LOL
What a great goal, Sue. Those WIPs can get overwhelming. Just think of all the wonderful quilts you will have by the end of 2026.
Glad you like the FSL work I’ve been doing recently. I am finding it addicting.
Hop scotching… plate spinning. They are the same! 😉 I don’t really mind multiple projects as they satisfy the different aspects of creating. But usually only one big project at a time, with smaller, faster items as a change of scenery. Thanks for sharing in Sew & Tell.
Ah yes, plate spinning… that’s what it felt like when I was spinning the plate of motherhood, wife, student, homeowner and full time worker. In some ways I am still spinning those plates, but have added grandmother and artist, while only subtracting paid employee. Tackling one major project at a time seems like a good way to handle a full life.
I’ll add my admiration as well for these projects you’ve shared, Gwyned. What a machine you have there and how beautiful those earrings are! Amazing really. And those yellows with the black borders are so pretty. I love having a variety of projects on the go at the same time…my mood, energy level and interest fluctuate so I like to have projects that match the feeling. I’m training myself to not feel regret/disappointment/guilt when one such project gets left for awhile. I know I will get back to it at some point. Take Care, J
You are so supportive, Jocelyn. Thank you. One of the advantages of reaching our later years is our knowledge of ourself. We stop judging ourselves by how others might perceive us and accept our way of doing things as “it works for me.” Knowing yourself is a gift.