I’m Busy
When I’m busy, I have learned to slow down. This may seem counterintuitive. However, when I rush to accomplish everything, a definite Herculean task, I invariable make mistakes. Correcting those mistakes will likely lead to even more time being consumed and less things being accomplished overall. Another habit I have practiced for years is to prioritize. In other words I attack the most pressing and/or important items on my “to do” list, before I undertake fun and easy ones.
Step By Step
Aren’t those mice adorable? The machine embroidery pattern was designed by DFEmbroidery Design, and it is available to download through Etsy. These are the little fellows I plan to have scamper around my Cats in the Attic quilt. The stitching will be quick with no more than 5 or so minutes per mouse. Most of that time is spent changing threads. Easy peasy, right? If only. The largest chunk of time is spent setting up the quilt in the hoop and positioning where I want the mice stitched.
The First Step
In order to stitch the mice, especially those in the outer black and gray border, I first had to baste a temporary border around the outside. This temporary border allows me to position the outer black and gray border within the stitching or working area of the curved hoop, as shown below. The temporary border also provides a means to properly pull the fabric taut inside the hoop. If you tap on taut fabric, it should sound a bit like a drum and your finger should bounce back. The temporary border gives me the leeway that I need for this work.
Next Step
Embroidery is made up of very dense stitches. Therefore, it is vital to stabilize the surface being embroidered or it will pucker and shrink. Logos on T-shirts and baseball caps have a heavy, tearaway stabilizer inside. How could I add stabilizer to my quilt, especially since I wasn’t certain as to where I wanted to place my mice? The problem is that stabilizer comes in 20″ wide rolls, but the quilt is 35″ high and 31″ wide. Then a solution hit me. I bet I could abut two 20″ high by 31″ wide pieces of stabilizer in the same way in the same way that I piece batting. Seaming the two pieces doesn’t make sense, since heavy stabilizer is less flexible and thicker than fabric.
If you look closely you can actually see the back side of the quilt through the stabilizer.
This is the stitch I use when piecing batting and now stabilizer together. I love this stitch, because it is both secure and lays flat.
Rainbow Scrap Challenge
Busy as I was, I did manage to get a photo of the Cats in the Attic quilt top, before I started prepping it for the embroidered mice.
Next week is shaping up to be just as busy as this week, with no end to all that must be done. At least I am nearly ready to start stitching those mice.
Question of the Week
How would you finish the sentence, “When I am busy, I…?
I’m linking up to the following posts:
What an awesome plan to add embroidered mice to your cats in the attic! When I’m busy, I also prioritize like you. . .in that way, we could be sisters!
Seems we are often similar in how we approach our life and work, Terry. The mice are a perfect example. We can always add that one more tweak to a piece to bring it alive.
Your cats quilt is looking so cute, Gwyned! Will the mice go just in the gray squares or in other places, too? When I’m busy, I break tasks into smaller components and try just to get at least one of them done. And then usually the progress on the task shows up over time!
My plan, at least in my brain, is to have the mice scamper around the quilt. They may straddle gray corner stones and black settings, be partially in a block tantalizing a cat. I want to break the traditional layout of the quilt.
Great way to accomplish a task, Diann. If you can’t do it all than what can you do?
I love that kitty quilt. I look forward to seeing where you place those mice. I have, mostly unsuccessfully, tried to abut my batting. Perhaps I need to try a different stitch. I like how you abutted the stabilizer. I hope you find time for some stitching.
Cathie, I tried several different stitches when piecing batting. The one I am currently using works best for me. I’m not sure what it is called. It looks like two rows of vertical diamonds that are set on point, but one row is staggered a half diamond below the other, so they nestle in. I think it may be used for fabrics that stretch. The other key is that the two abutting fabrics both require totally straight edges.
Thanks for the well wishes.
Yes, definitely help when you are busy. That being said, I turned to “Reminders” on my computer years ago. No need to write things down. Every item is assigned a date. If I run out of time and don’t finish “Today” I assign the remaining items to future days. I also find it keeps me from worrying I might forget something or needing to write the same items over and over again.
Thank you for the generous comment.
Your cats in the attic are looking so cute!!! Busy = make a list and start checking off items.
Those little mice are adorable, they will be great and fun to spy around the cats. When I’m busy, I… procrastinate! Next, I start writing down the tasks in my planner and setting a time limit during which I work exclusively on that task. It doesn’t always work 😉
I am in awe of the many amazing machine embroidery designers. There is always someone who designs precisely what I need.
So true. Timing is difficult. I recall learning that doing things we love, we tend to underestimate the time it takes, when tackling a less than appealing task we overestimate the time it will require. I confess I do ease into my morning. Some might call it procrastinating.
You sure are enjoying your embroidery machine. Those mice will be so cute scampering around. I like to make lists and enjoy crossing stuff of the list. If there is something I don’t want to do, I keep ignoring it, but it keeps haunting me or taunting me. So then I give in and do it and strike it off and go and sew.
Hard to believe, when I was looking for my next sewing machine, having an embroidery machine didn’t even enter my mind. However, I’m a Bernina loyalist and the size machine I wanted had an embroidery machine attachment, that’s what I got. Then I started playing. Soon, I was a convert. I love discovering new ways to use it to enhance my work. Placing scampering mice is what the machine does beautifully – OK with a little assistance.
A very honest answer and something I expect many of us do from time to time. In other words, only tackle something difficult when it is too distracting not to handle it.
When I am busy I try to remember the many blessings I have that are contributing to the sometimes-over-full schedule. Such as in the past week, Dave and I focused on the fact that we can afford to have the new HVAC system installed!
Thanks for sharing in Sew & Tell. Those little mice will be so cute.
Love the idea of noting blessings when life gets busy.
Added the first mouse this morning. It is adorable.
Wow, the quilt came together quite nicely & I can’t wait to see the embellishments.
Thank you, Sue. You will see at least some of the embellishments in my upcoming post. I embroidered my first mouse yesterday.