How can it be July 9th already? It feels like it should still be May. We were talking about this the other day. Is time going faster, or is it that we feel like we haven’t done anything so how can we be half way through the year?
Whatever your reasoning these are definitely strange times, and they are not going away any time soon.
I did get to teach a real in person walking foot quilting class down at Thimbles in Lockport. We had nine students and me for a total of ten people in a room that is plenty big enough for 25… Everyone had a six foot table.
Masks were worn and there was plenty of hand sanitizer available. I taught using my camera and the big screen TV. It was a little strange, keeping my distance, but everyone agreed that they had had a good day! One student had driven two and a half hours to attend and she pronounced it worth while. If the class participants are happy then I’m happy too 🙂
That was just one Saturday. What else have I been doing to stay out of trouble?
Well, I finished my secret sewing and sent off a parcel. All will be revealed before the end of the year. I used some of the leftover fabric to make a quick baby quilt. I used an allover flower motif for my free motion stitching. I think it turned out well.
I am still knitting. I found a bright skein of hand dyed fabric in my box and made a shawl. Here it is, pinned out on a wool mat for blocking.
I decided to stitch up a set of sashiko coasters. They really only took an evening and then an hour or so to finish! 
It was a lovely evening for a meeting of the Naperville Modern Quilters Guild when we got together in the parking lot of BERNINA of Naperville.
I needed a picture of the back of this next top. You know it took a lot of work to sew and press all those pieces and the evidence will be hidden once the quilt is finished!
Steve’s dad was 90 on June 27th. We couldn’t be together in person but thanks to the wonders of technology all the family sang Happy Birthday, almost in unison.
A birthday to remember?
I had such big plans for this year. My calendar is no longer full 🙁
However, I am moving with the times and last Thursday I delivered my first Zoom lecture. I hung my (prize-winning) Sue Spargo Imperial Blooms quilt behind my chair ready…
and at 7 o’clock I joined the members of the Country Quilters of McHenry for their monthly meeting. I warned them before I took a screen shot and they smiled nicely for the camera!
And then we learnt about the Language of Flowers. Julia was in the room for moral support. She took some pictures as I talked.
I guess I pull funny faces when I speak?
I enjoyed myself. I have professionally taken pictures I use for all my presentations and everyone got a front row seat to be able to see all the details! We saved questions for the end and people must have been listening because there were quite a few. Yes, it’s not the same as having a responsive audience while I’m speaking but I’m used to talking to myself… I just kept going.
My year is wide open so if you belong to a group that’s looking for a virtual speaker please put my name forward… I’d like to be able to justify a future purchase of a fancy Laurastar iron 🙂
Julia and Matt and the children had come to visit for the Holiday weekend. Their visits usually turn into work fests! This one was no different. I think our neighbors are very happy with the improved condition of our front yard. This is half way through the first day. 
Benjamin and Ruby were very patient. I remembered their Auntie Joanne’s Perler beads in the basement. A new hobby? 
Julia and Matt also helped me start to get a dedicated on-line teaching space ready. They are coming back in two weeks to set up lights and camera stands. I really am embracing 2020!
I have started a new series of cross stitches/machine quilting studies. I think there will be sixteen of them when I’m done, but it may be more. There’s a sneak preview as my featured image at the top of this post.
Other news…
Did you notice the new buttons at the side of my website? I now have an Amazon affiliate account. What that means is that I can put direct links to my books on Amazon. Then, if anyone clicks on the button and ends up buying my book I will receive a few extra pennies from the sale. It doesn’t cost the buyer anything extra 🙂
My butterfly book is coming very soon… Publication of Butterfly Stitches is set as September 25th. I will be posting lots more about it as the date gets nearer, but if you want it right when it comes out you can pre-order now. You can also order it from your local quilt store. It is showing on the major distributor’s websites already, also for pre-order. All twelve of my butterfly designs for embroidery and wool appliqué are included, along with tips and tricks for success and a small gallery of projects. I hope you will like it.
How are you doing? I hope you are staying safe, keeping well, wearing your face covering when you go out and washing your hands! We can do this. Let’s do it together.
