Spinning my wheels

At least it feels that way this week. I did manage to get 150+ items listed in the store. Unfortunately there are 150+ items waiting to be listed! I haven't been able to stay at the computer for any length of time at all this week, and it looks like I will be out of the house at least tomorrow. I promised my mom I would shampoo her carpets and wash her windows for Mothers Day (I know, not too "pretty" of a gift but it's what she wanted). Anyhow, she wants it done tomorrow. I'm keeping my fingers crossed nothing comes up for Friday so I can spend the day getting something done.


Here are a few of the items I need to get listed. I kitted (is that a word?) up a bunch of these purse patterns for the quilt show. I have about 50% of them left, so thought I would give them a shot online. I have another class planned later in the summer, so will need some for that.

I really need to wrap up all the loose ends so I can focus on the 2 day workshop coming up in May. I am giving a surface design workshop for the guild. At the time I agreed to do it I really didn't have any plans for the Spring/Summer. Since then I have made plans to be out of town for a week in May and another in June. Needless to say I will be moving full tilt for the next couple of months. It's a good thing I work well under pressure.

Aftermath

My mind is still spinning with all the things I need to do. I did manage to inventory everything. Now I just need to photograph, edit and list all of the fabrics that I did, but haven't posted to eBay. I really want to launch a website, but need to get these out there for sale first. Once that's done maybe I can focus on the website.

I need to send in a proposal for two, 2 day workshops later this summer. One here in the Tri-Cities and the other in Walla Walla. Have to decide if I want to vend at two out of town venues that approached me at this show. Haven't decided if I like packing everything up, unpacking and repacking. That's alot of packing!

I was surprised at how many people were interested in the actual quilting of my pieces. I never thought it was anything special, but apparently it is unusual. I received a few inquiries about quilting for others. Think I will give it a go for those that want what I do. Don't think I would do well taking direction, but that's nothing new!

The fabric I'm rusting is not working with my schedule. I think it should be ready, but it has other ideas. It's kind of like cooking a roast. You can't rush it no matter how impatient you get.

Now it's bedtime. It's early I know, but the weekend has caught up with me.

Show Time!

Meet my mom. She's the lady who is refusing to look at the camera. I'll try to catch her by surprise tomorrow.
Well it was a very short night, followed by a long day. Not complaining, just tired. I learned so much today. I have also cultivated many new contacts for future workshops and classes.
So anyway, this is my booth. I am so thankful I was put on the end.; I originally had only a single booth (10'x10') but due to a layout problem I was able to gain 8-10 feet more than I should have. Even with all the extra space I was sure I wouldn't get everything out. I did end up leaving a few totes under the table to keep it from looking too crowded.




These are samples for the workshop coming up in May. The light colored piece on the left is flour resist, the one leaning against it is rust dyed, and the rest are breakdown printing. email me at mail@badgercanyonhanddyes.com if you would like to register for the workshop.

2 days and counting

You know how you're sure you've forgotten something? Well that's me this week. I am sure I will walk off and forget something important. I've written more lists than I can count. Have now resorted to walking around mumbling to myself "don't forget ______". My wonderfully supportive husband is leaving town on Wednesday (lucky him).

My biggest fear is that I don't have enough inventory. I have 500+ items ready, but want the booth to look full. Oh well, times up.

I did manage to design and put together another bag pattern Didn't have time to kit up any, so the patterns will have to do. Here's a picture of the newest.



Now to that lady on the east coast who is just as driven as I am, the last 2 pieces are down in dye. If the brown looks good I'll get one of them rusted in the morning. All should be ready to ship out on Monday. I'll email you Sunday night with an update.

Think I'll go "veg" for awhile.

Rust dyeing

Finally, the new black dye arrived and I have been able to get almost all of the grays done. Just when I think I have it whipped, the brown decides to test me. Silly fabric. I am nothing if not persistent. I will get it right. I do admit a small retreat. I usually drive right in with the full yardage, this time I was forced to go back to 1 yard cuts until I get the correct mix. I mainly dye by "eye". I can look at a swatch and match it. Most of my pieces require multiple dye runs, so color can be adjusted with each successive run. Not this time. I am actually having to write down the measurements this time! I just know it something simple I am overlooking. In the meantime I am accomplishing several things, the rejects add to the quilt show inventory and the recipes go in the book.

Some Photos

New bag of the month. I try to do a new one every month. I think I will do this one again making the opening slightly larger.




Here is the other end of the dining room. Yes I know there is a couch in there. I decided to leave it there after moving it to make room for the X-mas tree last year. That puppy weighs a ton! Anyhow, I have managed to get 100+ bag kits done up, 100 patterns, couple dozen silk scarves (see below), 20-30 packages of roving and too many other things to think about right now. I am about 8 days from set up time, so am trying to get it all together. The totes are filled with various fabrics. Several more of those are out of the frame. I am seriously beginning to think have lost my mind! What was I thinking??? We'll see if it's all worth it on th 30th.

Lesson Learned

Well, that'll teach me to complain about email programs. My internet provider experienced what they call a "catastrophic failure". This means I have lost all my files that were stored on the server. Now this usually wouldn't be a big deal, but all my business communications were there. Still trying to process this info. Not sure what the impact will be.

There was one bright spot in this mess. My address book is still intact. I am thankful for the small stuff.

On another electronic front, I picked up my Visa machine yesterday. Found some time to sit down with the literature today. Having a "Quick Reference" guide is nice, but I really would have preferred a users manual. Guess this means another trip to the back tomorrow. Maybe I can Google it.

Still putting together inventory for the booth I'll have at the quilt show. Today's results were disappointing, so no pics. Maybe I'll get some up in the morning before I overdye.

Judy, if you're out there I haven't forgotten you. The new dyes arrived today, so plan to get some more grays down. I wasn't happy with the results I was getting from the black I had in stock.

Time to get back at it.

Success !!!

Wow, you know you have too many email addresses/passwords when it takes a half hour to log onto Blogger. I've made so many trips up and down the stairs (multiple computers) that I have forgotten 1/2 of what I planned to say.

I thought today was going to turn out to be a totally unproductive day. I was saved from that when my wonderful friend Loretta showed up. She whipped me into shape, and we managed to get 100 patterns put together for the quilt show. She also had some great suggestions for inventory tracking. I owe her big time. Working alone all the time is not a good thing. I tend to get so focused on one way of doing things I fail to consider other options.

No pictures tonight and be warned I plan to write my "to do list" below. So if those kind of things bore you I'll say goodnight.

1. Finish sample bag on machine.
2. Start/finish clutch sample.
3. Dye last couple dozen scarves.
   
4. Bind samples.
5. Mount samples.
6. Try to create some interesting cloth for mounting.
7. Play with heat gun & meltable (is that a word?) "stuff". (have an idea cooking)
8. Prep felt/roving for notebook covers.
9. More coffee sleeves.
10. Put together texture bundles. (need interesting name for these) They include hand dyed scrim, silk roving, silk carrier rods, dupioni silk, various fibers, and maybe some beads. Any suggestions?
11. Get fabrics down for multi color LWI.
12. Work on sample book for custom orders.
13. Rinse/wash rusted fabrics.

Think I'll stop there. I'm tired already!

Avoidence

So many things to do. I have no idea what to start, that I thought I would avoid it for a little while. Things I should be doing,

• Attaching photos to purse kits.
  
• Need to email Marlene to let her know I went ahead and printed the photos myself.
• Type up the headers for every piece of fabric I plan to have at the quilt show. I'm dreading this one as there is 200 + pieces.
• Finish satin stitching the flowers onto a comforter. My girlfriends daughters' B-day is the end of the month, and I agreed to put some large flowers onto a plain comforter. I should have looked at the comforter before agreeing. It's poly filled, so it's like wrestling a sleeping bag thru the machine. Only one more flower to go. Hope my back holds out!
• Dye up more roving.
• Kit up more purse patterns with above roving.
• Check on the fabric rusting in the garage.
• Play with the new interfacing screens/stencils I made.
• Go upstairs to get camera so I can post a photo here!

Okay, I'll start at the bottom. Shagged my dragging butt upstairs for the camera. This is one of the roving purses I'm putting kits together for.





Pile of roving. This has all been kitted up. Time to dye more.


Same pile of roving as pictured above.

The monster comforter. My sewing chair is under there somewhere. I really should crawl back under there and get busy. In a minute!

This was my dining room until this last weekend. I have been stacking all the finished items here for the quilt show. I have half a dozen totes full of fabric waiting to go in here. They need the headers attached, them they are ready to go. I guess I've put it off long enough. Back to the machine.

TCB

Well it looks like every other week is the best I can do keeping up here. I've been madly dyeing fabrics, roving, fibers etc to prepare for the annual quilt show here. I decided to jump in and vend at the event. Of course I don't have enough inventory, so it will be nose to the grindstone around here for awhile.

I also plan to have kits for 4 bags, silk paper notepad covers, silk paper kits and maybe a few other things for sale. I'll try to get some photos up of the samples. If I have some time I may make up bags for sale too.

Did I mention I have a class (bags) to give the end of this month, and another next month? Yeah, trying to get that together too! I'll be giving a surface design class for the local guild in May, and am planning another for June.

Needless to say I'm feeling a little behind. It's a good thing I work well under pressure.

Here you go Jeanie. I'll follow up with an email. The yardage is listed below each photo.


1 yard



2 yards

1 yard

1 yard



5 yard

1 yard


6 yard baby blue.


1 yard


6 yard stonewash blue.



3 yard blue & white stripe.

3 pieces as follows, 7/7/3 yards


4 yard lime & white stripe.


2 pieces as follows, 6/6 yard dark blue


6 yard med blue.


2 yard


2 yards


2 pieces as follows, 2/4 yards


2 yard


2 yards


1 yard


2 yard


2 yard


2 yard



3 yard

LOL! I just looked over yesterdays post. That inch of "snow" under the snow should have said ice! That's what happens when I try to muti-task. I know better than to talk on the phone while trying to type.


Below is what is shaping up to be a series. Working title of :Study in Orange". I have one more I want to make, maybe a few more.

Spring flowers. Notice the snow out the window.




8 am this morning. About 2" on the ground. There is about an 1" of snow under the snow.


4 pm tonight.



Poor trees, they are so loaded.



About 10" now and still coming down.