Generally I'm just a normal wonderfully sane individual, but like everyone else I have the occasional horrible days when your mind is wondering or isn't fully awake and you commit to something you would have run away from on any normal day. You know, A CALL ME CRAZY day.
The timing of this hop coincided with one of THOSE days.
I live in a ginormace retirement community in Florida. There are over 2000 groups you can join that cover pretty much anything you can think of...crafts, sports, nationalities, schools, biking, music and on and on. most of the groups have some tie to doing something charitable at least once during the year.
Earlier this year I joined a Machine Embroidery Quilting group. In May they announced that the charity they would support this year involved a group that annually holds a charity auction of Christmas Trees fully decorated by different organizations. At the meeting (which started at 8:30 AM) they had a list of things needed to be done by the members. Things like ornaments and tree topper and tree skirt. Members were raising their hands as different items came up on the list until they got to the tree skirt. Nobody raised their hand. After the request was made for the 3rd time, sleepy me raised my hand. After all how bad can it be, I've knocked out several tree skirts over the years.
They wanted specifics for the next meeting. When I raised my hand I didn't take into consideration that this was an "Embroidery" group and the skirt needed to represent that fact.
I googled embroidered tree skirts and found a beautiful pattern. Problem was that I looked at it and thought it was an applique with some embroidery pattern. Found out after purchasing and downloading it that the only applique is the snow everything else is embroidered.
Each of the 12 panels is done individually and then they are sewn together. The last part stitched in each panel is the satin stitch outline. If you don't have the piece hooped to the max this is the result
This issue happened to me 2 out of 12 times. The one panel was lite on the embroidery compared to the others so I guess I got a little cocky (yes more crazy). and not as careful in hooping.
Ok, off I go to the next meeting to find out that these trees have to be presented to the auction committee in early September to be voted in or out. I'm doing all this crazy stuff for something that may or may not happen. Told my sister about it and she volunteered to take it if we don't make the cut, actually she begged for it either way.
Next I have to sew the panels together. The instructions suggest using a zipper foot. The problem was that when you stack satin stitch on satin stitch the 2 pieces don't stay stacked well. I tried pins, clips and tape to no avail. I ended up hand basting the pieces together and then going back and sewing with the zipper foot. Yes, more CRAZY.
I am writing this on Sunday morning the day before I post this. My goal is to sew the backing on and finishing this up. I have been at this step all week and can't seem to get my crazy self motivated to just DO IT. Probably because I'm afraid of what the next unforeseen issue will be.
OK so I want to thank Joan for the push to get me this far with this project. I do better with goals and due dates.
I can't wait to see what makes us call the rest of this group crazy. Please join in and find out. Here is the list of Crazies participating. Have a great day.
Monday August 21
Tuesday August 22
Wednesday August 23
Thursday August 24