Ruler Class in Missoula

I went to Missoula on Tuesday to teach a rulerwork class at the quilt store there. This class was similar to the class I teach in Kalispell, but the students were on domestic machines rather than a sit-down longarm machine. I was reminded again that I need to be very specific on the supply list, because two of the students left their extended machine tables at home. We can’t use rulers without the tables. The store was able to provide some, thankfully.

[Pro tip: When you take a sewing class, bring everything with you, even if you don’t think you’ll need it.]

Once past that hiccup, though, the class went really well. The students were hesitant at first, but when I told them that they needed to concentrate on building muscle memory rather than on how their quilting looked, they relaxed and began to have fun. By the end of the class, each of them had purchased Amanda Murphy rulers and books and signed up for the second class in May.

I always say that it’s a great class when the teacher enjoys herself as much as the students do.

I also made a visit to the Joanns in Missoula to see what they had left. The liquidation company is emptying the warehouses and interesting things are showing up at the stores. My question is why did they have to wait until the liquidation to empty the warehouses? Some of the stores could have used this stock over the past couple of years!!! The Kalispell store had half a dozen plastic-wrapped full bolts of Robert Kaufman yarn-dyed Essex Linen when I was in there the other day. Yet another shining example of poor management.

I mentioned previously that I had made three Toaster Sweaters out of some cabled knit fabric in a lovely rayon blend from Joanns. I have one in light blue, one in navy, and one in burgundy. Yesterday, I found three yards of that same fabric in black. I haven’t ever seen the black fabric (in stores or online) before. Every time I put on one of my Toasters, I think how nice it would be to have one in black, so I am welcoming the discovery of the black fabric yesterday as a gift from the universe.

I haven’t gone nuts during this Joanns closing, but I am stocking up on things I know I will use when I see them.

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I measured my finished Tamarack at the shoulders to see what kind of alterations I am going to have to incorporate if I make it again. The jacket measures 16" from shoulder to shoulder at the sleeve seams. When you factor in the 1/2" seam allowances in bulky fabric, that brings the internal width down to about 15", which is way too narrow for me. I think the jacket would fit me better with a cross-shoulder measurement of about 18". I suspect that would fix the too-short sleeve problem, too.

I’ve really got to drill down and prioritize my sewing projects from here on out, just because my sewing time is going to be limited. A robe for my mother is next on the list as she’ll need it for warmer weather.

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The employees will be here helping the husband this morning, so they are going to take a few minutes to remove the shade cloth from the greenhouse for me. We put it up there last fall because it was the easiest way to store it. We won’t need it again until the middle of the summer.

I’ve got paperwork to do today, but tomorrow and Saturday have been earmarked for seed starting in the greenhouse. I’ll take some photos of the current state of the garden. Cleanup outside won’t start for another couple of weeks, but I need to be thinking about where crops are going to go this season.