Hello all, Mary Ellen here.

How’s everybody enjoying the new season of Downton Abbey? I haven’t watched the 3rd episode yet, but I am enjoying the season to date. Love that Maggie Smith/Dowager character. She says the darndest things! And Lady Mary’s escapades…my, my! Have you purchased any of the Downton Abbey fabrics? I think they’re on the third collection now. I’ve used a few as fillers in a project or two for the shop where I teach, but have not gone for an entire project with them as of yet. How about you? If you did make an entire project, what was it? Quilt? bag? purse?

I get the newsletter from Superior Threads regularly. Bob always includes a joke-very tame and inoffensive. Often they include a play on words or some sort of pun. Love myself a good pun. Since I am working on a very common goal of eating better this year and hopefully losing a few pounds, I had to chuckle at the joke he included in today’s issue. Complete credit for this is given to Bob at Superior Threads.

Don’t know why I didn’t figure this out sooner.  I use shampoo in the shower and when I wash my hair, the shampoo runs down my whole body.  Well, printed very clearly on the shampoo label is the warning, “For Extra Volume and Body.”  No wonder I have been gaining weight!
So I got rid of that shampoo and decided to shower with Dawn dish soap. That label reads, “Dissolves fat that is otherwise difficult to remove.”

Will be working on some log cabin blocks today. I’m making up a bunch so I can show my beginner students the versatility of this classic block. I have an article from a past Quiltmaker magazine showing about 50 ways to use half square triangles. Those same layouts are possible with log cabins, or any block with a strong diagonal division. Drunkard’s Path blocks can be used that way . Next time you see a new or interesting block using half square triangles, imagine it as a quilt instead–substitute a log cabin for each half square triangle and voila!

Did anyone else pick up on the news stories last night of the dangers of sitting for too long? Very bad for your health in many ways. So those of you who have set up your sewing room with an ironing board and cutting station near by so you seldom have to get out of your chair–it’s time to rethink that layout. The suggestion was to get out of your chair for several minutes during every half hour. Some companies are encouraging the use of work stations/offices which require standing. Some even have treadmills running below the desk. Yikes. How would we set up a sewing machine so we could sew standing up? Brings to mind another old quilter quote–”If I sew fast enough, does it count as aerobic exercise?”

What’s on your sewing machine right now?