Needlework Tuesday -Updating your Toys

Every so often, it`s important to update your toys, oops, I mean tools of your trade.

Usually, it`s little stuff such as marking pencils and temporary markers.  yippee, Clover now makes a pink maker, great for when working on a blue quilt.

I still get excited by new circular knitting needles with supple wires instead of those old ones that you had to soak in boiling water to attempt to get them to uncurl.

Occasionally, it`s the big stuff.  I`ve reached that expensive point, new machines.  This was my first major purchase when I started working again in August.  I put it on layaway the same day, and picked it up at the beginning of the month.  I`ve been so busy at work, i haven`t even taken it out of the box.  Once things calm down, I have lots of plans for it starting with some turbans for chemo patients who have lost their hair due to treatment.

Now to start saving for a new sewing machine with the giant opening to facilitate machine quilting.  I have a huge backlog of quilt tops that need some loving and finishing.   I keep saying that I need to dedicate an entire year solely to machine quilting...

I am still stitching away on the blue quilt shown as a background to the marking instruments.  I am almost finished quilting the blocks, then on to the sashing and borders.  So far i have been following templates for the quilting, though for the sashing, I am planning to go free form with some nice loops to compliment the template, I think.  Though I might change my mind.  I don`t think it will show too much anyway since I am using a variegated blue thread on a medium and dark blue sashing fabrics.

Back to the equipment or toy upgrades, have you planned any for yourself as a Christmas gift or for the new year.

 Needlework Tuesday is a regular weekly post where I share the progress of my various needlework projects over the past week. I enjoy the encouragement that I receive from my readers and in return visit their blogs and cheer them on with theirs. You are welcome to grab the cute little mouse and create your own Needlework Tuesday post. Leave a comment with a link and I'll be sure to visit with you. I hope that you are having fun and making progress on whatever project is dear to your heart at this moment. 

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