I counted up the items on my “finished but needing to be blogged” list this morning.  There are eleven items on that list.  My “sewing plans for me” list has seventeen items on it. My “sewing plans for the kids” list has eleven items on it – but there is a pile of fabric on my cutting table calling out to become special dresses for the girls as well. I have a basket of semi-completed fabric necklaces that are destined to become Christmas gifts. My phone also has a list of Christmas gifts to buy, and the ever present “Thursday’s List” – the list of things that I have to do on Thursday, the day after I finish paid work for the week. The hurrier I go*…

We were interstate last week.   First we visited family then I attended a work conference once my family had returned.  It was a very productive and enjoyable conference but I was SO exhausted when I returned! Fortunately for me I was able to spend yesterday recuperating by sewing at Nikki’s Zippers for Bags class. Karen has reviewed this class before, and I second her comments. It was well worth attending.

I managed to get through three of the six zipper techniques that Nikki had available for us to choose from. I really enjoyed the freedom of selecting which of the techniques that I wanted to practice, because I chose ones that were all appropriate for the teacher bag that I want to make this year for Stella’s teacher. And I have instructions for the others and will do them at home. Despite having tested patterns for Nikki in the past, and having sewn plenty of bags from her patterns, there is nothing quite like having an uninterrupted day to dedicate to sewing a particular technique with the teacher right there on hand to help with with any part of it!

GJs was an excellent venue for classes too. And there was great coffee and strawberry & chocolate muffins at Padre across the road. I had a wonderful day with only four of us in the class, tim-tams as bribes, an outstanding teacher, and very pleasant company.  A big shout out to Carmel for successfully managing a lapped zipper in crocodile textured PVC!  Very impressive.

Now I suppose that I should consider getting back to some of those lists…did I mention that I’m going to Sewjourn the weekend after next?

*The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.  Lewis Carroll.