You know you're old when...

 I needed a new address book and enquired at a few local shops.  Apparently they don't stock them any more because "the young people all use their phones for that".  Having substituted a small lined notebook instead, I sat down to replace my ancient and much-crossed-out old address book.  As well as the people who have moved several times, a rather depressingly large number have simply died.  There were a few I wasn't sure about, but a check online soon found their obituaries as well.  I think I have reached that age (mid-60s) where the previous generations are gone, or on their way out.  Even at the retreat I was on the previous week, no less than three nearby neighbours had all recently lost their husbands.  Meanwhile my ever-supportive (sarcasm) but-at-least-still-alive husband helpfully pointed out on my last birthday that it's only a matter of years until the big 7-0.

I was on another retreat this weekend, this time as a day student since it was fairly local to me.  It was the organisers' first retreat and there were some teething problems with the venue (such as having no heat at times on the first few days, I was sewing in my coat and hat at one point) but it all got sorted in the end and started feeling more relaxed.  I was sewing on my Janome Gem again.

First project was to take one of the selvedge panels I made up at the last retreat, and turn it into a Thread Spool wallhanging.  This was a project I found on Youtube but the measurements they gave were a bit wrong, so I had to do some working out myself.  I like it though, it's fairly effective.  The black background has sewing motifs printed in gold on it and the border is button fabric.

Next I spent quite a while applying the zigzag outlines to the Dancer applique picture that I started in the workshop at the last retreat.  The Janome Gem handled the zigzag just fine, including with some sparkly thread.  I tried to photograph the sparkles but couldn't get the right angle.

That took a while, so my last project for the retreat was to cut out 180 strips from two packs of FQs to make a Rail Fence variation quilt from a pattern I bought a while ago.  Then I sewed them up into 60 sets of trios that I can subcut once they are all pressed.  I like all the cheerful colours.  I was cutting the FQs four layers at a time so some of the plaids/checks have cut pretty wonky  - I'm telling myself that adds to the charm :)

Earlier in the week, before the retreat, I finished the Jelly tube pink totebag, it turned out fairly well.

  I'm not sure how strong it actually is, since it is only the zigzag stitching holding the tubes together. But it looks nice.

I also stuffed and finished off the Thatched Cottage pincushion.

I opened up and assembled my new inkle loom.  I went for a Lojan Inkeltje loom, which comes unfinished so I applied two coats of beeswax to the wood before assembly.  I'm thinking of purchasing the Kelly Casanova inkle loom online course, she is a really good teacher and it would likely be easier to watch rather than figure out from a book.

I'm off to the Newmarket Quilt Show this week (courtesy of DH acting as chauffeur again) to hopefully get a new sewing machine.  Not sure what to do with the old broken one.  It cost a fair bit only 7 years ago but probably I can't trade it in when it isn't working properly.  And I don't think in good conscience I can sell it, after all the problems I've had with it.  I suppose I could pay (yet again) to have a repair attempt made and hopefully get it working, then maybe I could donate.  It's too heavy to be a retreat machine plus I already have two of those.  I sure hope the new machine will be a good one this time.