Come to Light

It's been quiet here on the blog for a week, but I have not been sitting on my hands.  Still working my way down the UFO list. 

I wanted to relay my second experience with the Coats thread I mentioned in previous post, because I don't want to give anyone a bum steer.  I've been using it as the top thread in the current project, with Aurifil in the bobbin.  Remember how I said it didn't shred?  Well, in the words of The Dude in The Big Lebowski (still one of my favorite movies):

I'm not sure if it's because I was quilting with a walking foot last time and now I'm free-motion quilting, or maybe it's as simple as one being polyester and the other cotton; but this same Coats thread unwinds itself at the ends (frays, shreds, whatever you want to call it).  By contrast, the Aurifil bobbin thread stays nice and tight.  You can see the difference in the two threads in the photo below.

I am burying my thread ends, and I don't think it'll be a problem in this wall hanging, which won't get a lot of manipulation like a bed quilt would.  But there's that, just so you know.

Karen gave me a tip on a great sale on Aurifil thread at Sue's Sew EZ Designs.  She's closing her shop soon.  I'm going to stock up on a few spools in different colors so I have some on hand.

We had workmen here two days this week installing a new whole-house humidifier which attaches to the furnace.  Our old April-Aire gave up the ghost during the depths of the recent deep freeze with high-pitched squealing and banging noises.  The new unit, a Honeywell, went in on Monday but got unplugged by Tuesday when it was determined it was defective.  We wouldn't have known anything was wrong except our neighbors called to advise us that our air conditioning unit outside was running underneath its winter covering!  That side of the house faces theirs, and we would've had no clue this was happening had they not called.  Apparently, the problem was more than a wiring issue, so a new unit has been ordered and should go in next week, hopefully uneventfully.

While the workers were here, I was happily holed up in the sewing room quilting "pearls on a string" while listening to Led Zeppelin.  I've never been a big fan of Robert Plant's voice, but I love Jimmy's guitar.  Here's one of my favorite Zep tunes, sans vocals, by a guy who seems to be channeling Page.  Sing along if you like!  There's even cowbell at 1:20.

Let me take you to the movie

Let me take you to the show

Let me be yours ever truly

Can I make your garden grow?

Yours ever truly ~ Happy Valentine's Day!