HELP!

I need some appliqué help!  While doing my machine top stitching, getting the corners to stay underneath has proved very difficult and pretty much just dealt with it until my LBS had this tool:

Some guy makes them and sells them to her.  I don't know if you can tell where the corners didn't fold..see top right corner.

When I started using the tool to hold the corners in place or lift up the fabric and shove it back in, the one block I've been working on looks perfect.

So..do I just leave the other 3 blocks with little "tags" and use the tool for the rest of the quilt and not worry about it?  Unpicking all those pieces would be a PITA.  Some pieces are more obvious than others.  My red fabric is limited as well.  Not even sure I have enough to do the final border since my LBS has no clue where she got it from.  Or do I find a red fabric just for the outside border that works with the inside?

Cycling:

Nothing.  It's freezing outside and I don't do cold.  Riding on a trainer is boring.  Plus my Fargo's front chain rings are bent, the cassette has two worn out cogs from where I always stay and my rear derailleur might be bent.  It's amazing what you find while riding a trainer.  I'd love to just upgrade the entire components but that would cost a fortune.  It was nearly 90 bucks just for the chain rings on my Muk.  I'd need to do a complete overhaul if I wanted to dump the crappy bar end shifters as well.  Maybe with a tax refund but I doubt it.

Catching Up

Been working on a couple of projects and finally have them done.  I was able to talk with a representative from the KNK company about my Cougar cutter.  She helped me figure out settings to get it cutting right.  Make the Cut software has KNK plug-in which made things SO much easier.  While the Cougar isn't a KNK machine, their parent company, Foison makes both machines.  Customer service at the KNK company is phenomenal and despite being a competitor to the Cougar brand, she was happy to help me out.

Thanks to Amazon's trade-in policy I almost have enough to get a Zing, a KNK machine.  I then plan on selling my Cougar cutter for 750 and shipping.  Even though technically the Cougar is a better machine with higher cutting force, I'd be happier with a Zing.

Here's what I made with the Cougar cutter today:

I designed the tile and after several botched attempts, frustrations and help from Sandy, finally got it cut out.

The box was a file from the MTC forum that a lady had designed.  Cut out perfectly!

I think now that the days are starting to get longer, I'm feeling better.  Hope to be quilting and maybe doing some more biking with my Muk.

Catching Up

I've been off grid for a long time.  Been dealing some depression and anxiety and haven't felt like quilting in ages.

To catch up:

I've been working on my cross stitch.  Who knew you could spend hours and feel like you are getting nowhere with this type of project?

Then I got busy with my vinyl cutter and did these projects:

It wasn't until I was done  and realized the verse wasn't word to word in the scripture, but if you aren't picky it's all good.  My cougar does a fantastic job cutting out all the those pieces when it isn't acting up.   I didn't think about putting the book and verse until a friend pointed it out and cut it out, but it didn't pull off right.

I love how my last name tile worked out so well.  MTC is a great computer program and I'm learning new stuff every time I try something.  What I suck at is drawing via bezier tool and node editing.  That leaves me pulling my hair out.  It's not nearly as bad as learning Inkscape though.

Out of curiosity, would people buy stuff like this?

Cycling:

I got my X9 grips on and they are fantastic.  No more crazy shifting.  It finally snowed and I took my Muk out for the first time.  Wow.  This bike wasn't really meant for mountain biking but she glides over snow.  However; when I'd be shifting, the chain would get caught and come to a dead stop.  Once I took a good look I realized my chain rings were bent.  Probably from my last bike accident.  Long story short, it took almost 2 weeks for the LBS to get the chain rings in so I haven't been riding.  Between the new shifters and the chain rings, the bike rides fantastic though.  

If I had known what to buy and how to install the chain rings, it would be so much easier.

Last year I did 336 miles between both bikes.  Longest ride was 21 miles.

About 3 weeks after my crash on Dec. 1, I went to the doc for some wrist/elbow pain thinking maybe I'd broken or had hairline fractures.  Turns out  when my elbow and hand hit the rocks, the nerves took most of it and they are just now starting to heal up.