Sunday, October 3, 2010

New Toy and New Project

I have a new toy laptop:
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This is the greeting I saw when I opened the very small booklet that accompanied the MacBook. I'm not a believer yet. The transition from a Windows based product to a Mac has not been as easy as I hoped it would be. There was not an instructional manual so I guess I'll slowly work through the 23,987 tutorials that are on the Apple site.
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I started my first project today for Jo's Little Women Club that my LYS is offering. I cut what seemed like tons of 1" strips (these are just a few). My hands hurt from gripping the rotary cutter and working with the small pieces. I really don't like to cut out fabric.
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This is a small project - 15" square - and I hope to hand quilt it. It will be my first hand quilting project so the small size will work well. I think I'm going to enjoy hand quilting small projects.

Greg rode in the MS150 this weekend. He cycled 160 miles with almost 2000 other cyclists to raise funds and awareness for MS. The North Florida chapter of his bike group raised almost $1million! He's a bit tired but happy that he could do something to make a difference by doing something that he loves.

I hope you all had a good weekend! Thank you for visiting and Happy Stitches!

27 comments:

Barb said...

Wow...a new top and project.

That is great about Jo and the amount of money they raised...

Anonymous said...

Congratulations to you on the new toy. I've heard after a bit of a learning curve, MAC is the way to go!

Congrats to Greg too. That was an awesome amount of miles.

Abby said...

I love hand quilting! Even larger projects aren't so bad once it cools down a bit and you don't mind sitting under a quilt while you work ;) Have fun!

Anonymous said...

It won't take you long to wonder what you did without that Apple!!! We have both in our house, but I have the same laptop and it's MINE!!!

Zlaty said...

Congratulations on your new toy! :) We got iMac last Christmas and we are very happy with it! it took me some time to get used to, but I love it! Looking forward seeing your new project!

QuiltSue said...

Enjoy the new Mac.

I love the fabrics you've been cutting. Gorgeous colours.

Simone de Klerk said...

Is your toy pink?!?
Looks like a lot of work, for a 15" project. Good luck! Can't wait to see it.
Have a lovely week.

Robin (RsIslandCrafts) said...

A new toy! I hear there is a learning curve with a Mac but once you get the hang of it you will love it.

I'm not a big fan of cutting strip after strip either.

Thelma said...

I'm on my second MacBook and LOVE it, no going back to a Windows based computer for me. I buy the "Missing Manual" book for every Apple product I own. I think it must be a generational thing, my daughter thinks buying the manuals is a waste, when all the information is available online. I think you'll find this very helpful.
http://www.amazon.com/Switching-Mac-Missing-Manual-Leopard/dp/0596804253/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1286187749&sr=8-2

Good Luck and Welcome to the family!

Your Jo Morton fabrics are beautiful, love all the fall colors. I'll be eager to see your progress, the piecing and the hand quilting!

Margaret said...

I've had a Macbook for years now and love it. I didn't find the transition hard at all, but on the other hand I wasn't a heavy PC user, just a somewhat user. I hope you get to like it. I find that at those times when a PC would crash, a Mac doesn't. :D And in general, getting started with something or installing something goes so much more smoothly -- no crashing or being afraid it will crash.

Can't wait to see your Little Women quilt. I love little quilts, but I so agree, the cutting is not my favorite thing. Bleagh!

Good for your DH! Wow, 160 miles! That is impressive!

Pat said...

Oh, my......I wish you had a GO cutter....now fabric-cutting isn't a big deal for me because of the cutter. You are brave to convert to a Mac after using Windows. I don't think I'd be able to do it. lol

Annie said...

Great new toy. I'm sure you'll figure it out quickly and fall in love.

Love the colors for your new project. Hope you enjoy hand-quilting. Seems like it would take a long time (said the cross-stitcher!)

Congrats to Greg. That's quite an accomplishment and all the better for a good cause.

Unknown said...

love the macbook........keep entering to win you a GO, my how it helps in all that mindless cutting..

FlourishingPalms said...

Oo! Oo! A Macbook PRO!? I have only a Macbook, but I love it. Yes, it took me MONTHS to make the switch from a Dell PC, and there are still two programs I use on the old PC that couldn't be loaded on the Mac, but now I wouldn't consider going back to a PC.

Don't feel like you need to read all the tutorials. Just drop me an email when you have a question. I might be able to help. Have fun!

Kim D. said...

Congrats on your new Mac Laptop, I'm sure you're going to love it. We love our Macs, so user friendly and no viruses. Sounds like your hubby had a good ride for a worthwhile cause. Looking forward to seeing your hand quilting. Stop by for my fall into fall giveaway, there are 151 participants and you can win some great prizes.

Carolyn NC said...

I just bought a Mac myself, but I got the desktop. We'll see how it goes, but my son-in-law swears by these things. My son is so glad to see my get something he doesn't know how to work on, so all are happy. LOL
Love your quilting and stitching!

woolwoman said...

The fabric for your Little Women club is beautiful - just as I expected it would be - LOVE your quilt display piece - lovely and functional - what could be better! Have a good week! Mel

imquilternity said...

Hand quilting? I've only tried it once and was terrible, so I admire anyone who can do it and who wants to do it. There's noting prettier than hand quilting, but I'll just have to be satisfied. Good luck to you.

Good luck with the MAC too!

Beth said...

I hope you learn to love it!

Lori said...

Congrats on the new toy and the new project. I love a fun new toy and your fabrics are beautiful!

TeresaB said...

You'll learn to love the Mac, I'm sure of it. It takes longer to get used to when you have to switch back and forth between PC & Mac because of work, but eventually you'll find it's easier and wish you had a Mac at work!

LOVE the colors for you Jo and can't wait to see it come together.

Tell Greg "Good Job!" on his ride. I'm very impressed.

Berit said...

I love my trusty old PowerBook (6 years this Thanksgiving), but I do have my sights set on a new iMac. I don't have any experience with owning an intel-architecture Mac, but I trust them overall (and certainly more than Windows! I do hope/think you'll come around to loving it.

As far as figuring things out goes, there was a lady named Robin Williams who published guides for each OS that so helped me when I started out. If she has one for your OS, you should totally get it! :)

Siobhán said...

Enjoy your new toy! I've heard great things about Macs. Love the fabrics for the new quilt!

Carol said...

Love your new toy, Jackie, and I'm sure you will, too. My 83 year old mother just got a Macbook a year ago and adores it...

Wonderful that Greg did the MS 150 (+!!) again. My husband rode it again here in PA in June--we really do need to get them together to ride and we'll sit and stitch :)

Deb said...

Love your new toy! I went from Windows to MAC and was scared to death, but now don't know how I lived with Windows. MAC support is wonderful if you have to call them. But I know that you're going to wonder why you didn't have a MAC sooner.

Vals Quilting said...

Jackie, I switched from pc to Mac a few years ago or maybemore and we've converted almost our whole families now... Good move, easier for almost everything ;) you'll love it!!
Valerie
http://www.pastimesonline.ca/vals-quilting/

Kathleen said...

Thank you Greg!!!