LITTLE BITS

So much for a foggy morning with sun burning it off early and a clear cold day to follow. I had to cancel lunch with a friend and reschedule my hair appointment. Snow and temperatures below freezing seem to be more of the weather for today. I can get off the mountain fine but wouldn't be able to make it back up to my house later this afternoon/evening. And who doesn't love an excuse to stay inside and "play in the quilting studio?"

The tip for today: I have several chain pieced units all hooked together ready to be cut apart before moving on to the next step. I could use scissors to snip them apart, but I love my handy-dandy chair ripper. The base is very heavy holding it in place while I cut the units apart using the seam ripper that just fits in the base unit. For this particular model, the seam ripper and base unit are two separate pieces which comes in handy when packing up for traveling to classes.
I received my chain ripper as a gift several years ago from my friend Pat. I don't see this particular design on the market any more, but there are other chain rippers out there in a couple of different designs. Things to think about when choosing which you might like to add to your notions basket:

• Do you want the ripper tip blunted or left as a sharp point?
• How much does it weigh? (makes a difference when flying or carrying our
  "studio" to class and how sturdy is it on the table when doing the actual
  "ripping" apart.)
• Does the point have a safety cover when not in use?
• Does the ripper unit double as a regular seam ripper and a chain
  ripper?
  

And finally, from the newspaper ... did you know ... The first four notes of the Hallelujah Chorus" are the same as the first four notes of "Yes, We Have No Bananas."