Digitized Edge to Edge

I have a computer (the Pro Stitcher) that drives all the edge-to-edge motifs on customer quilts. If they request it. I don't like using it. I'm not in control, and whenever I leave the room, the thread will break and then all that's happening is hole poking. 

I'd rather just drive myself and have the control I favor over robotics. However, sometimes I can't convince a customer to just let me drive (they want a specific themed motif or whatever) and so the Pro Stitcher is called to duty.

Today is a Pro Stitcher day. I've gotten up early and will be starting said machine as soon as I get the blog done. I have to sit and babysit DW while the thing is running so I can correct any errors during stitch out. UGH. Not my jam that's for sure.

Meanwhile, Lynettes Tilda Snowmen are just about done. I have one small border to finish and will get that done once I'm convinced DW is going to behave himself during his time at work.

After "working" I was able to get my bag done and here's the result...

I love, love, love this bag!

Here are all the dividers and my zippered pocket inside...

See the zippered pocket?

I started two more blocks on the Pineapple top but that was about it for my day. I got pretty tired even before 7:00 (????). I think this cold, windy, snow weather was getting to me?

Mom is stopping by later today after her art meeting and she'll just love the noise DW is making while he's stitching out this quilt today. NOT! But that's my job and she'll just have to accept that fact. Maybe that's why she doesn't come over more often?

A Little Bit More

I'm up to the construction portion of the main bag and lining. This is where things always go a little sideways for me...

Ready to sew together

It won't be this step or the boxing step that will throw me. It's when I have to put the two pieces together. And chances are that won't happen tonight.

I have a customer coming this morning. The wind is howling and we have to take the girls for their annual heart worm check and physicals later this afternoon. We received about an inch of snow last night; I miss how pretty everything looks after a snow during the summertime. 

I'm going to get Lindas top on DW basted in and set up to go first thing tomorrow. After that's done, I'm going to continue on with Lynette's Tilda Snowmen on Bernie. I can't chance starting the E2E on DW because of the winds and the chance of losing power. 

And MSU is on to the next round of tournament play beating New Mexico last night. Go Green!

I Don't Know Why...

...on the weekends I really don't like to piece. I love to long arm, but Foster is "put away" until Marty arrives in another week or so.

I also love to make smaller one to two day projects but before I could get out into the studio we spent the better part of mid-day getting phones transferred, music moved, phones deleted, and cases ordered. What a pain in the rear. 

While we were spending time doing all of that this arrived...

I finally have a clock in the studio

After getting the phones back to where everybody wanted them I wandered out to the studio to see what I could drum up. This is what I found...

I could use a summer bag

I've gotten to page two on the four-page set of instructions. BUT, I'm going to modify the inside to include a zipped pocket. This should be interesting since I don't really know what the heck I'm doing. But hey, this is what YouTube is for. 

Wish me luck! Oh, and Go Green since we won our game on Friday. We are up against New Mexico at 8:00 tonight and hope the Spartans can keep it going. 

Happy 39th Birthday and Technology

Our eldest turns 39 today. Actually, he turned 39 during the MSU game last night while in Cleveland since he was born at 12:56 a.m. and the game never started until 10:00. 

Andrew is the one on the right. Caleb is left and as usual, Ben is in the middle

While they were headed to Cleveland for said game, Jim and I were at the Verizon store getting our new phones. What a pain! We actually closed the store because the first phone they brought out for me was defective (locked itself). 

I have just transferred all the apps from my old phone (which Jim now has) and have to get ready to transfer the music library from the Mac. UGH, I could think of better things to do today. 

New phone

I need to check out the pattern for what I need to do for next weekends coat-making class once I get through all of this who-who. Not sure what the rest of the day will entail, but I'm sure something sewing. 

Happy First Day of Spring

It's sunny. The birds are singing. And the temps are at 29 degrees. Yep, early spring in Michigan. 

I have three sets of customers coming today. Thankfully I've gotten the Floral Felicity done and can chip away at the Tilda Snowmen on Bernie between appointments. 

One Final Pic

I do have the back frame ironed and the quilt is sitting in wait for me to get the E2E set on DW. This is a big quilt (104"-ish) and will take some time to get stitched out.

Isn't this gorgeous?

Today is the first day MSU plays in the NCAA tournament in Cleveland. I'm wearing my lucky Izzone sweatshirt and hopefully we can advance to the next bracket. Go Green!

Day Five

This will be our final day together. This Floral Felicity will be finished and of course, on a cold day, I'll be switching back over to Bernie while I frame iron the next back going onto DW. You know, more furnace runs with cold weather. Oh well, more breaks I guess.

It's actually snowing outside. Anyway, here's another block framed in before getting the inside quilting done...

Final Floral pic (until the next one is loaded)

Yesterday's IG prompt was thread. Actually, I later discovered it was tools, but thread is one of my favorite tools, so here's a few of my threads...

So Fine

Glide and Bottom Line

Glide

I only use three types of thread now. So Fine! and Bottom Line by Superior Threads and Glide by Filtec. I not only long arm with So Fine, but I've switched to using it while piecing. The Bottom Line and Gide 60 weights make great bobbin thread. I do have to have some smaller spools of Aurifil for Lilo (the small retreat machine), but these are all I use anymore. They are little to low lint and they perform well in ALL my machines.

Remember yesterday when I said I wasn't expecting any customers. HA! The phone and the Ring were all fired up yesterday with people. I received three more quilts in and I have three appointments for tomorrow. I'm not going to say anything about today. Nope. Not gonna happen. 

Day Four

Yep, I remember now that these Floral Felicity tops take about five days total to complete. Today is day four, but IF nobody comes over today, I may be able to get her wrapped up since I've been working an extra two to three hours a day on it.

Here's some more eye candy...

Without the center sections quilted

I hadn't yet quilted in each of the flowers, but here's one of the backgrounds quilted out. Same routine today. Isn't my life exciting? Actually, it may not be exciting, but it's damn rewarding and very relaxed.