Nothing New

More stick fun on Saturday. Bleh.

Kids (and grandkids) came to visit Friday and Saturday to help with stick fun and to watch the game.

Because we were so tired from three days worth of trees and their eradication thereof, we did nothing except put the house and studio back together yesterday. And I mean nothing. Watched four movies, ate a bunch of junk food, and vegged on the couch.

We haven't had a day like that since last spring so it was probably way overdue.

Tomorrow I start a new job. I'm not sure just how much I'll be working but the first week is setting the brand new store up and getting to know all the other people who will be working together.

I'm having trouble trying to find a decent sashing to put into my 100 blocks. A mottled grey (lights to darks) seems to work the best in my limited block color scheme because any red, yellow, or black just adds too much of that particular color into it.

Even Though...

...I was outside pretty much all day yesterday working on felled trees from the Emerald Ash Borer invasion, I was still able to put the Angela Walters Build-a-Quilt block together between picking up all the branches/sticks and when Jim got home to then work on all the log cutting/stacking.

And that's about all for yesterday.

Here's the mess these trees make when they are cut.

They literally blow up into a million pieces. 

.

I Had Good Intentions...

...yesterday. But then the weather got nice. I mean, the warmish fall smelling crunch of the leaves kind of weather that lured me outside instead of staying indoors.

I did manage to get some of the Rainbow Checkerboard quilted before becoming a victim of perfect autumn days, but that's about it. And there is still plenty more to go today since it's taking a while longer to ditch everything being ditched.

Today is starting out cloudy and cool, so I'm safe from falls' beckoning and will be here for a while...at least through the morning. 😏

100 Blocks Completed

Now to get those 100 blocks in a pleasing setting will follow. But a few things need to come off the design wall first.

After long arming the Rainbows and Checkers (that's what I've decided to name it) for a few hours yesterday, I started working on this little top which has been hanging out for way too long on the wall.

Sunny Sampler

The supplies for this top can be found at The Hen House in Charlotte-they have a web site if you're interested. More white was needed to  complete it; thank you Pieces of Thyme quilt shop for carrying Kona White. Today will be spent getting the borders (which are many) to hopefully finish out the top.

And, more long arming. The Rainbow and Checkers top is a little under half way completed. Most of it is being ditched because the goal is to keep it snuggly. And, it's so busy a ridicules amount of time changing out threads would have been spent, not to mention much of the quilting would not be seen.

Roundabout Top Done

As it sits on the rail. Patient. Waiting. Quietly enjoying the incoming fall until it can meet backing and thread.

Roundabout

After getting the borders on the Roundabout top, and after doing a two movie marathon yesterday for lunch with handsome Jim, I decided I'd had about enough of the 100 blocks. I'm ready to start getting them into a setting. My goal was to get them all complete before the nights end, but then a few of them turned into quite a time taker. I have six more to go and plan on tackling those first today.

While my rainbow rail fence top is loaded, I'm still unsure just how to quilt it. It usually comes to me the day after I load while working on other things next to it. But nothing is really coming to me as of yet. I'll transfer the design to my iPad and doodle on it during lunch to see what can be thought up. I may have to call in the quilting friends to weigh in on their thoughts.

Finally on the Frame

The quilt shop near my house, Pieces of Thyme, had a lingering sidewalk sale this weekend and Katie and I happened to wander over on Friday. She had some very (very) good deals on things to include a roll of backing fabric I happened to spot, which was JUST wide enough to get this big top onto the frame.

Need a name for this quilt.

I haven't named this quilt yet. I call it the colorful rail fence with black and white checkerboards. But that seems too long of a title. Any ideas?

Our Spartans did well in Evanston yesterday and while Jim was being entertained with their playing abilities, I made this.

Go Green! Go White!

I also got the borders pieced for the Roundabout top.

Jim is pressing apples this morning for his annual cider canning. The weather is being sewing cooperative so I'll be in the studio most of the day.

Late Blogging Today

We attended an art show first thing this morning after having breakfast with mom. Jan Berg had some pretty cool stuff entered this year and it was an honor (as it was other artists including my mom) to see some pretty talented artists displaying their works. For a little community we certainly have some true artists.

You're wondering who Jan Berg is? Check out last years AQS winner in the wall hanging art category. She took first in Paducah. Just sayin'.

We also talked to a member of the guild who published a children's book titled "A Child's Sky" by Carol Fink. She displayed some nice art pieces, but wrote this book to raise money for the continuation of arts in the community. The artwork in the book is done by many of the artists in the guild and I hope she continues to publish more books in the future because this one is a definite must for all parents and grandparents alike to have in their read-to library. Truly!

Long Time Gone has been photographed and is in the pile to have put away. Sadly. It's one of my favorites.

Long Time Gone

We have storms headed our way later tonight but I think my rainbow rail fence black and white checker top is going to be loaded after I get done blogging. It's been hanging on the rail a a few weeks now and needs to be quilted. It doesn't really fit on the rail anyway so that's probably a good thing.

Hazel Loves to Swim!

This is Hazels normal routine after dad gets home from work in the evening.

"Grandma" was here yesterday afternoon and she wanted to get a pic of Hazel jumping off the dock. We forgot to tell grandma Hazel usually jumps off the shallow dock rather than the deep dock. She missed the pic but I got a cute short video of how excited our doodle is to go swimming (and we can't say that around her because she knows what's coming) every evening. I'm not sure what we are going to do this fall when swimming stops.

I have been nearly studio absent for the past 48 hours because of family visiting and other outdoor tasks the weather has permitted me to complete. Today is another nice weather day but I'm going to open all the studio windows and enjoy working in here in bare feet with jazz playing in the background (more to drown out the crows who incessantly caw-caw all day) until Jim gets home from work.

I did manage to load this little piece onto the long arm after the customer came to get her quilt yesterday. See...nothing is too small to get on the "big" machine.

The October mantle hanging

Mistakes to Learn By

I thought I could make this plunder work within the Roundabout top.

Oops

The middle arcs are supposed to meet together, which on the left side, they did. Not so much on the right. I could tear it all apart and just substitute the incorrect pieces, but I'm going to make this a pillow instead to go with the quilt once it's finished.

I tried to incorporate it into the quilt but as I've learned, fudging it something doesn't cut it. It'll take more time to try to finagle it in there than just remaking a new set of blocks.

But the rest of the top is sectioned together and will be ready to join later once this new set of blocks is pieced together.

No long arming yesterday. Booooo! I have the customers quilt draped over the long arm to showcase the work done when she comes to pick it up tomorrow. I have family coming up today and a lawn screaming for me to cut, so after this morning, the day is pretty much occupied with other items.

Pro Stitcher Positives

The Pro Stitcher I have on my long arm is the computerization capability to do an edge-to-edge motif without having to manually "drive" the machine.

The Pro Stitcher is a wonderful tool for anybody (you and customers alike) to get a completed quilt in less time then custom quilting.

And the Pro Stitcher is pretty easy to use. I hadn't fired it up on months (like since April) and yet, was able to dig right back in without too much trouble. Select the motif, size it to the area I wanted to have it quilt, fill in the gaps, and go.

There was one point when I selected something I shouldn't have and couldn't figure out why I was having trouble when the first two passes were fine, but it was me clicking buttons and not the Pro Stitcher itself.

The quilt measures 86"x102" and it took a combined total of six hours to complete. I did actually do free motion in the borders, but the body of the quilt was indeed computerized per the customers request.

Customer Low Volume Quilt

I have yet to square the quilt and trim threads, but I'll be able to contact the customer by days end to let her know it's already completed...which is good since this was a rush situation.

Today, after finishing this beautiful piece, I hope to work some more on the Roundabout blocks. Speaking of which, I tried to piece those yesterday while the Pro Stitcher was working away, and found that with every needle stroke, my sewing machine light would dim. Note to self: Contact an electrician to get in here to park off DW to his own circuit breaker. I wouldn't want anything to happen to him because of neglected electrical issues.

Measure Twice, Cut Once...

...except I measured three times and still this happened.

Ummm...not cool!

After unloading the whole quilt, I realized I had taken up too much in the top lead, which is why this occurred. And then things got worse.

After locating an acceptable additional piece, because I didn't have any of the other two fabrics I used in this backing, I sewed the new section together and onto the existing back. Except, instead of sewing it onto the bottom where I'm clearly deficit in length, I sewed it onto the side (this is a nearly square quilt). And, I didn't notice it until I got the thing nearly all reloaded.

Take it back off the frame. Take out the stitching from the added piece. Repress. Restitch. Reload.

I had a bit of a temper tantrum and meltdown after everything on the long arm bed went flying as I was trying to get this back over the back leader bars without any help. I am so done with trying to piece backings from scraps around the studio.

I thought it would add to the scrappiness of the quilt which is why I choose to go in that direction. I'll think way more times than twice next time I try to do something like this.

I have a new customer top coming in today and I had to get this off the frame; that new top coming in is a rush job, and it's quite large from the sounds of it.

During the weekend between working outside and long arming, I got a few of my large Roundabout blocks pieced. Everything to make all the small circle blocks are cut out and a few of those are pieced, and I started my October mantle piece. So all in all, until yesterday afternoon, the weekend went well.

Friday the 13th. Full Moon. More Storms.

I'm just glad I'm not working at the hospital anymore in Postpartum. These days were nuts when combined together.

Long arming did happen yesterday morning and it felt great. With the Long Time Gone pattern this ruler, called the Handi Quilter Straight Edge ruler, works great. It's longer than most of my other rulers and when doing a long set of borders or sashing strips to ditch, this is a great tool to have.

Long Time Gone being ditch quilted with the HQ Straight Edge Ruler

I started another pattern yesterday called Roundabout by Saginaw St Quilts. It's chewing up even more of my scraps and so far it's been pretty easy to piece together. Of course, yesterday was the large ovals. The small ovals will probably be a little tougher as their curves aren't as gentle.

I think I need to rebuild my blog. It's starting to get old looking to me and I LOVE change. Maybe later when the storms are back (expected later this afternoon) I'll do that.

Autumn Thunderstorms

Have we had our share of very wet and very stormy weather the past two days. Holy cow. I tried to work on the Long Time Gone piece three times yesterday and every time I turned on the long arm, here came another storm. Maybe day three will bring better luck?!

I started a new pattern yesterday called Roundabout  by Saginaw St Quilts. Well, 'start' is used loosely here. I transferred my templates and picked out the 52 different fabrics I'm going to put into it from my stash. Today I hope to get one or two blocks pieced and most of the large ovals cut out. This may be a cool retreat project, except retreat isn't for another four months, so maybe not.

Hazel was chillin' on the loft bed (formally Caleb's bed) this morning. She looks pretty sad about not being able to go swimming the past four days because of the weather. Today isn't looking promising either. The quilt she's laying on was the very first one the kids and I practiced on when I first got the long arm six+ years ago.

Just chillin' on a windy, cold morning

We used the quilt for Lily to protect whatever nice quilt was underneath, and it seems to be working out in the same use for now Hazel.

911. Never Forget.

I did manage to complete the Vintage Christmas quilt yesterday. It was a fun process working on this piece. I didn't quilt it to death and left everything organic given the whimsical feel of the blocks within the top. Flowing ribbons throughout the borders and sashing. Simple X's in the cornerstones. Ditch quilting (mostly) in each block with a few fillers to add more whimsy.

Vintage Christmas. Pattern by Lori Holt

I started to load my next top; Long Time Gone as a storm was starting to roll in. And it was a nasty one, so I have everything laying there waiting to set needle and thread to fabric. This pattern is by Jen Kingwell.

Long Time Gone. Pattern by Jen Kingwell

I haven't a clue how I'm going to quilt this piece. There is very little negative space to do much detail work, and it is a very busy quilt. I think perhaps much of it will be ditched and I can get some gentle curves in there wherever possible. I never know until I turn DW on and start laying down thread.

Today is the 18th anniversary of the horrific 9-11 tragedy in New York and Washington DC. Let us never forget those thousands of people who were victims of such a terrible act and even more people who fought to save/assist those affected. The younger generation were just babies during this time. My eldest son was in high school, and my middle son in junior high. My youngest was just a grade schooler, yet they all remember what they were doing during the breaking news. As do I.

Quilting brings me peace and joy. For those disturbed or mentally manipulated people who think killing is the answer, I sew a stitch for you today to hope you use the common sense given to you to make the right choices in life and maybe find your inner peace through something worthwhile rather then senseless acts like 9-11.

Instagram? Facebook? Blog?

Which platform to post which quilt is starting to get a little confusing. Katie and I are participating in a 100 blocks in 100 days quilt along and I see they have a facebook page. We usually post on Instagram. And there's a blog to refer to if you have any questions, but you do not post there. All. These. Rules.

I'm starting to wonder if this is making it a little less fun? The other two quilt alongs I'm participating in do not require any postings. We just get our little pattern each month and make our blocks. Easy enough. But to win any prizes on other quilt alongs the set of restrictions and rules is becoming not worth even adhering to the restrictions and rules. Maybe a white board to keep everything straight would help if I participate in any next year (since most of the 2019's are done or nearly done).

Rant over.

Here's what was worked on with the long arm yesterday.

Vintage Christmas by Lori Holt

There are only two more rows to go! What? This was just started yesterday and it's a fairly decent size. And ditch quilting is being done throughout. Maybe I'm starting to get the hang of this. LOL!

I'm hoping to finish this up today and get something else loaded later tonight. There are a few other little projects being worked on right now. Yesterday I squirreled and made this little cutie.

Zippered Triangle Pouch

These would make nice gifts for all the little girls in our lives; the neighbor girls, our granddaughter, etc. and it went together before lunch yesterday so they are not a major time consumer.

All Day!?

This block took me all day to construct yesterday despite not having any half square triangles to set into it. I think it was other distractions around the house making it longer in construction then it should have.

Leah Day's Friendship Quilt Along Block #10

This is going to be a beautiful top when the block construction is complete in another two or so months.

I did a few blocks for my 100 Blocks quilt along and then ended my day in the studio. No long arming yesterday at all, but maybe today?

Two Days on the Road

And was somehow able to finish this cutie last night.

Log Cabins and Flowers

This top was obtained from an Amish Quilt Auction last spring in Clare, Michigan. It would make a wonderful lap quilt for an elderly person or a cuddly quilt for a toddler girl. It measures 40" x 52" and will be offered for sale.

I started loading the Lori Holt Vintage Christmas top Katie and I worked on last fall/winter.

Vintage Christmas

 It's just basically sitting there not basted in, but ready to be when time permits later today. Maybe.

Busy, busy, busy...

I hadn't been on the long arm in over a week. Our weather has been spotty with high winds and/or storms; I don't get on the machine for fear of electrical surges. The weather finally broke a few days ago and I've been a crazy person on DW since.

After finishing the selvedge quilt, I put this little cutie on to do the background fill.

A monthly mantel mini quilt

Once this was done, I loaded and quilted this piece yesterday.

A-B-C's

This A-B-C top had been sitting in my WIP pile for a while now (Katie calls it our rack of shame...which isn't too far off). It was a panel I purchased at The Hen House and somehow made work with the fabric within my stash. It's loosely quilted with a flowing flower motif and would make a nice quilt for somebody's couch; or a child's room.

Then, because Jim is still not able to do a whole lot of anything after his eye surgery, I took advantage of the time and loaded and started this piece below.

Small Log Cabin

The log cabin top above was purchased at an Amish auction last spring, and I must say, while lovely in color and placement, the piecing needed to have some trimming and pressing done prior to getting it on the machine. Apparently 1/4" seams are optional in Amish piecing.

I hope to finish this one yet today and maybe get another top loaded before having to go out and mow later.

Happy First Birthday Hazel!

Just a quick pic of Hazel and a celebration shout out for her first birthday.

Happy 1st Birthday Hazel

It's not the greatest pic, but the most recent taken two weeks ago. She's not posing well today so this will have to do.