Happy Halloween

And it's a dreary day so far. I remember trick or treating in weather like this. All that time spent picking out the just right costume only to have it covered by winter coats, boots, scarves, gloves, and hats.

No Dollar Tree work today. No appointments. Just a great day to eat some left over chili and quilt.

The 100 Blocks top is about half way completed, so getting on the long arm is hopefully in the works.

I've been sneaking in a few quick sewing sessions during the week before and after work. I'm finding the Jacqueline de Jonge process is rather addictive. Each segment provides a beautiful completion phase and wanting to keep doing more is where I find myself. But, alas, work schedules supersede.

This is where the top was at two days ago.

The center circle

More of the JDJ today between long arming the 100 blocks and a new customer top received yesterday.

Time to get busy!

It's not Friday

My girlfriend, Katie, commented yesterday on everybody posting on Friday. Well, it's not Friday.

The t-shirt quilt is done. The 100 Blocks is loaded and three rows were completed yesterday.

Just before loading

Let's talk Jacqueline de Jonge. She is an amazing quilt designer and her tops are NOT for the faint at heart. In the quilting world, completing one of her beautiful creations is like a quilters Everest conquer.

I purchased one of her patterns about three years ago. It took me this long to start the project.

A mountain to climb

This is a full-size top; 80x80. See the little circle in the center? It took me about four hours last night to figure out what to do on that.

The first of many

But isn't it gorgeous? I have cut the fabrics for the next circle behind this one and hope to piece them today. The directions for this quilt top isn't just a few pages; 32 to be exact. And you read and re-read the directions about a dozen times before moving along to the next step.

16 of 24 total colors used in this piece

And what a beautiful day to work in the studio. As you can see from the pics, the sun is shining (for now), and I don't have to be into work until 5:00 tonight, so the whole day is mine to play as desired.

We had a killer freeze last night and the leaves are falling quickly now. This will probably be the last pic of the wonderful autumn view from the studio windows.

Saying goodbye to our warmer months

Not Much, But Some

Okay, nearly another week has transgressed. There has been a little activity in here.

Long arming: Three customer quilts were completed. Another is on the frame waiting to go.

Piecing: The 100 blocks are now a top as of a half hour ago. Once the current customer quilt is completed, the top will be loaded and quilted next.

I'm debating on whether to start a YouTube series. I'd like to share tips, thoughts, happenings and other quilt-y like things with everybody. It probably won't be anything not already found on YouTube, but will provide me with another way to connect to real people (other than my new part-time job at our local Dollar Tree store). And, I just want to.

While I probably have a face more suited for radio, my intention is to not focus on me, but rather the fabric and thread presented at the time. And there are a few things I'd really like to drive home with quilters (measure your borders people!) to make a long armers life a little less stress induced.

And maybe other not-so-common projects I tackle in the studio itself. Like the Jacqueline DeJong top I've already spent hours trying to get organized.

Hmmm...????

Scootching Along

I spent most of yesterday on DW! What a great day it was! Hazel was being a little pesky during the day, but I think it's because we have been gone so much lately and she wanted to make up for our absence.

Here was the first quilt we did in the morning.

What a fun quilt to do!

And here is quilt number two.

Easy Peasy

Both were free motion quilted and a truly fun day on the long arm doing them.

After getting those two off the frame and squared, I started working on some more sashing for the 100 blocks. Two rows were completed before Hazel demanded some playtime.

Work later today so I'll keep on sashing until I have to leave around noon. If I start playing on the long arm I'll lose all track of time which could lead to not so good things with the new boss lady.

No! Way!

I last posted a week ago?

This part-time job may be short lived if this keeps up. It started out as a store set here in Gladwin. A new Dollar Tree. After setting the store and opening, we are all on a part-time basis. Except we work five and six days in a row, a day off, and then off we go again (according to the schedule). I don't know if things will settle down after the initial opening, but if they don't I may have to revisit this situation.

Because it's been a week since I posted! Which means it's been a week since I've had any real time in the studio. Granted, we spent last weekend diddling around the state for my birthday, but even then, the aches and soreness of working the previous 10 days in a row was taking its toll.

I did manage to get Harmony quilted during the football game. It's off the frame because Saturday I had two new customers drop off quilts and one is a kind of rush situation. But it's not done yet because the binding still needs to be added. Maybe today yet after I work on customer quilts.

No, these are not boobs.

I have three to work on and they aren't very large, so tackling them as well as doing a little fall house cleaning is in the works. And maybe working on the 100 blocks sashing might get slid in there too?

Well...

...since Saturday, this is all the action the studio has seen. Whoopeee.

Not much here

This is for the Leah Day block for October. Not quite a block yet huh?

The staff is on-call for today because of electrical updates the guys are working on in the store. Consumers Energy has to shut the whole store down while the electricians get things done they need to do. Time in: TBD.

I'll cut some more for my Leah Day block and start piecing if time allows.

Jobs and Such

So I have a new job. It's currently full-time until the store is set up, but then will refer back to a part-time status. We have a new Dollar Tree coming to our little town and that's where I've been spending most of my time since Tuesday morning.

The only other thing I've had the time (and let's face it, energy) to work on other than setting up a brand new store, are chores needing immediate attention around the house.

Working retail is a HUGE love of mine. It doesn't pay. The hours aren't the greatest. Bbbbuuuuttt...I LOVE working with merchandise, customers, and the environment is ever changing. Not a good use of the 170 credit hours/3 degrees I racked up at GVSU and NAU, but it's about passion; not what you SHOULD do.

This particular store doesn't even have tile over the cement and it's playing havoc on my legs. It's just because my level of fitness isn't what it used to be and, c'mon, I'm a grandma, so the 20's are long past my existence. Day three is the worst, so once I hurdled the three day milestone, all is going to get better. Yesterday proved as much.

Meanwhile, back at the lake house, nothing has been done. The only time I've come in here in four days is to let Hazel outside.

Today I printed (finally) my Leah Day Friendship Quilt Along pattern for the month, and I realized I have to leave again in a half hour. Not much will be cut for it in the short time span I have left before once again, toddling off to work.

The seven-day-a-week schedule should slow down after next week. Consumers Energy is holding up the store opening and for a temporary few weeks, it can be dealt with. It's not like anybody is going anywhere in here.