A few Accomplishments

This was an absolutely fun quilt to do.

All Snuggly and Warm

The customer just wanted an all over, large swirl put into this flannel piece. The flannels were so rich and a dream to handle it was obvious they didn't come from one of those discount stores. 

Then the one I've been anticipating for a few months was put on the frame Friday. I became so engrossed in quilting it and had so much fun adding to it's already stunning nature, that the whole top was completed after nine hours. 100% custom work, with DW assisting on a bit of it, and it looked absolutely lovely when I pulled it off late Friday night. 

A 17-year project coming to a close.

I have recently learned that the quilt is actually coming back to me because in the waning light, and the nearly 100% matching thread hiding in the velvet, I missed one side of my feather when quilting the piece. Ummm...Oops. Well at least that proves I am human, and will get it to rights tomorrow quickly enough. In the meantime, I hope to snag a few more pics of it and can share more of what the amazing woman who worked on this put into it since the Friday night pics were not coming out well at all.

I've also learned that this piece will be traveling to a few shows. As it should. It's just breathtaking and my feeble attempt at capturing its beauty doesn't do it justice. Of course, taking pics at night on a dark backgrounded quilt doesn't help either. So more on this project by Wednesday. 

Working Versus Playing

Yesterday was a total work day in the studio. Work meaning I am planning, meeting, or quilting customer quilts. Ordering supplies. Taking calls. Typical work stuff only at home. In my comfy clothes. Not having to trudge out into what may be a poopy weather day. It's a dream!

Playing means doing all the same stuff above, but I'm the customer.

Today is another work day both here and at the store. Customer quilt #1 was completed yesterday...all free motion. Customer quilt #2 is getting started this morning before I leave. And Customer #3 quilt will hopefully get loaded tomorrow.

Big borders mean big feathers!

Here is a quick pic of Customer #3's quilt top.

The pic doesn't do justice to this beautifully constructed piece

The top is crazy quilted with silk and hand embroidery. The "filler" pieces are a beautiful red velvet. I consulted my AIQ friends all over North America for last minute inputs to make sure I did this piece justice. I'm on the right track and they echoed my thoughts in how to make this 17 year project shine.

I didn't grab a pic of Customer #2 quilt because I just loaded it last night. She just wants large swirls all over so nothing really outstanding to do on it...but I'll grab a pic later this morning to show what's being worked.

Fairest of Them All and Long Arming Today

After having waited patiently for the batting to arrive I'm able to finally get on the long arm today. So excited!

Here is the whole (yet jaded) pic of the Fairest of Them All. It won't be long armed for a while yet since I have customer quilts in queue, and they come first, but as soon as I can (maybe even this weekend), it'll be getting this cute top on the frame.

Fairest of Them All

This quilt is so busy, and there is so much to see within its boundaries; embellishments have yet to be added, so keep looking to see what you can find within the fabric.

Aaannnddd...it's a top

The Fairest of Them All is ready to head to the long arm. While it would seem like that's the last step, there is a lot of embellishments after the quilting is done. And this won't be the first run on the long arm.

Initially the appliqué pieces have to be quilted with the first layer of batting, and then it will be on the second time to actually quilt around the pieces and for filling in the fencing and the other areas.

Here are a few of the sections as they have been completed over the past three days.

The Rooster

The Vine Work

Little Piggy and a Pie

Silly Goat

The Yard Eating Sheep

The Ferris Wheel

I'll post a pic of the whole top maybe tomorrow.

Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for batting to arrive for the customer quilts sitting in wait right now. Hopefully today or tomorrow they'll get here.

It's a Calf

This section of the "Fairest of Them All" took a very long time to construct. At any case, during the basketball game (MSU wins again), it was finally completed.

Moooo

Next up...the goat. Today is very snowy with more all day tomorrow too. It's a GREAT day to be in the studio working on something quilt-y and I'll take advantage and get as many pieces done for what is turning out to be a very fun piece to work on.

I've already loaded a new customers' back onto DW. Unfortunately, I didn't check my batting stash beforehand and thought I had a batt in there to start quilting the piece right away. It turns out I don't and have a choice to make; either long arm later on this piece, or, remove what I have loaded and get something else stitched out before any more batting arrives...which is Wednesday.

Mom tried to pick up a few batts for me Thursday in Houghton Lake. WTH? When did batting get so expensive? $39 for a double size Dream cotton? I don't think so Scooter. I found it on line for much less and decided to go in that direction. I totally believe in supporting small businesses at nearly any cost. But, I have to bill this out to customers and they are not going to be happy with me if I charge them $40 for a batt, especially when they could run to the big box store and pay about half of that.

Tangible

I admire people who like to travel. I question it from my lifes perspective.

Jim and I haven't been overly blessed with high finances nor will we ever. We've learned to make due and take what little is left over and use it towards tangible items.

Travel memories, to us, is not something tangible. You can't see it, touch it, smell it, etc. once the experience is done. Using it once is the only option and then there is nothing left but a memory. I'm sure they're good memories, but the experience only lasts a short while and then you have nothing to hold in your hand except some photos on your iPhone.

A new pontoon, or truck, or fabric...now that's something tangible. A new deck, studio, workshop, sidewalk...those are all things useful for more than a few weeks, and making memories there, I think, are just as important.

What this all boils down to is our cruise to Alaska. We have our 35th wedding anniversary coming up. The trip, quite frankly, is expensive. Even with an inside cabin, no off ship excursions, and the multi connecting flights to get there, would dip into money we could use on those tangible items mentioned above.

We've talked about this cruise for the past three milestone anniversaries. Two moves and a new career got in the way of those plans. We aren't moving or starting a new job, so why the balk at going? Because it's not something we can use our money on wisely. Something that will provide longer than a few weeks of memories, but rather a lifetime of enjoyment instead, may be how we finally decide about this cruise.

It makes us both sad. We really want to go. Really, really. BUT, we have limited time and, moreover, limited resources to get us there. We spent our honeymoon with money people put into our wedding cards because we ended up paying for the whole damn wedding. We don't want to take our next big trip counting our coins like we did 35 years ago.

Enough on that decision. Here's something tangible I've been working on in between the hours at the store.

Making the "Fair" calf

Retiring

I've had several people ask me recently if/when I was going to retire.

First, and foremost, do I really look that old? I mean, I just turned 55 and I don't think that's retirement age, is it?

Second, and probably the most important, is I love working. Not the kind of work requiring one to sweat constantly and wear yourself to a frazzle (like baling hay or similar type of work), but working with quilts, and people, to me, is fun. Truly.

I love my little retail job. I love quilting quilts for people. I love working with customers and fabric both. Being home part of the time, and out in public the other part, works out well for me. I wouldn't change my life right now...at all.

So, why retire?

If you love what you do, why change it? What could be better? Enough about retiring.

After playing in the studio, eating lunch, going to work for a few hours, and coming back to play in the studio, here's what I did yesterday.

These were done last night

This was done yesterday morning

See, why would I leave all this fun to try something else?

These blocks are coming together very cute. I've had to remember how to transfer appliqué pieces and how to get my appliqué groove going, but now that I have that figured out again, these are coming together better. Those bunnies the other day proved to me it's been a while since I've done something this intense.

DW is working away over there while I'm blogging (the nice thing about the Pro Stitcher). And I have a new customer coming today later to drop off a top, and since today is not a work day, I'll enjoy my non-retirement today playing with fabric.

Just Some Updates

Since finishing last week's PQ challenge, the studio has been pretty quiet. Work, storms, life. Except for a few hours this afternoon, I have until Thursday off work.

Here is the newest onto the frame.

A long time waiting to get quilted

I should be working on a different quilt top that I received a few months ago. I've been putting it off for a variety of reasons, and actually went to load it before putting this one on the frame. However, my inventory of batting seems to have somehow shrunk significantly and the batt needing to go into the quilt is missing from my stash. Until the roads clear a little better, I'm having to make due with what I have on hand.

This is also in the works.

Picked this up while at camp two weeks ago

These are my first months blocks

This pattern was a BOM a few years back...I guess. I never saw it and had I seen it, would have definitely picked it up then. But I found the patterns at Pieces of Thyme and just HAD to get it. The goal is to have it done in time for the fairs in the area and should work stop calling me in, it should be a doable goal.

Notably Numeric

That's the Project Quilting prompt for this week.

My eldest son loves numbers; he started taking college calculus as a Sophomore in high school. As an adult, he has his doctorate as an Astrophysicist but crunches data and numbers for Goodyear Tire.

I have his TI-83 calculator just to figure out the cost of a customer's quilt after I quilt them. Needless to say, I'm not good with numbers.

But I am good with time management. The basis? DON'T WATCH TV!

Here's something to think about and this is what was created for the challenge this week.

Hand embroidered, machine quilted.
Time...What's your choice? Waste? Spend? Invest?

I have had this written out in permanent pen on my pressing table but it's beginning to fade after so many ironings and I wanted to get it more prominently placed in my studio. Customers comment on how much I get accomplished and I will use this as a reminder to both them and myself.

Project Quilting

Katie and I participated in this fun and challenging experience last year. Kim Lapasek hosts an annual challenge meant to spread your skills and creativity with fabric. We are, once again, participating this year.

Requirements are minimal and we don't HAVE to make every other weeks' prompt. Just what we want to and what is convenient for us to tackle. Since we have now officially entered into the doldrums of winter, we mostly have the time and the resources to create some interesting and fun quilt-y pieces.

This weeks prompt is something with numbers. Here's mine so far in progress.

Sorry about the sideways photo

I would like to continue on with this today, but I have some long arming pieces to work for customers. Yesterday the wind was too strong to fire up DW so I have to take advantage of the long arm-able weather today while I can, and then, maybe, I can get back to this tonight if all goes well on the machine today.

Merry New Year!

Yep, I know, it's already a week into the new year but hey, I've been a little busy. Quilt camp, ya know?

And, three more tops join the rack of shame, one wall hanging was completed, and one cloth book gives Hannah something else to read instead of Bob the Tomato.

Here's a quick look at the progress for the weekend.

The Leah Day Friendship blocks are now a top! This was before getting them together

My last project, which, I just finished this morning (those darn mitered corners). Catsmosphere!

The January wall hanging

The Angela Walter Build a Quilt blocks are now a top

And I don't have a picture of the book, but it's a cloth book titled The Twelve Dogs of Christmas.

A few other projects were started and then put aside because of concentration issues during chatting and all the noise.

I actually got the blades made for this project, but didn't have enough background to finish it.

This was two panels and a fat quarter bundle purchased earlier this fall that needs some work.

And that's what camp is all about. Finishing those projects and catching up with fast friends; making new friends and discovering new ideas and techniques; making memories and starting out the new year on a good note.