Preview Paper

The preview paper I have hanging around here isn't usually used for marking on quilts any longer. I actually use it to transfer images onto the overhead to enlarge them when doing art pieces. The iPad is now used to audition and draw motifs while Jim's watching TV at night. But my iPad pencil died yesterday and so had to get the paper back out.

Carla's quilt that needed planning

Some of what was decided

I'm half way through after running a few errands yesterday morning. I hope to finish this up today and load her second quilt.

Since we ran downstate to get my lost package from the Olivet post office two days ago, I have fabric to piece things again. I started piecing the background triangles onto the Scrap Happy slabs last night and have them almost half way completed.

Much of the same today and I better take advantage of the rainy day before me because tomorrow is supposed to be sunny, near 70 degrees, and I'll have plenty to work on outside.

Lost Packages and Channel Locks Rock!

MSQC is one of the most attentive companies I've had the pleasure to work with. A package ordered nearly a month ago has been bouncing around the country and was inadvertently sent to our old house. Our fault, not theirs. They are making sure it gets re-routed once they receive it there.

A new customer dropped off a little wall hanging a few days ago and wanted irregularly spaced grid work put into the piece. Hurray channel locks on my HQ Fusion!

Happy Halloween!

Isn't this cool?

Prior to working this piece yesterday afternoon, I finished Paulette's third quilt. Again, my HQ Fusion and the Pro Stitcher come to my aid.

Yummy candy motif

This quilt is going to The Springs (she thinks) for room redecorating there.

Today, I get to actually drive the Jeep. Another package from MSQC (and our error again) ended up downstate and I have to go fetch it at the post office. No, they won't forward it. I even offered to pay but I could be some deranged person wanting to heist 3 yards of white and black fabric. LOL!

E2E? Ummm...No!

A particular customer came recently to drop off a few more tops she'd been working on during our little "shut in" situation. We talked for over and hour and nearly none of it was about what I was going to put into her tops; because she said to just edge-to-edge (E2E) them.

This means, the same motif throughout using only one thread color, and, either letting the computer do the work, or, I can choose to drive the machine.

The first top was driven by the Pro Stitcher attached to my machine...i.e...the computer.
The third top today will also be done with the Pro Stitcher.

Both of the tops being computerized were the same blocks throughout the quilt and had no linear design. Therefore, I feel like E2E is best for them. They have a variety of colors, they have a similar flavor throughout the top, and they have a consistency in the piecing.

The second top did not. It was clearly designed by the blocks. There were two thread changes needed to quilt it, I felt like the customer had put a little more time into building this top, and thought the quilting needed as much care.

Here are a few pics of the customization I put into the blocks.

Not Edge to Edge Quilting

This looks much better than edge-to-edge.

A returning customer is coming today to drop off a few tops and received a new customer art piece on Friday. With all the stay at home rules the tops sure are pouring out of those sewing machines!

Not a New Pattern

I've made a few log cabin quilts in my quilting lifetime. They are usually very bright and sometimes a little wonky. Yesterday I ran across one that was neither bright or wonky. But very appealing.

I drafted the pattern and did a test run in the morning. The block was way too big and the measurements were a little off. After putting that aside, I loaded a customer quilt and worked on it for the remainder of the day/early evening.

After thinking about the block made earlier in the morning, I redrafted and rescaled the block to a more manageable size. Bingo! After making another test block, came up with a winner. It's a good thing I did run the test too because apparently math is something you only do in school.

The initial test block

This log cabin top is going to be very low volume; way different then I usually do, but when put together it looks so soft and snuggly. A wonderful soft batting will defiantly have to get put into it to enhance the exterior look of the quilt.

I ordered two jelly rolls from MSQC and hope they get here this year. Is anybody else having trouble with their orders? I sent one in on April 3rd and another on April 13th. Nothing has arrived yet. I can only imagine how backed up they are with the virus thing.

Virus Be Damned

I have some customers who just don't care about this virus thing and show their disapproval by coming over despite the "lock in" order our Governor has imposed. I'm okay with it if they are.

Paulette dropped off three quilt tops yesterday for me to work on after picking up her nursery rhyme quilt from a month ago. All E2E (or whatever she said I deemed they needed), and all queen-sized. Yeah! Work!

To accommodate the new tops, the animal/barn quilt was finished on the long arm last night. It still needs binding so maybe later today it'll get done.

Haven't posted a Hazel pic in a while. This is one of her chairs she loves to occupy. It's actually papa's chair, but while he's gone (and sometimes even when he's here) this is her spot.

MY Chair!

It Usually Snows in April

April 21

That was the view while long arming yesterday morning. I had to stop after lunch because the winds were out of control.

The post you see in the pic is the new deck Jim and I are building.

After lunch I played a little bit with sit-down quilting. I decided moms pillow didn't need all the detail Helen is putting into the flowers because the blocks are so small. All I did was outline those flowers in dark green and yet it will still match her quilt nicely.

Moving along to some Jacqueline de Jong work. I scrounged around in the stash to find something to replace the two colors I'm lacking and came up with passible pieces since the arcs being worked are pretty small. The slight change in value/color won't be very eye-popping.

Mom is coming over today for some wifi administrative stuff. Paulette is coming to pick up her quilt and drop off three more. I think people are tired of the stay-at-home thing and are starting to get antsy. I don't have a problem with them coming over since I know how to wash my hands when they leave. Problem solved.

Possible long arming later after the visitors depart because so far it appears the wind is going to stay under control today.

Winters Grip

Yep, today we wake up to about a half inch of snow. And, it seems to be an ongoing thing with squalls intermittent with sunshine throughout the day. And the wind is howling...again.

It's a great day to quilt! Here's what's on the frame now.

Barnyard and other animal friends

In keeping with the animal theme, I've included a few more in the setting squares.

Quack!

Bzzzz

The additional critters are done with the Handi Quilter Pro Stitcher, but the rest of the quilt is being free motion quilted. This is the quilt being sent to the reunion for auction this upcoming summer.

I also found myself working on my Jacqueline de Jong pieces last night after helping with more deck work. I'm getting way low on some of the batiks going into the piece. So much so production has stopped until I can get to a quilt shop to obtain more.

And where in the #$^& is my MSQC orders placed over three weeks ago? Seriously, I could have driven out there and back as long as they are taking. But I understand they are probably swamped with all the folks making masks, so I get it, and patience is relevant here. Maybe today?

A Golden Nugget

Not bad for my first go.

Pillow Cover

The pattern can be found on Missouri Star Quilt Company's YouTube channel. The quilting can be found under the "new" sit down machine I've made from my Janome 1600P.

Doing sit-down quilting is a much different beast than long arming. HUGE difference. But I've done sit down before and find it cathartic and after spending six to eight hours on your feet long arming, yet your quilting scratch hasn't been satisfied, this is the ticket.

The paisley still rears its ugly head. There's a back story behind this fabric, but here it is. Once again. Showing up in something I did with scraps of fabric. This is one of the "magazines" in Valeries quilt.

That damn paisley

But the bookcase quilt is getting bound this morning and it'll be off my to-do list.

And look at the selvedge I found with our granddaughters name on it. Too cute!

Penelope is famous

Today may be interrupted with some deck work, but this morning the temps are still very chilly and going outside won't be until later.

Coincidence and Eureka!

The bookcase quilt I'm doing for Jims cousin recently made her relationship official. They've been living together for 24 years, but finally went to the courthouse this winter and legalized it. Their last names are Miller. Look what I found in my selvedge stash.

A Miller Selvedge

Lol!

The Row by Row with Sugaridoo is complete for the month!

Month Six

And yesterday was discovery day. Long story (Katie's already heard this). This is my main piecing machine. I do about 80% of my work on this machine because of the built-in quarter inch foot and how well it stitches.

Jay

With what Katie calls the Covidbribe check we received this week, I was pondering getting a sit-down quilting machine. The other Janome (Mike) I have just doesn't cut it as described in yesterdays post. The Handi Quilter sit downs were financially out of the bribe check amount received. I looked at some Juki's on-line (because many of the instructors out there swear by them) and was planning on potentially purchasing one of those. Then I remembered I had a free motion/darning foot for Jay. Somewhere. In. Here.

After much searching, I finally found the thing and put it on. That was a royal pain: Unscrew this, unscrew that, remove this plate, line this up, turn this dial, screw this and that back in, put plate back on. BUT...it's on.

Jays new foot

I wanted to give it a spin before quitting for the night (it was already past 9:00) so whatever thread I had in it (Aurofil piecing thread) decided to give it a go. GORGEOUS, BEAUTIFUL, LOVELY stitches came out of this machine. Better even than DW!

While I just saved $1,000 not having to purchase another machine, I've just dug a little hole here. This was my main piecing machine. Except, the HQ Stitch (Lilo) we received in Utah last year pieces very nicely too. I've done some paper piecing on it and I quite like how it performs. I was just putting it on the return side of Jay that is on hinges, but can't put it there permanently since I own a big dog who, when playing with dad at night, could easily knock the feet out from underneath of it.

Rearranging my studio may ensue to accommodate another small table for Lilo if Jay continues to positively perform through more testing today.

I'm so excited to finally have a sit down machine at my disposal. Just when I thought my life could't get any more perfect! See...wishes do come true. If only the damn virus thing would settle down in everybody's head both of yesterday's wishes would have been granted.

Slab-Tastic

All the slabs are done for the Scrap Happy top.

The slabs

Once MSQC sends me the background fabric, sewing will commence. Until then...

Adding titles to the spines

Not sure why my photos are being dingus lately, but you get the idea. I'm "borrowing" from my selvedges and adding those as the "book titles" and "authors". It's a long process; once you've found that 'just right' selvedge, it has to be fussy cut and trimmed accordingly.

May Wallhanging

This is the one I severely messed up on but corrected by adding some outline stitching to the whole motif. It still needs to be bound so maybe today?

Good Morning

And who can resist taking pics of this wonderful face/friend? The lighting lately has been great to photograph her so I've managed to grab some great pics. Opportunity!

Today I'll continue on with Valeries quilt since the selvedges are taking longer then originally planned. The Sugaridoo BOM (actually, RxR) came out last night, and we can't forget the May wallhanging that needs binding. Great way to play and enjoy the sunny (yet very cold) day outside.

When You Wish Upon a Star

If you're gonna wish, wish big, right? My two wishes for today:

1) This virus thing go away. People are so misinformed. The media stretches and cuts/pastes what they want the public to hear from physicians and medical facilities. The public is in a frenzy.

2) A sit down mid/long arm machine. My Janome (Mike) just doesn't like doing it. He'll only allow me to go down or to the right. Going left or up results in immediate issues. 

But, those are wishes and the reality is just dealing with what ya got in front of ya. Which I'm fine with. I stay home. Sew. Quilt. Get on-line for interaction with friends/family. It's all good for me actually.

Here's what went on the frame and partially quilted yesterday. 

Valerie's Bookshelf Top

It's loaded sideways in case the bookcase didn't come right into perspective. 

The pillow to match the top for mom was made and marked up two days ago, and I had every intention of quilting it on the Janome. But after trying to quilt my little monthly wallhanging yesterday, decided it would probably be best if I just do it on the long arm. 

Mom's pillow top in the works

Long arming had to stop mid-afternoon since the wind became rather ridiculous. Moving on to the slabs afterwards to complete the red and red/orange set. Once finished with those the May wallhanging was roughed in the day before so I worked on it. 

The wallhanging was background stitched with my double needle prior to adding the appliqué. But when quilting down the appliqué, forgot to add a backing to the dumb thing. Today that  has to be fixed  somehow. It was the last thing worked yesterday and decided I was probably tired and needed to stop at that point. 

Running Out Of Fabric

I have six projects going on in the studio right now. My Jacqueline is at a standstill because I need more fabric to finish the last go-around. I can't order any for it on-line because I need to make sure the correct colors get placed in each section. Computers aren't always true to color.

The flannel rag quilt for Jim is on hold until my order comes in from MSQC.

The Happy Camper piece may be worked next, but I'll have to pirate some of the black fabric from the Jacqueline piece to work on it.

The Row by Row quilt along is a monthly thing and until Irene puts up another month, that's parked.

The Scrap Happy top can be continued for a little bit, but once all the slabs are built, I have no background fabric for the thing...unless I pirate the white from the Row by Row to continue on. See...I need more fabric.

The quilt for my mom is in the works and the top will be completed today. The center section of this quilt is the quilt along I'm doing with Helen Godden and won't be able to quilt it until she gets through all her videos (in two weeks). BUT, I'm thinking with the leftover fabrics, I may just get creative and make a matching pillow to go with the quilt.

Moms Mothers Day Quilt for her new Condo

The wind outside today is screaming (again), so long arming probably would not be a good idea. I'll make the back for the animal/barn top from last week and at least attempt to get it loaded.

Maybe I need to get a large black and white order in to MSQC for some more white and black? I don't think I'm going to be able to get anymore otherwise.

Aannnddd, it's a Quit

The red and white quilt is completely quilted and trimmed for the customer. Unfortunately, nobody can come get their quilts for a few more weeks, but at least I'm all caught up...for now. I have a feeling a few weeks from now may be a game changer with everybody having so much time at home of late.

Today, however, I'm venturing into the world of Helen Godden. I'm making an art quilt for moms new twin bed when she moves into her condo.

This is a preview of what I'll be making...this is NOT mine, but Helen's piece.

So beautiful!

Can't wait to get started, but I'm doing mine a little different than Helen is doing hers. My blocks will be traced and assembled prior to doing any quilting. Once the whole top is complete and ready to quilt, I'll transfer it to DW and work on the quilting there. She is doing more of a quilt-as-you go kinda thing and while I would LOVE to do that, I have time on the machine to be able to do it over a few days rather than the two weeks she's working through hers.

Services

Keeping all my fellow nurses and other service people in my thoughts each day as I work in the safety of the studio. Jim goes to the store weekly now since he is already out and about and only gets what we absolutely need.

I provide services for my customers. Like fixing holes.

The white thread was hers...not mine BTW

And straightening out creatively pieced quilts.

The left side

The rights side

And I like helping people fix all these issues. But again, I'm not a magician. I'm waiting for a call back on what I should to do.

Ummm????

This should be cascading flat off the frame since the top is measured and basted as I progress down each side. Why is this happening? Guess.

Meanwhile, while I wait for the call, I've gotten through my green "slabs" on the Scrap Happy blocks and have already cut for the orange. Hopefully I cut enough; orange is one color I am severely lacking. That and purple. But I only needed one purple slab and was able to round up enough for it.

Spring Day

Yesterday was a beautiful spring day. Most of the afternoon was outside, but the morning and evening were spent in here.

Sandy's Red and White Quilt

This is how the "tuck" looks after quilting the section over. Barely noticeable, but I know its in there.
I will be continuing with this today.

In the evening, I worked on slabs for my new top called Scrap Happy. This is what a "slab" looks like:

Slabs for Scrap Happy

I need to make 48 of these in a variety of colors. The slabs are trimmed to 17" long! They don't look that big on my table do they?

Today will be much of the same since the weather has turned cold again. Ahhh...spring weather.

Broken Record

I know I sound like a broken record. I've blasted this point more than I care to admit. But I do it because it's that important.

Do you want this is in your quilt after it comes back from the long armer?

Border Pleat

Should your quilt hang straight or like this?

Still hanging crooked after already taking the above pleat

Do you want this happening during the quilting of your quilt?

Bunched up extra fabric

This will be end up puckering while being quilted.

WHAT?????

And what is the long armer supposed to do about all of this?

I saw a sign once that said, "I'm a beautician, NOT a magician." Ditto as a long armer, but I haven't yet found the words to make a little saying out of it.

This particular quilt is beautiful with all the reds and white within its body. Unfortunately, the time wasn't taken to properly measure the borders when attaching them and this is what ends up happening when the extra step isn't taken.

So another post about measuring and how important it is. I'm sure there will be more in the future because until the word gets out there how necessary it is, it'll continue to occur with incoming quilts.

Whoa, is thisTuesday Already?

We are finally breaking into spring here. This means less time in the studio when the weather is gorgeous. Which as pretty much the last four days.

Today, we have April showers and sewing can commence. Here's what I've managed to fit in despite being outdoors quite a bit.

We had a new addition to the family on Saturday. Welcome Eli!

Baby Elijah Melchizedek was born Saturday around 2:30-ish weighing in at a light 10 lbs. 8 ozs, and 23 inches long. Because of the virus crap, we are not allowed in the hospital and we have to wait to even visit him for a few weeks.

I finished the animal/barn top

While getting all the dirt on our new grandson, I was finishing this top. Thank you Katie for your input on the border fabrics. It looks pretty good!

Made five masks for my brother and his gang

My brother texted on Friday after we had started our relaxing time, and requested masks for his girlfriend, her daughters and the one boyfriend. Those were stuck in the mail yesterday.

Loaded Sandy's quilt top

And yesterday morning was rather chilly, so while I was waiting for it to warm up a bit, loaded my last (for now) customer quilt onto the frame. More pics of this one to come as it's being worked.

I had ordered a pattern last week that struck my fancy and it arrived in the mail yesterday. I want to start working on it since I'm pretty much caught up in here on other projects. They aren't completed, but I have a fabric shortage on all three of what I have being worked on right now.

Until I can get out to a fabric store(s) to select fabric, I'm at a stand still. Although, the one project for Jim has fabrics coming in the mail. He wanted a larger rag quilt and I need more flannel for the backing squares to arrive from Missouri Star Quilt Company before I can continue on with it.

Happy Friday and Week Three of the Quarantine

Today begins our fourth week of this lock-in thing. I'm okay with it. I'm getting a lot done in here.

Here's Mickey's last border completed late yesterday morning.

Aaannndddd it's a quilt!

After Mickey's quilt was finished, I started researching for a "barn" to make for the center of my little paper pieced animals. Katie sent me a link for a gal who blogged about this and then I found this book in my bag of tricks:

Improv barn building

Creating began!

I got the main barn finished last night but still have silos to build next to the barn and all the grasses to get in below. Today I'll be continuing on until mom arrives (we are ignoring the social distancing thing because, well, we haven't went anywhere to become infected) to make pizza for lunch.

Sunny Days, Sweeping Up A-Okay.

I used to watch Sesame Street a little too much I guess to know the words to the whole song.

Long arming most of yesterday. Mickey's quilt should be finished today. She asked for a contrasting thread in this one and here's the first border pass.

Mickey's Quilt of Valor

Gotta love the meandering feathers (thank you Angela Walters!).

After working on this most of yesterday, the paper pieced animals were worked on. The one thing positive about our little shut-in order is the UFO piles for most of us should be diminishing somewhat.

I was going to sash the animals in and just call the top done, but after looking through the authors book (Mary Hertel), I noticed a placement of not just 12 of the animals, but all 16. I'm thinking an improv barn in the center with all the animals around it would be really cute. After getting Mickey's quilt done, I may head in that direction.

Meanwhile, the sun is shining today (finally) and working in the studio will be an absolute dream.

Coasting Along

Many out there are having a hard time, at this point, of entertaining themselves in their own homes. I find it odd. We buy these multi thousand/million dollar homes and we can't stand to be in them for two weeks? Does this sound a little silly to anybody else? I love my home and the minute I leave it I can't wait to get back to it.

My situation, I know, is much different than the masses. I work from home, so going out isn't a daily regiment for me. Maybe this will identify to people they need to find a passion (painting, drawing, writing, whatever.) they can do if/when this situation we're finding ourselves in ever happens again.

Obviously, quilting is mine. I blazed through a custom piece in one day yesterday because I was having so much fun. Here's one of the blocks.

One of the blocks in Paulette's quilt

And, like usual, I loaded the top too close to the leaders and had to [once again] go through my rulers to find one that would assist in the crosshatched border.

Handi Quilter 2 x 10 Ruler is the only one that would work here.

I love my Handi Quilter rulers! Today, I'll be using them again in this piece as well as some Angela Walters free motion meandering feathers, ribbon candy, wavy lines, and others.

Mickey's Quilt of Valor

This one is going to be a challenge. Mickey actually wants to see the quilting throughout the quilt and has chosen a medium gold thread to run through the whole piece. I better be on my A-Game today because any (and I mean any) and all mistakes will be seen with that dark blue background.