In the Groove

I must have been really rested yesterday. Much was done in the studio.

Joanie's Christmas Quilt with a Minky backing

The minky backing was causing some slide issues yesterday. The batting kept wanting to shift. Which, in turn, kept causing the top to want to shift. Which was causing puckers near the edge of the borders. But we came to and understanding (that silly Minky and I) and got it done by mid-afternoon.

Luann's Big Ole Heart

This wasn't the next one to hit the frame (pictures do not load in the order I send them for some reason), but rather the last one. The table runner below was the next one up. But this big heart has been basted in and is ready to go first thing today. 

Tristan's Christmas Pillow

I'm making these On-The-Go Travel Pillows (pattern purchased at Pieces in Thyme and created by Fishsticks Designs) for each of the older kids for Christmas. This handle turned out on the correct side this time. It was my error with the previous attempt over last weekend. So, apparently I can no longer read.

A Ghostly Tablerunner for Luann

If you look close enough, there are ghosts quilted into the runner. What you can't see (and it didn't want to photograph) is there is glow in the dark thread for the ghosts. Every house is ditched also as are the stars in the center. 

Today I will continue on with the Big Ole Heart and maybe make another pillow for Hannah. While DW was stitching out Joanie's rows yesterday, I was able to start researching all the addresses I've lived in my life. I need to get a hold of my mother and my father both to fill in some of the blanks, but I think I have enough to start making the Colette version of Paulettes houses/memory quilt. 

Production Day

 This was completed yesterday morning, as I had hoped it would be.

Paulette's Crazy Kitties

I loaded and completed two of these for a new customer (Mary Anne) and they turned out so cute. 

Mary Anne's Squadron Leader Quilts

Both of these quilts were done free motion and with ruler work.

This was attempted. Well, it's done, but apparently I either a) can't read directions anymore, or b) the directions were incorrect. I have to go back and see what I did, but the handle got put on the wrong side of the pocket for the little ones to carry their books in.

The handle should have been on the other end

I'd like to make one of these for each of the four older grandkids for Christmas. I'll stick a new book in there for them and maybe a little cash. 

Jim's ragg quilt is now officially finished. It was in the dryer on fluff most of yesterday lifting off all the threads. It was then picked clean after a day in the dryer and now he has it on his chair waiting for our cold weather to come.

Today is another long arming day with a Christmas top for Joan S. She has chosen Minky for the backing and it's proving to be interesting trying to get the tension right on the bars so not too much drag occurs while DW is stitching out the design. 

Paulette brought a quilt over to show me on her last couple of visits. My theory is that if I can't get something out of my head, I need to do something about it. The quilt had been hand embroidered with all the various places she has lived in her life. While I DO NOT hand embroider (it looks terrible), I was thinking about ways to do each block with all the homes I have lived in my life (I think I'm at 31). 

I was going to do it on the long arm somehow, but, with all the customer tops waiting, don't think that would happen even yet this year. Jim suggested a quilt-as-you-go on my sit down machine. Which is a much better idea. 

I'm still formulating that in my head. How much detail do I want to go into with each house? Do I want to put the years in along with the addresses? Do I want to color each house in the correct thread colors or leave them all the same? Decisions, decisions. Lots to think about while I'm working in here today. 

Indian Summer

I'm not sure if what we experienced the past week was our actual Indian Summer, but it sure acted like it. Mid 70's to low 80's all week. Beautiful sunny skies and slight breezes. And with it, of course, outside work. 

The property is now minus one whole tree, and seven tops of dead Ash trees the Emerald Ash Borer tried to take. And, with the dead tops, comes a whole lotta mess. I also have a new mum garden near the entrance of the house. The lawn has been mowed for its last time, and the garden has been put to bed. 

Some of the mess

Visitors also contribute to little studio time. Dad and Charlotte came on Saturday (their first visit in a year), and many customers on Friday. Here's about all I did over the last seven days.

Sharon's Bear Paw and Black Bear Lodge Quilt

I have another cat quilt on the frame for Paulette right now. 

This is the full-size one. 

The one on the frame currently (pic won't upload for some reason), is a bit smaller. She did two with these crazy kitties in them. And they just crack me up while I'm quilting them because I've known cats with practically the same personalities as the ones she depicts in her work. 

I'll finish her smaller kitty quilt this morning, check to see who's next, and get that loaded hopefully before lunch. Since I have slacked off with the outside stuff, it's time to buckle down and get back into the work mode here in the studio. But that's a good thing because my muscles just aren't 21 any more. :[)

The First Ever Virtual Retreat

I attended my first ever virtual retreat this past weekend. WHAT. A. HOOT!

A shout out to Ebony Love for hosting the retreat and keeping everything accessible, light hearted, fun, informative, and a chance to talk to other quilters from around the globe. 

If you're interested in a virtual retreat, Ebony is going to host another in December (first week of), and you can bet I plan on attending. The cost is so affordable, and unlike a "real" retreat, virtual let me actually long arm here in my own studio. Can't take the long arm to an in person retreat for sure.

Here's what I made over the weekend:

Hey, this is one of mine!

I was able to start long arming the Bear Paws on Friday morning. What a great time I had using the Natalia Bonner rulers I have here in the studio. The quilt was completed yesterday morning. Yay!

I made two tops:

I did the gray one

I finished the Windblown top on Friday afternoon.

This top was finished Sunday morning

I didn't get actual pics of mine, but they look exactly the same.

Yesterday afternoon this Dream Big panel was basted in and then during our farewell address of the retreat by Ebony and friends, I was able to get the first outline of the petals started.

Folded in half, but you get the idea

Nova Star was not touched during the weekend. While I was in the studio from about 8:30 am to around 10:00 pm every day, time got away from me. I was hoping to also get it on the frame but other projects took longer than anticipated. 

Today, it's back to a normal "work" day. Paulette has a few quilts here for me to do, as do other folks, so this week will prove to be a busy one.

Cutting it Close

When you're long arming, and you hear the clacking of your bobbin below the quilt your working on, you start saying a silent prayer the bobbin gods will hear your plea of lasting "just one more motif". 

Just enough

Apparently the quilting and bobbin gods were with me as I was finishing Joanie's quilt yesterday. 

After nearly finishing her quilt, another customer stopped by and dropped off two more tops. The cute little airplanes should be fun to work on next week. 

Once our errands were completed for the week, work on the Nova Star top ensued. Eureka! A top!

Morning Sunshine through the skylight on the Nova Star

Today, after finishing Joanie's quilt, I'll load Bear Paws to prepare for the upcoming retreat (less than 24 hours from now). I want to have something to sit down quilt, sit down piece, and stand up long arm; just for a variety for the weekend. 

I've found this to draft today for the sit-down portion of the retreat:

Zen Tangle with Thread

I won't actually be able to draw this because I'm an idiot with a pencil. But I can locate something out there to use to transfer the design to fabric. I hope. 

Goals Written in Sand

It's a good thing goals are written in sand and not stone. While yesterday started out pretty well on track, a lack of paying attention on my part was the result of an entire day picking out stitches on the customer quilt being worked.

Wrong color thread in the wrong area. Note to self: Double check thread colors before even attempting to machine quilt a double backed motif. 

After picking out stitches on two 18" blocks, I finished the computer portion of the project and then turned off the machine. Yesterday (like some days can be) was not a good long arming day. Hopefully today will be better.

Vertical sashing strips were completed on the Nova Star and then I started to get in the cornerstones with their horizontal sashing strips. 

Cornerstone insertion

While DW was stitching out the motifs on the customer quilt, I started planning for our upcoming retreat beginning on Friday. Jim's quilt, that has been sitting here in wait since April, will be completed. It's all flannel and I can't wait to get it together for him.

Jim's Ragg Quilt in Planning Phase

New customer(s) are coming today after lunch with a regular customer of mine for introductions and projects. Should be interesting. 

Virtual Retreat

Word was received, late yesterday afternoon, the video/photo session with Handi Quilter next week, has been postponed. Again.

At least the studio has been cleaned, but now I have to continue to be diligent in keeping it that way. Which may be hard after this weekend. 

Katie and I are attending a virtual retreat beginning on Friday morning and continuing throughout the weekend. Lots of fabric, thread, and general mayhem that comes with retreating has to be kept in check I'm afraid.

Continuation ensues with the large customer quilt I'm working on the long arm. And, the rows are now being sashed on the Nova Star. 

Adding the sashing to the Nova Star blocks

The vertical sashing pieces are pretty easy to get in. The biggest hurdle is keeping the blocks in order and labeling them properly so they stay that way.

The hard part is getting the setting stones picked and built into the horizontal sashing. That will come maybe later today if Joanie's quilt gets finished this morning. 

And I want to load the Bear Paws to work on over the next few days/during retreat. I don't know if long arming is the actual thing to be doing during a retreat, but I remember a few times when I was at a "real" retreat, had thought long arming would be a nice change of pace. Maybe I'll get something on the sit down machine to quilt (also). Hmmm???

Subscriptions

Celebrate! I'm now officially LLC'd. Looking for a software program to handle my tiny little business is becoming interesting. It seems you don't purchase software anymore, but rather pay a monthly subscription for the rights to use it.

And a subscription for quilt magazines, monthly dog toys/treats, radio (Pandora and Sirius), TV, Cable, Crafting applications, Legal applications, Cloud space, and now this? When does it all end? I'm getting subscription-ed nearly to death.  

It's time to take a look at what is really important (needed) versus what is really not so important (wants), and while Jim is off on Work Comp, we need to evaluate whether my business is really worth all these expenses. 

Meanwhile, I continue on working my business.

Bear Paws ready to head to the frame this upcoming weekend...hopefully

I was able to lay this out while at moms yesterday morning. I got it together last night before calling it a night in the studio. 

Jonie's Tradewinds Top

I'll be working on Joanie's top most of  today. I've got the borders started (which I think is one of the hardest parts to accomplish, and frankly, takes the most time). The borders set the stage for the rest of what is going to happen in the rest of the quilt.

My goal is to get her quilt finished before Thursday so I won't feel guilty getting one of mine loaded for our retreat this weekend. I'm so excited for this retreat. I need to spend time with like-minded people and miss visiting with quilters. 

Just Crusin'

Trying to play catch-up from the weekend. Today was starting out to be an unproductive day. But Jim called about his appointment(s) and it doesn't look like I will need to taxi him around the state. Meaning, I can stay here and work.

Joanie's First Top

A little of the quilting detail

This quilt is due on the 20th. I thought, 'No problem', until I started running ruler work throughout the piece. I should have hit the half-way point yesterday and instead am only about a third of the way through. 

And, I think I loaded it wrong, meaning, I'm going to have to extend the backing. Which means, taking it off, sewing an extension on, getting it back onto the frame, and then finishing. Hopefully Jim will be home to help with the reloading because that is a pain with one person.

I did manage, later yesterday after long arming, to get a few blocks done for our sew along. I have 14 more to go.

I've gotten some nice comments about the blocks, which makes me feel pretty good. Again, not my normal color scheme, so always questioning what's going on here.

Letting the Hair Down

While we weren't directly involved in the weekends activities from the two neighbors to our north, we were indirectly involved in all the energy, joy, fun, and general good times. I think people are sick of being locked up because of the 'thing', they are tired of not having a lake, and have decided to not let either of these elements mess up their lives any more. We even had a pontoon traverse our dangerous lake waters over the weekend. 

Daring Folks on our dangerous waters

But I did manage to get some sewing into the weekend regardless. I made this little bowl for my Wonder Clips. 

Wonder Clips fit perfectly in here

I made about five or so blocks on the Nova Star. 

And just as I was settling in to work on a customer quilt yesterday, the kids called from Lansing and said they were going to head on up for a day trip since the pouring rain was keeping Ben from work. 

Hopefully today will be a bit more work productive than the weekend (apparently extended through yesterday) turned out to be. However, the memories with new friends and neighbors was priceless enough to not even feel the least bit guilty. 

Happy Second Birthday Hazel

I can't believe our puppy is now two years old. It seems like we just brought her home and yet, we couldn't imagine not having her in our lives. 

Seven Weeks Old

Nearly two years later

She's had plenty of birthday celebrations with Rylee coming to visit this morning and Walter visiting all afternoon. 

Hope she's with us many more years to come because she's one of the best dogs we've ever had over the years!

Productive and Satisfying

Actual stick-to-the-goals happened here yesterday. Long arming in the morning and part of the afternoon. But, the wind became really scary and so shut the machine off for the remainder of the afternoon. This is what I'll continue with this morning.

Kathy's Sunshiny Sunflowers

Since the mock layouts were still on the design wall a decision to get them together before Hazel swiped them off with her tail was made. 

And then four more were designed. And then four more were constructed. Last evening was the result of these eight cuties.

The first eight Nova Star Blocks

Only 34 more to tackle. 

This is NOT my usual color palette, but I really, really think these are pretty. I'm liking how soothing they are to the eye and not all in your face with their volume and colors.

Speaking of Hazel, tomorrow she has a birthday. Two years old. But, she still thinks she's a puppy. This was yesterday after lunch was eaten while we finished our TV show. 

Hazel loves to snuggle

It's the day before our Labor Day weekend officially begins. We are still without a lake (and no end in sight for the foreseeable future on that racket), but the neighbors said they were going to all be up and it should at least give us a little interaction with folks for a few days. 

It gets so quiet up here with all the trunk slammers not coming up on the weekends. And the "thing" doesn't help either so people are just plain staying away. So I continue to take advantage of the quiet and quilt, quilt, quilt away. 

Focused

I started long arming yesterday. Then lunch. And then the Nova Star quilt-along pieces were calling to me. "Do flying geese units," they said. 

And I listened; finished making all the units yesterday.

I was so excited, despite the time of night it was, that four "mock" blocks were thrown on the design wall to see how the selected colors were going to play out.

Color/Placement Play

It appears my top is going to be a little lower volume than I usually come up with, or care to make. The fat quarter bundle was much more vibrant when it was picked up from the quilt shop. I think. wink, wink.

Today is much more long arming. Customers (three) are coming Friday to douse me down with more tops. It would be nice to be prepared for their arrival by clearing out the queue. Building Nova Star blocks will follow once the paying job is done.