For a Few Days

I’ll  be gone for a few days dealing with Jim’s surgery.

I have, however, loaded a long time ago built quilt. I don’t have any current pictures of it, but this is the latest WIP I found in the tote. It’s Andrew’s old Spartan “S” quilt in dire need of repair. It’s so unstable and needed to get on the frame to start getting some thread into it. It’s too fragile to just leave in the corner where it has lived for the past week since dragging it out of the safety of the fabric bag it was in. 

I started with the outer dark green border quilting piano keys three quarters of an inch apart with a shiny Glide thread. The second off-white border is going to need some marking and a lot of planning. I’ll be using a muted Premo Soft linen color in there and have a feeling the more thread I put into this piece the better it’s going to hold after it’s re-hung in Andrew’s man cave. He was instructed to never “use” this quilt again since it’s barely (and I mean barely) holding together now. 

I still have customer quilts in queue, but decided since I’ll be minding Jim for the next week or so, didn’t want to not have my complete attention on one of their quilts. Better to sacrifice one of my own I suppose.

Sleepy Girl

Hazel was sleeping funny earlier and I grabbed a pic while she was doing so. She’s going to day care for a few days which totally wears her out. She needs it though and will be sleeping like this (again) when she gets home on Tuesday. 

So. Much. Better!

The fabrics, as mentioned before, were kept in crates throughout the studio, most of which were living under the long arm, facing east. I have huge windows facing east and we get a lot of sun up here on the hill. My fabrics were going to be ruined in no time had we not moved them.

The new and improved studio!

Notice also, the cutting mat on the right side of the pic which is attached to the pressing table and raised a few inches from what it was before. My last task in this whole process is to get uniform looking storage units to go under the long arm where we took out the crates. That will be a later task.

The quilting books and thread are now on the long arm side

Easily to get to and reference while working on customer quilts, we moved the bookshelf side of the unit to the long arm side. And...it hides my seemingly unorganized tools, although they are organized for me. 

Luann's last quilt was taken off the frame yesterday afternoon and will be delivered tomorrow when we drop off Hazel for Jim's surgery.

Working on getting the house ready for his surgery and having lunch with mom today. I don't think there will be much going on in here for a few days. Tomorrow we have a birthday party to attend downstate and a trip to Grand Rapids for "the day before". Monday is a wash since that's surgery day. 

Aside from a few details...

...the new pressing/cutting station is in the studio. 

Where the fabrics are going today

Under construction

After the pressing top was placed

Isn't this a WONDERFUL unit my husband built for me? I mean, c'mon, what quilter wouldn't love to have this in their sewing room (space permissible of course)? 

He said he still needs to have a shelf built for the iron, another brace put in between each of the long sections, and a few other things he has in mind, but Jim rocks! I didn't think he'd get 'er done before the surgery date, but it's so much sturdier and better looking than the cobbled up table(s) we had prior and it far exceeds what I ever expected. 

While he was working in here, I was intermittently working on Luann's last top. It didn't get finished last night and will be on the to-do list first thing this morning. 

The last of the seven

Yesterday morning was spent dealing with motifs to for all that white real estate. I tried to digitize a few farm animals and it just wasn't working. I'm not as smooth tracing a drawing from a piece of tracing paper to get the lines right, so I just purchased some motifs on-line and stuffed them into the ProStitcher to use for this quilt and then later for other customers. 

Web Site Down

ilovequiltingatthelake.com is down for a few days while switching over from one host to another. There's a 48 hour waiting period before the change takes effect. 

This is what I had to deal with first thing this morning. Then, just as I entered the studio to "work" a customer came to drop off two more tops. 

Now the day can begin.

Here's what's coming off the frame this morning...

Luann's Pumpkin

This is one of two completed yesterday. After I shut the lights off in the studio at 8:00-ish I was too tired to remove and trim the quilt. 

Here is a little bit of what went into the quilts...

Quilting detail on one of the pumpkin quilts

Today I'm loading Luann's last quilt which will have pics shown tomorrow.

And we're getting ready for Jim's ankle surgery. He's feverishly trying to get my pressing/cutting table done beforehand but, of course, other little things interfere with his work. And I'm receiving deliveries for the big day, like crutches, scooters, chairs, etc. to interrupt my work day(s) as well. 

It looks like removing the rod thingie on our water heater is the solution to removing the smell/minerals passing through our water. That's one of the little things he had to deal with last night. Hopefully we'll have a productive day today and actually work through what we have in our heads that needs to be done. 

More Water Issues

Thankfully, when I have to frame press a backing for the customers, I use purchased distilled water because our water is being skunky again. And my silver ring has a golden hue to it. 

Evidence of water issues

 Yesterday was very productive!

Second on the frame yesterday

First on the frame yesterday

Third and fourth completed yesterday

And why don't the pics post to the blog in the order I took them? That's always been a mystery to me. 

I have two nearly twin Halloween tops to work today and it's a gloomy looking day out there so should be pretty productive. 

Rabbits and Eagles

While out putting cayenne pepper around the flower bed near the back door I heard, and then saw, the Eagle flying across the lake. 

The reason I'm doing the cayenne pepper is Mrs. Rabbit is trying to make a nest in my Hardy Mums and since she has many more options in which to do such activity I'm tryin to deter her from her decision to make the nest right out the back door.

Becky's Christmas top is now a quilt. I worked until 7:30 last night getting it finished and was just pooped. I didn't even load for this morning. But I wanted to share what Jim as been up to for me. 

Two of three

He has made these wonderful sliding drawers that have dowels on them to house some of my quilting threads. These are most of my bobbin threads and two of the drawers have been made to store the large cones. The third drawer (you can peek at it on the upper right corner of the pic) is for the smaller cones of thread for those occasional colors needed. 

He's working on another unit that will back up to this one. It will be used to house all my larger cuts of fabric to get them out the crates that are strewn about the studio. And are being exposed to the sun.

Today I'm going to tackle Luann's quilts she dropped off on Saturday. I think there are seven. I don't want to load Paulette's quilt just yet because a) It's going to take a little bit of time and b) I don't want the grandkids to get near it should I not complete it by the time they get here Monday. 

Almost Everybody is Back

I've either seen or heard our summer birds returning to include the Bluebird and the Oriole. But I have yet to see or hear the Eagle. Working in the yard for a couple of hours provides the opportunity to see who has returned.

Hazel enjoyed being outdoors and promptly found the lake and some raccoon poop to roll in afterwards. She looks like such a lady but so isn't one. 

After all of our outdoor fun was spent, Jim worked on the new pressing/cutting table while I put this together last night.

AQS BOM from ? 

These aren't all the blocks AQS offered, but this was as many as I was going to make. Now it a nice size throw and the two extra blocks will make nice pillows. Who knows when I'll be able to quilt them. Like everything else.

Becky's top is still on the frame so nothing new to report there. Had a drop off on Saturday of seven tops, have another one top drop off today as well as a pick up of one completed. Spring time temps again today means I may be able to open a few windows in here later. Maybe? 

Honking and Cleaning

With the sun changing angles it lets me know just how dirty/linty the studio windows get. This morning was spent cleaning the insides of the large windows all while being honked at by a goose that apparently has lost its flock because it is just carrying on all by its little self down at the lake.

Here's what's on the frame this morning...

Becky's Christmas Top

Nothing sewing ever happened last night because I took advantage of the quiet house to rework my web site hosting/domain hosting situation. What a CF! 

I was either on the phone, on a text thread, or both at the same time trying to move from WIix to Vista Prints hosting, all while parking my domain at Name Cheap so I can move it easier in the future should the need arise. 

I'm pretty tech savvy, but this was an acronym nightmare while trying to understand what all the wonderful technical support people were trying to tell me. It looks as though we have the situation under control, and the web site is in limbo for now. People can still see the Wix site, but it's soon moving to the Vista Prints site probably in about a week. 

Long arming this morning. The neighbors are coming up later and are taking their pontoon downstate to be sold. The result of not having a "real" lake for two to three more years. I'm sad. I love their pontoon and we have already made so many great memories even for the short time we've been here. 

Quitting Detail

Here's the corner detail of Gail's quilt. If you look can you see the heart shape?

Corner Detail

Here's what was quilted yesterday...

Yesterday's Project

And the quilting detail...

Some of the quilting detail on Debbie's Quilt

Today was errand day so nothing was quilted today. Or even loaded. The machine never even had the "on" button pushed, which is weird. 

While Jim is out working on the pressing/cutting table for the studio, I'll find something to do in here other than long arming; maybe Andrew's quilt or working on paperwork/website. 

Sometimes the back...

 ...looks as nice as the front. It's a two-sided quilt when that happens.

Nice Detail

I was waiting for the registration marks to dry and could not load my next quilt last night, so that's on my agenda first thing this morning.

Andrew's top didn't get touched. The time change thing is messing me up and I think it's earlier than it is. And, Hazels grooming go and fetch took up an additional bit of time to throw me off as well. Maybe I can work on it tonight?

New customer quilt top going on this morning and pics forthcoming. 

Getting Back Into It

I've discovered I get less tolerant of junk food as I start to age. I ate a bunch on Sunday and I was a complete slug yesterday morning only finally perking up later in the mid-afternoon. Here's what was on the frame yesterday...

New customer Eileen's top

Putting in some "dock" around the "water" area

Here's what's on the frame this morning...

New Customer Gail's top

I'll start Gail's top this morning before I have to shuttle Hazel off to the groomers later. 

Andrew finally called back about his top (next out the of the WIP tote), which used to be a quilt, which is now just a top again. Only, its a very hole-y top and needs some TLC and minor repair work. I needed to know if he was planning on using it again once it was repaired or if he was just planning on hanging it once the repairs were complete. He's going to hang it downstairs in his "sports" room.

Then, I offered to make him a new one that he could use. He said he wouldn't say no to a new quilt. But we'll get the original one fixed first...which is going to take a LONG time to do and will be worked at night after long arming. 

Afternoon Project

After the dolly tops were made into quilts in the morning, work on this last dolly quilt was started. I kind of had a goal to get it completed yesterday but didn't really think it was a realistic goal. And with the leftover block from the next WIP in line, made a potholder since Jim said ours are getting holes in them. 

Dolly Quilt #8

Quick Pot Holder

Jim headed back out to his work shop after lunch and Hazel was tired from the morning activities, so she slept. I was left in relative peace so started piecing the top below. Before retiring for the night the top construction was complete. 

There is one block of the "old paisley" in here. Can you find it?

On to the next WIP...

Hmmm???

These are beautiful blocks, but there are a LOT of seams in here. I don't have a sashing fabric (I don't think) to get these together today. And those two extra blocks will have to be made into a pillow leaving me with nothing quilting to do today to work on. I guess I need to dig around in the tote and see what else is in there. 

Blogging Late Because...

...I did not have the energy to actually finish these dolly quilts last night. Six sets of customers yesterday and I was just spent. Five new quilts in queue and the tree skirts are gone. 

The frame was empty so the last two dolly quilts were done on the long arm. I quickly loaded them up and whipped out some quilting just to get them done within my self-appointed schedule of one week. 

Done on the long arm Dolly Quilt #6

Done on the Janome Horizon Dolly Quilt #5

Done on the long arm Dolly Quilt #7

I have one more dolly quilt to actually piece together.

Still needs to be put together

I was debating on whether or not to sash in between these but have decided against it. If it turns out too small I'll put a little border on it. 

Once those houses are put together I have found several sets of WIP blocks that need to go on the design wall to work through. 

We have a sunny, albeit chilly, day out there today. Sheets are hanging on the line and the mattress pads are also being washed. Is it too early for spring cleaning? No, because I've been working at it for a week now with the backroom and the studio. 

 

Empty?

Well, the long arm still has the tree skirts on the actual frame, but they are done as of 8:30 last night. There are no more customer quilt tops in the queue!!! I was hoping upon hope it would be a day or so before new ones snuck in. But, after the carousel of phone calls yesterday, that hope quickly faded.

When a customer brings me a top, rarely do we spread the whole thing out. Generally we just open it up part way and work through the blocks in that fashion. Often I will find things within the top as I'm quilting it that probably should have been addressed; missed seams, holes, cuts, or, like this top, stains and/or smudges.

That's not thread

And that's not thread either

Even if we did open the whole top up, we wouldn't be able to find the imperfections because we'd be looking for them. I see every millimeter of the top while I'm quilting it and that's when these little issues rear their heads. Which is okay. I know how to compensate for the problems. But I take a picture of each and every issue I come across to cover myself should there be a need for it later. You know, CYA?

A litany of people are expected today. Six at the last count not including any friends they may be bringing with them. I've got the comfy boots on and am at the ready. 

Spring Winds

We had a storm pass through last night. Ever notice how the next day after a storm it seems to be windy as all get out? They're screaming out there predicted to reach 40 mph at times. Which is a long arming concern. 

But, I'm not doing any computerized quilting and so will have to just power through today's windy situation.

More tree skirts today. Yesterday was a heavy phone day and not as much was completed on the skirts. Today is probably not going to be much better since I have mom coming to visit, another customer coming to pick up and I have to deal with my web site hosting situation. Maybe I can get the guys to deal with the web site problem???

I did get a small dolly quilt done after spending eight hours at the long arm. 

Dolly Quilt #4

Stinky Water

We've been dealing with stinky water here at the house. After the plumber replaced a part in the new water heater we finally have not-rotten-egg-smelling water to shower in. So happy! And, now, if I have to wash a customer backing I'm not worried about the smell issue either.

Still working on the tree skirts. The first two are not yet completed, but here's a little detail of what they are receiving...

Sorry it's upside down

And yes, that's a meander next to the trees. There was no other filler that would've worked in the irregular space. Even after drafting an echo or swirls, they didn't seem to fit the bill.

After long arming for nine hours, Jim arrived home just after the plumber showed up. Long arming any more was not going to happen. Once the "dust" settled with the replacement/repairs, I started in on this dolly quilt and completed it before calling it a day.

Dolly Quilt #3

Mom's coming over tomorrow. She hates the noise the long arm makes. I need to really dig in today on these tree skirts because I think the customer will be here Friday to pick them up (per our conversation of yesterday afternoon). 

Etheyl called yesterday from her shop (Aunt Effies...which is closing their doors in April). Her long arm decided to take an early vacation and conk out on her. She has a couple of customers who have to have stuff done in a timely manner and she's referring them my way, which is cool! 

Internet-less

Could not blog this morning because the internet was down. And...then I got so focused on long arming I didn't find the time to come back over here and blog. Not that the internet came back any time soon because an 11:30 check said it still wasn't back yet.

Here's what's on the frame today...

Pat's Tree Skirts

The fame has two of four that I have to do and should keep me busy for at least a few days.

Another two WIP's were completed yesterday.

Doll Quilt #2

Doll Quilt #1

Both the doll quilts were quilted on the Janome 1600P (Jay) and since I haven't free motioned on a stationary machine in a while, I'm getting myself reacquainted with the process. What took me a few hours to do could have been done in minutes on the long arm, but it's still fun to sit and quilt for a change of pace. 

Another WIP tonight hopefully on the sit down after long arming tree skirts.

More WIP's/Orphan Blocks

I started cleaning out the tote behind DW yesterday morning before Jim was ready for me to assist on the back room flooring in the washer/dryer area. Barely even scraped the top contents and already have a weeks worth of work unearthed. 

These are all the orphan blocks I found. Most will be dolly quilts, although I'm not sure Charlotte is still accepting them. The hand embroidered piece (second from the bottom) is where I started since that isn't going to be a dolly quilt. 

Free motion quilting on the Janome 1600P (Jay)

Here's the finished piece.

Leaving this "raw"

I decided not to bind this piece after finishing it. There are buttons and other do-dads to have to get around to bind it and I think it's cute the way it is. It's now hanging in my bedroom. 

Working on the king-size quilt for Reta this morning. Will set up another one of those orphans for sit down quilting while long arming at the same time. I have another king and a kids quilt coming later today and those tree skirts are still hanging out waiting for me to do them. 

Errand Day and Campfires

And despite having done those two tasks was still able to construct blocks, rows, and eventually a top.

The String Top

And this is the last one I'll ever make. 

Here's what's on the frame this weekend...

Reta's Mellow Stars

The detail of the corner blocks...

The corner blocks

This will be continued either tomorrow, or later today while Jim is watching his basketball game; MSU v UofM. 

Keeping with the 2021 WIP theme, a tote of unknown contents is behind DW. I know of a few items within the tote, but am not sure of what the rest of its contents holds. I'm hoping to delve into that during the game while DW may be stitching out Reta's top.