Four Days...Four Tops

Four days of retreat. Four tops complete. 

Day 4

Day 3

Day 2

Day 1

Obviously, I didn't piece the Pineapple blocks at retreat, but it's now a top. The small tops will be donated and the Plaid-ish will be done with a flannel backing and given to the C's for a couch quilt. 

Katie and Barb seem to be doing well and they caught me up in all their kids/grandkids/kitty stories, as well as ASQ happenings and what's been going on with them personally. 

I had a few drop-offs and one pick up while I was there, and got to know some new friends up here a little better as I would drop by their tables and chat...or they would come over to mine. As always, there was plenty of energy and laughter around the room. This group was a little bigger than in January and there was a herd of kids who came on Friday to liven up the place. 

Today I'm back into Debs Coral Reef top and will be working that all day today and again tomorrow. The studio was put back to rights last night so I could start right in working and I've caught up on all the house chores so I can really focus on her piece. I miss my long arm and can't wait to get into my normal work day. 

Retreat Day!

Because my truck was gone for five days. And because we've had bad weather, I've only been out of the house once in two weeks. I am so looking forward to seeing quilting people again! 

While I'm waiting for the retreat doors to open at 10:30, I'm going to get a few stitches into Debs quilt and pack up what I forgot to pack last night. There's always those few items you remember while showering. 

Here's some of the detail going into Debs quilt...

Inside corners

The arcs

The leaves

I'll keep chipping away at this during the weekend while I'm here. Probably not a whole lot because I'm usually bushed when I finally arrive back home at night. But maybe in the mornings if I get up early enough.

While Jim has been home during our ice storm, he's been working on my thread cabinet. He's waiting for some more glides to arrive before he can finish, but it's in the studio and he loaded it up with the threads I had in the ugly plastic cart. And in baskets. And in bins. 

My new thread cart

I'm going to have to do some rearranging I think because he's also made a ruler rack to go on the side and it's going to interfere with the ruler rack on the wall if I don't rearrange. Not a problem. I'm flexible!

Ice Storm!

This is the view outside the studio window this morning.

Look at all that ice!

It's pretty, but very dangerous, especially since the winds are coming up. While this picture looks like we've gotten through of the worst of it, it was a brief sun appearance and we are now getting (more) snow. And wind! The trees are creaking terribly. Here's hoping the electricity stays with us today since this is what's on the frame...

Deb's Coral Reef. Pattern by Judy Niemeyer

I've started the piece already. But it's a LOT of detail, change of quilting, change of thread colors, marking, registration placements, and rolling back and forth to get the whole section done. It's going to be on the frame for a few days. 

Tomorrow is supposed to be day 1 of retreat, but I'm afraid of the roads and the weather on whether we'll be able to actually have retreat. I have another quilt top cut out giving me three projects to work on, but our county is in a state of emergency and travel is to be done ONLY for emergency vehicles and plows. 

Putting Something Where?

It drives me nuts when I put something somewhere so I'll remember where I put it...and then completely forget where I put it. This is what happened yesterday. I was looking for a particular book and some 1-yard cuts that went with said book to take to retreat this weekend. 

I tore the studio apart, tore the craft closet apart, went back into the studio to take another look in there. Did it all again this morning. Jim asked what I was doing (he's home from work today due to an ice storm we are in the beginnings of) and I told him. He knew exactly where I put the things and got them out for me. Okay...Jim can't die before me. Just sayin'. 

Found!

I was doing all of this while Nanci's quilt was stitching the inside section with the computer. The rest of her quilt is being done custom with rulers and a LOT of marking. Here's what's going into her quilt...

Can you even see the detail?

I ran out of light last night while working that very dark blue so held off finishing this until this morning. I kinda need to see my ruler and registration marks to quilt accurately, but, moreover, need to see to be able to make those registration marks and I just couldn't. I need to get a light for that very dark corner!

I'm playing the electricity game this morning. We've been warned we are probably going to lose our electric at some point today and I'll just keep doing electric things while I can.

Ever Have a Work-cation?

I did not go to Tennessee. I wanted people to think I was going, but because of space constraints in the truck, it was not possible for me to tag along. And, I needed a few days to deal with this...

Quilts/Tops laying in wait

Day 1: Load and start Paulettes 365. I also hung and organized the customer quilt tops by date in. 

This top is so gorgeous! And heavy!

Here is the border treatment put into it.

Very time consuming but so worth it!

Day 1 and 2: All while working Paulettes border, DW was being stupid. I always check the needle position when I get my machine back because my tech has a tendency to move the thing around. And, for some reason, he decided to move my thread guide as well???

Needle at 7:00. Thread guide now at 5:00.

I was getting so much shredding, which I NEVER get and an occasional long stitch. I struggled through Paulettes quilt going only left to right and top to bottom...otherwise threads would shred. For two days I did this! While I was finishing my pineapple blocks that second night (yep, they're all done), I put on my physics hat and started thinking about this.

Day 3: Here's what I put on the frame with the "fixes" I put into place...

Nanci's batty crazy top

DW performed like a champ! Yay! That night I celebrated by making this...

A grocery bag to put into your purse. Isn't it cute?

Saturday night I loaded this to "play" with on Sunday...

Angela Walters Quilt-Along

Day 4: I only got it half way done and had to remove it from the frame for today's work. But here's what I've gotten done so far...

Pretty!

I gathered "all" my projects for retreat. Only two!?!?!?!?! What the heck? I'm going to have to scrounge around here and find a few more I think.

Ready (?) for retreat

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

Nanci's Snowflakes

I'm going to custom her border and edge to edge the center I think. I have to look at it through the kitchen and see what would be best. Anyway...Jim made it back safe and sound and he's glad to have slept in his own bed last night I'm sure! Maybe Hazel will quit being so nervous about the routine being changed now too?

Happy Early Morning

Jim and I are hitting the road first thing this morning. I have a nail appointment and while I'm there, he's going to gas up the truck and get supplies for the trip. His mom and sister won't be here until after lunch sometime. 

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

Mickey's Home Sweet Home from the Row by Row a few years ago. 

This is Mickey's third top I'm finally getting done from December. DW was acting naughty again last night and I'm not particularly pleased with how the needle position was timed and the alignment hole above his needle was also moved to a not good position. 

This was the "secret" project I was working on yesterday...

For Jim...or his sister

This was made for Jim for Valentines Day. But I'm asking him to gift it to the cancer-stricken sister. If he packs it, I'll know he wants to gift it to her. If not, then I'll know he's actually really into the quilt and I'll have to make Teresa a different one. I just put an all over hook swirl in it yesterday morning to get it done quickly and before leaving today. 

I'm going to try to long arm as much as I can after our errands this morning and before the family arrives. Lots of luck on that one I suppose. 

Tennessee Bound

Jim sister (the one diagnosed recently with stage four Pancreatic cancer) lives in Tennessee...JUST above the Alabama state line. A trip was planned for last week but was put off due to her hospital stay/issues. Then it was rescheduled for this Thursday. But the weather isn't going to play nice and now it's been moved up to tomorrow. 

Jim took the truck in for a check up/oil change last night and I have to clean it out later today at some point so everybody has room to move around. We have the biggest/newest vehicle for everybody to go down in and with two almost 90-year old women, they need room to adjust and move. 

Well, enough about that depressing situation. 

Here's what was on the frame yesterday after completing Mickey's second top...

Sometimes simple is all you need!

I'm just loading for today so no pics yet. 

Jim surprised me yesterday with a single rose (and he hadn't even read my blog yet). 

My VD rose

So much for not celebrating Valentines Day. Well, he has a surprise coming today as I'm working on something kind of secretive all day. Pics to come tomorrow. 

Happy VD!

A rose for your heart and your love!

New customers coming later this morning. Working on Mickey's "trees" today and then hopefully get that new, needs-ASAP-baby top on afterwards.

Here's some detail going into Mickey's quilt...

Straight lines are so dramatic!

I worked on the puzzle wall hanging yesterday and it's all colored and water-set. Now to trim and then bind (bleh). 

The Puzzle Wall Hanging

I also started all seven of the remaining pineapple blocks and have them to round four (of eight). I'll chip away more on those later tonight. Maybe?

Whoops

Jim and I scooted out of here yesterday morning once we were up and around (he decided not to work yesterday) to run errands and find parts for the thread cabinet he's building me. After our lunch and a movie, I finally got to "work". 

Here's what's on the frame today (and yesterday)...

Mickey's 2nd quilt top

I love this pattern! I was going to "work" today in here, but I don't think that's going to happen. I have a jamming week coming up now that DW is back to rights, and that would put me seven days straight to work and I don't want to start hating my "job". 

I'm going to work on the puzzle wall hanging this morning since we have some sunshine. This will enable me to see the colors better. I may do some more Pineapple blocks later. I only have seven more to go meaning, they'll be ready to head to retreat to take advantage of the design walls they have to lay them out on. 

Welcome Earthlings

While having to park at Frandor Shopping Center yesterday, it astounds me how clueless people are sometimes. I'll just leave it at that.

Frandor Shopping Center is home to one of four Gall Sewing and Vac centers in the state. Yep, they had DW done already and after taking him for a short test drive at the shop, can't believe how well he's improved. Why do I wait so long to get him serviced? 

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

Mickey's Rail Fence

DW is currently stitching this out as we "speak". 

And, while spending another four hours behind the windshield of my truck, got to thinking about my block count for the Pineapple top. I'm not putting it in a 8x8 setting, but rather a 7x9 setting. This means my block count is exactly right.  

After getting home, getting the long arm set back up and loading Mickey's top, I worked on those pineapples and got four more complete. 

I have customers coming today mid and late afternoon both. It looks like I'll be getting at least three new tops in. Snow today postponed the first bunch to that mid-afternoon slot, but that's okay...I have plenty in here to catch up on.

Change of Pace

It's weird not hearing DW's little beep-beep in the morning signaling he's been turned on. It's weird not having his lights shine towards the south window. It's very weird not working on customer tops. BUT, there is always something to do in here.

Here's 42

Since I ran out of room on the design wall, I've started making a pile and after counting my red center squares I have another 16 yet to go. Although, now that I'm doing the math, that doesn't make any sense. I should have 18 to do yet to make a total of 64 (because there's 4 on the finished pile). UGH! Apparently, math isn't my strong suit. 

I'm going to have to recheck all these figures while I'm working today. Man, just once I'd like to be able to come out correct on my block counts.

Cancer Sucks!

Just sayin'! We just found out Jim's Tennessee sister has stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Jim and his other sister from TC (and probably his mom) will be heading down there in the next few days. What a horrible, awful disease. 

Prior to the awful news deliverance, MSU lost to Wisconsin, which wasn't good news either.

Let's get to something more positive. Here's what I worked on yesterday...

Puzzle Wall Hanging

I have started to color my blocks and once water is applied they'll be even more vivid in color and texture. I also constructed Pineapples yesterday and now only (hah) need 23 more. 

The sun started shining earlier this morning but it was short lived. Bummer. But I'm going to do much of the same in here today as I did yesterday. Later. Rinse. Repeat I guess. 

A Day on the Road

First stop was here...

DW's First Home

Jason was wonderful about listening to all of DW's little "problems" that have cropped up in the past 16 months. They'll take good care of all of them and I'll be able to run down to get him (hopefully) on Thursday. 

From there, Bed, Bath, and Beyond to do a Christmas Exchange. From there I met Katie at Cheddars on West Saginaw for some lunch. We have such a fun time together. I hated to go, but still had a few more stops to make...and it was already past 1:00.

The next stop was the B's house to drop off meat and jam/jelly. We had a nice (albeit quick) visit and I promised the grandkids I'd stay longer when I came back down later in the week. There were ugly black clouds looming in the north and I wanted to make sure I didn't get myself stuck.

Final stop was Country Stitches. I wanted to take a not-hovering-over-you look at the Bernina Q24 long arm machine (because both Gall and CS sell them). Once I did that, as well as a little shopping, I headed for home. 

I did manage, once replaying our days to each other, to get two pineapple blocks done before running out of steam. And I had a raging headache. Probably due to the stress of getting the machine down, the driving in not so great road conditions, and not getting much sleep the night before. 

I plan on working on the pineapples some more today as well as the remaining ditch stitching on the puzzle wall hanging. I was also thinking that I would start taking pics of the customer quilts I have in queue and planning the quilting on those. That way, when they hit the frame, I'll already have a plan laid and the quilting will go quicker since I'm losing nearly a week of productivity. And the planning is what actually takes quite a bit of time. 

Posting on a Sunday

After working on the long arm yesterday morning, decided his service date of 2/22 had to be moved up. He was being a very naughty boy and I can't take him being like that with customer quilts. He's taking a trip to Gall Sewing on Monday. Yay! BUT, this means no long arming for about four-five days. 

Ready to head out

His electronics are all removed and his poles are down so all Jim has to do is get him in the truck tomorrow morning. 

Since I can't long arm, I moved to the sit-down machine (once I got the baking and a nice phone conversation with Katie done). 

Here's where I left off last night...

"Puzzle" wall hanging

This is the back side of this quilt because the front side has all sorts of markings causing a distorted view of the current quilting. It appears I have about 11 blocks left to do. Katie asked what I was going to do for the next few days since I can't long arm. Ahhh...the opportunities are endless.

The Pineapple blocks will probably get finished, which means I may not have them to take to retreat. I've got another top I purchased fabrics for yesterday at Pieces and I have a few of those 3-yard projects I can cut and take to retreat so I'll prepare all of those. Cleaning and organizing the studio is always on the to-do list and I'm sure, while I'm doing that, I'll find plenty of other projects I have forgotten I want to tackle. 

Almost There!

I ran out of steam last night. I didn't even work on the Puzzle wall hanging because nine intense hours on the long arm did me in. Not to mention, DW is being naughty and is stressing me out. He's making some weird clacking noises in the bobbin race area and is, once again, making small birds nests when I travel from 10:00 to 11:00. This tells me he is definitely out of time. I wonder if I can get him in sooner than the 22nd? I'll need to call on that.  

But I work within the directions he is behaving and just deal with the issue until he can be tuned up. 

Here's another couple of petal details...

These are LARGE petals to be filling

I have one more petal to do this morning and then all the filler. My goal was to have this to Pieces this weekend and it looks like I might make it. I have another customer quilt to pick up from there so I better get to it. 

Jumbo Dream Big

Yep, this bugger measures 109" square and it's taking for-e-ver! Only half way (not even really) after two full days of working. Again, it's the time it takes to decide what to put in each petal; what's near the previous one, should it be linear, circular, feather-y, or grid-based? Even the placement of the petal within the flower itself poses some hurdles.

Here is one of the petals I was able to snag in a pic this morning...

It looks better in person

I'll be working on this all day between customers; I have two coming today. They were supposed to be here yesterday but a medical emergency cropped up and they had to reschedule for today, which is fine. Again, I'm flexible.

I was able to get two more rows ditched on the puzzle wall hanging last night. It's nice switching to sit-down after being on my feet all day with the long arm. 

Late Morning Start

Hazel has been shaking her head lately (more than usual) and found a little ear infection needed treating this morning. That's always a half hour project.

Beths quilt is done and the needle was immediately thrown away to start afresh on this new top...

BIG Dream Big

And quilting this is quite a challenge. First, a motif. What to put in each petal. Second, it's huge and so are the petals so they have to be done in chunks at the top and the bottom. 

But I'm having fun not having to deal with seams and now that I've switched back to all Glide thread, am having zero skipping or shredding issues. 

After spending a good amount of time on the Dream Big piece I moved into my small wall hanging that was started on Sunday. I have the first row ditched in and it's looking pretty cool. 

I have two new customers coming around lunch time today and will work the panel before and after. 

Long Arm Issues

I've noticed DW acting kinda weird since doing that large paper pieced quilt. He's making a new clicking noise underneath where his bobbin case resides. And yesterday, was skipping a stitch every once in a while. Although, this could be most of the problem...

Blob of fusible

See that fuzzy thing on the right of the needle? That's a blob of fusible in the thread path. This is the second needle I've put into this quilt already. And after stitching for about six inches, it's all gummed up again. I'm going to have to rethink doing appli-quilting for people.

Needless to say, DW is going down for a spa treatment while I'm at the retreat on the 24th. I'm going to drive him down on the 22nd so I can spend the 23rd getting ready. They'll have him ready for me to pick up on Monday. 

I'm going to finish Beth's butterfly (Flutterby) this morning. Hazel was supposed to go to the groomer today, but a snowy day is ahead (they have winter storm warnings out downstate) and was getting anxious about having to go out. Her groom just needs to be rescheduled. 

Flexible

Yup, I'm flexible. I didn't used to be. Maybe it was the farm girl in me (horses do not like to wait for their meals), or maybe it was my military training? Or maybe it was because I had a very strict upbringing? Whatever the reason, I would balk at anything I hadn't "planned" whether it was in my head or on a list. 

But in the quilting industry, not only is my work schedule in here liable for disruptions, machine issues, or whatever, we have to be flexible in the way we think about how to construct a quilt top. Remember even 15 years ago when all we had were templates to construct intricate blocks...and by today's standards, they weren't really all that intricate after all?

Yesterday was one of those flexibility days. But we conquered and moved on. The Small Project Sunday puzzle quilt wasn't even touched except to get moved out of the way. However, Tina's quilt is done for her mom and this is what's on the frame today...

Beth's Beautiful Butterfly (Flutter-by)

This is getting appli-quilted while I'm working on the rest of the quilting. What is appli-quilting? Stitching down the appliquéd pieces while quilting the pieces themselves. It eliminates all the blanket/whatever stitching around each appliquéd piece for the quilt top constructor. I just hope DW behaves and whatever fusible Beth used isn't going to gum up my needle(s) too badly. 

Mom may be stopping by today so I'll have to work late tonight in here. Which is fine. Jim has a basketball game to watch at 7:00 tonight and will keep him from wanting me out of the studio so soon. 

And Katie reminded me that today is the 1st of the month so the machines all get a good cleaning, which I can do while mom is here talking to me.