Decision

I had to make a decision (and struggled with it all weekend) about whether to not "work" during the holiday. I know I'm still so busy and taking time off goes against every ounce of my being, but I needed a reset. I needed a day to just play in my studio rather than work. I needed to get my head cleared and give my back a little rest.

Here's what I started instead of long arming...

My First Block

Of this pattern

The kids in Washington state got me a lovely fat quarter bundle. I'm making this wall hanging for them for their spare bedroom when they get back home in July/August. I love to paper piece and this is a challenging one for sure. At one point, Jim actually came in and helped me un-sew some pieces I constructed incorrectly. 

I have a start on the second bed but alas, today is a work day, and so I'll get back into Tina's Cardinals and back onto the long arm at least for the next eight hours. If the girls behave (and Lucy is figuring out how to do this) I may get to construct more on the second bed tonight. 

Sunny Saturday

Jim and I have errands to run this morning. The new mower blew the deck belt last night trying to knock down all this tall grass. And Jim is working the neighbors lawn as well. He did get the little Deere running last night though, so was able to finish our lawn up before nightfall. He'll work the neighbors lawn later. 

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

Tina B.'s "Needs Yesterday" top

I have the top done and will work the center later this afternoon after lunch. Although, it's such a nice day it's going to be hard for me to stay in the house and work. And...the neighbors to the north two doors down are up and we haven't seen them since New Years Eve. 

Here's what's going into the top (and later bottom) sections...

So Pretty!

I also started [another] turtle over the past few days and worked on him after long arming. I have to run and get some backing fabric for him this morning while we are out and about and what a beautiful day to do it. 

Happy Memorial Day Weekend

I had customers through most of the morning and part of the afternoon yesterday. Loading the next quilt didn't happen until well after lunch. I did, however, get a chance to finish my retreat bag while waiting for said customers to arrive. 

Let's go to a retreat!

I haven't done that much appliqué/blanket stitching since I finished Town and Country. Once the customers left and I wolfed down lunch, I loaded this...

Kaffe Diamonds

The customer was very specific about how she wanted it quilted so here's what it's getting...

Not a very good pic, but the idea is there

While rolling forward on the frame on this very bias-edged quilt, an expected (though not welcome) thing happened... 

Oh look! The quilt top is waving at me. 

This also happened on the other side. I only got half of this done yesterday afternoon before Jim came home and we were in desperate need of food. And given it's a holiday weekend, thought we better go last night instead of waiting for any other day this weekend. 

While we were gone, Tina B. dropped off an emergent top that needs to be done. Now I have two of those in the queue. Once the "fun" chores are done (bathrooms and bedding) I'll continue on with the Kaffe diamonds and get one of the "needs yesterday" loaded for the weekend. 

Big Project Done

The Big Dream Big (Dream Bigger officially), is now complete. I had hopes the weather would cooperate so I could snag a quick pick of the whole thing, but it's not to be and the customer is coming soon to fetch said quilt. 

Here are some more (final) pics of what went into the remaining petals...

I think I need to reevaluate how much I charge for one of these. After dividing my time and thread into what the final invoice came to, I made a whopping $7.91 an hour. Moving along...

I was going to load last night for today, but with the customer coming first thing I have the quilt draped over the long arm so she can see all the work that was done. It's hard to load when another quilt is already occupying the space. But, Sandy D., your Kaffe Diamonds are next on the long arm. 

Speaking of which...she has a specific way she wants this quilted and I didn't have the motif in my library. After searching last night on-line, found the exact one that was used in the pic she sent indicating what we were going to put in there. I had to purchase, and then download that last night, and hopefully today I'll be able to get started on it. 

Chipping Away

Sometimes one gets into a project that takes more than a few days. This one has been on the frame a week now. Granted, there was a four day retreat in there, but this Dream Bigger panel takes about four to five days to complete. Here's some of the petals worked yesterday...

And we just keep on keeping on. It looks like I have about 14 1/2 more to go. And...these are the bigger ones at the edge of the flower. Which take a LOT longer to work. A half because the bigger petals can't be done on the frame width; they have to be rolled back and forth to complete. 

Hopefully the girls will chill out most of the day since we have rain coming. And sometime in the night last night we lost electricity as well as our internet. All seems to be running fine now, but resetting all the electrical stuff takes some time. Including the long arm. 

Post-Retreat Check-in

Here are a few things I was able to get done at our weekend retreat...

A new "crazy" quilt top

Two Pillow Cases

Elijah's new big boy quilt top

The center of the Cotton Cuts BOM and a new carry bag

Once I was home and had everything put away yesterday, I started right in on the Dream Bigger. I'm not sure how many petals I actually did do but here are the pics...

It looks to be about eight. Today (and tomorrow, and probably the next day) will be spent chipping away on this piece. My goal is to have it off the frame by this weekend (Memorial Day) because we are expecting all the neighbors up with the holiday (despite not having a lake). 

A Quick Check-In

Getting ready to leave for retreat. This is the last hour where you try to remember everything you didn't pack last night.

While packing, I was working away at the Dream Bigger panel and here are a few pics of what I have so far...

Five-Way Feather

Ignore the chalk marks

Diamonds anyone?

Fun mix-it-up feather

Bubbles everywhere

Wandering feather

It's a start and I'll continue on as I can over the next four days...but I'm not holding my breath. Meanwhile, I can come up with some more neat things to do in each petal that hasn't already been done before. I'm off and running and found I forgot my wooly pressing mat while blogging. 

Blogging Delayed

Just as I was finishing laundry this morning, mom came over for a visit. Jim showed up just before lunch and he just left to go back to work. Mom left to do whatever it is she likes to do: Run the roads. 

Now I get to work. Here's what's on the frame today (and probably the next week)...

[Another] Dream Bigger for Mary M.

Each one of the Dream Big panels (whether it's a small or large size) get quilted differently. I never (ever) quilt them the same. Here's the first petal so far and will keep the pics coming between today, retreat, and the weekend. 

Speaking of retreat, I have to start packing up for that. I think tomorrow I'm going to work on my retreat bag. If I finish it before the night ends, I can always come home and get the other sewing machine/supplies for the rest of the projects I want to work on. The Springs is only five miles down the road after all.