Either in the studio or out on the "beach", I'll be working all weekend. I'm taking Monday off in the studio to help the kids move in and Tuesday I'm in Pinconning for the Rayola event all day. So I'll be long arming like a normal work day today.
Here's what's on the frame this morning...
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| Chris' Colorful Dresdens |
Where is the summer going so fast?
I'm loading Chris L's quilt right now, but have one more roll to frame iron before I can finish loading. Jodie will be here at noon time and I have a doctors appointment in 45 minutes. Annual physical. Yuck!
Part of Jodie's last quilt yesterday (and the day before) was using the computer for some of the borders. I noticed that the head of the machine was feeling like it was going over chatter bumps on a dirt road. I asked Jim if he would help me offload the head from the carriage so I could peek under there and see what was up.
We found the situation almost instantly and ended up turning the carriage upside down to get this mess out of one of the shafts near the vertical sprocket assembly...
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| That's a lot of thread to be caught in the shaft |
The kids are in South Dakota and will be heading to Omaha, NE today. They are slowly making their way back home and are taking their time getting here, which is fine. They aren't used to sitting and driving that long so this works out well for them.
Jim is getting antsy about their slow progress, but he has to remember they aren't professional drivers like he is and for many of us, sitting for long periods just isn't in our make-up. I think he's also anxious about them making it home safely since there are so many bad drivers out there. Once Monday gets here and he gets to give the kids a HUGE hug, he'll settle down.
Checked my stitch count yesterday on the long arm.
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| 70 million! |
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| Zonked out. Now how am I supposed to roll this forward? |
Still working on Jodie's third quilt today. I ran into an energy wall early last night (lack of sleep the past few days). I'm doing something with Jodie's quilt I've only ever done once before. I'm doing the horizontal borders first, unloading the quilt, turning it 90 degrees, and then completing the remaining two sets of borders. If there's one thing long arming will teach a person it's to be flexible.
I have two customers coming this morning and one coming this afternoon to drop off. Now if I could get customers to come and pick up to balance the scales it would be great. 😊
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| Waiting for Pick-up |
Our current dog sitter is under the weather and we've been forced to find an alternate for the girls when we have to go downstate. Like next Monday to help the kids move into their new apartment. I found another place right here in Gladwin that I think will be a great fit. How many other little towns do you know that can boast not one, but two great doggie daycares for their "kids"?
Here's what I worked on yesterday...
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| Jodi's second grand kiddo quilt |
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| Jodi's third quilt for her dad |
A new customer is due here any minute and there is rain headed our way for a little while so that'll set the perfect quilting stage.
Caleb and Lia (our youngest and his wife) are leaving the state of Washington today to come back home to get their Masters degrees. He's now out of the regular army and will be a reservist while working towards getting his commission in the military. They'll be back home in six days and we are over the moon!
Here's some of the quilting detail that went into Jodie's grandsons quilt...
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| Cute Puppies |
Jim and I started out the morning with new haircuts and then after showering, took a trip to town (with the girls) and picked up some fruit, chicken, and some canning spices. Needless to say, I haven't been in the studio yet.
However, after finishing Pats quilt (yay), loaded Jodi's first quilt (of two) onto the long arm. Here's what's on the frame today (this weekend actually since we have to be in Lansing tomorrow).
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| Woof! |
I don't know if I'll do this after lunch. Our weekend is shortened because of the Lansing trip tomorrow, so we may do our Sunday afternoon activities today instead. It's too hot out to do anything outside so we are going to hang inside.
Okay, so new quilters aren't getting the whole "measure your border" thing. And by the time the top gets to me, the border is already attached. And, aside from me removing it and reattaching it, I'm stuck.
The starch yesterday helped with the first rumpled border situation...
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| Before starch |
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| After starch |
Yesterday morning I had a Zoom call first thing with my web designer. From there, the girls and I ran to get them some chow since they were out. Once I got back I tore right into the next top loaded on the frame...
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| Pat R's Log Cabin |
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| It's amazing how the quilting changes things |
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| Uh oh! |
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| Cute everything bag |
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| Does it drive your vision nuts? |
I worked on Diane's quilt until the customer came to pick up her finished quilt. We got to talking (me...talk about quilting...never). 😏
I got a little bit more done before Jim came home and had lunch with me. I got a little more done when he left but before I had to head to the eye doctors.
Then I was done for the day. The optometrist dilated my eyes and I couldn't see straight until almost 9:00 last night. But it was a good appointment; very little change in the eyeglasses (not even enough to order new ones) but the stigmatism in the left eye is a little larger. He said I needed reading glasses (mine aren't strong enough on my prescription glasses) for any type of reading/close hand work. I can live with that.
While I was working last night on something that didn't require good vision (or for a customer), the girls were classically modeling the dog days of summer...
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| Zzzzzzz |
Jim and I wanted to do something together yesterday. Just the two of us. No other family. No dogs.
We ended up exploring some of the beaches of Lake Huron. We couldn't venture too far away as Jim was/is on call starting last Friday through this next Thursday. But we found a dog friendly beach (though, they are required to be on a leash...which is like teasing the dogs I think). There was a Nor'easter coming off the water and it wasn't nearly as warm there as it was here when we left, nor when we arrived back home.
But it was a wonderful day. We ate candy, junk food, found a cool place called Freakin Pickles that has great tasting/snappy pickles and the weather was perfect. We watched children swim, people eating food at the beachside, walked a pier, looked at some history, was amazed at how many May Flies were still around this late in the year, and just enjoyed the relaxed timeline and exploring options. Any day with my best friend is the best!
But it's Monday and back to work. Here's some of the quilting detail going into Diane's quilt...
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| A lot of texture |
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| A small carry-all bag |
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| A striped top |
Those are my "treats" after I get done working on the long arm all day. :-)
I had an appointment at 9:00 this morning and then a customer pick-up right afterwards. Needless to say, I was a little late in getting started in the studio.
Here's what's on the frame today...
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| Diane's gorgeous baby quilt |
Here's some quilting detail of what went into yesterday's quilt...
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| So pretty! |
We have beep-beep trucks all over the place the past couple of days. Across the lake they're doing something (I need to kayak or drive over to see what's going on). We just found out the guy who owned the lot four doors down to the south sold to the guy who bought the first three lots down the road. So he's clearing a bunch of stuff out of there. Noisy! Must have loud music playing while trying to drown out the construction noise.
I can't use my headphones because Lucy is in here terrible twos. She's into everything she's not supposed to be both inside and out so I'm having to listen to hear her jingles on her collar to check and see what she's into now. It's always something isn't it?
Whenever the computer does an update, it seems like it takes a while to get back on track. I've been fighting with it most of the morning, but we've come to terms. Finally.
Here's what's on the frame this morning...
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| Kathy's cute table topper |
We needed the rain. Badly. And it's supposed to come down most of the day. Did I tell you about the quilt at the white elephant auction?
I decided to keep it in the trailer. If somebody asked during the auction about the quilt, I'd drag it out and put it up for bid. If nobody even mentioned it or questioned its whereabouts, I'd skip it this year. I still have the quilt if that tells you how much interest there was.
Here's Jane's quilting detail of what is going into her quilt...
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| Some of the detail in Janes quilt |
Isn't it amazing what a good sleep can do for the body? And the mind? And everything else? I'm a new person this morning after having had one (for a change).
Here's what's on the frame today...
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| Jane's Granddaughter's Quilt |
The girls are still pretty sleepy from their daycare excursion during the reunion, but that won't last very much longer. Mom is supposed to stop by today after her art meeting, and it's pretty quiet around here after all the weekends activities. I'll have to crank up the tunes and get some life back into the place once I'm done here.
Back to the norm I guess.
We have a white elephant auction every year at the reunion. I have, in the past 10 years or so, donated a quilt to the cause. The more money we obtain can cover lot rent for those who are strapped financially, for all the weekends food, and any other incidentals that pop up.
The quilt last year only brought $150 dollars. I get half and the reunion fund gets the other half. I decided to take one and, IF, nobody asked about it, would not get it out. And, nobody did until a half hour after the auction ended. Which made my decision for me. I'll have one in the wings.
We are still trying to get unpacked/cleaned up from the weekend but I plan to be in the studio after lunch and get back to some normalcy.
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| Just a small portion of auction attendees. |
Zoom calls are fantastic and provide the ability to connect with people around the world. Including my new web hosting company (which will go live in about two weeks). This morning I was talking to the UK about this very thing.
Meanwhile, I had to ply the dogs with hidden treats in their toys to keep them occupied. Which worked well.
Monica's third quilt is quilted, but still hanging out on the frame. I have a customer coming to drop off later this morning, sheets are in the dryer (there is a threat of rain in the air) and at some point, I have to start packing. Jim and I have to mow this afternoon, get food tonight, get the fridge going in the trailer (which can often times be a real hassle) and whew, breath somewhere in there.
Lucy has discovered the lake. Which is not good. So she is basically on-leash while we are outside because otherwise that's where she makes a beeline for every time we let her out. And the lake is starting to get really stinky (warm water, sludge, algae, and mix that with the wet dog....yum smells there).
So here she is begging me to come inside of her pen so she can escape out the back door to head to the lake...
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| Let me in mom so I can go swimming |
No more quilting until next week. Monica's quilt may get removed and the last one put on (although we may have an issue with it as it appears the backing may be too short). I'll have to wait and see what the day brings and how much time I can squeeze into the business.
Relaxing. Family. Great Neighbors. Fireworks galore. Dogs playing. Kids laughing. Campfire. Kayaking. It'll be even better when we get our lake back I'm sure.
I did manage to get some sewing in this weekend during "nap time".
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| Bag Two |
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| Bag Three |
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| And my new chair is labeled |
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| Nice! |
But before she found a place to have this little mouse, she had to explore EVERYTHING and left little deposits everywhere she could. I spent all of Saturday afternoon cleaning bedding, floors, furniture, surfaces in the kitchen. Yeah, basically everything got a good washing. Isn't family reunion time fun?
Thank those that have served our country and let them know you appreciate their service. It's a small token of gratitude for all they have given up for YOU!
Here's what's on the frame this morning...and many more mornings to come because I'm taking this weekend off to enjoy neighbors, activities, and getting ready for our reunion.
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| Monica's third quilt. Plum Garden by Tilda |
Happy Weekend!
I understand seaming threads. You know. The threads that peek out from a seam juncture that should have been cut off during the piecing and/or ironing process. But aren't, and now they poke out of the top for the long armer to deal with.
Because if they aren't trimmed, the quilting looks trashy and so does the quilt itself once it's done. And, the longer threads can get caught on the hopping foot bar (ask me how I know this).
How do I convey to my clients that trimming these is in their best interest and really isn't part of my job. Nowhere, in any of the long arming videos, do ANY of the instructors say, "First trim all threads that poke out, and then ditch around all...".
I've reached out to a few of my fellow long armers and have asked them about this. They don't seem to have a problem with many threads that are missed. So why am I having this problem? Because it's probably not taught enough (I think instructors assume you should know this) and don't address it with students.
That's my soapbox today. Sorry. It's just very time consuming, it leaves me liable for a possible fabric slice when/while I'm trimming these threads, and there is also a possibility one of those threads is an actual thread that holds the blocks together.
Here's what's on the frame today....
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| Monica's second quilt top |
I don't take very many of them, but today I'm feeling very weak, short of breath, and my head is full of yuck. I feel like I have a ...
