Is Autumn Here?

It seems like the temperatures are getting very cold at night and there is a briskness in the daytime air. I love, love, love it!

I finished the Dream Bigger yesterday morning, had customers come, washed a dog that escaped the gate and went rolling in the new black dirt while the customers were here. Once the dog was washed and lunch was eaten, I was able to start loading the next backing going onto DW.  

While frame ironing, I was able to finally get over to Nancy's Witches on Bernie and here's some of what's going into the actual hand embroidered sections...

Spider webs and pebbles

The bottom sections will be different.

Here's what's on DW today (and probably the next few days) for Paulette...

Prism by Jason Yenter

This is a BOM Pieces of Thyme offered earlier this year. I'm also making one of these but haven't worked on it in a while. Paulette is a quilt making machine!

On and Off

I had to keep turning DW on and off yesterday. And unplugging him as well. A lot of pop-up storms with lightning and thunder, so while the machine was off I was planning for the next couple of petals. Here are a few of what we did yesterday...

Flowing Feather

Puzzle Pieces

This quilt should be done today. I have a customer coming at around noon to drop off three and I had a text yesterday about a top I have in queue that needs to be pulled forward a bit (there are only four in front) so I have to get that on and done quickly. And we have a holiday weekend coming up, so there's that. 

Neighbors are already here, with the other neighbor expected this weekend too. The last hoo-rah before summer vacationers dwindle. 

A Good Nights Sleep

For the first time since I don't know when, I got a decent nights sleep last night. Feeling much more refreshed and ready to tackle the day. 

Texts already this morning and those are answered about when quilts will be done and other random questions regarding quilting. 

Here's a few more pics of Susans Dream Bigger I'm working on...

A few center petals

Two outer petals

While Jim was working on the studio, I was out mowing and weed whacking. And then I was (once again) moving dirt to fill in the settling. I had to move some last night because rain is here today making the dirt sticky and heavier to lift. 

The "first wall" is done. 

Jim decided to start with the easiest wall. It's progress. 

More on the Dream Bigger today. Not expecting any customers coming by so should be able to focus on that rather well. I'm at the half-way point so another day or so before it's completed. 

Back to Normalcy

The grandkids have returned to their home downstate and our lives go back to our regularly scheduled programming. Needless to say, not much quilting was accomplished in the last four days. I did have customers in and out, but thats the extent of putting needle to thread since Thursday. We didn't even have the energy yesterday to do much more than the basic survival activities. 

Here's a few pics of what's going into the Dream Bigger piece I'll be working on over the next few days...

One of the petals

Love doing those feathers

We did manage to get some work done on the new studio addition. When the kids came to fetch the grandkids, we put one of them to work on the plumbing. The pex is now run out into the new crawl space ready for a sink attachment. 

All of us celebrated Saturday night with frozen yogurt for the first flooring layer (of three) is done! 

Ready for the next step

Jim will (hopefully) be working on building the wall sections this upcoming week after work. It seems like this is going so much slower, and as the leaves are beginning to really start changing colors, I'm getting worried about whether we are actually going to be dried in before snow comes. Our falls are so short and before we know it the cold weather has crept in on us, along with the cold rain and often times, snow.  

Our trusses should be ready this week sometime. Haven't heard exactly when, but since we are not nearly as prepared for them as we should be, I guess that point is moo(t). Not expecting anybody today since all the quilts have been picked up that were waiting for their forever homes. 

Short Post Today

I did manage to get some work done yesterday while Jim took the kids to the Colonville Hardware store. Here's what's on DW today and probably throughout the weekend...

Dream Bigger

We've seen this one before but this is for Susans mom who fell in love with the one I did for Susan. 

I have a few petals started, but as you recall it takes several back and forth motions on the bars to get the whole petal done. 

Mom stopped by earlier this week with yet another potential layout of the new studio...

Not so sure about this one

The grandkids like to help out around the house and I've taken advantage of their generosity...

Go buddy go!

We plan on going to the water park today with the kids, but not until after a customer comes later this morning to drop off a few new tops and if the kids are better behaved than the morning has started out. 

Grandkids

We have the grandkids this week and it's making getting anything in the studio very difficult. Jim arrived home from work and started in on the new studio flooring. I thought he was going to take over babysitting duties, but alas, we have to push ahead on the construction.

I only got about three blocks completed and it wasn't entirely because of the kids. I had a 'regular' customer stop by for just a visit.

Breakfast this morning

This is Elijah. His brother and sister were not yet awake. More of the same today. 

[New] Studio Work and Other Things

Yesterday wasn't spent in the current studio, but rather assisting (when needed) on the new studio. None of the machines were turned on. It was a low-keyed but productive day. Jim got the black pipe run through the crawl space.  

Temporary until we get the walls up

We took the heat of the day to jump on mowers/weed whackers until the shade swung around for more new studio work. 

Next up was the insulation around the sill plates on the interior of the crawl space.

It should be warmer then the current studio

Once we got the insulation figured out (that was interesting) we had to move the 25 sheets of plywood out of the garage onto the deck to get them staged for application. 

Ready to disperse where needed

It's supposed to be blazing hot today so we are probably not going to do much out there. And, we have three grandchildren showing up later this afternoon for us to watch all this next week. 

We've already rearranged the living room to cover the dangerous hearth up and I've moved all the quilts waiting to be picked up into the studio so kids can't get near them. The studio doors will be closed so little hands can't touch the two quilts I'm working on. 

The girls knew something was going on this morning (they hate it when we rearrange things in the house). They were laying there waiting for me to reassure them this morning while I was making beds and getting my shower. 

Please let us know everything is okay mommy

Jim is canning salsa this morning and I've been cleaning house. I want to sew something before the kids/grandkids arrive so I may do a few 100 blocks. Or something. 

It's Friday!

So many things to do today and tomorrow. Nails first thing. Running over to Pieces after that. Customer coming to drop off after that. Long arming after that. And that's my morning so far. 

Here's what's on DW today...

I love Dresdens!

Dresdens are actually Dahlia's. An actual Dresden has rounded edges and not pointed. But I think as quilters we just lump them together.

These are similar to what I've been quilting in the Flea Market quilts, so nothing new there. The only change is the feathers I'm putting around each plate and how I'm working the borders. 

The customer wanted something simple in the borders

And the feathers around the plate

I have the first column of four in already so I'll chip away some more at this once all the who-who is finished this morning. 

More Trade Tools

There are a few little tools I've had on my wish list for the studio and I was able to pick every one of them up yesterday. 

Some new tools

Bar magnets for the belly bar to keep my new protruding belly from sliding the quilt tops in directions I don't want them to go. A measuring gauge and shorter fabric tape measure are just things I didn't have. A seam gauge (still trying to perfect that 1/4") and a new pattern by Lori Holt called Bee Happy. I still have a lot of reproductions in the studio and it's hopefully going to use most of those up. 

Some of the other items I was able to get while out and about with mom was the vanity, top, and faucet for the new studio bathroom. I checked on ordering the entry door, but didn't want to spend the coin right now on something we wouldn't be needing for quite some time.

I hear rumbles of thunder off in the distance. We knew storms were coming so I did the annual put-the-houseplants-outisde-to-be-washed thing this morning. 

Looks like a giant salad bowl

Until the threat of lightning passes, I'm off the long arm machines, but I did get Debbies pillow shams (covers?) done last night after the all-day shopping extravaganza. 

 While the storm is hanging around I'm frame ironing the backing for the next quilt up on DW and there's always (too often) administrative work I need to catch up on.

Shopping Day

Mom texted this morning and asked if I wanted go to Menards with her in Mt. Pleasant. Since I need to start getting fixtures for the [new] studio, and since it's supposed to be a beautiful weather day, decided to take advantage of the fact my mom is still alive and we can do things together.

Once I return I'll be working on what DW is wearing today...

Pillow Covers

These will match the Flea Market quilt I just finished for Debbie. Great use of the leftover fabric from the project.

Thought I've Seen It All

When I put a quilt on the frame, and having basted in the top leader, I take measurements at the top, middle and side of the side borders within my quilting distance....about 22 inches. The quilt I'm working on actually went OUT beyond the measurement as the quilt was being rolled. If I would have kept the correct measurement, the center would have bunched up.

But now that I'm getting towards the end, the sides are shrinking back into the original measurement and this is happening at the bottom...

Ummm???????????

It's like the body of the quilt is too small for the borders. I've never had this happen on just one border and I've never had it happen on a quilt that has been meticulously measured throughout the advancing process. It should be an interesting quilting day today to see if I can rectify the situation. Wish me luck. 

Three More

Three more blocks done in the 100 block challenge. 

These have no colored border because they are the 10 that run diagonally to split the "girl" colors from the "boy" colors. Jim got a little more done on the new studio yesterday before we turned into movie watching zombies. We needed the break. But, it's Monday. We're recharged and ready to tackle whatever the week ahead brings to us. 

I'll be working on Debbie's Flea Market quilt today. It's going faster than I expected, but I'm still a couple of days away from finishing it I think. I stubbed my toe pretty good this morning and it's kinda throbbing, so I'm moving a little slower than usual. 

Small Project Sunday

Jim is going to be working on the new studio today while I work on 100 blocks. I did a few of them yesterday since I was being pulled away from the long arm, repeatedly, to do admin work. I'm hoping to knock out a bunch today. It depends on the complexity I suppose.  

And, I'll be at Jims beck and call should he need me to help move/hold things. 

We had an absolutely wonderful campfire last night with the stars very clear to see with all the rain the previous night, a meteor shower giving us plenty of shooting stars, and some great company and tunes to go with the whole picture. 

Beautiful fire night

Isn't life at the lake the best?

Forgot Yesterday

I totally forgot to blog yesterday since the morning started out going out to breakfast (when was the last time we did that?) with Jims nephew and his girlfriend. They came back here with me to pack up and get ready to head out. 

Once they departed (late, late, morning) I wandered over to talk to Kathy for a bit and then started getting into Debbie's Flea Market quilt. But I wanted to show you what I was talking about on Thursday morning with the ghost stitching in the corners...

The basic

Once a frame and the borders are figured in

Loving how this is coming out so far! I'll be working on this quilt this morning while Jim is doing pickles. We're getting another late start today because we had hair cuts we needed to do before anything else was done. Jim said he got about an inch off the top of mine. WOW! I knew it was getting long since it had been five weeks since my last cut. 

Ideas

A light bulb went on in my head very early this morning and the longer I think about it, the more I want to do it. I'm going to construct a dresden blade, make a template out of it, and then use that to insert a faux (long armers call it ghost stitching) Dresden flower similar to the ones in the Flea Market quilt for each corner in the border. Here's what's on DW for the weekend... 

Debbie S.'s Flea Market

While I was frame ironing the backing for this quilt I started working on the Witches. Here are a few of the blocks...

Pebbles and continuous curves

Curved straight lines and X's

More straight lines and some wish bones

I didn't get a long day in the studio because we had lawn stuff to work on. And, between charges on my week whacker, I was once again, hauling dirt to backfill/make a slope away from the building. This dirt thing will be ongoing as the dirt settles. 

We have Jims nephew and his girlfriend coming tonight to spend the night on their way to Traverse City. We think the B's are coming up tomorrow to spend a work weekend on the new studio. I better enjoy today because I don't think I'll be quilting much over the next few days. 

Whoa, Where's the Week Going?

A lot of phone calls the past two days, but I've been productive nonetheless. Sherry's quilt is done, but still hanging out on the frame. I had to starch three of the four borders (mmmm hmmm), and when I shut the machine off (a little after 8:00 last night), they were still pretty wet. 

Here's why I had to starch...

Wavy borders

Meanwhile, while I was working away, Jim did this last night...

Main floor support in. Joists now going in.

He doesn't know if he'll be working on this tonight. His knee is a tad sore and we have a lawn that needs dealing with. We have company coming tomorrow night, and the neighbors are going to be here all weekend, so we won't have time to tackle it any other day. 

I'll be working away on Bernie this morning; the Witches for Nancy while I'm frame ironing the backing for the next Flea Market that's next up on DW. 

Sore Muscles

We shoveled all day on Saturday, yet my muscles weren't really sore until yesterday. So, last night after getting off the long arm, went out and shoveled some more. It actually helped. Sure wish this age thing would slow down a bit!

Here's some better detail of Sherry's Flea Market quilt...

I love, love, love pebbles!

More of the same in Sherry's quilt today. I MAY be able to finish this one by days end. I'm getting faster with these, thank goodness. 

Jim did some measuring and leveling last night for the main support beam that will run north/south on the studio and figured he has to shim the center support since it's about an inch lower than the other two. He'll get supplies today to be able to do that. 

One customer coming this morning to pick up and the rest of the day looks to be gorgeous with both weather and productivity. 

Pickles

I was outside on the phone with my dad this morning while the girls were doing their morning business. When I came back in the house, wow, does it smell like pickles in here. Jim put up a couple dozen quarts yesterday while the rain was just-a-coming down. 

While he was doing that, I was working on blocks for the 100 block challenge. I got seven done. 

Only six showing

After getting the first block done, which is actually block #10, I was able to get the first row pieced together and so it's laying in-wait down below Bernie. My design wall isn't big enough to get all ten blocks up there. As it is, the ninth block in the second row is just hanging there by a tiny pin. 

I'll be working on Sherry's Flea Market quilt all of today on DW and jamming to my tunes while doing so. Happy Monday. 

[New] Studio Work

All. Day. Long. Thankfully, it wasn't 90 degrees yesterday, but the high 70's/low 80's we had was enough to make it hot with the physical work Jim and I were doing.

We started the day off backfilling (the first round) along the exterior of the block walls. After a late, and long lunch, we headed back out to start the gasket/sill plate placement.

The anchors had to be lined up correctly so holding and measuring correctly were very important. Once we got those attached we had to finish the backfilling areas that had already settled and a section we hadn't finished (we were getting hungry). Here's the result of all our work yesterday...

From the west end 

From the east end

Here's the kicker about all of this. Thousands of dollars spent so far and this is an area that will be completely unused and a total waste of space. But, I'm reminded, a house (or in this case, an addition) doesn't hold up unless you have a strong foundation. I guess that applies to life as well. 

My small project today is running to the store to get pickling spices and sugar for Jim to put up his spicy sweets and once we get back, I hope to be working some 100 blocks. 

Construction Day

I won't be working in the studio until later after we've worked on the addition. We have sand to put on top of the drainage trunk, the beginning of the back filling of the foundation, and while I'm shoveling dirt, Jim will be adding the gasket and sill plate boards today. We may do more depending on what we get done this morning. 

Meanwhile, this is what's going into Sherry's quilt on DW...

Channels, straight lines, and pebbles

This one is turning out really great. I've changed up some of my thinking and am approaching this one a bit differently than I have some of those in the past. 

I'll work on this (maybe) later today depending on the weather (hot/rainy) and how much I'm needed outside on the construction. No kids up here to help this weekend so it's all on Jim and me. 

Out With The Old

Those two quilts on Bernie and DW are now trimmed, billed, folded, and the customers have been called. Here's what's on DW for the next few days...

We've seen this one before

I have about seven of these in the queue right now. Flea Market classes happened at Bittersweet Quilt Shop and I'm getting most of the custom work from the year-long class. 

Here's what's on DW for the next long period...

The Witches

I've done another one of these but without the fourth panel on the bottom. I actually started doing this quilt, but since my embroidery skills are deplorable, handed it off to Diane S. to do for me. She LOVES doing this kind of stuff and said she'd be more than happy to work it for me. 

While DW was stitching out yesterday, and while I was frame ironing the two backings, I FINALLY got the small project done from last Sunday. I think I need to reevaluate what exactly a small project is since this took me way longer than a day. 

My "small" project

This has been added into the "to quilt" pile so I won't see it again for a while. I had a little time left over last night with the storms threatening, so I made another block in the 100 blocks challenge. 

No [new] studio work last night; temps in the 90's with thunder rumbling in the distance. Doctor appointment for me this morning (annual physical) and then off to the lab for blood work. No quilting this morning but I'll be back at it once I return from town this afternoon. 

Taking Too Long

When I set a quilt up for edge to edge quilting, I figure it won't take longer than a day. Even the bigger ones are generally finished in one day since I prep everything the previous night and start the machine even as I'm blogging (like now). 

But when I have to starch between every roll because borders are waving at me...well, it takes two days to get a quilt done. I have to wait for the starch to dry (shrinking the offending border) before restarting the machine. 

A side view

From the top

Yes, I have to find some way to get these under control. I'm not a magician. I can work wonders, but some waving just isn't solvable with starch. This particular one required a tuck.

At any case, here's what's going into Sandy's quilt...

Love the texture on this sweet colored quilt!

Joanns quilt is still on Bernie, but quilted. I'll get it billed and trimmed this morning while DW is working away. 

Jim did some more work on the [new] studio last night; getting the drainage trunk put in around the footers/foundation. Now to get something over the top of it. And he realized late last night that he ordered the wrong width sill plate boards, so we need to exchange those tonight...or something to make it right. 

Drainage trunk is in. 

Two new quilts will be loaded later today baring any issues with Sandy's last two stitch out rows. I already know I have a bottom border to starch because it's waving like crazy after the roll last night. UGH!

Internet Down

Our internet was down most of the day, so I'm blogging for yesterday today. I'll blog tomorrow morning (per the usual) for what I was up to today.  

Here's what's on DW this morning...

Sandy S.'s top which is HUGE!

After loading this last night, I noticed right off the bat I'm going to struggle with some border issues...

Notice how the quilt is trying to head inwards?

This tells me a few things: 1) The quilt is not square, and 2) the borders are the culprit in why it's not square. Meaning there are going to be tucks, puckers, and a lot of starching in my future. 

While I was frame ironing the backing for this quilt, I FINALLY got to work on Joann's quilt, which has been hanging out on Bernie for like a month or better...

On Bernie WAY too long!

Here's some of the quilting detail going into the negative space...

Making some wind

While I was working on Sandy's backing and Joann's top, Jim was working on the [new] studio a little bit. He's now got it slurried and tarred. Once I was done with long arming, I built 100 flying geese for my last Sunday's project. Maybe I'll get it done before next Sunday???

Ready for the drainpipe

A busy day for both of us. I'll be edge to edging on DW today and while he's working, I'll work some more on Joanns quilt.