Carry On My Wayward Thumb

Okay, that's three. First the finger/hand, then the toe/foot, and now the other hand/thumb. I tried to long arm my thumb into Ann's quilt yesterday while basting in the sides after a roll...

Basted my thumb

At least I know Bernina long arms can go through thumbs. 😲

I have a rescheduled nail appointment first thing this morning (my normal isn't until next Friday, but I'll be en route to Alaska on that day) and then I'll be back at Anns quilt all day the rest of today.

Had a lovely conversation with a customer yesterday while I was working. I love my customers; they are so friendly, full of great stories, and insightful information. She was giving me a heads-up for incoming tops she'll be dropping off later this summer-ish.

Here's some more quilting going into the Floral Felicity...

I love texture!

We think we have our dog sitter situation figured out. I was becoming stressed about the girls heading to Lansing for 12 days because...well...plenty of reasons. The girl that watched them during the reunion has agreed to watch them again this time around so they'll be home here where they are most comfortable and she has plenty of family down the road to assist if she has any questions or concerns. Yay!

Busy Around the Lake

It's apparent folks are becoming excited about our lakes coming back next spring. There seems to be a lot of activity throughout the shores with seawalls, landscaping, dock repairs, weed removal, and general construction. It's nice to hear all the preparedness going on. It's nice to hear the lake coming back to life. 

A few more pics of the quilting going into Anns quilt...

Runny Babbit

Stem Treatment

Blogger is still being a pic dick. I have to attempt three times to get pics into my blog. What's up with that? 

Yesterday was an 11 hour day and today will probably be around 10 hours since I'm getting a little later start. Either way, it's continued work on the Floral Felicity all day. 

To Recap

Since it's been three days since I've been in the studio, let's recap on what I'm working on. First, I'm doing Floral Felicity for Ann N. 

Here's some more quilting going in...

Lots of Feathers

And Pebbles

This will be most of this weeks' project on Marty. DW is still wearing the Gravity quilt and I'm still working on the Tilda top when I need to sit for a spell.

Getting ready for a long trip is a lot of mental work, let me tell ya. Thank goodness Jim is taking care of all the physical stuff while I make notes for stuff we need to do before leaving in two weeks. 

Friday was Traverse City with the family, Saturday was in Lansing for Jacobs 7th birthday party, and yesterday we did some much needed chores around the house; weeding the flower bed at the fence, washing the gutters and fascia on the garage and house entrance, washing the garage door, and washing Hazel after spending a little time fetching sticks in the lake. 

It's going to be long days this week in the studio since I'm feeling a little behind. 

Going To Traverse City

I'll be out of the studio today. I'm heading to Traverse City with my mom and brother...the same brother whose house I feel down the stairs and broke my finger. 

Here's some of the quilting going into Ann's Floral Felicity...

Just a few feathers

There is more but I don't have time to fight with Blogger this morning and I have to scoot into town to meet the family. I'm keeping my phone on in case somebody calls but I'm pretty much out all of today. 

Electricity and Storms

While Jim and I were eating lunch yesterday, our TV went off for no apparent reason. We called our neighbor down the road and he too was without power. Our township supervisor posted Consumers Power was doing a substation upgrade and the power would be off for about two or three hours. 

Needless to say, my work day was cut short. Thank goodness I started early. I no sooner got back onto Marty and then I heard thunder. Sure enough, here comes a nasty batch of storms our way. Once the storms passed and I fired Marty back up; we were not getting along well at that point. It was around quitting time anyway so I just shut him down for the day. 

Well, this isn't good for long arming

Here's what I'll be working on for the next [almost] week...

Ann's Floral Felicity

Yep, I've already done two of these buggers. They take a LONG time to work so yesterday's electricity and storm situation was not welcome.

I did get some fabric cut for the Tilda piece while waiting for the power to be restored. When I decided customer long arming wasn't in the cards, I worked on a few blocks for the Tilda piece (Andrew had called at that point), and then moved over to DW to work on Gravity for a spell after he finally let Jim and I go. 

Customer coming today to pick up and cooler temps are in our future for the next few days. Thank goodness. Here's yesterdays high...

BLEH!!!

Memory Lane

Yesterday was not a good news day. I found out my childhood friend from our cottage had a death in her family (FIL) and one of my customers lost her husband the previous day. 

My father texted me and asked for another quilt for his bed since his wife 'borrowed' his indefinitely. While I was going through totes after my PT appointment, I couldn't help thinking about these two deaths and how precious life is. 

And then I pull out quilt after quilt and think about how much joy making those quilts gave me and how it's hard to let them go (for sale, or whatever) just like a member of our lifes circle. Here are a few of the ones I sent pics of to dad to see if he'd like any of them...

This is the one he selected. Farm Girl Vintage II by Lori Holt

I don't remember the name of this one

Seasons by Edita Sitar

Just a scrappy pattern I found on line

There are a crap load more out there, but he was looking for a large queen/king-sized quilt and it needed to be dark in color since his dog sleeps with him sometimes. 

I'll continue to make quilts because it gives me joy and happiness and damn it, life is too short to not be doing what we love to do. 

Had a drop-in set of women stop by yesterday morning. I don't think I'll be seeing them again since price was their main concern. I also had a previous customer come to drop off just one top around lunch time. I did get Bernadettes quilt finished in the early evening. I worked on DW for a bit and then moved over to the Tilda piece for a while. 

 

Hopefully today I'll have uninterrupted work time and can enjoy the rainy day headed our way. We need the rain. The lawn is starting to turn yellow and Jim's garden is looking pretty wilted. 

Reunion Done!

The trailer is in the barn. The kitchen stuff and linens have all been washed. Inventory is complete. We are done for a year. Here's some of the kooky people we do all this for...

Still missing some from the pic, but you get the idea

This reunion wore us out. It was hot. It was humid. And it seemed like I was running more than usual for some reason. I lost a little weight but wow, it took until today for me to recharge my batteries.

And now Jim is getting us ready for our Alaskan cruise in two-ish weeks.

I did get some work done yesterday afternoon. Here's some more quilting going into Bernadettes quilt...

A Crab

Some seashells and a dead fish

A sand castle

The three pics are what long armers call "ghost" stitching meaning it's not pieced or appliquéd, but we insert objects into negative spaces, like above. 

PT first thing this morning. I have a customer coming to drop off later this morning, and I'll be working on Bernadettes quilt the rest of the day. I'm glad to be back into the studio, that's for sure! 

Not Even 7:00 Yet

And I've already taken my shower, started the laundry, and made coffee. Here I am blogging and then I'll grab some breakfast before heading out to PT. Here's some of the quilting going into Bernadettes Summer quilt...

Swim with the Fishies

You are my sunshine

Howdy!

I'm doing some ghost stitching in the sand and I'll show more pics later on that. Meanwhile, today is a quilting, packing, cleaning day to prepare for reunion. Don't know if I'll be blogging tomorrow because I have guild up in Hale before leaving for the reunion. 

I did get a little work on DW done last night as well as a few more blocks in my Tilda top. 

My Last Day of Freedom

This is my last day of quilting freedom and then reunion things start to take over my life. Yipee. 😒

Linda's Tantor elephant is done and she's coming over sometime today to pick him up. I think I did more unsewing yesterday than I did actual sewing...

Picking out stitches

Meanwhile. I'm sneaking in a project for Bernadette next while I'm frame ironing for Ann's second quilt. Here's what I've already started for her...

Tilda Sunny Summer

I can not wait four months for it to circulate in the queue. It's clearly geared towards summertime and she's teaching a class on it so I want to get the "example" quilted for her. Being the graceful customer she is and did not pressure me to get it done I'm going to take care of my regular customers as best as I can.

I did an hours worth of long arming on DW and have another roll in. It was partially done, meaning I can not do one pass in an hour on that huge quilt. Was on all three long arms again yesterday. 😆

And yesterday I got to do something I haven't done in over two months; I cut, pieced, and pressed some blocks together on my Sewing Tilda top. I really am excited about getting that on the wall, but I'm afraid as small as the pieces are it's going to be a while before that happens. 

Lots of Appointments This Week

Well, for me I have a lot. Wednesday is PT. Thursday is Hale Guild. Friday is nails, and of course, the reunion is Thursday through Sunday. We'll be heading to the reunion as soon as I get back from Hale. I'll buzz into town to get nails done first thing Friday and the rest of those four days are reunion focused.

Today I'm going to be finishing Linda's quilt. Hopefully. I have to go back and unsew part of the border on the top because I messed up centering it. I think I need to ditch the trunk rungs too because I'm not liking how they are laying down. 

Sometime yesterday we received two packages from Amazon. We never heard anybody, or see/hear anything pull into the drive. The dogs never barked. The Ring never fired. We noticed the packages after it had been pouring for a while. Thankfully they put them on the studio porch and didn't get too wet. 

Here's the new pattern I purchased at Bittersweet and then off to 'work' I go...

For anybody who loves books

This pattern is fat quarter friendly and I have a number of them I can use this with. I'll need to purchase background and page fabric, but I couldn't remember the color scheme of my fat quarter bundles I do have meaning I couldn't purchase those Saturday. 

Happy Independence Day Weekend

I tried to post yesterday, but the wifi and channels were pretty jammed with everybody being up over the holiday. We didn't have anybody up, but all the neighbors did and that taxes our little country connection. 

I am about 2/3'rds of the way done with Linda's quilt. I didn't work on it Friday or at all during the weekend.

We headed to Bittersweet Quilt shop yesterday (because they were about the only ones open) after we did some Gladwin stuff (Craft Show, Farmers Market, Lunch) and I purchased another Clover chalk marker, a new pattern, and a new box/basket for the microwave cart we brought up from the barn the previous day.

Yesterday I actually made and attached a binding!!!!! My hand is sore today with all the 'new' movement, but it's great to know I'm actually functioning nearly full throttle...

Binding!!!

The colorful X's and O's is officially done. Now I won't hesitate to finish Gravity on DW because my rule (internally) says I can't take the quilt off the long arm until the previous one is bound. I have to do this or I would never get any of my bindings done. 

And, this morning we start with reunion stuff. The trailer is up...

Just getting her out of the barn

It started to rain just as we got her set on her boards which is good. We need the rain and it'll wash the thing off. Although, this morning's rain is supposed to be brief, we are expecting more this afternoon. Hopefully this isn't going to just make it muggy. It's already pretty heavy out there. 

Working/Not Working Today

I'm working today. Jim has taken today off. Too many crazy drivers out there for him to be running around delivering gas I guess.

You'd think unloading a quilt would be one of the easier things to do in our line of work, but look at all the backing threads (strays and starts/stops) that come off when I'm bankrolling...

Threads off the back prior to removing

I've started on Tantor. The pics aren't the greatest but here is some of the quilting...

Ear treatment

Some of the trunk

I'll be working through this most of the "normal" work hours today. I'm hoping to get back onto DW maybe later????

Another Long Day

Yesterday I was up early and on the machines early...and then I worked until almost 7:00 again. But Anns Tilda Sampler is done! Well, it's quilted. I still have to do all the post-quilting stuff.  

An apple a day

Flying Geese

Runny Babbitt

I have PT first thing this morning and then back on the machines all day. Here's what I'll be working on Marty later...

Tantor

This is Linda M's elephant and thankfully she's already provided the quilting path for me. All I have to do is follow that and change out lots of threads.

Got a call from a lady inquiring about my services. Honestly, I referred her across town because I'm so backed up. She was pretty cost conscious and I'm not the least expensive around, especially if she wants an E2E; which she didn't know what she wanted. 

I hate to turn people away, but I'm getting pretty set in my prices and becoming less flexible in who I work for. I own the business and that's my choice, right?

Long Day

I started out early and worked late. Two unscheduled customers arrived in the afternoon yesterday. Both of them dropped off. The first one only had one quilt top, the other had two. And I'm quilting like a mad woman. 

Here's some more of the quilting going into Anns Tilda Sampler...

The center section

This is one of my favorites

I'll continue on today with this. We had pop-up storms yesterday and wow was it muggy! I had to shut Bernie down for a bit while the storms were overhead but started back as soon as I could again.

After the customers left, and while I was getting back into my [evening] quilting zen place, the new dog sitter came by to meet the girls and get the low down on their routine. Then as soon as I could get Jim engaged in her (he was in the shower when she arrived) I got back onto Bernie for as long as I could. 

My eyes started getting really itchy and tired around 7:00 so that was enough for the day. Interestingly enough, the designer of this Tilda Sampler was one of the customers who stopped by in the afternoon. 

She was interested to know who the maker was (because this was taught in a class ONLY). I said it was Ann N. She looked at me very puzzled so I pulled up my contacts and tried to give her a last name. Yeah, the phone ate her information. Hopefully she's paid in the past with a check so I can find her. Otherwise, I'm going to have to go through my invoices to find any information I can on her to call her when this and her next quilt are done. 

UGH! I'm started to not like technology!

Change of Routine

Since we've been living here, my morning routine has been pretty much the same. I won't spell it all out here, but let's just say it's changed a bit. 

I'm not opposed to change, in fact, embrace it. It will just be a new way to do things and that's okay. I like new, different, better. 

Yesterday, with the wonderful help of my husband, we were able to 'construct' this background piece...

Not yet sewn together

For this pattern...

A Laura Heine pig

This is being made for my brother who turns 60 in November. He saw this pattern at the quilt store we visited in May and made a comment about the Flying Pig race he occasionally enters down where he lives. Apparently it's quite famous. 

I'm not going to sew that bunch of fabrics together either. I'm going to build and lay the pig on top and then tulle the whole thing under the long arm needle to give it all a rather "rugged" appearance. Jim's looking at me like I'm crazy and I had to assure him I knew where I was going with this. 

More work on Anns quilt today on Bernie which is pretty much my whole week. These Tilda Samplers take a LONG time to work. 

An Old Friend

DW is my oldest and dearest machine. He was not behaving when he came back from the shop a few months ago, but he seems to have settled in and is now working wonderfully.

While Jim was puttering around the yard, I was long arming on my old friend and we did a few more diamond shapes in the Gravity quilt...

Love the center of this one

Have to have feathers in my quilts somewhere 

Simple but effective

Prior to working on DW, I built the small zipper pouch I was talking about. This was before...

Carrying all those odds and ends in my purse in a plastic bag

And this is after...

Me and my coffee

Sorry about the sideways pic, but you get the idea.

After working most of the "regular" day hours for us both, we moseyed down to the lake to take a look at the work we need to accomplish there. We made measurements on the current permanent dock to see what boards needed to be purchased for replacing all of them. They aren't looking good. 

Jim would also like to construct a platform next to the permanent dock for resting and relaxing on. This is going to be 10'x10' and will assist in keeping us out of the direct sunlight when the day has become too much in the sunshine. It'll also make a nice place to warm up in the spring and fall in the mornings and still be able to enjoy our coming waters. 

The pontoon (when we get one) will be on the south side of the permanent dock and the platform will be on the north. More trees on the north will result in better shade during our hot summer days.

Wide Feet

I'm on my feet. A lot. So finding comfortable shoes to accommodate my very (very) wide feet is tough. I do know that Keen brand shoes fit me the best. They have excellent support and exceptional comfort. The problem is, they are expensive. Having to choose here in my shoe selection is limited. Like to four pair limited.

For a woman to have four pairs of shoes is NOT cool. I do have other shoes. I have other options (like boots or sandals), but those are very limited as well. Honestly, if I went through my shoes and took out all the ones that are uncomfortable or don't fit any more, I'd have less than 12 pair. My DIL would be appalled. Andrew said she has over a 100 pairs of shoes to choose from. 

My husband has three pairs of shoes and two pairs of sandals and calls that extravagant. What my husband doesn't understand is that woman are NOT like that. We like variety and we like to feel good about ourselves. Ignoring that is mold in the cake; it doesn't taste good going down and will affect you later in the bathroom.  

Here's some of the quilting going into Ann's quilt on Bernie...

Just like Bernadettes

Changed up the grey border, but otherwise the same

And same here too

I got a So Fine! thread chart made up somewhere in all of yesterdays stuff and did my own inventory to see what I should not order when the vendors out there have July 4th sales.

I had a new customer come yesterday morning out of the blue who was referred to me. The customer visit yesterday afternoon was very long and while I had three quilts picked up, the intake for this week was four, so I'm still sitting on over 40 jobs.

Since the visit was later in the afternoon, and after the girls left, it was almost closing time. Jim and I headed north to the West Branch Meijer and did our shopping...and other stuff. 

I'll be working on DW today and at some point, need to make a little bag to hold the odds and ends my old purse held. They are currently in a plastic snack bag which is not cool. 

Exercise

Do you exercise? I don't and the thought of it just makes my head hurt. I just stay busy and try to eat right. My physical therapist is all about eating right and moreover, exercising. She's always trying to impress on me the importance of both. Okay, I get it. It's better for you, but to spend the time away from other life/work/relaxing/fun things just isn't my cup of coffee (I don't like tea). 

Okay, enough about that. We know where I stand. I'm not going to show pics of the Tilda Sampler today (because I forgot to snag some yesterday), but I am going to show what I did after "working" all day...

This one took a LONG time to work

This one didn't take long at all and is one of my favorites

I had all the side gray work to do before I could start working the colored sections above. I've also started the medium purple section but because I'm sliding down towards the bottom, can not get it all in one roll. I'll share those later. 

Two customers coming today to pick up and I'll be continuing on with Ann's Tilda Sampler in between their visit. 

Sometimes the Back...

...looks as good as the front...

A two-sided quilt

Since that one was done (but not yet trimmed) having worked late to get today's set deadline, I'll be moving over to Ann's Tilda Sampler on Bernie...

Another Tilda Sampler

The joy of doing this one is she wants it just like I did it for Bernadette, so all I'll have to do is pull up picks of how I did it. Some of them I remember, but others are a little sketchy. 

PT right after I get done blogging and then when I get home I need to work on my web site for a bit to announce my holiday/reunion days I'll be closed. 

Trimming quilts yesterday was doable, but painful and hard. So, I'm going to stick with long arming mainly for the next few weeks but that's okay. I have plenty of them in queue (mine and customers both) to entertain me. 

Is PT Worth It?

I don't feel like we did much yesterday except take measurements and introduce some new exercises for my hand/finger. Yet, I didn't get home until 11:30.

I did get an earlier appointment tomorrow morning (7:45) so it would not screw up my whole morning. I don't relish getting up earlier than normal, but if it'll be more productive in my day, then okay.

Here's some more pics of what I'm putting into Carla's quilt...

The stars block

In and around the hearts

I love pets! I love all creatures (except maybe ticks and wasps) but to have to remove their hair from a quilt top gets very disruptive...

All. Over. This. Quilt!

After working late on Carla's quilt (to make up for the time I lost in the morning), I moved over to DW and got three more diamonds quilted out...

This one is pretty cool

I love this one!

This one turned out okay. Not my favorite.

I have all the gray work to do tonight on either side of these three diamonds, but I made pretty good headway.

One new customer expected today. I'm actually going to try to trim a quilt after I get done blogging. The wrist still isn't very flexible and I'm lacking strength in my hand, but I'll change the blade in my rotary cutter so I don't have to push down as hard and see how it goes.