Noticing Things

I've mentioned before that when I'm quilting a quilt I see every stinking millimeter of the top. I inspect for tears, holes, threads, and other anomalies. Like the one below.

Blood? Food? Drink?

I'll be continuing on with Janices quilt later today but this morning is skating day and we have to get groceries while we are in Midland. 

Since I had a guild meeting last night and we didn't get home until nearly 9:00 nothing else was done in the studio other then cutting out more strips for the other project I'm working on. 

New Hours

I went into my web site yesterday to modify hours of availability with my 'retirement'. Same with Google. However, one of the two (I can't remember which one) would only let me either be closed on Friday or stay with the same hours (10-4). I wanted to reduce Friday to 10-12 since we seem to get pulled away on Friday afternoons for one reason or another. 

I opted to mark it closed and if somebody needs to come on Friday I'll make arrangements to be here. 

Meanwhile, here's some of the quilting going into Janice's quilt.

A corner

The border corner

After working I took a few minutes to cut up a bunch of strips. More on this later. 

Strips in green, white/off white, and red

I got the top together on the horse quilt and have to get a bunch of borders in next.

After getting that top where I wanted to be last night, I moved over to DW. I removed and trimmed Jacobs quilt and made the binding after that. It's not attached but ready for me to do when next available. Not tonight.

Tonight I have a QQQ meeting up in Oscoda and we have to leave here around 4:30 to get up there in time for the meeting. 

Change the Web Site

If I put a blurb in here I'll be more inclined to remember to do something later. Like changing the hours on Google and on the web site. I'll be closed on Wednesdays, remember? 

This is what I'll be working on for the next few days. 

I laid in bed last night thinking about how I'm going to quilt this, but thought it was pieced differently than what I was 'quilting' in my head. Back to the drawing board.

Meanwhile, nothing quilting or knitting yesterday. We were in Mt. Pleasant most of the afternoon and once we got home our neighbors three doors down were out to the property and we went to visit until nearly sunset. 

It doesn't feel like I got a lot done in the studio yesterday but I was busy out there all day long. At first, after running around in the morning, I started right in on Tristans potty quilt because decided it needed to be enlarged. 

One of our stops was Pieces of Thyme to find more toilet paper fabric. They were out so I made due with something I had here in the stash. 

I remembered I needed to make a baby quilt for Jims cousin due in about January/February, so I picked up three yards and a back for that.

After lunch I was animate about finishing Jacobs/QAL quilt and by nearly dusk, I called it a win. 

Block #20 (my favorite)

Block #18

Block #19

Block #17

Block #16

From there it was time to fix/finish the quilt I started with on the first day of retreat. It's still not done but at  least some of the blocks are squared and fixed. 

I'm on the phone right now with the kids in Germany so getting photos in is a challenge. I may knit later, but Jim and I are running to Mt. Pleasant to start picking up Christmas lights for the house. Every year a couple of strands burn out. 

Taking A Me Day

Technically we are supposed to be in Ohio, but because of Hazels situation right now, we postponed that trip. I had already, in my head, scheduled a day off yesterday so I 'played' in the studio working on holiday gifts for the grands. 

Here's Zechariah's set all complete. 

They call him Zecky but I spelled it like I wanted

After working all morning and most of the afternoon on his pillow (took way longer than I thought it would), I jumped on DW and worked on these three blocks.

Block 15

Block 14

Block 13

The QAL from Sam Alberts and Quilting Curve Studio is going to Jacob. I have to get this quilt done so I can get his gift(s) finished. But I did start his pillow.

We have to run to town to get some ingredients for dog food. We are making it here because Hazel is on soft foods for a few weeks. We replicate the Farmers Dog recipe in our insta-pot. I'm hoping to jump on DW to work the remaining five blocks later today. 

Not Going to Ohio

We were supposed to be leaving this morning to head down to Andrews. Tristan (our grandson) isn't feeling well, but moreover, Hazel had to have five teeth removed yesterday. She has stitches, pain meds, and is on antibiotics. Too much for the dog sitter to deal with. We had to cancel.

I'll be fussing around the studio today. Not necessarily working but, yes, working. To shorten a lengthy story, I came home with a crap load of fabric from the retreat and have filed most of it away. But I have other things to take care of. 

Here's what I accomplished in four days.

Day 4: Potty Humor

Day 4: The Quilt Room

Day 3: Ho, Ho, Ho

Day 3: Cowboy Boots

Day 2: Flower Power

My birthday was amongst the retreat happenings and Jim not only got me a long stemmed rose for the retreat table, but he got me these for the house.

Gorgeous!

From the pics above, I managed to get five tops put together. The piece I worked on the first day was not going together well. And, quite honestly, I was being lazy. I didn't trim each block as I was building them and it's not going together very well. I'm hoping to rectify that soon since all my big projects are now all together. 

Happy (Re)Birthday Smallwood Lake

This is birthday month for our family. Laura's was this past Wednesday, mine is this coming Wednesday, and Lia's is two days after mine. Smallwood Lake has returned so its re-birth has begun. We are now at our legal lake levels for the summer months and we've seen so many boats (pontoons and speed boats too) up and down the waters since Friday. 

We grabbed mom yesterday, went out to eat and then bummed around West Branch St. Vincents afterwards. 

Today I'll be busy skating and packing up for retreat so we knew we wouldn't be able to go in today to visit with her. 

She got me this WONDERFUL kit from Bittersweet Quilt Shop for my birthday.

I want to get started on it right now, but I know I have other pressing things to work on like Christmas gifts for the kids. 

I did get caught up on the Temperature Quilt blocks last night after we returned back from moms. But I couldn't start right away because my mom has a buying habit and she's been fawning all her stuff to us. We had to take care of a literal truck load last night before I could start sewing. 

Clothing, food, furniture, electronics, and birthday items all had to be taken care of. Oh mom, please stop! 😑

Retreat Dates

I'll be out of the studio all next week. Monday through Thursday (October 12-15) I'll be retreating at The Springs. Friday through Sunday (October 16-18) we should be in Ohio. That depends on this big girl. 

Not feeling the greatest

Hazel has some bad teeth and I don't know if they will just clean them or remove them. If they remove them, we won't be doing any traveling because it's not fair to the dog sitter to have to deal with her convalescence. 

I finished Lynettes quilt and hung it on DW temporarily while I was doing admin stuff for the project and look how the sun shows the detail I inserted in this.

Sometimes the back looks as nice as the front

I wanted to get on DW last night to start working on the first (second now) QAL but I knew if I didn't get this one below bound I was breaking my own "rules". I know if I don't get the binding done I'll regret it later. 

For Zechariah

This quilt is going to my youngest grandson along with a matching pillow, which I started last night instead of long arming. Today though I need to get caught up on the Temperature quilt. I am way behind on that. We also have lunch plans with mom and so I may be just cutting pieces instead of actually sewing them together. I'll take it to retreat to work on if I have to.

Have you priced poly fill lately? Holy cow, it's averaging $7/lb versus $3/lb less than five years ago. And I have six pillows to make all needing about 1.5lbs each. Yikes. Good thing I started making holiday gifts early this year so I can spread that expense out a few months. 

Out of the Box

As we get older we fall into a comfortable routine. When the routine is disrupted it's like working outside of the box or coloring outside of the lines. Remember in our younger years routine changes didn't seem as big a deal?

Today is back to the norm, but I quite like getting outside of the box. I like change. I like to mix things up. While getting back to the norm is like a favorite pair of shoes; comfortable but not quite as supportive or clean anymore, let's get those shoes really dirty! More in a bit.

Here is some of the quilting going into Lynettes quilt. 

Frosty?

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

Honk

The previous night I did get all the blocks done on the QAL and only had to do the border. Here are the last four blocks. 

Block 12

Block 11

Block 10

block nine

And the last big block in the Quilt Room is finished meaning it's time to get the whole thing put together.

Last block is done

I have a few hours left to go in Lynette's quilt this morning and then my day will be done. I may start in on the fifth quilt from Diane, but since it's supposed to be nice today (another pic-perf autumn day) it may be difficult to stay in the studio this afternoon. 

Yesterday was another 'norm' day, but I'm doing my skating exercises to regain the balance I've lost and adjust to my new 'older' body (which is not 16 anymore). I'm planning on sticking with my skating (re)endeavor and that's getting the shoes very dirty!

Where Was I Yesterday?

I did do quilting things both Tuesday and Wednesday, but yesterday morning I was off and running with Jim. We were doing this...

Trying to get the old boots off. The bolts/nuts were rusted on. 

My old skates received a minor overhaul. New boots, cleaned bearings, and new inserts. Here they are ready for me to pick up on Sunday...

The skates reconditioned

Here's the thing about my skating habit. I used to go whenever I could. Didn't matter the weather, temperatures (most rinks are not air conditioned), inside or outside, I loved to skate and would get on them as much as possible. I started training for speed/distance competitions and then I found out I was pregnant.

The doctor said I was not allowed on my skates. Life, moving, college, boys, moving, new careers, moving, and now age have gotten in the way along my lifes path. 

Nearly 40 years later I'm treading into a very familiar, yet oddly new experience. When ya start losing your balance (as we do as we age), skating becomes a new experience all over again. And, my skates were not done yesterday in time for me to enjoy getting on the floor. I grabbed a pair of rentals and at least played for a little while. Well, played is not correct. Trying not to fall is more like it.

But it'll come. 

Back to the quilting end of things. Tuesday was a busy day. Here is what I've been working on the past two days...

Another Tilda

And since I've been long winded this morning I'll just tell you all the blocks in the 9-Patch QAL are done. I just need to get the border in. The last block in the Quilt Room is being constructed and I've got a little less than half done on Lynette's Tilda quilt above. 

Another Visit from Mom?

After working yesterday, which btw, I have two quilts off the Bernini's and two more backs already loaded and getting frame ironed, I had to do the long work on the Quilt Room. The last set of blocks (the banner) needed to have setting blocks and top blocks added.

That section is now done

After working on the Quilt Room I headed over to DW. I spent the rest of the evening marking, and then quilting all the thin sashings and part of the border. While I was over there working I spied my Temperature quilt row hanging out and oh crap, I haven't done that in a few weeks. 

Guess I know what I'll be doing tonight.

Got a text from mom. She'll be over later this afternoon to discuss this bedroom set that's supposed to be coming over here. I believe she's having second thoughts. Which is fine by me. I don't have to rush to get the room ready (new paint). She volunteered the set. I didn't ask for it, but she knew I liked it and wanted to get something new for herself.

Mom visits about three times a year. She doesn't like dogs and we are a little below her housing expectations. She used to bitch about my grandmother tsk-ing our family home when I was growing up. Mom wasn't a great housekeeper back then. Now my mom is doing the same thing to me. Funny, huh?

I have nothing to share on what I'll be working on the machines today because each of them needs one more roll before I can load. 

The Lake is Back!

After nearly 6 1/2 years our lake is finally back. With the rain we received a few days ago, and with the runoff from tributaries and Secord Lake, our legal lake levels have returned. While it has risen a few times during the 6 1/2 year period, we knew it would dissipate in a matter of days; which it did because the gates were wide open still with construction going on. Now we are staying full until 12/1. 

I did spend a little time in the studio yesterday morning/afternoon.

Two new portable design boards

The kids went to a real Octoberfest (in Germany) on Saturday. Aren't they adorable?

In Munich on Saturday

I guess Evie was a hit and the star of the whole show. 

Today I'll be on Marty all day. I don't know if Lynettes quilt will be done today or not. There's still a couple of rolls hanging there and I usually do about a pass and a half a day. 

As Predictated

Zero time was spent in the studio yesterday except to plug in my iPad. Today I'll be out there for a bit because I miss it.

Here's why I was otherwise occupied.

Boiling the cider before packaging

Filling the press hopper

Our water is nearly at summer lake levels

Bailing out the pontoon cover

Family is everything and after talking to the mom of this motley crew (happy face) it looks like each of the kids need a new quilt for their beds. Don't know how many I'll get to before the holiday, but hey, bonus!

It May Be...

I had a call into a skating rink in Midland about my old skates and getting them retrofitted for new boots. The plates, wheels, and bearings are all in beautiful shape. The trucks may be dry rotted and the boots are way too small (I've had these since pre-pregnancy). They were my competition skates and after having children, going back to university, moving, starting new careers, etc., skating was put on the back burner.

But when Jim and I met I told him then I'd be a horseback riding, water skiing, roller skating grandmammy. Well, the horse thing isn't going to happen. I don't think our neighbors would appreciate horses on the property. But the other two, yep, that's doable.

Wednesday morning is the "geezer" skate at the rink in Midland. I need more exercise. I LOVE to skate, and when we go down to Ohio in a few weeks, skating is on the menu with the grandkids. Can't use rentals. No good southerner would ever use instant grits, just like no good skater ever uses rentals.

So, if this pans out, my studio will be closed on Wednesdays. Skating is from 10:30 to noon and we wouldn't get back home until around 1:00. 

Meanwhile, since we had to run to Midland for the skate appointment, we also dropped off the borrowed receiver from our pontoon seller, mailed out some birthday cards, and then got back home after 5:00. 

I did long arm in the morning, but barely got one pass done as I'm into a lot of the lower witch detail. 

I did get this put together after we returned.

Q.U.I.L.T. Banner

Today we have the Lansing grandkids on their way up with their parents. The adults will watch the MSU football game against Wisconsin and I'll be playing with the kids (since I'm not really an adult). 😇

The 'B' family usually stays until the kids' bedtime so very doubtful if I'll get much done in the studio today. I do have to switch out all my back to school decorations with Halloween stuff so I'll get to work on that until they arrive. Which is about an hour or so from now. 

Schedule/Hours Revision

Since I'm 'retiring' in less than two weeks I'm thinking about changing my available hours for customer drops offs/pick ups. What do you think? Which day(s) should I eliminate or maybe hours to cut back?

I don't have to decide yet. Here's some background fill going into Lynette's quilt.

A nice swirl and some pebbles here and there

Two hearts and the 'Q' and 'U'

Once we got home from groceries it was still raining pretty hard and there's nothing to watch on TV on Thursday nights (not that I 'watch' TV), but Jim was going to be busy playing his games so I stayed out and constructed the first couple of blocks for the Quilt Room. 

We're headed to a sale over in Harrison this morning. All fabric $5 a pound. You can get about three yards of fabric in a pound and the math works. Can't pass this up and we'll go over and see what we can find. 

I'll be working this afternoon once we return from town. Oh, and all that rain we got over the past 24 or more hours; the lake is filling up nicely. We are still about a foot or a little more before reaching the summer lake levels but it's starting to look like a lake instead of a lazy river! 😊

The Doug (Dug, Dugg?)

Normal work day yesterday except I knocked off a little early. I took this pic before we left.

A view from our front (back) deck

I wanted to show the Fowler's where the new pontoon was going to 'live' over the summer. Speaking of pontoons, it's now in our yard. Which is why I had to knock off early. Jim wanted to avoid post-work traffic going through Midland with a pontoon boat. 

Home at last

I was pondering all week what to name the pontoon. It's a Bennington. Caleb's FFA advisors last name was Pennington. His first name was Doug. I keep calling the pontoon Doug so I believe that is going to be the name we settle on for the new toy.

Once we got home and settled Doug in the yard (for now) and let the girls out for a bit, I hustled in the studio and was able to get the next set of sashings/borders quilted in and the four blocks above done on the QAL.

Then I started cutting. 

Just a few pieces in the next block

It had been dark for quite some time by the time I left out of the studio. Making up for the couple of hours we were gone maybe?

A very rainy day today (hurray) which makes quilting perfect!