Am I Doing Okay?

Here's the hand embroidery I got done while visiting with family and during visiting and the auction. I probably could have finished even the big one had the days not gotten so darn hot and humid. We are unpacking the trailer right now and I may or may not end up in the studio later today??? 

I'm still new at this and I'll look back on these in years to come thinking I could have done much better. But like my long arming it'll take time to perfect. 

When I'm Bored

Going to the reunion creates a lot of "dead" space in my day. Well, it didn't use to because we were in charge of everything, but like tonight is our personal camp site set up which doesn't only take us a few hours. The rest of the night we visit with other family members that have arrived.

When I'm between those "dead" spaces in my day I graze. Whatever I can get my hands on goes in my mouth. I feel nauseated by bed time from all the foods I've eaten, and I vow the next day not to do the same thing, but do I? Nope.

The other problem I have is sitting for long periods of time. I have to be moving. When we visit with folks, it's just sitting there. Talking. And sitting. And talking. And sitting some more. I needed something to take with me to keep me busy while we are visiting.

I have some hand embroidery work to do on the Quilt Room pattern and I thought I'd get a jump on it. I did not have the DMC floss colors needed and instead of trying to paw through my crap, I just purchased some quick items to make the weekend a bit more interesting.

Ready for the weekend

I have been watching a few embroidery tutorials and I have found several areas where I've been doing this hand work hobby incorrectly. Hopefully I'll have better success this weekend. 

See you on Tuesday! 

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! 

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. 

No Phone Calls

All last week I received zero [new] phone calls. I guess all I need to do is close for a few days and that'll drum them up. I had four calls/text messages on the work phone when I checked it just now.

I did run to Pieces of Thyme on the way over to the reunion site to purchase the Prisma Ink Tense pencils for the Helen Godden quilt I'm starting. Her prices were even less than Amazon!

Did I mention we are in charge of the physical side of the reunion? Here's Friday as we are setting up and getting ready for everybody to arrive. 

Setting up the tables/awnings/canopies

We occupy 16 or so campsites during the weekend. Here are a "few" of the family enjoying lunch on Saturday...

Enjoying the food

We counted 63... just a little family. 

Cleaning up will continue later tonight, but we did the bulk of it when we got home yesterday afternoon. And then we crashed. It's becoming harder on us as we get older but nobody wants to take it over. We try every year to pass it on but so far, no takers. 

Back to quilting stuff now that we are done with that for another year. I have two quilts to remove from frames this morning, calls to return, and new quilts to get loaded back onto the guys so my work day here is going to be a busy one, which is not much different than what we just had to do. Oh, except here I'm in the nice A/C. 😁

Closed Today and Tomorrow

We are heading out of here right after lunch; the new owners have a 2:00 check-in time which, in my book, is purely stupid. Mostly everything is packed and I'm snugging up any last minute things as I think of them. 

Here's another pic of Joyces quilt as I was working on it yesterday...

The petals

This was finished as business closed last night. 

I'm going to make a detour over to Pieces of Thyme on my way over to the campgrounds to see if they have the Ink Tense pencils I'm looking for. Meanwhile, this weekend is anything but a vacation for us, so I'll have lots to tell on Monday. Happy weekend for the rest of the world. 

Shopping Day

Today is supposed to be the day we run to Midland and get all the food/supplies for the reunion. It's pouring and it's supposed to do this most of today and tonight. Shopping may have to wait until tomorrow morning.

Here's some of the quilting that went into Dianes quilt...

Doing some echoing

The side pieces received echos while the center pieces received a cross hatch. This quilt is coming off the frame today after all the marks are removed.

Joyces quilt instructions were to "quilt the snot out of it with swirls". Here's what's going into her quilt...

The petals are receiving a different treatment

I'm about 1/3 of the way done with Joyces quilt and after working until well after 4:00 I started in on Foster and got two rows done on Twirly...

Can you even see anything?

Here's something new I tried yesterday; pre-wound bobbins. I had a box of cream colored bobbins I purchased eons ago and was waiting for the right backing to use them with. They are being used in Joyces quilt and I must say, a bit hit! 

I did have to do some tension adjustments in the bobbin case, but after getting that dialed down, it was pretty much smooth sailing from then on. I'm going to continue to test these out and I may be a convert. 

I worked on the sit-down machine after around 7:00. I got block 10 completed and am working on block 11. I'd love to take this machine with me and work on it while camping. Wouldn't that be fun?

I'll be knocking off work at the normal time tonight since I have a LOT of reunion stuff yet to do and tomorrow afternoon is pull-out day. The new owners said we can't check in until after 2:00. The old owners would let us check in even before noon if nobody was on our lot. So far new owners, 0, old owners, 1. 

Packing

I started cleaning and loading the trailer up this morning. It's pretty gross out there, weather-wise, so that's about all I'm going to do for now. And honestly, I'm about as far as I can go at the moment. 

Here's what I'm working on DW today...

Diane's beautiful EPP and hand embroidered quilt

Pics of the quilting tomorrow. The other two machines are loaded as well. Here's what's on Bernie...

Joyce's Dahlia

I've done a few of these previously and she would like it quilted to death, and with the wool batt it's going to turn out beautifully. IF I get to it before leaving.

Here's what's on Foster...

Another Twirly top

If you look the blog a few days ago, you'll find a mini version of this quilt. This is a more wild and larger version and wow do I love making these! This is actually getting "piece specific" quilting in it. Don't know how much the camera will pick up on what I'm doing, but I'll try.

After long arming all day and into the early evening, I turned my attention to the pillow off of Foster. Here's the finished product, complete with a zippered back...

Not a great pic, but the idea is there

I used all my batting scraps to make the insert, so it's pretty poofy and full. Once that was finished I started on the Helen Godden alphabet blocks. I did a test run on "Z" and I'm not sure if the InkTense blocks are going to cut it. What do you think?

Using the blocks instead of the pencils

I don't own a set of the pencils, and I'm thinking, for the inside portions, I need a little more control. I haven't "washed" them down yet, so the colors will be more vibrant when I do that after the stitching out. Maybe I'll get to that tonight?

Another Project (Done)

The Twirly quilt is quilted and bound. 

Ready for a class sample

Once I finished that I started another little project I picked up from Bittersweet last week...

Love it!

This is already on the long arm and I'm hoping to get some quilting done to it today. It's going to be a giant pillow with which I'm going to try my hand at a zippered envelope back. Never attempted one of those before. 

After loading this last night, my gears shifted (again) to this project...

a Helen Godden pattern

This is going to be for sit-down work, but all the letters need to be traced out first on fabric before any stitching can commence.

This morning I was (once again) on the roof. Our Amish guy finally decided to get out of the hay fields and make our metal for the porch...

Getting the metal on top

It started getting hot out there so I'm glad this wasn't a day-long type of project. It looks so much better than the ice melt/tar paper that's been hanging on for a month or better. 

More fun studio work during the warm part of today. Tonight, when the sun settles down a bit in the horizon, it's time to start working on the trailer and getting ready for reunion. I only have tonight, Monday and Tuesday to work out there because we have family coming over Wednesday after work. And we leave Thursday. I just hope the initial inspection proves our mouse eradicator worked and I don't have all of that to deal with. 

Pro Stitcher Designer Update

DW on performance enhancing drugs. That's what the update was all about I think. I actually had to call Handi Quilter about why DW was going berserk. The tech laughed and then explained about a new feature called Stitch Optimization and how it works. Well, it works all right and I did a fairly large baby quilt (Jills) in under 2 hours. 

 Here's what's on the frame today...

Paulette's first top from the latest drop off

Isn't this quilt just the cutest? I'm getting some real dolls in here lately and this one is no exception. It will receive an E2E later today. Later because I have a flash and smash appointment in another hour or thereabouts so won't be available to quilt until I get through that.

My physical yesterday was okay. Labs came back a little high in some things and lot high in my Triglycerides. The tech called today on behalf of my physician and said I'm to reduce my fats, oils, and fried foods for three months. If the number doesn't drop meds may be introduced into my life. Nope. I'll eat healthy for a little while and see what we get. I don't do meds well at all!

After DW did his steroid stitching, I was able to get the blocks put together on the Happy Camper top.

Happy Camper top

I'm going to border this out with random remnants of what's left in the fabric pile from making the blocks, after I run a colorful thin border to separate and frame the top. This quilt is going to reside in our RV and if the reunion folks want a quilt to auction next year (I'm not going to make a special one like I usually do next year), then I'll grab this one and see what it fetches. 

Until tomorrow...happy quilting!

A Week Out of My Life

As I sat down to Blog today, noticed it had been a full week since I was in here working. Our DeGroot reunion was a smashing success. Perfect weather. Perfect pranks. Perfect food. The only thing that wasn't perfect was my ability to sew and instead run my bum off for six days straight. The positive side to all of it is my shorts fitting a little looser. 

But after all the dust settled, the RV was tucked away for another year, the numbers were crunched, the washing was done, the house getting back to normal, stole a few hours last night to get the Painted Ladies together and ready to head to the long arm.

The Painted Ladies ready for the long arm

I'm so excited because I think I have one more WIP to work and then I can begin something new. Which is a good thing because while we were away at reunion, my Cotton Cuts postcard came in the mail about the mystery quilt I signed up for. It begins in a few weeks. 

I'm having a conversation with a family member right now and it involves the quilt I donate each year for the reunion. While the quilt was basically being given away (it went for $150) my heart was just torn. The two people who requested this particular quilt didn't even bid on it and I think this last year was the last quilt the reunion will see for a while. 

Long arming today on Town and Country and I should be able to get it off the frame. I received a customer quilt over the weekend so that will need to go on next. And then I'll be digging that WIP out to work on later. 

Feeling Almost Myself

This morning finds it snowing outside, but my fuzzy, snowy head seems to be clearing away. I nearly feel whole again. 

I pushed through that feeling yesterday and finished quilting the Cross quilt. It's still on the frame waiting for me to make binding for it, but it's quilted nonetheless.

And I was digging through my bag of tricks for something to start. The scrap thing I started two nights ago just isn't doing it for me. The four blocks I made will be a throw pillow...or something else. Then I found my raffle winner from last years retreat.

Linda McGibbon From Lakeview Quilting donated this pattern

The first star, located in the upper left hand corner was block one (It's a block of the month kinda pattern). Here is my rendition.

Block One

I think I have enough scraps in my batik bin to be able to do most of this without having to go out and purchase a whole heck of a lot. Except the background, which I'll need to run over and get tomorrow maybe?

Music and (Free) Motion

I forgot how cool it was to slip on those headphones, dial up the volume just a mite, and grab the long arm to work some free motion motifs. I was having a ball.

And then Jim got home and we had to go get his truck. Once home, I had lost my oomph and started baking cookies instead. 

DeGroot Reunion Quilt (Cross Quilt)

Here is part of what is going into the Cross Quilt.

A hook swirl with respective thread changes in each of the colors

In the white/lights I'm putting a simple meander, in the burgundy around the cross I'm putting a wandering square, and in the center, woodgrain.

I arrived past the half way point before we took off. Since this is my last day of quarantine, I need to get this completed. Today. Customer quilts have to get started tomorrow. 

But, I'm still dealing with some fuzzy head and Katie said some people experience this for months. I'm just going to have to deal with it and move along. I wonder if it has something to do with my lack of taste/smell?

Here are the yummy molasses cookies made later yesterday. Well, I think they look yummy anyway. I can't really taste much of them. 

Yum!

Aaannnddd...it's a quilt! Wow it felt good to get back on the machine!

U.S.A.

After completing the U.S.A. quilt I moved along to the DeGroot Reunion Cross. Section 13 is built. Sections 14-16 are set up and ready to be pieced. I'll work on those today.

Sections 12, 15, and 16

We have a freezing mist coming down right now and the roads are treacherous. Jim came back home this morning after attempting to get to work. It's just not safe currently.  

I'm debating on how safe it would be to start customer quilts. I'm itching to get back into them but want to maintain the safest possible situation for my customers. They will certainly understand my waiting. I don't know that I have enough time to load any more of mine since all the tops left in the tote are large to huge sizes.

This means I'm at about a two-day stand still with the long arm. Again. Hmmm?? I'll think about this why I'm piecing these sections together this morning.