A Whirlwind of Activity...and then Not

Saturday was filled with family, food, and fun. We opened presents, ate too much, and listened to the grandkids squeal and laugh as they played throughout the house after gifts were finally all opened. We played cards, caught up on life, and even talked to Caleb and Lia in Germany for a bit. 

The house was abuzz from 9:00am to 9:30pm and we were pooped once everybody headed home. Oddly enough, neither Jim nor I had a good nights sleep afterwards. Yesterday, which is our norm anyway, was spent just chilling in the living room while listening to it rain and freeze some more while watching holiday movies.

Here are a few things I received from "Santa" this year...

ACORN! A whole gallon!

A new kit to work

That's all the quilting things I received. I'm so thankful to have family remember me during the giving season but I I love to see the faces of others that I gift/give special things do. 

Here's the B family rounded up quickly on the couch...

The B's

The A's are supposed to be up today for their Christmas (post influenza A), but after all the rain/freeze yesterday, and today we have snow/high winds, they may not make it up until tomorrow. Mom doesn't really want to venture over here in the weather today. 

I'll probably be trying to work today since I've got a customer quilt that needs to get finished on Bernie. I may also work some more on DW (Produce Section) or piecing some more on AWAT. 

Stick to What You Know

These projects were labeled "easy" and I guess sewing just isn't my thing. I'm glad to have taken the day out to construct these, because it literally took me until 3:00 yesterday to get them done. 

Ready for under the tree

They are cute, and they turned out nice, but they were NOT easy. And, I was not having fun doing them.

After I cleaned up from that project, I headed in the direction I'm most comfortable to head in...

Produce Section

Remember this quilt top from about a year ago? It's time to get it quilted! I love, love, love this quilt top and am sparing no expense in getting it finished. I purchased a good quality backing from MSQC and am putting bamboo batting into it. It will most likely get used during the summer months and bamboo is a little thinner than the wool.

I've already started in on it. The pics on-line have an E2E in it with just a lot of straight lines, but I want to be able to change threads and give each piece of fruit individualized attention; the attention they deserve because putting them together was a bear.

I'm going to work on Bernie this morning, I'll wrap some gifts after lunch, and then I'll be on DW playing for the rest of the day. It's what I love to do and aside from piecing together blocks, it's my favorite quilting activity. It's probably a good thing since I have three machines to do it with. Merry Christmas Eve, Eve. 

Cleaning up the Messes

Here's the quilt I'm working on Bernie...

The next holiday project

Here is a little of the quilting going into the borders...

Some of the quilting

After working until around 5:00 last night, I was at a good stopping point (bobbin ran out) and I then moved over to DW. I finished the table runner that was on him, but didn't get it off the frame as of yet. I have my reasons.

I proceeded on with my two BOW's and here's the results...

Too stinken' cute

I'm a little concerned about my fabric availability on the next two blocks. The background white is getting pretty darn low and don't think I'll have enough to finish with that particular fabric. ????

What I thought was only one quilt to get borders on, discovered there's another one below that one to also get borders on. Well, at least one was completed...

Life IS better at the lake

Since I don't have a BOW to work on tonight, the second top requiring a border should be able to be completed. However, we were on the phone last night with the B's and that lasted until almost midnight. Jim and I were both up at 5:45 this morning turning over last nights conversation so I'll be pushing through the day on sheer fumes.

And, I have two customers coming today to drop off; one this morning first thing and another later this afternoon. Customer presence seems to wear me out more than it used to. Not sure why? Age maybe?

The Older I Get...

...the more the messy studio bugs me. I have projects laying around all over; binding that Jim is working on, my two BOW's, a top I didn't get borders on, a Laura Heine I'm working on for my brother, and the petals for the quilt I want to make entirely on DW. I'm sure there are more, but this is just off the top of my head. 

I think once the BOW's are done, I'll have to start getting things completed. 

This just arrived yesterday...

A challenge for next year

The girls in the Wisteria Room at Shipshewana had three of these hanging. Two were complete, and one came home with me to be quilted. Then they said they were having a challenge for next year to bring one of these completed. Challenge accepted! Because, you know, given what I'm complaining about, need something else to do. Lol!

After getting (not Rae's) but Sue S.'s quilt off Marty I found the next holiday quilt that needed to be loaded and got started right away in frame ironing. 

After getting that going I worked a little on the table runner on DW. I put this into the center rather than what I did in the previous customers' quilt...

A little more 'controlled'

I still have the outer border on the table runner to do, but the rest is complete. I moved over to the sewing table and worked on my BOW's. I actually cut for the remaining four barns/houses around the pieced block, which is why these didn't get done last night...

Aren't they cute?

Hopefully tonight I can finish those two up because on Friday there is another one to be delivered. Today I'll be working on this holiday quilt on Bernie...

This is actually Rae's

While this isn't a huge quilt, the notes I took when she delivered it for quilting are pretty extensive. Code for time consuming. Meh, it's what I love and that's okay. 

Cheaper is not Always Better and Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Ya know, I've noticed a few of my what used to be customers not returning to me for quilting services. Which is fine. I know people move, leave this earth, or find somebody who was less expensive.

Story time.

My middle son, Ben, is a DM for a very large landscaping/snow removal company in the Lansing and Grand Rapids area. They lost an account last year to a competitor for what they can only perceive as a less expensive amount. The customer called earlier this week (even though commitments are already made for this upcoming snow season) to have Snelling come back. Snelling is the company Ben works for. They didn't get the service they were used to with Snelling and were disappointed in some of the other issues they had with the "new" company.

Less is often times not more.

I am passionate about what I do and I try to make it as right as I can. I ask questions when a top is dropped off to get the most out of whatever expectations the customer has as the end result. I get customer reactions when a finished quilt is picked up and try to gauge whether they are truly in love with what I did.

Just because somebody is less expensive may not always fit what is needed or even wanted. But that's business, and I get it. I can't be the end all-be all here, but it would be nice if honesty was presented to me in why you've left me as your long armer other than moving, death, or expense. I had one customer blatantly ignore me in a quilt shop because she had stopped coming to me earlier this year. I found out why two days ago by another customer in a round about way. Sadly, at our January retreat, she will not give me the real reason why she's stopped having me do her quilts, but I now know the truth.

Enough of story time. I worked on Debs quilt a bit yesterday morning. None on Dianes. The afternoon was spent in the kitchen and in the evening we were back to fetch mom from the hospital for another A-fib situation. I did get these put together somewhere in there...

Pears!

I'm loving this Produce Section quilt! Each of the four blocks are entirely different and I don't feel like I'm assembly line piecing. Or cutting.

Nervous

Hazel, my huge golden doodle is a very nervous dog. She likes routine and especially likes music. During our power outage she knew something was wrong. She threw up, had very loose stools and was doing a lot of hiding and pacing. 

Today, now that things are back to normal, she's up on the loft bed taking a morning snooze. 

I didn't have music playing because we had to conserve the battery life on our devices. And I didn't shower. Or, make the bed. Or, do any laundry. She knew. and while this is a blog about quilting, Hazel is a huge part of the process because she comes in to give my eyes a break and to stretch and get a drink of water when she wants loves and pets. 

Here's the east side of their new pen...

Half of their new pen

And that was another change she had to deal with shortly before the power outage. I'm so attached to this dog it's kind of scary.

One customer came to pick up yesterday. I'm not expecting anyone today. Hopefully I'll get Colleens quilt finished on Bernie and then I can start on Mary's on DW. I need to make up for lost time this week and I'm starting to feel the pinch a little. 

Nails this morning and then right back here to get to work. No loafing in town today or running to Pieces. Happy Labor Day weekend. 

No Pics Today

Sorry, didn't take any pics yesterday. Probably because I'm still working on Sherry's quilt. Some take longer than expected. We spent most of the afternoon running errands (mailing a quilt, groceries, etc.).

Jim's at a Small Lake Association meeting this morning and I've just spent the morning in the kitchen making food for the kids' visit later today. I'm heading into the studio right now to do something. Don't know what, but something. 

Maybe work on some bags since it'll be easy to interrupt when everybody gets back or maybe get on the big machine for a bit to work more on Sherry's quilt. We'll see what inspires me. It's a holiday weekend and basically it's a do-what-you-want kind of weekend. 

Solitary

Jim likes to watch that program called Alone. I see these people living out in the wild with no human contact for up to 100 days. Just the land, the animals, and their video equipment to play with. I often feel just like them.

While Jim is here during the evening hours, he's out hunting or working in the studio. Not a real conversational moment. I try to get him to let me help so that we can at least have some interaction, but he's kind of at a solo point (at least for a while) and doesn't need me getting in the way. And I get that. 

I'm not feeling sorry for myself. In all actuality, it's rather peaceful. But the upcoming holidays will be a welcome change and I'm going to relish all the chaos when it does finally get here. 

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

This is the Christmas rush

I'm going to let the ProStitcher run this one. I know I could probably run through it faster, but I'm going to work on Virginia's while this is stitching out. Two birds/one stone. Happy Monday. 

Getting Ready for Our Turkey Day

I've been cleaning like a madwoman all morning. The family starts arriving later this afternoon. I'm going to load both long arms this morning and then start food prep right after lunch. 

While Jim was out stringing lights yesterday, I made this cute pillow/pin cushion...

From the Farm Girl Vintage 2 book by Lori Holt

Once that was completed, I moved on to this...

???

When unrolled, it's a traveling silverware set. It's green friendly since now I'll never have to worry about plastic silverware. Not that we go out a lot. 

Just insert a set of silverware

That didn't take long to make and decided I could get the "cats" done before it got dark.

Yammy Cat and Pod Cats

Not a great pic, but you get the idea. They're adhered down to the surface but not yet blanket stitched. I'll work on those over the next few weeks. 

From there I moved onto starting something new. I bought a kit at the "yard sale" at Shipshewana and while rummaging through the studio, found it and started that. Everything is cut and now I'm piecing together...

Working from the center outward

And that's about all of my day yesterday. I surprise myself at how much I can accomplish in the studio when I don't have to "work". But I really did miss working on the big machines.

What a Perfect Weekend

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". 

Bag Two

Bag Three

And my new chair is labeled

And I started a new project yesterday after finishing bag #3. But, it's logistically Monday here in the studio and that means a regular work day. I'll continue on with Monica's third top today. Here's some of what's going into it already...

Nice!

Tonight, I should probably start packing the trailer with some of the barest of necessities; sweatshirts, a coat, extra things like that. Jim pulled it up to the house on Saturday and what. a. mess! We had a mouse get in, give birth (in the stack of extra pillows in the shower), and then died while having complications with the next little mouse. Her and her new baby were dead next to each other along with all of their bodily fluids. 

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?

Decision

I had to make a decision (and struggled with it all weekend) about whether to not "work" during the holiday. I know I'm still so busy and taking time off goes against every ounce of my being, but I needed a reset. I needed a day to just play in my studio rather than work. I needed to get my head cleared and give my back a little rest.

Here's what I started instead of long arming...

My First Block

Of this pattern

The kids in Washington state got me a lovely fat quarter bundle. I'm making this wall hanging for them for their spare bedroom when they get back home in July/August. I love to paper piece and this is a challenging one for sure. At one point, Jim actually came in and helped me un-sew some pieces I constructed incorrectly. 

I have a start on the second bed but alas, today is a work day, and so I'll get back into Tina's Cardinals and back onto the long arm at least for the next eight hours. If the girls behave (and Lucy is figuring out how to do this) I may get to construct more on the second bed tonight. 

No Quilting Stuff?

Not much over the weekend. Other than coming out and showing mom what I was working on this week, there was not a single thread laid. 😞

Here's some of what we did see throughout the weekend...

It's planting season

Beautiful Clematis

A gift mom gave me for Moms Day

I have a customer coming today to pick up and it's a beautiful, sunny, warm spring day. I might be able to get the studio windows open to work later. Haven't had that capability since last October. 

Sad But True

I hate saying goodbye. I don't know anybody who really does actually.

The last of the kids left just a bit ago and while tears are streaming down my face for the recurring emotional departure, a part of me breathes a sigh of relief for a successful holiday season. Nobody was put in the hospital and all seemed to enjoy being and sharing together.

And then there's that part of me jumping up in excitement. Certainly not because the kids are gone. No, I miss them already and will continue to worry about them until I see them again.

The excitement is for what comes later this week. Quilt Camp!

Yes, there is such a thing. Where quilters, crafters, and artists get together for four days to talk about the holidays. the successes, the not so successes and all that goes with the season.

It's a way for the ladies (because I haven't seen a guy come yet) to reward themselves for the preparations and work needed to ensure all the friends and family who come during the holidays are well received and have a good time. It's a way to unwind from the holiday and gear up for our quilting months ahead. It's a way to catch up with old friends to see what their lives have been like over the past year. And, it's a way to pack on those needed 20 pounds to get us through the upcoming winter, because we eat like nobodies business while we're there.

Here's my pile waiting to get put into the Jeep.

Waiting for Camp

The studio was basically tore down during the holiday's to make room for the 12 of us to sleep. I have plenty to do in here to make it all better again and to give it a test drive to make sure it is functioning as I want it to prior to leaving for camp. And, believe it or not, I received a customer top to work on the long arm.

Oh, and my brochure needs a  little updating. So, since I'm off work, I'll take advantage of the quiet house for the next two days and look forward to camp in the meantime.

From my family to yours, we wish you a Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year!

The DeGroot Family