Not Really a FB User

I had to post something on Facebook yesterday about the barking dog. I was so tired all day that I felt like my arms were lead and my head was filled with peach fuzz. 

Somebody must have seen the post because he started barking around 11:30 last night (actually, he'd been barking right along but I wasn't trying to go to sleep yet) and I heard somebody immediately shush him. He tried again a few minutes later but then heard nothing after that. 

I finally got a decent nights sleep with the window wide open and the peace the country offers. Amen! 

The Quilt Diva is finished. The quilt that was being loaded onto Marty was moved over to Bernie. It's a smaller one and I have another June deadline to meet. I know that quilt is bigger so thought while I could, I better get this other one moved. Here's what I'll be working for the next couple of days...

All hand embroidered on velvet

I'm running a cross hatch behind all the hand embroidery but haven't decided yet what I'm putting into the sashing strips. 

Once Jim was home and after he tried to get more rocks (but ended up at my moms) I was done. I had layed in three of the blocks on the quilt above and my eyes and energy just weren't having it. We had a load of black dirt delivered yesterday and now needed to get some grass seed to fix our north hill. We ran into town and when we got back, both of us just didn't feel like doing much.

He was sore from his OT appointment and I was still pretty tired. We moved a few things around in the studio though...

Stitch Happens got replaced with the Make Do and Mend

I wanted these put together because they both have pebbling in the background and the colors compliment each other. Meanwhile, I'm still trying to decide what to do with the strip quilt since I DO NOT want it folded until I can get it hung. 

After we moved stuff, Jim was finished for the day, but I must have had a small last burst of energy. I did a Love Letter block and then finished blanket stitching the cowboy boot I started Friday...

Another beautiful weather day predicted today nearing 80 with not a drop of rain in sight. While I love this dry weather (less mosquitoes) we really, really need some rain. I guess this weekend we are supposed to get some. 

Welcome New Baby Tree

For our anniversary last year, our eldest wanted to get us a new tree. We didn't 'cash' in on that last year, but decided to take advantage this year. We had every intention to put it near the sign by the barn, but changed our minds at the last minute. Our back room gets VERY hot during the summer and this will provide some shade during those scorcher days. 

Here is some more quilting that went into the Tilda Sampler...

I started work very early yesterday morning because I knew we had errands to run in the afternoon. When a customer came to pick up her quilts and right after lunch we headed to Pinconning to deliver Make Do and Mend. From there, groceries, and then to pick out our tree at Barts in Houghton Lake. 

Today will be spent entirely on the Tilda Sampler. Jim looked to see if I could get the strip quilt onto Bernie and perhaps work on that tonight, but it's too big. I received a call from Gall yesterday and they have looked at DW and are ordering a new circuit board and something else I don't remember. He won't be back for a few weeks I'm guessing but the repairs should be under $1K. Yay! 

Make Do And Mend

It's done! Make Do and Mend is ready to head to Bittersweet for their Tilda event in a few weeks. Here's the issue-I made this quilt specifically to hang on the studio wall. Like the Produce Section quilt currently hanging, it's never been folded. There are zero creases and I'd like Make Do and Mend to stay the same way.

I think we may roll it to get it to the shop today and hopefully they'll honor my wishes to not fold it. 

Above are a few more blocks going into the Tilda Sampler I'm working on Marty which I'll continue to work all day today.

I had a customer stop by yesterday to drop off a top and to have me look over a few of her patterns for editing prior to her putting them out there for sale. She and her husband were here for about an hour. I worked another hour or so on Marty and then got right into working on Make Do.

It took the rest of the evening to get it trimmed, bound, and labeled because I couldn't just make a simple label. I actually made one of the spool blocks to use as the label so it would be cohesive to the quilt. 

I haven't made a label in so long I forgot what I should have put into it. After putting the quilt over DW's belly bar, I remembered I forgot to put the city and state in there so I'll have to do that first thing this morning. 

Lots going on in the neighborhood today. The north neighbors have construction people over trying to get their drainage fixed and their flood damage taken care of from a few weeks ago. The south neighbors are getting their barn lumber delivered and the guy is out at the road trying to figure out how to unload his semi with all their stuff. Wheeee!

Plans Cancelled

Apparently dates and days were confused yesterday so our outing has been rescheduled for May 12th. That means I was here all day working. Which is good. I got a lot done since I started so early anyway.

The Tilda Sampler has been started and here's some of the quilting going in...

Not all the pics are wanting to come in so we'll post more tomorrow. I'm keeping this one a little more loose than previous ones as this is a gift for a granddaughter. I want her to be able to snuggle with it. After working on this I moved over to Bernie to work on Make Do and Mend...

And it's quilted! I had some great lighting coming in through the west window to give the texture effect. Now I need to bind and label. Maybe tonight?

More on the Tilda Sampler today and I might get to sew something tonight since I really haven't in almost three weeks. Well, except for making the backing/batting for the pillow top for Carrie. 

Another No Yesterday

I had another call for what would have been a new customer and I sent her to nether regions to get her quilts quilted. It was hard to say no; I like to please people. But my feet and back are starting to really fire up in protest about the hours I'm working.

Here is some more quilting going into Carries Tulips... 

After my 9:15 left yesterday morning I started right in and worked very diligently on this quilt. Jim was even gone most of the day working outside or recycling metal so he wasn't here to distract me. Yet, I've just started row four. 

I jumped on Bernie for a few hours after 5:00 when I quit customer work. I have row four all 'colored' in and now have the background/sashing to get quilted. 

Today is going to be much of the same. On Marty I'll work rows four and five and on Bernie row four will hopefully be background filled. 

I Said No!

I had an inquiry yesterday about some quilting a new customer needed. I actually referred them out to another long armer. I just can't take in any more business. My feet and back are saying no.  

Here's a little quilting going into Carries Tulips quilt on Marty...

Getting the two borders in

I'm doing an every other checkerboard in the sashing between each of the blocks. I did a lot of unsewing yesterday...

It's supposed to be every other!

And the rest of the week is going to be spent on working this quilt during the day. As much as I told myself I wasn't going to get nuts with it...well...that didn't work out so well. I have a bamboo batt in there and that gives me permission to lay down more thread. And, even though it's local, this is going to be in a show. 

After working on Tulips well past 'quitting' time, I moved over to Bernie to work on Make Do and Mend. I have row three completely in! Actually, I've started all the mint in the top of row four and did that while talking to our son in Ohio. Speaking of sons...

This one received his promotion to First Lieutenant this morning in Germany!

The whole family!

I'm so proud to have a military son. Of course, I'm prior military so maybe I'm a little bias? 

Updated Web Site

After finishing the quilt on Marty and working on mine on DW, I finally sat down and (re)worked my web site. Its original intention has changed now that I'm beginning to wind down so I needed to modify it so not to encourage new business.

While at retreat last week I did a few short demonstrations/clinics about long arm quilting, when to get custom, and how to work borders. The Tulip quilt was using the techniques I subscribe to and look at how flat the border lays as well as how straight it is...

ALL borders should be like this and if you think you're going to kid your long armer about not measuring or using mitered piecing in your borders, they WILL know. It introduces all sorts of issues in the long run.

Jim and I are off to Midland to attend the quilt show and get a few groceries he missed when shopping local earlier this week. I'll work on DW later this afternoon/evening and get Diane's quilt on Bernie marked out for an E2E design I'm putting in on Monday.

Congrats Sandford Dam

Sanford Dam (two lakes away) has cleared its inspection and can now start to refill. With last nights rain it won't take long to refill it. Ours is past winter lake levels and heading towards summer heights. Unfortunately, it won't last long as our dam is still wide open. 

Here's some more quilting going into both the quilts on Marty and Bernie...

Lori Holts' Tulips

Tildas Make Do and Mend

The third row is complete on Marty. The quilt on DW has the third row started. Fact: Pebbles take a lot long to work than any other motif to quilt.

I have a dentist appointment first thing this morning. Jim is going in with me to set out moms recycling as she is up north right now just taking a few days to relax and travel. Man that woman loves to run the roads. 

Once I return from town I'll be back at the Tulip quilt all day. Yesterday was another 11 hour day and I'm paying for it. The rain and my deadline worries had me up until 4:00 this morning. I'm exhausted and my feet/knees are screaming. But, I must persevere. That's what got me through basic training, baling hay, and raising three rambunctious boys. 😀

More T-Storms

We were watching the season finale of The Voice and even over the loud TV, rumble, rumble, rumble. They lasted until after 1:30 and the lightning show was wild.  

Another 11 hour day yesterday. Six+ on Marty and another almost four on DW. The second row in Bernadettes quilt is done and I started working the next sashing before shutting Marty down for the day. Here is some of her quilting going in...

Sashing and border treatment

I did not get the second row finished on DW. I had to pick substitute threads from the So Fine! to the Glide so that took some time. And, then while I was working the piece, did not like some of the substitutions and had to make several trips back and forth to the thread cabinet to find suitable replacements. I only have the pearl and mint to get into the background, but at 8:00 I was pretty tired. 

Jim was sick yesterday morning. He used to have juvenile epilepsy and strobe lights/erratic lightning will cause him later issues. We watched the lightning the previous night and yesterday he was dizzy and very nauseated. He went back to bed and slept until nearly lunch time. 

Lucy was not happy. She sat outside his bedroom door waiting for him to get up; she even got sick mid-way through the morning I think from worry. Dogs know this stuff about their owners. 

She certainly is his dog. More rain expected today but hopefully no thunderstorms. Our lake is nearly as high as it was two weeks ago and if we do get more rain, I'm sure it will be the fullest it's been in six years. Unfortunately, our gate is wide open and the depth will diminish as soon as the rains stop. 

Happy 41st Anniversary

It's been a ride for sure and we're still in this rollercoaster of late. We'll make it together; we always do.

This is another marked day; Caleb went back to work today after a three-month paternity leave. Ben started a new job today after being off for six+ months. I have the start of my long arm marathon due to deadlines so I'll be working mega hours both on customer stuff and my own.

I worked yesterday on DW and while I noticed him getting a little weird Saturday, yesterday he was really being a dork. Skipped stitches while making pebbles. My pebbles were looking awful because I was looking for skipped stitches instead of where I was supposed to be going. Here's some of the quilting going into the Make Do and Mend top...

While playing with the dogs this morning the computer and printer power was shut off. So, now my Mac is acting all stupid. The neighbors had the propane truck get stuck in their drive already. Hopefully working today will turn out better than it's starting. 

Working Seven Days a Week

I'll be working every day until these deadlines are met. People don't realize that when they stick me with a quick turn-around deadline it puts a lot of pressure on me. I'm not 20 anymore and to work seven days a week takes its toll. I now understand why folks are getting out of this profession.

Even though I'm 'working' seven days a week, some of that work is for my quilts since they are being asked to be put into shows/seminars/workshops. But I still have to stand and hunch and stoop and bend to get my quilts quilted as well. 

Yesterday I unloaded the strip quilt, set it in the guest chair, and loaded the Tilda Make Do and Mend top...

Make Do and Mend

I've already got all the colors quilted in because I knew when I was building this top what I was going to put in there. However, the pattern designers long armer did some really tight matchstick quilting in the background and that's just not what I want to put in. 

I'm going to put squares on point in the border as well as the sashing strips across each row. I think I've settled on a background fill I can live with but as always, once the needle is set in, the decision may change. 

Oh, I have a TV in the studio now. Moms basement flooded with the last heavy rains we received and she had a brand new one in the basement whose box got wet. She asked if I wanted it but couldn't guarantee it would work. 

Well, it's a few years old so the technology isn't up to today's standards. It does indeed work, it's connected to the WIFI but not the cable, and I can stream movies and programs for background noise instead of music all the time. I can't really watch it because it's above the batting closet way up in the air, but that was not its intended purpose anyway.