Do You Pretreat?

Sue's quilt is quilted on Marty but yet to come off the frame. Once that's done this morning I'll be turning to Bernie and working on this.

Diane's fourth quilt in the project pile for her

Once work was done yesterday the moving/cleaning started. I was able to get the dresser into the studio with all my under-a-yard cuts in it. It's going to hang out with all the customer quilts waiting in queue.

Once I was done with that for the day (more to come in the following week(s)) I was contemplating starting a new project and then after looking through my bucket list stash finally decided on something. Oh the choices! 

The Quilt Room is still going strong, but I like to have more than one project going at a time and I have nothing else in the works at the moment. Not until I can get to a retreat and get the Flower Power and Cowboy Boots on the wall to get them together correctly.

I do not normally pretreat my fabrics. I used to. I used to prewash and starch all the fabrics I used in a quilt. And then I started using precuts and it's pretty hard to prewash jelly roll strips or 5/10" squares. 

I LOVE Acorn!

And when I started using precuts I stopped the whole prewash/pretreat thing altogether. 

I recently watched a YouTube video about why I should at least pretreat fabrics before delving into a project. Well, I'm still not going to pretreat precuts but I will yardage and a FQ bundle. This next project has me using both and so it's getting the royal treatment. 

I hope it makes a difference because I need to piece pretty tight with Granny Squares by Lori Holt; which is the project I'm marathon cutting for.

I know a lot of quilters who have cutting their fabric at the top of the dislike list. It's actually one of my favorite things to do. I may feel differently after cutting over 700 white pieces and nearly 800 colored fabrics but that's what I started doing last night. Cutting for the next project. 

I also need to make a small design thing so I can lay out my blocks before piecing them together. I'll be working on this at retreat(s) because it's more like assembly line sewing and won't have to really think while making the blocks while gabbing with folks. I've learned my lesson about doing an intense project at retreat. Not a good decision. 

A Few Household Changes

Mom wants to get rid of her bedroom set. Not sure why because it's gorgeous. We are inheriting said bedroom set to include a large dresser, night stand, and a sleigh bed frame and mattress. The situation we have with that is moving the very heavy set. And, I need to rearrange/paint the room.

How is this quilting relate? The other lighter cherry dresser we have in the guest bedroom has all my under a yard fabrics in it. It will need to be moved out to the studio to make room for the other set. Jims 'dresser' (it's very small) will be moved upstairs as will the two mattresses from his downstairs bedroom.

Moms new bed should be here in a few weeks so I have very little time to get all of this done. I think maybe we'll move the fabric dresser tonight?

Anyway, back to the studio stuff. I have this going into Sues quilt on Marty. She wanted very light custom quilting in here so I'm doing a piano key in the border and a continuous curve in every other block in the body. I'm nearly half-way complete. 

Piano key border with cc's in every other block

I cut out and pieced the next block in the Quilt Room. 

Books!

I jumped on DW after I got that finished and am on the last row of Book Nook. Jim is concerned about him moving upstairs in that the girls use that bed to look out the window for incoming visitors. They mash down any dirt they have on their paws and although I have a protective 'cover' on the top of the bed, it's not quite big enough to cover the whole thing.

I guess I need to make another cover and I think Christmas is a good time to do that. We can have all the family long arm something for memories. The current cover is just that. When I first got DW we loaded some fabric onto the machine and let all the grownups play. I'll keep that quilt forever even though it's not finished or correct. But, it's memories. Once we get to this age, that's about all that really matters anymore.

In-Between Weather

It's the time of year when putting on almost winter clothes starts the day, layers get shed throughout the day, and layers reemerge later in the evening. I'm back in a turtleneck under the sweatshirts. I don't shed many clothes knowing in a few hours I'll just have to put them all back on. 

Diana's quilt was finished yesterday morning and here's what I started working on after lunch.

Diane's third quilt

This one is pretty straightforward. The border is a braided block extended to just have ditched and a 1/4" echo inside. The background is a loopy flower but the challenge comes inside with all the white area. That's all embroidered and will need to have ditching done around. 

While I was cleaning up from Diana's quilt and getting the next one prepared for frame ironing, Jim was working on some new thread drawers for me. The beautiful thread containers that were under the pressing table have been relocated to make room for new thread cones. 

Relocation

This pic turned out weird?

I have thread coming out my ears around here, which is great! I need thread in my job and just to have to piece with. 

Speaking of piecing. Since I was sick on the couch Saturday, I didn't work the Temperature quilt blocks at that time. I got caught up on those last night while talking to Andrew.

After having those built and put into the ever growing top, I moved over to DW to work on the Book Nook. One more book row to go. Oh, and hey, that was all three long arms yesterday. Haven't done that in a while. 

The sun was shining in over the back of the top

I was going to continue on but it was approaching 8:00 and I was starting to get a little tired. I got up too early yesterday I think. 

One customer coming to pick up sometime today and I'll be working on Dianes quilt trying to get it finished before the weekend hits. 

A Lost Afternoon

Jim didn't get home from his appointments until nearly lunch yesterday. He wasn't into really starting something because he knew we had to get groceries in the afternoon.

He hung out with me in the studio for a while and I finally said that we should go. Needless to say, Dianas quilt did not get done yesterday. Today for sure it'll be finished.

After we returned home I started making the next block in the Quilt Room since I had cut it out the night before (forgot to mention that yesterday). 

These blocks seem to be getting harder in technique (those knitting needles were not easy) as the progression carries on. 

We have a typical fall week upon us. Colder temps, hit and miss rain showers throughout and very little sunshine. But the leaves are beginning to change and fall and the mum is in full bloom. Jim picked up my pumpkins for the studio porch and I'll need to deal with the white one here soon. 

Just another work day today and beyond that, who knows? I need to get the quilt on DW finished so I can load for the 9-patch QAL that's going on right now. 

What's Taking So Long?

Those who aren't into the whole long arm scene do not know what we do as long armers to actually do their quilts. It's not just putting in stitches. As I've discussed before about the 'after' process, what about the 'during' process other than the quilting?

The first item up is unlocking all the ratchets to actually roll forward. 

After the quilt is rolled it looks like this.

Since this isn't straight and flat this has to happen.

The quilt top is brought up and the batting is smoothed first. Then the top is moved back into position to smooth it out. 

Once that's done and the quilt is squared up on the frame, the side leaders/clamps have to be attached.

And now it's time to baste in both sides after everything is checked and ready to get started.

I baste in at about 1/2". Oops, one more check. All the seam threads need to be pulled in that row.

Now it's ready to start getting more quilting put in. This whole process above takes about 10 minutes to perform. This particular quilt gets a roll for each sashing row and each block row so nine advances on the frame. That's an hour and a half just for rolling each section. 

Remember those little squares I took a pic of yesterday? Well, this is what they turned into last night. And after that I did get all the sections together in the Quilt Room.

Diana's quilt will be finished today if all goes well. Jim is at PT and then the dentist so I'll have a quiet morning. The girls are sulking because he's not here. They'll get over it. 

I May Have Went Too Far

I'm actually feeling worse this morning than I did yesterday morning, but better than Saturday or Sunday morning. I noticed when I came out of the studio last night that I wasn't feeling the greatest.

But, I'm going to continue on today like nothing is wrong. I've got things to do. I'm nearly at the half-way point of the Dresden quilt for Diana. At least it's off the floor this morning. After working I needed to complete the block in the Quilt Room that was started on Saturday. 

I finished the block and have matched it up with the two blocks above. 

Still needs borders, etc.

It still needs to be bordered and the embroidery hoop block will be set in there as well. I wasn't up to wrestling with something big last night. Still kinda achy. 

What's going on here?

Gridding out the interfacing

There is pre-printed interfacing for purchase in increments of your choosing, but it's just as easy (and way cheaper) to make your own gridded interfacing for a smaller project. I would not attempt to do this on something huge. I did that once already and it was a nightmare. 

Here's what went onto the interfacing. 

Hmm?

You'll see later this week what's happening here but I think it's going to turn out well. 

Today will be a repeat of yesterday except for the weather. I should be less apt to squirrel since the weather outside is rainy for now. Yesterday was a beautiful fall day with temps around 70 with the sun shining; who wouldn't squirrel with weather like that?

Summer Cold

I seem to have picked up a small summer cold. I wasn't feeling all that well yesterday but just attributed it to lack of sleep. While I should have gotten more done at 'work', I've only just completed row number one. 

And, I wasn't able to complete my Quilt Room block either.

If I don't finish something before coming out of the studio I know something isn't quite right. 

The kicker about this is that I'm supposed to be at a retreat next week. I can't go if I'm sick and not for my sake, but the other attendees who are there. 

Today is going to be a relax and go slow day. I don't have any high pressured things on my to-do list so I'm just going to take my time at whatever I do and sneak in a nap or two maybe?

Problem Solved

As much as I can't believe I'm saying this but it WAS our bladder tank causing all our water issues. The well guy didn't even head to the well when he arrived but immediately headed to the crawl space to check out the tank. Sure enough, despite what the plumber said, the tank was bad.

So far we have great water pressure, the water smells cleaner (another well guy said it was the bladder tanks that was causing the issue with our smell/salt content), and we are still clearing out all the mud from the days worth of usage without the filter. 

This is what I'm working on right now.

Diana's Dresden

Here is some of the quilting going into Diana's quilt.

The borders to start

Here is what is going into the actual blocks.

Feathers all around

After working well past quitting time I cut out and then pieced the next block in the Quilt Room.

Block #10

I jumped on DW and worked a full row in the Book Nook while I was talking to Andrew on his way home.

I had enough time to cut out for the next block in the Quilt Room before closing up for the night. 

This morning we have to run into town; I'm going to support mom at her art show exhibition and Jim is going to run errands. He'll meet me back at the art show later. I'll work this afternoon after we return and I get back into my comfy clothes. 😀 I remember when I used to like dressing up. It must be my age?

Work After Work

I've mentioned this before. I don't just quilt customer quilts. I have plenty of work to do even before setting needle and thread into their fabric. I have even more work to do after the quilt is quilted even if they don't want me to trim their finished piece. 

One of those 'chores' is removing all the markings. Here is a before and after. 

After

Before

Because this customer wanted cross hatching for the background, the whole quilt was premarked before even loading. Not that I use the marks all the way through (because they become a little off during the quilting process), but they are a road map for me.

After I got done working, Jim announced that last night was the first Spartan football game under the lights at Spartan Stadium. Hmm?

Summer is 'over' since it's Labor Day weekend and the watermelon banner could be taken down. Jim and I made this together. 

That took a few hours to make and then Jim was ready to relax for the day. He wandered out to his man cave. I cut out the rest of the Santa top and got that ready to head to a retreat. I wasn't in a long arm mood so I cut out for the next block in Quilt Room.

I still had a lot of steam left in me so I started putting that block together. Here's the finished block. 

Block eight

Jim and Joe are at a Township/Association meeting this morning. I'll be working on the Temperature blocks until he arrives home and then I'll probably be on DW for part of the day. It's a holiday and I'll wander wherever I want to wander I guess. 

Elderly Parents

Both my parents are still alive. Not well, but alive at any case. Both of them have been in the hospital this week and we're on the phone with Caleb and Lia (in Germany) right now to ask about VA benefits for my dad since he was in the service.

One more day on Diana's quilt (and I'm not stopping until it's done today) and then the rest of the weekend I was planning on playtime in the studio.

Life, however, has other ideas. Tomorrow morning is the bi-annual township meeting. We have neighbors coming up for the holiday. Sunday is a dam picnic to welcome our dam back. After the picnic we have to run to Lansing to spend the afternoon with our kiddo for his birthday. That's just off the top of my head.

Monday is Sunday, so no studio time on Monday. I'm going to try to get in there between obligations on Saturday and Sunday. Who knows?

We had thunderstorms roll  through yesterday afternoon so I put this part of Quilt Room together. After the storms were finished I jumped back on Marty as long as I could until more storms rolled through.

Once done with work for the day, I ended up putting the next three blocks into one on Quilt Room.

Section two!

After that was together I started cutting out a kit mom got for me last Christmas until I started getting tired.

Starting a new cut-out

Happy Labor Day weekend!

I Made It Work

We got these wonderful side lights for Marty and Bernie at the AQS show a few weeks ago. The USB connections for the first power pack were not right so we bought a second power pack yesterday while out getting groceries. I made it work!

I did get some quilting done before heading to lunch with Linda but by the time we got home from West Branch (Jim and I left shortly after I returned home) it was WAY after 4:00 so I started right in on the Quilt Room block and was able to finish it. 

Not quite right

I did mess up making this block. The stars are supposed to be in complete alignment but I found that offsetting them was more pleasing to me. 

Today I'll be working on Diana's quilt some more on Marty, but we have severe weather coming later this afternoon so I'll work diligently as long as I can. From there, who knows?

Artistry

For some reason my brother wanted me to send a pic of the first complete painting my mother made. It was created sometime between my brother and I existing and was finished after we were both born. It's an eerie painting yet was created back when she put her heart into her work. 

She doesn't paint with the same heart or passion any more. It just seems like she rushes through to meet a deadline for an upcoming show. My mother used to be a wood carver and was a national award winner. But her wrists can no longer take the work so she has worked her way back into her oils. 

I have to remind myself that even though I'm behind (eight or more months), I need to maintain my artistic integrity with my customers (and my) quilt tops. I can't be rushing through just to meet a deadline. 

Even though Diana's top is basically all cross hatching, I've still pulled many threads and when I look back on what I accomplished, I will correct things that just don't seem right. It would be too easy to shrug my shoulders and let the mistakes occur (nobody but me would know), but I DO NOT do that. I have too much self-worth and determination to let mistakes exist. At least those that I catch. And I'm always watching!

I'll be on Diana's quilt again today, although only through the morning. I have a meeting/lunch with Linda about our retreat in April as well as the upcoming Shipshewana trip in November. 

I did get a kit cut out last night to take to the retreat in a few weeks, and I worked the block (a little) on the Quilt Room. Nothing on DW. 

Thunderstorms Be Damned

Yep. I heard the thunder. And more thunder. And, then later in the afternoon, a repeat performance. I didn't care. I kept on long arming. I didn't stop or even slow down. I was being daring I guess. 

Here's some of the quilting going into Diana's (I called her Julie yesterday) Flea Market.

A simple cross hatch

It's mostly premarked so you'd think it wouldn't take as long. I wish. The marks are getting rubbed off with me leaning up against them despite my keeping the quilt folded onto itself while I'm working. UGH!

Once I was done working, and since I have all the Flower Power blocks done, I cut out and started making the next block in the Quilt Room. I got those about half done and moved over to DW.

Here's some of the quilting going into Book Nook.

I was going to do a crosshatch in the border, but since I'm getting my fill of that in the Flea Market during the work day, decided to do something a little classic (like books are) and creative (like books are). 

More of the same today. I have a customer coming later today to pick up and possibly drop off but that's about the only change between today and yesterday. Isn't my life exciting?

Planning

Do you recognize this quilt top on Marty?

[Another] Flea Market

Why look, it's another Flea Market. Shocking. After 'pouncing' all the grid work into the top all I had time for in my work day was the first border.

Book Nook

I've obtained a few large panels to make quilts for two of our grandchildren. Jim and I need to get some softener salt and dog food in Standish, and then we're running over to Bittersweet to see what we can get there for those panels (one needs a back, the other needs to have a front built for it). 

We ran to get people food last night and after returning I loaded Book Nook and got a Flower Power done. Those were relatively quick things to do so I started sewing together the next block in the Quilt Room. I did not get it done but will tackle that and hopefully the Temperature quilt blocks I'm in arrears with later today. 

Forgot to Mention

One of the other items I hauled home was a new 24" x 36" cutting mat. Isn't it funny that after about five years, despite my changing blades often and cleaning the mat periodically, I have to replace them?

Here's some more quilting detail on Sandy's quilt...

I worked later last night trying to make up for some lost time with the Germany visitors and the AQS show. I'll do the same on Monday as we are not going to be here Tuesday or Wednesday. More on that later. 

Once I was done on Marty for the day I started in on a Flower Power block and my phone indicated a customer/friend calling (she calls after hours so not to disrupt my quilting zen). How come I get more done when I'm on the phone? Before I knew it, my Flower Power block was done and I was moving to something else.

I glanced under DW and saw my Temperature quilt and realized I hadn't worked that in two weeks. That was interesting trying to get the readings. NOAA has changed its website and it would only bring up snowfall amounts for Gladwin. I don't think we had any snowfall in the past two weeks.

I had to source elsewhere. Aaaannnddd...it's growing!

The backside

I want to get onto DW today to complete the last two weeks' worth of QAL blocks and then I'm going to pull that top off. I have the farmers table runner I finished last week to get on there to get it done for harvest season. 

While I was perusing IG this morning, before getting around for the day, somebody out there reminded us we should be starting our Christmas projects soon. Mom bought me a kit last Christmas to make [another] holiday quilt. I should cut that up and get it ready for retreat in a couple of weeks? I have to get in my retreat bin to see what I have there to work on and whether or not I should be taking something else along. 

If my memory serves me from April, I still have plenty to work in the bin. Here's the thing. The retreat I'm attending in a few weeks is up at The Springs. I've been there and obviously know how things work there. BUT, I'm going knowing zero people. Not. A. Sole. The one friend who was going texted me to let me know she was backing out. Whelp. Either these folks will love me or wish I'd never attended.

The issue I see in the future is that I need a design wall for all things I'm remembering are in that bin. If I get stuck out in the middle of the room I need to have something I can just sew and not need a wall for. I'll go through it today and see where I'm at.

More for Reference

Sometimes I take pictures so I can refer back to them later after advancing the quilt. If a block isn't repeated often, I have a tendency to forget exactly how I quilted it above in the beginning. But, sometimes it's just because I want to capture the texture and beauty custom quilting gives us. 

This time it's for reference. The batting underneath (not my choice in batting this time) doesn't lend a lot of texture but I need pics to reference on this quilt. 

Only four of these blocks

I think there's only four of these too

Once I got done working yesterday, most of the rest of the day was spent with my DIL and granddaughter, although once she went down for the night I was able to get a Flower Power block done.

 

I have a dentist appointment first thing this morning. I'm already showered, laundry is started, beds are made, and the dogs are taken care of. Not sure what we're doing when I get home but work probably won't happen today unless Evie starts taking longer naps.

Talking and Working

Mary's quilt was finished on Marty and now I'm on Bernie working on Virginia's quilt from Primitive Gatherings. While Virginia's isn't a big quilt by any means, it seems those take longer than the others. This is going to be a wall hanging and since there is no continuity between blocks (orange isn't attached to another orange kind of thing) I have to start and stop at virtually every bit of piecing. That's the reason for the long time. And then, of course, there are all those color changes. You get the picture.

After working past quitting time, and while talking to Andrew, I jumped onto Mike to do a Flower Power block and worked these two blocks on DW.

These are turning out so pretty and I'm so sorry I didn't double batt this!

Once we hung up with Andrew I had already cut out the next pieces for the Quilt Room and so started constructing the next block. Here's the result. I love the low volume which isn't usually my jam. 

Only a half day today. I have an eye doctor appointment at 1:30 and after dialating my eyes, chances of me doing much the rest of the day is slim. I already have a sensitivity to light (blue-eyed people do I'm told) but that just makes life a little too bright. 😙