Happy Easter

Remember me saying yesterday we are having bad smells coming from the new water heater? Smells like rotten eggs and after today's shower, this proves we have sulfur being released from the anode rod in the water heater...

Not supposed to be this color

My ring(s) are usually very bright silver. That's Jims project while I'm gone next week. While I know eggs are associated with Easter, this is taking it a bit far.😉

I did my strip block yesterday. I started two pineapples, and in between all of that I was packing. And making Jim his anniversary gift; a stool cover/pad for his stool out in the studio. 

I keep thinking of little things here and there to grab (vitamins, acorn fabric treatment) and am putting them in their respective places/piles while making this weeks temperature blocks/row. 

Getting ready and so excited!

Here's where the temperature top is as of yesterday...

Through April 2nd

Today I'll continue to grab stuff as I think of it. I am going out to do my strip today since I'll be gone for the whole week and maybe a little something else. Jim is making us cookies for the meet and greet tomorrow night.

I did drag out my brothers Flying Pig (Laura Heine) to transfer the design onto the pattern ease fabric yesterday after working the temperature blocks, but that's about as far as it went before my batteries were getting low. 🐇🐇

We Have Stinky

Once again we have heavy rains and outside it smells like poopy (coming from the neighbors). The new water heater in the house is starting to smell like sulfur. This is a situation we've encountered in the past after replacing the water heater where the anode rod inside creates this smell. Bleh all around!

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

That quilt is done and 'filed' away so on to her last one after returning. 

For the next week I'll be unavailable in the studio. Setting up tomorrow night starts the whole shebang and today I'm going to be packing for said retreat all day today. 

I have to pack stuff that I normally don't have to take up to The Springs. I have to pack my regular stuff (projects and supplies), and then I have to pack my clothes/toiletries which I also don't have to pack for The Springs retreats since I stay here at the house.

Jim is on his way to East Lansing for our grandsons birthday party. I chose not to go as there are some family dynamics there I'd rather not deal with today. Not before the retreat anyway. 

I did my strip yesterday after getting Dianes quilt taken care of and then I did two pineapples. It takes about an hour and 20 minutes to do two pineapples. I may take them to retreat...or not. I'm still unsure about that and will make that decision when I start packing today. 

Silly Weather

I'm supposed to be on my way to guild up in Hale right this very minute. But, they are expecting ice and have delayed it until noon today. It may get cancelled altogether depending on how much ice is expected. We are right on the line and are just getting rain/snow right now.

I have one more row and the last border to do on Dianes rag quilt and then I'll move over to the next one ready to load on Bernie. I don't have a pic of that yet. 

I worked late thinking maybe I could get the large quilt done, but after taking stock in where I was, knew it would be late, late, late if I continued. I moved over to DW and worked on my daily strip. Here's the past weeks worth...

Then from there I worked the other two corner blocks for the pineapple quilt.

I keep making lists while I'm working of items I need to take to retreat. I have a retreat set of bags already set to go, but since we're hosting we have to take more than our usual amount. Things like ironing boards, large irons, risers, cutting mats, and extension chords. There are plenty of others, but those are the major items. 

Caleb is already on the phone with us this morning but I'm going to start right in on Dianes quilt so if I am able to head north I won't feel guilty about basically blowing off the whole afternoon. 

While Lightning Strikes

There are two reasons I will NOT plug in and turn on the long arms; very high winds with higher gusts, and, lightning. 

If I hear thunder I tie off, shut off the machine and then unplug. Surge protectors and/or dedicated plugs are no match for mother nature and trifling with her is playing a very dangerous game. My day was cut short because of a two hour thunderstorm that went through around 3:15. 

Here's some of the quilting going into Dianes rag quilt...

Kind of custom

I'll be working on this all of today. It's a large quilt and I'm thread changing for all the various reds, green, and creams throughout.

After having to shut down prematurely, I prepped for the strip of the day which required some markings and I also prepped to sew the two remaining blocks in Scrappy Goodness. More fabrics were cut for the pineapple blocks and then once it was clear to work on stuff all of the above were completed as well as construction of two of the four corner blocks in pineapple. 

I received a text last night that the tie quilt made it to Florida! Yay! She later sent a pic of the maker and the recipient with the quilt on the bed where it's going to live. 

Seeing it in its element

This warms my heart! I love to see something quilt makers and I put together and the happiness it makes for the person it was made for. Truly, this is why I do what I do because their reactions and faces are priceless!

Happy April Fools Day. Here's hoping you don't get pranked.

Starting Out Normal

This week, aside from the new washing machine being delivered today, will start out like normal. Thursday starts the difference with my having to head to Hale for my first guild meeting of the year. And then things get busy. More on that during those days.

Here's some of the quilting going into Dianes Squirrel body...

If you look, I have to straight-line through the 'flower' sections and those require a lot of starts and stops. But doesn't it look great?

Because I slacked off Saturday I did get the two pineapple blocks done yesterday for the center section of that top. I was going to start cutting for the edge pieces. See the difference in color for the backgrounds?

What I started with on the left. 

I don't really have a choice in the matter since we can't seem to find the correct shade of gray, but I think it'll be okay. I did not do my strip but did get the temperature quilt up to date. 

I'll be on Dianes quilt all day today on Bernie. Jim can handle the washer delivery guys. 

Well, We're Out Of The Tournament

Jim was up well past midnight watching the Spartans claw their way through a tough basketball game. We lost by three and are now out of the tournament. I'm kind of glad. Jim gets pretty worked up when his Spartans play.

I jumped right into Dianes quilt on Bernie and here are the border treatments going in...

I got a lot done in the morning since Jim was gone hunting for a box big enough to ship a quilt (the tie quilt) and getting more background fabric for the Pineapple blocks.

That was a feat. Not the box. That was easy. The fabric was another situation altogether. Here's the lesson learned on that; Buy and LABEL the fabrics purchased for your project. Buy enough and then some and then label it so it's not inadvertently used for another project. 

Which is what happened. I know I got the fabric at Pieces. That's where most of my purchases come from. But they didn't have the right color of gray and ended up with a slightly lighter shade. I have enough of the darker stuff to finish the inside blocks so I'll use the lighter fabrics for the outside blocks, which I think will actually work out okay.

But that's not always the situation. We had to run and UPS the quilt out and then get groceries after. When we arrived back home, and while he was watching his games I did a strip, a scrappy block, and constructed two more inside pineapple blocks; only two more of the inside blocks to go.

Today we are heading to Clare to look at washers. Ours is spitting out oil onto our clothes, it will occasionally not entirely spin out, and the clothes are smelling a little funny. The dial on the front hasn't worked since forever, and all the signs are pointing to it quitting. We're going to try to head that off. Thank goodness for a decent tax refund. 

Long Projects

After getting through Dianes quilts over the next week I noticed I have several tops that are long-to-complete projects. Most of the remaining quilts in queue are a week or better in working. Not that Dianes aren't, but I know I've done several of the quilts in queue already and they all want same but different quilting in them as the previous ones already completed.

Here's what I'll be working on today...

The middle is embroidered, kind of

Borders take the longest to work. They require a lot of planning and sometimes math. But while I was going to sleep last night, I was "working" the first two in my head and today while I'm working through those, I'll work through the next one in my head.

Bernadettes quilt was finished late in the afternoon and am already frame ironing another back on Marty; the only large quilt top Diane left me last fall.

After working, I made a Scrappy Goodness block, did my strip on DW, and then completed three more pineapple blocks. I discovered I am short on the background fabric. Jim has to find a box somewhere in town to ship out Judy's Tie quilt today and then he'll head over to Pieces to get more background fabric for me while I'm here working. He's such a great husband!

A Crappy Day

Well, I had a great day. Very productive. Jim did not have a great day. More on that in a bit. 

I worked on Bernadettes Hometown quilt all day and will be doing that again today. Maybe this is its last day before being completed?

Here are a few of the threads going into it though...

I actually added one more after this pic was taken

After working, once again, past quitting time, I moved right over to DW. I should not do that because the difference in the Bernina weights and DW's weight is significant and I don't feel like I quilt as well because of this. Here's the last weeks worth of strip quilting...

We are more than half-way done with these so not too many more weeks. 

I did a Scrappy Goodness block and then tried to move into an appliqué project I started months ago, but don't have the transfer fabric to complete it (A Laura Heine) so pulled some other project out that's been put aside for quite some time. 

Remember the pineapple blocks I was making eons ago? They have been hanging out underneath the sewing table way too long. Yep, those are going to retreat to get finished if they aren't by then.

Here's what Jim had to deal with yesterday...

Increasing the riser height

Talk about a stinky job for him to have to deal with. I didn't even go out and talk to him while he was working because, just, NO! We have burned up three pumps in eight years and it's the lay of the land that causes it to overwork itself during heavy rains. He's trying to rectify the situation. 

Moving

The little kids are getting ready for their big move to Germany. They have to be out of the apartment on 4/1 but everything has already been shipped out so it's basically a cleaning game. And getting rid of things they aren't going to transport with them; cleaning supplies, boxes, etc. We are meeting them downstate tonight to get some of that stuff. 

It's going to be hard not talking to him every few days. I'm getting sad thinking about it, so let's change the subject.

Here's what DW is wearing...

Karen's Christmas Quilt

Here's why I do not like packaged batts...

Letting it relax

This batt was packaged and it's a cotton/wool blend by Pellon. Karen probably purchased it at JoAnn's. It's full of wrinkles and one end is very crumpled. While I was washing her backing this hung to try to remove those long arm hurdles. It didn't really do much and when I loaded it six hours later.

Meanwhile, this was loaded onto Bernie...

Ronda's applique top

I didn't have much time to work through how I was going to quilt this but started out with the borders and worked my way in. I now have a quilting plan for both of these and will work them simultaneously since Karens quilt body is E2E with the borders being custom. 

It's funny how one can amuse themselves when between projects. I finished Linda's binding right after lunch and then had to wait for the back of both of the quilts above to be ready to load. With that time I: 

1. Cleaned both machines and their carriages. 

2. Selected threads for the bobbin and top. 

3. Updated the computer queue to match the written one

4. Cut up the blocks on the design wall for the Pineapple top

5. Started getting stuff off Foster for his trip next Thursday

6. Snagged a pic of Rondas quilt to make sense of how it was going to get quilted

7. Reset the design wall since it was now empty from the previous project

After working until about 6:00 last night, I played with some more Pineapple blocks. I have a customer coming today to pick up and will be 'closing' early to leave to meet the kids later. 

Empty Long Arms

Here is some of the quilting detail that went into Linda's quilt...

The front

The back

I have it all trimmed and ready to bind for her. That's this mornings project. Bleh. Before I can bind anything though I need to get out the queue sheet and get something on the two empty machines...

Here's what's on DW😧

Here's what's on Bernie😔

All three machines are currently not loaded with a thing. Foster is holding onto Linda's quilt until I move it over to the sewing table but he's not getting anything loaded anyway since he's leaving a week from tomorrow. I finished Lynettes quilt and need to get a hold of her later to let her know it's finished. 

So today is a bit of a change from the norm, which can be good. At times.

I constructed three more Pineapple blocks last night after doing work stuff then all of that needed to be cleared off to make room for this morning's binding task. Funnily enough, todays IG prompt is 'binding'. I'll be snapping pics to post for later. 

Digitized Edge to Edge

I have a computer (the Pro Stitcher) that drives all the edge-to-edge motifs on customer quilts. If they request it. I don't like using it. I'm not in control, and whenever I leave the room, the thread will break and then all that's happening is hole poking. 

I'd rather just drive myself and have the control I favor over robotics. However, sometimes I can't convince a customer to just let me drive (they want a specific themed motif or whatever) and so the Pro Stitcher is called to duty.

Today is a Pro Stitcher day. I've gotten up early and will be starting said machine as soon as I get the blog done. I have to sit and babysit DW while the thing is running so I can correct any errors during stitch out. UGH. Not my jam that's for sure.

Meanwhile, Lynettes Tilda Snowmen are just about done. I have one small border to finish and will get that done once I'm convinced DW is going to behave himself during his time at work.

After "working" I was able to get my bag done and here's the result...

I love, love, love this bag!

Here are all the dividers and my zippered pocket inside...

See the zippered pocket?

I started two more blocks on the Pineapple top but that was about it for my day. I got pretty tired even before 7:00 (????). I think this cold, windy, snow weather was getting to me?

Mom is stopping by later today after her art meeting and she'll just love the noise DW is making while he's stitching out this quilt today. NOT! But that's my job and she'll just have to accept that fact. Maybe that's why she doesn't come over more often?

Shift. Change.

I've shifted from the parallelogram top to the Pineapple top using the Creative Grids Pineapple ruler to trim each fabric addition. Here's the first three complete. I'm making a queen-sized quilt so I'll need to make a total of 81 blocks. I'll be at this for a while.

I'm thinking (already) about how I'm going to set these

Before working on these guys, I did a small project to make my long arm notions basket a bit more robust...

It has Bosal Interform and interfacing both

The other cute frog one I made was collapsing under all the stuff and is going to be over between Bernie and Marty (once he arrives) since the Bernina's require less "toys". 

Today's IG Quilt Fest prompt is our favorite quilting book. These two, by far, are my absolute go-to resources when I get stuck working a quilt...

Favorite books!

Not sure where I'm headed today. Probably not very far since I slept in this morning and am already trying to get some house crap done. 

More Snow Then Expected

We were only supposed to get a little over an inch of snow yesterday. 3+ inches later...but it's so pretty.

Jim headed off to work with my truck after he cleaned up the driveway. His tire went flat again. He said the tire place could not find a leak yesterday but something certainly isn't right?

Here's some of the quilting going into Anns QOV...

Lots of pebbles

The plumber was here most of the morning. New customer received. And this heater thing is either going to be my nemesis or a positive thing. I work on piecing or my own quilts on Foster when it's running. Lucy likes it though...

Right in front of the blower

I managed to get all the blocks together for the Pineapple top and that'll go to retreat in a few weeks...

Ready to be assembled

Once I was done with "working" for the day and got the Pineapple quilt blocks packed, I started a new project to replace the Christmas mat under my utility thingie in the middle of my sewing table...

It matches my thread bin

I love, love, love Tula Pink fabrics. These were 10" squares left over from the Shipshewana rummage sale two years ago. I've been waiting for a project to use them with and this was perfect!

Jim and I were up very early this morning (like around 5:00) for whatever reason. Who knows? I've already cleared the studio walk, the back deck, did a load of laundry, showered, unpacked and installed the new printer (the grandkids broke my other one), texted my mother and brother (she had another heart situation last night), made rice, and ground a new canister of coffee. It's barely even 9:00. 

Not sure what direction I'll head in the studio yet. I haven't even had my second cup of coffee. I do know I need to run to Pieces to get that dark blue fabric for my next project. Jim said he should be home before they close at 2:00. He's driving since I'm sure the roads are pretty dicey. 

Undecorating

The house is officially undecorated. Jim still has lights, a wreath, and some giant Christmas bulbs to remove outside, but the inside is put back to rights. Except for moving the computer which I'll do here shortly. 

I did start a new project Saturday. I didn't have enough fabric to do anything larger than a baby-size quilt top, but here's the center sections...

Pineapple type of quilt top

I'm using Kona snow for the background and a Kaffe Jelly Roll for the colorful sections. This is going to turn out so pretty.

And, it's back to the normal schedule today. I'll be on DW working on Janice's quilt. I'm still not up to my usual long days on the long arm so I'll work as long as I possibly can and take plenty of breaks to try to get back up to speed. 

Haven't had a pic of the girls in a while so here they are just relaxing this weekend...

Pretty girls

Lucy looks less than impressed, but I finally got a decent pic of Hazel. She often will not cooperate when I bring out the camera. 

Four Days...Four Tops

Four days of retreat. Four tops complete. 

Day 4

Day 3

Day 2

Day 1

Obviously, I didn't piece the Pineapple blocks at retreat, but it's now a top. The small tops will be donated and the Plaid-ish will be done with a flannel backing and given to the C's for a couch quilt. 

Katie and Barb seem to be doing well and they caught me up in all their kids/grandkids/kitty stories, as well as ASQ happenings and what's been going on with them personally. 

I had a few drop-offs and one pick up while I was there, and got to know some new friends up here a little better as I would drop by their tables and chat...or they would come over to mine. As always, there was plenty of energy and laughter around the room. This group was a little bigger than in January and there was a herd of kids who came on Friday to liven up the place. 

Today I'm back into Debs Coral Reef top and will be working that all day today and again tomorrow. The studio was put back to rights last night so I could start right in working and I've caught up on all the house chores so I can really focus on her piece. I miss my long arm and can't wait to get into my normal work day. 

Ever Have a Work-cation?

I did not go to Tennessee. I wanted people to think I was going, but because of space constraints in the truck, it was not possible for me to tag along. And, I needed a few days to deal with this...

Quilts/Tops laying in wait

Day 1: Load and start Paulettes 365. I also hung and organized the customer quilt tops by date in. 

This top is so gorgeous! And heavy!

Here is the border treatment put into it.

Very time consuming but so worth it!

Day 1 and 2: All while working Paulettes border, DW was being stupid. I always check the needle position when I get my machine back because my tech has a tendency to move the thing around. And, for some reason, he decided to move my thread guide as well???

Needle at 7:00. Thread guide now at 5:00.

I was getting so much shredding, which I NEVER get and an occasional long stitch. I struggled through Paulettes quilt going only left to right and top to bottom...otherwise threads would shred. For two days I did this! While I was finishing my pineapple blocks that second night (yep, they're all done), I put on my physics hat and started thinking about this.

Day 3: Here's what I put on the frame with the "fixes" I put into place...

Nanci's batty crazy top

DW performed like a champ! Yay! That night I celebrated by making this...

A grocery bag to put into your purse. Isn't it cute?

Saturday night I loaded this to "play" with on Sunday...

Angela Walters Quilt-Along

Day 4: I only got it half way done and had to remove it from the frame for today's work. But here's what I've gotten done so far...

Pretty!

I gathered "all" my projects for retreat. Only two!?!?!?!?! What the heck? I'm going to have to scrounge around here and find a few more I think.

Ready (?) for retreat

Here's what's on the frame this morning...

Nanci's Snowflakes

I'm going to custom her border and edge to edge the center I think. I have to look at it through the kitchen and see what would be best. Anyway...Jim made it back safe and sound and he's glad to have slept in his own bed last night I'm sure! Maybe Hazel will quit being so nervous about the routine being changed now too?

Happy VD!

A rose for your heart and your love!

New customers coming later this morning. Working on Mickey's "trees" today and then hopefully get that new, needs-ASAP-baby top on afterwards.

Here's some detail going into Mickey's quilt...

Straight lines are so dramatic!

I worked on the puzzle wall hanging yesterday and it's all colored and water-set. Now to trim and then bind (bleh). 

The Puzzle Wall Hanging

I also started all seven of the remaining pineapple blocks and have them to round four (of eight). I'll chip away more on those later tonight. Maybe?