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.

I Have NEVER Done This!

We spent most of the late morning/afternoon with mom. We went out to lunch, cleared out some stuff she needed to get rid of and I think we've acquired a new bedroom set. We'll see if she actually gets a different one for her bedroom.

Despite being gone most of the daytime hours, I was able to get the State of Michigan quilted, trimmed, and then did something I've never (ever, ever) in the 32 years I've been making quilts, faced the finished piece. 

I like the facing!

It was way easier than I thought and I believe all my future artistic wall hangings will get this treatment from here on in. 

I cut out and then pieced the next block in the Quilt Room. Jim was watching MSU get their butts kicked by Notre Dame and I didn't want to hear his grumblings about how the team was playing. 

These are supposed to be spools but to me they look like boxes of presents stacked up. When I quilt this, I'm going to really have to emphasize the 'spool' part. 

Haircuts have already been done this morning and I'm not sure where the rest of the day is going. Since it's nearly noon it probably won't go very far. 😉

A Day of Small

Diane's quilt is done (those small ones usually go pretty quick) and I'll be working on a Trip Around the World on Monday. Meanwhile, after I was able to get Diane's quilt off and trimmed (and all that goes with it), I loaded this onto Bernie to work today. 

I didn't actually baste it in but it's ready to work when we get back from town. Since Bernie is free and DW is not, and since I'll have this done before Monday and having to load another Diane quilt I thought I'd get this done toot sweet. Prior to loading the State of Michigan, I did this little project for my tools I use on DW...

A travel case for teaching

With all DW's things inside

Without anything in it

It was still early so I began piecing the next block in the Quilt Room.

We are headed to visit my mom this morning since she just got back from her up north trip. The game tonight is at 7:00 so I'll be in the studio quite late tonight. I suppose I'm going back to my second shift days at the hospital. 😊

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?

Unexpected Disruption

Our water situation at the house is less than desirable. We have a high salt content in our well (running raw without the softener) and even after running through the softener the salt content is still very high. The only way we get drinking water is through our R/O system and even that is chewing through my granite counter tops. 

Our plumber was out to check the bladder tanks to see if that was the problem. We have two down in the crawl space and after he checked them both, deemed one completely shot. He unhooked it and aired up the second one (it only had 9lbs of pressure). All was good. Until it wasn't.

Jim was in the shower last night and the water pressure was about non-existent after only a few minutes. He called the plumber back and he'll be here this morning after another earlier appointment already scheduled.

Meanwhile, I took a little "shower" in the kitchen sink to wash my hair/face and did a small sponge bath upstairs. I hate not taking a shower in the morning. It wakes me up and I feel all refreshed; ready to go for the day.

I have a lot of visitors coming today. Jim is gone to PT and I'll be dealing with the plumber (when he finally gets here) and I have a customer coming to drop off sometime after 10:00 (???).

I'll be working on getting this piece done throughout the day in between all of that.

A little quilting eye candy

I had to move the bow to the screen door yesterday and so far it's holding. Once I was done working for the day, I cut out for the next Quilt Room block and then moved over to DW to get the second row done in Book Nook.

Then I started piecing the block in the Quilt Room and actually finished it before quitting in the studio. 

Block #9

I better get to it since it's nearly 10:00 now.

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?

A Perfect Sunggle Sunday

A nice rain outside, thunder in the distance, overcast and gloomy. Yep. A perfect day to knit and snuggle with the dogs on the couch all day while watching sappy rom-com movies. 

Jim and I did some purchase damage at Bittersweet yesterday. I LOVE that quilt shop. Quality fabrics for sure and the staff are always so nice. Here's the haul.

Backing fabrics and other stuff

The MSU minky panel Jim brought home a few months ago-we needed a back for it. The inspirational teen girl panel I brought home last fall needed a back too. Then I found the book on the right to go with the pre-printed fusible above it and hey, I just got six new quilt ideas to make and holy cow, we just had a lightning strike a few hundred feet north of us. Big boom of thunder too. Shook the house. I won't be long arming today. 

After taking care of our purchases and making/eating lunch I wandered into the studio for the afternoon/evening. 

All the Flower Power blocks are blanket stitched and I'll be taking them to retreat in a few weeks to put together. 

Ready to be assembled

Once those were done I had to get the rest of the next block together in the Quilt Room. 

The next 'chunk' in the Quilt Room

These almost look like they're real. Once the block was finished, I had to get caught up on the Temperature blocks. I was nine days in arrears. Hopefully I can stay on task from here on in since we have nothing really scheduled for the remaining weeks of the year. 

I did not have time to long arm since I had all this other stuff I wanted to get done. Sad Face!

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. 

Was It Monday?

Jim and I kept thinking yesterday was Monday. Probably because we took Tuesday and Wednesday off. Here is some of the quilting going into Dianes baby quilt...

Clouds and rainbows

This still needs to be removed from the frame and trimmed but after working late it's completely quilted. 

I did a Flower Power block. I removed the table runner, and, while talking to Andrew on his way home from work, got the binding on it. I did choose another quilt to load onto DW so started frame ironing the back for that. After that I started cutting out for the next block in the Quilt Room. 

Garden Table Runner

Later last night we had a lunar eclipse. I tried to capture it 'on film' and here's the beginning phase...

The beginning of the lunar eclipse

I did stay up late enough to see the totally dark landscape, but my bedroom is in the opposite side of where the moon can be seen. I didn't think Jim would appreciate me stalking around the house at 12:20 in the morning so didn't capture the entire eclipse.

I have one customer coming sometime today to pick up and while I'm waiting for her, and until I can get it loaded, the next quilt top going on Marty has to be entirely marked beforehand. I'm still debating how I'm going to do it (Pounce, manual chalk, or blue marks-be-gone). Anyway, happy Friday.