Getting Things Finished

The t-shirt quilt is done! A day ahead of schedule.

When the customer came yesterday to pick up her quilt she was asking about the machine binding that I do. She said she was having trouble getting her stitches to 'line up' on the backside of her quilt. I grabbed the strip quilt and we loaded up the machine with the correct threads and I did a quick lesson with her. I LOVE teaching!

Since the quilt was started, and while Jim was in the shower, I started the rest of the binding...

It didn't get finished because we needed to get our weekly groceries. Always a sticker shock at the check out counter.

Today I'll be working on this cute Amy Bradley Quilt Diva wall hanging for Ginny...

Quilt Diva pattern by Amy Bradley

...until Jim can get the backing loaded onto Marty for the next show quilt that's due like right now. 

Customer already here and gone to pick up the t-shirt quilt and the rest of the day/weekend is mine alone. 

Bummer

I didn't plan the white sides very well in the strip quilt. I ended up having to trim off quite a bit on both and some of the purple was even cut off. Well, it's for demo and learning purposes so it is what it is. It'll be loved regardless.

After working on the t-shirt quilt all day the dogs were being really patient and we finally took them down swimming. Once we cleaned them up from lake sludge, I worked on another Love Letter block before blanket stitching the next cowboy boot. 

Working on the t-shirt quilt again today. Neighbors to the north are up so may have visitors. And, I have a customer coming at some point to pick up her quilt. 

Sad News

Our son, who lives in Germany with his wife and daughter, have a cat they took with them when they moved last year. We just learned Surge has terminal cancer and is being put down next Wednesday. Yesterday was Caleb's birthday and he found out about Surges diagnosis then. What a crappy birthday present. 

Our other son, who lives in Ohio with his wife and two children, also have two cats who are very old. Like 17-years old old. Their health is also failing and will likely not be making the move in a month. Not a great month for our grand kitties. 

Back to quilting things...

Working on the t-shirt quilt took up most of the day yesterday. After working on it for about seven hours, I moved over to do a Love Letters block and then felt like I could tackle the rest of the strip quilt background fills once that was finished.

Aside from trimming and binding, the quilt is quilted...

Ready for trimming and binding

I don't have a binding picked out for this yet. I may have to run to Pieces if I can't find anything in my stash.

Finishing this didn't take as long as I thought so I moved over to the first cowboy boot to start the miles of blanket stitching. It took a little over an hour and a half but the first boot is done. However, I made one extra and the one I did was labeled the pillow block.

More t-shirt fun today and I have a customer coming to pick up. 

How Much Time?

When I work one block for a total of 50 minutes, is that too much time to spend on it? 

Almost an hour

Take this block above for instance. By the time I inlined all the letters, the motif around the letters and then put the TV ariel back fill in it I checked the clock and couldn't believe how much time I spent. And, the kicker about all of that is that it hardly shows. 

Now this shows...

This is the sashing/border going in and around the quilt. While this does take some time at least it shows somewhat. 

I wish this one showed a little more, but if you look, the t-shirt is called city shaper and I put a little city in and around the motif in the middle. 

The other two blocks in this row have static electricity waves and I did some McTavishing. After working through the customer stuff yesterday I did a block in the Love Letters to give my arm a reset before getting on DW.

I did only two strips yesterday. I had to introduce some more batting (my cut was short) and had to number the remaining 10 strips yet to go as well as baste in through the bottom. I have some bunching going on in the left side (???) but with a complete strip quilt I guess I should have expected it. 

After working on DW for a while, I thought about what I want to to work on this weekend and decided to get started back in on the Cowboy Boots. I have traced all the boots and soles and will continue on with the other motifs today. Jim is at a Smallwood Lake Association meeting this morning. I choose to abstain as I get pretty worked up at all the ridiculous questions and comments people who don't live here make. 

Still Nothing

My dad did call yesterday during lunch and wanted to discuss the lake situation. Apparently he heard something on the news. Never said a thing about our anniversary. Glad we are of such importance to half our family. And I wasn't going to remind him. Nope. No sir re. 

Making good progress on the t-shirt quilt. Here's some quilting from the back since I took a roll prior to quitting last night...

Sometimes the back looks just as good

This is a nice present Evelyn is giving her grandson that's for sure. More on this one today while frame ironing the back on Bernie for Paulette's quilt. 

Customer coming today to pick up and then we are going out to lunch. That'll be nice to get out of the studio for a few hours during the week. Which I hardly ever do. 

And as much as I love my studio (and I mean, what's not to love?) getting out occasionally is a treat and a welcome change in my very regimented life. 

One out of Four

Of the four important people in our lives who forgot our anniversary, only one of them recognized they slipped up by yesterday. Andrew, thank you for your belated anniversary wish. Still waiting on the other three.

Evelyns Flower quilt is done and now Bernie is empty. I'll find the next one up and get the backing started while working on this other Evelyn quilt on Marty...

T-shirt quilt

She doesn't want just an edge to edge put in here, but rather custom quilting each block as well as the sashing strips. 

We have light snow/rain showers this morning and yesterday it got to nearly 70 degrees. I think the kids took the nice weather with them.

Speaking of which, they arrived in Frankfort (I mis-spoke yesterday and said Amsterdam) around 1:00 this morning. I received a text letting us know they made it. They only had a quick (45 minute) flight left to Nuremberg a few hours later. We haven't heard anything since the 1:00 check-in, but I bet they were exhausted and I checked on-line see if there were any issues with the flight and it appears all went smoothly. They'll be fine. These two love to travel and this is just another adventure for them both. 

Memories

I was packing up a few of the finished quilts we have hanging around here. They go in totes and are stored in the garage for the kids to deal with when I'm gone. I also found another "holding" tote under the bed that had a large amount of schnibbles in them that I will never, ever use. Gone now. But while I was going through the quilts as I was packing them up, they brought back memories of when I made/finished them. 

Afterwards and while I was thinking of today's blog title I happened to look at a plaque the B family made for us with all of our familial sayings. Some of them just crack me up and I was near tears while re-reading them. Memories are wonderful.

The first Sue quilt is finally done. I loaded the next back for an April deadline quilt, and realized I didn't have to frame iron it since it's a two sided t-shirt quilt. This one needed to be squared onto the back (a nearly impossible feat) and then after working on that for over an our, got it basted in...

Here's the top

Here's the back

It was much earlier in the day than I originally thought, and while I set this up for the Pro Stitcher to tackle, decided with all the seams and bulk DW was going to have to traverse, I was going to have to drive this myself to avoid needle breakage situations.

Just as Jim was pulling into the driveway from his work day, I was finishing the next to the last pass. While he was in the shower I finished her out and we left to do our weekly grocery shopping. It's still on the frame but at least it's quilted. 

I have two customers coming today to drop off five tops. Small and table runners, but they all need to be loaded and basted, and that all takes time too. I'll break in Marty on those when he arrives in a couple of weeks. 

Getting There

The final electrical inspection is set for Tuesday. Jim is calling the other inspector today to see what final things need to be done to get through the final (occupancy) inspection and we'll be tackling whatever that is in the next few weeks.  

Meanwhile, this is going to be one of the last pics of the studio as a whole before we move...

A few more weeks

I was dragging yesterday, but a call from a customer coming to pick up and drop off in the early afternoon kept me going. I have one more row in the t-shirt quilt to do today and it'll be done. 

Nail appointment this morning and then running over to Pieces to say hello there before I start my actual work day. 

A Full Customer Day

Let me see, I think I only quilted about a total of two hours yesterday because around noon I had a new customer come with her SIL and, since she was new, had a lot of questions and grief to work through. I enjoyed meeting them both and look forward to making her three memory quilts complete.  

I quilted a little before they got here and then a little after they left because in mid-afternoon Ann came to pick her quilt up and brought Mary with her to drop one off. We chatted for a while and they took a look at the new studio addition exclaiming how wonderful it's going to be. 

As they were leaving, Linda and Rick came over to get her quilt and to chat/commiserate about the Heron Cove Group who is suing the FLTF on this dam repair thing. What. A. Mess! And, the electrician showed up somewhere in there to put on the exterior lights and let us know the electrical inspector would be here for his final inspection either today or next week sometime. 

They left around 6:30 last night and by that time, Jim hadn't had dinner (he and Rick love to shoot the bull) and we both had a pretty busy work day. Nothing else was done in either studio. 

Nobody expected today. 

Here's what's on DW today for me to work on...

Pams t-shirt quilt

This is not the "normal" t-shirt quilt quilting job. I'm glad she didn't want a meander run through all of this. I dislike having to do that because it ruins the integrity of the plastic transfers; poking holes which are completely unrepairable and I don't think it adds anything to the piece. 

I'm painstakingly outlining each and every written/logo with matching thread. Lots of thread changes and lots of patience. Good thing I have a lot of both. 

NEVER, EVER Dry Clean Your Quilts

I had a customer debating on whether to put wool or bamboo into her quilt. When wool was mentioned she commented that she'd then have to have it dry cleaned. 

Jim used to work for Barayames in Lansing. They are a HUGE dry cleaning firm. If people only knew what dry cleaners did to their stuff. AND...they wash the quilts just like we do at home. But, they use very harsh chemicals to make it smell like they did something else to your item and treat them very poorly.

You can do a better job at home. Just wash the quilt in cold water and if you don't take it out in the yard and lay it flat between two sheets, then just put the quilt on fluff or low heat when drying in the dryer. I have a  couple of wool quilts here that handle that kind of laundering just fine. 

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

The Helms' t-shirt from h&*l

I have a customer on her way over and while this t-shirt quilt does its edge to edge thing, I'll be working on the "play" quilt some more. I got the center section done last night, but the cloudy day today itsn't providing very good photo ops for it. 

Happy 37th birthday to my oldest son! Wow...he just entered into his late thirties. What does that say for me?

Better Day

Yesterday was a much better day only having to pick out one small section of quilting. The wall hangings are done and I've rolled on Lynette's quilt. Here's what's on DW today...

A quilt for a granddaughter

The timeless classic Irish Chain. I know what I'm going to put into this already, but I'm working solely on Bernie today until Lynette's quilt is done. It's a gorgeous sunny day out there and it gives me ample lighting to work the black on black.

I had a big helper in the studio last night. Here's my quilting elf helping to pick out stitches on the t-shirt quilt I need to redo for my friends downstate...

HUGE helper

It means so much to me to have a  partner who supports my passion. Who cheers me on when I need it. To be present in my life. He's not adverse to picking up a seam ripper and scissors to get the threads out of a quilt. I love him so much! Thank you my big elf for your help!

Funeral Attire

We have a funeral to attend tomorrow. Jim's Great Aunt Lil was 105 when she passed last week. We are heading north of Torch Lake first thing in the morning, but have to drop the dogs off first on our way. Meanwhile...I have nothing complete around here to wear. When was the last time I wore heels?

Getting back to quilting things. Evelyn picked up her t-shirt quilt already this morning and thank you for the WONDERFUL tip Evelyn! Tips are always appreciated and provide me with money for more fabric. 

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

Linda's Top: Winter's Glow

I say it's kind of on the frame because I'm waiting for my wool batting delivery to arrive. It should be here around lunch. The piece of wool batt I currently have is 1" too short! UGH! Once it arrives, I'll start diving right in since this is another time sensitive project.

I started on another bed block last night once Linda's top was all marked and ready to get into. I'll continue with this after I dig through more closets to try and find a funeral outfit that will work. 

Getting Ready for the Kids

When Caleb and Lia come home from Washington state in about six weeks, they'll need a place to stay until their apartment is ready in August. All the quilt tops waiting to be quilted are now hung (well, mostly) and ready to be moved on the rack when the kids arrive. 

The bags on the dresser are also tops waiting

Meanwhile, yesterday afternoon turned out non-productive (mom popped in for a few hours), so I had to make up the time in the evening. Meaning, the t-shirt quilt is not yet finished. But it should be done before lunch today. I have a half row of t-shirts to quilt and all the bottom border yet to go. 

Dad called early (like before 7:00) this morning. You'd think I'd already be working, but catching up with admin stuff took up the morning hours. And a few chores tossed in for good measure. 

Rainy, Weird Day

My bug guy was supposed to be here between 8-10 yesterday. Yeah, right. Had to deal with that while quilting in the morning.

Once the bug guy finally got here and did his thing, it was well after 1:00 before I got to sit down to lunch. And then while finishing lunch, a customer came to drop off the time sensitive top next on the long arm. 

Meanwhile, I was still stitching away when I could on the t-shirt top and here's some of what's going into it...

Looking Good!

This is looking pretty darn good I think. 

More of this today as I'm about at the half-way point. Hazel has to go to the groomer this morning and once I get back home, hopefully, Lucy will cooperate and let me work the rest of the day. 

A Day For Me

Because I don't long arm on Sunday, I took the day and spent it doing gift things for others. While these aren't for me, it was projects I got to work on instead of customer quilts. 

The turtle for Lisa and Dave's baby due in August

Lucy wanted to help model...

Fit for a baby

Once the turtle was completed I moved on to more beds...

Three done...three more to go

This is a house warming gift for Caleb and Lia when they get back at the end of July.

Orkin is due here (like now) and Linda M. is coming by to drop off (another) time sensitive top at some point today. 

Here's what's on the frame for the next few days...

Evelyn W's grad top for her grandson

Pics as it's evolving coming soon.

Back on Track

My little diversion yesterday was only momentarily infringing on customer time. I was quilted, reloaded, quilted and then reloaded again before lunch. The girls cooperated wonderfully!

Here's what's on the frame today...

Pat R's T-Shirt Gift for her granddaughter

Each of these t-shirts are getting a custom treatment as is the outside border. The sashing strips between are getting a small meander throughout. But it's the custom that takes all the time. Thread changes and the like. 

I'll chip away at this all day today and see where we get. 

A Little Diversion

Tina's quilt was completed early last evening (the girls were being uncooperative in the afternoon yesterday). I have to get this turtle quilted as we have a (tentative) baby shower coming up in the next couple of weeks. And there's still a LOT to do on this after the quilting.  

This is a turtle?

I'm going to finish this out this morning. Get the back on and quilt it zippy fast and then get the next "needs yesterday" top on (Pat's t-shirt top). Hopefully, all before lunch. I have a feeling that may be a stretch. But goals are set in sand aren't they?

Had some not-so-good news delivered yesterday. Jim's Great Aunt Lil passed away in her sleep night before last. She was 105. Looks like we'll be attending a funeral soon. Thankfully, we have a wonderful dog sitter, who during circumstances like this one, is willing to make room for the girls in a pinch. And...she's a quilter! 

Aren't most quilters just the best?

Some Project Just Take Longer

The detail and painstakingly slow process to do a custom t-shirt quilt can almost guarantee a longer time to finish. Here's some (more) detail going into Paula's quilt...

WOW!

The result is going to be spectacular. I just hope her grand kiddo appreciates all the work that's going into this quilt.

High winds have also caused some delay in the quilting. The dogs are unsettled and won't allow me much quilt time during yesterday and today. 

On another note...my iPad ate my iTunes personal library. This morning I tried to copy it back off the Mac and instead ended up deleting it from there too! Now the only copy I have is on my phone, which I'm hesitant to mess with. Looks like I'll be rebuilding the library from my base files. UGH!

Is it Already Thursday?

These weeks are flying by at a pace that makes my head almost spin. Lucy has been with us a month already and it seems like we just got her. 37 years for Jim and I and it seems like the kids were just...well...kids.  

I got a lot of long arming in yesterday morning, but not so much yesterday afternoon until Jim got home. I'm almost at the half-way point on the t-shirt quilt. Here's a little of what's going into some of the blocks...

Better than a meander in my book!

I'll continue on with this as much as I can today. Again, hit and miss in the daytime with the dogs. 

Happy 37th Anniversary

Jim and I celebrate 37 years today. That's more than 2/3rds of my life. I can't imagine my life without him! And, while I'm thinking about it, Lucy has been with us a whole month as of today. WOW!

Here's what's on the frame today...

Paula's t-shirt top

This isn't the usual (meander please) quilting request on this one; each block will be custom quilted and the sashings/borders will hold the unity.

Here's a little bit of what I put into yesterdays quilt...

Janes Table Topper 

I'll be working the t-shirt quilt as long as I can before storms later this afternoon head our way. Lightning and long arms do not mix. Not sure what I'll do when I can't long arm...maybe get some sit-down sewing in? But do I want to risk my sewing machines? Probably not. Hmmm??? Something to think about while working this morning.