After Visiting

We had a delightful visit with mom and Chad yesterday. Tried the new Char House restaurant in Gladwin. Great food but freezing in the place; it was 44 degrees outside and yet the radiators in the old structure were stone cold. 

Once we were done with lunch we headed home via Pieces of Thyme. The original backing I got for the cousin quilt was too small by only a couple of inches so found a perfect back in flannel instead. Got that loaded on DW and am just doing an E2E on it.

After one pass and happy DW's stitch regulator is working after having taken all the computer components off, I was back in on Christmas gifts. The girls' pillows are sewn and all I need are the inserts. 

I also got caught up on the Temperature quilt blocks but had to go back and rip a few seams because I forgot the monthly placeholder between October and November. With that fixed I cut more green strips for our garland and then started gridding out fusible for another big [holiday] bow. I could have bought the premarked stuff but am watching the pennies before Shipshe. 

Once that was done I started pulling fabrics to begin cutting today. I'll be working on the bow at retreat and need to cut all the 2 1/2" blocks before I leave. Cutting here is much easier than trying to talk and cut there. 

I was on the phone with the Germany kids this morning for over an hour so I"m blogging late since after the phone conversation (and shower) decided the bathrooms all needed a good scrubbing. Now I can play the rest of the day. 

Doing Pinwheels

I forgot to mention about making pinwheels for that little garden table runner. Instead of tying off I run a HST through the machine and construct pinwheels while make the love letter blocks. I think I have about 10 of them made already.

 Here is some of the quilting going into the RxR for Ginny. This is row two.

Lady Bug row

I completed row three before taking a roll in the afternoon but forgot to take a pic beforehand. On to row four today.

After working I made a Love Letter block and have the first row together in section three (there are five sections). I moved over to Mike and did the daily cowboy boot...

Moo

From there I fired up DW and did some quilting in the baby quilt. Why can't I just do E2E on these things? Oh, because I know how to do custom and it looks better. But I did do a hand guided (not computerized) E2E design in the center panel section...

Swirl flower edge to edge

While I was out playing in the studio Jim was playing in the kitchen. He loves doing this stuff (which is good because I DO NOT). Here's his accomplishments for the night...

Some of these are for customers

I'll be giving away a small jar of jelly to anybody who visits after Thanksgiving. These are all strawberry, but today he'll be doing strawberry banana and strawberry rhubarb. We don't actually eat this much jam throughout the year. Some of these are given away to family and friends. Mostly family. 

With Good Intentions

Today is guild day. I'm supposed to be there 16 minutes ago. Since that last time I looked at the clock this morning was 3:42, I didn't figure I'd get up in time to attend. Dogs barking all over the lake (and beyond) and my head would not shut down last night. Maybe I need some sleeping gummies?

The embroidered quilt is done. Nothing on Bernie right now. Here's what I'll be working on today on Marty...

Iila's beautiful reproduction

This is another June deadline and it's a biggie! The vine in the border as well as all the embellishments are hand-turned appliqué. Such patience! It doesn't look like many thread changes though, so that helps. 

Not only did I get the quilt above all ready for today, I had a little time in the late afternoon to get the puppy quilt stitched out. 

A little more loose than what I would normally put into a quilt, but I'm using this as a teaching tool tomorrow; how to machine bind, and needed to get it done quickly. And the little guy I made this for isn't going to use it long since he's almost nearly 4-years old. 

Getting ready to join

After trimming the above quilt I started attaching the binding. This is where our lesson will begin. How to invisibly join and how to turn and continue on from the top. 

I did a Love Letter block and then worked on a cowboy boot. This one is now blanket stitched and took a long time to finish!

I'm frame ironing for the next quilt on DW already and I made one pinwheel on the garden table runner started a few days ago. Only 58 more pinwheels to go. 😗

Typical Monday

Since I had my batteries recharged from the weekend I was rearing to go yesterday. First up, Dianes quilt on Bernie. Here's some of the quilting that went into it...

Swirl hook

I had to call Gall Sewing about my issues with DW. I was advised to not use him anymore until they could take a look. Not only is he slightly out of time, but he's varying his speed even in manual mode, his on-board screen goes blank every once in a while, and he made a slightly electric smell on Friday. He's going down Saturday to have them take a look.

Since I can no longer use DW until further notice, we had to move the Make Do and Mend quilt over to Bernie now that I was done with all of Dianes tops...for now.

DW is grounded for now

Jim was skinning and frame ironing for the quilt I'll be working on next. Here's what's up for today on Marty...

Another tulip top!

The top above is completely custom and is going to a local show. I'll probably be working this through most of the rest of the week. I have an idea about some of it but still need to work through the sashing portions. 

After fighting to get the Make Do and Mend quilt transferred over (we never really did get it loaded straight), I had planned on getting row three complete. It's nearly there, but now that I'm on a smaller throat space, I have to change out thread colors twice as many times. It had been a long day and it was approaching 8:00 when I started closing up shop.

A Much Needed Break

Yesterday turned into another snuggle Sunday in the afternoon. I just puttered around the house doing some chores in the morning and making lunch while Jim did some light outdoor work. I guess I needed the battery recharge since I slept well both Saturday and Sunday nights and I even took a long nap yesterday *gasp*. 

Jim did get Lia's car out and took it for a short drive (we don't currently have it plated) down our road and around the neighborhood. We don't get it out much but have to check and make sure it's in running order for when they come back in two years.

I'll be on Bernie during part of the day today working this quilt...

I'm just going to drive an E2E in it as it's so busy and not much of any custom work will show. 

The quit on Marty still needs to be removed and trimmed, but all the other post-quilting work is done. I have several May/June deadlines in queue and one of those will be loaded next.

Foggy Friday

Wow was it foggy outside all night and this morning. The lake was the highest it's been in six years yesterday and seeing it back to where it should be was a ray of sunshine even through our mostly cloudy day. It will recede quickly since the dam is still wide open, but there is hope!

I did not work on DW last night but instead started row five on Marty to get a head start on today. I have all of this evening and the weekend to work on DW so decided to get The Tulips done first. And, there's a quilt show in Midland today and tomorrow we are going to attend at some point. A few of my friends have quilts in the show and it's always exciting to see them hung!

Jim has been skinning a quilt for a customer of mine. What's skinning you ask? When a quilt is poorly quilted and removed from the long arm and then the quilt maker decides the long arming was not what she wanted all the stitches have to be removed so it can be started over. 

I did not quilt this quilt. She took it to another long armer because she knew I was over booked. And, she lives way up north and it was over the winter this past year so decided to give this other gal a try. Here's the before...

E2E and the lumps it leaves in the piecing

I am not here to judge. To me, this is typical digitized E2E quilting. There are bumps and lumps because when doing E2E, not everything is ditched and in my opinion, leaves everything looking sloppy. This exact pattern received first place in a show a year ago that I custom quilted. I'll do another before and after  pic once I get it on the frame later this summer, and, after I custom quilt it. 

On Marty all day until the Tulips are finished and then over to DW the rest of the weekend. 

March is Ugly

Isn't the landscape not so pretty in March? Everything is brown and there's really nothing very nice to look at. Except in the studio. I get to look at beautiful quilts all day so I feel very fortunate.

Dianes quilt was finished in the early afternoon and I moved over to this quilt after...

Hometown

This is Lori Holts' Hometown quilt top that Bernadette is having me custom quilt. Isn't it gorgeous? I've already got the borders set in...

Border treatment

I'll be working on this one for a few days...or more.

After working a little later I jumped over to DW to get the two days worth of strips completed. From there I worked on the temperature quilt blocks for the past week and have those all caught up. Monday seems to be a good day to work those. 

I did one block in Scrappy Goodness and then it was nearly 8:00. Where does the time go? 

Jim is at the vets this morning with the girls getting their annual physicals and shots and their meds for the summer. Wow, is it quiet around here with everybody gone!

Not Much To Report

I have a customer coming this morning to drop off and I'll be working on Dianes quilt all day today. Well, until I get it done since I'm driving an E2E on it. It may not take all day since it's a moderate size. 

We are getting snow this morning and that's about as exciting as this Monday is starting out. 

We weren't expecting this

Couch Camp

Sunday was spent in and out of the studio despite my 'rule' of not going in there on Sunday's. Jim had a basketball game at 4-ish and I didn't really feel like listening to him bark at the refs/players on the TV. I did my strip and then made a caddy, as well as cutting up for the cowboy boots. I loaded up the flimsy I found in my stash before lunch.

During his game I headed to the studio to work on this...

This is going to be a spring coat

Here's what I quilted into it...

This is just me doing some hand guided free motion quilting. It was well after dark and even the game ended before I got it done. But it's on the frame (Marty) waiting for me to take it off. 

So a few days ago I thought I had developed a terrible cat allergy. Turns out I was actually coming down with something. Still not sure what this is. Today my left ear is plugged like it was when we came back from Alaska last August.

I've had every cold symptom known except for the really sore throat. No nausea or diarrhea so it's not the flu. However, I'm fuzzy headed and dizzy still today despite having spent the past two days on the couch. And, I'm so very tired. 

I can't long arm if I'm dizzy. That's not cool. Nor is it safe. I'm going to try to get out there this morning and see how things go. I'm not going to push it though and if I'm not feeling it, it may be another day at couch camp. 

Looks Simple Enough

This is the sashing I'm putting into Ila's quilt per her request...

The sashing

It seems simple enough, right? This is all the markings and leg work that need to occur to get that 'simple' sashing motif into the quilt...

Getting the sashing in

The center point needed to be found. Then a measurement between blocks divided by the number of curves required for each curve has to be calculated. And they aren't always the same. Most of them are measuring at 2 7/8". Then, while quilting them, I have to be sure to hit that exact point where they intersect otherwise it throws off the whole motif. 

And, that's part of my job. Math. Speaking of math. Jim was babysitting DW again while he was stitching out this motif on the princess quilt for Sharon...

I like to overstitch motifs on E2E's so there isn't any negative space on the sides or the top/bottom. More math involved to ensure the motif isn't distorted or skewed. Once that princess quilt was finished, Jim started loading DW with the backing for my quilt-along that started on February 1st. Obviously I'm late getting to the party. 

I have never (ever, ever, ever) had two duplicate backs on the three frames, and here we are, loading a duplicate back to the one being frame ironed on Bernie for a customer...

I have pics of the blocks I worked yesterday in Ila's quilt, but won't post them today since I've already spent enough time blogging this morning. I worked late again getting blocks 11-15 completed before shutting down; around 6:15. 

I did get a fireworks blocks done last night and got the two tops on Bernie and DW set and ready to start basting in. I'll be working Ila's quilt today (blocks 12-16) and one customer is scheduled to come and pick up. I don't know if she'll actually make it since it's snowing pretty good out there and we are expecting an all day event so we'll see about that. 

Three, Three, Three Quilts in One

I worked on three customer quilts yesterday. First, Sharon's quilt had to be set up on DW for E2E work with the Pro Stitcher. 

Babysitting the computer

Here's the motif going into Sharon's I Spy quilt...

Flutterbys

Once I got everything all set for Jim to sit and babysit, I moved over to Judy's quilt on Marty. I didn't think I would be spending all day on her quilt since I only had borders, sashing and ditching to do. But, quilting life throws curve balls and that's exactly what happened. All. Day. Long I was working on that quilt!

My goal was to get Ila's quilt moved over to Marty before shutting down for the day, so working 'overtime' was in the cards last night. 

At around 6:00 her quilt was moved, loaded, basted in, and threads are selected ready for me to start right in this morning. 

Next up on Marty

And why I'm working on Marty, I'll be frame ironing the back for Sharon's next Princess quilt on DW and whatever is up next on Bernie. The one on DW has been started, but then this happened with the last roll last night...

Can you see it?

The center of this backing is dipping down while the insides are fine. The back is as tight as possible on all four sides. Jim is still learning and he's the one that loaded this back with the selvedges on the side rather than the top and bottom. I'm going to have to remove it and turn it 90 degrees. From there it will have to be back and front rolled to try to get this to even itself out. 

An inexperienced long armer would have no idea how to remedy this, and I've only ever seen it one other time, but I know, from watching and learning from other long armers how to deal with this situation.

Meanwhile, Jim is running into town this morning for more tax stuff and other miscellaneous errands so will work on his E2E quilt later this afternoon AFTER I get the backing situation taken care of. Maybe. 

Family Importance

I only see my brother a few times a year. Same with my mother even though she lives about eight miles away. She's busy with her art stuff.

But my brother lives seven or eight hours (instead of miles) away down in Cincinnati. He came up for his and my moms birthday on Thursday night and we spent all of yesterday going to art exhibits, shopping at antique markets, and going out to eat in Bay City. From there, we headed to Hobby Lobby in Midland before coming home. Jim stayed behind. It's too hard for him to do much walking right now. 

Needless to say, no long arming occurred yesterday on my part. Jim did some work on DW. But the previous day resulted in this going into the quilt on Marty...

After working on that quilt all day, and Jim starting to get into the one on DW...

Putting a frame around each of these already "quilted" blocks

I started getting ready for the retreat that starts next Tuesday...

Cutting and sorting for each block
I have much more cutting to do. After my meeting this morning in town I'll continue this afternoon.

The meeting I have this morning is with Linda for a possible retreat location downtown Gladwin at the Riverwalk. While we enjoy the retreats at The Springs, Riverwalk offers a few higher ended options; chef versus cook, pedicure versus a chair massage, beautiful suites versus 'just a room' rooms, and the view is spectacular out two sides of the room versus being in the basement of a large building.

We've conjured up some interest with people Linda and I have talked to and will talk some more about it while we are in Shipshewana with those girls there. But we have to nail down some specifics because questions will be asked we need answers for before they are asked of us. 

My Own Rules

I started the day out on DW getting the wall hanging that needs to get to Germany quilted. This was all before or near 10:00. Jim had to head into town to run some errands and get some personal affects from his desk (unsuccessful) leaving me here to do some quilting...

I finished Carrie's quilt on Bernie just before 4:00 and then looked behind me. 

I have a rule about DW. Once a quilt is taken off (mine) then the next one can NOT be started until the binding is on the one just removed. Yet, this was staring at me all last week as well as this week thus far...

Four ready to bind

Yep, four of them. I started around 4:30 and ended around 7:15. Enjoy the show!

Originally for Rayola but going to Germany now

Baby Spartan

Baby Hedgehog

Baby beds

Jim can ship these out next week while I'm gone. Speaking of next week, I popped open my tote to see what I had left to sew at next week in Shipshewana and it isn't good. I have one (ONE!) project in there and that certainly isn't going to keep me busy for a whole week.

I have the BOM I can cut out and take as well as Chads flying pig I could work on. Jim drug out my wagon for transport of things up to the room(s) and so tonight I need to start thinking about my projects being taken to Indiana and getting things around for that. 

I have two customers coming to day to pick up and this is what I'll be starting on Marty today...

A few of her favorite things

Another holiday deadline. 

Lots Going On

This is what I'm currently working on... 

Carrie R.'s hand embroidered girls

Here's some of what's going into it...

The inside border

Outside border

Jim did this little quilt for the kids in Germany...

Hedgehogs for the hedgehogs

Babysitting the Pro Stitcher

We had customers come later in the afternoon for pick up/drop off and they are infrequent visitors so we caught up with all that we'd been up to over the past six months. Delightful ladies for sure!

After the hedgehogs were completed we constructed backing, frame ironed, loaded, and then basted in for this next quilt on DW. 

To put into the nursery in Germany

We both selected a design together and got it ready to start first thing this morning, but the longer I thought about what we had picked to put in there the less I was sold on it. Back to the drawing board. I'll continue on with Carries quilt on Bernie once I get Jim started on DW. 

Very (Un)Accomplished Yesterday

I didn't get nearly enough done in what it was I was initially working on...

Some continuous curves in the triangles

Jim was having some tablet issues on DW. Here's what he's stitching out in Mary's quilt...

He kept touching the work portion of the screen and hosing up his progress. We had to restart the machine a few times because he lost connection. It was just one of those days I guess. But we did make it to the bottom with a few inches to spare on that backing. 

By the time he wrapped up his quilting and I trimmed the piece, it was past quitting time so I shut down Marty for the day. 

Jim asked what was next on DW. We have to get these two baby quilts done and in the mail headed for Germany. Customs goes through everything and last time we sent a package it took five weeks to arrive to the kids. We want to make sure these get there sooner rather than later. 

Having said that, this was loaded last night...

Baby DeGroots first Spartan quilt

I haven't actually quilted with DW in months. His buttons and weight are vastly different than the two Bernina long arms, yet, we fit together like peanut butter and honey (I prefer honey over jelly). 

And since I already had him loaded (we had to put a panel his his backing to make it wide enough), I decided I hadn't had enough long arming yesterday and tore right into it. 

Me doing free motion

Yep, this is NOT computerized but rather me doing the driving. After an hour or so it was finished and is now waiting for me to get it off the frame and trim so it can be bound. 

But the B's are headed up today (pending their alternator repair on the van) and Jim is pressing cider. I'm going to work in the studio for a short bit to get my BOW done. I had made great progress on it last night but then the Bellers decided to have a fire (Kathy's cancer is back) and we knew we needed to spend as much time with them as possible. They are headed to Florida next week for a month. 

If the B's don't come up, then I'll continue in the studio getting the next DeGroot baby quilt loaded. I have to find a back for it and that's another something I'm going to do this morning. I may need to run to Pieces.