Another Inspection

We have yet again, another inspection today. This one is to make sure we have 5/8" drywall on the ceiling and to check our R-value on the walls; to make sure what the spray foam guy did was correct. We can proceed from there onto all the interior work. Yay.  

Reta's All Hallow quilt is about a quarter of the way done. I was going to continue on after Jim came home but proceeded to stick the long arm needle under my nail bed on my ring finger. Blood. Hurt. Shut down machine. 

While I was working on Reta's quilt, Louise's was stitching out on DW and once that was finished, started loading the next quilt. I had questions about this one, called the customer, who was in a class, and held off doing anything until she returned my call. Which she did around 4:45. 

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

Thread work a-mundo!

I don't know if I'll tear into this today or not. I want to get further on Reta's quilt. Here's some of the quilting going into that...

Partial spider web

Once I was done long arming, work began on straight-line quilting the grand kiddos initial banners. These were done on the domestic machine. Got those finished and trimmed and now ready for binding. Mine is sitting in wait to see how I'm going to do this because I want to add tails on either side for hanging instead of putting in a sleeve. Sunny but frigid day today. 

All quilted

Snowy Monday

I think we've finally moved into winter. Very cold temps this morning (mid-20's) and we have a light snow coming down right now. We got a dusting over night and yesterday we received almost an inch. 

It makes all the Christmas decorations in the house even more appropriate now that it actually resembles Christmas outside. 

I worked on this little guy intermittently throughout yesterday. I still need to make his bow tie, but here's my first prototype. 

Teddy

I like to always make one "for myself" project when delving into something new. Like sewing. Which is not quilting. And I learned a few things about this prototype. 

1. Don't use interfacing. Take the time to actually quilt the layers first. 

2. Be careful around the turns and round parts. Take them slower to make sure a curve is actually achieved. 

3. I suck at ladder stitching the back closed. Press those seams over first before turning so fighting with it when stitching it closed doesn't occur. 

4. Get the correct eyes and nose pieces before attempting another bear. Sewing on buttons ranks right up there with ladder stitching. 

That's all I can think of right now. But I'll refer back to this list when making my next one. Or better yet, I'll make notes on the actual directions. 

See the letters behind Teddy? I'm ready to start straight line quilting those tonight after getting out of the studio. I have a temporary sewing area set up in the dining room right now to get those done this week. 

But, it is Monday and it's time to get back to my "real" job. Man am I glad I don't have to go out somewhere in the weather and punch a time clock for somebody else. I have a great life! Here's what I'm working on today...

For Louise's granddaughter for Christmas

I'm putting a horse-y edge-to-edge in here. While DW is working, I'll be working on Reta's All Hallows Eve quilt on Bernie. Don't know what I'm going to put into that yet; still thinking on it. 

Trying to Get Ready

Between getting ready for our Thanksgiving I was working in the studio. I have Janices quilt done and off the frame. I'll need to contact her on Monday that all three are done.  

Here's what I worked on while frame ironing Louise's quilt...

Hannah's

Penelope

Zechariah

Jacob

Tristan

I already posted Elijah's the other day. After working on those I started a Teddy Bear from my Teddy Tell pattern that arrived the other day. 

Black Friday

Do you participate in all the black Friday hub bub? I do not. I've never been on one of those excursions early on Friday morning after Thanksgiving, but I've heard stories. I do take advantage of on-line sales when it's something that's absolutely needed but that's about it.  

Janice's quilt is done. Although, it's still hanging out on the frame since I was needed for round two of the insulation adventures in the new studio. I'll get her quilt off today and start loading for Monday.

Notice the temperature outside behind me. 

The temperature in the studio wasn't much warmer than outside since we still don't have permanent doors installed. But at least we were out of the very biting wind. We finally got finished around 3:30 yesterday afternoon. We were dirty, tired, hungry, and frozen, but it's all insulated now. 

I'm technically not open today, so I should not be working, but I don't consider what I do exactly work.

While I'm frame ironing for Monday's quilt, I'll be making more letters for the grandkids' Christmas gifts. Jim's at work and the sun is currently shining in the studio so nicely it'll be a nice morning to work out there. 

This afternoon...food prep. Although, and just recently, have learned that Ben is not feeling well, and it almost sounds like the Covid variant, so they may not even be able to attend Thanksgiving tomorrow. We'll have to send food back down with the C's if they can't actually be up here. No worries. 

Happy Turkey Day

Jim and Colette don't do holidays like "normal" people. Our Thanksgiving is Saturday. Today, we are continuing on with the blown-in insulation project in the new studio. 

Batch one

We started with 22 bales and had to run to get 15 more last night. Jim has some drywall work to do this morning for the peak in the cathedral ceiling and then we'll continue with the insulation.

Meanwhile, I'll be finishing Janices quilt this morning until I'm needed out in the very cold new studio. 

Happy Thanksgiving! May a relaxing day and full tummy come your way. 

Happy Thanksgiving Eve

I just got back from the dentist office; just a cleaning. 

Here's what's on Bernie for the unforeseeable future...

Reta's All Hallow's Eve

I need to get Janice's quilt done. What's different about her quilt?

What's Different?

I spent most of last night trying to get this quilt turned. I realized, after getting the first section done, that unless I turned this quilt, I was going to be doing way more starts and stops than I was willing to deal with. 

Now I can run passes seamlessly and not have to tie off between each and every block. 

We have started rearranging the dining room/living room to prepare for Saturday, which will be our Thanksgiving. The actual Thanksgiving day will be spent blowing insulation in the ceiling of the new studio. Who hoo! 

Excellent Quilting Day

Cold. Rainy. A perfect quilting day. Good thing there's some leftover chili in the fridge because that, my friend, is the perfect late autumn day food.

Despite having worked 11 hours yesterday on Joans quilt, it's still not done. But today should be the finishing day. Only one customer is expected to pick up (and maybe drop off) meaning very few pauses. 

This arrived in the mail last night and I didn't even take a look at it until I was done long arming regardless of my being so excited about it.

Sorry about the dark pic

It's that dark out in the studio RIGHT NOW. I literally just grabbed this pic before blogging. 

The nice thing about this pattern is there are four pieces. Two fronts and two backs. Gina has a four-part YouTube tutorial on putting it together and between that and her written instructions, we may just get a cute bear out of this. Hopefully, one of many.

Well, Bernie isn't going to run himself, so off I go to enjoy a rainy quilting day.