We Passed!

We've been given our occupancy permit and the final inspection went relatively well. Just a few things he mentioned that he wasn't going to sight us for that needed to be done. The beam and the outside supports on the porch need to be boosted to 2x8's. 

And, since I'm leaving tomorrow for Cincinnati, I had yesterday and then today to get the big machines cleaned out (all that stuff underneath them). Wow, do I have a dirty job. So (so, so, so) many dust bunnies and lint. And I'm not putting dirty stuff out into my beautiful new studio. 

It took all day to get the spare bedroom cleaned out (quilts in wait, quilts to be picked up, and batting) and underneath DW done. I'm tackling Bernie this morning.

Not quite finished yet, but enough for now

There will be a shelf above these to store packaged batt

All clean underneath!

In between all of that I had a customer come and drop off, calls coming in, and the inspector. 

In the early evening I was pretty tired of walking back and forth from the main house out to the new studio, so I decided to do some thing fun and more sit-down-ish. I started four bags and made eight more blocks...

This is one of those "time killer" projects. Just some blocks to eat up the stash and stick into small time slots when there isn't a lot of time (or energy) to work. I also made one customer bag and started four more. I have admin stuff to do today as well as packing for the trip so I better get to it. I'm sure going to miss the big machines for the next almost week. Am I whining? You bet! I love long arming!

Final Days

We are approaching the final days for me to be in the "old" studio. Today I'll be removing Kathy's quilt from Bernie and then both machines will be empty until next Monday. The packing and labeling begins IF we pass our final inspection today.

The only way this will change is if we don't pass inspection. I may throw a small something or another onto one of the machines to get done before I leave on Thursday. 

Here's some of the quilting in Kathy's quilt...

So pretty!

I am expecting a customer later this morning to drop off but that's about it. It's bitter sweet leaving the old studio. I've enjoyed the views and sunshine; the falling snow and rains, and the wildlife I get to watch. But I quickly outgrew the space and it's time for a shift. While all those windows were nice, it was also a distraction. I found my self wool gathering at times watching the critters scurry, swim, and fly in their daily life. 

I will still have large windows facing the lake, but not as broad of a view as I do now. However, while I was polyurethaning the floor, found the new space has very good juju and am looking forward to starting the next chapter in Quilting at the Lake. 

No Small Project

Polyurethaning the new floor is not a small project. The first coat went down Saturday; the second yesterday. It stinks very much bad in here because temps last night were in the low 40's and we had to shut up the house. 

But, this too shall pass. We have our first final inspection tomorrow. Here's crossing our fingers. 

Before on the left, after on the right

Here it is with the second coat...

Isn't it pretty?

Jim worked on the risers while I was second coating yesterday...

The closet exterior walls are complete and the beam is nearly enclosed as well. Tonight his task is window and door trim work as well as a hanger or two on the pipe between the house and the septic tank.

I'll be finishing Kathy's quilt today and then starting to prepare for the move. Not too much in case our inspection goes south but enough that I'm not overwhelmed on Tuesday night and Wednesday. I have one customer coming to both drop off and pick up today. Happy Monday. 

Not Quite Right

Disappointment is looming over me today. Took the APQS Lenni for a test drive last night and I must say I'm not impressed. The machine is loud. The pebbles looked awful. The machine fought with me the whole time so I'm going to have to pass on this machine.

Jim found a Gammill for sale up in West Branch and we're trying to get up to see it, but the guy has already had one looker and another scheduled for later today. 

We have a 1,000 things to do today to prepare for our final inspection and probably should not be chasing around looking at long arms, so if this doesn't work out, that's probably the direction we're supposed to go.

No Pics today as all that was done in the studio was long arming Kathys quilt, which isn't done. Yet.

All Of a Sudden

I looked up yesterday while working and all of a sudden the leaves were starting to pop out, our neighbors apple tree is in full bloom, and the grass shot up in the girls' pen a mile. Spring has sprung.

Lots going on today. Customer coming to get her quilt. I'm working on Kathy's quilt on Bernie; I finished Linda's yesterday and did capture this little bit of quilting in it...

Can you see the Poinsettias? 

Here's some of the quilting going into Kathy's quilt...

Clean sashing/border lines

Once I got done working on the big machines, I went outside and mowed the girls' pen and then headed to the flower garden just off the driveway. We call it the rail fence garden. Where did all that crab grass come from anyway? 

After I finished that long project I came in and pulled out the new rulers I had purchased at Country Stitches last weekend...

These looked like fun

This is how I'm going to use up some of the scraps in the dresser that seem to be multiplying in there. I'm starting with a green/blue/teal quilt first. Here's the first four blocks I completed. 

Aren't these fun?

These can be set in a pattern or just randomly. I'll see what I get when I'm done to decide on how they'll end up. 

Meanwhile, while I was doing all of that, Jim has been working on the closet the past two days. Here's where he ended last night before running out of wood...

So stinkin' cool!

The door in the back is just being stored there until he can get it hung. It's not actually part of the closet. 

Tonight we have to head to Midland and I'm hoping to visit my third machine. I have left her a message and until she commits to us coming over, I won't know for sure if that's in the cards or not. I sure hope so because I have a lead on another machine in West Branch which is less costly than the one in Midland.

Family

Ya can't pick family can ya? A very disconcerting conversation with my father yesterday left me in kind of  a funk. It's a good thing I didn't have any customers come over or even call. I would have been kind of a downer to talk to. 

Anywho...the pics I've taken of Linda's quilt aren't showing squat so I'll just show what I did after long arming all day...

All finished!

I have to get a dowel and have a small hole drilled on each side to be able to hang this on the side of our trailer during reunion, but I have plenty of time since that's not until July.

More work on Lindas quilt today. I have one customer coming to pick up later and it's a gorgeous spring day out there to enjoy company and work. 

Updates

Every once in a while I have to update the blog, or the web site, or my IG account. I like doing it but when it's only done every once in a while, I have to refer back to my notes to remember just how to do it. Is this an aging thing?

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

Christmas Poinsettia

Another Linda McGibbon creation from Lakeside Quilting. She is so darn talented. And, of course, since Island Batiks has a deadline on Linda, that means it passes down to me. 

Here's what's on Bernie...

Kathy's very serious owl

This piece won't even get basted in until I get Linda's poinsettia done because of our time crunch. But it's there and ready for me to work when I'm ready to dive into it.

And then, there's yard work. It's was decently nice yesterday afternoon, though a bit on the chilly side. Since we had a break in our spring rains, and since we've had so much rain, the lawn decided to explode. Push mowed the back yard, started weed wacking, and then Jim fired up my rider. Spent the next couple of hours mowing the entire yard. 

After I had enough yard work for one day (I mean, let's not get crazy the first time out), I came in and worked a little on the "Welcome" sign for our camper. All the blanket stitching is done and the next step is straight line quilting the piece on the DSM. It's all marked and ready to go for whenever I can get to it. 

Nobody expected today so should have a pretty productive day on the big machine. 💖