Lost Day

We had expected to be back to the house at a decent time yesterday. Mid-afternoon at the latest. It was early evening before we finally made it home and I had some things to take care of and put away before doing anything else.

Wanderers Path

Cache

Since last night did not lend itself to long arming, it did work for some small projects. I completed two more blocks in the Alaska top...It was 6:30 before I was able to look at a machine. Long arming did not occur because we totally lost yesterday as a production day. So, today I'll be working on the big machines.

And I have a customer who made an appointment last month to come today to drop a top off. Jim has a basketball game at noon and we'll end up with a late lunch time because of it. Which is fine. I received another email from a customer inquiring to her quilts whereabouts. I know! I'm so behind right now and I'm trying to catch up. 

A Quick Blog Today

Jims birthday is next week so we are heading out this morning to do errands and have lunch with mom. 

Here's what I'm working to end out this week...

Toni's holly quilt

Jim helped in the studio yesterday...

Pulling bad stitches

Some of the quilting going into Toni's top...

Quilting detail

A small project I quickly made last night...

Brochures for the retreat in April

I had to made a quick basket to hold the brochures we have for the retreat Linda and I are hosting in April.

And we all make mistakes in our piecing...

Oops

This happens to the best of us. 

We're heading out soon and I'll have to long arm later this afternoon when we return from town. 

Ever Have One of Those Days?

Yep, shoulda stayed in bed yesterday. Between the frigid cold temps and wind, the snow, and the studio mishaps, it was all telling me to something else yesterday.

I was working the very last border on the Judy Niemeyer quilt; doing the last channel at the bottom and then all went to hell...

Broken Needle

Since I've had broken needles before, this wasn't the issue. The unfamiliar grinding noise and the error message I received on the screen was the issue. I popped open the throat plate and found this...

That little metal thing is supposed to be straight

Not only was the little metal thing not straight, but it was hitting the bobbin race. I unscrewed it and straightend it out. Did a little adjusting. Put in a new needle and hand cranked it down to see if it was going to "time" correctly. 

Nope. Not even close. The needle is coming down on top of the bobbin race and not even connecting with the thread loop. I threw the machine completely out of time. Meaning, it has to take a trip down to Lansing. UGH!

And I was dealing with this too...

Lovely straight border

How are you supposed to do a straight channel in this? Well, I was done working on DW so had to strip the quilt already loaded onto Marty and move this quilt over to him so I could finish this thing once and for all...

Moving hour

Ever try to off load and reload a super king-sized quilt before? Jim was out working on his workshop so I didn't want to bother him to assist and therefore just handled it myself. I WAS going to get this quilt done yesterday no matter the problems. 

And, by 6:00, the quilt that was on here was reset and this one was removed. I don't have a pic of the one I'll be working on today on Marty because, well, it was off the frame for most of the afternoon yesterday trying to get the one above completed. 

But, I'll be working on Marty all day today. This customer is concerned about me getting her quilt done for the holidays and I have to focus on it to meet the holiday deadline. And, of course, it's not a small one. Not huge like the last one, but not small either. 

So Happy!

This is one of those morning where I am so happy I don't have to work outside the home. We had a DJ back in Grand Rapids who, one time during a snow event, announced he would read off all the schools that were open. Dead silence. Yep, that's pretty much what we have today.

And here's another happy time...

Nearing the end

I took a new roll when I shut down last night. I have this pass and then the last pass (three borders) and we'll be calling this one nearly done. Jim still has to pull out some channeling stitches near the top, but my portion will be complete. 

Meaning, this will be the only thing worked today. Notice I haven't done any sewing this week. Nope. I've been working through my sewing time on this quilt above. No customers expected today, and even if I was expecting anybody, I'm sure they would have called and rescheduled given that snow is still coming down. 

Don't Ask For Channeling...

Okay gang. You want your sides channeled before I set in the motif we discussed at the planning session. But, you only leave me this much backing...

2 3/4"? Really?

I can't attach the side clamps to steady the sandwich when left only this much backing. And since this quilt is so big, I can't even attach my leader grip bracket because I'm that close to the side of the frame. I've pulled multiple stitches on these channels, and I'm done with doing that. 

If you don't provide me with the minimum requirements of at least 4" all around, I can not be responsible for shoddy looking work. There is a reason long armers need that much extra. Too many to list today, but it's not because we want you to spend the extra money. We NEED that much to get things aligned and stable on that 12-foot frame.

I had the quality control crew making sure I was staying on task yesterday...

Hazel (l) and Lucy (r)

We have a beautiful snow coming down right now and it's supposed to stay with us until around noon. Then, it'll be kicking back up again later this evening. New snow is always soooo pretty and will be nice to look at while I've passed the half-way point in the Judy Niemeyer quilt. I knew this one would take over a week to complete. 

Reset Day

I had totally planned on long arming yesterday afternoon, but after decorating the tree,

and attending the virtual baby shower for Caleb and Lia, it was time for lunch and it still need to be made.

And then Christmas movies just kept queueing up so we spent the afternoon snuggling with the girls and relaxing. I was just still. Enjoying the down time and resetting my head and body. I know this week is going to be killer, as is next week. 

I think it's important to take time out to be still. Just relax and enjoy what you have, like the dogs and a warm place to live.

Today I'll be working on DW (of course) and looking out my window at the beautiful snow and be thankful I'm in a place where it's not 0 degrees (that's what we woke up to this morning) all while doing what I love to do. 

Not Much To Share

Jim got the lights on the tree and I worked on DW for about four hours yesterday. Our neighbors came over for a visit. MSU lost their b-ball game. I did get the new bow tied to the top of the studio tree. Not much else happening in the studio.

When Jim was digging out the Snow Village from under the stairs earlier this week he found this in the closet... 

Newly hung thread rack

I'm not sure what it was doing in the closet, but fat lot of good it does me in there. He hung it up for me and any spare threads we have are on it. BUT I need to make better use of it and add more "odd" threads hanging around that I only use on occasion. 

Thankfully I have a good duster to go over these when needed. 

I have a virtual baby shower to attend for the little kids later this morning and don't know if mom will remember to come or not. It's been snowing a little bit so she may not try to venture out. Hair cuts already occurred and we have to trim the tree as well so we have a busy Sunday planned.