On a Whim

The morning started out with the Temperature blocks and then I had to make a prototype of a notebook cover to see if I liked the pattern I've selected for that. 

This is the before

Here is the after. 

I messed up the measurement (which is why I always do trial run) wrapped cover. There shouldn't be any of the blue polka dot fabric peeking out of the right side. 

I made a fabric bow last year around the holidays and wanted to make a few larger ones for the door to the studio. There are plenty of free videos on how to make one of these. Kind of. They give you the general instructions, but aren't specific about cuts/amount of squares, etc. 

I purchased a pattern from a maker on Etsy (must support small businesses) for the full pattern since I plan on making many of these.

Here's where I left off late last night.

It looks like I'm making a camouflage bow doesn't it? It's all the left over Sparty fabric I have in my stash along with a few other fabrics that worked well here. Before the picnic I want to get started sewing these all together. 

From the picnic we have to head to Lansing for Bens birthday. Don't know what time we'll get home so this morning may be my only sewing window. 

Work After Work

I've mentioned this before. I don't just quilt customer quilts. I have plenty of work to do even before setting needle and thread into their fabric. I have even more work to do after the quilt is quilted even if they don't want me to trim their finished piece. 

One of those 'chores' is removing all the markings. Here is a before and after. 

After

Before

Because this customer wanted cross hatching for the background, the whole quilt was premarked before even loading. Not that I use the marks all the way through (because they become a little off during the quilting process), but they are a road map for me.

After I got done working, Jim announced that last night was the first Spartan football game under the lights at Spartan Stadium. Hmm?

Summer is 'over' since it's Labor Day weekend and the watermelon banner could be taken down. Jim and I made this together. 

That took a few hours to make and then Jim was ready to relax for the day. He wandered out to his man cave. I cut out the rest of the Santa top and got that ready to head to a retreat. I wasn't in a long arm mood so I cut out for the next block in Quilt Room.

I still had a lot of steam left in me so I started putting that block together. Here's the finished block. 

Block eight

Jim and Joe are at a Township/Association meeting this morning. I'll be working on the Temperature blocks until he arrives home and then I'll probably be on DW for part of the day. It's a holiday and I'll wander wherever I want to wander I guess. 

Elderly Parents

Both my parents are still alive. Not well, but alive at any case. Both of them have been in the hospital this week and we're on the phone with Caleb and Lia (in Germany) right now to ask about VA benefits for my dad since he was in the service.

One more day on Diana's quilt (and I'm not stopping until it's done today) and then the rest of the weekend I was planning on playtime in the studio.

Life, however, has other ideas. Tomorrow morning is the bi-annual township meeting. We have neighbors coming up for the holiday. Sunday is a dam picnic to welcome our dam back. After the picnic we have to run to Lansing to spend the afternoon with our kiddo for his birthday. That's just off the top of my head.

Monday is Sunday, so no studio time on Monday. I'm going to try to get in there between obligations on Saturday and Sunday. Who knows?

We had thunderstorms roll  through yesterday afternoon so I put this part of Quilt Room together. After the storms were finished I jumped back on Marty as long as I could until more storms rolled through.

Once done with work for the day, I ended up putting the next three blocks into one on Quilt Room.

Section two!

After that was together I started cutting out a kit mom got for me last Christmas until I started getting tired.

Starting a new cut-out

Happy Labor Day weekend!

I Made It Work

We got these wonderful side lights for Marty and Bernie at the AQS show a few weeks ago. The USB connections for the first power pack were not right so we bought a second power pack yesterday while out getting groceries. I made it work!

I did get some quilting done before heading to lunch with Linda but by the time we got home from West Branch (Jim and I left shortly after I returned home) it was WAY after 4:00 so I started right in on the Quilt Room block and was able to finish it. 

Not quite right

I did mess up making this block. The stars are supposed to be in complete alignment but I found that offsetting them was more pleasing to me. 

Today I'll be working on Diana's quilt some more on Marty, but we have severe weather coming later this afternoon so I'll work diligently as long as I can. From there, who knows?

Artistry

For some reason my brother wanted me to send a pic of the first complete painting my mother made. It was created sometime between my brother and I existing and was finished after we were both born. It's an eerie painting yet was created back when she put her heart into her work. 

She doesn't paint with the same heart or passion any more. It just seems like she rushes through to meet a deadline for an upcoming show. My mother used to be a wood carver and was a national award winner. But her wrists can no longer take the work so she has worked her way back into her oils. 

I have to remind myself that even though I'm behind (eight or more months), I need to maintain my artistic integrity with my customers (and my) quilt tops. I can't be rushing through just to meet a deadline. 

Even though Diana's top is basically all cross hatching, I've still pulled many threads and when I look back on what I accomplished, I will correct things that just don't seem right. It would be too easy to shrug my shoulders and let the mistakes occur (nobody but me would know), but I DO NOT do that. I have too much self-worth and determination to let mistakes exist. At least those that I catch. And I'm always watching!

I'll be on Diana's quilt again today, although only through the morning. I have a meeting/lunch with Linda about our retreat in April as well as the upcoming Shipshewana trip in November. 

I did get a kit cut out last night to take to the retreat in a few weeks, and I worked the block (a little) on the Quilt Room. Nothing on DW. 

Thunderstorms Be Damned

Yep. I heard the thunder. And more thunder. And, then later in the afternoon, a repeat performance. I didn't care. I kept on long arming. I didn't stop or even slow down. I was being daring I guess. 

Here's some of the quilting going into Diana's (I called her Julie yesterday) Flea Market.

A simple cross hatch

It's mostly premarked so you'd think it wouldn't take as long. I wish. The marks are getting rubbed off with me leaning up against them despite my keeping the quilt folded onto itself while I'm working. UGH!

Once I was done working, and since I have all the Flower Power blocks done, I cut out and started making the next block in the Quilt Room. I got those about half done and moved over to DW.

Here's some of the quilting going into Book Nook.

I was going to do a crosshatch in the border, but since I'm getting my fill of that in the Flea Market during the work day, decided to do something a little classic (like books are) and creative (like books are). 

More of the same today. I have a customer coming later today to pick up and possibly drop off but that's about the only change between today and yesterday. Isn't my life exciting?

Dodging

There are a few things long armers need to dodge: Pins, thick seams that will break a needle, and thunder. Thunder because when there is thunder there is lightning. Isn't there a song about that?

Today is going to be a dodge 'em kind of day I think. 

I'm going to try to start on Marty working on Julies Flea Market top. I'll have to keep my ears open. We have very dark skies all over and the rain sure is coming down. Unfortunately, the dam is in a holding pattern so it's not going to raise a whole lot over the next week or two but lightning and long arms simply do not mix.

I did get some knitting done yesterday while snuggling with the girls. 

Lovely autumn colors in the next scarf

That's about all of my day I've got planned so far. Pretty low-key stuff today.