Having a Helper

Having Jim in the studio has been a humungous help. I can concentrate on the custom side while he's working on the digitized end of things. We are still figuring out the logistics of him being in there since he's so big, but I'm not going to complain. At all!

I'm done with retreat for four days before having to head back up on Monday, and yesterday was a very productive day. I had one customer pick up. I finished the Halloween quilt. Jim stitched out a Shop Hop quilt and then we reloaded.

Here's what's on Bernie for today...

A classy table runner

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

Another Shop Hop top

And then I started quilting on the table runner while Jim was off to the eye doctor for his annual check up...

Feathers, swirls, and snow flakes

After working past 'quitting time' I started piecing the double rows into rows of four on the strip quilt top. However, Ellie is out in the truck for retreat (no reason to bring her in for four days) so decided to piece on Mike. I hate piecing on Mike. He's my most expensive sewing machine and he's the worst piecer. Great for blanket stitching and binding, but bad, bad, bad on piecing. 

After struggling through two or three rows, decided to get Jay out of mothballs and piece on him. I mean, he's a duplicate of Ellie only in Janome form rather than Elna form. It seems like every sewing machine manufacturer has the same machine (straight stitch only) but with their name on it. So, while I was talking to Andrew, I took off his free motion stuff and put him back to a straight stitch set up. 

I thought he was having some issues, but as I look at him more closely this morning, it seems he's just mad I left him over on his little table a little too long. I'll give him some extra TLC later and he should be fine. 

I have nails first thing this morning and I have lunch with two customers at noon. I'll finish the table runner when I return from nails, and then move over to Marty later this afternoon once I return from lunch. I can't believe it's Friday already!