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. 

A Perfect Sunggle Sunday

A nice rain outside, thunder in the distance, overcast and gloomy. Yep. A perfect day to knit and snuggle with the dogs on the couch all day while watching sappy rom-com movies. 

Jim and I did some purchase damage at Bittersweet yesterday. I LOVE that quilt shop. Quality fabrics for sure and the staff are always so nice. Here's the haul.

Backing fabrics and other stuff

The MSU minky panel Jim brought home a few months ago-we needed a back for it. The inspirational teen girl panel I brought home last fall needed a back too. Then I found the book on the right to go with the pre-printed fusible above it and hey, I just got six new quilt ideas to make and holy cow, we just had a lightning strike a few hundred feet north of us. Big boom of thunder too. Shook the house. I won't be long arming today. 

After taking care of our purchases and making/eating lunch I wandered into the studio for the afternoon/evening. 

All the Flower Power blocks are blanket stitched and I'll be taking them to retreat in a few weeks to put together. 

Ready to be assembled

Once those were done I had to get the rest of the next block together in the Quilt Room. 

The next 'chunk' in the Quilt Room

These almost look like they're real. Once the block was finished, I had to get caught up on the Temperature blocks. I was nine days in arrears. Hopefully I can stay on task from here on in since we have nothing really scheduled for the remaining weeks of the year. 

I did not have time to long arm since I had all this other stuff I wanted to get done. Sad Face!

Planning

Do you recognize this quilt top on Marty?

[Another] Flea Market

Why look, it's another Flea Market. Shocking. After 'pouncing' all the grid work into the top all I had time for in my work day was the first border.

Book Nook

I've obtained a few large panels to make quilts for two of our grandchildren. Jim and I need to get some softener salt and dog food in Standish, and then we're running over to Bittersweet to see what we can get there for those panels (one needs a back, the other needs to have a front built for it). 

We ran to get people food last night and after returning I loaded Book Nook and got a Flower Power done. Those were relatively quick things to do so I started sewing together the next block in the Quilt Room. I did not get it done but will tackle that and hopefully the Temperature quilt blocks I'm in arrears with later today. 

Was It Monday?

Jim and I kept thinking yesterday was Monday. Probably because we took Tuesday and Wednesday off. Here is some of the quilting going into Dianes baby quilt...

Clouds and rainbows

This still needs to be removed from the frame and trimmed but after working late it's completely quilted. 

I did a Flower Power block. I removed the table runner, and, while talking to Andrew on his way home from work, got the binding on it. I did choose another quilt to load onto DW so started frame ironing the back for that. After that I started cutting out for the next block in the Quilt Room. 

Garden Table Runner

Later last night we had a lunar eclipse. I tried to capture it 'on film' and here's the beginning phase...

The beginning of the lunar eclipse

I did stay up late enough to see the totally dark landscape, but my bedroom is in the opposite side of where the moon can be seen. I didn't think Jim would appreciate me stalking around the house at 12:20 in the morning so didn't capture the entire eclipse.

I have one customer coming sometime today to pick up and while I'm waiting for her, and until I can get it loaded, the next quilt top going on Marty has to be entirely marked beforehand. I'm still debating how I'm going to do it (Pounce, manual chalk, or blue marks-be-gone). Anyway, happy Friday. 

Some Good, Some Not So Good

We visited several shops to and from Shipshewana. Some of them were meh, and others were OMG! We discovered our favorite in Middlebury, Indiana. What a gem!

Anyway, if I liked the shop, I would purchase something. Here's the haul I took from Quilts at Marshall House, Quilts at Essenhaus, and Yoders. I did not find anything at Lolly's (which was weird). 

The haul

Now I have plenty to do at both retreats and during the winter months here. Jim also found some fun things (he LOVES puzzles) to work on this winter. 

We encountered some weird weather coming home. I was able to snag a slight rainbow pic north of Saginaw while heading back from saying goodbye to Lia and Evelyn. 

Can you see it?

Here's some cute pics of Shipshewana in the fall...

Roasting marshmallows

Run, Forest, Run

And now it's back to our regularly scheduled programming. Jim is at PT this morning and I'm catching up on some laundry while already working in the studio. I had to wait for the mouse to recharge a bit before I could blog. It was completely dead.

I'll be working this quilt today on Bernie while frame ironing the back for the next one on Marty. I've already had to flip this quilt 90 degrees because of what I'm planning to put in here. 

Diane's little Noah baby quilt

It was a great few days spending it with my best friend. We ate way too much and traveled a lot of miles in a little over 24 hours, but we needed to get away for a few days and now Jim knows where I spend a week every November. BUT, it's GREAT to be home!

Heading Out

As soon as Jim gets out of the shower we're hitting the road. We'll be back tomorrow night, but will enjoy the mini vacation since it revolves around quilting!

Sandy's quilt is finished. I did a Flower Power once that was off the frame and all that goes with it was completed. Then I moved over to DW to finish the table runner. 

I love feathers!

It's a beautiful day for traveling. It's hard to imagine that in less than three months the travel down may be a little more dicey. Until tomorrow...

Small Vacation

Jim and I are taking a mini-vacation tomorrow and Wednesday. I won't be blogging those two days but will have much (hopefully) to report back on Thursday morning since where we are going revolves around quilting. 

A new knitting project

Okay, so all I do is a knit stitch and all I make are scarves. I like to do stuff with my hands and this seems like a great way to get something done while relaxing on our Sunday afternoon. I'm not wanting to really learn all the knit stitches and this is good enough for me right now. 

I did manage to get a grid marked on the interior of the table runner DW decided to not want to stitch out. I did this while Jim was grilling hamburgers for lunch.

Today I'll be working on Sandy's quilt on Marty and trying to get that done before we leave early tomorrow morning. Rory will be here with the dogs and they love her so that works out well. 

Research

My mom hates that word. Research. Probably because my brother overuses it and doesn't actually 'research' correctly. But this morning I was using it very correctly trying to find next years retreat gift pattern. 

That's why I'm blogging so late. I did manage to get some things done in the studio yesterday. I got the next two blocks done in the QAL. 

Once I completed those I removed that quilt from DW and put this one on.

The outside border is being done with custom quilting but the inside started with DW stitching it out on the ProStitcher.

And half-way through, the ProStitcher decided to be a bonehead and stop working. I tried a restart and instead of stitching out it decided to ghost stitch (following the path it was going to stitch, but not actually stitching). I gave up. I tried a few other things (reconnecting the motors, a soft restart, etc.) unsuccessfully. 

Jim was down to the neighbors visiting so I decided to join him instead of fighting the machine. After my experience yesterday with the computer, realized our days were probably over as a team. We had 14 good years but I think my patience and his age are going to be our demise. 

So, the rest of the motif is going to have to be done with rulers instead of the computer because I just don't trust it anymore. And it's very frustrating when the time is spent setting up the motif and getting everything just right just to have it crash or not stitch at all. Life is too short!

Forgot to Mention

One of the other items I hauled home was a new 24" x 36" cutting mat. Isn't it funny that after about five years, despite my changing blades often and cleaning the mat periodically, I have to replace them?

Here's some more quilting detail on Sandy's quilt...

I worked later last night trying to make up for some lost time with the Germany visitors and the AQS show. I'll do the same on Monday as we are not going to be here Tuesday or Wednesday. More on that later. 

Once I was done on Marty for the day I started in on a Flower Power block and my phone indicated a customer/friend calling (she calls after hours so not to disrupt my quilting zen). How come I get more done when I'm on the phone? Before I knew it, my Flower Power block was done and I was moving to something else.

I glanced under DW and saw my Temperature quilt and realized I hadn't worked that in two weeks. That was interesting trying to get the readings. NOAA has changed its website and it would only bring up snowfall amounts for Gladwin. I don't think we had any snowfall in the past two weeks.

I had to source elsewhere. Aaaannnddd...it's growing!

The backside

I want to get onto DW today to complete the last two weeks' worth of QAL blocks and then I'm going to pull that top off. I have the farmers table runner I finished last week to get on there to get it done for harvest season. 

While I was perusing IG this morning, before getting around for the day, somebody out there reminded us we should be starting our Christmas projects soon. Mom bought me a kit last Christmas to make [another] holiday quilt. I should cut that up and get it ready for retreat in a couple of weeks? I have to get in my retreat bin to see what I have there to work on and whether or not I should be taking something else along. 

If my memory serves me from April, I still have plenty to work in the bin. Here's the thing. The retreat I'm attending in a few weeks is up at The Springs. I've been there and obviously know how things work there. BUT, I'm going knowing zero people. Not. A. Sole. The one friend who was going texted me to let me know she was backing out. Whelp. Either these folks will love me or wish I'd never attended.

The issue I see in the future is that I need a design wall for all things I'm remembering are in that bin. If I get stuck out in the middle of the room I need to have something I can just sew and not need a wall for. I'll go through it today and see where I'm at.

AQS Quilt Week

Let the fun begin! So many beautiful quilts. I could fill my blog with pics from award winners but I'm going to share two quilts nobody really paid much attention to.

These two quilts were beautiful and the pattern/designs were my very good friend, Linda McGibbon at Lakeview Quiltings designs. She'll be happy to see they have made the AQS.

After looking at quilts all morning we headed to the vendor mall. We saw some very familiar faces and we met a lot of new ones. I even got to 'fan' over Ricky Timms, Adam Ratliff (AdamSewFun), and Micki Chip. Here's my haul from the mall.

Since there is so much I'll sum it up: Two pairs of leggings with quilt-themed motifs, a zippered jacket with a quilt-themed motif, 10 cones of SoFine! thread, two pairs of angled tweezers, three packs of prewound bobbins for the Janome Horizon machine, and four sets of lights. 

Four? Yes. One set for the Janome 1600P I take to retreats, one set for each of the Bernina long arms (a flexible side light) to be able to see white on white and black on black, and a set for DW around the collar because that USB port was broken and the old collar light is no longer around. 

Today is a normal work day so I better get to it. I've taken enough time off this week with the baby and the show. 

A Day Off

I took yesterday off due to the DIL and granddaughter still being here. In fact, they are here still today, but will be leaving later this evening. Tomorrow is AQS in Grand Rapids, so nothing will be done tomorrow. I'll have to make up for lost time during the weekend. BUT, our north neighbors are coming up so I can profess good intentions, right?

We went to an antique mall in Bay City. There were many quilts and unfinished tops there, but the prices were through the roof. I did find this for my son whose nickname is doughnut. 

When we finally got home we were playing with the baby and Lucy looked less than enthused. 

Lia is still hand stitching down the binding on the Raven quilt but she doesn't think she'll be getting it done before she and Evie are set to leave later tonight. 

I'm hoping to get a little work done while Evie is taking her morning nap here in a bit, but mom is coming over after lunch to visit the girls before they take off and who knows how long she'll stay after they have headed south.

More for Reference

Sometimes I take pictures so I can refer back to them later after advancing the quilt. If a block isn't repeated often, I have a tendency to forget exactly how I quilted it above in the beginning. But, sometimes it's just because I want to capture the texture and beauty custom quilting gives us. 

This time it's for reference. The batting underneath (not my choice in batting this time) doesn't lend a lot of texture but I need pics to reference on this quilt. 

Only four of these blocks

I think there's only four of these too

Once I got done working yesterday, most of the rest of the day was spent with my DIL and granddaughter, although once she went down for the night I was able to get a Flower Power block done.

 

I have a dentist appointment first thing this morning. I'm already showered, laundry is started, beds are made, and the dogs are taken care of. Not sure what we're doing when I get home but work probably won't happen today unless Evie starts taking longer naps.