One More

I have completed one more holiday quilt and some little boy is going to enjoy the dragon quilt(s) I've completed the past two days...

Lot's of flames going into the quilting

While I was frame ironing for the next up on DW...

The next one of Linda's

I was working on the raspberries for Produce Section and putting the borders on Bee Happy (which is now complete btw). And, while doing all of that, I was talking to a long lost childhood friend on the phone for nearly two hours. But here are the raspberries...

I love raspberries

Aren't these just the cutest? I'll be working on the Linda quilt above most of today while taking care of two different customer visits scheduled for this morning. One to drop off and the other to pick up and drop off both. 

Did I mention I've picked up crocheting (again)? Now I have something productive to do at night when I shut down the studio instead of playing time-wasting games on my iPad. Those games sure suck you in and I wasn't liking the direction that was going. Happy Friday. Stay warm out there if you're anywhere in Michigan. 

Retreat Break

I have today to prepare for the "big" retreat starting tomorrow down in Shipshewana, Indiana. This one is the biggest of the year with over 150 in attendance and six days of fun-filled activities and sewing. I'm nearly packed since a little of what I needed for the previous retreat is going along for the upcoming one.

Except for the final border (which I did not have fabric for) Bee Happy is put together. Everybody else got a pic of it. I did not. I was holding one corner up while it was being photographed.

I also bound the two quilts I test ran DW on last week. Speaking of which, DW is back and is running very well. One of my regular customers was in attendance at the last retreat and asked if there was any way I could get her table runner (I say bed runner because it's so big) done before Thanksgiving.

Gobble, gobble!

I left early on Friday night and brought this home. I told her if she didn't mind guinea pigging for me with DW having just returned I'd be willing to work on it to see what we could accomplish.

11:15 Friday night and all was complete...

Love the texture!

Yesterday was spent unpacking Bee Happy stuff and repacking the Leah Day 365 stuff to take down south. I have a few bag projects I can make too that I bought at retreat but want to focus on the sit-down project since Foster should be home soon and I'll be back on him more than sit-down quilting. 

Isn't it funny, I'm still making lists of things to take and for Jim to do while I'm gone. I'm planning on working on Mary's quilt while thinking of more items to be added to both of those. Her quilt should be finished before shutting down for the night. Hopefully! And while I'm working on that, I'm frame ironing for Elleens next quilt on DW since he behaved so well Friday. 

Retreat Week(s)

To prepare for the two upcoming retreats I'll be attending, I needed some more leggings. And tops. Jim and I finally broke down and purchased a Costco membership and wow, can that place be overwhelming. We've learned something about Costco and that's to not go there on a Sunday. What. A. Zoo!  

But I found four new pairs of leggings, three new heavy weather tops as well as some other fun things. We'll be shopping there for Christmas that's for sure. 

Anyway. here's another block for Bee Happy. The pokey-things coming out of the top are pins and they'll be given pin heads when I quilt this piece. 

Rain expected all day today. Usually when we have icky weather I get very few customers. I'm hoping to get the "secret" quilt done today and I have to call Gall about this "catch" in the basting stitch DW is having issues with. Hopefully he won't have to go back down next weekend and it's something I can fix here.

Another One Done

Elleens quilt is finished. It's still on the frame, but the quilting is complete. 

Rays from the center star

Can you even see the quilting?

I'll off load this morning and then get the next one started while I'm trimming/billing this one. See, this is the benefit of having two long arms. I would be working on DW while frame ironing the back for what's going on Bernie next. I'm spoiled I guess.

I did work on Bee Happy last night, but the next block is a big one and I've still got four circles left to blanket stitch. Circles take forever! Another unseasonably warm day expected today (mid to high 70's), so I'm back in my summer clothes. I thought we were done with all of that for the year!?

Thread Changes

It takes time to change threads. And bobbins. I'm wondering if I should charge for this service? I see other long armers do. Hmmm???

Here's some of the quilting going into the body of Sues quilt...

Cross hatching

I love to cross hatch behind appliqué. I, once again, worked late last night and I still have one more row and the outer border to go. But, this WILL be done today.

I moved over to the Bee Happy piece I put together the previous night and blanket stitched all of that out.

Cute puppy in the truck

I almost messed this one up. When I started with the trailer detail I hadn't put a piece of batt behind the block, but I realized it just as I started so that's the only thing not stitched to the batting.

Once Sues quilt is done today I'll be moving on to this one...

Sister, Sister by Janice D.

This will depend on how long Sues takes to finish and how early Jim comes home from work. We have family coming in later tonight for a couple of days and we have to fetch some vittles to feed them all. He's taking tomorrow off too so I guess, logistically, today is my Friday. 

Slow Progress

Lately I've been doing many edge to edge quilts for customers as well as "free motion" quilts. I haven't done a traditional pieced quilt in a few weeks. What that means is I use the piecing and the fabric to drive what I'm going to quilt into the quilt. Lots of ruler work and thinking goes along with this.

The quilt I'm doing for Sue is a traditional quilt and I forgot just how slow they are to complete. Lots of thread changes and marking. But this is what I absolutely love! 

Here's the border treatment her quilt is getting...

Lots of marking

I have quilting rulers that measure out the marks as you quilt the quilt. But I find it easier and more reassuring to mark all the places I need to quilt first. I use a water/air pen to make these marks never to be seen again once they are removed.

After working on Sues quilt, I constructed the next block in Bee Happy (not blanket stitched yet, so no pic) and then I moved over to Foster to work on the BOM piece. Still. I like working on Foster more near the sunset/night time. The sun coming in the west window in late afternoon is hard on the eyes because of the angle of the sun this time of year. 

One customer coming to pick up later today. One came late yesterday afternoon to pick up as well. 

1,000! One-Thousand! 10-100's!

I quilted my thousandth quilt yesterday. And, to top it off, it was a Quilt of Valor!

1,000!!!!!

It wasn't quilted without struggles though. The Pro Stitcher tablet is definitely having some issues. 

Here's the Proof

I keep a running log since I've owned my first long arm on every quilt I work. There's the proof.

After that was finished (before lunch) and while it was stitching out, I loaded this one onto Bernie...

Sue S.'s Barn quilt

This is getting a lot of thread so it'll be a few days on the machine but closeups of the quilting to ensue.

The next quilt on DW was another E2E. This one had been loaded twice already and yesterday was its third (and final) attempt at getting it done. Issues: Lots of threads on the back

Seriously?

It's a two sided quilt...

Used the left over pieces to make the back

And the Pro Stitcher tablet was still misbehaving. I sure hope Jason can get me one rather quickly because the amount of stress having to do these E2E's with a computer that won't do half the functions is becoming extremely frustrating.

After [finally] quitting for the day (after 6:00) I did one more block on the Bee Happy top...

Cute little flower pot

I'm not expecting any customers. After I remove Joans quilt from DW and get that trimmed, I'll be loading another back while working primarily on Bernie today. 

Something Little Accomplished

This was a very draining weekend. Time spent with family can be a great thing, but mentally draining. Especially when your brother and mother get into a very heated tiff. Regardless, I lost myself in my happy place Saturday night and Sunday morning working on these...

Trees

Flower Row

So, not much in the way of sewing other than the blanket stitching here. I have two customers to call this morning and I'll be working on this piece today...

A QOV

I'm kind of tired of the two motifs I have in my tablet for QOV's and Urban Elementz is having a digital sale through the end of the month. I took advantage of that since Deb K. wanted some Hummingbirds in her son and DIL's wedding quilt and while I was out there downloaded another QOV E2E. 

Bernie is empty right now. Jim had to re-align his rails since he was starting to pinch a little in the middle. I'll load him up while the QOV is stitching out. 

It'll be nice when the new tablet arrives. I won't have to follow a million steps to get a new motif into the computer like I do currently. 

Ever Have One of Those Mornings?

My toothbrush didn't brush for the full two minutes. While getting in the shower, my shower door fell apart. When, after the first pass the tablet that drives the Pro Stitcher was all jumpy and glitchy and then lost connection with the motors I should have stopped right there and directed my energies elsewhere. But I don't give up easily and after lunch, the day smoothed out nicely. 

Linda's quilt is quilted. She wants me to bind it (gasp) so I'll do that once I get back from my nail appointment later this morning.

Another thread heavy design

Judy's quilt had great progress made in it while DW was stitching out. I'm hoping to finish that one today. My goal is to have both machines reloaded before the weekend officially begins. Although, my brother is supposed to be here later this afternoon, so I may not make my goal. And the neighbors came up yesterday. A campfire was mentioned.

A variety of quilting going in

After working on the big machines I switched over to the Bee Happy project. I have this section all blanket stitched...

This section took over two hours to stitch

Here's all the Shoo-Fly blocks completed...

My cute bee

I'm hoping to work on this sometime this weekend, but I'm going to be with my brother and my mom all day tomorrow. And knowing them, we'll probably leave early-ish to do whatever it is we are doing. I'm just along for the ride. And, a buffer between mom and Chad. They don't get along too well. 

Art Show

The Gladwin Art Guild art show was pretty okay. I was surprised there weren't more entries or exhibits, but for a small town, we're lucky to even have such a thing. And there are definitely some talented artists here. Mom received an honorable mention in the traditional art category with one of her loose/modern paintings. 

I prefer her loose style over her painstakingly precise style

Here are a few of her other paintings on the sale wall...

I like the top one best in this section

Isn't the little girl just adorable?

I have to save money right now or I would have snagged my two favorites. After getting home and eating lunch, Jim was canning more (the last batch) of salsa and I headed to the studio. He was nearing the end of salsa just before the MSU football game started so I stayed in the studio and built blocks like a crazy woman yesterday...

Eight new Bee Happy blocks

I was going to stay in there today, but decided I need to get out of the house. Jim and I are going to enjoy the absolutely beautiful late summer day, see some color, and head over to Elm Creek to maybe pick out some more background fabrics for this piece. I don't think I have enough to get me through this whole quilt. And, even if I do, background fabrics are always a must for a stash. 

More Wildlife

Last night it wasn't screaming (from the fox) but grunting. Probably from our resident bear. We think he was down eating apples at the Bellers'. 

Still no thread (of course there isn't, I just put the order in a few days ago) meaning no DW work yesterday.

What I am working on is Judy's Pickle Dish quilt...

Of course, yellow and blue are questionable in this house

Here's some more up-close pics...

Tula!!!!

Corner treatments

I'm going to do something with this quilt I rarely do. I'm going to turn it 90 degrees when the body is completed. Reload. And then do the borders all at once. It's gotta be easier than trying to match up the feathers as I'm progressing. 

There is a LOT of quilting detail going in here and I'm taking my time doing it. I love how this quilt is coming out and this is my happy place. 😃

After working on this quilt for the day, the hot temps outside just started zapping my energy. We did not turn on the air yesterday opting for keeping the house shut up instead. But when I went outside a few times (once to the neighbors to see what the cement truck was doing and again with the dogs), it started taking all my energy.

I didn't even feel like getting on Foster and working over there, so instead did my five bee blocks for the Bee Happy quilt. 

Bzzzzz

Bernadette is coming to pick up her UofM quilt later this morning and I'll be working on Judys Pickle Dish the rest of the day. Happy Friday. 

Screaming

Last night, just before heading to bed, I let the girls out. I always go out with them to look at the stars, look for auroras, see what wildlife is prowling down at the beach, and to make sure the girls don't get face to face with a skunk. 

Talk about screaming. And then a slight purring sound. It was on foot because it was going back and forth near our two docks. Once it realized I was out there, it scooted down the beach to the north. I researched this sound to see what the heck it was. 

Apparently our fox is still in residence. It was her calling out for a mate. I guess they don't actually mate until December or January, but they establish territories and find their potential suitor so when the time arrives, he'll be in the area.

But her scream was enough to keep me up very late last night. I'm a little bleary eyed this morning, but alas, I've already gotten chores out of the way and am already heading into the studio. Kathy's quilt is done and I'm frame ironing for the next one; Judy's Pickle Dish.

Still no thread, but I'll track the order at lunch to see where it is. While frame ironing last night I worked on the "new" version of Lori Holts Bee Happy top. Here are the blocks, side by side showing the interfacing method and the Misty Fuse version...

Left...ick! Right...Very nice!

I still wasn't through Judy's back, and Jim was out working on the ice guard on the east side of the studio, so proceeded with the next three blocks...

The left one is a little far apart, but I'll take it

I'm not in any hurry to finish this quilt, so I'll take my time working on it. I received a distraction in the mail yesterday though...

A long-time want

I've eyed this quilt for almost a year now. When the pattern came, I received two of them for some reason. I have to check my invoice to see if I inadvertently selected two instead of just one. Otherwise, somebody coming through will grab the extra. 

Didn't Get the UofM Quilt Done

And MSU only won with one second left on the clock and a field goal to give us the W. See...bad juju. However, Michigan lost and so maybe it isn't such bad juju after all.

I started on this while Jim was watching the game... 

Lori Holt's Bee Happy Quilt

I've had the fabrics for over a year, but hadn't gotten the templates to work on this. Tina, from Bittersweet Quilt Shop ordered them for me and Jim picked them up on Friday. Unbeknownst to me, I also needed some bias tape makers, so I ordered those yesterday via Amazon. There are other blocks I can make without them though.

I'll still continue to cut out pieces for the cottage quilt. That's one of those projects I can take to retreat next month because it's relatively mindless sewing/piecing. I did complete the 25 partials from earlier this week, so now I have more than 40 made. 

Unfortunately today I will not be in the studio at all. We are leaving here in about 45 minutes for Lansing to celebrate Bens birthday. That's a whole day shot in the arse. It's a four-hour turn and then the time at the restaurant with all the kids/grandkids. We will probably end up over to their house after we eat, which is more time away.