It Feels Good To Be Back

Actually, it feels great to be back on the big machines. Although, I could have done without the occasional dizzy spells from this cold. There were a couple of times I had to grab a hold of the belly bar on the long arms to steady myself. 

I finished Ginny's Birds on Bernie. I finished Linda's Winterberry on DW. I moved Deb H.'s Tilda Sampler from Marty over to Bernie (that was a two person job) and am loading both Marty and DW with customer quilts later this morning once I return from the dentist. 

How did I end up with two appointments back to back right after this cruise?

Here's what Linda wanted in her Winterberry quilt...

What it looked like quilted out

The actual motif

I dollied up DW with all the stickers I collected from each port of call we visited. 

Sitka, Juneau, Ice Straight, and Ketchikan

He was an absolute gentleman yesterday. Never broke thread. Never skipped a stitch. The motif quilted out perfectly which is huge considering I haven't used his computer since we brought him back last winter from the broken arm repair. 

Okay, here's the scoop. I said I was retiring DW from customer work. Right? Remember me saying that? Well, I have two HUGE quilts that are due by the end of the month. Both custom. I'll be working them in tandem because a little of the work on DW is going to be with the computer. I can't believe I'm not working on my own shit again. UGH!

I need a fourth machine. I don't know where I'd put it, but when I have these very large tops coming through I need large frames to work them. Bernie is okay for the smaller and mid-size tops, but not the plethora of kings I've been getting. Anyway. Off to the dentist. 

Not Always As Planned

I had every intention of getting the body of the quilt on DW stitched out yesterday morning. I set up the area, parked in the motif, did some adjustments and pushed 'quilt'. It took some tack stitches and then started ghost stitching.

This was my morning. After restarting the Pro Stitcher a few times and fiddling with some settings within the program I was experiencing the same results. I called Handi Quilter. 

Apparently my very new tablet needed both a Microsoft update as well as a PS update. While that was working, customer number one showed up.

She left, I ate lunch and then at that point, received a phone call that customer number two was on her way from Midland. I didn't want to get into anything big, so I started plugging away at the crochet bag I started down in Shipshewana.

She finally arrived and stood and talked for a while. When she left I continued on with my crochet bag(s) project. I received a call about an hour later that a quilt I had been holding since July was finally being picked up. She arrived well past 4:00, but at least it finally found its home.

Here's the three bags I completed during the day.

Aren't these so stinkin' cute?

Since I hadn't long armed (at all) yesterday, I jumped on Foster to get my daily long arm fix in. After a pass I shut him down and moved over to working on Produce Section...

Orange you glad you're here?

These oranges turned out almost perfect. Elizabeth Hartman writes nearly perfect patterns. I have found a few minor things I'd like for her to do in her patterns that would benefit a beginner quilt maker, but I can figure things out with my years of experience.

Getting the tree today and running to Midland to do a little shopping. It's snowing pretty good out there, but Jim's driving and I won't worry about the nearly bald tires we have to replace on the truck as he's a professional. 

Independent

My mother is a very independent person. After her surgery Tuesday morning, she was pretty out of it. I spent Tuesday night and yesterday morning with her. After she felt a little better, she insisted I go home and get some work done. Jim stopped by after he got done with his work day, and again, she insisted she didn't need me to come back and spend the night "just in case". 

I have customers coming later this morning and let mom know if she needed anything (at all) I would be free after lunch. This was via text. Since sending the text last night all I've received back were crickets.

Hope she's okay. I'm going to try to call her here in a bit. 

Meanwhile, I spent most of yesterday (once I did get home) on Bernie working Elleens A to Z for Ewe and Me quilt. I'm about half-way complete on that one. Lots of cross hatching...

Every letter gets crosshatching in the background

Once I worked that for about seven hours, I shut Bernie down to prepare Bernadettes Dog Park quilt for quilting today.

Dog Park by Elizabeth Hartman

This top is so darn cute! Hazel's in the front. LOL! It's getting an E2E with dog houses and bones in it, but first I had to get the new tablet hooked up to the internet. I had to make a call to HQ and then had to reinstall the latest ProStitcher version since it wasn't recognizing the wifi. 

Once that was done, I needed to purchase the motif Bernadette wanted. Now I can set quilting parameters and get it started later this afternoon. I don't want the machine running when customers are here. It always has problems during their visit and then I become frustrated.

We were supposed to get snow last night, but the storm split and went totally around us. Oh...I didn't post this earlier in the week but we now have the final "big" section of the studio done...

The last big studio chore

So glad that's done. Devon (the company owner) is coming back out today or tomorrow to work on some house issues we're having, but the studio is now drip free. Yay!

New Tablet

UPS pulled up yesterday while I was out watering the Mum. Hmmm???? I wasn't expecting anything. 

Then I saw the label. Eureka! The new tablet arrived for DW. I mean, why did I need a new tablet? The other one was only 12 years old for heavens sake.

Getting ready for installation

What I thought would take Jim and I hours to get installed only took about 45 minutes. The front handle bars had to be removed as did the old tablet bracket and all the wiring. Initially I put the tablet in upside down and we had to refigure everything, but my amazing man helped me get it all to rights, and after taking a quick test drive, it seems to be working well.

Except, the new tablet is taking a LONG time to power up compared to the old one. I guess if I'm doing any Pro Stitcher work I'll need to get it going sooner than usual.

Janices quilt is done...

Love all the texture!

I'm headed up to Hale, Michigan this morning to give a brief presentation on the art quilts I make and to let them decide if they want to hire me next summer for a class. I'm okay either way of their decision. 

They offered to let me stay for lunch, but I need to get back here and work and start wrapping my head around retreats. I'm going to Shipshewana after all (yay) and was on the phone all morning with folks trying to get rooming/rides/dates squared away.

I'll be working on Kathi's second quilt today; Flower Felicity. When I started ditching in yesterday on DW I felt so at peace. Working on DW is like coming home. I checked his stitch count (in case it went away with the new computer) and I'm at 98+ million. Whew. That's a lot of thread!

Getting An Early Start

I was up well before I was ready this morning, but knew I needed to get going for the day since we have a long weekend ahead of us. Most of it will probably be spent working on the new studio since the weather is looking to maybe [finally] cooperate. 

Here's some of what's going into Paulette's quilt...

A little of this, a little of that

DW is driving the actual block quilting, but I'm doing the sashing, the borders and the cornerstones. As well as all the ditching. 

Our trusses arrived yesterday...

They're here!

And it's important they don't sit on the ground for too long, which is why we need to get the walls erected. The trusses are actually resting on scrap wood, but just above the lawn. They can still pull moisture from the proximity they are at in relation to the ground so we need to move along with this. 

I'll continue with Paulettes quilt today and get it done. And, maybe hers and Susans will be delivered later on this afternoon. Time to get to it!

Windy

It's been pretty windy here the past two days. I guess today is supposed to be much of the same. But, it's been warm and looking ahead, it's supposed to be this way the remainder of the week. 

However, Monday, the day of the funeral, it's supposed to snow. Only in our mitten state. 

Here's what's on DW (and has been for five days now), but the batting arrived yesterday giving me the opportunity to finally work on this Spartan top...

We've seen this before.

I know I posted this pic last week, but I need to keep track of when/whose quilt I work on. My blog helps to do that. 

I've already started channeling the top border and have worked on the first three green squares. DW is going to drive the Spartan helmet and block S in the white squares. This is going to be a little tricky. The customer wants COMPLETELY green thread. That's fine in the green areas. Not so much in the white.

When you put a darker thread into a lighter fabric EVERY little mistake shows. This is going to be very slow going today.

I got the first row (of four) done on Elleens quilt done yesterday. I'll jump over there later this afternoon and chip away some more on it once I've spent the day with Nancy's spartan quilt. 

Off The Rails

I'm pretty good at being organized, multi-tasking, and proactive. Except yesterday. I'm not sure what got me off track, but I failed to order [special] batting for the upcoming quilt going onto DW. The backing is frame ironed and when I checked the work order, realized the kind of batt this particular quilt requires is not something I usually stock.

When I get an order in like that, I try to get the "speciality" item (thread, batt, etc.) ordered ahead of time and then attach a note or the actual item to the hanging-in-wait top/backing. That way, when it's ready to load, everything is right there. 

This is what's on DW for the unforeseeable future...

Go Green! Go White!

Thankfully, my batting supplier is pretty speedy and I'll get the batt on Monday or Tuesday. Which leaves today and tomorrow morning free. I can't load it onto Bernie for two reasons: 1) I still have one (not finished) on Bernie (which I'll work on today), and 2) It requires the Spartan "S" and helmet to be computerized into it. Bernie does not have that capability. 

Is your quilt square? Wanna find out if it is? Have the long armer just load it onto the frame (doesn't even need to be quilted) and roll through the length of it. If it does this, it's not square...

Compare the left and right sides.

I square them up at the top when I run a plumb line and again on the sides by keeping track of the measurement through each roll. They are ALWAYS basted during the quilting progress, so this ones not on me. 

Having said all of that happy crap, I'm on Bernie today finishing last years Cotton Cuts BOM. I did my block for this month last night and only have one more month to go before construction begins. 

Jim's mom is also an issue. As of last night, she was still hanging in there. I think She's waiting for Jim's sister (who lives in Idaho) to get there. Which should be today.

Here Comes Christmas

I received four Christmas tops yesterday. Granted, they aren't due until the next Christmas (2023), but it reminded me about the tops that will be needed for this Christmas. I just hope they don't all come in the day after Thanksgiving. 

Here's some of the quilting detail going into Rae's QOV quilt...

Nice!

But with all great quilting comes unquilting. You know, the fun thing we call frogging because we get to Riippp-it. 

Unquilting

I had to rip out some oddly formed stitches in three blocks. I'm using King-Tut thread by Superior, and my machine requires I tension it pretty high to get it to quilt properly. Apparently I didn't tension it high enough because as the bobbin was running out, loops formed on the back; and the front. Not acceptable. 

I'll finish this quilt this morning (hopefully) and get the next "needs by the end of the month" quilt loaded and started. In a perfect world this is how I'm hoping the day unfolds. 

Posting Late Today

Was in West Branch all morning for a Northcott Fabrics/Rayola thing at Caroline's Quilt Shop. Wolfed down lunch with Jim and then a new customer came with four! tops. She just left and now I have another on the way to pick up.  

Here's what's on the frame today (and tomorrow apparently since it's already mid-afternoon)...

This is actually a QOV

This particular quilt is getting some computerized things (eagles) in the big light colored blocks, some ruler work in the triangles and four/nine patches, and some free motion in all the long rectangles. 

I started this quilt this weekend...

New Project

Did I tell you about the call I got Friday afternoon? No? Well, the new long arm is in Grand Rapids and is tentatively scheduled to arrive here a week from today. WHAT!?!? So soon? Sooo excited but nervous as well. I hope we've made enough room in the studio for Bernie. We'll find out in a week I guess. 

Needles

I was researching needles for the new long arm due in a few weeks. Schmetz? Organ? Klasse? Superior? Which do I use? 

Apparently, according to one dealer, the Organ/Superior needles are made in Japan and are a little longer than the Schmetz needles. They are more suited for the Juki, etc. type of machines made in Japan. 

Schmetz needles are European made and are more suited for the machines made there (mainly paying attention to the new Bernina). They are a little shorter in shaft and apparently, the longer shafted needles will start causing some timing issues; both in domestic machines as well as long arms. I wonder how much of this is true? I'll need to ask my dealer when they come to set Bernie up.

Here's what's on the frame today...

Cathie's Cacti

She just wants an E2E in here so DW will be jamming this morning. It's kind of quiet around here for a Friday, but it is still morning and should pick up later this afternoon. 

Rainy Day

We needed the rain. Badly. And it's supposed to come down most of the day. Did I tell you about the quilt at the white elephant auction? 

I decided to keep it in the trailer. If somebody asked during the auction about the quilt, I'd drag it out and put it up for bid. If nobody even mentioned it or questioned its whereabouts, I'd skip it this year. I still have the quilt if that tells you how much interest there was. 

Here's Jane's quilting detail of what is going into her quilt...

Some of the detail in Janes quilt

This would be done but mom stopped by yesterday and visited for three+ hours. Which is fine. I hadn't seen much of her since her return from her Colorado trip. She brought us a few goodies from her trip with Chad over the weekend and we did some catching up.

A Good Sleep

Isn't it amazing what a good sleep can do for the body? And the mind? And everything else? I'm a new person this morning after having had one (for a change).  

Here's what's on the frame today...

Jane's Granddaughter's Quilt

This is a combination of computerization, free motion, and ruler work, which I love to do because I don't get as fatigued as easily. And she only wants one thread color throughout and that makes it a bonus project!

The girls are still pretty sleepy from their daycare excursion during the reunion, but that won't last very much longer. Mom is supposed to stop by today after her art meeting, and it's pretty quiet around here after all the weekends activities. I'll have to crank up the tunes and get some life back into the place once I'm done here. 

Back to the norm I guess. 

What Do You Do?

I understand seaming threads. You know. The threads that peek out from a seam juncture that should have been cut off during the piecing and/or ironing process. But aren't, and now they poke out of the top for the long armer to deal with. 

Because if they aren't trimmed, the quilting looks trashy and so does the quilt itself once it's done. And, the longer threads can get caught on the hopping foot bar (ask me how I know this).

How do I convey to my clients that trimming these is in their best interest and really isn't part of my job. Nowhere, in any of the long arming videos, do ANY of the instructors say, "First trim all threads that poke out, and then ditch around all...". 

I've reached out to a few of my fellow long armers and have asked them about this. They don't seem to have a problem with many threads that are missed. So why am I having this problem? Because it's probably not taught enough (I think instructors assume you should know this) and don't address it with students. 

That's my soapbox today. Sorry. It's just very time consuming, it leaves me liable for a possible fabric slice when/while I'm trimming these threads, and there is also a possibility one of those threads is an actual thread that holds the blocks together. 

Here's what's on the frame today....

Monica's second quilt top

I've actually already started getting the thread in there this morning. She just wants an all over and DW is doing the work. Except, on his second row, decided he was tired and just quit working. I quickly discovered his computer battery was (once again) low, so I'll give that a little bit to charge before I continue. You'd think I'd check this the night before when I'm loading!

Back to Square One

I had forgotten about how the dogs have to be cuddled and watched closely when they come home from getting spay. Lucy is all snuggles this morning and is occasionally groaning with pain. Poor thing. So, I don't know how much work I'm going to get done over the next day or so until she starts feeling better. And even then, we're [supposed] to keep her quiet for two weeks?!?

Here's what's on the frame for an indefinite about of time...

Jean S. has a classically made top here

And it's getting spiced up a little with some cheddar threads in the black blocks. As well as a little computerized quilting, some feathers in the border, and some light quilting in the pieced blocks. 

If the weather settles down (hot, hot, hot), Jim and I will need to mow this afternoon. The lawn is looking pretty shaggy and I have customers coming tomorrow and Monday. 

Not Much to Report

I'm still working on the Boy Scout quilt, but should be able to get it finished up this morning. Another time sensitive quilt was dropped off yesterday morning and it's sitting in the wings waiting to get on the frame this afternoon. 

Some quilting going in

This quilt isn't just a matter of finishing the last row. The backing on this is nearly the same size as the top and so need to pin an extra leader on the end row to be able to get that bead board quilting done. 

It's Friday!

This week went by so very fast! Here's what's on the frame this morning...

Sue L's Boy Scout top

This is going to have a combination of free motion, ruler work, and computerization put into it. Whew!

I have a new customer coming (soon) to drop off [another] deadline top. I was perusing my log and found another one that needs to be done before the end of the month that will need to go on after the t-shirt quilt coming. AND...this Boy Scout top needs to be done quickly as well. I guess I'm a machine after all. 

Don't know if the neighbors are going to make it up this weekend, but we have no other plans (that I'm aware of) so should be able to get some quilting in to try to keep on top of all these immediately needed quilts. So much for working on any of my own things huh?

Errands and Such

Okay, only one errand, but still. I have to deliver a finished quilt and pick up the payment for that. It just so happens it's over to Pieces so I'll have to dally there for a bit. I was going to run into town to do some other small errands but I just don't have the time. 

Here's a little of the quilt detail going into Diane's quilt...

Looking pretty good

I had a little helper yesterday which is why only about a third of this quilt was completed. 

"Mom, play with me and not these fabric things!"

They were full of s&*t yesterday and I finally had to turn the long arm off at 3:00 and take them out for some romp time. I'm doing a little experiment with these two. It seems when the weather is gloomy they are more settled. When the sun is out, they are just a handful and won't settle down. But I'm keeping track of it all and trying to plan my days in the studio accordingly. 

Quilt Shows and Grand Openings

I missed the Midland quilt show. I barely made the Pieces Grand Opening event. Grandkids occupy a whole lot of your time when they're here.  

This is where I left off with Beth's quilt on Thursday night...

Some quilting detail on Beth G's top

I'm looking forward to getting back into the studio (something absolutely prohibitive with three little ones underfoot). 

Ever Have One of Those Days?

Yesterday started out great. The quilting stars were all aligned perfectly and I was cruising along making stellar progress on Jills quilt. 

Then Linda stopped by to drop off a project; I gave her a project in return, and then I had lunch. Cleaned up dishes, watered the dog, and headed to the studio. That's when things started getting weird.  

I hadn't removed the static in my boots prior to touching the head computer and when I touched it, it went black for a second. But I checked it afterward and everything seemed fine. 

I decided, instead of trying to mark the flannel in the middle of Jills quilt, to have the ProStitcher on DW stitch out the grid I wanted to quilt in there. So I fired up the ProStitcher and started right in. I didn't like the first motif, stopped the machine, ripped out stitches, and then selected another. The first two sections went in fine.

And then, right in the middle of section three (there are 12 total), the machine stopped. Dead. D.E.D...dead! The gears were still humming, but the computer itself was black. Yet, my head computer was still fine. Hmm???

After fiddling around with it for a bit, found that the ProStitcher computer had merely run out of power. I'm not sure why, I mean, I hadn't charged it since early this fall. Shouldn't it last longer? I immediately got the charging going, but when the machine is charging it's unusable. Too many cords back there. I moved along to something else; the Partridge.

Now, my little sit down machine is pretty reliable. I'll have a thread break once in a while traveling from right to left and up to 10:00, but other than that, it stitches nice and I have relatively low problems. Except yesterday. Thread breaks, missed stitches, more thread breaks. Apparently I wasn't supposed to quilt anything yesterday. 

But I didn't let it deter me. I persevered and completed the stitching on the Partridge. What. A. Day.

Pretty Cool!

Don't know how I'm going to finish this yet, but at least I didn't let my machines win yesterday. Here's to crossing our fingers (and toes, and hairs, and anything else) a good quilting day occurs today. 

Piecing WIP#3 on the Wall

While letting DW quilt Sharon's second quilt top, I dug into the bin and unearthed piecing WIP #3. It's a Ragg Quilt with only half the blocks made. I scrounged around into the flannel tubs and found a few more fabric patterns that would fit into the muted autumn colors theme and started cutting. 

As Sharon's quilt was finishing, all the flannel pieces were cut and I then moved on to the batting. Thank goodness I have all sorts of batting scraps available for use. 

By the time Sharon's quilt finished stitching out I had those cut and I was ready to start putting them together. 

Here's what I got on the wall before 8:00 last night...

WIP #3

There is one more row on the floor I couldn't get into the pic. 

I need to remove Sharon's quilt this morning and get it trimmed up before loading the next one. Jim mentioned going to an estate sale today so after Mickey comes to get her two quilts, we may scoot over there for a bit. 

But my new customer, Deb K. will have her top loaded before the day ends. I may even start it since she already knew what she wanted to have put into it and it's easily started and stopped as time permits.