Changing Oars

Since yesterday was Monday, it was a work-in-the-yard morning. Which actually took until 1:30 in the afternoon since the yard had been ignored for a week. And it was hot. And it was muggy. And it zapped most of my energy while giving me a stellar headache for the remainder of the day.

I decided to not long arm at all because my work wouldn't have been my best. Cleaning out a WIP tote seemed like the restful thing to do. Five projects total (four in the tote and one on the shelves) were found. 

Project #1: A Jacqueline DeJong class from Craftsy that was started years ago that I no longer have an interest in. 

What to do with this?

I decided this would make a cute table thing and quilted it up quickly, pinked the edges (was not going to spend that much time binding it) and put it under my clarinet lamp. 

Project #2: An anything bag, which was from another Craftsy class, that had the zipper on the wrong side. 

I wasn't going to salvage a $.32 zipper

I scrapped it because the zip was incorrectly put in and stashed out the rest of the fabrics. 

Project #3: A large bag model to use for laundry/customers that is just that...a model. Not really a project at all.

Project #4: The Painted Ladies. Now this one you'll be hearing about for a few weeks. 

The Painted Ladies

I have been looking for these houses for quite some time now. I have pulled apart pattern drawers, looked on pattern shelves, looked in pattern baskets, and could NOT find these anywhere. I knew I would stumble upon them eventually...and finally! Here they are!! 

I'm very excited about this project. Each house is a combination of paper piecing, traditional piecing, and raw edge appliqué. I started working on the third "house", which is actually the Bakery last night. After an hour and a half, I made a door. These things are not for the faint at heart. 

It's a door

It's hot and muggy outside and today is a normal work day in here. Long arming Norma's reindeer will begin shortly and if the storms kick up like they're predicting, I'll move on to something off the long arm. Like the Painted Ladies. 😀

Free Motion Woes

It's hard to get into something really intense when an 18-week old puppy as cute as Hazel is, wants, and needs, your attention.

Hazel has been very demanding the past two days and it's hard to dive into something for any length of time. At this point however, there are options.

Short snippets of piecing (such as Stripe Me Happy flying geese) is option number one. Researching items needed or techniques/classes on the wish list is option number two. Making a video for Handi Quilter to maybe?? win a chance to get to Utah for a long arm retreat is option number three. Or just wandering aimlessly around the house cleaning and putzing is option number four.

All options were exercised the past 24 or so hours. The video was submitted yesterday. I have found a class on Craftsy for a double wedding ring pattern using paper piecing for Caleb and Lia's wedding quilt. The house sparkles (except for maybe the windows and a little dusting here and there), and the second set of flying geese needed for border #3 are in progress.

Today is starting out to be much of the same.

But who can resist this cute face?

Hello!

Until I receive more batting (ordered on-line because nobody around here seems to have any wool at an affordable price), I am at a long-arm stand still. 

My Janome Horizon (Mike) is being a wiener about free motion quilting those placemats, even though he's been in for service about this very issue (shredding thread in certain directions). After I get what's partially loaded onto and done on DW, I'll finish the placemats on DW rather then struggling with Mike. It's just not worth the hot flashes and prolific language slinging to fight with a machine that has clearly decided it no longer wants to do one of the functions it's supposed to do.

So that leaves my other Janome 1800 (Jay) to piece flying geese, or anything else tugging at my tails, on today. I have three other machines. Two are old, old, old and don't have the ability/feet to try to free motion, and the other machine (Brother Innova Laura Ashley---aptly named Laura) has been tried in the past to free motion with very little success. So ya just make what ya got available work.

Onward, Ho!