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?

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. 

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...

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!

Soon To Arrive

Jim is already gone this morning (he was when I got up) to pick up what I think is my grandfathers pontoon. It was hard to tell with the grape and wood vines climbing all over it and while the MC number looked familiar, it's no guarantee. I'll know more when he gets it home.

After working yesterday I quickly did a Flower Power block and then jumped right onto DW. I wanted to get the block finished that was started on Sunday while waiting for Julie to show and I wanted to get caught up with the group. 

Block #10

I messed up though. I thought we only had 12 blocks in the QAL, but as it turns out, there are 20. I am not going to leave DW loaded with this quilt that long. When block number 11 comes out tomorrow, I'll do that and then unload this piece to make room for something else. 
 

The first "chunk" in The Quilt Room

I'm loving these low volume fabrics. The lighting and where I was standing wasn't optimal last night when I grabbed this pic, but it's turning out so darn cute!

I'm hoping upon all hope to finish Virginia's quilt today on Bernie. It's going to be a stretch whether I get it done or not because I'm just past the half-way point. But now that I'm in my groove, it should go a bit quicker? 

Had a friend text that she can't go to the retreat in September so I'll be going to this retreat not knowing a single person. I'm use to walking into a room full of people I don't know, but after a few days, like typical quilters, we'll feel like long lost friends. Unless this group doesn't appreciate my weird sense of humor and my loud and boisterous self. Then I may not be welcome back again next year. 😉

It's Started

While waiting for my customer to show up, and instead of working on The Quilt Room, I fired up DW instead. I don't like having a hot iron on the planning table when customers come. Too big a risk. I got this much quilted before they showed...

Partially done

The customer stayed for a while and after finally saying good bye, it was lunch time. The rest of the afternoon we vegged and just relaxed. It seems the older we get the more there is to do and why is it the day goes by so quick now? Sunday afternoons are a time for us to recharge and snuggle with the girls. 

Visiting

I did manage to get two blocks quilted out on DW before lunch. The first one was pretty intense.

This took a while

The second one, once I wrapped my head around the direction I was supposed to go was pretty easy.

These blocks are not going to be perfect since this is a learning exercise as well as a fun thing to do with quilters from around the world. It's all virtual. It's all good!

Believe it or not, I have a customer coming through to pick up two quilts shortly. I don't like to do Sunday situations. I want to dress not to impress, I want to relax and do what I want on my only day off, and I'd like to wander if the mood strikes. 

But we did that yesterday. We visited mom, went to Tractor to pick up deadman anchors for the floating dock, we visited our neighbors north aways to thank them for dropping off the pontoon trailer. We received a few deliveries while we were in town so dealt with those, and then, finally, around 7:00 was able to play in the studio for a bit. I started getting the next block together in the Quilt Room, but as it rolled around to 8:30, I knew I was not going to finish any time soon. While I'm waiting for my customer, I'm going to work on that. 

Rearrange

While this rearrangement wasn't in the studio, it did keep me out of the studio most of the morning. I had to do something with our 'reading room' arrangement. We keep adopting moms furniture and prior to yesterday, everything had pretty much just gotten tossed in the reading room. It needed organizing and rearranging. 

And I had to clean some windows in the man cave. And then I had to vacuum the floors because you know, I moved furniture. Then the door to the girls' pen needed cleaning. And then after moving things around in the reading room I noticed the walls were looking pretty dirty. Jim was out weed whacking so I did all this while he was outside. He hates it when I rearrange stuff. 

Once we downed lunch we had to head to West Branch for my eye appointment. Cataracts are forming in both eyes and I'm having a prism situation required to be put into my new glasses. My eyes aren't lining things up correctly which is the reason for the [often] blurry vision. Which isn't good in my line of work.

After we returned from town it was after 4:00 already. No long arming for customers. I did get the following block(s) done: Flower Power, Temperatures, and I got one quilted on DW. I did cut out for the next block in the Quilt Room to round out the evening. 

Block #6

Jim is doing his volunteer work at the food pantry and I'm not sure what's in the works for this afternoon? It's supposed to be icky outside so something indoors I'm sure. 

Talking and Working

Mary's quilt was finished on Marty and now I'm on Bernie working on Virginia's quilt from Primitive Gatherings. While Virginia's isn't a big quilt by any means, it seems those take longer than the others. This is going to be a wall hanging and since there is no continuity between blocks (orange isn't attached to another orange kind of thing) I have to start and stop at virtually every bit of piecing. That's the reason for the long time. And then, of course, there are all those color changes. You get the picture.

After working past quitting time, and while talking to Andrew, I jumped onto Mike to do a Flower Power block and worked these two blocks on DW.

These are turning out so pretty and I'm so sorry I didn't double batt this!

Once we hung up with Andrew I had already cut out the next pieces for the Quilt Room and so started constructing the next block. Here's the result. I love the low volume which isn't usually my jam. 

Only a half day today. I have an eye doctor appointment at 1:30 and after dialating my eyes, chances of me doing much the rest of the day is slim. I already have a sensitivity to light (blue-eyed people do I'm told) but that just makes life a little too bright. 😙

Happy Gate Closing Day!

We received word via the Smallwood Lake Association FB page that our gates were closed yesterday. Our lake can now start to refill.

Jim and I added it up. Six years, two months and two weeks later. And, until we get some rain, the idea of the gates being shut is great and all, but it's not going to refill without something from the sky.

One more day on the Flea Market quilt on Marty and then it should be a wrap. I had two visits yesterday; the neighbor to the north while Jim and Mike were moving rocks into the corner 'garden' we're putting in, and another from a customer to drop off. I worked later to make up for the time, so no worries there.

I did a Flower Power block and then jumped on DW to do the first two blocks in a QAL I'm participating in. We're using virtually blank space to do some grid quilting. Here's the blank space...

Here's block one:

And here is block two:

I'm going to kick myself for not double batting or not using a loftier batt. This is turning out better than I anticipated. I'll try to get a better pic the first block because the pic above doesn't do it justice. 

After two very labor intensive QAL blocks I was surprised it was still as early as it was so I got out my binder and started cutting for the next Quilt Room block. Well, one thing turned into another and viola, I have my second block done.

See the lable on the jar? Yep, I actually hand embroidered that! Me. Hand embroidery. Call Ripleys! Another beautiful sunny day in store for us to enjoy quilting. Isn't God great?

Raven Finish

The Raven is quilted, trimmed and ready for binding. Not today though. We are going in to visit with mom. 

We had a scheduled Consumers Energy shut down last night and the computer is acting very sluggish, so I'll keep this brief. 

Nothing going on in the studio anyway since it's Sunday other than frame ironing backing for the next quilt on DW.

Lots to Report

But not many pics. I finished Ginny's quilt right before lunch. After lunch, Jim and I needed to find him some wide mouth lids for his pickles. We started to head towards Colonville Hardware but stopped at the grocery story in Beaverton. They used to have a large canning rack including sleeves of lids. 

They no longer have those and while I was in the store looking Jim was calling Colonville to make sure they had some before we drove all the way over there. Good thing he checked. They did not have any and so we picked up four boxes of the lids that the grocery store in Beaverton had.

I did a Love Letter and a Flower Power leaf block before jumping on DW. All the while I'm frame ironing the next back on Marty because I have two customer quilts I need to get done ASAP. After working on DW for a few hours I decided that was enough and noticed it was only 6:30. Embroidery?

Yep, and all the pieces are embroidered that need to go into the Quilt Room. 

I am having trouble getting my phone to talk to the Mac. Our iCloud is nearly full and the Mac won't accept any more information. That's how it syncs. Maybe tomorrow I'll have this figured out?

They Use To Make Fun Of Me

The boys used to say I had so many quilts on the walls that I may have to start putting them on the ceiling. Does this qualify?

It looks great up there but I must admit it's going to get some getting use to in having something hanging from the ceiling. 

While Jim was hanging that up for me I was continuing with Ginny's quilt on Marty. I slipped a few hidden things into it and this is one of them.

Woof

I have one more day on her quilt and then I can call that a wrap. After working her quilt I did a Love Letter block and then finished getting together section four (of five). I did a Flower Power leaf block (only two more of those to go) while talking to Andrew and then headed right over to DW to work on the Raven.

Here's some of the thread painting going in...

Not everything needs to be quilted

And here is the background fill I'm using around the raven...

Swirl Feather

This is a new-to-me motif I have wanted to use for several months now and thought this was the perfect opportunity to incorporate a swirl (mimicking flight) and the feather (mimicking the bird) into a quilt. 

Jim is going out mowing. I had a few texts flying around this morning regarding Shipshewana in November. One girl would like to abstain this year (too much other stuff going on around that time). Her replacement not comfortable going down under the circumstances surrounding getting her there. And one to Virginia and Monica to see if I could stay with them this year. Looks like I have everything sorted and can now move along with my morning.

We have to run to Colonville Hardware this afternoon. Pickles are on and Jim needs wide-mouth lids. They have the best price and we like going there anyway. It's hard for me to start a new quilt in the afternoon and I think Ginny's quilt will only take this morning to finish. A period of celebration is needed after completing each quilt I think? 😗

Post PT

I don't remember being useless after my PT last year but it affects all people differently. Jim did nothing when he got home from PT yesterday. 

After lunch with Cheryl yesterday and upon getting home near quitting time I was not of a customer long arming mind. I did a Love Letter block, a Flower Power leaf block and then I moved over to DW and started in on this.

The Raven

Here's some of the quilting going into the borders and cornerstones. 

I love the tumbling squares

Today I'll be on Marty all day today. No appointments for the day (that I know of) so I should get a large chunk of Ginny's quilt done. 

Still Smokey

Yesterday was pretty bad with the smoke. I had to light a few candles in the house to dissipate the bit that was coming in with the dogs. Or lack of a seal tight house. It helped.

After getting Virginia's Pickle Dish quilt off of Bernie (and all the post-quilting stuff that goes along with removing a customer quilt from the frame) I jumped on Marty and started working Ginny's third quilt; Laura Heines Houses. Here's some of the work going into the borders...

"Roads" and arcs

When I'm working a customer quilt I see every millimeter of the quilt even if it's an edge to edge design. I check for seam threads and any other abnormality that may pop up. This is what I found yesterday...

Seams pulling apart

I called to let her know (as I usually do unless it's something minor) and I'll pin and mark it for her when we ship her quilts next week.

All of today will be spent on Marty since this is taking way long than I thought. It's FPP and every seam needs to be ditched and I think I'm about 15 colors in on this one already. 

I constructed two Love Letter blocks, got row one and two together in section four and then blanket stitched a leaf block on Flower Power. DW was my next target and I was able to get the little canning table runner quilted out. I made the binding for that and had I not gotten Mike set up to work the next leaf block today, I probably would have attached it last night. Tonight maybe?

I found the next thing to go onto DW. Pressed it out. Made the back (pieced together some left over backing from previous quilts) found a batt that would work and it's ready for basting in. 

But It's A Dry Heat

I checked the temperature at Camp Verde, Arizona yesterday while my studio thermometer was climbing. They were at 94 degrees. We were at...

104 DEGREES!!!!!!!!!

Yikes. The A/C NEVER shut off yesterday. In fact, that's what woke me up this morning when it did finally shut off and the perpetual hum wasn't present (it's right below my bedroom window).

I'll be finishing Virginia's Pickle Dish quilt today. We have to run to Lansing to deliver the reunion canopies later this afternoon so there's four hours (without visiting) down and back again. It's not supposed to be as hot today, but...

I made a Love Letter block, blanket stitched a Flower Power leaf block and then removed the quilt from DW that I finished the previous night. It's bound and finished.

Once I got that put away I loaded this little table runner onto DW to go with the other table runner I'm making as a leader/ender project. 

It was so hot yesterday the guys never sprayed the lake for weeds. Can you imagine being in a tyveks suit holding a heavy hose in a 104 degrees? And people on the lake were complaining about them not coming through like they were scheduled to. Sometimes ya gotta wonder about people don't ya? 

Did We Move Back to Arizona?

And of course, while we still don't have a lake, the temps today are reaching nearly 100 degrees. UGH! How many more days until cooler weather? For those who don't have A/C (and I know I have a couple of customers who don't) I hope you're doing okay!!!

After messing around with reunion stuff, I was pretty much done by lunchtime in what parts I play in the whole thing. It helps that we are handing over the baton, but we are still in training and follow-up mode so most of what we normally have to do still has to be done.

After lunch I wandered into the studio and started sewing something. The house was still decorated for the 4th (so had to put that away and get out other stuff) and I didn't have a bunting for a summer theme on the fireplace. This is what I ended up making.

Jim said they looked like pizza slices so I put some watermelon seeds in there after the pic was taken. Now they are definitely watermelon slices.

After finishing that I jumped on DW. I wanted to get the quilt done on there. Since it was just cross hatching throughout the blocks it was easy enough and I ended up finishing the quilting. I am going to use the dark green to bind it so I measured and cut all of those. 

It was nearly 8:00 when I got done and I called it a night. Today is a regularly scheduled work day and I'll be continuing on with the Pickle Dish for Virginia. 

Violations

Notice how late I'm blogging this morning? It was a very restless night and I didn't actually get out of bed until almost 10:00. Then the kids called from Germany so here we are finally.

Jim and I are trying to find something to do today so while he's in the shower, I'll share my quilt police violation.

The first of 15

The directions on this piece are to fuse these petals down using some kind of fusible web. I don't like how stiff fusible web leaves the block. I hate it in fact. But I have zero desire to learn turn-edge appliqué and my thumb probably wouldn't deal with it any way.

There are a number of fusibles out there claiming to not a) gum up the needle when stitching it down and b)leaving the quilt soft and pliable after application. I find that it's either one or the other and I haven't found one yet that is true to both statements. Misty Fuse is about as close as it gets and you can still tell there is a webbing underneath. 

Solution? I had a hair brained idea to just cut the shapes out without fusible. Position them. Use Roxannes glue baste sparingly to get them to set down just enough until I could get them blanket stitched in. The result is above. The quilt police would be handcuffing me to a post!

I have two leaf sections already stitched in place with only minimal issues and it was issues easily dealt with (waving while stitching them down). Once I repositioned the piece, they stitched down fine. And honestly, that may be because I've got a thin batt down underneath to act as an interfacing. I'd rather use a batt than a woven/non-woven interface because, again, I want the block to be pliable. 

Prior to working on Flower Power I did the temperature quilt blocks for the week and after gluing all the leaves down to ready them for blanket stitching I moved over to DW. Here's what he's wearing for the next few days.

OMG, see the block towards the bottom right hand side? It looks wrong. And I'm just noticing this? It's too late now because I've already started quilting this.

Well, this is a utility quilt anyway so I guess it's going to be okay. 

Apparently Backwards Day is a Hit

I got SOOOOO much done yesterday. Not in any particular order I made a Love Letter block, matched the cowboy boots up with their checkerboard blocks, cleaned the iron, received the batting I was expecting, started this quilt below, quilted two sections of the Judy Niemeyer on DW, frame ironed and have the Farmyard quilt on Marty ready to start and made a 9-patch top. Here's the pics I grabbed during the day. 

Detail work on the Judy Niemeyer on DW

For the 9-patch quilt-along

Some of the quilting going into the one below

Finishing this one today hopefully

Today I'll be finishing the quilt on Bernie and hopping on over to Marty to start working on that immediate deadline. The one on Bernie is a July deadline so I better get to it. I'm quilting barefoot today since the temps when are already in the 80's with high humidity. Air you can wear! My feet will complain later tonight, but I'm wearing a lightweight dress for the icky weather and don't want to add more heat. 

After working for the day and then receiving a [past closing time] customer for both a pick up and drop off, I finished the cowboy boot I was working on while waiting for the customer to arrive.

This one went quicker because we were talking to Andrew while working on it

I have one more cowboy boot to blanket stitch and then we can start matching up the checker board sections with the boots. 

I didn't want to fire up the iron before the customer came (no burning the customers) so moved to Love Letter block. Well, that was the last one in that row/section so now sections A, B, and C are together.

Love Letters sections a, b, and c

I may take a day off from Love Letters since I have other stuff to do today and I did so much on it yesterday. More on that in a bit. I had set up DW to do two projects at once.

Bathing Beauties

I just ran a straight line situation through that table runner (better pic later) and then I started this Judy Niemeyer table topper/wall hanging.

Getting the straight work done and now filling in

I'll work some more on that later today too. BUT, since Jim and I were out and about last Saturday and next week is the 4th, I better get the temperature quilt caught up. I also have a new quilt-along starting on Monday. It's the 9-Patch quilt-along with Natalia Bonner. She does it on a panel but I'm going to just take all the solids I have and cobble something cohesive together. 

Sort of like I did the flag bunting and table runner. Lots to do and a beautiful day to work. Sunny and mid-70's today.