Merry New Year!

Yep, I know, it's already a week into the new year but hey, I've been a little busy. Quilt camp, ya know?

And, three more tops join the rack of shame, one wall hanging was completed, and one cloth book gives Hannah something else to read instead of Bob the Tomato.

Here's a quick look at the progress for the weekend.

The Leah Day Friendship blocks are now a top! This was before getting them together

My last project, which, I just finished this morning (those darn mitered corners). Catsmosphere!

The January wall hanging

The Angela Walter Build a Quilt blocks are now a top

And I don't have a picture of the book, but it's a cloth book titled The Twelve Dogs of Christmas.

A few other projects were started and then put aside because of concentration issues during chatting and all the noise.

I actually got the blades made for this project, but didn't have enough background to finish it.

This was two panels and a fat quarter bundle purchased earlier this fall that needs some work.

And that's what camp is all about. Finishing those projects and catching up with fast friends; making new friends and discovering new ideas and techniques; making memories and starting out the new year on a good note.

This Week

Only one quilt completed on the frame this week.

Making a simple quilt a little more snazzy

I didn't long arm much because these blocks took three days to complete. Getting caught up was my goal this week because present-wrapping has now commenced. Meaning, the studio is kind of looking like Santa's workshop right now. Bows, ribbon, paper, boxes, tape, and scissors everywhere.

Leah Day Friendship Blocks 12 and 13

Most of the wrapping will occur this weekend with all the trickle in gifts being done in another few weeks. Then I'll have to really take to messing up the studio because when all the kids come up, everything will get pushed to the side to make room for all 12 of us. For two days. I can't wait!

Well...

...since Saturday, this is all the action the studio has seen. Whoopeee.

Not much here

This is for the Leah Day block for October. Not quite a block yet huh?

The staff is on-call for today because of electrical updates the guys are working on in the store. Consumers Energy has to shut the whole store down while the electricians get things done they need to do. Time in: TBD.

I'll cut some more for my Leah Day block and start piecing if time allows.

Jobs and Such

So I have a new job. It's currently full-time until the store is set up, but then will refer back to a part-time status. We have a new Dollar Tree coming to our little town and that's where I've been spending most of my time since Tuesday morning.

The only other thing I've had the time (and let's face it, energy) to work on other than setting up a brand new store, are chores needing immediate attention around the house.

Working retail is a HUGE love of mine. It doesn't pay. The hours aren't the greatest. Bbbbuuuuttt...I LOVE working with merchandise, customers, and the environment is ever changing. Not a good use of the 170 credit hours/3 degrees I racked up at GVSU and NAU, but it's about passion; not what you SHOULD do.

This particular store doesn't even have tile over the cement and it's playing havoc on my legs. It's just because my level of fitness isn't what it used to be and, c'mon, I'm a grandma, so the 20's are long past my existence. Day three is the worst, so once I hurdled the three day milestone, all is going to get better. Yesterday proved as much.

Meanwhile, back at the lake house, nothing has been done. The only time I've come in here in four days is to let Hazel outside.

Today I printed (finally) my Leah Day Friendship Quilt Along pattern for the month, and I realized I have to leave again in a half hour. Not much will be cut for it in the short time span I have left before once again, toddling off to work.

The seven-day-a-week schedule should slow down after next week. Consumers Energy is holding up the store opening and for a temporary few weeks, it can be dealt with. It's not like anybody is going anywhere in here.

All Day!?

This block took me all day to construct yesterday despite not having any half square triangles to set into it. I think it was other distractions around the house making it longer in construction then it should have.

Leah Day's Friendship Quilt Along Block #10

This is going to be a beautiful top when the block construction is complete in another two or so months.

I did a few blocks for my 100 Blocks quilt along and then ended my day in the studio. No long arming yesterday at all, but maybe today?

Got Long Arming?

Another six hours (or more) on DW yesterday.

Negative Space

The quilt top has this negative space over the barn. After auditioning several motifs, the decision was made to echo around the flowers for consistency within the quilt itself. This is the result.

Prior to long arming though these two blocks were completed. These are from the Leah Day Friendship Quilt-Along.

Leah Day Friendship Quilt-Along #6

Notice the ugly grass outside the window? We still don't have spring-like weather today.

Mom is coming by later today, so long arming will commence this morning until she arrives. I'm hoping the cone of thread I'm using holds out. It's starting to look very thin up there and it's a concern as to whether or not it'll make it through this entire top.

April Showers and all that Jazz

Our winter in central northern Michigan is giving a hard fight this year. Last year we literally went from winter to summer in about 10 days. I think we are headed that way again this year. But we have thunder here, so long arming is out until this blows over.

Since it's (already) May 1st, today I'll work on my Leah Day Friendship blocks. This is number six, and a little less intense than the previous two months (thank you Leah).

Yesterday, as well as spending six hours at the long arm, I worked on my Selvedge quilt for a bit while the neighbor was having his lifts put into the lake and watching one of the workers fall into that freezing water with his waders on (which promptly filled completely up). Brrr! The quilt has a total of nine rounds of borders after the center section and last night was number six (again with the sixes).

Border six of nine (with Hazel assisting)

I've already started mocking up the quilting on my iPad and with all the negative space, it's going to quilt out so beautifully. I'm just as excited to quilt it as I am building it.

Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back!

Now that Project Quilting is complete, I can blog more often so projects aren't buried within the blogging realm.

After a whirlwind set of trips to first Utah, and then Texas, home is where things will happen for the next couple of months. Nothing is scheduled until July. Of course, that is always subject to change. Life is change isn't it?

A compilation of what's been happening in the studio (it's brief):

Month #4 (I think)

This is the Leah Day Friendship quilt along set of blocks for April. They took three days to complete because I had a sick puppy yesterday.

Hazel the day after her "sick" day

Hazel was sick, sick, sick. Made a mess in her crate over the night (something she has never done before), but we have her on a boiled hamburger/rice diet (per the vet) for the next day or so. She seems to be doing better. And don't you love her summer doo?

That's about all I've accomplished in three weeks. I have a few projects under construction, but nothing of mine completed due to traveling. I did manage to get a few customer quilts under the long arm needle, but neglected to snap pics of those.

Today I have more partial projects to work on, a new customer coming with a Dream Big panel to complete, and lunch with mom. Gotta relish those lunches with mom!