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. 😙

It's Raining

There are some really questionable people on our Smallwood Lake Association page asking questions that nobody can answer. Like, 'How soon before the lake fills?'. Well, unless you're
God, that question can not be answered. 

But, I feel like responding to the page, 'Hey, we got rain. How come the lake hasn't filled up?' Wouldn't that be a hoot? Ya gotta have more than 1/10th of an inch to raise a lake nine feet.

Enough of that. I have to run around and change out some of my summer things and then into the studio I go. I'm working two quilts at once it seems. This one on Bernie...

This one is basted in and already started

And this one on Marty...

This one is basted in but barely started

Those two are on todays docket. Here are better pics of what I'm doing on DW.

Block one

Block three

I did manage to get the pieces cut out for the next block in The Quilt Room and I was able to get a Flower Power block blanket stitched. Our son called and we talked for about an hour on his way home from his work which I will set aside any quilting for. 

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?

I Just Couldn't Wait

Ann's quilt was finished in the afternoon after Cindy and Bernadette left. It's so great talking to the girls and sharing quilting stories. And grand baby stories. And retreat planning. And, and, and...

Anywho. I moved over to Bernie to work on Joyces quilt after I raked up the garden to put it to bed for the winter. It's not entirely "to bed" as there are a few pepper plants still hanging in there with the frost not really affecting them too much. Yet.

This is the top that had to be moved over from Marty to Bernie so I could tackle the immediate need quilt for Ann, which was too big to put onto Bernie. 

Wensleydale by Jan Kingwell (I believe)

Here's what I'll be quilting into it...

These are the pieced blocks.

I'll get a pic of the negative space blocks in their entirety for tomorrows blog. While I was working on this I received this from the USPS...

From Missouri Star

These are for a quilt-along I'm doing over the winter (starting in January) with Natalia Bonner. She offered four panels from Honest Fabrics, but I'm not going there. I'll piece mine together (those panels are poly) with cotton and make it a full-sized quilt rather than four unusable panels. I have to draft how I'm going to put these together as they are not just sewn into rows but are staggered on the ends in placement. 

I was pretty much long-armed out by 4:30. Not feeling it yesterday (we all have days like that), and I think it's because this was sitting there behind me saying "Piece Me"! So I did. 

Now I have to quilt it

This looks smaller than it really is, which is about 22"x20"-ish. I may throw this on Marty for the weekend because DW's new encoder hasn't shown up yet, despite being sent out of Lansing on Monday. 

One customer expected today and I'll be working on Bernie all day. Jim is at his second doctor appointment about his fall last week to determine what they are going to do with him next. Hopefully just another week or two of rest will solve the problem. 

Change of Plans

I decided to offload the Ginny quilt yesterday quickly and then load this quilt onto DW...

Olivers Quilt

This is a time sensitive quilt that goes with one (or more) others. One of those is on Bernie right now. I've already started this charming piece and will post pics tomorrow on some of the quilting going in. But for now, my focus is on this one today instead of yesterdays plan to work on the other one. 

Jim picked up the first of our flooring yesterday. He started sanding those last night and we may start installing this evening. The bathroom has to be done first since we have a plumber waiting to get in there to do what he needs to do.

While on the phone with the insurance company I was able to press and trim the 4-patches needed for the Sew Very Easy mystery QAL. My homework for this month is now complete. And that means...I can start something new. I have ZERO WIPS in house right now. Can you believe that? I'm having a hard time believing it myself!

Still No Heat

We have three space heaters as well as the little furnace out in the new studio going, but today, hopefully, we'll have a solution to our problem. I have an appointment this morning and today I should be visited by the drywaller, plumber, and the HVAC guys. I hope I'm able to get some quilting done with all of that. 

Here's some more progress in Linda's quilt...

Here's the reveal

Yesterday I wasn't sure what I was putting into those weird shapes and this is the outcome. Do you like?

Beller's came up yesterday and came over for a visit last night. After they left, it was still too early to call it quits in the current studio and of course, my long arming mojo was gone. 

Sew Very Easy is hosting a free BOM using up scraps in your stash. I vacillated in whether to participate. I have enough scraps around here and it would certainly get rid of a bunch so that decided it for me and I'll be "playing" along. Our homework for this month is cutting everything out. It's a mystery quilt but she gave us some rough guidelines to use and said to not overthink it. I started working on those.

Misty Doan also posted a cute wall hanging on YouTube that would be fun to piece. I think after I get through cutting for the Sew Very Easy quilt-along I'll work on finding scraps around here for what Misty is calling "Make More". 

Play Time

Today is going to be a play day for me. We were supposed to be heading downstate to help the kids with their new house, but the weather last night resulted in Ben having to work, and we are getting intermittent snow squalls too. We are going to try for tomorrow instead.

And as many snow squalls as we are getting, we are also getting sunshine. But it's very cold and very windy out there; a good day to stay in the house and play in the studio.

Once I got the backing frame ironed (while working on Bunny's quilt) I loaded the quilt-along top and am working on row two this morning. Row 1 turned out just okay. The reason for a quilt-along is to learn and get a feel for new things. In my case, it's a new set of rulers. The thread and fabric chosen wouldn't let me get a pic of row one, but here's row two so far...

Starting the second row

My quilting day planned is just playing and staying warm. 

Nuts

We received about two to three inches of wet, heavy snow last night, and it's still coming down. I have a customer that is actually coming by to pick up a quilt I did for her earlier this week. It's nuts for me to go out in this stuff (despite my finding a new quilt pattern/quilt along) and want to go out and pick up fabrics for it. I'll wait until tomorrow. Or, maybe later today depending on what the temps do.

Jeffs quilt is done, bound, packaged and ready to be delivered. Paulettes quilt is quilted, trimmed, invoiced, packaged and once I call her that one can go. Here's what's on DW today...

Jan Z.'s first quilt with me

This is a custom piece and although not very big, may take some time to work. Upon a quick inspection last night while I was basting in, all seams appear to be pressed open, including the borders. This leaves me zero ditch to stabilize things before the actual quilt process. Could be interesting. 

I received two new rulers yesterday. Both from Natalia Bonner. The Inside-Out regular size (I already had the mini) and the Trailer ruler for ditching and wide channel work. I said to Jim I'm about done buying rulers and then a Bernina Quilt-Along came in my email last night and I need a set of speciality heart rulers from Amanda Murphy to do the quilt-along. Plus, there is a lot of other motifs one can do with her rulers. Hmmm???🤔

Another Rush

I had two quilts dropped off last night (around 7:15-ish Jim said) and one needs to be done asap. It's for Bittersweet Quilt Shop in Pinconning. It's a holiday quilt and of course, needs to be displayed for the holiday quilt makers. 

Having said that, here's what's on DW today...

Holiday Critters

She is specific on what she wants in some of the areas, and not so much in the others. Bernie is still sporting the Angela Walters Quilt-Along quilt. I had to turn it last night because I didn't want to chunk the side grey border areas...

Some of the quilting and those grey borders

I had a customer come and drop off during the afternoon hours (my normal business hours), and I have another coming today to pick up. 

A previous customer of mine, who has since acquired a Bernina long arm, just like mine only with the robotics attached, wants me to come up and give a long arm lesson. So, I'll be heading out early tomorrow morning to Presque Isle so no blogging either. 

Focused

I started long arming yesterday. Then lunch. And then the Nova Star quilt-along pieces were calling to me. "Do flying geese units," they said. 

And I listened; finished making all the units yesterday.

I was so excited, despite the time of night it was, that four "mock" blocks were thrown on the design wall to see how the selected colors were going to play out.

Color/Placement Play

It appears my top is going to be a little lower volume than I usually come up with, or care to make. The fat quarter bundle was much more vibrant when it was picked up from the quilt shop. I think. wink, wink.

Today is much more long arming. Customers (three) are coming Friday to douse me down with more tops. It would be nice to be prepared for their arrival by clearing out the queue. Building Nova Star blocks will follow once the paying job is done. 

Happy Saturday

There is a fall-like feel to the air. A few of the trees are starting to shed leaves, and we see color coming in on our mid-yard Maple tree. Autumn is my favorite time of the year. Mostly because I get to start wearing my sweatshirts again and don't have to suck my gut in to hide my middle-aged pooch. 

Quilt-alongs are fun! I started losing a little of my mojo over the summer. Primarily because we were 100 mph with our hair on fire. I think our mini vacation revved my engine back up because I'm sewing and piecing and cutting with a vengeance. (Katie...take a vacation. It helps!). 

My chosen fabrics

This is what will be put into the Nova Star quilt. It's a little more low volume than I normally like to work with, but beautiful nonetheless. And soothing. These colors are very relaxing. 

Here they are all cut and ready to sew.

I don't even know how many pieces are here

Mickey's quilt was completed yesterday morning before we had to do some errands. I failed to snap a pic of it, but it was another one of her Kaffee fabric pieces. 

I'll be loading a quilt top Paulette had Pat and Joanie drop off last week. It's a cute whale and has a lot of real estate for me to quilt into. Should be fun.

Meanwhile, I'll be making HST's after Paulette's quilt is worked for a while. I have another customer coming over to drop off and then who knows where the wind will take us afterwards on this lovely Saturday. 

Another (Nearly) Week

 Yep, it seems like the weekly thing in the summer is what the blog posts run. 

Getting Ready for a Quilt-Along

This is a nine patch I'm making for a quilt-along with Natalia Bonner beginning in September. A panel could have been purchased instead of having to make the actual quilt top, but I'm a rebel and am choosing to make my own top. Not to mention, the panel is VERY expensive. And, I'm making it bigger; more usable!

Hey! This is actually one of mine!

The Angela Walters Build-A-Quilt from 2018-19 is now complete. Two years? That's not bad, right?

Small Project Sunday

A cover for Lilo was needed and Pieces of Thyme had just the project when I shopped on Saturday. Isn't this just one of the cutest machine covers?  

On to customer quilts. 

Linda's Hockey Quilt for her 7-Year old grandson. 

Pat's Charm Square Nightmare (her words, not mine). :-)

Pat's will be completed today. I have another few on their way, but until they show, maybe (just maybe), I'll get to throw another one of mine onto the frame. HA! As soon as I utter the words, I'll jinx myself. 

Haven't posted Hazels cute face in a while. She says, "Good morning everybody." 

Still kinda sleepy this morning

Running Out Of Fabric

I have six projects going on in the studio right now. My Jacqueline is at a standstill because I need more fabric to finish the last go-around. I can't order any for it on-line because I need to make sure the correct colors get placed in each section. Computers aren't always true to color.

The flannel rag quilt for Jim is on hold until my order comes in from MSQC.

The Happy Camper piece may be worked next, but I'll have to pirate some of the black fabric from the Jacqueline piece to work on it.

The Row by Row quilt along is a monthly thing and until Irene puts up another month, that's parked.

The Scrap Happy top can be continued for a little bit, but once all the slabs are built, I have no background fabric for the thing...unless I pirate the white from the Row by Row to continue on. See...I need more fabric.

The quilt for my mom is in the works and the top will be completed today. The center section of this quilt is the quilt along I'm doing with Helen Godden and won't be able to quilt it until she gets through all her videos (in two weeks). BUT, I'm thinking with the leftover fabrics, I may just get creative and make a matching pillow to go with the quilt.

Moms Mothers Day Quilt for her new Condo

The wind outside today is screaming (again), so long arming probably would not be a good idea. I'll make the back for the animal/barn top from last week and at least attempt to get it loaded.

Maybe I need to get a large black and white order in to MSQC for some more white and black? I don't think I'm going to be able to get anymore otherwise.

Instagram? Facebook? Blog?

Which platform to post which quilt is starting to get a little confusing. Katie and I are participating in a 100 blocks in 100 days quilt along and I see they have a facebook page. We usually post on Instagram. And there's a blog to refer to if you have any questions, but you do not post there. All. These. Rules.

I'm starting to wonder if this is making it a little less fun? The other two quilt alongs I'm participating in do not require any postings. We just get our little pattern each month and make our blocks. Easy enough. But to win any prizes on other quilt alongs the set of restrictions and rules is becoming not worth even adhering to the restrictions and rules. Maybe a white board to keep everything straight would help if I participate in any next year (since most of the 2019's are done or nearly done).

Rant over.

Here's what was worked on with the long arm yesterday.

Vintage Christmas by Lori Holt

There are only two more rows to go! What? This was just started yesterday and it's a fairly decent size. And ditch quilting is being done throughout. Maybe I'm starting to get the hang of this. LOL!

I'm hoping to finish this up today and get something else loaded later tonight. There are a few other little projects being worked on right now. Yesterday I squirreled and made this little cutie.

Zippered Triangle Pouch

These would make nice gifts for all the little girls in our lives; the neighbor girls, our granddaughter, etc. and it went together before lunch yesterday so they are not a major time consumer.