Hello, hello!

Well, I'm back from the retreat. This one was SUCH A GREAT time. We laughed and ate, and laughed and ate some more. I only wish we could see this group of people more often than once a year. 

And, I was very, very productive. Day one:

First to be put together...the orphan block baby top

My Creative Grids pineapple blocks baby top

The QOV from just a jelly roll and a few yards of fabric

And I was thinking to myself I was way (way) ahead of schedule in my head. 

Day two:

Produce Section is a top

Day three:

Notice the 3-D napkin hanging

And day four:

So cute!

All of these but the table runner need borders and/or setting pieces put into them but they are constructed correctly and are ready for me to make them whole. Look at all these new quilting projects I have just created for myself. I had one of the retreat members give me a quilt to take home to work for her, so it wasn't just a 'vacation' for me but also a working situation. 

Here's day five (because technically, the retreat was still happening):

Taking the morning slow

I finished crocheting my slippers and did nothing else but put everything away and sort out the many lovely gift bags we received. 

So warm and comfy!

Today I'll be working on Bernadettes Tilda Sampler on DW while watching the snow falling slowly from the sky. Not expecting any customers with the snow/freezing fog we had last night and the continued snow we're getting today. 

Another One Ready

I have three tops to make at retreat so far...

Doesn't look like much, does it?

The third set of blocks I was working on Friday and Saturday was finished yesterday while Jim was watching his Spartan basketball game. Not sure what I'm going to start next. Mom bought me a couple of things for my birthday, but I'm lacking supplies for both (fusible and some base fabric). 

I do have another small appliqué thing in my bag-o-projects that I may delve into since I have enough fusible (or rather, the right kind of fusible) for that project.

Misty Fuse isn't going to be an option for the first one mentioned above. It's expensive and I need seven yards of the stuff. Not to mention I've noticed the fabric frays with it. I don't want this to be stiff (ruling out most paper-backed fusible), and I don't want it to gum up my needle. I'm going to ask Sharon next time I see her what she recommends since she taught the class over at Bittersweet. 

I'll be working Anns quilt on Bernie today and hopefully finishing the one I have on Foster after the work day is done. 

And...I'mmmm Baaaccckkk

I am back from Shipshewana, but I don't know how deep into my routine I'm actually going to be. Mom has a foot surgery scheduled for Tuesday. I'm the only close relative to assist in her convalescence. She can NOT put any weight on that foot for at least six weeks and she has very little balance left.

So, I'm going to be working second shift for a while if she passes her pre-op tests tomorrow. Jim will have to take over the afternoon watch because I still have Christmas deadlines to meet.

Today will be my last day "off" for quite a while I'm afraid.

My retreat to-do's changed in a matter of one day. The machine (Jay) that I took down didn't have enough lighting to actually allow me to work without terrible eye strain and I was in a corner where the overhead lights weren't the greatest.

I shifted gears. Did a little shopping and over the next couple of days, made something totally different than what I took down. I did get a border fabric for Bee Happy while out shopping and picked up a few Christmas gifts as well.

Here are a few quilts I brought home to quilt for customers...

A few other tops that Terri and Virginia accomplished are below...

Book Worm by Virginia

Terri's pretty flowers from a magazine she had

So many beautiful colors. We laughed. We cried. We prayed. We compared. We had a blast over all and the registration opened on Thursday for next years retreat. It was full by Saturday morning. I have that to look forward to over the upcoming months to get me through the next crazy year. 

Jim's out hunting this morning and I'll be starting to cut my Produce Section quilt out. I can't attach borders until I get all the fabrics off the sewing table or they'll end up on the floor so I have to deal with that today. 

And then tomorrow I'll be back on the big machines. We were hoping Foster would be done while I was cruising through Lansing yesterday, but his parts still haven't arrived, so another trip down to Lansing is in our future. 

Retreat Break

I have today to prepare for the "big" retreat starting tomorrow down in Shipshewana, Indiana. This one is the biggest of the year with over 150 in attendance and six days of fun-filled activities and sewing. I'm nearly packed since a little of what I needed for the previous retreat is going along for the upcoming one.

Except for the final border (which I did not have fabric for) Bee Happy is put together. Everybody else got a pic of it. I did not. I was holding one corner up while it was being photographed.

I also bound the two quilts I test ran DW on last week. Speaking of which, DW is back and is running very well. One of my regular customers was in attendance at the last retreat and asked if there was any way I could get her table runner (I say bed runner because it's so big) done before Thanksgiving.

Gobble, gobble!

I left early on Friday night and brought this home. I told her if she didn't mind guinea pigging for me with DW having just returned I'd be willing to work on it to see what we could accomplish.

11:15 Friday night and all was complete...

Love the texture!

Yesterday was spent unpacking Bee Happy stuff and repacking the Leah Day 365 stuff to take down south. I have a few bag projects I can make too that I bought at retreat but want to focus on the sit-down project since Foster should be home soon and I'll be back on him more than sit-down quilting. 

Isn't it funny, I'm still making lists of things to take and for Jim to do while I'm gone. I'm planning on working on Mary's quilt while thinking of more items to be added to both of those. Her quilt should be finished before shutting down for the night. Hopefully! And while I'm working on that, I'm frame ironing for Elleens next quilt on DW since he behaved so well Friday. 

Sun Not Cooperating

We didn't have much sun yesterday and what we did get was in the early afternoon. The evening sun was behind some ugly clouds, so no texture on Mary's quilt. I tried to get a pic this morning but that didn't work either. 

DW is all ready to head back south...

Unplugged and ready to get off the frame

Good thing I'm heading to retreat today otherwise I'd be a little more upset about this. 

Speaking of retreats, this one I'm attending doesn't start until 1:00! WHAT???? Half the day is gone at this point. I have to get packed up and ready to go, which I haven't even started to do yet.

What am I going to work on? Well, for this one, I'm hoping to get Bee Happy blocks completed to include the daunting border full of 99 hexagons. It's going to take some time to get all of those stitched. I've got the last three blocks ready for blanket stitching and hope to get those done before leaving.

I also have those two quilts I did on DW to bind, so it looks like Mike is traveling with me this go around. 

Mary's quilt has too much to do for me to complete it before leaving, so it'll be here on Monday for me to work on before heading down to Shipshewana. 

Nope. He Didn't Settle

Here's some of the quilting going into the United States appliqué piece...

Wandering Feathers for a Fill

I've finished quilting this and DW still isn't settled in. Meaning, he's going back to Lansing on Saturday. Jim has to pick up some venison and chickens, so he'll swing by Gall on his way to the B's. I'll be at retreat. I have a great husband who's willing to do this for me! That's another one of the items I need to deal with today; getting DW stripped back down for shipping. 

Here's what's on Bernie today...

Mary's pretty couch throw

I probably won't be able to show you the quilting in this one as I've (once again) matched threads too well. Maybe if the sun comes through the west window later this afternoon I can grab some texture. 

At some point I have to drop what I'm doing and start getting ready for retreat. Which starts tomorrow. Haven't done a thing to prep for this except order that insert for Jay so I can do some sit-down quilting. I've already been called about picking up two quilt tops while I'm there from another attendee so this isn't just a pleasure cruise. 

Retreat Week(s)

To prepare for the two upcoming retreats I'll be attending, I needed some more leggings. And tops. Jim and I finally broke down and purchased a Costco membership and wow, can that place be overwhelming. We've learned something about Costco and that's to not go there on a Sunday. What. A. Zoo!  

But I found four new pairs of leggings, three new heavy weather tops as well as some other fun things. We'll be shopping there for Christmas that's for sure. 

Anyway. here's another block for Bee Happy. The pokey-things coming out of the top are pins and they'll be given pin heads when I quilt this piece. 

Rain expected all day today. Usually when we have icky weather I get very few customers. I'm hoping to get the "secret" quilt done today and I have to call Gall about this "catch" in the basting stitch DW is having issues with. Hopefully he won't have to go back down next weekend and it's something I can fix here.

Post-Retreat

So. Much. Fun! Laugh, laugh, laugh is just some of what happened during the week. Sew, sew, sew, talk, talk, talk, eat, eat, eat. That was the rest of the retreat. But glad to be getting back to a regular routine.

Here are some of the tops I completed in the three full days I was there...

Day #1

This was a "surprise" gift Jim brought back from downstate last Saturday. 

Day #2

These blocks were being constructed earlier this summer, but I don't have space enough to lay them all out here so I take advantage of the larger space at retreat.

Day #3 (yesterday)

This was started at the last retreat a year ago. I had completed all the cutting and assembly of the center of the spools prior to coming this week to retreat. 

Here are a couple more tops other people completed. Two "twirly" (Radiant Suns) tops from the class I taught two months ago...

Virginia's top

Terri's top

And one from Bernadette from a pattern by Elizabeth Hartman called Dog Park that actually came home with me to be quilted...

Dog Park

Isn't this absolutely adorable?

Well, back to it. I'm still working on Kathi's Flower Felicity quilt today. I don't think I'll get it completed since there is still a third of it to go, but I'm going to try my hardest. 

Quilt Retreat

I'll be out of the studio from today through at least Wednesday night attending the biannual QQQG retreat. So excited, but tired too. I never sleep the night before retreat because I'm so excited.

Jim and I visited mom yesterday and I had mentioned to her a while back that if she ever wanted to get rid of her dining room table, I'd gladly take it off her hands since we have room for one now.

The "new" dining room...

A little more filled

It was pretty empty there for a month or two, but it seems to be filling. The computer is now in the corner by the stairs (where I'm typing now) but will have to move at Christmas time when the tree comes in. 

Whelp. The laundry is almost done and them I'm outta here for a few days. I'll be spending the nights here, but will be off and running early each morning. 

Today Seems Like Saturday

Because Jim was gone all day and I worked on DW all day, yesterday felt like a Friday and today seems Saturday-ish. We had to give the girls a bath this morning and then we're off to visit my mother. After we return and eat lunch, I'll be packing for retreat. 

While I was quilting yesterday, I encountered this...

Hole

Saying "Hole" in a quilt is like saying "Squirrel" to the dogs. I get super focused on it until I can get it repaired. Here's the thing about holes. I see more of them in quilts that have their seams pressed open than I do in those with seams pressed to one side. Especially where a bulky seam meets. Like here. 

Phone Time

Ya know, if the machines aren't running, I'm not making any coin. BUT, talking with customers and quilt groups is a necessary to make sure I have business to keep those machines running. I've been on the phone all morning and hopefully, this will be the last of it for the day.

Janice's quilt is still incomplete. I worked 10 hours on it yesterday and at 8:00 my foot was telling me that was enough. I'll finish that this morning and then start on this quilt later this afternoon...

Kathi M's second quilt

This one is going to be a doozy. It's a large quilt and is going to need a lot of ruler and thread work done. 

Meanwhile, and since we are now in October, I'm starting to wrap my head around the three (yes, three) retreats I'll be attending from October 7 through November 17th. So excited! The first one starts next Monday up at The Springs for the Quirky Quilters Quilt Guild. 

I'm going to have to think about projects I need to cut to get them ready to go. I need to round up projects that are still in progress to finish at retreats, and the logistics of which machines to take when. And then there's my mother. Who decided to not wreck her summer by having foot surgery, but waited until this fall to talk to a doctor about her issues. I'm thinking positive thoughts and praying her surgery doesn't interfere with all of the goings-on this and next month. 

Not Safe

If anybody ever said a bunch of quilting ladies would be a safe place to hang out, think again. During our last night together, I inadvertently leaned up against my neighbors travel iron and received this...

Burn

And it's one of those places that keeps getting bumped. Ouch!

Nothing but unpacking occurred in the current studio yesterday. But here's some progress in the new studio...

Cutting in

Now that everything is cut in, the primer coat will be starting. I should go out and do that this morning while we have some sunshine, but I've been away from the big machines for too long and I know I have a time sensitive top coming at weeks end, so I need to focus on my "normal" work today. 

Mary's quilt will be worked on Bernie primarily, and then IF I get that done, I'll be moving over to Tina's quilt on DW to make room for the next one arriving in a few days. 

Retreat Almost Perfect

All but one of my projects were completed. Well, the third one still needs borders attached, but until I obtain some more fabric, that isn't going to happen. Here it is on the wall...

Metro Rings

I'm loving this quilt! The borders will be a 2 1/2" white, and then a 5" black to tie in the center squares. Apparently I forgot a few things up at The Springs and Monica so graciously dropped them off this morning already. I love Monica!

I've already unpacked, logged in the three quilt tops I received for business, and am ready to dive right back into it tomorrow morning. Paulette gave me an AQS magazine while we were there and enjoying a rare sunny day in February with a good magazine sounds like a plan. Jim worked yesterday so we are looking forward to relaxing a bit this afternoon with some good food and Rom-Com movies.

Retreat Accomplishments Thus Far

On Wednesday this top was completed...

New Years Day Quilt-Along

Yesterday this top was completed...

Irony

And I'm working on the Metro Rings today. 

Prior to going to retreat, I was waiting for Jim to arrive home and getting more stuff around for retreat and I made these...

Michigan Pillow

String of Hearts

Here's a pic of the room we sew in...

Lots of room!

There are about 20 of us this week and we're having a blast! Nail and eye doctor appointment this morning so I'll be arriving late to retreat this morning, but some things just can't be avoided. 

I'm Back!

What a wonderful week! Well, except for the last afternoon of the last day when a snarky women made an absolutely rude comment, but we'll stay away from her next year. 

Here's a few pics of the week I just came back from...

Our "home" for the week

We love this room

I deleted all other pics or I'd share those as well. I got a lot of shopping done, kits/patterns purchased to entertain me through the winter, the cowboy blocks are assembled into rows, the Pieces BOM blocks are all made, and I did a little baby quilt while at retreat. Meanwhile, as I was taking some time off from work, Jim and the boys were not. Here's the first window in.

The boys being boys

This is the west window. All the others are now in, the bulk of the drywall is on the ceiling and the subfloor material has been transferred from the garage into the new studio. Not bad for a nine hour day. 

Have many phone calls to return that were left on my work phone while away and I have to get back on the big machines. Did I ever miss them. Welcome home!

I Must Be a Slob

I pulled my Sew EZ table out from under the pressing/planning table yesterday to get ready for retreat. OMG, what a dusty, fuzz bunny mess! And the top of my small travel case wasn't much better sitting under DW. 

At any case, I have four projects going to retreat. The cowboy boot blocks are all cut and ready to go. I'm taking a cute kit with me from Pieces I bought a while ago and then the Pieces BOM to work on. While I was scrounging around for things yesterday, I stumbled upon a huge bundle (26) fat quarters and found a pattern to make with those.

I'm still frame ironing the backing for what's headed to Bernie next, but this is going to be what's on him...

Bernadette's Tilda Baskets

I have a nail appointment first thing this morning. It's not supposed to be until next week on Friday, but since I'm not going to be here Shay got me in today to get me through the next almost month.

Once I get back I need to start packing more seriously. I haven't even thought about clothing. Only quilting things.

I'm not sure what Jim will be doing today. Something in the new studio I'm sure. Although, we're kind of waiting for the insulation guys to do their thing on Monday before getting too deep into anything else. 

Before Retreating Today...

...I thought I would share the accomplishments so far. The the first day I got the borders on Twirly quilt (forgot to snag a pic) and started to sew down the Chenille-it onto the second top...

Cute, huh?

This became a rather daunting process as I was using the regular pressor foot on Ellie. I switched to the free motion foot and was having even more issues with that. I put that aside and started working on 100 blocks. 

100 Blocks in 100 Days

Day two the top was done.

Day three I started right in on the H-E-L-L-O wall hanging and finished it minus the binding...

Going to hang in the new studio

After getting that done and after having a quick visit with Jim, I started in on the Farm Girl Vintage II top...

Everybody loved the piggy

That went together relatively quickly and so moved back over to the 'Tis the Season top and fought again with the application of the chenille-it. But I'm going to persevere today and get it all attached! If time permits, I'll make and bind the HELLO wall hanging and call that one finished.

Glad I'm Not Going to be Here Today

The electrician, who wasn't supposed to be here until 8:00, pulled in at 7:40. First we couldn't get him here and now he comes way early. Shoot, I'd just gotten out of the shower and dressed. 

And Jim took today off work. 

So those two will be gabbing and working all day and I'm sure, at one point, we're going to lose power since he's tying into the main panel today. 

Found some more things to pack for retreat including my second machine. Gotta finish eating breakfast and then I'm off for the week. 😉

Readying for Retreat

So excited to be able to attend the Quirky Quilters Quilt Guild retreat starting first thing tomorrow morning! 

Dropping off a few quilts at retreat

The first two piles on the right are customer quilts I'm dropping off while attending the retreat. The rest is the beginning of my stuff I'm taking. 

I want to get "Twirly" (Radiant Suns) bordered out so I have to make some extra blocks to do that. 

Cutting for more blocks

I need sixteen more blocks (or thereabouts) to make and then cut for the borders. That alone should entertain me for about a day. 

One of the projects I had on my list to take I'm not taking. It's the intense BOM from Pieces I'm only month five into and it requires a lot of concentration on my part. I have way more other things I can do to amuse myself. 

I slept in today taking advantage of the fact I won't get to for another five days. The electrician will be here tomorrow even before I take off. And, he'll be here again on Tuesday in the same fashion....promptly at 8:00. Somehow I'm going to have to convince my body to go to sleep earlier. Yeah, right!

Lots to do Today

First and foremost is getting Lois' quilt finished before anything else happens. DW was being troublesome yesterday so I fought with him most of the afternoon and early evening. Everything I would try wouldn't solve the problem. The last thing I tried last night seemed to result in a better stitch quality and I'm hoping I finally stumbled upon the fix. 

Here's one block in her quilt...

Each center is quilted differently

After Lois' quilt is done this morning, Jim and I have to head out to do errands. I have to pick up a top/backing at Pieces from a customer, we have to get groceries and other building things. Once we get home and wolf down some lunch, I have to start packing for retreat.

There are a number of things I need to do on stuff before I take them along so I'll get all that completed. The nice thing about retreating at The Springs is I only need to take a few things each day and can bring them home later that night and not have to clutter up my work space there. 

While I'm doing all that, I'll be frame ironing the backing for the next quilt to get onto DW and eventually (before I leave) load the top and batting. Happy Saturday!