Post Retreat

Since I had originally thought our retreat started Thursday, and I was mentally not prepared to long arm, I only loaded this on Thursday morning...

Tilda Snowmen

This is for the Bittersweet Quilt Shop and I'll start with this one first this morning since it's more time sensitive than Rita's.

I wondered then what I was going to do. I took advantage of my at-home supplies and started finishing a few UFO's. I made the binding for the McKenna Ryan wall hanging and put that on the first day of our actual retreat...

Finsihed!

I then made and stuffed the inside of the turtle. Once that was complete, I stufedf the extremities of the turtle and then put that together secondly at the retreat...

Finished

I tidied up the studio and by that time, Jim was home from work. We spent the rest of the evening with our neighbors around the campfire. 

At the actual retreat, after doing the first two projects I was either a) Making cuddle blankets for preschoolers for Rayola or b) Piecing together the Twirly quilt. 

Twirly quilt is now a top minus the borders. I'll chip away at those once I figure out what color sashing to put around the main body. I have four of six cuddle quilts done for Rayola and the retreat was so much fun. Exhausting (I slept in this morning until 8:30) but worth every bit of lost shut eye! Next retreat; October.

Family Visits

My brother only comes to Michigan about four times a year. This weekend was the weekend he chose to visit. We spent last night and this morning with him and my mom and so am getting a late start to my day. And...I had a customer appointment at 10:30 this morning so there was that too.

Here's a little of what I worked on in between family...

The McKenna Ryan is now quilted

And so is the turtle front and back

Once I got my little things quilted up and pulled off the frame, Jim had to help me load this one onto DW...

A unique situation

This is the second quilt for Margery, but I didn't do the quilting. She had it edge-to-edged somewhere else and had already bound the quilt. She decided later on, to make the Dresdens and then have them attached by me. 

So, I don't have any extra backing to work with, resulting in us having to pin a faux leader onto the quilt. The white clamps in front are giving me some stability on that end of the quilt and then I'll use the side clamps to get it even more stable. The Dresdens are just getting some circles put in to adhere them down and she wants the points to be free, so nothing there either. 

This one should (I'll emphasize should here) only take a day to do, but I'm already an hour and a half behind in my day. Thankfully, it's nice weather so that's making things okay. 

A Day For Me

Because I don't long arm on Sunday, I took the day and spent it doing gift things for others. While these aren't for me, it was projects I got to work on instead of customer quilts. 

The turtle for Lisa and Dave's baby due in August

Lucy wanted to help model...

Fit for a baby

Once the turtle was completed I moved on to more beds...

Three done...three more to go

This is a house warming gift for Caleb and Lia when they get back at the end of July.

Orkin is due here (like now) and Linda M. is coming by to drop off (another) time sensitive top at some point today. 

Here's what's on the frame for the next few days...

Evelyn W's grad top for her grandson

Pics as it's evolving coming soon.

A Little Diversion

Tina's quilt was completed early last evening (the girls were being uncooperative in the afternoon yesterday). I have to get this turtle quilted as we have a (tentative) baby shower coming up in the next couple of weeks. And there's still a LOT to do on this after the quilting.  

This is a turtle?

I'm going to finish this out this morning. Get the back on and quilt it zippy fast and then get the next "needs yesterday" top on (Pat's t-shirt top). Hopefully, all before lunch. I have a feeling that may be a stretch. But goals are set in sand aren't they?

Had some not-so-good news delivered yesterday. Jim's Great Aunt Lil passed away in her sleep night before last. She was 105. Looks like we'll be attending a funeral soon. Thankfully, we have a wonderful dog sitter, who during circumstances like this one, is willing to make room for the girls in a pinch. And...she's a quilter! 

Aren't most quilters just the best?

Sunny Saturday

Jim and I have errands to run this morning. The new mower blew the deck belt last night trying to knock down all this tall grass. And Jim is working the neighbors lawn as well. He did get the little Deere running last night though, so was able to finish our lawn up before nightfall. He'll work the neighbors lawn later. 

Here's what's on the frame this weekend...

Tina B.'s "Needs Yesterday" top

I have the top done and will work the center later this afternoon after lunch. Although, it's such a nice day it's going to be hard for me to stay in the house and work. And...the neighbors to the north two doors down are up and we haven't seen them since New Years Eve. 

Here's what's going into the top (and later bottom) sections...

So Pretty!

I also started [another] turtle over the past few days and worked on him after long arming. I have to run and get some backing fabric for him this morning while we are out and about and what a beautiful day to do it. 

A Purple Yertle Turtle

After an impromtu rain storm yesterday we were all able to gather together in our yards again. Meanwhile, we watched a movie while eating lunch and I finished the turtle.

The Purple Turtle

He didn't photograph well, but it's done nonetheless.

Most likely doing some long arming today. I have two small customer quilts that should be loaded and taken care of. One of our neighbors had to leave early this morning, but the other one is still up through until lunch so not sure when I'll get on the machine. 

Not sure what "sewing" project I'll work on this evening after getting off the frame?!? Maybe my Cotton Cuts mystery block will show up in the mail. It was shipped on July 30th and should be here any day. So excited to work on it. 

Neighbors

We weren't expecting either one of our neighbors this weekend and yesterday one of them showed up. Late into the evening, the other neighbor rolled in. Today will be a wash in the studio since we'll probably be playing with them.

I did get the turtle top quilted. 

The turtle shell

Have you ever quilted just batting and one layer of fabric? 

The underside of the turtles belly

I managed to get the other parts cut out and stitched together. Maybe between neighbor projects/visits I'll get them stuffed and ready to go?\

A Little Longer to Complete

The tops done thus far in my little corner of the world have been edge to edge quilted. Custom/ruler work takes a LOT longer to accomplish and this Jacqueline De Jonge piece is no exception. I have only completed about half.

Here's a little detail going into the quilt...

Quilting detail

I bound the quilt from the previous day after long arming for the afternoon. I then started in on more turtle construction, and not without a lot of hiccups. I did manage to get the shell constructed and here's the progress thus far.

The turtle shell

More of the same in store for today except the binding part. 

One More

One more top hit the frame yesterday. 

Super Sweet

Here's some of the quilting detail in it...

Probably my last edge to edge piece

I still need to get this off the frame and trimmed and bound, but I'm going to load another one today regardless.

I also started a turtle. My batting scrap bag is overflowing indicating it's time to start another turtle for some lucky child. Probably my nail techs daughter. I'll work on that in the evening when not long arming.

The Bonnie Hunter checkered quilt was also finished yesterday morning so really, I did two quilts yesterday. 

The Holidays

I can't believe next week is Thanksgiving. And it's late this year. Which means less time to complete Christmas gifts.

I'm starting to feel a little overwhelmed already. Two presents are in process, 11 of them are completed, but I still have about 14 or so more yet to do. And they aren't quickie to-do's either.

It seems like the earlier I start on my holiday projects, the quicker the holiday comes at me. Why is that?

The Nutcracker top is finished . I think the number ten nutcracker is my favorite.

Guarding the wall

I need to get a turtle on the frame later this morning (after a trip to the dentist) once this one is pulled off. The turtle won't take long since the backside is straight-line quilting and the front is pretty wide open. It takes longer to load it than the actual quilting.

Then I'll get another customer quilt loaded since I have three in queue right now and maybe work on putting the turtle together after that.

4 + 4

The four quilts from last week are done and ready for pick up.

Yesterday, four more came in. The difference in last week to this week are two versus four customers.

And it seems the quilts coming in are becoming even more complex than the previous. I'll shoot and share pics as they are loaded and waiting for quilting. Maybe even some of the quilt detail if the lighting is right.

12 Nutcrackers

Detail of one of the nutcrackers

Obviously, the light is right this morning so here is quilt number one from yesterday's drop off. The customer would like a tight (smaller than dime size, but not a micro) fill behind each nutcracker. And no stipple. And the fills need to be varied for each of the 12 nutcrackers. And the nutcrackers can't be touched. AT ALL!

I'm putting arches in the outer black border and a rope-like design in the green small border. That's about all the decisions I've made for now on this one. I'm going to have to dig deep to find some appropriate fills to put behind these, which should be fun. No really, I LOVE researching stuff like this.

In between customer quilts, I've been working on Christmas presents. Here's a few pics of those in the works.

The start of a turtle for Penelope

This will need to be loaded after the nutcrackers are finished so I can get the turtle shell textured. Meanwhile, I can work on the legs, head, and tail tonight after long arming all day. And after working on Caleb and Lia's cookbook.

One for each of the kids and grandkids.

There were two more made but those were for Jim and me for the current quilt on our bed. The pillow cases I made earlier for the Stripe Me Happy quilt don't really go well, and the new pillow cases fit perfectly. We'll use the others for spares around here when people visit.

I'm Going to Utah!

My long arm machine is a Handi Quilter Fusion. His name is DW. DW and I entered a contest to win a trip to the Handi Quilter headquarters in Salt Lake City last month. Guess who won?

Amongst the thousands of entries they received, I was one of 12 who was chosen to go in March! I still can't believe it and I was notified a few weeks ago. I couldn't tell anyone because they haven't released it to the public yet, but now I'm able to do so. I'm pinching myself almost daily because it still doesn't seem real.

Hazel is now 22 weeks old. Here she is on her weekly birthday yesterday, enjoying more mud.

Look at me mom! I LOVE the mud!

What have I been doing in the studio the past week? Lots and lots! But again, I didn't want to disrupt the Project Quilting story, so haven't posted.

Tristan's Fire Engine top is completed.

Stripe Me Happy

Strip me Happy top is completed.

I have pulled off the Seasonal Silhouette from the long arm to put on and take off, two customer quilts.

Still needs to be stuffed

I made a turtle.

I made a bag.

For my Utah Trip

Aunt Lil is "roughed in" with the borders yet to go,

Aunt Lil

and I'm still trying to decide what to do about this weeks' Project Quilting challenge piece. I may have to skip this one since I'm coming up with about nothing that I can do well in the next few days.

Here is a better (not muddy) pic of our little girl being not so little anymore.

She likes to sleep by the back door now. I think she's waiting for dad to get home.