Virtual Retreat

Word was received, late yesterday afternoon, the video/photo session with Handi Quilter next week, has been postponed. Again.

At least the studio has been cleaned, but now I have to continue to be diligent in keeping it that way. Which may be hard after this weekend. 

Katie and I are attending a virtual retreat beginning on Friday morning and continuing throughout the weekend. Lots of fabric, thread, and general mayhem that comes with retreating has to be kept in check I'm afraid.

Continuation ensues with the large customer quilt I'm working on the long arm. And, the rows are now being sashed on the Nova Star. 

Adding the sashing to the Nova Star blocks

The vertical sashing pieces are pretty easy to get in. The biggest hurdle is keeping the blocks in order and labeling them properly so they stay that way.

The hard part is getting the setting stones picked and built into the horizontal sashing. That will come maybe later today if Joanie's quilt gets finished this morning. 

And I want to load the Bear Paws to work on over the next few days/during retreat. I don't know if long arming is the actual thing to be doing during a retreat, but I remember a few times when I was at a "real" retreat, had thought long arming would be a nice change of pace. Maybe I'll get something on the sit down machine to quilt (also). Hmmm???

Subscriptions

Celebrate! I'm now officially LLC'd. Looking for a software program to handle my tiny little business is becoming interesting. It seems you don't purchase software anymore, but rather pay a monthly subscription for the rights to use it.

And a subscription for quilt magazines, monthly dog toys/treats, radio (Pandora and Sirius), TV, Cable, Crafting applications, Legal applications, Cloud space, and now this? When does it all end? I'm getting subscription-ed nearly to death.  

It's time to take a look at what is really important (needed) versus what is really not so important (wants), and while Jim is off on Work Comp, we need to evaluate whether my business is really worth all these expenses. 

Meanwhile, I continue on working my business.

Bear Paws ready to head to the frame this upcoming weekend...hopefully

I was able to lay this out while at moms yesterday morning. I got it together last night before calling it a night in the studio. 

Jonie's Tradewinds Top

I'll be working on Joanie's top most of  today. I've got the borders started (which I think is one of the hardest parts to accomplish, and frankly, takes the most time). The borders set the stage for the rest of what is going to happen in the rest of the quilt.

My goal is to get her quilt finished before Thursday so I won't feel guilty getting one of mine loaded for our retreat this weekend. I'm so excited for this retreat. I need to spend time with like-minded people and miss visiting with quilters. 

Just Crusin'

Trying to play catch-up from the weekend. Today was starting out to be an unproductive day. But Jim called about his appointment(s) and it doesn't look like I will need to taxi him around the state. Meaning, I can stay here and work.

Joanie's First Top

A little of the quilting detail

This quilt is due on the 20th. I thought, 'No problem', until I started running ruler work throughout the piece. I should have hit the half-way point yesterday and instead am only about a third of the way through. 

And, I think I loaded it wrong, meaning, I'm going to have to extend the backing. Which means, taking it off, sewing an extension on, getting it back onto the frame, and then finishing. Hopefully Jim will be home to help with the reloading because that is a pain with one person.

I did manage, later yesterday after long arming, to get a few blocks done for our sew along. I have 14 more to go.

I've gotten some nice comments about the blocks, which makes me feel pretty good. Again, not my normal color scheme, so always questioning what's going on here.

Letting the Hair Down

While we weren't directly involved in the weekends activities from the two neighbors to our north, we were indirectly involved in all the energy, joy, fun, and general good times. I think people are sick of being locked up because of the 'thing', they are tired of not having a lake, and have decided to not let either of these elements mess up their lives any more. We even had a pontoon traverse our dangerous lake waters over the weekend. 

Daring Folks on our dangerous waters

But I did manage to get some sewing into the weekend regardless. I made this little bowl for my Wonder Clips. 

Wonder Clips fit perfectly in here

I made about five or so blocks on the Nova Star. 

And just as I was settling in to work on a customer quilt yesterday, the kids called from Lansing and said they were going to head on up for a day trip since the pouring rain was keeping Ben from work. 

Hopefully today will be a bit more work productive than the weekend (apparently extended through yesterday) turned out to be. However, the memories with new friends and neighbors was priceless enough to not even feel the least bit guilty. 

Happy Second Birthday Hazel

I can't believe our puppy is now two years old. It seems like we just brought her home and yet, we couldn't imagine not having her in our lives. 

Seven Weeks Old

Nearly two years later

She's had plenty of birthday celebrations with Rylee coming to visit this morning and Walter visiting all afternoon. 

Hope she's with us many more years to come because she's one of the best dogs we've ever had over the years!

Productive and Satisfying

Actual stick-to-the-goals happened here yesterday. Long arming in the morning and part of the afternoon. But, the wind became really scary and so shut the machine off for the remainder of the afternoon. This is what I'll continue with this morning.

Kathy's Sunshiny Sunflowers

Since the mock layouts were still on the design wall a decision to get them together before Hazel swiped them off with her tail was made. 

And then four more were designed. And then four more were constructed. Last evening was the result of these eight cuties.

The first eight Nova Star Blocks

Only 34 more to tackle. 

This is NOT my usual color palette, but I really, really think these are pretty. I'm liking how soothing they are to the eye and not all in your face with their volume and colors.

Speaking of Hazel, tomorrow she has a birthday. Two years old. But, she still thinks she's a puppy. This was yesterday after lunch was eaten while we finished our TV show. 

Hazel loves to snuggle

It's the day before our Labor Day weekend officially begins. We are still without a lake (and no end in sight for the foreseeable future on that racket), but the neighbors said they were going to all be up and it should at least give us a little interaction with folks for a few days. 

It gets so quiet up here with all the trunk slammers not coming up on the weekends. And the "thing" doesn't help either so people are just plain staying away. So I continue to take advantage of the quiet and quilt, quilt, quilt away. 

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.