Starting is the Hardest

I love, love, love it when customers give me basically free license to create quilting in their quilts. Here's the downside to that; figuring out cohesive and relevant items to get into the quilt based upon a short interview/consultation on who the quilt is for and a glimpse into the recipients personality/likes. 

I've gotten through almost all of the borders surrounding the panel but it took all day to figure out and get in what it is I wanted in there. And, of course, I couldn't make it easy on myself because that wouldn't have been the best decision on the direction the quilting needed to go.

Here's some of the quilting in Ann's quilt for her daughter (who loves Halloween but hates the color orange)...

Spider webs take a long time to plan and make

Here's some more...

Pumpkins in the outer border

So, I'm showing you the back because it showcases the quilting better than the front does. I'm using matching thread and that can get lost in the pics.

After working on this until the early evening, I moved over to piecing together month three of the BOM...

Month three

Those blocks (we're doing two of each) took me over an hour and a half to get together. I think this is one of the harder months, but I don't want to look ahead and feel deflated. More work on Anns quilt through most of our [finally] dreary typical fall day. I love quilting during overcast and rainy days!

Happy Fall Y'All

I spent yesterday not in the studio. Instead, I worked on the exterior esthetics making it a little more fall-like. 

Good morning

I have to remove Marges quilt from Bernie yet, but once that's done, I'll be getting into the one for Ann on Marty today. I have to find the next one in the queue that will fit onto Bernie to start frame ironing. I think the one we just pulled off of Marty to get this next one on will fit. 

Work or Play

When I say I'm going to be working in the studio, I mean just that. I have customer quilts to work. When I say I'm going to be playing in the studio, that means stuff just for me, not customers. 

I worked all day yesterday with some pauses in there to do other 'around the house' stuff. Marges quilt was finished around 4:00. 

After going down and visiting with the neighbors three doors to our north for a bit, I came home and started cutting out for the next BOM from the Creative Escapes retreat. In fact, until that one is done, I'm not starting any more BOM's, so when I say I'm working on the BOM, that's the one. 

Today I'm putting all this 'months' pieces together...

HST's...not my favorite

I think I have a total of 68 HST's there. Caleb and Lia called this morning and we talked to them for well over an hour. They are getting pretty excited about new babies arrival. Lia's mom is also coming for a visit next week. They've been prepping the guest room/bathroom for her stay. They are thankful to have their two quilts back her dad delivered a few weeks ago.

I ordered a new phone case for my iPhone. The one I have is a little too summery and so this one is one its way...

Not as summer-y as the current case

I tried to find a case quilt-related but none of them really struck me as "me". Off to go play. 

Working Today

It's going to be another unseasonably warm day today (high 80's) and I guess we're close to breaking some kind of record. But, I have to work in the studio today. 

I had a total of six drop offs yesterday and that took up all my morning. Jim got back from the doctors office and he's off work for at least the next week with many restrictions. One of those is standing for any amount of time. Groceries were on me. After I worked for a while in the studio, wanted to get that task out of the way so headed to West Branch to fetch our weekly chow. 

I wasn't in a long arming mood by the time I got home (early evening) so, instead, made my BOW. Here it is...

Looks a little washed up in this pic

In amongst all of that, Joyce's quilt had to be taken off Marty. One of the quilts that came in is a rush job and needed Marty to work this one since DW's encoder won't be here any time soon. How do I know this? We called Gall. Jason is on vacation. We called Handi Quilter. No orders received coming to the studio. So it's going to be a few weeks. At least. I still have many rows to go on the Bernie quilt, meaning that's what I'll be doing today. 

Here's the quilt I'll be working starting Monday...

For a girl who loves Halloween but hates the color orange

I've been given free licensing for what I want to get in here, but it does need to be custom work. That was my only parameter. 

Enjoying a Beautiful Autumn

The drive up and back to Hale yesterday was gorgeous. Temps peaked into the mid 70's and it was sunny all day long. The leaves have kind of slowed in their turning since our daytime temps have been pleasant. But there is still color out there, especially in the low lying areas along M-61. 

Jim was home early from work yesterday and then got called back into work so his DM could observe how Jim was walking. He took a tumble on a job on Tuesday and has been struggling since then to walk and not groan. He's going to the doctors office this morning so he's home with me now too.

Both of our appointments are at 9:00 but we can't ride in together as he may be going back to work. And, I have to run back here to receive a couple of rounds of customer visits throughout the day. Once I get done with Marges quilt on Bernie (hopefully that'll happen today), I'll be shifting over to work on Joyce's quilt on Marty...

Wensleydale pattern

This one is going to be custom quilted but I have another identical patterned top right behind this one for Mary that she wants E2E put in. I've sketched some things out and really, don't care for much of what I'm coming up with. Maybe it's time to hit SM and see what others have stitched out on this. 

See, not all of my job is just putting thread into quilts. There's a lot more to it and that's okay. I love all facets of what it is I get to do for a living. Happy Friday!

Gotta Be A Little Flexible

I was working on the quilt on Bernie yesterday morning. I took my lunch and while chowing down [another] rice bowl, received a text from Ann V. and she asked if she could come up today or tomorrow and drop off a few more quilts. 

Well, the previous one I did on Marty (Shop Hop) was for her and I was done frame ironing the backing for her QOV and asked if she could come Friday since that would give me today to quilt her quilt and get it ready for pick up.

I decided to flex a bit and just dive right into it yesterday. 

QOV

I didn't know what I was going to do in here and one never knows how long it's going to take to complete a project. It always seems like it should take less time and then before ya know it, hours have passed and you're only half-way through the project.

Here's what I decided to put into it...

Loopy Stars

Remember, my encoder is down in DW so I could not do any digital work on him and had to drive myself. Honestly, I'm twice as fast as the computer and I don't have to fiddle with realignment with every roll. It turned out beautifully and I was completely done just before 4:30 and frame ironing for the next one on Marty. I moved back over to Bernie and worked that quilt until I reached the half-way point and I was getting pretty fuzzy-eyed since I'd already been up for 13 hours. 

I have a short day today; guild meeting up in Hale and I need to attend because I have a block to turn in as well as getting information regarding our retreat in two weeks. 

I worked on my second BOM block for the second 'month' and finished that. I dove into starting the stand mixer cover and am pleased with patterns by Annie. Very complete. Very visual. 

Happy Autumn day today! Hasn't the weather here been beautiful? Summer-like temps in the day. Fall-like temps in the evening. Great campfire weather. Low bug level. Lots of sun since our rains have yet to show themselves. It's almost like we're living back in AZ. 

Ya Never Know

I hadn't expected anybody over yesterday, but lo and behold, a customer called right before lunch and asked if she could come get her quilts. Well, of course! 

Good thing I don't dress in my "play" clothes during the week while I'm open.

Wow, am I tired this morning. It's that time of the year. The time when all the rodents think our house is open for their wintering over. I had one scrabbling/chewing in the wall at the foot of my bed since about 4:15 this morning. For some reason they always end up there. 

I mentioned to Jim a few weeks back that traps had probably get set because they were going to start infiltrating the house. See how that went?

I'm going to try to function today. I'm so fuzzy headed and lethargic and I'm not a napper. If I nap, it's going to be for a few hours, not just 10 or 15 minutes or I feel worse. Actually, I feel worse no matter the length of the nap I take. 

Here's some of the quilting going into the one on Bernie...

All straight lines

After I got done working for the day, I headed outside to talk to the neighbors. Joe came down and welded the angle iron back onto the end of the dock to keep those boards in. Wayne came down and visited for a bit while they were working. Jim ended up grinding down the rough spots after a short lesson on how to weld from Joe. They also inserted some weep holes into the two main pipes holding up the dock since ice likes to form in there and push up and then break our dock boards. Which is what started all of this in the first place. 

Once that was finished and we gave generous hugs all around for the efforts, I headed back in to start on my next set of BOM's (month two). Here is the first one. That took a lot longer than I had anticipated. I'll work on the second one maybe tonight. 

OMG, that mouse is in that wall right now just chewing away having his own little party. Meanwhile, he's in there pooping and peeing all over in my house. UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!