Sometimes It Feels Like Forever

This was the first weekend in five weekends (Jim pointed out) that we haven't had to travel over 200 miles. The weekend was long, but quick...if that makes any sense. And it feels like forever since I've been on the big machines. 

They were mocking me this weekend while I was working on this...

McKenna Ryan "The Gentle Barn"

This is where I ended yesterday...

Time for borders

It still needs to be trimmed/squared and then borders need to be added, but the appliqué portion is done. I'm not going to blanket stitch this. I think, instead, I'm going to add some tulle over the top and straight line quilt it. Or checker board quilt it. Still debating and probably won't make up my mind until I get it on the frame. 

I'm going to work on Linda H's quilt on Bernie most of this morning while frame ironing the backing for the next one going onto DW. That's today's plan anyway. We'll see how that plays out as the day progresses. 

Thinking, thinking, thinking

Jim and I had to run out to do some errands this morning so I'm blogging late. 

The DW Linda H. quilt is done. It was early evening before I finished it (Jim got called out on a service call) but still on the frame. It was interesting to try to get the ProStitcher to deal with this not-a-straight-line situation. I had to manually stitch each motif out and make adjustments along the way to make it look not too weird. I'm removing marks and letting it just hang there until tomorrow night when I set up for Monday.

. 

Aaahhhh...aren't borders supposed to be straight?

This afternoon I'm going to work on the McKenna Ryan piece and enjoy a dismal weather day playing by myself

Always a Challenge

I have only ever seen this one other time in my long arm career. Most quilts are shorter on the inside measurements; the middle of quilt measurements. This one actually measures longer in the center, which causes this issue...

See the buckling at the orange border?

Once I take those last two rolls, this will have to be tackled. And it won't be easy.

I'm headed over to Pieces here shortly. I have to pick up some more Misty Fuse and get a hunk of batik for the background on the McKenna Ryan piece I'm working on. And, I haven't seen the girls over there in a few weeks so there's that. 

I'm hoping to finish the Linda H. quilt on DW today. That's my goal anyway. If there's still time, I'll work on the Linda H. quilt on Bernie. 

Sheet Day

It's supposed to be near 60 today, so the day I've been waiting for has arrived. Washing ALL the sheets from the family visit last week. There's nothing better than a line-dried sheet to snuggle in at night. 

In between washing/hanging sheets I'll be working on both the Linda H.'s quilts. This is a little of what's going into the DW Linda H. quilt...

Celtic themed

This quilt is getting custom quilted, but using [mostly] the computer. I tried to take a pic of the Linda H quilt on Bernie, but I'm using such a matching thread, that I had a hard time getting the phone to pic up anything. 

I tell my customers I see every square millimeter of their quilt, and that's not an exaggeration. Here's something I found while working on the ditch work...

See the tear?

After working on the long arms for eight hours, I switched over to the domestic to finish the Pieces BOM #4 blocks...

Month #4

Once I got those done I was still in daylight so decided to start an appliqué project. I'm not sure where I got this? Probably a sale over at Pieces, but I love doing appliqué things and stuff in the summer months. 

I'm NOT using Heat n' Bond on this one (I sincerely dislike how it needles when blanket stitching/long arming). Nor am I using Steam a Seam. I'm using something called Misty Fuse. MUCH BETTER!

Starting a new project

There are plenty of YouTube videos out there if you want to check out Misty Fuse. Basically, instead of tracing your appliqué shape onto the paper side of those other fusables, you trace it onto parchment paper to transfer the design. Easy enough! Anyway, I'm excited to start on this and have all my tracing done thus far. 

Two Linda H's!

I did a little quilting on Linda H's quilt yesterday while I was frame ironing the for the next one to go onto DW. Here's what he's wearing for the next couple of days... 

Linda H's top

Two different Linda H's but their quilts are both on the frames. Too funny! And that was confusing when I had to pull their batting out since I didn't label them with full last names. But I got it figured out and am off and running now. DW's Linda is getting computerized, free motion, and ruler work put into it. 

While I was working on Bernie yesterday, I found out that even professionals get a little lax sometimes and because of this, decided to try to quilt the ruler instead of the quilt.

Can you see the needle hole?

Just to the left of the needle you can see a very tiny hole. Yep, tried to quilt the ruler instead of the quilt. Needles to say, I had to change the needle because hitting it compromised its integrity. 

I did work on the Pieces BOM #4 last night, and I STILL don't have them done. Maybe tonight?

Customer coming to pick up right at 10:00 this morning and I'm not expecting anybody else so should be a rather productive day on the machines. 

The Last of Orange and Blue...

...for now anyway. Maybe I'll get another like this one in some day. But it's ready to take off the frame and get another loaded.

Finished!

Joan is not going to be back until May so I'll be holding onto this one for another week or so. But it's quilted. 

Not sure what's up next. Gotta check the queue. I'm expecting a pick up today and so far, that's about it. More construction ruckus in and around the neighborhood. New deck (next door). New roof (across the lake). New dam (a mile away). 

Not Much To Share

I started my fourth set of blocks for the Pieces BOM on Saturday. I never did get back to it yesterday. We visited mom in the morning and then unwound the remainder of the day in front of the TV watching movies. It wasn't a very nice day out and we needed to decompress. Well, Jim did at least. I can't even tell you how many naps he took, but after the emotional and then drama filled week he endured, he probably needed it. 

Here's the entire "B" family together at Zechariahs first birthday party. 

Good looking family!

Lots of construction in and around the neighborhood today, so lots of drills, banging, and sawing. It sounds like the "lake" is waking up from its winters nap.