I love/hate my longarm

Well, I achieved all my goals for yesterday, and beyond. I got the quilt not only loaded, but 2/3 quilted. It was going along great when, for no apparent reason, the tension went wonkey. And, of course, I didn't notice until I advanced to the next row. So, now I'm going to have to do some ripping. Grrrrrr. I'm going to finish it up. but then leave it on the machine, and unroll it to the section that needs fixing. I'm hoping it is only small sections, in which case I can just take out the section that needs fixing, redo it, and bury the knots. If there is a lot to fix, though, I'll end up having to rip out the whole row. Once again, I say, grrrrrrr. Becca called a couple of days ago and said that their wedding photos would be ready for pick up today, so, I'll take Scott to work this afternoon, pick up Becca and go get them. We'll probably throw a mother/daughter dinner in there as well. Maybe take home dinner, so we can eat and look at the pictures at the same time. The photographer at the wedding was just fabulous, so I'm really excited to see these pictures. So, I'm off for a second cup of coffee, the good stuff I picked up yesterday, and some more work on this quilt.

Goals for today

I really do have to do something today, besides playing on this computer, but I just can't seem to get the oomph to get up. I have to get to the library, since the overdue fines are mounting. I have to get to the specialty coffee shop, since I'm out of the good stuff, and the other stuff just doesn't cut it any more. (sigh) I've spoiled myself with this great coffee. And there is a customer quilt upstairs that is starting to nag me about getting it done. But, instead of doing all this stuff that I should do, all I want to do is sit at my sewing machine and continue building more quilts. So, maybe what I should do, is get all this other stuff done, get the customer quilt at least loaded, and then reward myself with some play time at my sewing machine. Sound like a plan? yep......... So, off I go to get it done.

Design wall Monday July 26

Happy Monday. I love Mondays, with all these blogs to look through at Patchwork Times to see what is on all kinds of different design walls. After I finished Shakespeare in the Park last week, I discovered that I had all kinds of red, gold and black scraps left, of course, so I decided to do something with them, rather than just shove them in a drawer. So, I've started a quilt called Peas in a Pod, just a lap size, out of a book called Simple Comforts, by Kim Diehl. It's a fairly easy pattern, although the applique melon shapes are a bit time consuming, but I'm liking the way it is turning out. It has used up all those scraps, but I've ended up having to cut into other fabric, so it's generating more scraps, but that's what makes it so much fun. A never ending supply of scraps to do more scrap quilts. I should be able to get it done this week, although I have a customer quilt I need to do tomorrow, and I have to work 3-11 at the hospital tonight. But, if I get moving, instead of sitting here on the computer, I can get the last of the melon shapes that I need freezer papered to the fabric, and take them to work to cut out on my supper and coffee breaks. So, I think that's what I'll do.

Shakespeare in the Park is done

Shakespeare is done. The top at least, and I'm totally loving it. I have a love affair going with Judy Martin patterns. They are so clearly written, and so easy to follow. And she has some unique rotary cutting methods that end up saving fabric. I can't recommend her books and patterns enough. I have been following the blog Amylouwho for a little while now. Every Friday she hosts a Friday Finish. Up till now I haven't had anything that was finished in time to post in this group. I think Shakespeare is a good place to start. If you go over to her site, you'll see other  finishes. The fun part is that they aren't all quilting finishes, but a variety of sewing projects, including the cutest little girl dresses.

Fabric in the mail

I have an online fabric store that I really like called Thousands of Bolts, only One Nut . It is a large site, with great selection, and even better prices. Every now and then, twice a year, I think, they have a sale on their fat quarters and short cuts. $1.35 per fat quarter, which, for us in Canada at least, is a fabulous price. In the stores here, a fat quarter starts at $3.00 each. The shipping is really fast. I put the order in on Friday night, and the package arrived today. In it were, backing fabric for Shakespeare in the Park, and 78 fat quarters. I went sort of nuts. Oh, and another thing I like about this store, they label each of their fat quarters with the colour, a serial number, and the manufacturer and the fabric line it comes from. This makes sorting them for putting them away incredibly easy. It seems all the books and patterns I've bought lately are geared towards fat quarters, so, I now have enough to last awhile. (giggle) So, now I can drool over them as I put them away, and make plans for the next to be started. Shakespeare is only a couple of hours away from being done, so that is my goal for today.

Design wall Monday July 19

Another fast week. Between working on Charlene's monster size quilt on the long-arm, work on Shakespeare in the Park, and working shifts at the hospital, life has been a smidge crazy. Add into that an upsurge of menopausal hot flashes and mood swings........... yikes. I had to warn the people at work that I was likely to either be grumpy, or to cry, and, wouldn't you know it, no sooner had I said it, than tears started to flow. How embarrassing! It's been going on for 2 1/2 years now, although it had really settled down. Maybe this is it's last fling, and then it will be done. (sigh......) Anyway, onto more enjoyable stuff. I got a lot done on Shakespeare in the Park last week, and that is what is on my design wall. Go on over to Judy's and check out other design walls. It's always good for finding inspiration.

Design wall Monday July 12

Monday already. That was fast. I managed to get the Spring Swap quilt done, although I'm debating putting on a couple more borders. It doesn't look quite finished, yet. I'm thinking a 5 inch border the same colour as the setting triangles, and then a 2 1/2 inch repeat of the first border. After taking the Spring Swap quilt down from the design wall, I put up some squares for Judy Martin's "Shakespeare In The Park" quilt. I'm lovin' it. I'm not sure how much more I'm going to get done on it in the next few days, though. I've got some customer quilts waiting to be done, so that's my plan for the next few days. But, I can always do some piecing during the times when I have to take a break from standing at the machine. Hmmm, sounds like a plan to me. But, first, I'm going to grab a coffee, chocolate raspberry, and spend some time checking out the other design walls at Patchwork times

Design wall Monday July 5

On my design wall today is the same quilt as last week. But, I've made a lot of progress on it. There are only 4 alternate blocks left to put together. Then, I can do the setting triangles for around the edge, and put on the borders. I am trying to decide between using the off white for the setting triangles, or the hyacinth fabric that is in the corner triangles of the outer blocks. What do you think?

Grab a cup of tea, in my case, iced, and visit other design walls at Patchwork Times

Edit: I just did an audition of the 2 fabrics for the setting triangles, and the hyacinth fabric is WAY too much and overwhelms the whole quilt. So, off white setting squares, it is.

Finishes

As I mentioned in an earlier post, having Susan here visiting inspired me to finish a few projects that have been lying around here, one of them, for at least 8 years.  I got caught up on my blocks for the BOM sponsored by Shannon at The Pieceful Kwilter . I finished the quilt top from the Burning the Midnight Oil

Then, I found a round robin quilt that I had participated in at least 8 years ago. I loved it, except for one of the borders that was very poorly sewn. There were a lot of places in that particular section where the seams didn't even get sewn together properly, and only one of the seams was actually sewn, so, I ended up ripping out that border, and so it sat, waiting for the perfect fabric border to put back in. While Susan was here, we went to Len's Mills to get some binding fabric for her quilt, and spent some time browsing the shelves. I found the perfect fabric to fill that space, perfect size, colours and theme to go with that round robin quilt. So, my "Robin in the Window" is done, and ready for quilting. And, lastly, my One Block Wonder is done.