I Think One of My Posts is in Cyber Space!

I know I posted pictures of my new baby-Quilt Chamberlain!  But since it's not here, I post her baby pictures now!

Jeff-the technician from Innova-arrived at about 2pm on Sunday, the 23rd.  Joe and I helped him unload the truck and bring all the parts downstairs.  With our help, he said we probably saved him an hour.  I tried to stay out of his hair but couldn't help but check on him rather regularly!

All 4 girls were home, along with 2 boyfriends and 2 dogs and my dad.  Poor guy had 9 people and 2 dogs supervising!  He was such a trooper!  I did make sure he had enough coffee and water and kept him well fed!  In addition, we had Christmas Carolers come in and serenade us!  10 hours later, our newest baby was assembled!

Jeff gave me some basic instructions and I was very glad I had taken the new owners class a few weeks ago.  I'm still muddling through with the Pantovision, but slowing becoming more accustomed to it.  I am looking forward to more formal instruction with it.

I have a big learning curve with getting proficient with the machine.  My curves and circles have a lot to be desired, but I will practice until it looks good.  I decided I will do as many online classes that I can.  I started with Leah Day's Free Motion Quilt Along.  I have started with the stippling.

I had previously signed up for Craftsy's Machine Quilting Negative Space class with Angela Walters.  It's pretty good.  I was hoping it was more long arm instruction, but I do think I'll get a lot out of it.  Below are my practice pieces.

Swirls

Boxes

Circles and Swirls

Parenthesis with lines and pebbles

I also practiced my feathers.  Still not as rounded as I'd like but I'm sure it will come with practice.

I have been looking for a beginner longarm class online that gives hints on how to do things and drills to practice.  I have found one called "Skillbuilding for Free Motion Quilting" which is part of the online quilt channel QNN show, "Quilt It-the Longarm Quilting Show"  It's somewhat what I was looking for.  You need to order some pre-marked fabric to practice on.  Not sure if I'm going to do that or just practice on my own.  It's a bit sappy-sweet but I'll muscle through because I really want to get on track. 

I'm thinking Leah Day's Free Motion Quilt Along might be the best bet.  I'll let you know!

Happy Stitching!

Distracted...

So it takes me a week!  I hope I'm getting back on track...but who knows!

Guapo's position pretty well sums up the mood around here the first week after Joe's surgery.

I just didn't sleep well and was exhausted most of the time.  DH really did bounce back faster than I thought but there were doctors' appointments which always took longer than expected.  I didn't get as much done as I had hoped but hope to be back on track soon.

I did do the next Stitch Along.  I drew my own star and stippled in it.

 I stippled in the star and used a stencil to follow for the interior design.

Then it was on to Bryn's tee-shirt quilt.  I had this fabric in my stash so I decided to use it.  Unfortunately, I was a bout a yard short....

so I inserted this pink in.

Friday afternoon I cleared off the island and pin basted the quilt.  I'm using a new batting.  It's a really thin poly bat from Hobbs and so far it seems good.  It's not supposed to beard.  We'll see.

Saturday I worked with my friend, Mary, doing the Craftsy Block of the Month.  We both cut out our pieces before getting together so we wouldn't take too long.  We still managed to spend 3-4 hours of work time.

The second block here is backward from the way it's supposed to be but it works.

Today I made some fish chowder for dinner.  My dad was coming over and I will say, it was delicious! It also means I have a "free dinner"-I don't have to cook one night because I have enough for another dinner.

After I made dinner I got a chance to quilt for about an hour.  I was hoping for more but I went to Costco with Joe as he still can not pick up anything more than 20 pounds.

Workout tomorrow morning then I hope to get a few hours of quilting in.  I do have to make my Dijon Chicken and Kale Stew tomorrow for my "Uptroden Stitch Group" get together Tuesday.

Happy Stitching!

Talk About Distracted...

Here's my excuse.... Joe had abdominal surgery on Wednesday.  He's fine now but will be a long recovery.  We were up at 5 as we had to be to downtown Detroit by 6:30am for and 8:30 surgery.  I was exhausted by the time I got home so all I did was eat and go to bed.  Up the next morning and out the door by 8.  We had a "class" scheduled for 10 for post-op care.  I thought we would be out by noon.  I should know better after the 2 years of Mom being in and out of the hospital.  Cut to the end-we walked out of the hospital at 4:15.

My whole world is out of whack.  I have to sleep on the opposite side of the bed as usual because of Joe's wound.  It's really thrown me off!   I've also had almost 200 more people asking to join the Facebook group in the past 3 days!  And Colleen came home for the weekend!

I did start back on the Quilt Along.  The first one I did was on scale and how to keep it consistent using a pencil width, your index finger or a spool of thread.

Week 3 Quilt Along  Scale  Medium and small scale.

Scale-top to bottom: Large, small, medium

My supervisor-Guapo

Week 4 Quilt along.  Quilting on lines.

Practicing doing straight-line quilting while free motion.  It does take practice.  It doesn't show up well on the pictures but the first few were ugly.  I got better with practice.  I then outlined round the instruments.

I did work on my hand-piecing while Joe was in surgery.  I got quite a bit done and hope to finish this block tonight.  I then need to figure out the direction I want to take with the entire quilt.

Getting ready to put all the pieces together.

Yesterday I finished piecing the top of Bryn's tee-shirt quilt.  One of the things I don't think I've mentioned is I like to use my walking foot when working with the tee shirts even though they have been stabilized.  I'm putting on the borders with the walking foot.

Pinned and ready to be stitched.

Walking foot with the needle in the center position

I then take my ruler and position the 1/4" mark with the edge of the walking foot.  I adjust the needle over so it will stitch 1/4" from the edge of the foot.

Fabric lined up with the edge of the walking foot

Off we go!

I did get the whole top done with borders and it's bigger than I anticipated!  The good news is that it will cover a queen sized bed with a good drop.  The bad news is I don't have a good place to photograph the whole thing!  I had to do it in sections while it was lying on Bryn's bed.  Then the last picture was flipped correctly in iPhoto but didn't flip when I transfered them over here.  Oh well.  Use your imagination!  

I'm going to try to get some more quilting done today.  I have to see if I have backing in my stash or if I have to go get some.

I think I'm going to get completely caught up with the Quilt Along before I start quilting the tee-shirt quilt so I won't have to unload and re-load the quilt even though I am doing it on my domestic machine.

Off to quilt!

Happy Stitching!

Not Getting As Much Done As I'd Like

Okay, this is where the whole distracted thing comes in.  I started a Face Book page early last week for people who grew up in my community.  I thought it would be amusing with a few people interested and fizzle after a few days.  Well, last time I checked, about a half hour ago, there were 412 members!  It's been a fun trip down memory lane!  I can't believe how much I'd forgotten!  But now I remember!  The 70's were rather foggy!

Anyway,  I got back to sewing yesterday.  Now that I have my "good" sewing machine back I can get back to my quilting project.  It will take me to the end of the week to get caught up with the weekly lessons.  I did get the Bobbin Washers that Leah Day recommends.  I'm going to give it a few times before I give it my opinion.  This is #2 in the weekly exercises.

Starting in the middle.

You start in the middle and work the stipple in 2" rows and intertwine the rows working toward one end so that you don't have to keep turning your quilt.  I did forget to leave myself a way to get back to the other end once I finished going the first way!  That's why we practice.

Working toward one end.

The whole sample done.

I should get my day started.  Lots to do.  Groceries.  Help Dad.  Ironing.  Quilt Project.  Phone Interview.  Tee Shirt Quilt.  Get Gory Details for Brother-In-Law's Upcoming Wedding!

Happy Stitching!

Best Laid Plans...

Busy day yesterday.  Workout at the gym, meeting with the decorator at my house then going over to my dad's to get his sunroom and bedroom rearranged and updated.  I finally got down to my sewing room at almost 4pm to start the Free Motion Quilt Along that Leah Day is doing once a week this year.  I'm only 4 weeks behind and was planning on doing one 4 days in a row to catch up and doing the Free Motion Quilt Project on the other days.

Sorry-I flipped it in the iPhoto but it didn't flip when I transferred it here.

 I WILL get better with my machine quilting!  Anyway, I was working on the Quilt Along and my machine started squeaking!  Not a good sound.  So I packed it up and it's going to the machine doctor today.  Unfortunately he doesn't pick up from the dealer until next Tuesday so I won't get it back until next Friday.  I really like quilting on this machine-a Viking Sapphire-which has a larger opening to be able to move the quilt around as I free motion quilt.  Fortunately I have other machines so I can  piece while the other's at the doctor's.  So I started working on my daughter's sweatshirt throw.

Here the throw is "thrown" on the floor!

I'm still working out how I'm going to put it together I'll make it "rag style" with the cozy nubby part exposed on the back and will be the smooth side with the raw seams on the front with all the writing.

I also found out my trainer is pregnant so I'm going to make her a quilt.  She's not going to find out what it is before so I'll do a generic one with primary colors.  I dreamt about it last night and checked out the dies I have for the Acuquilt and I think I have everything I need.  Bonnie Hunter has a cute I Spy Quilt in the Ohio Star pattern with black and white check sashing.  I love it and, since I won't be having grand children any time soon, it will give me an excuse to make it for her.  I've been working out with this trainer for a year and a half and really like her and how she's whipped my body back in shape!

Waiting for a delivery that needs a signature then off to run errands then hit the sewing room!

Happy Stitching!