Dec 1-12, 2013

I have been pretty busy over the last couple of weeks and have two more quilts that need to be done by Christmas. I just can't believe how fast time is going by. Christmas will be here before we know it. The quilt photos are of client work I have just finished. The note book covers are gifts for friends. Cathi Purdy and I had fun doing them. Cathi made the small note books and tied the pretty bows.

I am ready for warm weather! St. George is not suppose to have snow. It has been so cold that the snow we got last week has not melted.

I have not gotten my Christmas cards in the mail yet and haven't put up a tree. We will be going out of town for Christmas so I had planned on just putting up one of the fake trees. Maybe this weekend!

Red and Black Cat quilt and Modern quilt

This past couple of weeks have just flown by. I am attaching, below, a couple photos of clients quilt... I think the cat quilt is extremely cute.

I also finished a quilt I am doing for a friend and another larger customer quilt  during the week.

I had a few issues with my long arm. While the machine was down, I was able to get started on a few art quilts I need to complete over the next couple year. 

 I am going to use a technique I learned at a workshop this past summer. It was taught by Gail Barber, who if you get a change to take a class from  her do. The class I decided on was designing your own paper pieced flying geese. I am going to use that technique in the statue of liberty quilt I am currently working on. I did almost make a major mistake. I did not reverse the pattern for the flame. I traced and cut the pieces out, but only sewed down a few pieces before I realized what I had done. So no real harm was done.

This is a photo of my design fall with the current project I am working on. I like to work on one for a while and then move to another.....
Just a note about my long arm issue. I was having problems with control when I would get tot he center of the quilt. Jason (of Let's Quilt) installed some new braces and that help. But, a few days after the bottom ring on my ruler hopping foot fell off. I think that the foot might have been defective from the start. If you are experiencing
 any control issues check your hopping foot along with making sure the rail your machine's wheels run on is equally spaced the full length of the table.
Now it is time to get quilting. I have a big quilt loaded and ready to go. I am going to have to go and do some grocery shopping though. and that is not my favorite job. That's all for now... happy quilting and creating!

First of Anita B's antique quilt tops

I finished the first of 3 quilts for Anita Bingham. The blocks were made by her bother. Anita has done a perfect job of putting the block together. Actually for this quilt she was short a block and made one of her own to complete the quilt. She wanted a simple edge to edge design and chose the square spiral. This is my all time favorite panto. It always looks great!

This past week has been  a very busy one. I have not spent much time on my long arm, but have gotten a landscape or Delicate Arch ready to add borders and then quilt. I was having issues with my long. I purchased some new braces. The braces were installed yesterday. Jason, from Let' Quilt, also leveled the table. I did Anita's panto, but have not done any free hand work yet. That is what will tell me if the braces have fixed the problem or not. I am going to hope that the problem has been fixed. 

I don't know if I will do another of Anita's or put one of mine on that has a lot of fine detail to quilt in and see if the machine is fixed,.

We awoke to a very cool day today. The temp at 2:20 this afternoon is 60. I really am not ready for cold weather.

Dave and I will be going to Moab the end of the week. We are spending time with friends and family. I will be making a thread run to Superior Thread for a friend in Moab. We are so very lucky to live in St. George, the home of Superior Thread as well has the home of 8 or so quilt fabric shops.

I need to get some applique` pieces ready to work on while I ride 5 hours to Moab. I really don't like being in the car that long any more.

It's time to think about what to fix for dinner. I don't mind cooking, but don't like deciding what to cook.

 

Sunday Oct 13..

I have had a few very busy days. I finished 3 more client's quilts. The quilting does not show up that much on any of them.

Kay's Quilt

Kay Woodcock's quilt is finished and delivered. I was very pleased with the outcome and she was very happy.

I can't believe September is almost over! The months are going by to quickly. Christmas will be here before we know it. This weeks has been a very busy week. I finished quilting two client quilts. I am not posting photos of Lael's latest quilt. She might enter it for judging. I will wait to see what she decides. It was a Hopi Basket pattern.  I loaded another big king that is a simple edge-to-edge. I have about 2 hours left on it. I will finish it up tomorrow. I am about 3 weeks out on my quilting with client work. I need to schedule myself into the quilting.... I must get something of my own finished! Clients come first though. 

I started working on a new art quilt. This one is a piece depicting Delicate Arch. I am using a red foundation fabric like I did on my red bridge piece. I think it will work. I have done a drawing and have increased using the graft method. This piece will be 36" x 24".  

Tomorrow and Monday I am going to do some major house cleaning. My dad's sister and brother will be here late Tuesday. We will head to Moab on Thursday and probably come back here on the following Sunday. They will be leaving on the 8th. I am looking forward to there visit.

I need to get the binding sewn on my store sample of my latest cactus pattern. The pattern is being sold in Moab at  'It's Sew Moab'. It will be also sold at Scrap Apple Quilts (I think... that is what the sample is for).  The senior games will be held here in Oct... I hope to have the pattern in the local store here soon.

It has been nice and cool here in St. George... wonderful actually. I am setting here in my studio, with the window open and it is almost cold. It sure makes sleeping great. 

Good night.

Shirl's quilt

I finished Shirl William's quilt this afternoon. It is a big scrappy south west. I looked for different pantos that would look good on this quilt and all I could find in a southwest design seems childish or so busy I could not tell what they were. Anyway.... I gave up and drew my own. I am happy with the outcome. I will use this panto again. Hopefully my client will like it. I will find out tomorrow.

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I finished Robbin's big quilt. I need to get it trimmed up and let her know it is finished. I think the square spiral panto is perfect on this one.

I did a bunch of running around this morning also..... got thread and batting at Let's Quilt. John found a roll of 120 Hobb's polydown.  It is my favorite poly batting. Nice and soft... give nice loft too. 

Linda Sidlow's quilt

I got Linda Sidlow's quilt finished last night. I love her color choices. She wanted the quilting on to take away from her piecing and I think we accomplished that very well. She hasn't seen it yet and I am hoping she likes it. I think she will be happy. 

One to the next quilt......

This quilt belongs to Judy Elkins..... it measures 111 inch x 113 inches. I used Superior Thread's mono-poly to stitch in the ditch around all of the cactus flowers. Then used black Glide on the top. In the bobbin I used Superior Thread's  Sew Fine.

I am very happy with how this turned out and think my client will be happy as well.

Linda Williamson's quilt

Got Linda Williamson's Christmas wall hanging done. She picked it up yesterday and was very happy. I got another clients huge quilt loaded. It was bigger than the client thought it was. Thankfully I made the backing large enough. I did just take her word for the size. I won't do that again. As I was loading it.... the measurements are pretty close. I hope we are fine on the end. I have started quilting it already. John Sopp cut the batting, so I know there is plenty of batting. He cut the material for the backing also, but I needed to piece it. If it is not long enough I will have to remove the piece, add backing and then re-load. I am keeping my fingers crossed.
Here are photos of Linda's wall hanging.
Dave and I are heading to Great Basin park. I will post photos when we return. I am not going to take this computer.