December 16....Marie's quilt

It has been a while since I have written on my blog. Christmas is just around the corner!

Dave and I went to Moab for a short visit the first part of December. I had a client's quilt to deliver and needed to get Christmas gifts taken to Moab. We stayed at our friend's home and had such a great time. It was so good to laugh and relax.

I finished Marie Wheeler's second quilt.  This one took me a while to decide how to quilt the larger blocks. Marie fussy cut the fabric to create the large blocks and I did not want to do anything that covered them up, so decided to stitch around the design. We used Hobbs 80/20 batting and Superior Threads Magnifico on the top and in the bobbin. 

Janice Howick's quilt.

It appears winter is truly here. I am not a fan of cold weather.  Me and my old bones much prefer  warmer weather.  I have actually spent a lot of time working on my own stuff lately. I usually have a bunch of client's work to do. I did not take quilts while I having issues with my Innova, but it seems to be resolved now. I have not been really, really excited about quilting. Working with the issues the machine had made quilting not fun at all. I was constantly picking our and re-sewing. 

I finished the quilt in the photos last week. It belongs to Janice H. last week.  She did a wonderful job piecing.  First I ditched around all the pieces. I had a hard time deciding just what design to put around the blocks.  I stitched 1/4 inch around each block and around the small blacks.  I connected the small blocks to the large blocks with a 1/4 in line. I also stitched a 1/4 in line in the background around the border. Once all this was done, I filled the background in with a swirly design. I had planned to do a scroll in the border, but it just didn't look right. I ended up doing even piano keys around the outside edge. That tied it all together. Janice picked it up and was very pleased with it. I still have one small wall table runner to complete for her. She plans on entering it into a show. I am still thinking about how to stitch it to add to her design. 

I worked on a quilt for my niece and her husband. I was intended to be her wedding quilt. It has taken me a long time to finish it. I will post photos of it in my next posting.

I have been trying to finish up some of my own projects. I don't have another other client pieces in hand right now.  I do have three that are coming, but nothing but the small table runner in hand right now. I will have to add material to the edges on her backing material to load it onto my long arm. 

I started another art quilt last night..... couldn't go to sleep so I worked on it. I plan on it being my entry for our Dixie Quilt Guild challenge. I ran out of glue. I am appliquéing onto a confetti background.  I have been using red felt as my foundation for building the pieces. I like the way it is working. I will need to add a layer of batting and a nice backing though. I hope to get it finished this afternoon.  I would like to get a few outside paintings done. But..... it has been to cold for me. It is amazing how acclimated I have become to the heat. Any temp lower than 70 feel down right cold to me! When we first moved here, eleven years ago, 70 was short weather. Now 70 is long pants and 65 is fleece and sweats! 

I need to get busy, it is already after 9! Until next time.

Happy Quilting!

Sat Oct 24, 2015

 Another week has gone by. I was busy continually, but did not seem to accomplish all that much. I did a lot of cleaning and working in the yard. Doing stuff that really needs to be done.

I am currently working on a twin size quilt for a client and fellow quilt guild member. She provided her own batting. I think it is bamboo. I really don't like it. It is to sticky. I think it would be great if you were hand quilting. I have only used it twice and have not had that great of luck either time. It is expensive and touted as being a green product. Bamboo might be renewable and quickly renewable, but I don't think the process it takes to take the pieces of bamboo and make it into batting is that great. I have not only read a small bit about the process, have done no research on it myself. What I have heard might not be correct. If I choose to purchase that type of batting, I would do some research on how it is produced before the fibers get to the place that makes them into batting. Besides....it is expensive and I don't like the way the batting sticks to the fabric. It is to easy to get folds in the batting.

This past week I filled an order for "It's Sew Moab" quilt shop for 20 of my Red Cactus patterns. That was my first wall hanging pattern and has sold the best. Eye lash yarn is used to make the spines on the cactus. I include 8 yards of the yarn in each pattern. Debra sells a lot of my patterns. Currently I don't have them in any other stores and I haven't set up a on-line store either. If I do that I will need to have the patterns printed at a print shop. I guess I should expand. I just don't enjoy that part of the business. I like coming up with ideas and getting them market ready. After I get them that far, I am ready to move on to the next project. The older I get the less time I have to devote to anything else and I spend lots of time just thinking.

I need to get an art quilt finished, photo it and get it ready to enter into the SAQA contest for our region. The theme is "Above and Beyond".  I though and though about what to do and decided I would do a piece showing that talked about my friends. It is painted on white muslin. It depicts a Raven and some Bluebirds. The Raven is attaching one of the Bluebirds. The other six blue birds are coming to the one's rescue.  I though I  would title it "Friend's go Above and Beyond". I need to get it bound and get a photo taken of it. I am not a big contest enterer. But I  would really like to get my art work out in the world and sell some of it. I know If I want anyone to look at it, I have to show it.  I will post a photo of it next week. I though I had a photo of how it looked as I started it, but I can't find it on this computer.

It is close to 11 a.m. I guess I ought to get myself ready for my day. I am very slow starting today. I worked in the yard yesterday and am kind of sore.

Until next week I wish you Happy Quilting!

Jackie B's and Kaye R's quilts

Yesterday was a very busy day! I had a hard time shutting down when I finally stopped at a little after 12. I slept really well though and feel fine today. I haven't kept up on this blog very well. I had plans to make sure I posted something once a week.  I though I would bring it up to date. 

I received an order from Debra S., owner of "It's sew Moab" quilt shop for 20 of my Red Cactus Wall hanging pattern. I did not have any printed and had about 1/2 enough of the eyelash yarn I include in the pattern cut and carded. I got the patterns printed and folded, got the yarn cut and carded and got them packaged and ready to take to the post office. I got them shipped out in the afternoon. I decided to print more of this pattern. It was the very first pattern I made and it sells way better than all the others. It is not my favorite. But I think customers like the eyelash yarn I used to give the impressions of spines.  I know I could sell more in other stores, but I just haven't taken time to get them into shops. If I did I would have to have them printed at a printers.  I would still have to fold and stuff them, but printing takes a lot of time and ink. My Epson Artisan 837 does a wonderful job though. I have a couple packages of the heavy glossy paper I used for the pattern covers, so I will probably be printing them for a while myself.

I loved Kaye's choice of fabric.  She wanted this to be a Christmas quilt. I quilted poinsettias on it, making the centers start in the center of the spirals of the blocks. We were both very happy with the outcome. I did have issues with the metallic thread this time though. I was using Superior Thread's variegated silver. I purchased the huge cone a very long time ago. I used the metallic in the top and Superior's bottom line in the bobbin. I have used the thread off this cone many times with out any problem at all. The top thread kept catching and looping on the back every couple of inches. It took some doing and Dave actually loosened the belt that goes around the bobbin/hook assemble in my Innova. He replaced a broken, shredded belt in July for me. I ended up putting oil between the tension disks and that helped. It probably would have been a good idea to put thread treatment (silicone) on the cone. But I did not think of that until I was finished with the quilt.  This quilt should have taken me about 8 hours or less. I ended up spending 3 days on it. I hate when that happens!  We used Dream Quilter's wool and Hobbs 80/20. That combination did gave us just the right amount of loft.

Jackie made this memory quilt for a friend who's husband has passed away. She wanted something done in the background that brought all the sashing together.  I did a heart background fill and I think it worked very well. She hasn't picked it up yet, but I know she will be very pleased with the outcome.
I did minimal quilting in the photos, only doing enough to hold the batting in place. We used Hobbs 80/20. The batting is very thin, but looks ok.  We used a  Super Thread's  Magnifico on the top and a
egg shell color Sew Fine.

 I next quilted a piece I am thinking about entering in SAQA's show for our area. I quilted heavily on it and had no problem at all what so ever. I won't post of photo of it until I enter it.

I am having computer issues this morning. More server issues than computer I guess. It took me forever to get onto Bountiful Basket's site to order our basket for Saturday. I finally got on though. I had hoped to be able get the Honey Crisp apples they were hoping to get. They were not listed as available when I finally got on. Maybe next week....... I can only hope.

We have had a lot of rain here over the past few days. We need the moisture, but I wish it would be a nice gentle rain, the kind of rain that soaks in. We have had major down pours. I have pumped out our rain barrels (50 gallon) and the pond twice. The last one washed dirt down from my planting area. It sure makes a mess. This house has way to much cement around it. The water puddles and takes a while to evaporate. There are a lot of little ponds in our water feature that I don't use. They are all full and will be yucky before to long, they will just have to be icky. I will not be cleaning them out any time soon.  I went to open the back gate (it is attached to the house with bolts) and  opened it. The gate fell off. Dave and I got it put back up. Hopefully our fix will work. If it does not we will have to have someone come and repair it. We need to get the deck repaired very badly too. Dave was going to do it a year ago last october. I have a feeling we are going to have to hire someone to repair it too. I just am not physically able to do that kind of work anymore. Dave really isn't either and he has never liked doing it even when he was in perfect health. Anyway......... life goes on.

Until next time I wish you Happy Quilting!

September 21, 2015

It had been a while since I have written on my blog.  I have been very busy and a lot of things have happened.  Today a very wonderful man was celebrated by a few of the friends he touched. I did not make it to the service. I was told how wonderful it was though. I did do a watercolor portrait of him. I  did not have very many photos of him. I picked one that was taken at the last quilt show we worked together at. I enlarged his head shot, drew a grid on the photo and then transferred that grid to the watercolor paper. 

This past month has been very busy.  The Painted Hills FiberArtists had our "Photo to Fiber" exhibit opened show on Sept 9th in Springville Museum of Art in Springville, Utah. The show will run from Sept 9-Nov 1. 

The Springville Museum of art is really a wonderful Museum.  If you have not been there it is really worth you time to go. We have had such a great experience with the people at the museum.  These are my three pieces that are in the show. Our opening was really nice. The museum did a wonderful job!

I finished a wedding quilt for a friend's youngest daughter. It turned out great and I know she will love it. 

I got a quilt that my mother had started hand quilting finished and still have one more of her's to do.

I finished two quilts for Robin W.

Three for Charm. I only photoed 2.

My husband and I have been in Moab for 4 days. It was his 40th high school reunion. We both graduated from Grand County Highs School in Moab, Utah. I in 74 and he in 75. We had a wonderful time. We went had fun at a tail gate party, then went to the homecoming game. The Red Devils won 62-0. I was not impressed with the coach. They scored 42 in the 1st. qtr and the coach only put the JVteam in for a couple of plays. He really should be ashamed of himself!  Saturday we went on a River Boat Jet boat. It is a perfect way to view the Moab area! We had a picnic that afternoon and a dinner that evening! Dave's reunion was so much fun. I haven't laughter that much in a very long time. I got to visit with old friends and get to know some of the class members I did not know that well.  We both really enjoyed ourselves.  Then last night Dave and I met our niece's father-in-law and his girlfriend. Se had a wonderful dinner at Red Cliffs on the colorado river. The restaurant and cabins are located on what was once White's ranch. It is a sight where a lot of the old John Wayne western movies were filmed.

It was a wonderful few days. I also took my quilt patterns to a wonderful quilt shop "It's Sew Moab" located in Moab, Utah. I am glad to be back in my own space though! Now it is time to go to sleep. Tomorrow will be another busy day. Dave goes back to work on Wednesday. 

That fills you in on all I have been doing since my last post. 

Happy Quilting  

Judy E's quilt.....

It has been a very busy day. I finished Judy's quilt. I had some tension issues and had to pick a few areas out and re-quilt. That sure is frustrating. But I am very happy with the final product and I think she will be very happy also.  I did not have Superior Thread the right color.  We wanted a flat thread and I had the perfect color in another brand. I had tension issues with one bobbin. I am guessing I did not get it wound perfectly. Anyway..... I had to do a little picking and re-quilting. I could had let it pass, but I just don't like to let things go out that are not as good as I can do them.

I am finally getting around to posting photos of the tool I have made for helping to mark my quilts accurately. It consists of fabric, velcro, a piece of compressed board (masonnite) or 1/4 inch plywood and a tool magnet. I have written a pattern for the cover that I am selling for $10 plus postage and handling.  I had planned on making a few of them and got a couple done. I just don't have time nor do I have the cash to pay someone to produce them for me.  The flap is so long so it will be able to go around the take up roll and still be able to be secured with the magnet. The cover can be removed and washed if needed.

Verny's quilt

Dave and I made it back home on Wednesday. We had a very nice visit in Moab. I delivered wall hanging patterns that were ordered to 'It's Sew Moab' in Moab, Utah. She also purchased my new pattern of Yucca and Hummingbird. I finished the sample and took it back by the store before we headed back home. 

Our trip home was good. Dave drove the RV and I followed in the little car. We stopped in Green River on the way home and I got a couple of water melons and a couple of Cantaloupe. It is amazon how much better Green River melons are!

I got Verny's quilt finished today. I think her choice of fabric was really fun. She used the texture magic in a few of the baskets. She also machine embroidered a few spider webs, spiders and witches. It is really cute. The Sewing Center of Southern Utah is teaching this class. They are featuring Holiday baskets. Of coarse you could choose what ever fabric you like. But the holiday baskets are fun. It is amazing how using different fabric changes the look of a pattern. If you are interested in making one of these quilts, check them out at the Sewing Center of Southern Utah. located on Bluff street in the K-mart shopping center.

I used Superior Thread on this one. Magnifico and Mono-poly in the top and bottom line in the bobbin.  I  used mono-poly to stitch in the ditch around all the baskets and the items within the larger baskets. I did the spiderweb background fill with Superior Thread's Magnifico in a neon lime green and used gray bottom line in the bobbin. Verny chose wool bating. I love the way wool quilts. It has just the right amount of loft and hangs so nice.

I also finished the border on a wall hanging.  But don't have a photo to post right now. 

Now.......... time to do a little book work and then go to bed. This day went by very fast.

Janet's quilt

I finished Janet B's quilt yesterday. It was a big one. Large enough I had to purchase batting from a quilting friend who carries 120 70/30.  I really don't like to piece batting unless I can't find batting that is wide enough. If am  doing an heavily quilted art type quilt then I have not problem adding or subtracting batting. But for a bed quilt, one that is going to be used and washed and washed and used and maybe passed down to family, the batting should be one piece.  I have pieced batting before, using a serpentine  cut and then stitching it together by hand. I have sewn batting together on my domestic machine and used it. I have client's that bring me pieced batts. I will use what ever the client wants, but my mind set is..... you spend a lot of money on the material, time sewing the top, you pay to have it quilted........ you should put a quality backing on your quilt and have a nice piece of batting. Why chance having the batting pull apart when it won't cost that much more for a nice batting.  I compromise on some things. I have used sheets for backing. If I can find a cotton sheet that is not to densely woven.  That is kind of what the big back are.... .sheets just have hems. 

It is late and I need to hit the sack.

Happy Quilting!

Peggy's quilt

I am close to getting this pattern ready for the shops. I still haven't figured out just how to sell them digitally from this blog or a web site, someday maybe. This wall hanging is 14 x 24 inches. This had been in my head for a long time. While we were waiting for a belt for my Innova I got this one drawn and put together ( it still needs binding). But it is done enough for me to photography it for the cover of the pattern.  I will be making another with different  background and border fabric. Also think I will choose a less, in your face, green for the Yucca leaves. The patterns will be available at 'It's sew Moab' located in Moab, Utah and soon at a shop in St. George. 

I finished Peggy's quilt. I love the colors she choose. This quilt was a challenge, I used 3 batts to fill up the extra fabric areas that I could.  I think she will really like it, I hope so anyway. This was a custom job, so it isn't cheep. For hours I put in it the price is more than reasonable though. 

My Innova had a major problem. I should have paid attention to what was happening, but didn't. I had been cleaning up little black flecks on the table under the long arm for a while. DUH! You would think I would have realized that the belt that operates the hook assembly was shredding.  It took us a while to figure it out. My husband is an expert at timing the machine now.  My Innova was one of the older machines, newer ones have gears not belts around the hook assembly...also a hand wheel that is on the side of the machine and not the top. Anyway....... the belts usually only last 2 years. I don't know if mine had been replaced or not. I was lucky enough to have John to take care of my machine. Now that he and Teryl are no longer the dealers....well.....  Anyway, If I purchase another machine I will look at a different brands before I decide on a machine. Had the current dealer pushed a little teeny bit and made me an offer to trade for a new machine, she probably would have gotten a sell. Now..... the machine is running and sewing great. It is still very loud and has a weird issue that I don't know if my husband has the belt to tight, the timing looks fine to me. Anyway....... I determined I can not live with out a long arm, even if I quite quilting for clients.

I made a couple of cherry pies and now need to get busy. I am taking dinner to a friend this evening, and it is almost noon! Good grief time just moves to fast.

Happy Quilting!

My machine is down for a while

Well....... I am currently with out a working long arm. My Innova was one of the first produced. The hook assemblies in the older Innovas were belt driven. I don't think my belts have been changed and they have sewn a million miles. I have been in contact with the dealer in our district, Renae Haddadin from Quilts on the Corner in Sandy,Utah. She is such a nice gal. Dave called the tech at ABM and he fills he can put the belt on with no problem. Thanks the Lord...  I thought I would just put this out to you Innova owners. If you have a machine that has belts and you are seeing black flecks when you change your bobbins, it's time to change your belt!
I feel so relived that I won't be spending thousands on a new machine !

June 25, 2015

I finished quilting a quilt for Linda Williamson, took photo and can't figure out how to get them onto this blog. Some program has up dated and it does not work like it used to on this iPad or on my regular computer. I really with they would quit 'improving things' and just leave them as is.  I need a grandkid to do things like this for me.😀  when I can figure out how to get photos from the camera or from one program or app to another I will post the photo.  I got the photo of Shirl's quilt loaded just fine.  But for some reason that I can't get these off the memory stick or out of the camera program on the iPad on to the blog.

Shirl's Quilt

I made it back to St. George Tuesday at 4:30 or so. I hated leaving Moab but wanted to get back home. It is awful to be torn between to places. My Dad was sad when I left. But.... this is where my life is. I will be making the trip back to Moab more often. It takes 6 hours to get from here to there. It is a long way to go by myself. I get tired when I get in the car. But the trip back home was not to bad. I stopped every so often and walked around. I am so thankful that Megan (my youngest) was able to stay and be one of my Dad's caregivers for a couple of months. Hopefully by that time we will be able to get someone we all feel comfortable with to stay with him. If not, I don't know what we will do. But I am not going to worry about that today. Worrying about such things does not good. I just have to trust that the Lord will work it out. 

I finished Shirl's quilt today. She will pick it up on Monday and drop another off. This one is a little bit smaller than the other quilts I have done for her.

I love the colors of this quilt and the way she combined the colors. She let me pick what pantograph to use and also what thread. I choose gray thread and I am very happy with the outcome. I love the way this pantograph looks. 

I cut the batting for the next client quilt. It is a t-shirt quilt that is really neat. I have not seen such cool t-shirts ever. Usually t-shirt quilts are just done with a simple edge to edge. This one is special we decided on custom quilting. 

This day has been a long one. I am going to get ready for bed. 

Happy Quilting!

A long week

I have not posted anything in a few days.  I am in Moab and have been for a week.  I am not sure when I I will be heading home. My mother passed away June 1, 2015. She had not been well for some time, but no one expected her death. Her funeral was good, if a funeral can be good. We are trying to get all the things done that have to be done.  I will probably be here another week or so. I am glad I can help my father. I have connected with a few friends from high school and church here. I am  missing my own life in St. George.  I have one quilt I need to get done for a client and deliver one that is finished to a client who lives around Cedar City, Utah. I have been cleaning out closets....getting moms clothing and shoes ready to take to my aunt who lives on a farm close to Dove Creek, Colo. my mom's passing left a hole in our family.
My dad is doing pretty well for loosing the love of his life.  He is 82 and so was she.  They had been together since they were 19.
My mom taught me to sew and quilt as well as many other things.  I learned how to work hard and make do with what I had. She was a good cook, although she cooked everything really done. She was pretty selfless, giving freely of her time.
Our friends here in Moab have been wonderful! I love st. George and am glad we moved there. But it does not hold a candle to Moab.  I don't think there is any place as beautiful as Moab  and Moab will always be home.
I will be spending way more time here than before.  My dad needs 24 hour care.  His lungs were very damaged when he worked in a uranium mill in Monticello, Utah. He has received money from the department of labor for being a down winder. But we would much rather have him have his health back over the money any day of the week!
I won't be doing as much client quilting until we get his care set in place.  My youngest daughter is here from New York.  She is going to be applying to a PA program and this requires 400 hours of clinical work or a CNA certification. She tried to get into a CNA program here in Moab, but was to late for this course.  We are hoping she will be approved to be one of dad's care givers.  That way she would receive the clinical hours she needs plus allow her to spend time with her grandpa Purcell.
I must get my dad ready for bed.  Good night to you all.

This week is half over. I have been very busy. The cooler weather we have experienced appears to have moved on. The temperature is more normal today. I like the warm sun!

I decided to make myself another bag. One that is not to large, but one that will hold everything I need to carry.  I finished it and then decided I should have taken step by step photos, so decided to do another. I decided to use black fabric on both the top and bottom of the quilt sandwich.  I marked off  different sections of the bag, marked a few guide lines for quilting and then went to it. Once I had the sections quilted I removed the fabric, trimming but leaving the front, sides, bottom and back intact. I decided to try making this bag a light as possible and am not lining it. After adding the pocket and dividers I wanted, I sewed the bottom to the sides and then the front to the back. I added the flap  and straps. The flap and inside back panel of the bag is lined. Around the top edge of the bag I put a casing so a piece of ribbon or draw string could be added. I by not adding a lot of making zippered pockets and lining this went together pretty quickly. I have used up all my strapping and will be adding quilted straps on the next bag.  You can add as many pockets, zippered or not as you would like. I usually sew the pockets to the lining. On this bag I just pinned the pockets and topstitched them down. That stitching really did not interfere with the finished look because I have quilted it so closely. 

I finished a wall hanging for a client. It was a buffalo head. I can't find the photo, so I won't be posting it on this blog.

Currently I am working on a large double irish change quilt for a client. It is coming right along. I should be working on it right now. But just can't motive myself. I also have been working on piecing a quilt that will be given to a friend's daughter for her wedding in September. I have all the blocks finished and now need to sew them together and decide how I will finish it. 

This pattern is in the current American Quilter magazine. It is called Slow Dance by Tracey Jacobsen.  The pieces are 4 1/2 inches so it goes together pretty quickly. Having the proper template tools. I could not find one at the shops I went to and just used the paper patterns in the magazine. I made a photo copy, pasted them to cardboard and then added sand paper to the back. It worked, but having the Tri-Rec tool set would have made it much, much easier. I will purchase them. Scrap Apple has them on order.
It is dinner time, I guess I should decide what I am going to fix (or run and pick up).