Just A Peek

Must of thought of this while I was sleeping, because soon as I woke this morning, around 5am I knew exactly what I was going to do with some of the material I showed you the other day.

I do that every once in a while. Cant come up with anything while I'm up, but when I wait a few days or sleep on it, I usually come up with a good idea.

Does this mean I think better sleeping rather than awake.  Its possible.  I have found I have some of my best ideas early morning, and then I cant wait to get out of bed and start right in.  This usually results in a 5 am wake up and then early to bed.

Anyway, this quilt is going to beautiful.  Lucky for me I had extra printed damask white and green in my stash.

When I first started quilting so many years ago, I never realized how quilters could have so much extra material sitting around.  I thought, buy what you need and that's it.  It didn't take me long to figure out how the extra comes in.   Between over buying and the little bits left over that you just cant throw away, and of course the extra material that comes from backing, it soon ads up.  Oh and then there's material that people just give you, because they have had it forever and don't know what to do with it.  I can always find a use for it, not to mention the many trips to quilt stores, near and dear, and those that you run across in traveling, you never know when you find material that you just have to have, even though you don't have a particular pattern in mind. 

Like I said, it doesn't take long to build up a stash, and thank goodness for my stash.

Dilemma

Today I'm in a dilemma.  My friend Nettie had purchased material and pattern over 2 years ago to do a wall hanging.  I remember it looking like a view from a window overlooking a flower garden.  Yesterday she gave me the material, but cant find the pattern anywhere.  Now I have all of this beautiful floral materials and not sure what to do with them.

I have been on the web trying to find a pattern that would work for me, but so far haven't found anything that really tripped my trigger.

Guess I will have to try to design something new.  Anyone have any ideas, let me know.

I keep looking at the material and so far nothing has come to mind on what to do.  Really would like to do a wall hanging with this, but the more I look at it the more I'm thinking it might become a full quilt.  Problem is there is an abundance of some of the materials and others small tiny pieces.  Might have to put the smaller pieces in my stash and use with something else someday.  Just not sure what to do just yet. 

I will be thinking about this for a few days, before  I start cutting any of the materials.

Baby Quilt

Finished it today.  I did all free hand no stencils, or pantos.  Outer border butterflies, inner border stippling, each 4 patch has a free hand flower, one daisy, and one pansy.  As usual camera fades the colors. 

Someday, I am going to buy a decent camera.  Keep promising myself this, but each time I get anywhere near a store I forget about it. 

While doing the flowers, I didn't like the way the center looked, so I took an idea from Leah Day and filled centers.  This made them nicer and more interesting, like embroidery.  The butterflies are not exactly the same size per butterfly, but still like the way they look.  With practice maybe the next time I try this I will be more consistent.  I also noticed that with a little tweaking, butterfly could become an angel.

To see the stitching better, zoom in on a photo.

Didnt get it done

Today just got away from me.  Started out with intention of quilting the baby quilt, went to fabric store and purchased the backing needed.  While in town, called my friend Nettie and met her for lunch.

Returned home and started prepping the backing to load the quilt onto my machine, but our nephew stopped in for a visit.  So after a nice visit with him, ready to get back at it.  Oops, got a call from Sarah (son Toby girlfriend).  Sarah has been doing my hair for me since it has started to grow back, and needs a trim and a color.  She was going to come tomorrow, but instead she has to work so asked if she could come today.  So by the time she colored my hair, it was way too late to do anything but cook supper. 

It has been 6 months since I lost all my hair, and now that its growing back, its so nice of her to come to the house, rather than my going to the beauty shop.  My hair if finally starting to look like my old self.  Still has a way to go, but getting there.

Because I haven't finished any thing new, thought you might like to see a few quilts that I have done in the past.  These 3 quilts were entered in the Edgerton Quilt Show last October.  No prizes were taken. Peoples choice, and as we all know, when its a peoples choice, its more like a popularity contest.  The more people you know personally who vote the better your chances.  Oh well when they were entered, didn't really plan on a prize, just liked the fact that people wanted to show their quilts and give me credit for being the quilter.  Whether they won or not, they were beautiful quilts and I was very proud of them.

I plan on having a booth again this year at the quilt show, as I did last year.  Enjoyed meeting new quilters and exchanging ideas.  This photo is the booth from last year quilt show. 

Tomorrow is going to be a quilt day for sure. 

Not So Ho Hum

Today was going to be just a so so ho hum day.  As I don't have any quilts in the works, just did the usual daily home stuff.

Finally got so bored, went to sewing room just to sort materials and came up with an idea to do the baby quilt I was going to do later this year.  We are have a new grand daughter arriving around October 3rd.  So while sorting, found the prettiest pinks and white chenille I had left over from other quilts. Sometimes I tend to over buy materials, however, it always works out because, eventually I use a material in either a scrappy quilt or in this case a baby quilt. Well I wound up making the entire quilt this afternoon. It turned out so darn cute and pretty, just perfect for a baby girl.

I will have to go shopping tomorrow (oh darn) to the fabric store to get the backing.  Will be able to put on my quilt machine by tomorrow afternoon. There are several designs running through my head for this cute little quilt, but don't know which one I will use until I have it on the machine.  Just like always, never know for sure what I'm going to quilt until I see it all stretched out and waiting to put thread to material.

Now I have a reason to get out of bed tomorrow.  Just kidding, but knowing I have a quilt to work on really gets me moving in the mornings.

Trying new things

Today I finished the sewing of the quilt commissioned by a customer.

Awaiting backing and batting from customer for the 2 quilts, so I can do the quilting. Looking forward to doing both of them.

While I was in my sewing room, I decided to try some free motion design practicing.  I checked Leah Day blog and found a few that will work on the long arm machine.  Thanks to her I feel confident enough to try new designs on customer quilts.  I have even tried a few of my own designs that I'm sure will look nice on many quilts.  Its so nice to break free and spread out from the same old stippling, stenciling and panto grams.  

Really getting excited about trying new designs. Unfortunately, the 2 quilts I have to do, just don't call for a lot of detail, customer requested meandering for both, but I'm going to try to see if I could do some free motion on the borders.  She is a good customer and usually lets me do special designs to her quilts, if I feel they call for it.  Lets hope she brings me the backing, batting soon.

Looks like the rest of the day will be the usual Susie Homemaker day. Cleaning and maybe baking.  At least I got some quilting in this morning.

Party Time

The party this last Friday was a success.  Big rain storm just before the party didnt stop anything, everything was all wet, but I dried off the patio furniture enough to use the table for serving food anyway.

Almost everyone in the family came to the party, and for a short notice impromptu we had a great time.

We managed to get food served before the second rain came.  That still didnt stop the party, most of us sat inside the garage with garage door open, and some sat under the overhang of our front porch.

Our family can be crazy, we sat around with a few beverages, talked and laughed the whole night. 

There were a couple of mishaps.  Our nephew Zane filled his plate of good food, proceed to go down the steps from the upper deck, slipped on first step and fell all the way down the steps.  Fortunately he was only bruised and sore, nothing broken.  He did however wear most of the food that was on his plate.  After he was cleaned up and everyone went back to serving themselves, his brother Bret did exactly the same thing.  Again, he was only bruised, and his concern was where did his brat go, thinks it may have landed on the roof.  That's it, closed off the stairs to public.  Told everyone, use the inside house stairs for rest of the day.  Apparently, those deck stairs get slippery when wet. Who knew.  This has never happened before, but will definitely be aware the next time it rains, stairs are off limit.  I am so glad no one was seriously hurt.

Because of  the prep time for the party, did not get much quilting done, but my plan today is to finish the sewing on one of the quilts I have been commissioned to sew and quilt.  Photos to follow of course.

More to do

Things are looking up.  I have 2 new quilts to do for a customer.  It has been really quiet for a while, but I'm hoping this is just the beginning of more quilts to come.

How many times has it happened that nothing is going on, same old same old stuff day in day out.

Well for me and this week, it has changed, temporarily I'm sure.  In addition to the quilts to do, I am planning a cookout for Friday evening.  It started out with just the immediate family, Wayne and I and our children and grand children.  Now it has turned into a big family reunion. 

As I start to invite one person I think of yet another that should come and pretty soon we have a PARTY happening.  Don't get me wrong, Ive been wanting to do this for a couple of years and for whatever reason the summer disappears for another year and it didn't get done.  I am looking forward to seeing the whole family all at once again.  They can be such a fun bunch of people.

Quilting will be on hold until after Friday, but that's OK, when you are retired, there is always Tomorrow.

Finished Falling Leaves

This is the completed Falling Leaves quilt.  Again colors are so much more vibrant than my camera can capture.  This quilt is 85x85 and fits my regular size bed like a bedspread.

I have to admit, each time I do a quilt it becomes my favorite, but this one really has become a favorite.  Not just for the meaning behind it but in addition it is gorgeous.

Today I had to take another trip to chiropractor in Stoughton.  While in Stoughton went to the local quilt shop, Saving Thyme.  I am trying to promote more business for my quilting business, so dropped off more business cards and brought in my photo album of quilts done and a sample of my work, the scrappy quilt with tear drop tree stitching.  She liked this new stitch very much. She had never seen it before and thought it was very nice and unusual.   I did explain to the owner, everything freehand, no computerized quilting.

Hopefully I will get some new business from Stoughton.  Things are pretty quiet right now for quilting.  Haven't had a customer since just before my knee operation.    If this keeps up, might have to consider getting a job - NOT - no more working outside the home for this gal.

I just have to keep plugging along and hope the word gets spread by others to call me for quilting.  I have a few regulars that continue to come back, but need new customers.

Falling Leaves Quilt

Today I've had some time to start the quilting of another quilt "Falling Leaves".  Thought I would show you work in progress while on the quilt table. I am using a panto gram pattern "Maple Leaf".  Normally I try to match threads as close to colors in quilt as possible.  This quilt has so many different colors almost impossible to pick a thread, so I used a colorful variegated, which I think, works well.  You can really see the pattern in some parts of the quilt and yet completely blends with other parts of quilt. 

There is a nice story behind this quilt, and because of it, I will keep this quilt for myself.  After I was diagnosed with cancer, and had undergone surgery and treatment, I was given this quilt kit by a quilt shop owner.  She thought I could use a pick me up, and she knew quilting is what I love.  I was completely surprised and so appreciative of her thinking of me.  When I finally felt like sewing again, this was one of the first projects I took on.  It is another beauty and I will post the whole quilt once it is finished. 

This will always be a special quilt for me.

Bracelet

Today has been a very busy day.  First trip to chiropractor, then a visit with my sister in law Alice, who is also a quilter, so I had to find out what she had been working on.  She has beautiful quilt in the works, and I will be doing the quilting when she finishes the sewing part of this quilt.  I will of course, take photos and post, but it will be a while yet before I get to quilt it.  I also managed to hang my wall hanging, looks good.

Went out to the back yard to supervise where Wayne is digging up a patch for flower garden.  Bill and Donna gave us transplants, rose bush, siberian iris, and day lilies.  So now that we have them he has to plant them.

I also managed to load the backing and batting of a new quilt I have been working on.  Will load the quilt top tomorrow as time is running out for today.

While we were gone, it rained quite a bit down here, so checking on my existing flowers found they have been beaten down from the rain, but I'm sure they will bounce back as soon as we get some sun and a few days of dry weather.  Around Antigo, White Lake, they have been praying for rain, been in a drought for 8  years, so they were really happy with all the rain we brought with us this past weekend.  Donna said she is going to take up a collection with the neighbors for us to come more often, if it means we can bring rain their way.

I finished the bracelet that Donna showed me how to make.  This is nowhere near the quality of work she does, but I'm happy with it.  The technique in doing this bracelet is really neat.  As I mentioned before Donna is a fiber artist, and teaches fiber art, this bracelet technique is just one of her many classes she teaches.

Tomorrow is going to be a quilt day (I hope) unless something else takes up my time. 

Vacation Over

Returned from our mini vacation, long weekend.  We had a relaxing and good time.  Unfortunately rained all day Friday, but we made the best of it anyway.  Went for breakfast at a little cafe in White Lake, really good food. Then off to the Casino to play with the Indians, didn't lose our shirts, won $38.00.  Wayne and I are not big spenders at Casinos, have a set amount of money to lose, and when its gone we leave, or if we win anything over $100.00 we quit right away and leave.  I think the most time we spend in one of these places is 30 minutes.  Just like to go, check them out play a little and leave.  Not one to spend an entire day gambling, to me that's just boring, and costly.

We stayed at an awesome cabin, this is the second year we have rented this cabin, and we love staying there.   Cabin sits way off road, cant even see it from the road and is surrounded by woods.  Wherever you look, all you will see is woods.   There is a deer feeding stand in the woods, but they are not being fed right now.  Many of the trees have these tree faces on them around the cabin. Fun to find a tree with face.   Right next to a window in the cabin is a Raccoon feeder, so we put buns out for them.  They always come to feeder near dusk, so its hard to get a photo of them, but I took a few and they turned out better than last year.  These were taken Saturday night.

Saturday, Wayne went fishing with my brother Bill, and I stayed and played with Donna in her studio.  She is a fiber artist and we had great fun doing many different things.  Here she is in her studio, coming up with yet another great idea.  She teaches classes at different places throughout the year, and she is working on a new idea for her classes. It really was great working with her and seeing her come up with these new ideas.  I wont show you anymore of what she is doing as she is still working on this idea to get it ready for a class. She may put some of this on her blog. (Two Red Threads)

As long as I'm posting photos, took a shot of the beautiful flowers she and Bill gave me.  They are from their own flower gardens. 

Donna also showed me how to make a beautiful bracelet. I will post this when its finished, had to bring it home to finish the beading we ran out of time.  Started playing in her studio around 9 am and finally made ourselves stop around 5 pm.  We were having so much fun, forgot the time.

I look forward to going back again, hopefully before the end of this summer or early fall.  If not it will be next year again.

I did manage to finish the binding on my wall hanging and I started the binding on the 4 patch quilt

Oh forgot to mention Wayne and Bill DID  catch some fish this time.