Back to Work

Let me just say, I have had trouble getting back into the swing of things. I did nothing Monday except unpack and wash clothes and sit around thinking about a lot of things. I generally stay so busy I don’t have time to think, so this was an unusual day for me. But, it was a good change. Oh, my church hosted bunco Monday night, so I did play Bunco. We provide the meal, but I didn’t feel like fixing anything complex, so I picked up strawberries, grapes, and blackberries, and washed everything and put it on a plate. Easy and good! 

I got a couple of quilts done on Tuesday, and I got the binding done on one of them yesterday. 

The photos don’t really do it justice; the colors are so pretty and vibrant. The back is pretty too! She picked it up yesterday and was happy with it. 

I have to get the binding finished on the other one I quilted. Maybe it will happen today. I spent some time yesterday just driving around and saw this:

I actually felt bad about that quilt. There used to be a department store here that sold quilts that were mass produced in China. They were hand quilted, but still mass produced. I’m hoping this one was one of the Chinese ones. Well, I can’t save them all. My house is already full.

The dogs are happy to be home. I picked Ruthie up on Sunday evening, and she came home and passed out in her bed. Look at that sweet little face!

 I couldn’t get Reba and Ryder until Monday, but they are all here now. 

I need to get back to sewing soon. I have some strips cut for my RSC and will get busy with it soon. I have the time now but not much motivation. 

Longarm Classes

I had four full days of classes. I have been looking for advanced training for my particular machine, and it is harder than you would think to find any. There are lots of beginner-type classes available, but not so much advanced. The advanced features are the computer software and how to manipulate it to achieve different effects. That is how I ended up in Utah. I really wasn’t interested in the beginner class, but this particular instructor requires that you take the two-day beginner class from her before you can take the advanced one. The first day was basic edge-to-edge work. 

The second day was using different types and weights of threads and to keep even tension whatever you use. 

Some of the rows are metallic, some are 30, 40, 50, or 60 weight.

The third and fourth days were advanced training. There were only 4 of us that stayed for that part. I didn’t quite get finished with day 3, and my brain was hurting when I got out of there. 

Each block has a different technique.

On the fourth day, we put it all together into one quilt. 

Here’s the back:

All four of us were able to finish. Notice, mine is the only pieced one! The other three are printed. I was in such a panic to get all those tops pieced, and I was the only one who pieced all four.

I really hope I can retain everything I learned. Right now, I just want to be back in my house. My flight is at 4:00 pm today, and I should be home by 11:00. I’ll get my dogs back Monday. 

I Made It!

Oh my, what an exhausting day, but I made it. 

It was a full day of traveling. I left Victoria at 5:30 am, and got to Houston about 30 minutes later. That was the easy part. 

I had to change terminals in Houston, but that typically happens, so I had left myself two hours to make the switch. Then flew to LA.

The topography is so different from what I am used to. I hadn’t been to the Los Angeles airport in about 15 years, but it hasn’t changed much. Still super busy. 

They had an interesting display of textile art on one of the walls. 

Sorry about the glare—I worked hard to edit it out, but this was as good as I could do without losing too much resolution. 

I finally got to my hotel around 5:30, so it was a full day. It’s really pretty here. 

I actually managed to finish the other two quilt tops I needed for my class.

It’s Been a Minute

Once again, I haven’t posted in a week. It seems like the time gets away from me, and then it’s too late or I’m too tired. I probably need to manage my time better, but maybe most people feel that way. I’ve been trying to get ready for my trip, and I finally sat down Friday and reread the email they sent me about the longarm training. I had read it when I got it about a month ago, and I think I missed the part about needing to bring four quilt tops plus batting and backing with me! Oops! There are specific size requirements for the tops, and luckily for me they’re not too big. I got busy yesterday and got two done.

I have the third started, and I’ll finish it after church today, and hopefully the fourth. I had hoped to do some major cleaning on the house, but it’s not going to happen. I need to block out a day when I get back and get it done. 

Here’s some good news. I took my last antibiotic yesterday, and I am feeling a lot better. I just don’t recover as quickly as I used to. More good news is that we had a nice rain yesterday. I haven’t checked the rain gauge, but it should have been at least an inch if not more. 

We had a sew day Wednesday for quilt guild. We call it “Brontë Bee”, and it’s when we get together to work on items we’ll sell at our Sampler Store. Wednesday’s theme was kitchen and here’s some of the things we made.

I had to leave early to pick up Roger from school, but I did get a casserole-sized hot pad done. 

The back is denim. I’m hoping to make a few more, but then again, time is always a factor. There are so many things I want to do, and I have all the materials and the ability, but time is limited. I did get a couple of customer quilts finished, but I still need to get the binding put on them. 

I may be able to get a post done this week, but I’m not sure. I’ll have my iPad with me, so it’s possible. Have a wonderful week!

Two Customer Quilts Done

 It seemed like this week was really looong, but the weekend is finally here. Even better, we got about half of inch of rain yesterday. It’s not a lot, but we’ll take anything we can get. I managed to get a couple of customer quilts done this week. 

I used the champagne bubbles quilt design in ivory thread. I don’t know what the quilt pattern is—does anyone else think it looks like PacMan? 

This one is a New York Beauty.

I’m pretty sure the border is an original design. It’s really creative. I used gray thread and basket weave quilting design. The quilting returned out good, and I think it enhances the quilt. 

I came home yesterday and took about a two-hour nap, so I’m evidently still run down. I’m trying to take care of myself and get plenty of rest. I’m not too good about that, but I’m trying! I’ve been getting a little behind on my customer work, and I don’t know when I will be able to catch up. I have a busy week coming up, and I am flying to Utah on the 20th for a week-long longarm boot camp class. I’ve already made kennel arrangements for the dog, and I just need to get myself rested up and psyched up!

Have a wonderful weekend!

I’m Still Here

I have been trying to get a blog post written for almost a week, but I haven’t felt well enough, and to be honest, I haven’t done much that would be worth blogging about. I have been having persistent headaches for a couple of months now, almost daily. I also have been having pain in my right ear. I went to my doctor who prescribed an antibiotic and referred me to an ENT. It took two months to get into see the ENT, but I finally got there on Tuesday. It turns out I now have two ear infections, and one has moved into my inner ear. He prescribed two more antibiotics, and the oral one makes me nauseous. I don’t like the nausea, but I don’t want to quit taking it because I want this infection cleared up. 

In spite of all that, I managed to complete my Walk Across Texas challenge. 

I believe our team finished in third place, although I’m not sure since I missed the wrap-up ceremony last night. 

I haven’t been doing much sewing, but I did convince myself I needed to do something, so I got out some panels I had bought and put borders on this one.

It’s not a lot, but it’s something. Once it’s quilted, it will get donated somewhere, probably to the silent auction at our church festival. I got two customer quilts done this week; I’ll get them trimmed tomorrow and get some pictures taken. 

A Couple More

I posted a top Wednesday that I had enlarged and said I was working on the second one. I got it done yesterday. 

It finished at 65” x 76” so it can be used a Day 1 Graduation Project donation.

It had started out pretty small, about 45” x 56”. 

I just about made myself crazy trying to find a dark pink that would match the one I had already used. The one I finally found is not an  exact match, but it’s pretty close. The final border is really wide, but it’s a really pretty print with all the right colors in it. 

I finished quilting a quilt for Betty. 

She said it was a free pattern she found “somewhere”. She is supposed to bring me a copy, and I’ll see if I can find it online and share it here. It’s a really cool pattern.

That’s about all I’ve gotten done. Yesterday was my birthday, and this crew took me out to lunch:

Tonight I am going out with friends, so the celebration continues.