A Perfect Vacation for a Machine Quilter

We started our vacation by stopping in to the Let's Quilt Shop in St. George, Utah so that I could try out a 22" Innova with Lightening Stitch. 

The next day we drove back down Logan Canyon to the Handiquilter Headquarters! where I met with the CEO and had a private tour of their factory.  I felt like a true celebrity.  I don't know why I didn't take pictures!!  Everyone was so nice.  How did I get this treatment?  Well, I have been trying to decide between the HQ Fusion and the Innova 22" and could not find a Fusion anywhere near my home, or along our travel route, for that matter.  So their customer service rep was kind enough to arrange a test drive at their headquarters and then a tour.  Fabulous!

What a nice break from all the driving - we skied at Beaver Mountain Ski Area - wow!  I love this resort.  The snow was fantastic, and absolutely no crowds, in fact, there must have been only 100 people on the mountain.  We skied our fannies off, and after five hours, we had to surrender.  We were pooped!

Once we got to our place in Northern Utah, I took out my little featherweight and set up my little piecing work station.  I have had these jelly rolls for three-four years, and once I decided on a different pattern, it has been really fun putting it together.  I love these fabrics.

We are going back through St. George tomorrow and will be going to the Dixie Quilt Guild's show so that I can test drive the Innova again.  I haven't yet made up my mind.  Shopping for a longarm is really hard, and I am so confused. 

I should have my quilt top put together tonight.  Later this week I'll post some pictures of the scenery in Wyoming and Utah.  I know they say Montana is Big Sky Country, but there are some awfully BIG skies in Northern Utah and Western Wyoming!!

Do You Machine Quilt in an Apron?

Let me start off by saying that for some reason I am not an apron gal.  I never cook in one, although, I made so many aprons this Christmas that I will make myself one soon, and I will wear it.  And, it will be cute!

I started wearing an apron when I am at the longarm so that I have my scissors, pins, needles, seam ripper, and tweezers with me at all times.

I had been wearing a hideously ugly muslin one that was (hear me gasp) disgustingly dirty.  I even washed it from time to time!  Anyway, I had this neat piece of Ricky Tims' wanna be hand-dye fabric, so I loaded it last night and played.  I just had fun, didn't have one stop and start, no plans and no rulers.

Here it is before finishing the edges - back side.closeup of back side

 doodling

Oh, oh, oh!!!!!  I remember when I was early in my longarming life, and I HATED Superior's Lava.  Well, I tried it last night, just because I rarely use variegated thread, and thought, what the heck!  Well, it was beautiful, and bonded well with So Fine! in the bobbin.  It is much thicker than I am used to, but it went great - tension wise.  :)

 front side...

 proud grandma!

 Me, modeling my handy-dandy apron!
The little triangle at the top is detachable with a handy-dandy safety pin, and it holds my needles and pins.  It looks so much prettier than that ugly muslin one.  I even modeled this, which is shocking, because I never like my pictures.  I don't like this one either, but what the heck.  I even figured out how to set the timer on my  Canon.  Love it!!

Repurposing a Baby Sling Into a Quilt

Christina made this super cute quilt from fabric that was once her baby daughter's sling.  I think this is Amy Butler fabric.  If I remember correctly, she didn't use the sling all too often, and I suggested that she repurpose the fabric to make a quilt.   

I had tons of thread tension issues.  I tried out a spool of Decobob thread by Wonderfil, and after hours of struggling and frogging, I gave up and went back to Glide.  I do love Glide, but it is so much thicker than the 80 weight Wonderfil thread.  I love the way you can just see the texture with Decobob or Invisifil, but not the  thread.  I won't give up - I will keep trying.  

I would consider this medium custom as I did SID around the pink strips.  

 My granddaughter and grandson had been laying on the quilt - can you spot his 'drill' in the picture?  He spent most of this weekend drilling everything in sight - I am surprised that the batteries are still good.

Here is my granddaughter - it was her sling that was repurposed, and I believe she will be the recipient of this quilt.The green looks really washed out in the picture below, but it is a lime green - closer to what you see with my granddaughter in the picture.

  

Perfect for a 10-year old Girl!

Christina made this quilt for her niece, Tatum, in Minnesota.  She asked for hot pink and zebra.  Whew!  Christina bought the fleece minky to go on the back which gave this a lot of loft.  I used a quick panto, Fire Flower, which is a favorite of my customers.  It was easy and fun to do.

Christina's piecing is perfect!  She irons all her seams open, too, which really helps to make the quilt lie flat.