Loving This Border!

This pretty quilt belongs to a customer, Jackie. I designed this border pattern just by trial and error and I used Linda Hrcka's #20 ruler, along with Renae Haddadin's arc ruler.  

The process evolves from chalk on the fabric, to a whiteboard, then sketch pads and also my plexiglass which I lay over the fabric. 

   I'll be posting more the further along I get. Stay tuned. I'll show pictures of my drawings and tools if interested. 

Modern Quilting

My friend Angi made this fun one.  It was 41x51 (if I remember correctly) and she asked for modern quilting.  I tried to keep this on the lower end of my pricing chart, so I stayed away from rulers, SID, and any type of marking.  It was really a fun one to do.  Here is a close up:

Here is a pic of the back...

And one of the full quilt.

Swirly Tablerunner

This was really a fun little project to do.  It's another little table runner made by Christina and I felt like doing swirls.  I have instructed her to do the SID between the little white border and the body of the piece - that's so I didn't have to add my ruler plate and change threads, etc.  

The back of this one deserved its own picture.

Simple

My daughter made this table runner a long, long time ago, and I just unearthed it from the 'to be quilted' stack.  I have been waiting for the right piece to do straight line quilting.  I wish I had electric channel locks, but I put  in a few extra steps by walking around the machine to place the grips on the wheels for the poor man's version of channel locks.  Then I realized I could just stitch it from the same side as the grips! Ha!

Thanks for stopping by.  I'll have another one of her table runners posted in a day or two.

Repairing Scratched Pier 1 Wicker Chairs

Well this is not quilting related, but I thought I would post a follow up to a post I wrote a year or so ago.  The post was about my wicker chairs and what can I do to repair them.

The chair on the left is repaired. 

 Fast-forward one or two years and this is the result   I finally did it!  I am really really pleased with the outcome.  I just used furniture wood stain. That is it. I cannot believe that there are no other posts about how to repair wicker chairs on the Internet and trust me I did a lot of research.  

Closeup of un-repaired chair. 

Not one article mentioned furniture wood stain. Pier 1 had no suggestions for me   On these particular chairs I used cherry. 

Both chairs repaired. I think I'll celebrate by buying new cushions from Pier 1!

Are you an Over-Analyzer or a Nike Just-Do-It Type?

I am an over-analyzer.  I don't want to be.  I know there are advantages to all that research.  I probably get better prices on airfare and hotels than most.  Maybe my appliances last longer, too, because I buy a better made version.  Or, maybe it's all in my head and I just think I am getting a better deal.  

Whatever the real answer is, being an over-analyzer means it takes me more time to finish a project because it takes so much more time to start one.  For example, take this adorable little wall hanging that belongs to Peggy.  I looked at this for days deciding how I would quilt it.  It didn't help that it is the first customer quilt I have started in almost six months.  

Finally, my just-do-it brain just took over and my years of practice and experience helped, and my needle just flowed over this top.  It felt so good.  

Not too much quilting, I think it's just right.  Would you have stitched over the snowman's face?  Let me know.  I couldn't.

My Machine is Back!

We unpacked my machine in mid December, but the movers had left the rails and poles in CA, so no machine.  It was okay, I guess, as I was so busy unpacking and playing with grandkids and enjoying the holidays.  

I finally got the poles and rails on December 31, and the two of us spent some time that afternoon and the next day setting it up.  What a relief when I stitched with it, and it stitched like a knife through butter.  Fabulous!  

I had just one day all to myself before we left again for CA, and I just played.  Now I'm looking forward to getting back to it in a couple weeks.

a new obsession?

Yesterday I stumbled upon envelope art which led me to calligraphy and letter arts.  I can't let it go. I find myself perusing Instagram and Pinterest looking for envelope art. Then youtube. Ugh!

I couldn't sleep this morning so I learned how to do this from watching a YouTube video. This was done using a pencil. Now I want to go get some calligraphy pens!  

Great Paper Piecing Tip

I learned this tip from my friend, Angi, and thought I'd share with you. 

f you fiold the paper on the line and trim before you stitch, it makes it so much easier to line up the next fabric piece. 

Fold paper on line between 1 and 2. 

Place fabric on back of paper. 

Fold paper back and trim 1/4' away. 

Place fabric 2 right sides together with 1. 

Turn paper to front and stitch. 

Continue on.

 I hope this makes sense. 

Life Without My Longarm

Right abut the time I decided I needed to take some time off to strengthen my back, we accepted an offer on our home.  I spent several weeks packing and then we stored most of our belongings and moved just the bare necessities to a rental home.  Since I don't have access to my longarm yet, I've been filling my days with other activities.  I have really felt a huge hole in my days without my Innova and had to readjust my life.  

I have lived here in this community for 30 years, and never taken the time to hike to the peak.  This was the view I enjoyed yesterday,

It was such a gorgeous day, the high was 75 degrees.

  It is only 2.5 miles, but it is very steep, and I believe the elevation change is 4500 to 8000. I didn't quite make it, but I am motivated to continue hiking here until I am strong enough to do it.  I think I came within .33 of a mile, so I'm sure I can do it within a couple months, if the weather stays dry.