Now Marie wants frogs!!

Marie has asked me to make a quilt with frogs on it. She has someone in her vast family who is really into frogs ... thus...

  "Before the Kiss" Quilt

Oct 12: After the Todd festival today. Marie asked me to make a quilt for her to give someone. It must be all about frogs.
Oct 14: I searched high & low for fabrics with frogs them. Tonight Marie came by and gave a thumbs up or down on each of them. We were left with a "Before the Kiss" panel, a few coordinating fabrics from the same fabric line and some frogs on fleece I will use for the backing. Who knows, I may dare to use some of the fleece on the top. All afternoon and evening, I have been designing  from scratch. You know how it goes…scratch this one…scratch that one…LOL. Feel free to offer suggestions or pick a favorite. I have a couple but it is up to Marie now. She is why I have all these posted for now.
Oct 16: Marie came by before I left for Greensboro on a fabric run & we finalized her plan. Ordered the fabric & they are all on the way.
Oct 19: The fabrics ordered on eBay are here.
Oct 31: Marie came by today to see her fabrics. Whew! As I checked what I had vs. what I needed, I discovered I had, not 6 yards of backing fabric and front panels, but 6 24-inch panels. Turns out that is 4 yards which is exactly what I in fact need. Cut the side panels & ready to start sewing.
Nov 01: Piecing.
Nov 02: Top & backing are pieced and ready to quilt. This time Marie gets to choose a pattern & thread color & I am ready for her.
Nov 04: Marie chooses Leapin' Lily Pads & I have to choose the thread--light turquoise top & back.
Dec 12: Loaded & ready to quilt.
Dec 13: Quilted. Squared. Clamped for hand binding.
Dec 16-17: Bound.
Dec 18: Final pictures.

I'll be piecing & longarming this quilt for Dorothy Wonder using the Yellow Brick Road pattern. She is sending the skins fabrics. I'll do the rest including shopping for suitable borders.

Oct 11: Got a call this morning from Dorothy to help her with this project. She is swapped & I have a lot of free time. Until her fat quarters get here, I am working on EQ7 to draw the quilt. I've gone about as far as I can for now. Double borders 2" & 5" makes a 77 x 95 quilt. As I play with the colors, it seems to me that the inner border needs to be a subtle transition, either a medium shade or a blender or simple print of some kind, to ease out from the skins to a solid or another muted blender. No inner border is too abrupt. An inner border that pops it, poops it too. The fabrics here are so dynamic so let the borders tame the wildness. We will see what Dorothy sees. I love talking over quilt layouts with her & always ask her to critique my quilts. Ha! She agrees.
Oct 12: Used some software called Quilter's Lightbox for the first time to audition pattern & thread options. This tool might help us get closer to the thread color we want before I go pull specific spools.
Oct 15: Fat quarters are here. Added real fabrics & re-did the layouts.Oct 16: Added some almost solids to the mix to have enough fat quarters to make a larger quilt. 14 skin fat quarters, 6 more or less solid blenders & one black-brown print.
Oct 16: Going/gone to Greensboro to look for border fabrics. Very successful trip.
Oct 18: Cutting & piecing.
Oct 19: Finished the cutting. The blocks are together. Finished the layout & started on the rows.
Oct 20: I have a panto designer lined up--Ellen Munnich. The main part of the top is ready. Just needs borders.
Oct 21: Restricted by the backing which is 84 x 96, I can add 2" + 3" borders or just one 5" border. Either way the top will be 73 x 91. Dorothy says 2" plus 3". I have contacted Ellen Munnich about doing a special panto for this quilt. She has agreed but I have to wait until mid-November.
Oct 31: Pieced the backing & inner border. Double checking how much backing I have now that it is pieced before cutting the outer border.
Nov 05: While pressing and squaring the backing, I realized the quality was just not there. I'll get more of one of the "solid" fabrics used in the top for the backing. Brown marble was available.
Nov 13: Contacted Ellen Munnich about our panto. She says it will be in the next batch. Not sure what that means but it had better be quick...time is running out.
Nov 16: Picked up the backing fabric.
Nov 22: Ellen Munnich did the panto today. My idea was profiles of animals represented by the skins. Ellen suggested Zany Swirls & I countered with using that type of connector between the profiles. She was concerned that including a giraffe would be hard to fit everything together. I left the details with her. Several hours later, she sent me her sketch.  I am trilled with what she did. After all that--spending most of her day focused on it--she wasn't even going to charge me. Thanks so very much, Ellen. When I get the panto today, I'll be ready to load Dorothy's quilt.
Nov 23: Outer border is pieced and thus the top is finished. Now the backing--also pieced & ready to load. Batting is cut. IQ is programmed. Thought about using a variegated but found the perfect So Fine! brown instead. Having to wind bobbins to get a perfect match. Have 5 ready to go. Wanted to get a lot more done, but HEY!, my hair cut looks great. Well, it does -- kudos to Lowell! My ultimate goal is to ship on Monday.
Nov 24: Loading. Loaded. Quilting. Very hard to photograph but I'm trying. The back should should show up nicely.
Nov 25: Quilting along making nice progress when ... a tension problem has me taking out a row. Since the thread is too loose, it shouldn't be too hard to do or take too long...just long enough that I won't get this in the mail today. And so it goes. Well, it wasn't hard but it did take a very long time nonetheless. All set to start again tomorrow & hopefully beat the nasty weather.
Nov 26: Quilting ... Quilted ... Shipped. On a rainy day, I couldn't get the picture I wanted of the back. Also the marble effect obscured the quilting more than I thought it would. Still learning after all these years.

I fell in love with this beautiful Tree of Life Tapestry at the Todd Fall Festival today. It was made in India & the exact colors in my living room rug.

The trinket boxes are black walnut crafted by a local artist. I picked the roomiest I could find. He sells his boxes shaped like bee hives, acorns, mushrooms and many other shapes. Absolutely beautiful work by a man who does not over charge. In fact, I suspect he undercharges.

​5' x 7.5'   =  60" x 90"

Oct 12, 2013:  I have washed this tapestry now 3 times in cold water and it is still bleeding. Yikes. One more time and then I am giving up. HA! Four times did the trick.
Feb 2017: I still love this tapestry but so does Shana. I gave it to her when she visited the cabin today. It has been tucked away in a box for too long. I must say Shana bought & brought me a spiral ham that fed me for 2 weeks! How thoughtful of her. My intent was just to give her the tapestry but we have become friends instead.

Not much to say. Just adding borders to some flannel I've had in the closet far too long. The backing is the same as the border.

Winter is coming soon to the mountains and Marie needs something for those chilly moments. Marie is a dear friend.

Sep 18: Fabrics acquired in late 2009. Planned. Cut. I'll work this in around partner quilts currently here or on the way. 
Sep 19: Pieced the top, i.e. added the border so I'm ready to quilt when I decide on a pattern.
Sep 20: Laid out 13 patterns. Marie selected XOXOs.
Sep 24: Quilting. Quilted.
Sep 25: Binding attached.
Sep 30: Finished.

This is a set of quilts for twins born last December. I bought the one on the right made by Pam Miller using Zig Zag quilt pattern by Sweetwater. I made the one on the left using Crumbs by Me and My Sister Designs.The fabrics are A Stitch in Color by Moda.

May-Jun: Learned a medical professional had twins last December. Been thinking about a pair of quilts for the babies ever since. Didn't ask if they were boys. girls or one of each so I want something that works for both and that they won't outgrow.
Aug 16: Fell in love with the perfect quilt for this purpose in the local quilt shop. It was immaculately pieced by Pam Miller who works there. For sale? How much? Oh yes! The shop was closing early & I had already spotted another pattern I could make. The staff helped collect fat quarters and coordinating solids from the same fabric collection used in Pam's quilt. I think that is the fastest I ever planned & purchased fabric for a whole quilt plan. HA! TIme to get to work. These fabrics quite simply make me feel happy. And these quilts will never be outgrown.
Aug 17-19: So many possibilities. I have changed these around over and over for three days now. Should I perhaps change my logo from The Smilin' Quilter to The eQuilter? Can you tell I have taken a break from any sewing? Down to two choices so I will wait until the center is done to see how it looks then.
Aug 20: Got the main section of the quilt cut out.
Aug 23: Selected Fast Splash for the pattern & did overlays for both quilts for comparisons.
Aug 26: Back to piecing after doing a couple of partner quilts. Sewing the strips today that will make the blocks.
Aug 27: Made the 9 patch blocks. Ready to assemble the rows which are done diagonally from top right to lower left.
Aug 28: The main section of the top is together.
Aug 29: Added corners. Time to decide on borders. Added a 2" blue border to seal the outer triangles. Will finish with blue binding.
Aug 30: Quilting. Quilted. Trimmed the border down to 1" and attached binding.
Aug 31: Re-did the binding on Pam's quilt.
Sep 01: Binding complete on crumbs quilt.
Sep 03: Quilts were hand delivered to a gracious dad. Got to see photos of the 9 month old boys, equally adorable but not identical.

Picked up fabric to make this little panel quilt. The baby is the 2nd grandchild of Rita & Bennie, the local mail carriers. Boy or girl? -- no one knows. Due in December but can't start too early.

Jun 19: Bought the fabric.
Jul 08: Selected Animal Crackers panto.
Jul 10: Pieced & loaded.
Jul 11: Quilting. While testing tension, I see now that this is not a premium quilting fabric but more like the quality of a novelty fabric even though it carries the Wilmington Prints name. So disappointed. Darn. Also found a flaw in the panel. Quilted. Making binding. Binding is attached. Hand binding...
Aug 03: Finished the binding and delivered to Bennie when he came with another quilt.

Whole cloth baby quilt with wool batting using Donna Kleinke's Rosie Bear block & Baby Bunny block 10.

Decided to do this quilt today off the grid hoping I could do it in one day. Whew! As I learned the circumstances of the recipient of this gift quilt, I decided it would relieve needless anxiety that was already present in the giver. Hope this helps if anything ever really can.

Apr 06: Got the request. Suggested piecers/quilts.
Apr 10: Started talking whole cloth
Apr 11: IQ Design finalized
Apr 12: Bought fabric
Apr 13: Cut & squared top & back. Added widening strips to backing, Tested thread options.
Apr 14: Loaded, quilted & squared. Binding is ready to attach but then the bugs came out...
Apr 15: Attached the binding & started the hand work.
Apr 18: Finished & shipped.

  3/20: Planning this quilt for a High Point, NC friend I saw yesterday. Showed her my Birchbark Lodge Twister quilt. She loved the design and thought it would be ideal in Solid Red & White. Also found out she loves roses.
  Already on my way to THE QUILT SHOP, I found some wonderful fabric. Already had bolts of red so very pleased to be able to use some of it. When I got home I went to work on this while snow covered my world outside.
  5/22: I saw Munirah again today. Next time I see her, it will be to deliver her quilt.

Mar 20: Purchased fabric to go with the red I already have.
Mar 21:Did some layouts\
Apr 04: We discussed the plan and it was approved. WIll use some of the small roses in the top if it works nicely.
May 25: Over 2 months, 9.5 weeks to be exact, have passed since deciding to do this project. I have wanted to start it every day since so I am very happy I am finally cutting.
May 26: Been planning & making blocks all day. This will go on a 39" x 79" daybed. I have posted several similar layouts. Though the differences are slight, the effects are dramatic. The bed is 24" from the floor so I have sketched the red border at 12" but it can be whatever length Munirah wants. Also doing contrasting cornerstones will make this a much more tedious project.
May 27: Cutting & piecing and cutting & piecing ... etc.
May 28: Made the charm blocks--5" squares with a 3" border.
May 29: Cut the blocks into pinwheels using the Twister tool.
May 30-Jun 01: Finished the blocks.
Jun 02: The center is together.
Jun 03: Adding borders. Quilt top finished. Backing is ready to load.
Jun 04: Loading. Loaded. Quilting.
Jun 05: Finished quilting.
Jul 08: Finished binding.

The Labyrinth Quilt Top I pieced in May 2012 will soon have a home with a local couple, Sgt. Jason & Tiffany Roten. I met Tiffany today and learned of Jason's service. This quilt is going to the couple as it rightfully should. Tiffany is helping me with the details while keeping this a secret from Jason for the time being.
    Since the top is already finished, I am going to incorporate this bandana into the backing. I learned Jason was a proud tanker so that theme will be incorporated into the backing too. Nope-didn't happen that way.

Feb 25: Met Tiffany. Decided to complete this quilt as a bandana thank you quilt for her husband's service including Afghanistan.
Feb 26: Just spoke to Celia Gwaltney who will send me a bandana this week. The bandanas are part of 
Operation Bandanas | Psalm 91 bandanas for our Troops  only I use them in quilts for soldiers who have come home.
Mar 02: I have just appealed to the Intelliquilter group for pantos for this quilt. Trying to get an eagle to hit just right on the front center and the bandana on the back is not a good idea. I want something as special as custom yet a panto that incorporates the same themes & most of all a says a HUGE THANKS to Jason and all those he represents. Hey, I can dream!!
Mar 03: From Tiffany: Linda, Hey, just looked at the QOV patterns and saw the one labeled Tanks. I didn't have to look any further. He was a tanker and I know that is the one he would want! Thanks again! Tiffany Roten. Hmmm.
Mar 06: Celia tells me the bandana is now in the mail so it will be here in plenty of time.
Mar 07: Met with Tiffany and showed her the quilt. She shared the significance of tanks to Jason, a tanker & a collector. Did some research online & found images that can be printed on t-shirts, patches, pins...all kinds of things. We settled on the Eagles On High panto and will incorporate tanks into the backing somehow.
Mar 08: Got the panto and played with a couple of layouts. Also researching army armor/tanker images to print on t-shirts & then incorporate into the backing.
Mar 09: We have a final plan (NOPE) if there is such a thing. Meanwhile, Jim Goodson, an artist who sells on Zazzle under the name Arklights, is busy putting his designs on shirts for us. A huge thanks to Jim! His artwork will make this quilt very special for Jason.
Mar 12: Ordered 4 t-shirts for the backing. Oops ... something went wrong. Zazzle will not print the army insignia on the shirts. Bandana came in.
Mar 13: I am glad now I didn't get to order the shirts yesterday. Laying this out on the bed, I see now that I need smaller images that will fit in a maximum 8" wide border. I also like the on-point layout, something I didn't think about before. Also much easier to piece.
Mar 14: When Zazzle wouldn't print Jim's images on shirts, he sent them to me to put on t-shirts &/or fabric myself. My t-shirt gal can't print on black so I need a light color that coordinates. The good news is that I can use any cotton fabric rather than t-shirts. This proved too complicated.
Mar 18: Just came across some newly released army fabrics that offer potential here.
Mar 19: Still in love with Jim Goodson's work, I ordered a clock with the emblem so meaningful  to our Army Tankers. Zazzle allowed it without issue & it will here in one week, i.e. Tue Mar 26.
Mar 20: We have a new final plan that I hope this time is fail safe. The importance of this quilt is validated by the difficulty and road blocks to getting it designed. Let's hope that piecing the backing will be seamless - well, it will have a few seams of course. 

Mar 26: I just got in the Military Salute Army Vehicles Patches Black fabric. It is beautiful and very good quality. I don't give up easilyy but the bandana just does NOT look good with this new backing. The backing doesn't do justice to the bandana & the bandana spoils the theme of the quilt. TIffany knows the tanker theme is far more meaningful to Jason so tankers it is. And a bandana on the side!! OH! And the clock is here!
Mar 31: Cleaned my machine. Selected, loaded & tested the thread. Batting is cut. Backing is ready to load.
Apr 01: Prepared and loaded the top. Everything looked good on my test stitches but alas, the tension is way off on back. Did a small partial row and the start of a full row before I realized it. So now I'm backing up and undoing what I have quilted so far. Good thing I went ahead and ordered extra thread. Back to the beginning and stitched another test. Will try again tomorrow.
Apr 02: Starting over with the quilting. Still having tension issues when the needle is moving in one particular direction that I hope I have now tweaked out of the stitching. This quilt will take three hours of just stitching time alone (not including rolling and basting) & that is a lot. Those eagles wing are going to give my system quite a workout. I will also be out several hours today getting mice &/or their nest cleaned out of  my car's heater venting system. Yuck! The guys said the nest was the size of a basketball!! Have learned mice flee from peppermint oil & my garage & car now smell wonderful!! Hopefully, problem solved.
Apr 03: Quilted. Only the binding is left while Tiffany plans how we will present this to Jason.
Apr 04: Squared the quilt. Binding is ready to attach.
Apr 05: Attached the binding.
Apr 06-11: Hand binding.
Apr 13: Tiffany & Penny conned Jason into coming to the cabin with them today. Turns out he knows a lot about quilts & quilting from his grandmother's hand quilting. Jason is such a gentle soft spoken man. Can you believe that I was so caught up in enjoying my company that I forgot to take final quilt pictures or pictures of the recipient couple? Instead I photographed the card Tiffany gave me as they left. This was a truly wonderful project & it could not have turned out any better in the end.

Feb 15, 16, 18: Purchased these fabrics from two different shops.
Feb 16: EQ7 Rendition.
Apr 20: I cut the borders & panels for this simple quilt.
Apr 21: Today, in 2.5 hours, I had a new quilt top.
Jun 15: Pieced the backing. Ready to load. I searched for pottery and southwest patterns but didn't find anything I like any better than the eagles. Definitely open to suggestions !! I am also rethinking the backing. Geez. Better take a break!
Jun 16: Selected my thread. Loaded & basted. 
Jun 17: Waiting for Digi-tech to digitize the simple pottery panto. Yes! Jessica came through for me. I made a few modifications. Now quilting. Quilted. 
Jun 18: Pictures, such as they are..
Jun 19: Sold Joan some of this fabric.
Oct 02: Binding finished.
Dec 23, 2014: Gave this to Myra Trivette when she fell instantly in love with it.

​Just got  home from an adventure at Ye Olde Forest Quilt Shop.

The fabric is a brushed cotton jelly roll by Moda Christmas Spirit. The quilt top pattern is Cozy Quilt's Daybreak by one of my favorite IQ pattern designers, Georgette Dell’Orco at Quilters Niche.

How to Video making the block. She says it is "that easy" but of course I made it a whole lot harder.

Feb 07: Had a casual day playing with design options. Took me awhile to get the blocks right. My first design is with the wrong blocks as if there is any such thing in quilting. Decided on 5 with a definite favorite. Which do you like best?
Feb 08: Dang, I'm cold!! Time to start cutting. Got everything cut for the main quilt. Started piecing...barely. Completed my cutting chart.
Feb 09: Did another design since I have plenty of the lightest color. The pattern calls for two background colors, one slightly darker than the other. It calls for alternating backgrounds for every other 16" block. I am having much more fun mixing it up.
Feb 12: Had time to do some more piecing.
Feb 13: Thanks for the votes!! Posting my choice.
Aug 07: Finally getting back to this one inspired by Dorothy's Remembrance quilt.
Aug 10-12: Been working steadily while my IQ x-motor is being replaced. I now have a bed layout and am piecing then squaring the quarter blocks.
Sep 06: Coming together as I assemble the larger blocks. Six of twelve are done.
Sep 07: Big blocks are together. Or so I thought. When I added the first border, I noticed the tension was off. I had to go back and overstitch all the connecting seams. I don't know where all that red fabric in first picture above went but I had enough strips to do the border. I have enough green for a 6" border and the backing. Tomorrow!
Sep 08: Borders are done, back & batting are loaded, top is ready to load. When I went looking for a pattern, I decided on Ellen Munnich's Twelve Days of Christmas. Now I just need an outer border I like to go with it.
Sep 09: Found a border I can use but it took all day to find it. Quilting. Can't see much of the blocks for now but posting anyway.
Sep 10: Custom quilting today using a Magnifico thread to highlight the Twelve Days of Christmas block patterns & two Curls patterns. Turning quilt to do side borders. Quilted. 
Sep 11: More photos.
Sep 12: Binding is attached and ready for hand binding.
Oct 02: Starting the hand binding. It is already clipped and ready.
Dec 25: Finished the binding. I decided to go ahead and wrap the quilt, thread, scissors & clips & give it to my daughter as was. With the drive behind me, I spent Christmas Day afternoon. finishing the binding. I wanted her have a super soft cuddle quilt through the winter months & now she does.

TJ is a Trivette & that is a good thing. I am friends with several in his family. On many occasions, TJ came along with his dad, Tony, to help out around here with miscellaneous work.

Recently, TJ sold me a car that is perfect for what I wanted. That is when we started talking about what kind of quilt he might like. He designed it himself using posted sports quilts by Joan Taylor as a reference.

Jan 15: Started planning a sports quilt for a friend. He wants Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars & Chicago Bulls in one quilt. Believe it or not, we might just succeed at this. Too soon to publish plans. Nice challenge for a change.
Jan 24: TJ has not had an opportunity to look over all the options I have offered him so I am just going to go on and order fabric and make this quilt. I hope he loves it.
Jan 31: I only ordered the backing fabric which came today. Took it to show TJ. He has totally changed his mind about what he wants so back to the drawing board.
Feb 02: Still no feedback from TJ. And I don't dare go ahead because he is particular about what he wants even though he has changed him mind. Not two teams, just one. Steelers. Simple. Not too busy. Use yellow as focal color.
Feb 11: We have a plan & the fabric ordered.
Feb 20: The fabric is here.
Mar 08: Washed and ironed all the fabric. Cut out the blocks. TJ is considering what IQ pattern he wants.
Mar 09: Piecing the top. Regarding IQ pattern: since the front is a football theme & the back is a basketball theme, not sure mixing themes via the IQ pattern is a good idea. Thinking perhaps something generic would work better. Proposed an idea for the quilting that simulates the diamond stars on the logo.
Mar 10: Quilt top is finished--absurdly big for my full size bed. LOL
Mar 11: Did some IQ programming to get some overlays. Piecing the backing while waiting on TJ. It's settled--loose spiral square with double wool batting for very nice warmth. The backing is ready. Will load and quilt tomorrow.
Mar 12: Need to tweak the IQ pattern & press the backing before loading. Turns out I spent a lot of time tweaking before I was satisfied. Determined, I got the quilt loaded & ready for basting.
Mar 13: Basting is tricky with wool batting and even more so with too layers. Glad that is done now! Quilting ...
Mar 14: Still quilting ... and done. Better photos in the morning.
Mar 15: When bringing the quilt into my room to photograph, I discovered a first. I had loaded the backing upside down. This really is not a bad thing for this quilt just unintended.
Mar 22: Made the binding.
Mar 23: Attached the binding.
Mar 24: Hand binding has begun.
Mar 27: Should finish today. FINISHED!
Apr 12: Working 6-7 days a week at the car dealership, TJ finally got his quilt when I drove by yesterday on the way to Greensboro. He saw it several weeks ago here at the cabin on other business and made every second and penny working on it worth it. Thanks TJ for the joy you bring us.

CODY'S QUILT PART 1: PLANNING
CODY'S QUILT PART 2: PIECING

I pieced Cody's quilt top in October & thought I would quilt it soon after. Other quilts kept coming in so I decided to save this quilt for last. I stopped receiving quilts in mid November to ensure time to complete this by New Years.

When I heard Cody didn't need the warmth but his mom, Nancy, did. I suspect Cody is the type of man who is very glad his mom got hers first & willing to wait until last.

So I have been looking forward to this since August. It will be the crowning work for a year of longarming beautiful and often challenging quilts. This is the 6th one I pieced this year and only the 2nd one of my own that I will longarm.

Neither this quilt nor words can express my gratitude to Cody and all the wounded warriors in our midst. Their wounds are my wounds. Cody's quilt is theirs too for he receives it not only for himself but for all the wounded. Merry Christmas, Cody, and a very Happy New Year.

Dec 20: Got the backing out to piece ... then came the interruptions. Tomorrow...
Dec 21: Piecing the backing & preparing to load while it snows outside. Brrrrr. I need to re-check the IQ pattern after all I learned while doing Brian's quilt. Meanwhile the quilt is loaded & ready to baste.
Dec 22: Went over the entire plan making substantial changes virtually starting from scratch.
Dec 23: Spent all day on the design brainstorming options.
Dec 24: Still designing. Finished basting. Started quilting late in the afternoon. Got the first row done. Started on the feathers for the inner borders. Oops! Need to split some of the patterns into sew-able sections. I shut everything down & took the IQ tablet computer into the living room to program the splits. The center eagle fits in one pass but the rays and star frame need to be split too. And so it goes. Tis the night before Christmas after all. Snuggling in for a long winter's nap sounds perfect.
Dec 25: Programing breaks into the pattern so they will fit within the 15" roll of the quilt. It takes time to get it right. Ready to resume quilting tomorrow.
Dec 26: A new upgrade, oh yes! Oh no. My IQ started behaving badly--like going left when I went right. Got that fixed. I had to stop & revise some of the splits. All I managed to do today was the two corner stars.
Dec 27: Quilting. Got first row done. Can't do any more because every time I try to SEW, the system reboots. So all is far from well with IQ.
Dec 28: System is still down since last night.
Dec 29: Late in the day I learned I had misunderstood the message to (not) revert to an earlier release. I have now completed all but the center of the 2nd row.
Dec 30: Working on the eagle & its borders. The complications with so many border pieces prompted me to simplify the design, I think for the better. Made decent progress today and got some interesting late night shots.
Dec 31: Quilting has gone smoothly today but setting up each pattern was time intensive. Only have some of the pledge and two sections of single feathers to do. May add some top stitching too.
Jan 01: Finished quilting. Only the binding is left to do.
Jan 02: Attached binding and hand sewing.
Jan 05: Still binding. Posted how I do it--slow, slow, slow.
Jan 07: Finished! Off to ship it.
Jan 10: Received by Cody.

I offered & Georgette Dell’Orco at Quilters Niche accepted two of my patterns used in this quilt.
They now belong to her & she is sharing them for free.
How cool is that?

Find them here.

I cannot longarm a quilt top wider than 90". 
Length is not restricted.

I have a 10' table. The cabin just isn't big enough for a larger table. The canvas used to load the quilt back is 96" and thus 90" is the max for the top.

You just might find more than the freshest vegetables at our local farmer's market. I have wanted to go for a long time, just never did. While I wasn't making much progress on quilts around here last week, I was researching juicers. And a juicer needs a lot of fresh veggies. And grocery veggies can get quite pricey. So I went to the market thinking it would be great if I could find someone who would accept payment for the season and us not nickle and dime every transaction. As many of you know I am a homebody rarely leaving the cabin except for mailing quilts and other can't put them off any longer errands. HA! First people I met were Duane and Irene Grafton of Bridle Creek Farm in Deep Gap closer than the post office, i.e. about 6 miles from here. When Duane mentioned it first--yes, a plan just like I was hoping for--I wrote a check! So when I go to mail a quilt I can swing by and get fresh veggies all season. Thus I guess you can say I became their customer. Little did I know they would become mine. You would think a farm & horses & two boys would be enough work yet Duane is a realtor and Irene does whatever needs doing at a bank in Boone. Busy, busy busy but not to busy to drop by last night.

Duane & Irene & their two energetic sons came over this evening to bring & share some heirloom quilts. No way I was going to spoil such priceless though well worn quilts. Of course, I had to dig into my stuff. While doing so, I discovered they were serious about having a quilt made for a boy who will be one in July. Since these friends board horses at their Bridle Creek Farm...well, it was a hit.

The plan is to use this fabric as is front and back with a solid red border and binding. I have everything I need so this is next on my to do list.

June 11: Was told I have to get this posted before my friends get home. LOL. What a mess we made & I am left to clean it up. Now does that seem fair? We decided to use Art Studio Colors #101 Yuma Gold, a thick thread like King Tut. June 12: We decided to do a couple of throw pillows too since there is enough fabric.
June 14: Cut the fabric.
June 15: Pieced the top and backing. Ready to load & quilt. Took far longer than I expected because the print on the fabric was not square. It is close now.
June 19: I was about to load this quilt today when it seemed that two quilts with red backings would be a better plan than one with this gorgeous fabric on both sides. I got Duane's go ahead this evening so now I have cut two red backings & will piece them in the morning.
June 20: Piecing the backing. I will quilt one of these today & the other goes at the bottom of the queue like any other quilt. Got the first one loaded.
June 21: Started quilting and then realized I needed to stop and clean the bobbin assembly. When it gets noisy, it is time. And quilted.
June 22: Squared the quilt to prepare it for binding.

June 24: Quilting the 2nd one. About 1/2 done. No pictures on this one yet.
June 25: Finished quilting #2 through a barrage of thread breaks and tension issues. Also attached the binding. Irene came over this afternoon to learn how to do hand binding so she will finish both of these quilts.She took #2 with her. I need to do some tension repairs on #1 & then attach that binding.

July 09: Duane called this morning wanting to deliver one of these quilts this weekend. The recipient has a birthday coming up & they are going down for that this weekend. Irene has not been able to get the binding done. So now it is back on me at the last minute. I have made no promises but since I still have quilt #1 here, I am working on attaching the binding and then going to plug away until the hand work until done. Binding is now attached.
July 10: Hand binding all day. Dorothy asked me how I do binding in this heat (or something to that effect). See pictures and captions below.
July 11: Binding on quilt #1 finished in plenty of time for that birthday.

This a another project I picked up on 1/27/2012 at the quilt show in Statesville earlier this year.
Photo on the left is the fabrics in the quilt kit.
Photo on the right was taken of the quilt at the show.

May 18: I spent several hours just getting familiar with the design by drawing it into EQ7. The pattern is mostly 1/2 square triangles with a few rectangles where possible.
May 19: Cut out all the pieces. Marked the triangles. Sewed the squares & cut into triangles.
May 20: Ironed open the squares and started the layout in the center. Must layout entire rows so I can sew one row at a time. This is so fascinating to observe.
May 21: Sewing the rows. The rows are together.
May 23: Half is together.
May 24: Only 1 border to go.
May 25: Quilt top finished.

5/17/2012: Today's project is a panel quilt featuring the Buttons and Blooms collection by Red Rooster fabrics. Simple, whimsical, soft hues--just nice.

2012
Jan 27: I picked this up this kit at the quilt show in Statesville.
May 17: Cutting it out.
May 18: Quilt top is finished.
2013
Sep 17: I will finish this small lap quilt as a surprise for Tony's wife, Lori, and as thanks for his help around here. I hope to meet her one day.
Sep 18: Planned. Have decided to l use So Fine! #702 Squeaky Beach which is a variegated cream tonal thread #702, Bird Bath meander pattern & wool batting.
Sep 23: Quilted. Needs binding.
Sep 25: Binding attached.
Sep 28: Binding finished. Gave this to Tony's wife, Lori.

A friend and neighbor has asked for yet another quilt, this time for a baby expected soon. Perhaps this will do.

Print fabric is for the backing.

Mar 23: Cut out all the pieces of the quilt top.
Mar 24: Made 9 patch blocks, sashing & got the flower blocks 1/2 way together.
Mar 25: Things slowed down as I started assembling the blocks & tried to keep things fairly on point. The rows are together such as they are. I admit fudging was a bit of a factor.
Mar 26: Fudging never works. The sashing did not fit the rows. Took apart most of the rows & sashing, trimmed as needed & reassembled. Thus I am exactly where I was at end of day yesterday. This was supposed to be a one or at most 2 day little project!! HA! I must say it is very good for a longarmer to stop and piece now and then to appreciate her customers all the more!
Mar 27: I have pinned where I need to re-seam the sashing. Hopefully I can then connect the rows with more success than I had yesterday morning. Hope it doesn't take all day again. I so want to see borders on this baby (quilt). YES! I am ready to get back to longarming but I don't dare quit now less I never get motivated to finish this before that baby is born and too old to use it! HA! Got it together at last! And 2 out of three borders now done. With Joan's affirmation (comment), I am stopping right here...after stitching around the edges to hold everything in place.
Mar 28: Pieced the backing and prepared the binding. Once I choose an IQ Pattern, it is ready to quilt.
Mar 29: My friend/customer loves the quilt!. Like most men, he does not wish to pick an IQ pattern but likes the idea of using bees.
Apr 02: After much deliberation, I have decided to go with my first choice--a Bee Border by Deb Geissler. It is just too cute to use anything else. I learned Karen is interested in the whole longarming process so I invited her up to do this quilt with me. Perhaps Friday.
Apr 06: Karen & I decided to postpone until next Wednesday, April 11.
Apr 11: Quilting...ran out of steam...had to abandon my baby until morning.
Apr 12: Quilted.
Apr 24: Binding is attached. Only hand work left to do.
May 10: Binding is finished.

02/18/2012: Original plan. Didn't like Quilting Treasures pattern so I made my own. It has been modified many times to fit the constraints of the fabric I have on hand.

10/10/2013: Last night while rocking on the porch late at night, I was thinking about this quilt. Would I keep it? Would I give it away? Would I sell it? I have pondered these questions many times.

Now I know what I will do. My daughter is THE Little Engine who always could, does and always will know that she can do whatever she makes up her mind to do. She is my inspiration, ever my purpose and the one person I most admire. My life is what it is because of her.

I will make this & dedicate it to her. Along with a copy of the book this will be hers. NOW I am motivated to finally piece it.

                                                                                                  2013 Re-design
Oct 13:  I thought I had the top all planned out 20 months ago but today I realized that four of the images are not Little Engine That Could blocks. If anyone wants a couple of Puff'n Toot &/or The Chocolate Train panel blocks, let me know. I won't be using them.

                                                                                               Piecing & Quilting
Nov 18: I have a few minutes so I have pressed the fabrics and started cutting and piecing. Decided on some version of the 9-block. Center of pinwheel blocks are done. The tricky part is that the image blocks ar 10.5" x 11.5". Think I have a plan that will work. We'll see.
Nov 19: HA! By oversizing the red triangles around the pinwheel blocks, I can trim them down. Added blue borders to panel blocks. Trimmed all blocks to the same size. Ready for sashing & then borders. Plan change--just don't have enough red to make the diamonds but have just enough of the blue toss to use there.
Nov 20-22: Completed piecing. Had to omit side red borders so the top & bottom train borders would fit. This top surprised me that it turned out as large as it is.
Nov 24: Train With Trees plan proposal
Dec 14: Train Tracks plan proposal
Dec 15: Prepped. Loaded. Quilting. It will take 36 minutes to quilt each row. That gets a WOW! Quilted in one evening.
Dec 16: Squaring and then attaching binding.
Dec 24: Bound & wrapped for giving tomorrow.

Feb 06, 2012: Purchased the set of six 7" panels--small but exquisite!
Jan 01, 2016: Planned the quilt top.
Jan 02: Purchased the sashing & border fabrics--ladybugs, lavender & silver.
Sep 18, 2016: Gave this little project to Amalie, a lady I met who talked about her dream of quilting one day. Figured this was a good way for her to start. In less than a month she disappeared from my life as quickly as she came so I may never now what becomes of this project in which I have invested so much heart & treasure. I am trying to contact her hoping I am wrong.

Jan 31, 2012: Purchased this panel. There are coordinating fabrics but I didn't want them.
Mar 08, 2017: I gave this to Mary Blankenship today. I look forward to seeing how she decides to use these panels.

I am planning to use the Double Star pattern from the Strip Tubing book. This requires the special strip tube ruler. I am using one Kaufman Northwoods Roll-Up (Forty 2.5" x 44" strips of coordinating fabrics), 2 background fabrics: 1 light & 1 medium and a border fabric I chose from the Valley of Kings collection. The roll-up and the border fabrics are metallic. I so hope this will be a stunningly beautiful quilt.

Jul 26, 2011: Started this post.
Jul 2011: Cut the strips from the two neutral background fabrics.
Jan 21, 2012: WOW! I can't believe it has been 6 months since I bought this project & started on it. I put it away almost immediately to work on customer projects. Time to get on with it!! Today I laid out the strips arranging them in the way I want to sew them. Next I will sew two strips together & then sew a background strip top & bottom right sides together to that. I need 22 of these! That's all I know for now.
Jan 22:Started sewing the strips together. Stopped at 10 sets. Decided to see if can get a second roll-up from Ye Olde Forest so I don't have to use the lights. I think I need the darker strips to contrast with the two background fabrics.
Jan 27: At the extravaganza event in Statesville, Joanne let me know she has a roll-up!
Jan 28: Finished pairing up the strips and ready to make 12 more pairs.(I changed cameras. Can you tell?
Feb 12: Finished sewing all the strips into pairs.
Apr 15: Sewed 6 tube strips and cut them into squares using a 90 degrees triangle ruler. Did a temporary layout to see how it will go.
Apr 18: Finished sewing all the pairs to their background fabric (tubes). Next I need to cut a whole lot of squares, 1/2 with a background fabric & 1/2 with a strip pair. All the squares are cut.
Apr 19: 220 squares (22 sets of 10) are ironed and ready to arrange.
Apr 20: Down to 48 blocks: 8 rows of 6
Apr 21: Rows are together
Apr 28: Finally have all the rows connected so the main quilt top is now in one piece. Added the first solid blue border. Decided to not add the metallic 2nd border. Quilt top is finished.
   Quilt is loaded using gold tonal flannel backing & Quilter's Dream cotton deluxe batting, hopefully to soften and give nice drape to the stiffer metallic top plus added warmth for this winter themed quilt.
Apr 29: Working on IQ pattern selection. THANKS SO MUCH for your feedback on this.
Apr 30: Selected Pom Pom & programmed IQ & prepared the overlay.
May 01-03: Out of town
May 04: Quilting...
May 05: Quilted
Nov 23, 2012: Just came in--my finished quilt bound by Laura Mourning.
Jan 2013: Given away.

Making several sets of Christmas placemats, solid red on the front, red tartan on the back.
Using variegate Holly & Ivy King Tut thread. Got off to a bad start when a thread jammed my bobbin assembly when I turned my machine on. What took two months last summer to learn, I executed in about an hour. I am up and running beautifully.
Nov 26: Quilted two sets
Nov 27: Quilted third set. Squared the mats.
Nov 28: Binding. One set done, 2nd set well underway.
Nov 29: Putting 1st set in the booth for sale. Attached green binding to all 4, pin basted 3 and completed 1 of the 2nd set.
Nov 30: Finished 2nd set. Started on the 3rd set.
Dec 01: Finished 3rd set.

Christmas Bells

Reindeer & Stars

Season's Greetings

Planning to make three 20 x 20 pillows--one for each of Pamela's grandchildren for Christmas. We have them all planned out and the fabrics are ordered! I will overlay a square of the feature fabric onto the background polka dot fabric and quilt it before making it into a pillow cover. Two of them are 3-D when viewed through special glasses. How kool is that?
10/18: The pillows inserts are here! I ordered these wonderful pillow inserts from PillowsXpress. Great price. Fast turnaround. Only the shipping was pricey but bulky boxes do that!
10/26: All the fabric & 3-D glasses are here
11/08: Prepared the fabric
11/09: Programmed IQ, Quilted the covers. Finished one cover.
11/10: Hope to finish and ship today.

I've been promising Sam a pillow for several months. Decided to make it today while Sam finishes up the staining of my decks.