ABCs of Quilting Blog

Working on Hot Shots!!

Okay, I promised that I would get a photo on here of Susie – actually, I am probably the only person who calls her that!  She prefers ‘Sue’ but I think that Susie is better!! 

In addition to being my business partner and friend, Susie is in charge of the Long -Arm part of our business.  She does some awesome work and together with Edna they make quite a team.  Since we keep the machine running seven days a week, we are able to get quilts back to their owners in about two weeks.  I like that!!

The quilt on the machine is called ‘Hot Shots’ which is a pattern by Maple Island Quilts and the fabrics include some silk (the small squares that look scattered on the top are the silk pieces).  I have worked on silk in the past and loved it but this was the first time I combined cotton and silk for a quilt. 

This particular silk fabric is made by Kaufman for quilters and, boy, was it nice to use.  As with every quilt, I did some ‘reverse’ sewing but it didn’t fray any worse than the cotton and maintained it’s shape perfectly!  I finished it on Monday and brought it in so that Edna and Susan could get it quilted before we leave for a Quilt Show this weekend.  Oh yeah…I guess this means I get to work on the binding!  I am thinking that I can get it attached to the quilt and then sew it on while Susie drives us down to Minneapolis!  Hey — at least I won’t fall asleep and it will make the time go faster!

And, just in case you LOVE this quilt, we do have kits for it.  I haven’t taken the photo of it and so far it is not on the website, but here are the details:  63″ x 87″ which is Twin Size, the kit comes with the fabrics for the top and binding plus the pattern and the cost is $77.99.  So, if you are interested, just give us a call and we will get it out to you as soon as possible.  Our number is 1-888-326-9661.

When I wanted to start  a blog, my goal was to keep it updated at least once a week.  I am not certain I am actually kept that goal, but I promise to be better when we get back from the  Women of the West Quilt Show! 

Have some fun this weekend – you deserve it!

Okay, don’t get excited — this is a photo of  my hubby, Doug, and I!  He was never on the design wall and probably doesn’t even know what that is!  I just thought since I talk about him so much you might want to see a photo of the two of us together.  I will get one up here of Susie & I in the near future!  This was taken from the patio of our house one summer afternoon.

Back to the project that is finally off of the design wall….

Just in case you are new to quilting, a design wall is exactly that.   A place, usually a wall, that lets you ’stick’ your blocks up in the correct position so you can make certain that every block is where it should be BEFORE you begin to sew it together.  There are ‘walls’ you can purchase from your local quilt shop or you can make one.  Doug and I made this one.  It consists of two pieces of pink insulation boards (I don’t know what else to call them) with some flannel pinned over them.  It works great for me and when there are too many threads on it, I simply wash the flannel and pin it back on them.  Since I discovered the pink things in the garage, it was pretty inexpensive. 

Okay, here is what happened.  I took a class (from the authors even) called One Block Wonders.  I loved the concept and the technique and I did get the first one done very quickly.  I was so excited when I got back home, I could hardly wait to see the finished project!  I showed that quilt to anyone who stood still long enough for me to open it up.

Then our local guild decided to have a project day and teach the One Block Wonder technique.  Of course, I had to go and participate.  Since my stash is embarassingly large, I found a fabric that would be perfect for the quilt.  I had it all cut out BEFORE the class so I could help the quilters cut their triangles.  I still have enought time to finish making most of the hexagons that day.  When I got home, I finished the rest of them and hung them on the design wall.

AND THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE PROBLEM!

I got distracted by activities at the shop.   And, as if that wasn’t enough, I had ‘quilters’ block.  I just couldn’t decide if I liked the arrangement of colors, or it was too hot, or I was too tired, or the US Tennis Open started or anything else I could think of to NOT work on that quilt! 

I began to work on other projects.  This was a pretty good option and it worked just fine until I had a baby quilt  that needs to get to the baby soon and it couldn’t go together without using the design wall.  DRATS! 

Since I am pretty resouceful, I just put that aside and worked on a couple of pillowcases, made some cute bags and totes, got all of the blocks for a pinwheel project done,  created a mini size pillowcase for Trick ‘N Treating, and even went to the extreme of CLEANING my sewing space.  That was when I knew I had to finish that quilt top!  I don’t know how often you clean yours, but my sewing room is allowed to get beyond messy before I resort actually cleaning it!!!!!!!!

I forced myself on Monday to work on sewing the One Block Wonders together and get the top ready for borders.  Yup, that is the current status of it – but I have them picked out and ready for sewing –  that counts, doesn’t it????  And, now it is hanging on the banister and not my design wall!

  After it was done, I had projects lined up like the airplanes waiting for take-off at O’Hare.  Really – I’ m serious.  In that one day, I also got the baby quilt done, the pinwheels done, and began to work on my next project!  I was so proud of myself, I pity the people who had to endure me for the rest of it! 

Bet you are wondering WHY I chose to talk about this, aren’t you????  Well, it is because all of us have unfinished projects lying around our sewing space waiting for our attention.  Don’t get discouraged, hang in there  and you will get it done when the time is right!

And, just for the record, remember all of those kits you bought but haven’t started yet????  Those are NOT considered UNFINSHED  because you haven’t started them!!!! 

Next time – photos of Susie!