Sewing Fun at Creekside Quilting in Arcade

I have to admit---it has taken me some time to post these pictures. I was hoping to have been able to work on my table topper (from the newest Kim Diehl book ), finish it and then display it in all of it's glory. The truth of the matter is that I have been so busy, that this project has been on hold. As I was going through all of my pictures, I came across these and said---oh heck, let me post these now and then when I do work on my project- I will post those.  I know, I know-- the ole" WIP" line. I am guilty as charged.  I do plan on working on it some more- Scouts honor, I promise. Any way, I do want to say that this was a very fun day. I rode up with my friend Sandy. What a girl-she is so much fun, easy to talk to and we have so much in common. The drive to Creekside went by quickly. It was so cold and windy that day. There is a window near us in the shop and I kept looking up and watching the bushes swing back and forth. So glad we were indoors enjoying ourselves. There were only 3 of us students for the class, so we were able to spread out---I do love having elbow room. This is the first class that I took that Rochelle did since she joined Creekside. I am so glad she did. Doesn't she look happy in the picture?! I am sure I could have done this pattern on my own--but having Rochelle there with her humor and guidance--everything went by so much more smoothly and fun. Everyone one of us girls reached the same point by the end of the class--we each completed one tree---wow, that was a lot of piecing! Small piecing to be exact. I can't wait to see it completed.  Did you notice something in the pictures??...... Sandy and I brought out our vintage machines. I love it! Nothing like sewing with these sweet machines. She brought her Singer 221 with a really neat seam guide that matches her machine. I brought my green Singer 185J. I named this machine-- Joey ( G.I. Joe ), I bought this machine around the time my youngest started college. The color green reminds me of those toy army men that my Joey played with. So, in honor and thoughts of him--- It is so rightly named. I love to sew on it. Perfect size to bring to sewing dates with friends and classes. I have to admit though- looking across at Sandy sewing with her FW--- it made me think of mine. I need to get her out and play with her for a day.

 

Here is our Teacher for the class-Rochelle!Look at her smiling face-she is the Best! Look at the concentration going on with Sandy!

Just love this window with the pretty flowers. Look at the sewing space we had for our class

Sandy and I brought out our vintage babes to play with

Time for confession......... after class, Sandy and I did some shopping. Surprise- Surprise! In the book that this table topper directions are in- are a few other really cute patterns. We told Rochelle we wanted to make them. She is currently putting together a class for us on a snow man pillow. Well..... we had to get the supplies for that didn't we..???? Hahahaha.... Good excuse. I am looking forward to making that project. I love making pillows. Will show pictures of that when the class comes. For now, I need to start my day and work some more on those WIP's!

Good Morning America!!!!!

Good morning America-----now that is a statement that is totally embedded into my head from Robin Williams. With the recent Presidential Elections and now our Veterans Holiday-my head is swimming with many thoughts: America, Patriotism,Voting, Veterans, families and friends, Women's rights. These are all big and important issues not only to me but many other people in the United States. It makes me go through memories in my mind of my parents years past, as they lived through the voting, country changes, wars, changes in family and friends. They, at times, were quiet about their thoughts and other times----they were very loud about it and you couldn't get out of the room fast enough! I have always been proud of my parents and of course my brothers while growing up---- but, I have to admit- the older I get the wiser I do become-I am absolutely PROUD of my family. I come from a line of very Patriotic people and totally pro USA. Most men in my family have served our country and served it well. The woman in my family are strong and confident and supported our country and troops in any way they could. I have a few pictures of my mother as a child celebrating Flag Day---she still loved that day until she passed. So........ with all that has been happening in our country lately and now the Veterans Holiday---I have been very..hmmm how do you say..."inward". I have always been one who is sensitive to not only my thoughts and emotions but to others around me. I pick up on the emotions that swirl around me very easily. Can you imagine what I have been feeling this past week.....? A lot!I love my Country, I am so blessed to be a citizen and to raise my children in this country. I am very happy that my daughter can be a strong confident free woman and be who she wants without all of that crazy restrictions that other countries impose upon women. In many countries, women can not vote, hold certain jobs, get an education, dress how they want, travel where they want, marry who they want, express their spiritual sides as they want.....the list goes on. As a woman in the USA--I am free, my mother was free and my daughter is free. So--- to all the Veterans out there, in my family and outside my family- I say a huge THANK YOU!!!! I feel your sacrifice, I see your pain and trauma, I know of your loneliness, all the sacrifices your families have to make....It does not go unnoticed. Because of you all- We are free as a Nation. So, With that all in mind- I do wake up proud and free and say to you all: Good Morning America!

My friend Ricky and Me at our Retreat-sitting at the bar in our PJ"s! Just what I wanted to do, and lift a toast up to my Mom

Ricky's husband served our country well, as did she in supporting him. Cheers to all of you. Because of you-we are free women to go to a Quilt Retreat and sit at a bar  with our PJ's on and  have fun and be silly. Thank you!!!!

Can you guess........?????

Ok---a bit of drama and suspense here- can not help myself. I am very happy with this latest purchase for my long arm. If you haven't guess by now-I will tell you. I was just blessed with the purchase of Quilters Creative Touch/ Quilt Motion! Yes--you read this correctly--- I am upgrading the longarm and adding to the service my business can offer to not only my customers but for my own personal quilts.This is very exciting. I will be able to download all sorts of patterns and designs. I will be able to continue my free motion quilting. I am looking forward to combining both types of quilting for the highest and best outcome. I feel like the possibilities are endless. I am slowing installing software on my lap top and on my new tablet I needed to buy for the program. I have to print off the manual and start looking into taking lessons from Babylock and of course---Creekside Quilting. There is much to learn, but I am ready to do it. I keep opening up the box and looking at all the pieces. I need to get my tool side out  and ready so I can attach all of this to the machine and the frame. I am keeping my fingers crossed and hopeful that this will go on easily and smoothly. The sooner I get this all attached, the sooner I can start playing around with it and learning. My plan is to buy some fabric and backing-throw it on the frame and start pushing buttons and experimenting. I am so amazed on how much Creator has blessed me with my Long Arm business. All within a month and a half, I have been able to purchase the extension table, the lights, and now the robotics. This is so wonderful and over whelming all at once. When I was first retired and thinking of  the things that I wanted to buy and upgrade with--I never imagined that I would receive these all within the first year. Wow oh wow--amazing! I mentioned this to a friend of mine and she said: " It is all coming together". And she is right. During the past couple of months, with the help of family and friends- I was able to make my brochure and new business cards and also--work long and hard to get my blog/website up and going. There has been much done and I know that it is not done yet---but that is OK. Bring it on---I am ready. Thank you Creator- I appreciate it all and I am so thankful.

My new upgrade/goodie for the LongArm. Quilters Creative Touch

The Naked Long Arm

Well Good morning! I woke up with the sun shining in my face and my puppy standing on my chest licking my face. Wonderful way to wake up don't you think? Ha- maybe I could have done with a few less licks and dog breath---but I love her anyway. It was her way of saying- come on Mama, time to get up and go look at your improved and extended longarm frame! Fine by me- I love my longarm!  I am so use to walking into the sewing studio and seeing a quilt on the frame and or just the leader cloths on it. Nope-not today. Last night I had Steve and Colleen over. They are awesome. They helped John and I put the 2 foot extension on the frame. The directions looked simple enough, and I was told when I bought it that it would be easy to do. Well.......over 3 hours later and 4 stressed out adults-mission accomplished. We had to take the sewing head and roller off the track. The bars came off next and then the bar side holders came off. We had to flip the whole frame upside down and start unscrewing everything. Much to my dismay--the earlier directions said to use a 5mm Allen key---it wasn't into much further did we see we also needed a 3 and a 4. What I had at the house did not fit, so Colleen drove home to search their tool box. Thank Creator she found one. Back to unscrewing we went. The men did most of the work, Colleen and I did help--but we were doing a lot of support and running for things. Ahhhh those beautiful new lights of mine--what a blessing they were even last night putting this together. Finally--all unscrewed and we started the fun part of putting the new parts in and then closing it all back up ( a very surgical nurse expression- sorry, couldn't help myself- haha). When it came time to flip it back upright and put the sewing head and roller back on the new track- I was amazed and excited. Wow---I know that it was only a 2 foot extension, but it looks so huge to me. Maybe it is also because I do not have the leader cloths on it. That will be my job today. I bought new ones---I needed too, the other ones are now to small. These new ones have that bright white lovely new look that will make me smile even more. Oh---I just can't wait to sew them up and put them on and then load up a quilt. I can now do quilt tops that are up to 120 inches wide! That is a whole lot of quilt. Sooooooo....... I think that today will be fun in the studio. With the new longer frame, I need to switch things around a bit so that I can fit around the frame and other stuff. All good, all wonderful, feeling blessed again.

My beautiful 12 foot long naked Longarm!

Fall leaves and Quilting with Gratitude.

 I don't know if it is just my way at looking at life or if other quilters share this view. For me, I think Fall is the number one season in my mind to quilt. It inspires me, the colors lift my emotions, the air is so crisp that it clears my mind, the temperature is cool enough where I am not dying from heat and humidity, need I say more. It truly is a wonderful season. I spent yesterday quilting my friends first of many quilts for her granddaughter. It was so nice to have the honor to quilt some one's first quilt! When she gave it to me to do- she said:" I trust you- do what ever you want". I was so touched by her statement. That is huge to me- to be trusted  by someone with their creation.To be chosen to work on their quilt over other Longarmers out there.

my main side of the driveway is totally covered in these beautiful leaves!

/the back of my house- I get to view this every time I open my door

the other side of my driveway under the canopy of these old majestic trees.

 To be believed in by a fellow quilter- that means so much to me. I have had this very statement said to me a couple of times. It is so humbling to hear it. It touches my heart and my soul. I really would not be here doing what I am doing if it were not for the love and support of my family, friends and customers. What a wonderful thing it is when you have people believing in you and trusting you. One of the greatest gifts you can give someone. Love, To me, this is a form of Love. I do not have pictures to show of her quilt. She is a private person with her creations right now. I will honor that. Today, I am in a very warm and fuzzy place in my heart and soul. I am filled with gratitude and peace. I am thankful for the day and all that has been placed into my lap and my family's lap- Thank you Creator. I plan on going outside and enjoying the beauty of it. I would like to participate in an Elenore Burns seminar on the net, and I would like to load up another quilt on the long arm. Sounds like a perfect plan, sounds like a perfect day. Enjoy yourself' today, and on the words of Jamie Wallen- Be good to one another!

Chocolate Covered Cherries

I could not wait to wake up and take pictures of my new eye candy. I could not wait to wake up and blog about this quilt top. I have been looking at Irish Chain quilts for some time now, to me-they are beautiful. But, I just never got around to it. I also in my head could not decide if I wanted a color theme or make it scrappy. I have seen one that was scrappy and that was so delicious looking. Well, for a couple of years now, while I am surfing the net, I have come across this pattern. I have seen it under different names-but the original name is Chocolate Covered Cherries by Jo's Country Junction. After eye balling this pattern for a couple of years, I finally said " Oh Nadine, just print the pattern for goodness sake!"So I did. That was a few months ago. I read the directions, figured out what I needed to make this. I needed a mix of brown fabrics, red fabrics and a cream for the background. With that in mind, I kept my eyes open for any opportunity to buy these colors. Even though I was sticking to 3 color schemes, I still felt that it was sorta scrappy because I wasn't just using just 3 different fabrics. Love to mix and match. My first place of purchase was at the Westfield Quilt show this summer. I was so delighted to see vendors there. One in particular had a lot of what I was looking for. Next, stop was quilt shops. I know the directions said to use yardage, but I am a huge lover of fat quarters. I bought a few of them and just made do. I knew that I would be going to my quilt retreat this October, I planned on putting it together there. I decided to pre cut all of the pieces(that took HOURS), label them and put them in a tote--I was so organized- I amazed myself. Well- the retreat was finally here. Away I went with my tote. Opened it up, read the directions some more and saw that- Oh my God, what did I get myself into. I hate cutting fabric, I hate chopping vegetables-to me it is all tedious. Silly me, this is not one of those patterns I can get away with just slapping it together. There not only was a great deal of pre-cutting before the retreat- I was in for a great deal more. I had to make 144 nine patch blocks, 144 square in a square blocks, etc... Before I could do this- I had to make strip set after strip set after strip set, then cut-cut-cut. That took me 3 days to do. I had visions of completing this at retreat-oh foolish me. I did not. I brought it home and decided I would finish it here instead of leaving it in the tote for next retreat. I worked on this Sunday night to last night. I can safely say that I burned the midnight oil.  I was so focused. I went to bed last night with peace in my heart- I had finished it!! I wanted to take it outside and take pictures of this Irish Chain variation quilt top of mine amongst all of the fallen colorful leaves. Ahhhhh Mother Nature, gotta love her. I woke up to rain. That is OK, I settled for just laying it out and clicking away with the camera. I love it!! I can't wait to put it on the Long Arm and quilt it. I am playing with all sorts of designs in my head. I am not sure who's bed this will end up on- possibly mine. I think I deserve a new quilt for my bed!

Here she is- my beautiful Chocolate Covered Cherries quilt top!! What girl doesn't deserve chocolate and cherries?!

I am looking at this over and over--playing out all kinds of quilt designs in my head. There are so many possibilities. I am thinking of thread choices. I may use 3 different colored threads on it. I would love to buy fabric that is a mix of browns and reds for the backing. That would be so lovely. I will have to keep my eyes open when I go to the quilt shops again. I think this is a good reason to go out fabric hunting.

Sister's Choice

What a beautiful day it is today!! Again- I am in awe of the beauty I see in my back yard with all the fall leaves on the grass. I just love the fall colors. I am also so impressed on how nice and warm it is outside. Love it. Well, I have been working hard on some of my projects that are just gimping along. The old saying: works in progress. Well, I have a bunch of work in progress going on in my studio.  I had planed on working on some of them at my Quilt retreat, but I was hung up on working mostly on one of them. I will show pictures of that at a later date. This one: Sister's Choice is a Bonnie Hunter pattern. I took a class from her well over a year ago. I have slowly been plugging away at this quilt.I brought the tote that has all of the fabric and directions in it to retreat, but realized I did not bring all of the fabric that I needed. I had to put to lid back on and say to myself, not meant to be, I will have to wait and do this at home. I find that there are many steps to making one 10 inch block. For me, the progress is slow. That is OK. I am using all of my scraps and it is so much fun playing with all of my fabric. I keep trying to in vision what it will look like on my bed when it is completed. Anticipation is killing me. I am attracted to this pattern because it has such a homey, comforting, loving feel to it. I was so thrilled to take the class with Bonnie. She is one of my favorite teachers. Just love her. She really is as nice in person as she is on the videos I watch of her. I would so much like to take another class from her. Until then, I will keep plugging away at my quilt top. The good news is that I am close to being half way there!!! How is that for positive thinking?!! . I plan on running a few errands today- and then hide myself in my studio and sew until my eyes cross.

Bonnie Hunter and Me

Bonnies Sister Choice she brought to display

A few of my blocks. Just love how they are turning out

Hahahahaha