Waterworld on Fleece

"Waterworld" by Jodi Beamish (Willow Leaf Studio) is one of my favorite pantographs which I used on this contemporary blue watercolor looking fleece quilt.

Happy Thanksgiving

(wild turkeys on our back lawn at Timber Hill)

Today is Thanksgiving. The one day a year that gives us all the opportunity to reflect on the past year, and even the years gone by, and give thanks for all we have. There are so many things to be thankful for. So many friends and family have touched our lives. I am so blessed. Just the fact that the list of "blessings" would be quite long is just one of the many things I'm thankful for. Life is good.

I am also thankful for the opportunity to know so many inspiring quilters and crafters since I started blogging. Learning, sharing and being inspired by so many of you. You brighten my day! Thank you also for reading my blog and for taking time to leave comments. You are all very kind. I hope you are having a blessed Thanksgiving Day.

One More Fleece Quilt

I've had this fleece for a long time. Another fleece quilt completed. I seem addicted to doing these fleece quilts! I have one more bundle of fleece sitting under the quilting frame---and then I think I will quit. (maybe) :o) It's hard to pass up these sales as fleece is so fun to quilt on with the quilting machine, and they make great gifts!

I did see Joann's has Anti-Pill solid fleece on sale for $4.00 a yard----hmmmm.

Quilting a Martha Quilt

(60" x 75")

I've been doing a lot of fleece quilts with my new long arm. I'm sort of tired of those---Yesterday, I loaded a Martha Quilt top that Cora had given me and had some fun! I started at the upper left corner with some peacock swirls and twirls--swooped into some leaves and tendrils---swooped into stem of feathers and then into some ferny leaves, etc. etc, etc. All over the quilt.

I used some of the new 80/20 Legacy batting. It quilted beautifully! Not as puffy as Hobbs 80/20. A flatter look to the quilting I think, but after washing it may puff up more.



I don't spend a lot of time doing custom quilting on 'scrappy quilts' like this top. Frequently I do pantographs, but it was great to let loose and just quilt whatever came to mind.

Meet Polly!

Since "Rosie" moved to a new home in September, quilting friends have been asking what I was planning to name the new long arm...I'm pleased to introduce you to "Polly".



It took just a few quilting projects for me to decide on the name "Polly". Machine quilting has always been been fun for me---now this new machine takes it to a totally awesome level! All the controls operate so smoothly. The power take up roller and height adjustments controls just move up or down at the flick of the handle controls with the least amount of effort . The stitch regulator is so smooth that's it's difficult to tell if the stitch regulator is on, so I've never turned it off! Normally with most long arm quilting machines you can tell by the feel and sound the stitch regulator is operating---not so with the Prodigy Quilter. The first stitch is as evenly spaced as the last stitch! No slightly elongated first stitch leaving points or moving into a fast curve. In fact the Prodigy stitch regulator keeps up at whatever speed I'm quilting. No annoying sounds or bleeps, ever.



Here are a few projects "Polly" and I have finished quilting. Zoie's baby Quilt.



This medium size fleece quilt.



And this larger fleece quilt.



I have another fleece quilt on the frame and will post photos tomorrow. These are a lot of fun to do. Very forgiving. Quick projects.

As I glanced out the kitchen window this morning sipping my morning coffee, I was greeted by this beautiful early morning visitor. He watched me, as I watched him--- long enough for me to snap these pictures. The he slowly crossed the parking area and headed down into the forest of Timber Hill. Elegant!

Practicing is Over

I'm have been getting tired of practicing with the new long arm. Not that it isn't fun. But, I wanted to move onto a real quilting project. Below is part of the practice drawing on the muslin. I learned a lot about tension and how the touch pad works for settings on the needle up/down and spi. I made some small labels for the handle toggles so i could remember which rolled the quilt, moved it up/down & turned on the laser. I know soon it will be automatic, but for now the ole' brain needs a nudge.



So, yesterday I loaded two layers of fleece and quilted this.

It went quick. No broken threads. Good tension except in one small area where somehow the thread slipped out of the pre-tensioner.

This is a large fleece quilt. One of those bundles that was half off last year at Joanns. Approx. 58 " x 68". Snuggly warm for curling up with a good book!

Quilt Retreat

It must be quilt retreat season---it seems many of the forums and blogs I read are about retreats!
I thought I would share about my own quilt retreat at Bishops Ranch here in northern California that I just came back from. I have the pleasure of attending this retreat twice a year. Totally fun!

My quilting buddy Carolynn traveled from Indiana to attend. There were about 45 of us! Here are Carolynn and I ready to leave. We pack our machines, projects, a few clothes and head out! 4.5 glorious days of sewing, sewing, sewing and talking and laughing and sharing with dear friends! Staying up late and eating some of the best food north of the Golden Gate!




Here are just a few of the wonderful quilts from our Show n' Tell.





This is what I worked on most of the time. I planned to do more, but you know how that goes when you're having fun!



In the midst of getting ready for our retreat, this arrived. In a word "marvelous"! More about the new long arm next time.



The Prodigy Quilter.

Machine Quilters! Are You Following this Blog?

Do you love, love to machine quilt? If you do then I hope you are following Leah Day's blog on a daily basis.

Leah started quilting a new free motion design every day and plans to introduce a new free motion design for 365 days! That's quite a challenge! Can she do it? Stay tuned in and find out! Today is Day 32!

Here is the link to Leah's Blog

http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/

She is very inventive with her beautiful quilting designs, and usually has videos of her free motioning. It's fun to check in each day and see what she has come up with! Inspiring!

We Will Never Forget

As I woke up and stretched and splashed some water on my face, and made a beeline for the coffee, and looked out at the peaceful morning while it steamed and the wonderful aroma of morning coffee filled the kitchen and I took that first sip I glanced at the calender and remembered what day this is. How sometimes it feels like only yesterday this horrific event happened, and how sometimes it seems so long ago and I almost feel like maybe it really didn't happen---like a bad dream. But, then I know I will not forget---and my thoughts wander to to the day it happened. Sept. 11, 2001.

It probably started just like my day for so many families getting ready for work. Children getting back to school, on a balmy Sept. morning and I remember and say a prayer for all the survivors, their families and the brave firefighters.

We shall not forget you and all that you did on that memorable day.

New Mat, new Muslin, new Markers

I've been replacing rotary blades more often than not lately. I just couldn't figure it out. Skipping cuts, not cutting. So, I started looking at my cutting mat. An Olfa. I date my mats when I buy a new one---well, I hadn't bought a new mat since 1999!!! No wonder it felt flat, hard--almost brittle. I was cutting on a "dead mat". I mean it had no bounce at all...rotary blades need some cush to cut like they should. Wow, what a difference...when was the last time you bought a new cutting mat?

I got this new Fiskers double sided one on sale at JoAnn. 50% off sale last week. I have the yellow side showing, the other side is mint green. Nice!



Yesterday I went back to JoAnns because believe it or not, (I could hardly believe it myself!)---I had NO MUSLIN! What is a quilter without muslin? Shameful I think, especially since I told Mary I was going to start a String Quilt for her String Quilt Project. The base for the string quilts is muslin! I could have used an old sheet I suppose, but I still believe a quilter should not be without a stash of Muslin, somewhere in her sewing room! :o)

I mean not a smidgeon of it anywhere. So, I stocked up on nice Kona Muslin, and also some of the less expensive stuff too.

I checked out the sale on air and water soluble marking pens too. I used up my last blue wash out on the whole cloth quilt. Picked up a few other goodies too.

Fairfield 80/20 Queen size batt on sale for another. I've never used this brand of 80/20 packaged batting before! Feels softer than Hobbs. Anyone used this?

The Snuggle flannel was on sale, so that lavender purple print on the bottom of the muslin stack is for the baby quilt I just finished. I love flannel backed quilts! Especially for babies! :o)