Summer Kick-Off

Well, now that Memorial Day has officially been observed; it's full speed ahead into summer. I'm ready! Having successfully navigated twice-a-week, post fracture, out patient physical therapy sessions I feel ready to tackle the world again! The therapist that I was assigned has been fabulous, he's young, motivated and extremely supportive of my desire to be fully healed, flexible and strong. He pushes me, and that's good. I have three levels of therapy bands attached to my longarm frame for mid-day strength training at home. This sign greeted me the other day when I checked in at the PT facility: 

              "Pain is temporary, quitting is forever". 

I placed flags in the pots outside our home this weekend, take a look at the bare-root, wintered-over geraniums on the steps. They've absolutely rebounded to full strength. Think of me as a geranium... bouncing back for all that I'm worth.

I'm slowly catching up on the blocks for Shelly Cavanna's Barn Star Sampler that's being taught, block-of-the-month style, at my LQS. This one, above, is the Carpenter Star.

And, the Tulip Star. These are BIG blocks. I'm using my own color choices and Wilmington Essentials "dry brush" line of fabrics to give mine an authentic "weathered" barn star appearance. The colors, too, put me in a happy, summertime state of mind.

Augie has a friend spending time with us this week. These two are so cute together, they play, chase, and wrestle with each other all day long; until they literally crash, in their respective beds. After napping, as soon as one raises a head, it's on... all over again!

Because summertime means vacation time, when better to quilt up this National Parks (one of my favorite vacation destinations) panel that's been hanging out in my stash closet for a few years? I already had the backing on the shelf, a super-soft, chocolate brown flannel for a cozy snuggle quilt. This pantograph is Classic Weave by Kathie James for Urban Elementz. 

Uncle Sam is once again serving as the summertime sentry to the studio. 

I'll conclude this kick-off to summer post with a laugh, who doesn't love a good flow chart?

Are you guilty? 

😉

Life is Good!

One Scoop, Please!

I decided that I would like to add a new hopping foot option to Snowbird a few weeks ago, I really wanted a Scoop Foot. Since my longarm is not one of the newer machines that has the quick change option, that addition that I craved was going to necessitate installing an upgrade kit to make this happen. Mr. Goodneedle agreed to do the installation and I placed the order. The job was a labor intensive one, but it's been accomplished and I couldn't be happier now to have the option of changing out my hopping feet depending on the project. "Why?", you may ask. Let me explain. Up until recently I had been perfectly happy quilting everything with my standard-issue 1/4" hopping foot. Here's that foot. It gets the job done, is a true 1/4" and works beautifully for both pantographs and ruler work. You might remember those T-shirt quilts that I did earlier this spring. This was the first time that I encountered differences in thicknesses while quilting on the pantograph (or back) side of the machine. Those stabilized T-shirts were slightly thicker than the sashing fabric and whenever this hopping foot would encounter a slightly raised seam it needed coaxing up and over. The stitching was still perfect, it was just part of the rhythm of quilting those two quilts. I knew about the scoop foot and it was these small "challenges" that led me to do the research and, ultimately, to place the order.

And here's the Scoop! As you can see, those cupped edges will smoothly travel up and over any differences in thickness, I love it!  I am so glad that I have opened myself up to a new option and have moved forward and made the change. How many times do we miss out on the very best when we're content to simply leave things the way they are because it requires less effort? I know that I can be guilty of that.

Speaking of the very best: here's another antique quilt top that was rescued to now live its BEST life! I was privileged to be able to quilt this one. Think about living your best life, what little changes are within your control to help make this happen? You never know, you might just be joyfully surprised!

I wish you all a happy Memorial Day today. 

This quilt isn't mine, (but I wish it was!!) it is from Quilted Threads, 

one of my favorite quilt shops, located in Henniker, NH.

Life is Good!  

Welcome, Sam!

Meet Sam, he's the newest guard to be posted at the door to my sewing room; he's arrived just in time for Memorial Day, Flag Day and the 4th of July! As my friend commented when she saw him under construction: "he's a yankee doodle dandy", that he surely is. Sam is a Country Threads pattern (thanks, Mary and Connie for another wonderful pattern!). Sam joins the ranks of an army of sentries who dutifully occupy this post throughout the year: Santa, Brrrrr, Harvey and Frank; welcome, Sam!

Sam went together quickly, the pieces are all large and the flag “jacket” is constructed from a pre-made flag, he measures 22" X 59". I found the absolute MOST PERFECT piece in my stash for the backing, and I had enough!

Just enough~ this was meant to be!

I got him quilted up quickly yesterday and from there I couldn't stop...

His button details were added and the binding went on lickity-split, 

not quite a quilt in a day but almost.

Life is Good!