Please, before you leave?

I had a call on Wednesday morning from Betty. A new friend I've made through the hand stitching group I attend. 'With These Hands' is a splinter group of The Cobblestone Quilters Guild. We meet up on the third Friday of each month at Panera Bread. They've all been very friendly and Betty and Edie have brought me quilt tops to be done on my long arm. So, when she asked if I could get a quilt done for her, before she was leaving for vacation (in a few weeks), I had to chuckle and told her I was leaving within a few days myself. I could hear her disappointment, but she was very understanding. I asked about the quilt. Size, who was it for, could it get a simple edge to edge design, etc etc. she said I could do whatever I thought best. Now how can you say no to that? 

20 minutes later she was dropping it off. I got to work right away, and by mid afternoon I was able to send her the text message, 'she's done and ready to be picked up'. Betty popped on over and took home this bundle of comfort that's going to a grandchild. 

So, I have a 'finish' for the day before leaving on vacation. 

I have decided to take along some hand work for the road trip portions of our vacation. 

I'll post pictures as I progress, as I don't expect it to be a 'finish' for quite some time!!

May God grant you the energy to accomplish all your heart desires to get done,

Luann

September, A Highly Productive Month

Finished my Medallion center for the 'mystery quilt-a-long' the other day. This completes the October clue. I'm really enjoying the colors I chose. I've been very drawn to reds and aqua so lately. 

And this is my Poppy Fields quilt. It is NOT a panel. Those are all individual fabrics, trimmed from side to side, along the image-edge you want to capture. The fabrics are: the stems, large poppies, small red flowers, birds in the branches, and a strip of white with blue clouds, then the strip of blue with white clouds. Clouds and all edges were raw edge appliqué. I quilted this one with a swirl pattern and my 'glide' foot!  Not a single edge flipped up. This foot is wonderful. I can see how much it will help. 

This quilt top came home with me yesterday from an informal group of stitching enthusiasts. I love the fabrics she chose and her improvisational approach to making blocks. I enjoyed quilting this one up on my long arm. I was able to send her a message last night that it was done. I put my client's quilts onto the longarm at the first opportunity. I like getting them back to their owners quickly. 

I've spent quite a bit of this past week getting a group together to do a Round Robin. Only ours will be a 'row' robin. We're going to make a row 6 1/2" by 36 1/2" each month for a specific person. When we get our rows in the mail, it'll be up to each of us how we put them together. I think we're all anxiously waiting for January 1, 2016 when it officially starts. If you would be interested in joining in the fun, send me a message at my email address Luann.fischer at yahoo dot com and I'll let you know how to join in. 

So, how/what were my accomplishments this past month?

** 3 clients quilts quilted using various patterns that were adjusted to the size of their quilt tops

** I walked more but this old body could use a regular routine, not so sporadic about it

** I spent a lot of time attending meetings, networking with others in my trade, & perfecting my skills

** How to create a continuous design with Spoonflower Handbook

** Caterpillar Crawl completed and hanging on a wall

** Fractured Flower was made into an oversized mug rug, so it would hold plenty of cookies,  LOL

** Sunrise/Sunset piece is quilted, and binding is attached to the front, just needs a little handwork

** Poppy Fields quilt is ready for binding

** DSP quilt completed

** 3 table runners pieced with my hand dyed fabrics are finished and waiting for gift giving time

** 4 Improv pieces have been completed, 1 given away, 3 being enjoyed at our house

** 7 previously quilted pieces were bound and given to a local charity

** Blog posts were kept on schedule

** Mystery quilt has September and October steps done

** Primitive Woolies is ready for quilting 

And what got put into "cogitation time" ?

"Roots" it was due today, and I'm not ready to show anything,, soon!!

The series on 'nests/beginnings'

The Princess, I did decide on the backing and binding fabric, but the quilting design is baffling me

Canberra Tree. The quilting and thread sketching was started on my sewing machine, I'd like to change over to the long arm, but I'm just not 'feeling' it yet!

And last and possibly going to be dropped off the list, is the 2015 Summer BOM on Craftsy. I like the pattern and free is great. I'm happy with my fabric choices. The whole project just hasn't held its appeal, so I'll get the info, watch the lessons, and maybe even save the group of fabrics in one place. 

There are only so many hours in my day and I want them to be invested well. So, sometimes, that means changing my mind, postponing an activity or project, or using discernment as to 'what' I will be busy with. 

My month has been filled with many other wonderful times with people I care about. This month, October, I will be visiting family and friends in the Midwest and I am looking forward to it with great anticipation. I may be a bit quieter, but I'll be creating one way or another. Creating and maintaining loving relationships is the most important activity in my life. 

May Holy Spirit comfort you and keep you, 

Until we meet again,

Luann

Third Review for September

The cotton fields are coming into bloom. Before long it will look like a 'field of snow'. 

Here we are, almost at the end of September. 

I posted my intentions on the first, and I've done two reviews during this month. I'll be adding pictures and text over the next few days as they roll on by. 

I now have the sashing/border around the center piece, and black borders on also. The final border of 1" finished half square triangles will have to wait until I can find my Thangles for making them. Well, I tried to find them, but I didn't. I'm not waiting any longer. Here is my pile of HSTs all pressed and ready to be trimmed to 1&1/2" square! 96 of them to do. 

And I have finished this quilt made with deconstructed screen printed fabrics. 

The feather wreath block is so soft. This quilt was pieced improvisationally. That made it necessary for me to customize each design to the area it would go into! It's pretty busy, but that doesn't seem to slow anyone down from wanting to try it out.

And here's a closer look at the binding. I sewed it by machine with my favorite decorative stitch, I call 'heartbeat'. 

I finished off this next piece into an over sized mug rug. I like lots of cookies with my coffee!!

And the reverse for when I want a bit of a change of scenery. The quilt design only shows up well in dim light. 

Then I got busy with a piece I had on one of my design walls for 'way too long' and added borders, put on a facing, inserted a piece of Peltex for structure, and added a piece of fabric over the back. It looks a lot like the insidecover of a hand bound book. I attached the hand dyed lace piece with buttons. On this picture, my caterpillar still had his tail. He has since gotten a docking! 

My next activity will be trimming up those half square triangles and making the border with them for my little "woolies" piece. And they are done and attached. Next step will be the quilting of it. 

I also took my Sunrise/Sunset piece off the design wall, mounted it onto the long arm and worked out a design. I had already stitched in the ditch around the border. It has been trimmed and a binding attached to the front. Just waiting for hand stitching the binding to the back, etc. 

I'm definitely learning how to tweak designs to fit into the spaces I want them for. 

And I've just started reading this book:

It's very interesting and something I never learned much about as I grew up. Jesus and God yes, but Holy Spirit not very much. 

What's been on your reading radar lately?

It's 12:11am Tuesday, I think I'd better get some sleep so I can get at more sewing and quilting tomorrow. 

I'll do the final review in a couple of days, but this is so full of pictures I think I'd better post it now. 

May God bless you with a restfilled night,

Luann

The Longarm, The Frog, and The Happy One

The longarm quilting machine today is waiting to be installed. 

The Frog (finished room over garage) has been readied. 

And a very happy me!

Friday it gets installed. Saturday I will have my first training session. 

I thank God for having this all come together. I know He is in control. I trust Him to make sure that I use this machine to accomplish His will through me. 

May God richly bless you as you carry out His purpose in your life,

Luann