Rolling along

There must have been a front go through here last night, because the wind was so furious it blew the front door open! The knob lock was on, but not the deadbolt, so I hooked the screen door and threw the bolt to be sure it didn't happen again while we were sleeping. This morning dawned gray and peaceful; everything wet from rain. Mr Wazoo spent the day yesterday doing yard work and spreading a truckload of mulch, so today will be a quilting day for him.
I worked all day in the studio yesterday, finishing a couple of customer quilts and getting going on some others. Here are the finished projects.

I have quilted this same design for another customer in the past. It is sure beautiful!

The background is stylized wind and snow. The only quilting on the cardinal are some feathers for his wing.

Continuous line quilting in the squares

I have to say, the quilt maker made perfect circles, and the applique stitch is  invisible and tiny.

This is the big quilt where I spent some precious time picking out a row of quilting Mr W put in. I spritzed and steamed the affected area, and the stitching marks closed up just fine. The bottom of the quilt is also 2 inches bigger than the top, so some starching was done to shrink up the fabric. There were a few tiny places where all that extra fabric folded over with the quilting, but I was able to manually manipulate most of the fullness into submission. I think it turned out very well. I did notice the piecing error in the top right hand block. See it? That's an oops.

Panto: Flower Power

A look at the pretty lavender backing.

Another customer sent the blocks she made for a quilt for her daughter's birthday. It has to be finished by May first, so I need to get a move on with it. I need to make the sashing and borders, as well as add some quotes she sent that are favorites of the recipient. There isn't enough fabric for the border, and none for the backing, so that will be a priority for finishing the project.

The daughter is a teacher, which explains the use of the schoolhouse block. Pretty red fabrics make up the blocks.

The other quilt top she sent is humongous!! The backing (I have to get that) will extend from side to side on my table. This will be a challenging project, to be sure!! It's pretty, but gigantic.

Just, wow.

On my walk to the top yesterday, I stopped and admired the rock garden in the back of the house. Mr Wazoo does a wonderful job keeping everything tidy and beautiful, and Mother Nature does the rest. Things are starting to bud or bloom, and I am confident it will warm up soon. For today...more pouring rain.

I had better get dressed and get to the studio. It is going to be another busy day!

The shrubs and the phlox are going great guns. Fresh mulch makes a dark background to set off the new growth.

My birth month flower, as well as the Wisconsin state flower! We have violets popping out all along the driveway.

We said good bye to Winkie, and sent him home.

A bit of quilting, a bit of picking and some happy dogs

The hand sewing on the memory quilt made from ties was finished this morning, and both quilts will go home to the quilt maker tomorrow. Mr Wazoo took a ride over to Blue Ridge to take Molly for a fluff and buff while he visited his favorite plant store. Meanwhile, Molly's friend, Bullwinkle was dropped off for an overnight visit.
Bullwinkle and I went down to the studio to work, and I finished the picking the quilting out on the big quilt. I spritzed the picked parts with water and steamed them with a hot iron to close up any stitching holes. It is on the frame now, ready to be re-quilted tomorrow.

My fingers are crossed that the quilting won't have the same problems that caused Mr W to give up on it.

During the time I was picking out the quilting, I was also quilting a couple of small quilts on the Millie. I have one more for this customer, and then I'll get them going home!

This is a classy and modern baby quilt! I love the fabrics.

Panto: Funky Fans, with light gray thread

The back is equally as wonderful as the front!

Here is a finished UFO the customer had put away a while ago. Now, it's finished and ready to hang next Fall!

Panto: Twinkling leaves with blue-gray thread

Pumpkiny backing.

Mr Wazoo brought Molly home from the groomer, and she is a pretty girl!

Not the best photo, but you get the idea...sweet smelling, too.

Mr Wazoo went to work and finished two small quilts, too!

Another fun quilt made by my oldest customer!

Panto: Modern loops

A peek at the back

This is the second quilt by the same customer. Bright and cheerful.

It had a pieced back. Panto: Trellis Vine

After supper, Winkie made himself at home, and we all wound down from the activities of the day. We'll be up early tomorrow to start right in with more quilting and dog fun.

Winkie says, "good night!"

Another finish and some major league picking

The morning was shot with the meeting in town, but the afternoon was quite productive. I finished the small custom quilt!

This is a pretty little quilt!

Some of the quilting

The applique blocks are really sweet!

The borders finally done

The striped backing has a very soft hand to it. Lovely!

The rest of the day was spent picking out a full row of quilting Mr Wazoo did. The quilt has some problems where the centers of pinwheel blocks come together, and the resulting bumps deflected the needle over and over. This caused the quilting to look jerky and awful. He gave up and asked me to fix it and re-do the quilting. I'm about half done with the picking...

Tomorrow, we get to enjoy Molly's pal Bullwinkle for an overnight stay. She is going to the groomer in the morning to get spruced up for the visit. Fun will ensue.

The daily grind

Today started with a routine doctor appointment, featuring my second pneumonia shot. All is well, and I was making my next appointment when in walks Mr Wazoo! He had also been at his doctor appointment and saw my car was still in the lot, so he came in to check on me. Aw...so thoughtful. We headed out together and did the 'Big Shop'. That's what we call the grocery shopping we do once a month to replenish all our pantry and freezer stock. Any other trips to the store are for perishables and greeting cards! Anyway, we forgot to go back to the doctor's office and get his truck. Oops. Oh well, we still had a nice time together.
At home, I trimmed the three tee shirt quilts and worked the rest of the day on the small custom quilt. One border to go. All the flowers and leaves are done as well as the inner border. Here are the tee shirt quilts.

When I called the quilt maker, she said these were the first quilts she had made! She really did a good job. Tee shirts aren't always cooperative.

I did the same easy meander on all three since they were loaded one after another on one ginormous backing.

White backing on all three.

Here is quilt number two.

And this is number three. These are three lucky kids to have a mom who would do this for them.

Don't be crabby! Be happy!!

I quit a bit early today to finish the last couple of laundry loads before supper. A little hand work with one of the repair quilts, and it's time for bed. Tomorrow is another day filled with both the mundane and the sublime. I have to hurry up and sleep!!

Back to Winter?!

I wish the weather would straighten out and just be Spring!! Now, we are having yet another cold snap and our baby plants and budded trees are in danger of freezing. Mr Wazoo isn't happy about it, but is diligently working to get the gardens cleaned up and the mulch spread. Thus, we haven't had any production from his man cave as far as quilting goes, so no posts. My work is slow and boring for you to look at. Here is a taste of what I am working on. It will be a couple of more days before it is done.

This is a lovely small quilt, done with French General fabrics that are so pretty!!

I did simple feathered wreaths in the pineapple blocks

I continued the feather theme in the appliqué blocks. I'll come back later and add detail to the flowers and leaves.

Yup, more feathers in the appliqué border. The inner border will have straight line quilting.

I also quilted three tee shirt quilts while doing the custom work. I haven't trimmed them yet, so they will be in tomorrow's post. I did finish another small quilt before starting this one. Here it is.

Little Rowan should grow to love Grandma's quilt for him.

Grandma sent a photo of how she wanted the quilting, so I didn't have to think too hard. ha ha ha

Little animals dance across the quilt.

The backing is a soft flannel.

Mr Wazoo and I made a trip to Ellijay on Friday afternoon, and found a used dresser for me. I have had the same dresser since my 16th birthday, and I need more drawer space!! He has five big drawers in his dresser, and I have only two deep ones and a skinny one. He plans to paint this for me and fix the bubbles in the veneer. I'm just happy to get more space for my clothes.

Inexpensive and roomy. Just what I need.

I think it has some personality, too. Ikea is nice, but this is better.
Now, I just have to settle on a color...