Another busy day

Wow! I have been so busy in the studio lately, I even dreamed about it last night! I got a lot done yesterday, and sewed a binding in the evening before I went to bed.

This is the surprise I made for the customer with two tee shirt quilts. There were several number 24 shirts left over, so I chose two with his name on them and made a throw pillow.

Here's the other side.

I had some zippers left over from a stash of sewing stuff  I got for free.  I think it will be a good surprise when she opens the box! Mr Wazoo sent it off to Tallahassee today.

This is another customer's quarantine quilt. The fabric collection is so cute!

Panto: cat's paws

The quilting pattern looks just like one of the fabrics!

I finished the masks for my daughter. We sent them today along with the tee shirt I bought for my grandson.

This customer made a string quilt during her social distancing

Panto: Jetty

The backing led me to use the green thread for the quilting.

This customer brought me a 1950s twin quilt top that she wants made into a queen sized top. I had a plan, but first, had to press it with starch and square it up. It was floppy and wonky, but well sewn for a hand pieced top.

Squaring up bits.

I find or get gifted quilt tops and blocks from all sorts of places. I bought  a top from a woman at the story telling festival after we got chatting about quilting. Her grandma made some tops and she didn't want them. I bought three for $50 apiece. All 1950's fabrics. I figured I could use the pieces for repair projects. I am so happy the rows are just the right size for borders on the twin top!!

I picked the quilt apart in rows and pressed them with starch.

This blue will make a nice clean edge for the two wonky pieces as an inner border. I quit for the day right here.

A new day, a new quilt to do! The next customer quilt was very pretty and spring like. It was made by my sister in Texas to be used in a hospital setting. She has been making charity quilts that fit hospital beds lately.

The quilts are long and narrow, to fit the bed without getting caught in the mechanical parts.

Panto: Stacked Snailz

The backing is this soft to the hand dotty fabric.

Second verse, same as the first! She made two of them.

Panto: Modern loops

Same nice backing.

Don't you love this!!? I do. I am making a soft floral Irish chain with very similar fabrics. Great minds think alike!

Panto: Daydream. I used variegated thread on this one.

This has pink dots on the back!

I added the new borders and loaded the backing before quitting for the day. It was a full day with three customers coming to pick up or drop off quilts. Everyone wore masks and I am still not letting anyone in the studio. I hate cleaning everything off over and over...

The garden is really coming alive. Mr W spent the entire day (except for the trip to the post office) working in the yard. He does love the outdoors! The weather was perfect and I missed it all. I did my evening stroll up to the house, and took a few pics on the way. 

Another busy day tomorrow, as well as the cleaning lady coming and having the house power washed!! We should be squeaky clean for the weekend.

The pink roses are perfect, and their scent is divine.

More giant iris have bloomed and there are still more coming.

Mr W brought the two rectangular planters down from the back porch. He planted dark pink geraniums just outside my sewing window. So pretty to look at while I'm working.

Somebody took a long nap in the afternoon. I hope she doesn't think I'm getting up at 3AM to take her out...

 

Moving on

Whew! I just finished the hand sewing of the giant quilt's binding. I did a marathon session last night from 7:00 until midnight, and from 6:30 until 8:30 this morning. It is done!! Yesterday, you may remember, I had a machine malfunction and spent some quality time picking. Later on, the bobbin tension went awry and I had to pick out about half a row. There was a tiny piece of lint caught in the pigtail of the bobbin case, and the thread had no tension on it. The top looked okay, but the back was a mess. I didn't know it until I advanced the quilt. Two hours of picking later....done with the quilting.
I made and applied the binding, and took the quilt upstairs to do the hand work.

Here it is, folded in half and ready to have the binding sewn down

Panto: Splat

I love this fabric for the back. I'd put it on the bed back side up!! ha ha

The next quilt went along without incident, and is ready to go home.

Pretty collection of fabrics showcased with a drop shadow block.

Panto: Dragonflies

Dark backing really shows off the quilting pattern.

I finished up the stacks of strip sets for my next quilt, and loaded the quilt I'll be doing first today. I also cut out the pieces for three masks for my daughter, who requested some fun fabrics for them.

Fun masks

Next quilt ready for stitching!

Beaucoup strip sets ready for cutting.

DIL and grandson doing Tai Chi outside. I think he's enjoying it a bit too much!!

Up and down

In the last post, I was exhilarated with my quilting and work and just about everything. My bubble burst yesterday when the dreaded Millie went haywire again. I think it is a test of my patience and endurance that this happens over and over. She started sewing up and down in a ten inch long strip, only moving to the right by minuscule increments. This only lasted about 30 or 40 seconds, the time it takes me to get up from the Bernina and get to the stop button. Alas, the damage was done. There was a 1 inch wide swath of close stitches taunting me. Mr Wazoo came right away to trouble shoot, and found the problem with a loose connection in one of the motor cables. How does that happen?!! I hadn't moved anything or messed with them...it just happened. Anyway, I had two hours of tedious picking to do. Karma? I don't know.

This is the quilt I am working on and had the snafu with. It is another giant  quilt, measuring in at 92X111". The customer sent 11 yards of fabric for the backing. I measured, cut sewed and pressed the back to get it ready. If you have ever made a king sized quilt, you will understand why I am adding a fee for this!

Meanwhile, once the dilemma was resolved, I sewed a bit on my personal project to get back in the mood. Worked like a charm! I'm ready to go finish the big quilt and get on with the next one. None the worse for wear, the quilt came through with flying colors. It had many construction issues, and will be better than it was when it came to me when the quilting is done.

Sewing strip sets

These strips are for the border

Strip sets pressed and ready to cut. On the chair seat is a surprise project for the customer with the two tee shirt quilts.

Here is the second completed tee shirt quilt with the patches sewn on and the binding finished.

Some of the patches.

At the end of the day, I stopped to smell the roses...so heady and soothing at the same time. Thanks to Mr W, I have this park-like setting to ride out the quarantine in.

These roses smell so wonderful...I wish you could be here to experience it.

I don't know what these are, but they are delicate and pretty.

Bright green sedum.

The front yard garden is full and beautiful. One pot yet to be planted, but otherwise, lovely.

Studio progress

What a good day I had in the studio! I finished the second tee shirt quilt, finished the last of four quilts for a customer, quilted another quilt and had two pick ups! All day I listened to my favorite music and sang along with most of the oldies. It was a good day. I hope today will be another productive and fun work day here at Wazoo.
The name of the panto I couldn't remember was Baby Blooms. I may have to start taking that memory vitamin we see on TV!!

The tee shirt quilt is finished. This picture doesn't show the patches sewn on, but they are on and the binding finished, too. I'll snap a quick shot before calling the customer to come get them.

Panto: Dazzle

I found this great fabric for the back in the sale room at a local shop. Perfect t!

I made the back for this quilt. There was a length of fabric in the bag with the top, but  it hadn't been cut and assembled into a back to fit the quilt.
I like the charm pack collection used here. 

Panto: Jetty

I wish the color would come out correctly when I photograph the roses. These are buttery yellow and very fragrant.

This plant is very attractive to butterflies and humming birds.

Every day, the peonies get closer to bursting!

The pink Drift roses are starting to open up, too. The rock garden smells so wonderful when I walk up to the house after work.

The guardian gnome is keeping peace in the garden.

Between projects , I made a few of the strata for a scrappy Irish chain quilt. There will be photos soon, I hope. 

Our phones are out of order and Windstream won't get here until the 18th! Oh dear...the phones have no dial tone and I haven't been able to receive calls, either. I had one call get through in the morning but then...nothing. Thank goodness I have a cell phone and can still call my customers. 

It looks liker another sunny day, so I had better get to work!