Life in the studio

Sometimes it feels like I live in my studio, coming out only to make meals and sleep! We are busy there every day, and with all the rain we have had, it's a nice way to pass the time!
While working on customer quilts, I have been sneaking in some sewing on my show quilts, trying to get them ready for quilting.I have added the border to the rat quilt, and now, I have only to mark the background for the quilting.

I chose a cartoon-like print for the border from my stash

During the week, I worked on two log cabin quilts for the same customer. Both were really big and took a couple of days each to quilt. I used mostly digital patterns for the quilting.

The first quilt is a lively Kaffe Fasset barn raising pattern

Hard to see, but I used a floral pattern in the blocks and
the piano key border.

I did a spiral pqttern in the inner border

Here is a look at the back

The second quilt is a reproduction beauty
in the streak of lightning pattern

I used a feather pattern in the dark sides and straight lines in the light sides

Here is a look at the block quilting

The backing is this lovely, soft floral

Mr Wazoo did a couple of baby gift quilts, and then spent time in the garden between rain showers.

This sheep quilt is adorable!

Panto: Quirky

The same customer made this bright strippy
quilt with bugs and lizards on display.

What kid wouldn't like this!

Panto: Popcorn

He also quilted this big, more modern stars quilt.

Another king sized project for Mr W.

Panto: Dazzle

A look at the back

Following the dark stars, he got to cleanse his quilting palette with a bright starry quilt!

It is amazing how different the same panto can look when done on dark or light backgrounds, and bright stars.

Dazzle was used on both star quilts.

I have been working along on my miniature quilt, and have the quilting done. The new Bernina is a dream to work with, and I am enjoying learning how to use it. I am not a fan of the BSR, and after practicing on a quilt sandwich, turned it off for the quilting in the setting triangles and border. I need to get more comfortable with the free motion part of the equipment, and then, I'll be truly accomplished . Not yet...

I took the original border off and replaced it with a darker fabric.
I think it is a much better choice to highlight the blocks

Here is a look at the quilting.
Tiny cross-hatching is tedious!
There will be some hand embroidery in those blocks.

I'm disappointed that the scalloped quilting with feathers doesn't show on the checked background. Oh well, I tried.

The tiny feathers were the hardest part. Not perfect, but okay.

Now, if it would just stop raining all the time, Mr Wazoo would be happier. He has been adding edging along the driveway in fits and starts between showers. Meanwhile, the flowers are getting bigger and bigger! It is hot and muggy out there, too. I'm happy to stay in the AC with Miss Molly and quilt!

A big finish, and some night visitors

I finally finished the custom quilt!! Five days after starting, it is off the machine and on it's way to New Jersey, and the quiltmaker. The biggest challenge was a baggy backing, caused by sewing fabric together without pinning. One side always ends up smaller because of the feed dogs. So, unless you have the walking foot on, don't sew two giant pieces of fabric together without pinning them. I saw the droop on one side, and thought the clamps could overcome the excess of fabric on that side...I was wrong.After a massive amount of custom quilting, I advanced the quilt, and there it was. A tuck from the seam to the edge of the quilt about 45 inches long. Crap! No way I was removing all that quilting, so I set out to sew down the edge of the tuck and blend it in with the backing. Fortunately, it was a busy batik, and the fix didn't look too bad. In the end, I gave the customer a $100 discount for the error. I hope she isn't mad at me. Here is the quilt.

Last week was the opening of the Blue Ridge Fiber Arts show, and I had some quilts in the show. Our guild members took a field trip, followed by a wonderful dinner at a local restaurant, to view the show. Everyone had a good time.

Here's my Jacobs Ladder quilt.
It looks nice there.

This portrait quilt by Mary Schaeffer was my favorite in the show.
The background design is all hand beading! Wow!

This is one of mine, too. It's called 'The Buzz'.

Back at home, Mr Wazoo was hard at work on a whimsical llama quilt. The customer made two quilts for her kids, and I got to quilt the foxes! Both are fun and happy quilts.

Panto: Yodel

Digital panto: Mahogany
Don't you love the fox in specs!?

Miss Molly spent the day at the groomer being fluffed and buffed. She hates having her picture taken, and stuck her tongue out at me. Cheeky monkey!

Pfffftt!!

I spent a couple of hours after work stitching down the rats on my Rat Race quilt top. It is slow going due to the small pieces and all the twists and turns I have to make while sewing. It's coming along well, though.

My favorite rat, but a booger to sew!!

I'll end this post with a slideshow. The trail cam caught some visitors last night. Mr W's trash can locks worked so well, the bear gave up! Ha!

Create your own slideshow

Spotlight on Mr Wazoo

My job this week has been frustrating and rather tedious. I am still working on the king sized custom quilt, which had a rather baggy backing. It has been a struggle to avoid pleats on the back while quilting the front!No pictures yet...
Mr Wazoo is the star today! He has had time to do quite a bit of quilting, and has done a wonderful job. (there may be an award at the end of the month!) The majority of the quilts we get are quite big, and therefore hard to maneuver on a domestic machine. Mr W pushes on and finishes them regularly.

This Star Wars quilt will make some young man happy.
Its a 'tag-team' quilt. He quilted it, I am doing the binding

A great starry panto

Darth Vader backing and binding, too.

Some are small, like this baby quilt, all pastel Grunge fabrics.

The repeated triangles are pretty and interesting.

Angel Wings panto adds the feminine touch.

Some of the quilts are big...

This sophisticated quilt will look stunning on the customer's bed.

The panto, Rosie, adds just the right elegance to it.

This huge quilt was made by a relatively new quilter! Wow!

He used the panto, Alfresco on this one, as the customer directed.

The last quilt he finished had a slight problem at the bottom. Accurate measuring when adding multiple borders is key to a flat and square cornered quilt.

Uh oh! Mr Wazoo cried uncle when he got to this point in the quilting.
You can see the big 'smile' made by making the light border too small for the body of the quilt.

Fortunately, I have done this fix before, and had no qualm about the quilt turning out well. Mr W followed my instructions and ...

Voila! A nicely finished, square and flat quilt.

The customer requested Rosie as the pattern for the quilting.
It looks so nice on this wonderful quilt.