Saturday, July 21, 2012

Where I Sew!

On the Pink Chalk site they are having sewing space show and tell all month. It is a lot of fun to peek into other people's spaces and see how they have their sewing areas set up. The link to Pink Chalk is here on my blog if you care to take a look.
Meanwhile, here is my studio on a tidy day (one in a million) and before the second Gammill was introduced Enjoy the tour!

My studio as seen from my kitchen

Aunt Sewphie and Uncle Leo keep watch over the sewing

My Gammill takes up a huge part of the room, as does the cutting table

The view to the sewing area from the Gammill

Behind the Gammill, I store thread and batting. Pantograph storage is at the end of the Gammill.

Here is the sewing space. Believe me, it is NEVER this tidy!!

Books and the nifty notion cabinet.(white drawers next to the bookcase) My hubby got the drawers free and I painted them white and added captions in the slots for what is in each drawer. I love it!

The bulk of my stash is rolled and stored this way. I like that I can pull a fabric, use some, roll it again and put it right back without everything tumbling out. These shelves are for 1/2 yard or more.

Smaller cuts of fabric are stored in bins and drawers.

This is my "sitck". I made it for a guild challenge where we were given a fat quarter and had to make something. Two ladies were eyeing it up at the final judging for a prize, and one asked,"What is it?..." The other replied, "It's a stick!" I was standing close by and heard the exchange and chuckled. It is indeed a stick! I love it!!

Aaaah! Music. I have to have it all day long.

From the Gammill into the kitchen and the living room beyond. Makes it easy to hear the oven timer go off!

Thursday, July 19, 2012

The machine has arrived!

The big day came and Tim got his Gammill. Every man toy has to have 'some assembly required' and this was no exception. After a few hours it was all set up, the dealer out the door and Tim left standing there staring at the behemoth in the kitchen and wondering if he had lost his mind. Then we got to work!
Here below, you can see Tim hard at work and his finished quilt. He did two more small charity quilts today and finally admitted that quilting is work! Thankfully, he is more comfortable on his own and asking less questions and quilting more. I finished the custom piano quilt today and have tomorrow's quilt loaded and ready to go in the morning. This truly is a great job!!



Tim starts his first project

threading the needle may be the hardest part

Off to the races!


Quilt number 2


Number 1 all done!

The customer Piano quilt





Thursday, July 12, 2012

And to all a good night!

My friends came home today and gathered up their dogs, and suddenly it was quiet and calm in the house. Molly enjoyed the playtime, but even she was so exhausted it took a long nap to recover. Customers came and went, work went on as usual. It was a good day all around.
My second class for the Magic Block quilt was a wonderful success. Everyone seemed to be having fun learning and sewing together. I made progress on my second class quilt and expect to have it all finished and ready for the Gammill in a few days!

Tim is getting anxious for his machine to come and is taking the opportunity to go grouper fishing tomorrow before he has to buckle down and learn the way of the longarmer. I'm hoping for a fresh fish dinner tomorrow night. Yum.
Meanwhile, here are the customer quilts finished this week despite teaching one day and hosting my sewing club another.

Quilt with jungle pantograph

I L-O-V-E this backing fabric!!

Baby quilt with freemotion swirl pattern
My niece is taking to quilting like a pro! Here she is at sewing club with her first and second quilt tops! You go, girl!!


Thursday, July 5, 2012

dogs, dogs, dogs, quilts!

We are doggie sitting for our friends and now have four lovelies running around and barking. So far, there is peace in the house; all the dogs seem happy to be together. In the midst if it all, I was able to get in some quilting time, too.
The little orange and blue quilt is made from leftover parts from another class project. I just sewed 'em up and got'er done! Teddy and Toby thought they should help with the picture. Molly isn't sure what to think about the whole situation, and Skipper just lays low.
Toby thinks he should help with dinner

Toby and Teddy keep Molly on her toes

Everyone monitors the foot traffic outside

Toby guards the toy he likes best

My quilty dog, Molly

Oh you guys!!!

Hubby helps out for the photo

A peek at the back
Back to work!

Monday, July 2, 2012

My new apron

My work apron finally wore through where it rubbed on the front roller of my machine table. I got a pattern for a new apron at Quilt Lovers Hangout (a great shop here in south Florida) and decided to give it a try. I love that it has two layers (yes! It's reversible!) and the opportunity to change it with my mood.
Here it is! All happy flowers and cherries, perched on the Gammill and relaxing after a day at work. I really did work today; the flanel moose quilt is all finished with a moose pantograph and ready to go home to my customer.
side one is pretty flowers...

side two has cheerful cherries and tiny stripes.

my apron and I quilted this moosey quilt

with hundreds of little moose, or moosies.

It is very soft and cuddly.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Finished class quilt

Huzzah! I finished the quilt from my class and am planning the one for the next class on July 10th. Then, it was time for work. I managed to crank out four customer quilts in a marathon quilting session, but now my back is screaming. It's taking longer than I expected to completely recover from the break, but I'm doing okay. Meanwhile, enjoy some pictures of pretty quilts!
My class quilt, washed and ready to go!

Free motion swirly quilting

A peek at the backing. 

Twin map quilts for a customer

Free motion 'dwirling' quilting, by me.

panto quilting by the new quilter...Tim!

Customer 4 to 9 quilt

A look at the backing

Can you see the flowers in the quilting?

Cute, cute customer baby quilt

Popcorn panto

Second cute baby quilt

Free motion bubble quilting