The good, the bad and the ugly!

 Remember the old movie with the whistle at the beginning? OO-ee-oo-ee-oo wah-wah-wah...  Clint Eastwood while he was still good looking? Well, that was my life for the last week. I got some quilting done (good!), my machine crapped out again (bad!) and Mr Wazoo and I came down with some sort of nasty crud we picked up on our trip. (really ugly!) He got it the worst, with a thick cough and aches and fatigue. I followed with sinus drainage like Niagra Falls and the aches and fatigue. We both tested negative for Covid, and after a trip to the doctor, some drugs for the symptoms and big power naps... we are doing better. A three day misery for me and a week long ordeal for Mr W. I'm back in the studio and off to a quilt show, and he is outside, mowing and planting.

For the bad...HandiQuilter sputtered to a stop mid customer quilt. I called my dealer as well as tech support at the factory in Utah only to find out both were closed for Juneteenth. The next day, after a long time on hold ("There are nine calls ahead of you..." the robotic voice says over and over, counting down between bouts of horrible scratchy music on a loop) I got the tech guy and we trouble-shot the machine for twenty minutes or so.  He reckons it is a problem with the box behind the tablet that talks to the carriage and moves it along using the digital design to chart out the pattern on the quilt. Whatever. The new parts are on the way, so I am (once again) dead in the water. Fortunately, I have Big Gammill purring like a cat and finished a big custom quilt I have been working on. Here are a load of photos of the finished project.

The quilt is a sampler of red and white pieced and appliquéd blocks, so there are lots of pictures.

I hope you liked that, because it is all I have done! Between being ill and having just the one working machine, I haven't been too productive. This week should be better, after we install new parts and pray they work.

As for the good...I felt so much better by the end of the week, I was able to go to Waynesville, NC with my traveling buddies and see the Shady Ladies quilt show. This is a tiny guild (about 25 members, according to one of them) that makes wonderful quilts. They have a monthly challenge where they make a 12" quilt from a theme, and several of those were on display. I didn't take millions of pictures, photographing only my favorites. These ladies are remarkable artists with quilting skills as good as any I've seen. I even bought a used book from their boutique! I resisted two quilts for sale...after all, I have about 150 quilts already vying for space in my house. They are the last two pictures. Here are the favorites.

The use and distribution of the blue and various light fabrics makes this quilt a winner to me. They don't have their quilts judged, but this one would get my seal of approval.

This is one of the most interesting quilts in the show. It depicts the dress of ten different couples from different cultures in the world. It was imaginative and well made, too. There are 3-D bits on many of the costumes. I think adults and kids would both be drawn to it.

This simple design caught my eye with its combination of colors and fabrics, enhanced by the straight line, geometric quilting. I'd love to make one big enough for a bed!

Oops! I didn't get the maker's name for this one

Another simple pattern made wowser by the selection and placement of the different blues and light fabrics. It just sparkles when seen in person. It is entirely made of half-square triangles. I'm starting my next quilt with all half-square triangles. I hope I can accomplish something as wonderful as this!

No maker card for this either.

Another sampler. I'm not so enthused by the blocks (they were perfectly made, however) but by the border! The use of the tall red triangles interspersed there is genius. I need to try this.

Flying geese. What more is there to say? The clean simplicity of flocks of geese flying north and south, (I think they are a bit confused as to the season. ha ha) coupled with the cables in the quilting is wonderful. The quilting has movement crossing the geese in a smooth figure eight flight path. The only thing I would have done differently is to have the cables go the same direction as the flocks of geese. Just my personal preference.

This wolf portrait is huge! And he is looking directly at me like he would his lunch. It is startling and beautiful at the same time. Many of the quilts had straight line matchstick quilting, which I find attractive and neutral. It enhances the quilt without taking over the design. Very effective.

I didn't photograph the card for this one...I was trying to hurry, as my show mates had already finished and gone to the boutique!

I love the color play in this one. Simple repeated squares in squares, the inner squares placed in random positions within their neutral borders. I like to thin the quilter had a pile of scrap squares and made the blocks, then cut them down to a uniform size. About four or five inches. Surround the whole thing with lime green, and you have my attention!

I wish I had the card for this one, because she mentioned the provenance. Rats!!

The quilter here had this vintage top of lovely Sunbonnet Sues, and had it machine quilted with a pantograph. Oh no! It is so lovely and perfect, I wouldn't have done this. Customers want certain things done because they have tight budgets, and we long armers bow to their wishes, but sometimes my heart breaks a little when the quilt is as wonderful as this one is. Each Sue has a dress made from a segment of a Dresden Plate, and is hand stitched all around with black embroidery floss. The appliqué is really precise and perfect, and the colorful Irish Chain pattern dividing the blocks adds to the perfection. The chain squares are repeated in the bubble gum pink border, drawing the eye all the way to the edge of the quilt. Whoever made this was a true artist. Hand quilting, or even custom quilting would have been the cherry on top. It's still lovely, but a little sad. I have this panto, Chantilly, but wouldn't have chosen it for this quilt. If she wanted an all-over pattern, something like Baptist fan or orange peel would have been more appropriate.

This was one of the quilts for sale that I loved.Way outside my box for color, but the wonky strip pieced blocks and the asymmetrical borders made it sing. I resisted, and walked away without it.

I saw this quilt with its maker on the guild's website at show and tell. It is a scrappy string quilt, paired with two colors of linen. The rougher texture of the linen paired with the lively colors and patterns in the random sized strips is wonderful. I told myself that I could make one like it, but even I know it is unlikely I will. Too bad. I really like it. Still, I walked away.

Back at home, Mr Wazoo was hard at work on the bear and surprised me with the finished renovation placed outside the door of the studio!! I was gobsmacked at the transformation from bleached out, cracked and ear missing sad bear to well fed, happy, black bear! Thank you so much! You're a prince.

We need to think of a good name for this bear...any suggestions?

He's a handsome fellow

Mr W did a grand job!

Wisconsin trip and busy days quilting

 We have been gone for a week to Wisconsin where we held my Father's memorial and burial. It was lovely, with perfect weather for the graveside part. We all went to lunch locally, and I caught up with my cousins over a delicious Ruben sandwich.

Here we all are at the cemetery, a group of mostly overweight mid-westerners. I love these people!

On the way to Wisconsin, we stopped for the night in Champagne, Illinois. The hotel was outside the city in huge field with other new buildings clustered on the flat landscape. The assortment of shops, apartments, restaurants and a huge clinic looked like Oz...but with corn fields instead of poppies!

The complex was well thought out and the buildings very modern and beautiful. Really quiet for sleeping, too!

Just outside Metropolis, I spied Superman at a rest stop.

Even the man of steel has to pee...

Our hotel in Champagne

Across from the hotel was a restaurant with people eating outside in the mild weather. We decided we'd give it a try and walked over for dinner.. All the buildings have apartments above the shops and eateries.

Mr Wazoo had the Frida Kahlo salad

I had the fish tacos.

Everything was wonderful at El Toro!

Staying on the hotel theme, the one we stayed at in Whitewater, Wisconsin was lovely, too. I especially liked the artwork on the walls outside the elevator. It was made of circles of wood fitted together, sort of like scales on a fish. The wallpaper in the hall had the same design. Really cool!

This is so cool! I'd love to have one of these pieces in my house.

They are pretty big, though.

Then, there is the wallpaper...Somebody did a good job decorating.

Now, if they would only get rid of the big, heavy duvets...horrible.

One day we went to town in Madison and walked over to the Memorial Union on the UW campus. It was a cool, breezy evening and people were relaxing on the terrace in those famous sunburst chairs. I love Madison and all the beautiful parks and the lakes. It was my stomping ground for the biggest part of my life. I miss it.

The ivy covered walls are gorgeous.

The rathskeller still has the dark moody look it had back in the 60s. this room is usually packed with students; eating, chatting, and enjoying a break from their studies.

The Library mall and fountain are lovely with the Presbyterian church towering over them.

Lots of the buildings on campus were built with the limestone bricks, so they always look bright and clean.

Lake Mendota was so calm, the wind-sailing guys were continually falling over. 

My son, his wife and my grandson took us out for bratwurst.

The elderly couple were a bit out of place in the company of the lively young people.

Don't worry! I did get in some quilt shop fun, too! While we were there, it was the all Wisconsin shop hop.  My brother took me to the three closest shops to our home base hotel. One in Whitewater, one in Milton and another in Janesville. I bought this year's Wisconsin themed fabrics for a quilt as well as the collection from two years ago. You will see those quilts later, when I have time to make them. One shop had this awesome steam punk quilt. I bought the panel and the supporting fabrics to make a quilt for my 25 year old grandson. He'll love it.

The quilt was hanging too high to get a better picture, but I have the free pattern to help sort it out.

This is the pattern.

We got home last Wednesday and I went straight to work in the studio. Here are the quilts I worked on this week.

I made this quilt from a jelly roll to be a signature comfort quilt for the evening guild.

The panto is pretty and calm.

This customer quilt is from my favorite quick pattern, Boxed Squares

I used a butterfly panto to compliment the butterflies in the fabrics.

The other quilt was made by my sister. This one is mine. It's the one that had a hole from dragging a needle in it in error. All patched and finished.

It had a geometric pattern for texture.

And my label!

This small quilt is a panel. It is Minkie and really soft.

The maker is waiting for her first great-great grandchild!! Wow!

The swirly panto adds a nice feel to the quilt.

This customer doesn't like her quilts trimmed, so the backing is showing all around.

She wanted a flowery panto, so I chose Flower Spray.

This customer stepped out of her box with this lovely Kaffe Fassett quilt.

I used the panto Splat with bright fuchsia thread.

Many years ago, we gave my brother our small carved bear when we moved to Florida. We had it at our Door County log home, and it didn't fit in at a Florida bungalow. Over the years, it sat outside his front door where it got blistered and cracked in the sun and snow. It was stolen twice by college students and lost a good part of one ear in the process. My brother is planning a move, so we got the bear back and brought it home. It will be much happier here in the mountains. Mr W spent some time on Youtube, and learned how to do the needed repairs from a wood carving professional. Here is where we are today. It looks scary, but it is just like the guy showed him. Today, Mr W will cut the shims down and shave the ends smooth. Then the bear will get a much needed coat of paint. I hope he'll be ready for his debut this week!

Mr Bear looks like he's been in a bad fight! He had a huge crack through his head, down his body and into the base he stands on. He is carved from one big stump, so probably would have cracked in two if we hadn't intervened.

It looks a mess, but is exactly like the one in the video.

Mr Wazoo, patiently fitting and glueing the pieces in place.

I've gone on long enough. Our yard and pots are beautiful and it is good to sleep in my magic bed. I'll be busy this week, but will post next Sunday. Have a wonderful week and do something creative with your time.

Birdy, the Phoebe, has returned with his wife and built another nest on the yard light. I enjoy watching them while drinking coffee on the back porch in the morning.

I got my grandson this cute pot and a little plant for their new apartment.

He wasn't feeling well while we were there, but we had fun despite his coughing and nose blowing.

It was so good to see him and give him hugs. I just hope I don't get what he has...