Does your spouse think you are spoiled!

My spouse always thinks that my life is soooo much better that others.  He thinks that he spoils me sooo much.  He is right,  he buys me sewing machines, fabric, templates and even scissors.  I will certainly not be trading him in for a new model any time soon.  I have an awesome life, great kids, great house (with a new kitchen coming soon), and a wonderful husband.  Just a reality check though, my husband travels an awful lot, my family is 5 hours away, his family is at least 7 hours away.  My youngest takes some extra attention and my job includes making life threatening decisions for others.
So, back on topic: I came across someone who has me beat.  Last week I met Long Arm Quilter, Linda Price.  Long Arm Quilting is her business and this is her studio. 
Starting at the bottom of the stairs (her basement retreat) on the right, the long arm.  Did you see her batting stash on the back wall?

Swing to the left of this photo, the other long arm.
Be sure to check out all the gorgeous quilts hanging.
If you swing again to the left, here is a little entertainment and some storage.

Now, this is a pretty great space, but there is no real great comfy space to do your piecing around the Long Arms.  The piecing alcove is nearby and is set up great.

Where is this located….if you take a sharp right coming off the stairs.  Check out the large ironing station here…that is my quilt sitting there on the ironing board.  These next 2 pics are blurry, sorry.  Here is the area between the piecing alcove and the 1st Long Arm. 

This is the next area just past the alcove. The blurry item on the right in the middle of the pic is the design wall.  The tables are the cutting station. 
The owner of all this again is Linda Price (her Facebook link—I do not have Facebook so I don’t know what you will find in there, but I bet, great quilts).  She is one of the nicest Long Arm Quilters I have met.  She is also a Longaberger Basket Representative.  Linda had a few friends over to hang while we were there, every day is like a retreat.  She did say that it takes a little effort to decide that you want to go turn everything on and get started.  The group headed off the do a little shop hopping not long after we left.

I can’t wait for the call and see what she decided to do with my quilt….my instructions, an overall pattern. 
One last photo.  There is a quilt hanging right to the left of where I am standing taking the photo above.
What a place to get some inspiration. 
Just wait until the next time the husband says that I am spoiled.  We will be having a chat.
Just Another Quilter

Design Wall 1/28/13

Rotation of projects is name of the game this month.  When no fabric was available for the family project, the turquoise project moved into the forefront.   When the quilt center was finished, it was time to start prepping for the class I taught last week.  The pressing instructions needed some work…so this brown top came out of the leader and ender project (1/2 square triangles) that was in the wings.  After a successful trip to the LQS, lots of fabric was purchased.  The fabric is washed and ready.  The class went well last week.  It is time to start back on the family project.

This pattern is based on Judy L.’s free pattern “The Brown Quilt”. Mine is made using a cake layer of Tonga batik prints.   I have to rework the borders just a bit.  My blocks are slightly larger and the inner border directions aren’t available. The light border needs the last 2 strips on and the corners need to be tweaked.  It is coming together nicely.  To finish it up, another light strip and a large dark border.  I can’t wait to see this done. 
Goal for the week:
Next week the top should be done.
This may not seem like much but with 2 basketball games, an auditing of books for an organization that I participate in, working 2 days,  and oh by the way, we are gutting the kitchen.  They are measuring the counter tops...now.  There is a birthday in there this week, mine.

Stop over to Judy L. "The Patchwork Times" and take a look, get some inspiration, at all the design wall posssibilities.

Happy Quilting,
Just Another Quilter

The unofficial Stash Report

Last week I did a little shopping.  Okay, I did a lot of shopping.  The last time a friend and I headed to the LQS, we arrived to a sign saying that they were closed for a couple weeks due to the holiday season.  This time, that wasn’t a problem. 
On the list:
The Brown Quilt—For an event in June
Dark Brown Border fabric (3 yds + more for binding)
Light Brown Border fabric (1 3/8 yds)
Purchased: 5 yds of the Dark Brown & 3 yds of the Light Brown
 
Here is the dark & light with a small section of the quilt center showing.
Next, the Bright Quilt, based on Diamond Delight found in Strip Clubbing by Cozy Quilt Designs.
On the list:
Background Fabric 3 7/8 yds and 3/4 yds for the binding.
Additional fabric: more variety needed
Purchased: 5 yds of Deep purple for border and binding
6—1/4 yd cuts for variety
Here are the strip sets that are going with the border and additional fabrics.
Lastly,  back in November, Alf & Lily Creations graduated an gave away a gift card to Connecting Threads.  After Christmas, I picked out some fabric.  The pink/purple fabric is 6 yds for a backing.  This quilt was scheduled for the quilters today….she has the flu and it is rescheduled for next week.
The blue is something that I will use in a scrap quilt as a border.  The next two are cuts that might end up in the Diamond Delight.  The last 2 are batiks.  The green/brown one was a possible border for “The Brown Quilt”.  The new one above goes much better, but with several green batiks in the stash, a quilt is just asking to leave the stash and find a home.
Total income yardage:  28.5
This is definitely not my typical style.  My motto is use what you have, buy what you need.  Most of this I needed!

Happy Quilting,
Just Another Quilter

Spinach Salad

The Week #3 ingredient challenge sponsored by Judy L. at The Patchwork Place last week was spinach.  Lets just say, I love spinach.  It is easy to grow, some will be sprouting in my garden as soon as the snow melts.  It makes a great salad.  It adds tons of vitamins and minerals to food without a lot of time or effort, just stir some in at the end of your prep time.  It wilts, is a great bright green color if fresh and doesn’t take much effort.  If the fresh stuff is getting to the end of its life, do a little cooking and in the freezer it goes to be added to the stir fry or whatever. 
My favorite fresh item to make with spinach is “Spinach Tomato Salad”.

This salad prep is quick, healthy and very tasty. 
Spinach Tomato Salad

1 package of cherry tomatoes sliced in half

Mozzarella—cubed

1 T. basil

1 t. Garlic-minced

1/2 c. Fresh Spinach—sliced

2-3 T. balsamic vinegar

1 t. olive oil  (optional)

Combine all items.  Let set at least 20-30 minutes, so all flavor co-mingle.  Enjoy.

The cherry style tomatoes were so plentiful last summer, this is a perfect way to use them up.  Other tomatoes can be cut up and used, but the final product will be much juicier. 

 

Design Wall Monday January 7th, 2013

My leader/ender project for the last little while has been making half square triangles, a light side and in the brownish red tones.  Saturday decided it was time to really work on it.  Later this month I am teaching a quilt at the library, the top was made more than 10 years ago.  I needed to figure out good pressing instructions.  This quilt is made with 4 1/2” squares.

The leader and ender project has been with 3 1/2” squares.
Haven’t decided how big it should be.  What do you think about a dark border around the outside to finish it off?
Stop over to Judy L.’s The Patchwork Times to see other design walls.

Just Another Quilter

Finish It Up Friday

The center portion of the quilt is finished up! The center turned out so good.  After making some trial Accuquilt Go! cuts with scrap fabric, there was a plan.  The other template looked very small in the space.  The enter felt empty.  By adding the circles and center motif to the quilt, the contrast level down is  reduced and feels harmonious with the rest of the quilt. The center flower is made up of 4 feather petals and a circle.  My gut is telling me to live with this quilt a while.  The border fabric may be too much for the quilt.  Those circles lived in many different places before this final layout.
Other options:

1. Small border of dark turquoise 
2. Splatter fabric for around the edge (small or large?)
3. More white around the edge
4. Leave it as it is, currently measures 52” square.

Stop by and see Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts to see other finishes today.

On the blogging side,  I can’t seem to get a picture to upload to the “QUILT” page of my blog.  UUGHH.


Just Another Quilter

This has to make one smile!

We have a new family member.  This is Bailey.  He has had quite the life so far.  He was adopted from the local shelter not quite a year ago.  His owner decided that they did not have time in their schedule and it was not fair to him.  He had developed seizures common in the Australian Shepherd breed.  He was found free on Craigslist by a coworkers family.  The family was searching for their dog that had been stolen.  The remaining Shih tzu was in depression and fearing that Bailey would end up in the dog fighting area they took Bailey in.  As a nurse, she managed Bailey seizures great, changed his diet and decreased his meds.  But, Bailey couldn’t replace the stolen dog and the fear that Bailey might hurt (trample with excitement) the much smaller dog weighed on them.  He was again put up for adoption.

After a home visit to verify our home was appropriate and that we would not let him backtrack on the strides that were made with his seizures, he was ours!  He thinks he is a lap dog.  He is awkward getting on the couch.  He gets on only 1 couch and not on any other furniture in the house.  He thought he was a cat today, climbing over us and onto the back on the couch.  Last night he was ready to attack…..the model train set.  He is learning how to crawl.  He has learned how to catch a frisbee and does not run.  He is 3 1/2 yrs. old.  He’s been here less than a week.
He had 1 seizure within 36 hrs. of coming here.  No more seizures. 
We are so happy to have such a sweet boy.
Just Another Quilter

Fabric Choices???

Well, I made some progress.  The white background looks great. 
While digging for the white fabric, I came across 3 more fat quarters from the turquoise bundle. 
The Accuquilt Go! Die is decided….only one will fit in the allotted space. 
The fabric for the applique is still up for grabs.  Take a look at some of the fabrics in the stack of coins.  The stripe on the left is the border stripe.  The next five fabrics are all in contention.  The multi splatter was MY favorite fabric (before the fat quarters showed up) choice for the applique, but it would have to be purchased.  The dark turquoise on top left is a great option, however, the weave is a little loose and it might ravel.  It might also be a little too much contrast against the white.  The bottom lighter turquoise is only currently in the quilt once (just found the fat quarters…man it would have been nice to have had them last week) and clashes slightly with the dark turquoise.  This can be seen in the quilt right by the empty center on the right.  The green diamond fabric, well it seems to be more of a blue quilt than green.  That leaves the blue green dahlia style print.  Opinions are needed, there is enough fabric in the fat quarters to make the 4 applique sections.  Would you go buy the splatter fabric or use one of the fat quarters?  A piece of white needs to be purchased….nothing large enough is left.

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Just Another Quilter