Cruising right along, making stuff, finishing stuff and planning stuff. I even used some stuffing too.

First up, I finished the two smalls from Luminous Fiber Arts, Gathering Stitches and Gathering Snowflakes. I stuffed them with fiber fill and a handful of crushed walnut shells. This is the first time I’ve used the shells and I like the weight they add to the pillow. I am trying to decide if I want to add some trim to the edges, I don’t have anything suitable though. I am trying not to buy any more, maybe if I see the perfect one, but I’m not really looking. I am almost finished with the Hocus Pocus halloween small too. It is a quick stitch, I may make it into a pillow, or maybe frame it if I can find a black molding with a little character.

I finished and delivered the Vintage Sampler quilt to my client. She really liked it, and has another vintage one she’d like me to finish for her. It’s a Christmas sampler, in pieces, about 25 years in UFO stage. I consider it a challenge and a rescue operation. It’s rewarding to see how happy a person is when you finish something they didn’t think would ever be done. I find it almost as satisfying as finishing something of my own that has been languishing. Although, my motivation to re-start one of my ufo’s isn’t quite as keen. I did acquire another rescue project. This one is somewhat of a mess. It is a king sized Hawaiian appliqué quilt that was started with hand quilting, in the center (ugh) and part of a border. It is faded, water marked, frayed on the edges and probably not very square. The only saving grace is that it is basted. I am going to have to think on it for a bit, just getting it on the frame will be challenging.

Speaking of UFOs, I finished the two Cambridge bags that I had cut and ready to sew. I used waxed canvas for the outer parts and cotton fabric for the inner. I bought the hardware and pattern as a kit from Hammerstitch, which worked out really well. Lots of rivets and the leather is nice and soft. I may make another bag from them, I have a bit of left over canvas.

I finished up the four baby quilts, that I quilted on one backing piece. All are bound and waiting for their photo shoot. I got adventurous and bound one in some scraps of minky fleece I had. It went on pretty easily, luckily I remembered to cut it on the straight of grain. A trip to the post office finished the last of the Nocturnal quilts. I finished up the Noel quilt top too, and pulled out a bunch of other fabric collections which need to be made into tops. I got the Liberty fabric star quilt on the frame yesterday and I am quilting a dogwood panto on it. The pink thread shows up nicely, it’s a relatively dense pattern but it breaks up the white patches nicely. Then I had the urge to start a Bonnie Hunter designed quilt. It’s called Morning Glories, all paper foundation pieced, and very scrappy. There are over 750 – 2″x 4″ pieces of green needed. I printed out enough papers for eight blocks, I”m trying out some newsprint paper for this. It went through the printer well, and is a bit less expensive than regular paper, and much less that the specialty papers from Carol Doack.

After much self debating, I traded in my 790+ for the 790pro. I am really pleased with it, although it looks almost the same, it sews and computes a step up from the plus. I really like the laser at the needle point, it shows exactly where the needle will pierce the fabric. Very much like the add-on laser I have on my longarm machine. The touch screen is a bit bigger and the processor seems a little faster. It’s got WiFi too, so you can monitor it on your phone, while in another room. I don’t know if I would ever trust a machine to embroider while unattended. I’ve had too many messes to fix when I have “stepped away”, maybe it’ll work for bathroom breaks lol. I have to try out the embroidery unit soon, I just don’t have anything to stitch out.

All in all a productive first week in October. PIQF is coming up next week I may go on Friday, if I go alone, I’l shop the market, but if I drag along a non-quilty friend, I won’t be tempted.

Be Kind.