Happy Quilting Day!!

I'm back!!!  I thought that Worldwide Quilting Day would be a perfect day for me to make my reappearance into the blog-world.

The reason for my long absence?  Life!  Life had gotten in the way.  I had started a part-time job that I love.  The boys are getting older and their schedules have become busier.  And a minor medical ailment that has zapped all my energy... I just got so busy that blogging had been set aside for later, and now later has become almost a year!

I have made a promise to myself to create a post at least once a month.  I started this blog to keep track of my quilting and I had enjoyed it immensely before.  Now I will post about store samples I'm working on or my own projects, so no more excuses!!

Hope to be back soon with some photos.

Jane 

Store Sample Projects

Here are some projects I had made with Ellie, my new sewing machine. 

I had pieced a quilt-top for a baby quilt.  It was a quick and easy project using a panel in the center of the quilt.  I had pieced it entirely using the start/stop button.  My foot never touched the foot pedal.

Please excuse my son's BIG shoes!

A close-up view of the fabrics.

I had made a baby bib with the left over fabric.

I had even machine-quilted the bib.  It was a little practice using the darning foot on the machine.  I had some issues with the tension, but it was a good way of learning how to make changes through the LCD screen.  And the speed control was a great help!  I may have had a better time machine-quilting on my other machines if I was able to have it at a consistent slow speed while I maneuvered the fabric.

I'm hoping to be able to bring the quilt-top back home and quilt it on Ellie.  I hope I'm not getting over-confident with myself, but I'm looking forward to searching for quilt designs to use on it!!

Jane

A Gift from Mama

I would like to show you an unexpected gift from my mama.

A new sewing/embroidery machine!! 

 

It's a Babylock Ellure Plus!  I think I'll call her Ellie.

It was after Christmas and before my birthday, so what was the occasion, you may ask?  My parents are both retired and enjoy spending their time traveling around, in their camper, to prime fishing locations.  Last summer, my mama had an idea that she would embroider garments and sell them while they were at different campsites.  A fun way to make a little extra cash.  So she purchased a new embroidery machine.

But life interrupted her plans.  Her uncle had died from a stroke and she was responsible for the care of his surviving wife.  Taking over all their responsibilities has taken a lot of her free time.  No time to learn how to operate a new machine. 

I appreciate the wonderful gift she gave to me.  I has been a learning process for me to stitch a straight line.  Since my regular sewing machine is old school, the needle-threader, needle up/down positioner, and the automatic thread cutter are new to me. 

 

The LCD screen is a brand new technology that I was very intimidated by, but I am slowing learning how to maneuver around in it.

 

 

And to my surprise, it's an embroidery machine very similar to the ones sold at the store that I work at. So eventually, I'll be very familiar with the machine for when I will be selling them in the future!

With my work schedule, I really haven't had time to play around with it.  This week is my boys' spring break from school, so I'm staying home with them which has given me some free time to play!!  I've made a few small items with them and I'll have to show them soon.

Jane

Barn Quilt Trail

In the area where I reside, my county will be celebrating its 200th birthday with beautiful barn quilt blocks dotting the landscape.  They are calling it "The Bicentennial Barn Quilt Tour."

 

Although the barn quilt tour doesn't officially start until April, I've already spotted a few blocks.  And as the quiltgeek that I am, I'm wanting to participate, too!

I don't live in a barn, and I don't want my house to be a part of the tour, but I want to place a quilt block in front of my house as a devoted quilter.  How could I not resist!

Block design pencilled on wood

Using masking tape in the painting process

Finished!

 

If only fabric projects were finished this quickly - and this cheap!  The wood was only about $3.00!

 

Just another example of my quilty craze!

 

Jane 

The Big Reveal!

As you may already know, I've been very busy.  And I couldn't ask for a better reason to be busy - I work at a quilt shop!!

I am helping SewTech, a sewing machine dealer and quilt store, built their web-store. 

My current job is conquering the fabrics, but I'm not complaining!!  I love this fabric wall.

Other than fabrics, notions, and patterns (coming soon on the web-store),  SewTech is a Brother and Juki sewing machine dealer as well as Handiquilter long-arm quilting machines.  Honestly, I love my job!!

I'm hoping this quilting machine and I become the best of friends!!

 

 

As soon as I wrap-up getting all the fabrics on-line (I just hit 500 bolts), I will be trained on how the machines work, from embroidery to quilting .  That'll mean practice, practice, practice!  Did I say that I love my job!!

 

So please make a visit at our website at: http://sewtech-evv.com/ and like us on our Facebook page.

I'm planning on filling the web-store with all kinds of goodies, so I hope you visit often.

 

Thank you for my plug!!!

 

Jane

Rotary Cutter Virgin No More

When it comes to quiltmaking, I am old school.  I prefer to mark my fabric with a regular pencil and cut my pieces out with a pair of scissors.  I've used this process with all of my quilts.  And I enjoy making quilts this way.

If you look under my header, in "My Quilting Story," I've stated that I am a ROTARY CUTTER VIRGIN.  After this post, I will have to change that.

It was two days ago, in the quilt store, that I got to cut fabric for a customer!  I hope I didn't look as awkward as I was feeling.  And this morning, I got to cut my own fabric.  I'm planning on making some small, easy projects with the fabrics I had just entered into the website, to help promote some sales.

I will continue to use my trusty ol' scissors when I'm on this and other projects.

Next week, I'll reveal my new projects along with the introduction of the web store that I've been working on!!

Jane

Time For a New Read?

Jennifer Chiaverini, the author of the Elm Creek Quilt books, has just came out with another new book, Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker.

 

 

 

This new book doesn't follow the story line of the previous books.  It dips into the Civil War era, as some of the author's other storylines do.  It was The Runaway Quilt and The Lost Quilter that had gotten me so interested in the Civil War. 

 

I can't wait to start reading but finding time to read a book may be more difficult now.

 

Jane