Reading, not writing

ACK - I did a very very bad thing.  Even though I'm supposed to be quilting up a storm,  deadlines are looming, I still like to read before going to bed. And I started another Jack Reacher (Lee Child) book the other day.  I couldn't help myself.

I have so many authors that I follow and in particular character series - Jack Reacher being one of them,  there is no danger of me running out of stuff to read and while most peoople read a new book the MOMENT it is published, not I.  I like to have the anticipation that there are still 5 more Inspector Gamache (Louise Penny) books to read rather than be up to date.   When I can no longer quilt - I will read nonstop and get up to date!

So yes - I am not current - I believe the publication date for the current Jack Reacher is 2002.  I just read another Jack Reacher (Burning Echo) two weeks ago and it was a sleeper.  I think I had already read it, but it never got put on my list so I reread it.  It really was a sleeper, but I was in a Jack Reacher mood and got the next one from the library.  The five Reacher books on my shelf are much more current so have to borrow to get up to those newer ones.

All that to say that this book (Without Fail) is NOT a sleeper.  Now it's me who can't sleep as I try to race through the book without feeling too guilty.  Bottom line - I didn't sleep much on Sunday night so didn't get up early on Monday morning and no time to blog!!!!   Whew - that was a long story to tell you that.

Never mind that I didn't even check e-mail yesterday and hence missed the Modern Quilt webinar last night.  GRRRRRRR!!!!!   Oh well - you can always go back and listen to the webinar, but what a dolt!

But I've been working - here's a look at part of what's been happening.......................



Whenever I teach machine quilting, I get asked about marking designs.  I don't like to mark designs if I don't have to.  It takes up too much time to mark and then time to remove the marks.  Many marking devices are NOT good despite all the hoopla about them. I'm not going into details this morning, but my FAVOURITE and MOST OFTEN USED marking device is a WHITE chaco-liner by Clover.

WHITE Chaco Liner by Clover

The optimum word here is WHITE - I NEVER use any other color as I find the marks are not all that easy to remove.   When in doubt - remember WHITE!!!!!

But does the white show on light fabrics????   The answer is yes.  Oh - I should clarify one thing.  While I used to like to follow marked designs, it's just too time consuming.  Nope - I try to free hand everything these days, but I will use the Chaco Liner for registration marks.

Have a look in the photo below.  You can see my white chalk line on the light fabric. I needed a guide to help turn the corner.

White chalk line on light fabric

Because I'm doing this quilt on the long arm, once I have turned the corner, I take a picture so that I can refer back to it to get the opposite two corners to be the same.  They don't have to (and most certainly are NOT) the same but you want the same general idea!!!!

Picture for reference to do the bottom two corners. 

This fabric and quilt design are very light and airy.  I want to keep the quilting that way as well.  Remember this quilt from the other day - the outside border wasn't on - well it's on now.  And I have to say that I like it!!!

Customer quilt - DONE  - well except for the binding!

Quilting on customer quilt

 I did continuous curves in the checkerboard border, but I may go back and actually do ALL the squares - not just the cream.  I'll see how I feel when I get the binding on.


I have had this fabric for ever.  I made a shirt out of it when I first started to quilt.  Never wore it - still have it. Then I decided to use up the fabric and make a quilt - I think I made Hopscotch quilt by The Quilt Patch. And still had loads of fabric left over.  The coloring is very distinctive and hard to match.  Then I ended up with a customer request in those very same colors and well - here's an opportunity to use it up.

I decided to make the back much more interesting and used up the leftovers to make the back.  You can see that some areas are much more pieced than others.  As long as things are square - that pieced back is going to be a breeze to quilt over.

Pieced back

 Despite the fact that the quilt has Hobbs 80/20 batting in it (which tends to be heavier), this quilt is very lightweight and airy and it will make a good snuggle quilt. I'll try to dig out the other pictures of this fabric that I have somewhere - the shirt and the other quilt.

The only thing I have left is the cutoffs from the backing once the quilt was trimmed.  I think those will go in the scrap box for string quilts - not even in the true scrap box.  It is just so pale and washed out - I hate it and there isn't much for fabric that I hate!!!

Left overs!

The binding is now on and needs to be hand stitched down

 Got busy when I got home and one more quilt is done!!!!

Customer quilt - DONE

I did take the day off and went to Monday Mania!!!!   So nice to spend the entire day with the group. Something I haven't done in months!!!!   Feels weird - almost like I'm an outsider!!   But I had fun.  Here are two pictures of stuff that I snapped - I meant to get more, but just didn't think of it.

Yoga mat that Mary made for a friend of hers

Mary and another one of her quilts

 Part of the reason I chose this particular Monday was it was POT LUCK day.  And where are all those sewing people?????

When someone said "lunch is ready", the room emptied faster than a speeding bullet!

Where has everyone gone?????

To get lunch!

On that note - I'm out of here.  Back to work (at the office) this morning and then back home to work in the studio tonight  (the next quilt is already loaded and ready to go).  This is going to be the schedule until the end of the year - but the good news is that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and every day that light is getting steadily brighter.  The list of quilts is steadily decreasing, there is a list for next year already - so if you want anything done - you better get on the list.  I am going to be a stickler for adhering to that list. No more letting people butt in - nope - just not going to happen and then my quilts and those for the office are going to make more of an appearance on that list as well.


Have an awesome day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  (we are all going to be shell shocked when the weather turns cold)

Ciao!!!!!!!!!!