Exercising the old brain

A couple of months ago, ah, well maybe more than a year ago as time flies I purchased the upgrade to EQ8, I truly cannot explain why as it is not as if I design quilts, I’d rather support other people by paying for their patterns if they took the time to design these.

I however saw a video tutorial by Kari Schell on designing quilts around a panel and having a couple of these in my stash and while bored took the time to actually focus, take notes and concentrate for once.

I took the very first panel I could lay my hands on, top of the drawer and decided to test the notes I took.

Now here comes the problem with having an old memory.  When I tried to find my notes believe you me I had several folders, PDF’s, Word Docs and excel spreadsheets all named EQ8 in every possible location…. The Desktop, My Documents, My pictures and even some in My Documents, Important Documents, EQ8…… really…. Do I even ever think about these? It literally took an afternoon and early evening to find just THOSE NOTES and then I printed them out for it seems the old filing method in a real file, with the ABC dividers still work for me. (Not that I have one but for a while the printed notes won’t disappear from my desk).

I just did a basic outline of the actual block and border sizes in EQ, they rest happened as the inspiration came while cutting.  I just love Steam A Seam2 for the simple fact that the applique pieces doesn’t adhere permanently until ironed.  That gives me the opportunity to move pieces to make it visually more appealing.  Here I played with triangular applique shapes on a wide border and I had the freedom to move these around for the best fit.

Got up early one morning to catch a little of the US Open tennis and while doing this ironed the triangles and cut the corner blocks and before having to take a shower to go to work I had the major pieces pinned against the design wall.

After work I could therefore just add colourful borders and now this one can be quilted….. when I have my machine back from being repaired.

A little bit of this and that

I’ve made modifications to my backing leaders after watching THIS You Tube video by Lorena.  For one I don’t have to find the center of my backings anymore and I wouldn’t need to use pins too.  I haven’t had the chance to try it out yet but if it works for her I’m sure it would for me.

I had ruler stands made for my long-arm rulers and it almost looks organised but I guess I will need a little more of these to make life easier.

The needle shaft on my machine got hurt and had to be replaced and after the replacement my machine refused to switch on again.  Boy, the problems I’ve had with this machine, just never seem to end.  I now threw my toys out of the cot and made a list of everything that has been bugging me, even after several ‘fixes’ and I expect this to be sorted finally.

The problem just is with 4 quilts waiting to be quilted I am now (yet again) stranded without a machine and I don’t have a clue for how long.

At least, not being able to quilt will make me cook, so for the next couple of days hubby will dine in style.

I’ve finished the top of my Simplify quilt and with the design wall empty I could actually start another project but at this stage I am just so frustrated not having my long-arm I just don’t feel like quilting.  Being bored however got to me and I played around with free motion quilting on my trusty PFAFF 2056 domestic.  You just have to love the tension on a PFAFF.  I’ve never FM quilted on this specific machine and with no supreme slider, no gloves and no spray basting I popped a test piece under the needle and it just went like a hot knife through butter.  If only I can have this feeling on my long arm although tension on my long arm has not really been one of my issues.

I also pieced large 15” squares of my fugly pink fabric in my stash to use as a backing for the donated quilt top mentioned in my previous post.

Binge watched The Messengers and moved onto watching Reverie and while my son got me a new laptop I thought I’d be watching this in bed at night alas be it TV or series on the computer, once my body hit the shack, I am as out as I can be.  So not much success with that.

Donated quilt top

Some time ago fellow quilter, Sonja, gave me a partially made top and said I should finish it for grand princess.  Kind of a daunting task taking over someone else’s project and pretending to know what you do!

This was what I initially got.  A bag filled with parts of this project.

I figured the best way to get going would be to at least iron everything out just to have a clearer view of what happened prior to me taking over and this looked much better

I also ironed the already finished part of the top to put that up against the design wall along with the magazine picture of the quilt.

I didn’t have the pattern but from previously cut blocks could measure for size and after very little cutting was needed I got to finish the top which turned out beautiful.

Thanks Sonja, I am sure granddaughter would be impressed.

Hopefully the last of winter

Winter has been playing games with us; being rather mild since April and then turning vicious on Women’s’ Day, to turn back to almost bearable just to give us a final reminder this past weekend.  I don’t recall ever finding it as hard to get out of bed as this Saturday.

We’ve been rather active with grand princess turning 6 on Tuesday and us having a family barbeque at their house…. Way too much to eat but that seems to be the norm when I plan a diet.

On Saturday she had a ‘high tea’ with some of her friends and it being as cold as it was we had to dress for the occasion, ladies were to be “mams” and the men had to have suits on. Well I’ve been the good grandma and got dressed in a neat dress, stocking and all while hubby cheated wearing a bow tie with his denims, shirt and jacket.

Big man would not allow us to go home without him and princess joined us later.  Between the two of them we were kept rather busy.

After their parents fetched them on Saturday afternoon I got to start joining the rows of my Simplify quilt and it is turning much bigger than I anticipated and after stitching together the first row, I ran to my frame to see if it would fit.  Imagine me, having a long arm and asking someone else to quilt it!

Progressive Detail quilting – 7

So all good things came to an end.  I had to work on Friday, after having Thursday as a public holiday, off but it still felt like a long weekend being all alone and I really enjoyed myself, doing what I want whenever I wanted to.

I even watched 2 series, Freakish and Siren, both scary but with my big dogs I felt safe and it is not as we have mermaids or chemical plants around us.

On Friday I had a meaty and savoury platter delivered to my house which lasted me the weekend.  I love this way of “cooking” (having food delivered to your house).

Hubby returned early Sunday afternoon and the big kids and grand babies later the afternoon and today it was back to reality.  I did however finish the final top in this online iquilt course by Judi Madsen but this one is riddled by mistakes, you’ll unfortunately have to do the course to notice them!