Kaffe Fasset squares

I got this one on Tuesday and loaded it immediately after cleaning the house.  This quilter only required large-scale edge-to-edge quilting which meant I could finish it quickly.

I expected another quilter yesterday but she couldn’t make it due to her dogs being scared of the thunder which meant I had the evening off with no quilts awaiting and the change was good.  Hubby and I got to sit and watch our recorded shows.

In hindsight, I regret not having taken a long hot bath instead of watching shows as we woke up to absolutely no water.  With the initial news of maintenance having to be done, our neighbourhood was not mentioned, and I didn’t take note of it.  In future, however, even if they warn against water problems miles away, I’ll make sure to fill a couple of buckets beforehand.

Bunny rabbit

I forgot to ask the quilter if she had a name for this quilt, so I am simply calling it Bunny rabbit.  This was made for co-workers expected little pink foot and it is absolutely divine.  I loved having the opportunity to do semi-custom work and just outline the printed pictures.

Expecting the next quilter soon and still need to prepare supper, so no time to chat.

 

Pansies in paradise

I am finally up to date with all the quilts in my house and can now safely phone the first quilter on my waiting list to bring the next quilt.

This one was fun to work on and quilts with purple and white (the few I have done up to now) always turn out somewhat prettier than most and I am not even a massive fan of purple.

I finished this one early this morning and then went to brunch with a bunch of friends.  I ate as if it was my last meal but it was fun and I needed this outing.

The quilt dried patiently on the guest bedroom bed after being sprayed with water to remove the blue marker.

Postage stamp quilt

Yip, I did another quick edge-to-edge thus finishing all the edge-to-edge quilts already in my possession at the moment.  Now I can focus on the custom quilt.

Hubby and I went shopping together yesterday, not something we do often, we do shop but then not together and I looked for two short fat white candles.  I had one lonely mirror against the wall in the lounge and my daughter had two candle holders made to go on both sides of this.  It took several shops to find what I wanted but here it is.

This little quilt posed a couple of problems.  The tiny squares were sewn onto the background larger squares and then these were joined.  When trying to quilt it, it often sounded as if my needle was about to break and the foot of the machine also struggled to get over some of the thicker seams pushing the fabric in one direction.  I decided to finish it and just do the best I can.

Scrappy triangles

I sneaked in an edge-to-edge quilt before tackling the next custom quilt.  Not that this quilt was more urgent or important but I’m trying to reduce the number of quilts, not done yet, but already in my house.

Although a quilter only pays for the time, I actually spend by the machine quilting, custom quilts do take much longer than that.  I print a picture of the quilt, decide on the placement of motifs, erase, retry and sometimes can audition for days before any of the actual quilting takes place.

I guess popping in an edge-to-edge quilt is just my way of making myself feel a little better.  I still have customers on a waiting list as well and I feel guilty about them too.

Baskets of flowers

All in all, I had a good week.  Celebrated my 60^th birthday on Tuesday but it was a family-only event as most of us still had somewhat of a cold.  The kids were good to me.  DIL brought a thick veggie soup, while my own daughter supplied the bread and cake.

I asked a cleaning lady to help me with the (now replaced) windows as I figured with me having to do the cooking, cleaning and quilting for customers, I’d have to start with the first window again by the time I get to the last.  It was amazing to sit back and chat with my quilting friend Karin, who brought me heaps of gifts, while the windows got cleaned.

Hubby read through our short-term insurance policy and saw that they only required burglar bars in front of windows that can open and got rid of the bars in front of the large windows.  What a difference it made.

I finished a custom quilt but had a fold and pleat on the back which was terribly disheartening but the quilter kindly decided to forgive me, else I would have had to unpick the whole thing which might have taken a year.

I also had the dirty blinds in the kitchen cleaned professionally and these now look as good as new.

Kool Kaleidoscope

What a coincidence.  In 2013 when our province had to host our National bi-annual quilt festival, I, with the permission of Ricky Tims, presented this class and here, years later, one of these was returned to me to be quilted. 

I took my last antibiotics yesterday but by yesterday evening I still didn’t feel all that bright.  Up early this morning, I had far fewer coughs and sneezes and I hope this ailment is over now.  I am so far behind with my customer quilts and it makes me nervous.

Something I noticed now that we moved to the new neighbourhood was that I can see the sunrise early morning.  In the previous neighbourhood, most neighbours had automatic garden lights that switched on as soon as the sun sets and seeing a sunset or -rise never happened.

I haven’t cleaned house at all last week with not having breath to do so, I guess this will be the first priority today before loading another of the waiting quilts and furthermore, I’ve made an appointment with yet another quilter about 3 weeks ago to drop her quilt off today as well.

Tulip quilt

I survived the first year of the pandemic with somewhat of a runny nose, In the second year not a single flu-like symptom just to get to this year, precisely one week after we were given permission not to wear masks, I got bronchitis and I got it good.  I could hardly breathe and moving from one room to another was terrible but I am keeping the faith that it can only get better.  I will have my last antibiotics this coming Sunday.

Hubby is back in the garden trying to figure out where the irrigation and electricity lines are.

Whoever fitted these were either terribly drunk or didn't know what he was doing.  Hubby will follow one pipe, just to find it abruptly stops and go back on itself or in the way it came from.

Inside the house, we’ve taken somewhat of a break as I am delighted with what has been achieved up to now.

Today I almost felt better and baked fresh onion, garlic, bacon and cheese bread.  There are but a few things that can beat freshly baked bread early morning.

I received this tulip quilt I do believe last week (before I got ill anyway) and only had the energy to quilt small stretches at a time but it is done and looks good.