Saturday, March 30, 2013

Happy Easter!

I arrived home on Monday night ... It is amazing how fast you can get home from Michigan when all the planes go as scheduled. It was a wonderful visit and was hard to say goodbye to that sweet baby and her parents. I have lots of wonderful memories of our time, and I think I was definitely a help to the new parents.

I spent a lot of time over the next couple days trying to get my machine up and running. It had been snapping the top thread and I could not get it fixed before I left. I had to call my Innova dealer and get him to walk me through fixing it as I was not successful on my own. I was pretty sure it was a timing issue. The height of the needle has to be just right and the way the hook comes up and around has to hit the scarf of the needle at the right place to push the thread through the needle. It then started making a funny noise in the bobbin. A couple more adjustments and I think it's as good as it's gonna get for now. It is still making a bit of a noise, but it's making a great stitch and I did an entire 80 x 87" quilt without a thread snap, so I am happy! I discovered something because of what my dealer said ... The thread was not a good thread. I bought it because it was economical and because it was a great color. I won't buy that thread again ... It's just not worth the money I saved to deal with the aggravation of the thread breaking. I bought some King Tut by Superior and it just is a beautiful thread. It is probably at least twice as expensive, but you do get what you pay for.

The two quilts I did this weekend are both Cotton Club quilts, from the store's block of the month from last year. Linda's is first .... I used Permacore on top and Glide in the bobbin, and my favorite overall swirl.

The second quilt is Judy's ... Her border was a different print, and I think her quilt looks darker because it was night when I was taking the pictures. King Tut in top and bobbin and the same design as Linda's. Both of these ladies did a beautiful job on the piecing. These were 5 inch blocks set on point with setting triangles and lots of bias edges. They took my class last year that met once a month and they got their quilts done ... Beautiful job ladies and an honor to quilt for them!

The last couple pictures are of sweet Kylee the night before and day that I left her . I miss her sweet baby smell!

Happy Easter ... May the Easter bunny bless your baskets with lots of goodies!





















Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Wednesday snow

Well it is snowing again in Michigan ... It's the third day of snow since I've been here. It's very pretty and really hasn't accumulated very much. I think it's beautiful, but I suppose if I lived in it I wouldn't think it was so great.

I've been helping with the laundry and baby care and meals. The kids are staying with her parents. They were gone for a few days since I arrived (her parents); her dad came home the other night. I was trying to help with dinner and/or clean up and he would not hear of it. He is very nice and said I was the guest ... I don't mind helping, and I don't want to be waited on, so we just don't let him know! Mommy was supposed to cook dinner for us yesterday ... Lasagna. Well I wasn't going to let her cook so I put the lasagna together before her dad cane home. I kept asking her, is this how you do it? I did it wrong on the top layer apparently, so the story we told was that my son had to finish it because she was nursing the baby! Ha ha

I'm sending more cute pics of the baby. I am having a great time ... I miss my husband and my dogs and I sure wish I had my sewing machine! My son is working two part-time jobs so he hasn't had a lot of free time since I've been here but he's doing what he has to do. I don't mind, but I know he wishes he had more time with me.

The first quilt was one my friend made for Kylee. It's her own design out of the Noteworthy line of fabric. I did a new quilting design in it ... A tight flower that looks so cute. King Tut thread on the top and Glide in the bobbin.

The second quilt is also Mindy's and she sewed both backings together for me to load as one. As long as the backing are similar sizes it works well .... You just load the quilt back as usual and when your done with the first backing, you just roll some more and there is your second backing. It cut the load time in half on the second quilt. I did a swirly loop and also used the King Tut thread with Glide in the bobbin; both quilts I used the same creamy white thread so I did not have to change thread.

I stated having some trouble with my thread breaking, but I changed my needle, and then adjusted the needle bar height a little and that seems to have taken care of the problem.























Saturday, March 16, 2013

Michigan

I just arrived in Michigan last night to visit my beautiful granddaughter and her amazing parents. I had several flight issues yesterday, but after a long day of travel I got here at midnight. I almost kissed the ground when I got off the plane .. I was never so happy to see land!

I can't figure out how to put pics from the cell phone except at the end, so I'll just have to group everything at the bottom. I have been busy quilting away ...

The first quilt is one a customer made for her grand baby ... Isn't it cute? I did my signature swirl and used Glide thread on top and bottom -- the color is a nice turquoise that compliments the quilt.

The next quilt is a quilt I made for Kylee ... I was running short on time, so instead of making a label for the back, I quilted her name into the center of the quilt where the frog is, and then in each corner I quilted the date of birth, height, weight, and length. And then of course I have to close my post with a picture of me and Kylee ... I am just loving this Grandmama stuff!

PS. The last picture is a blanket I knot for Kylee and lined with minkee .... It's so soft And she looks so cute under it!

























Friday, March 8, 2013

Aaacccckkkkk!

Oh friends I have abandoned you, haven't I?! My humble apologies. I am trying this from my phone, but last time I tried this it did not work. We will see!!

So much has been happening in my life. I am happy to announce that my granddaughter, Kylee, has arrived! She was born on March 1, one week past her due date and weighed in at 7lb 7o, 20 inches long at 1:26 in the am. I just had to laugh at her because her sweet daughter really told her ... Mommy said that baby will be born in February and Kylee said ... Nope, March!!! Ha ha ... That's ok as she was born on my favorite cousin's birthday and on my sister's birthday too!!

Isn't she beautiful!!! I cannot believe how much hair she has. I love the pictures I get that have my son on them holding her. This is my favorite ...

Ok ... I am trying this from my phone and did it a week ago ... I'm not sure if you'll see the pics, but if you don't I'll just add them later.

P.s. I just checked and the pictures did post! I'm so happy because I can do this whole I'm traveling now!