Oh Blessed Day!

Today was a 10! I hopped on the computer this morning to check the tracking on my longarm, which according to the tracking for the last week was due to be delivered Thursday the 14. Much to my surprise I was informed that it was on the truck out for delivery... Well I canceled my breakfast plans so I could be home for my baby.. and then I waited, and waited and waited, I paced, I fed the kids lunch, I paced some more, I sat and stared out the window, and I waited some more, the kids came home from school, I fed them snack and we all waited, we all stared out the window, Moms showed up and picked up kids, Dads showed up and picked up kids and then I waited a bit more! Finally at 4:25 p.m. the Fedex man drove past my house!!! YIKES then he backed up and came to the door, I signed for my delivery and we brought her in the house... Opened the box and there she was!

Stuart and I then spent the entire evening working on my "new and improved" set up. We didn't quite get finished, we did get the frame leveled, and the rear handles attached to the machine. Tonight we will be getting the encoder wheels put on and all of the cables run. Then I will get to load a test piece on and see how she runs. Tomorrow if all goes well I will put my red snappers on ( got a good deal on them from a nice lady I met online after a major Snafu with the Quilts on the Corner shop) Once that is done I will be back in business!
I can't wait to be able to quilt from my own home again, don't get me wrong, I love quilting over at the shop, but there is something to be said for finishing up dinner and going out to work on a quilt for a few hours before bed. I just sleep better! Plus I am more active, not sitting on my butt playing on the computer night after night.
I will post pictures after we are all set up and quilting!
I hope you all have a wonderful day.
Ginny

AT LONG LAST!!!

Good Morning!!!
So first off I guess I should explain the post below this one, it is actually a continuation of a conversation on Facebook, so if you jumped here from facebook well then you know what the heck is going one, if not.. Miss Megan needed a baby quilt quick like and I pointed her to the quilt at the top of my blog, wrote up some quick and simple (I hope) directions and then pointed the way here to show her a rough picture of what I drew up... I can't wait to see her finished quilt. It actually made for a fun morning, yes my life is that lame.  I was thrilled to be of a little help to her, she is one of my favorite blog writer, and just in general a great person.

So, here is my bestest news... My longarm is at LONG LAST on it's way back home! According to the tracking number it is it has just left Charlotte NC. and should arrive here on the 14th. Just in time for a double class weekend. I think this was the longest 2 1/2 months of my life. Thankfully I have had the machine at the shop to use when I needed, but still it will be nice to have mine back and be able to quilt when ever I want to!

My other good news for the day, ALL medical results are in.. everything came back OK, no cancer!!! They even are going to have me wait till next year for my next Mammogram. Originally they were thinking I would have to come back and do it all over again in 6 months.

Well, I guess that's all of my good news for the day, I am off to shower as I get to spend the day with my friend Wendi, time to clean up the sewing room before Baby gets here!
Hope you all have a wonderful day,
Happy quilting.
Ginny

A Magic Star for the Bitchy Stitcher!

This is for you Megan! Like I said in my post, this was a quick and dirty layout. I just used what ever color looked close. Your quilt will be MUCH cuter. I do like the idea of using the yellow for the stars and the star material for the sashing!

 

EDIT....

I was able to make a better image in EQ 7 even though it is still not perfect. I was able to get the stars in there after all.

Here is the pattern I wrote up and sent to Megan on facebook. It assumes you have some basic quilting experience.

Magic Star
Cut 36 5” squares for 4 patch blocks
Cut 4 5” squares for Star center
Cut 12 5” x 9.5” rectangles for sashing
Cut 48 2 ¾” squares to form star points
Cut 5” boarder
Now simply sew together your four patch blocks. I use a random layout when using a variety of fabrics, for yours I would stick to just the pile of fats. Once 4 patch block are made set aside.

Now place one star point square on one corner of your sashing rectangle and sew from corner to corner, do this for all four corners of the rectangle, you should end up with each corner of sashing rectangle the same color as your star center. Trim to ¼ inch and press.

Next take 3 of your sashing rectangles and sew them to 2 of your star centers in this order, sashing, center sashing center sashing. Do this twice. This will form both horizontal sashing rows.

Now take your four patches and attach the vertical sashing rectangles. You should end up with three rows of… 4 patch, sashing, 4 patch, sashing, 4 patch.

Now simply join these rows to your horizontal sashings.

Yep clear as mud!

When done add border!

The New Crown Jewel Has Arrived!

Another busy weekend has come and gone, I have had some good news.. the pathology report from my surgery was non cancer! And after two hours of mammograms OUCH btw... I will have to go in again in 6 months to be rechecked. They did find 3 spots on one breast and one on the other.

Now in my usual fashion, I try not to let things get me down and these last two weeks I haven't had time to have a negative thought!  I actually have had a lot of fun these last two weeks, Friday the day of my surgery Bobbie the shop owner sold our rental machine!!! YIKES.. Now this is a good thing because after all that is her job, to sell sewing machines, but the yikes comes from the fact that I have a FULL calendar the entire month of April, I don't have any room for down time due to no machine. Fortunately the lady who bought the machine was gracious enough to allow us to continue using and renting her machine while our new longarm was shipped. I taught her how to use her longarm the Sunday after my surgery, and then we waited... Well I have to say I am very impressed with the Babylock people, the new frame and the Crown Jewel arrived Wednesday and Thursday, less than a week after the old machine sold. So, Friday after I got off work Stuart and I headed to the shop to set up the new CJ, we got there at about 4:30, the ladies who were renting that day finished their quilt and we were able to start set up on the new system. Many hours later we had this....

 

 We got done with initial set up, leveling and leaders at about 10:30 Friday night. I had my first class Saturday morning, things went OK, not great but OK, we had a bit of problem with the tension, as the day progressed I did manage to get it fairly balanced... Then Sunday I had another class..

 And the machine tension went all to hell! Again I tweaked it all day long and finally late Sunday afternoon I got it balanced. I may have to cause pain to anyone who messes with that dial!

So now, after two full days of playing, both on my own test piece and my two ladies classes, I have to say I like this machine. It is primarily the Jewel just a little bit nicer, a couple improved features that make the over all quilting process a bit easier. I did have to put a warning sticker on the handles. The renters will not be allowed to use the precision stitch feature until they take a second class, I for see some real bloody fingers otherwise! I do like that you can change the stitch length right on the handles.
If you are looking for a good solid mid range long arm, I really would suggest you check out the Crown Jewel. Now the real challenge for me begins.. I have to learn how to use the computer guided portion.. Anybody out there familiar with Quilt Motion? If so give me a shout I am rather intimidated by it!
Well, going to keep this short tonight, it has been a heck of a week this last little while, and I need to get some rest!
Thanks for stopping by,
Happy quilting!
Ginny