Design Wall

I am working on two quilts currently.  I have a customer's quilt loaded on my Avante and was ready to start quilting it Friday.  The quilt loaded beautifully.  The customer had taken her time and measured her borders carefully when adding them.  This makes the longarm quilter's job so much easier.  I ran into tension issues.  So I gave up and turned the machine off for the day.  Sometimes things just go better if you take a break and when you return, you have a clearer picture and things look differently.  Today I loaded a fabric sandwich next to the customer's quilt and thought I had my tension issues worked out.  I moved the machine to the start point and set the computer to start quilting and the tension was screwy again.  Arghhhhh.....so I changed the needle, re-threaded bobbin and machine. Moved back to the practice sandwich and started the computerized quilting again.  Finally, the tension is improved and can go to work.

Four rows done!  Whoop ! Whoop!

I'm quitting while things are going good.

 

To unwind, I allowed myself to work on a few star blocks for Smith Mountain Morning by Bonnie Hunter.

Notice how there are multiple sheets of printer paper stacked up on my sewing machine table.  I layout multiple blocks, on each sheet of printer paper contains all the parts of one block to chain piece.  I layed out 8 blocks in advance and then sat down to sew.  The ironing board is on my left and I can just swivel and press.  Also, on my ironing board is a cutting board (my temporary design wall) filled with all my pre-cut pieces.

 

Late this morning I had to drive over to LeClaire, IA, to meet with Pam Hughes at Expressions in Thread.  I dropped off the order forms for the retreat supplies and discussed plans.  After the plans were made, I had to do a little shopping.  I had received a birthday card with a discount from the store.  It was burning a hole in my pocket, of course.  I found some great backing fabrics for two quilts and one border fabric. After this shopping, I was starving so I made a lunch stop at Hungry Hobo. 

The restaurant faces the mighty Mississippi River. I sat there eating and enjoying the beautiful view.

Lunch was a baked potato filled with broccoli, cauliflower and cheese.

 

I have linked up with Patchwork Times today.

 

Hope you had a productive Monday!

Yours in quilting,

Terry