Stash Report Week 25, 2014

Last weekend, I took several classes at Stitches, the local shop where I bought my HQ Avante. They had an HQ educator in for classes on fills, rulers, finishing quilts... The teacher was fantastic and the classes were amazing! I learned so much and I am ready to start branching out with my quilting!

To that end, I left the shop with a few tools... A Handi Light that plugs into the USB plug on the machine and it is now clipped onto my handles and waiting for it's first chance to be used. The Handi Grips that are clear sand paper for the backs of rulers. And the half circle templates and a longer straight edge ruler. I am set!



And I picked up a couple more on my way home. Sheet protectors and dry erase markers to start drawing out some designs.



I need to get busy on some small projects so that I can start practicing!

And since the classes, I have been busy quilting on the batiks wedding quilt and finishing a wall hanging top and cutting out 3 more Sew Together bags. Nothing that I can really show right now, but it's exciting to be moving forward on a couple of things!

Fabric added this week: 10.94
Fabric added YTD: 35.08

Fabric used this week: 4.79
Fabric used YTD: 52.09

Net Fabric Used: 17.01

Lula wasn't too exciting about all the goodies I brought home from my classes.

My Friday Night...

Tonight on my way home from work, I picked up a quilt for Gillian to be quilted and figured that it was time to get my check spring replaced on the Avante. It took about as long to replace as it did to find an Allen wrench the right size - about an hour and a half total. Next time, it will definitely be quicker!



And then to celebrate the new spring and cleaning up the house, I enjoyed a mango margarite in my Squeezy Freezy. The liquid never got into a slushie form, but the cup definitely kept the beverage cold longer than usual and it was yummy!

Quilt # 52 - Road to Ashland

This was the last quilt quilted in 2013 so I continued with the number from 2013. Fifty two quilts quilted on the Avante. Woot!! It was a great year.

This quilt is Road to Ashland and the pattern is a free one from Judy's site called Road to Llano. I made this for my cousin who graduated from high school and is going to Ashland University. She worked really hard to go to this school and I am so proud of her!

I used a yellow variegated King Tut in the top and a yellow Bottom Line in the bobbin and Square Spiral panto.

This is the quilt I was quilting when the tension spring on the machine broke in the middle of quilting, but it still turned out well.









I think that I really ended 2013 on a high note!

Quilt #16 for Emily

Last night, I finished quilting this quilt. I still need to bury the threads.



I should have taken a picture of the backing as well as it is pieced and fairly interesting.

I used a white So Fine and silver Bottom Line. I free motioned loops and flowers in the blocks...



... and squares in the background.



The squares were interesting to quilt, but I still had some issues with the upper thread occasionally, but it was definitely not as much I have had in the past.

Quilt #15 off the frame

Friday night, I finished quilting quilt #15 which is for Gillian.



I used a white So Fine and silver Bottom Line in the bobbin and the Daisy Duo panto.



I also ordered the Magic Genie Washers for the bobbin and had one in for the last two rows and didn't have any issues with nesting or extra thread. I'm anxious to try it out on another quilt to be sure it has helped resolve the issues!

A pinwheel finish

Quilt #14 on the Avante is quilted! This one is probably the biggest quilt that I have ever quilted. It's for Jen and it's a pinwheel sampler quilt. The fabrics are gorgeous!



I quilted this was Daisy Duo pantograph and white Glide in the top and silver Bottom Line in the bobbin. I added a bit of batting to the first thread guide, but that didn't help with my thread issues and I have quite a few spots where I had to rip out the stitching due to nesting on the bottom. But the extra thread in the top part of the stitch didn't happen which is a good thing.

Here is a picture of the quilting. No flash so that the quilting shows up better.



I'm not sure that I will be able to get a picture of the full quilt. I will see how it goes when I bury the threads. :)

Design Wall Monday - 6/10

So much accomplished this weekend!

Friday night, I quilted the 13th quilt - one of my own, just in case! It is Moon Pie and Sunday I got it trimmed and the binding attached.



Sunday, I worked on the pieced border for Sweet Treat. Just the sides left to do and then 2 more borders that should be very easy.



Sunday night, I finished the hand stitching on the SIS quilt that I quilted in May. This is an old UFO, but I can't remember when it was started.



I have also been quilting a pinwheel quilt. I'm hoping that one more pass will out me to the halfway mark and get the quilt top off the floor. :)  It is looking pretty great so far!



And finally, I repaired a bagful of dog toys that had been ripped open. Maxie and Lula were thrilled about that!

Friday Night Sew In - 6/7

Last night, I quilted quilt #13 on the frame. I got Moon Pie finished. I used white Glide on the top and my go to silver Bottom Line in the bobbin.



I did have some issues with the upper thread looping on the top. I haven't had this issue with any thread other than the Glide, but I had a few spots like this. I try my best to regulate my speed, but it seems to happen when I do free motion and not when I use a panto.



Once I got that done, I loaded the next quilt on the frame and then did a bit of cutting.

I cut out the pieces for the pieced border for the Sweet Treats quilt. I'm ready to get this quilt top finished and ready for quilting!



And then, I pulled out the Easy Street to see where I was with the steps. I had stopped when I got to a lot of cutting - 169 3.5" green squares and then white strips for more strip piecing and more cutting.

I'm ready to get a few UFOs finished to start a couple of new quilts!

Some goodies and a quilt

In the past few weeks, I have placed a couple of orders to replace and add to my thread collection. I was trying to move away from Connecting Threads Essentials for the frame, but with the spool attachment I can use the Essentials thread so it will be here if I need it. I would just rather not need it.

I ordered a few cones of Glide. This works well for pantographs, but I have to watch my speed when quilting a free hand design. I only wanted to order about 4 colors, but there was a minimum amount so I chose a couple more colors. The cones are 5000m and around $7 a cone.



I got an assortment of variegated King Tut colors from Sew Thankful.



And some So Fine and another cone of the silver Bottom Line that I have been using.





Here is how the cones of So Fine and Glide compare in size.



And this morning, I had a bit of extra time so I loaded the first Quilt of Valor on the frame. I'm going to use Square Spiral to quilt it.

Quilts #10 and #11 quilted!!

Last night, I knew that I wanted to get something else quilted, but I wasn't sure that I wanted to spend a lot of time in the basement. I have some other things around the house that I need to get done, but I really didn't want to start on something else.

I ended up pressing and prepping Jen's table runner and then thinking about how I wanted to quilt it. There is a flange on both ends and that kept me from trying out a new panto. I ended up quilting it with big circles. I used the same soft white So Fine in the top and a light gray Bottom Line in the bobbin.





I am in a challenge group to finish UFOs and my name is almost at the top of the list so I had to throw one of my quilts in so that I can have a finish relatively soon. I quilted the 2010 SIS quilt. I changed out the top thread to a light tan So Fine and used the same light gray Bottom Line in the bobbin.



And I just did a simple stipple. I was going to quilt just until I ran out of bobbin thread, but I never ran out of bobbin thread and there were no thread breaks so I got the quilt finished!



I really like this backing fabric!



About the time that I finished the SIS quilt, Max visited to tell me that was enough quilting and it was time for bed.

Quilts #8 and #9 quilted

Regina has been working on her 4Patches4Hope quilts and I told her to send me what she had so that I could quilt it for her with the new Avante. Today, I got to those quilts!

#8 is the pink 4 patch quilt. I used a white-ish So Fine in the top and the light gray Bottom Line in the bobbin. I am going to have to get some more of that light gray Bottom Line!



I just did a stipple on both quilts.



And I used this from my stash for the backing. It's a St Jude's fabric so very appropriate for cancer quilts.



And #9 is the blue quilt. I used the same thread combination for this quilt.





And Batman on the back. Again, from my stash.

Quilt #7 quilted

Last night, after I finished the baby quilt, I went to dinner with Tim and then loaded the seventh quilt on the frame. When the dogs woke me way too early for a Saturday, I made them sit in the basement with me while I quilted.



This is a heart wall hanging for Jen and I used the Hubby Love panto on it. I used a softer white So Fine in the top and the light gray Bottom Line in the bobbin.



Max is feeling better this week since his teeth cleaning and they pups are all enjoying the nicer weather.

Friday Night Sew In - 5/17

Last night, I loaded a baby quilt and got it quilted. It is for Emily who is in my modern quilt guild.

I used the white Glide in the top and a light gray Bottom Line in the bobbin. I quilted stars and loops in the color sections and ribbons in the white sashing.





I did end up ripping out one section of the sashing that I didn't like and re-quilted it and I think it turned out just darling!

This is quilt #6 on the new frame.

Quilt #5 finished

Wednesday night, I loaded Lynn's second quilt on the frame. I used another new panto - Hubby Love - and I think that I am used to the process and how to drive the machine from the back now.



The only places I have to bury threads are where the bobbin ran out!



I used a white Glide on the top that was a sample from one of the Shipshewana retreats. And a pale gray Bottom Line in the bobbin.





Last night, I pressed the next quilt and I will load it and quilt it tonight. It's for Emily and is a baby quilt so I will be able to get it finished and load another one tonight as well!

I also pulled backings for 2 charity quilts for Regina and 4Patches4Hope. I am going to get those quilted and ready to be delivered to her the next time I go. Regina is still collecting 4 patches for anyone who is interested in helping out. :)