A parade & a new sewing machine

I had the week of the 20th off in February and planned to set aside several days to sew and sew and sew.  I had big plans for finishing WIPs and just playing with fabric, but my sewing machine broke bright and early my first morning of sewing!  I rushed it in for repairs only to be told that it would take two weeks --

 TWO WEEKS!  

I really thought I was just going to sit down in the shop and have a good cry, but managed to hold it in while a salesman tried to sell me a new machine that was way overpriced and not at all what I wanted.  He valiantly tried to sell me an expensive extended warranty package, too, all the while insisting that his prices were the lowest, despite the fact that I could prove otherwise.  

I had already been planning to get a new machine in the not to distant future

but was waiting for a great deal.

 When I couldn't take the sale's pitch any longer, I went out and sat in the parking lot feeling really frustrated and posted a message to my sewing circle asking if I could borrow a machine from anyone.  Almost immediately I received a message back from Elizabeth Hartman offering to let me borrow one of hers for the entire two weeks until I got my Pfaff back!  And suddenly I was back in business!

I have to say it was wonderful to sew on a more modern machine, and I quickly fell in love with a couple of features on Elizabeth's Baby Lock:

The knee lift and the automatic thread cutter.  Using Elizabeth's machine and having a better idea of what I wanted, I started researching sewing machines online all over again.  

A little consult and encouragement from another sewing circle friend, Jen, and....

Meet my new Juki:

It does one thing and it does it very, very well -- perfect straight stitches at up to 1500 spm.

And look at all that extra room for quilting!

 Knee Lift:

Automatic Thread Cutter -- 

push a button on the machine or just rock back on the foot pedal!

 And this kitty-tempting thread holder.  

 Between this and my Juki serger, Sammy can get herself in all kinds of trouble without even trying.

Quarter inch seam perfection!

 I just love sewing with my new machine!  And it made finishing up this quilt top a breeze!

 Parade on Peacock Lane

The fabric was designed by my sweet friend, Violet Craft, for Michael Miller Fabrics.

 The pattern, Lizzy's Parade, was designed by Cherri House.  It was published in the Winter 2009 issue of Easy Quilts, and I had been saving it to showcase just the right fabric line.  I hope it did yours justice, Violet!  I can't wait to get it quilted!

Oh - and my old Pfaff (which originally belonged to my mother) is back from the shop and ready to be passed on to an excited new owner -- Molly!  

With wishes, true and kind -- Joan

Fabulous Fabric Friday

There's nothing like coming home tired from work and finding a couple of packages of fabric on the front porch!  

I was instantly energized!

I knew the larger package would contain these lovely fabrics by David Butler (Curious Nature)

but I just couldn't imagine what Cindy (Live a Colorful Life) would be sending me!

A beautiful yard of Sis Boom fabric

 because she knows I love Jennifer Paganelli (and cool colors).  

Cindy -- Thank you so, so much!  I am touched that you would think of me, and I think you know that this fabric has found a good home.  It will be admired and petted until the day I cut into it for the perfect project.  I think I have one in mind already!

Last night I had the fun of shopping at Fabric Depot with Monica and Heather.  

One is crazy and the other is crazier.  I'll let you decide which is which.  

I decided to add some solids to my Swoon-along blocks.

And I couldn't stop myself from starting a collection of reds and whites for a Christmas quilt.

Heather teased me about buying too much fabric (what with Curious Nature on it's way to my house at that point), but it seemed to me like a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black, so I just ignored her.

 Don't expect to see this quilt started any time soon.   I'm going to do Christmas in July at a sewing retreat this summer with friends and I'm just getting an early start.  

With wishes, true and kind -- Joan

Q & A

Q:  Are you swooning?

Why yes I am.

I decided to join Katy's Swoon-along, but have had a slow start.  

I changed my mind about colors/fabrics, but finally chose these.

I could hardly wait to start my block so I could use my beautiful new smart iron.

It's amazing!

Perhaps it was my haste, or perhaps it was the still poor lighting in my work-in-progress sewing studio, but I made an unusual (for me) cutting error.

I cut out background squares in Kona White (on the right) instead of Snow (on the left) and had to start all over.   On the bright side, I now have white background squares for the red and white Christmas quilt I keep thinking about.

 Sammy didn't lose a wink of sleep over my problem.

 Q: How is the progress on your sewing studio?

I can't stress enough that this will be an all year project. 

Recent activity includes folding fabrics to reorganize.

 But Sammy kept walking through the piles.

 Most of my fabrics are now temporarily stuffed into drawers since my neck and back got tired from all the folding.  

Q:  How is your recovery from surgery going? 

Today was my first day neck brace free.  It's about a week early, but this morning I just couldn't face putting it on any more.  The cervical fusions will still be growing/fusing till November 2012 and my spinal cord may not be completely "back to normal" until May 2013.  

So basically I still have pain and other symptoms in my neck and left arm and leg; however, less than before surgery, AND

I am getting better every day.  

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers!!  They are much appreciated!!

 In other news, I'm taking a wonderful class with a special friend, 

and -- oh yeah -- I finished that first Swoon block (24" square).

Of course, some people have already finished their entire quilt tops.

I may not be fast,

but I'm slow :D.

With wishes, true and kind -- Joan

Typewriters!!!

...and other things of beauty:

Recovering from spinal surgery is slower than I thought, which means my quilting projects have slowed down, too.  But I can still dream -- so I'm sketching and adding to my stash and getting a little handwork done.  

I'm thinking about cutting up the cute tote bag and using that typewriter in a quilt!

What do you think?

With wishes, true and kind -- Joan

FINALLY!!!

Last fall my sewing circle, The Sweet Hot Yams, was faced with two of us needing surgery.  (Of course, a third Yam decided to go in for emergency surgery -- but that's another story. )
So they put their creative minds together and planned to make two top secret quilts to provide love and comfort to their injured friends.
I was the first lucky quilt recipient,
but I was sworn to secrecy until another Yam got her quilt early this morning.
So, drumroll please -- here she is in all her glory.
I've been waiting for two looooooooooooooooooong months to be able to show her off:

Isn't it just beautiful!?!  I love this quilt so much!

Much love and many thanks to
The Sweet Hot Yams:
Elizabeth, Gabrien, Heather, Irene, Jen, Kristin, Mo, Monica, Sally, Shelley, Traci, and Violet.

Which Yam received a quilt this morning?
That's not my story to tell ;D

With wishes, true and kind -- Joan