Oh Christmas Tree (Quilt)...

Well...I put up our Christmas tree today...it took me about 2 minutes...

Yeah...this is the extent of my Christmas decorating this year!  

Neither of the kids are coming in for Christmas this year, so when that happens we don't bother decorating.  Decorating takes time away from quilting...and Andy doesn't mind not having to bring down all the boxes from the attic.  

I do get sad when there are no kids or grandchildren here for the holidays, but thankfully, it doesn't happen that often.  Our good friends (just happen to be our neighbors, too!) have invited us over for Christmas so we'll be there!  :)


In other news...the countdown is underway...Andy retires in THREE WEEKS!!!   It's a little scary but we both are looking forward to it!  Him...for obvious reasons.  Me...because he has agreed to be my "houseboy" and take care of everything...cleaning, cooking, shopping, etc!!!  :D

It will be nice to finally get some projects done around the house and property that have been on hold because he hasn't had the time.   (Shhhh...don't tell him that I plan on keeping him busier after he retires than he was when working!  LOL  Our little secret!!!)

Loretta

My Gift to Myself...

Guess what Mrs. Claus bought for herself this year???

A sit-down long-arm quilting machine!!!!  I am over the moon about it!!!  I've wanted a sit-down long-arm ever since I first saw Ricky Tims use one a quilting show on TV!!!  I don't have the room, the money, or the ability to stand for long periods of time at a traditional long-arm machine, so I've had my eye on a sit-down one for a few years now.  

I finally decided that my free-motion quilting was good enough to invest the money.  I had been seriously looking at them online for about the last 6 months and had mentioned to Andy that it was getting closer and closer to me having one.  

Then on Black Friday, the same company that I had purchased my Juki TL 2000Qi machine that I had been doing my FMQing on put the very machine that I had been eye-balling ON SALE... the TinLizzie18" forward facing sit-down machine. 

Well...what was I to do but order one!!!  It took 12 days to get here, but it finally arrived yesterday.  However, the table didn't come till today.  Tonight Andy and I put it together.  (Well, mostly Andy...but I supervised!)  It was kind of a pain-in-the-arse to put together....and there is still one cover that doesn't fit where it is supposed to, so I need to call tomorrow to get that straightened out...but it is together and running!!!

The table has two extensions that flip up with swing-out legs to make the table bigger for larger quilts.

I couldn't wait to try it out so I made a little quilt sandwiched and tried it!  It is so FAST and so SMOOTH!!!   I had read some reviews that said it was "loud", but I think it is fairly quiet.  In fact, I think it is quieter than the Juki was!  I can't wait to do a "real" quilt on it!!!

They also have a "front-facing" one that come in a table, too, but that table extends out the back and not out the sides like mine does.  That one would cause the table to stick out too far into my sewing room....and it's tight enough in there now with the new machine!  :)  


Loretta

Christmas Stars Quilt...

When Paul & Trinity were here for Thanksgiving, I gifted them with the Christmas quilt that she had "hinted" for last year!  :D

I named it "Christmas Stars".  I designed it myself on EQ7, made it scrappy, and free-motion quilted it on my Juki TL 2000Qi...

99" x 99"

in the making...

The middle border was done with 4 different free-handed Christmas tree designs...but for some reason, I don't have a picture of the 4th design.  

The outer border was done in free-handed feathers...my first ever without using a stencil!!!  I'm pretty happy with them!!  :)

I had fun making it and they were quite pleased with it...so all-in-all...it went well!!!  


Loretta

Thanksgiving Update...

Quote for the Day:

"You’ll never be as lazy as whoever named the fireplace."

~author unknown

Our son, Paul, and his wife, Trinity, and sons, Andrew & Alex came in for the week of Thanksgiving!!!  We had a GREAT visit!  Lots of laughter, conversations, games played, food eaten, and general all-around FUN was had by all!!!

The boys think Grandpa is their own special playmate because he gets down on the floor and romps around with them!  They love to climb on his back and go for piggy-back rides!

Thank God we have a great chiropractor who can fix Grandpa up after this abuse!!!  LOL

Trinity is such a great cook and loves to do it, so she made most of our meals during the week and all of the desserts for Thanksgiving!   

Isn't she cute in my vintage apron???  If it hadn't have been for her...we may have all STARVED!  LOL  ;)

Andrew is 8 and is reading so well now!  He loves to pick up anything and read it...books, flyers, advertisements, etc!  Trinity says he especially loves to read directions or anything with "steps" to it, e.g. Step 1, Step 2, etc.  She says he reads the directions off of boxes to her when she is baking something.

Alex is 3 and does EVERYTHING Andrew does...even repeats everything he says after he says it!  

But...being 3 is hard work and he passed out shortly after we started watching "Finding Dory" on Thanksgiving evening...

Paul brought his new 357 Magnum with him and took me to do some target practice...

All in all...I think everybody had a fun week!  I know I did!!  :D  Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving, too!

Loretta