What did I do?

We actually closed for 3 days!  That is the first time in 3 years we have been closed consecutively for 3 days!  What did I do????

Day 1 - I slept! ....and watched movies!  By the evening I had had enough sleep so I cut 40 pairs of Sashing Star Points for the Marti Michell quilt.  Then I slept again! (Must have needed that sleep!?!)

Day 2 - I tackled my laundry room and 5 loads of laundry....and since I was downstairs near my studio (hadn't been down in months, except to get things I needed and give it a quick clean). I usually just run in, get what I want and leave so I didn't notice what Simon had been up to....If you remember my Country Haven Quilt that I was working on, well I left everything out on my cutting board including all the pre-cut strips and Simon made the whole pile of fabric Simon's Haven.

QUILTING TIP OF THE DAY - If you have pets, store your projects in plastic containers or bins.  That way when you aren't working on them they are safe from "nesting" animals. (I spent over an hour last night using a lint brush to remove all the cat hair painstakingly from each strip of fabric - serves me right!)  It will also keep it clean until you go back to it!

However, I did manage to finish quilting the Table Runner that Kathy made a few months ago with fabric from Lakehouse....Sharon is busy putting binding on right now.....so it will soon be officially DONE!  That's one project out of the way!  I also worked on backing for a small quilt (I'll show you when it's done)

Then I went upstairs to watch Quantum Solace which was on one of the movie channels and I cut out another 40 pairs of Sashing Star Points so that's done!  I also started cutting squares for my second quilt from Lori Smith's Fit to Frame #1 pattern.

Day 3 - Continued laundry, continued cleaning and went to the store - you knew I couldn't stay away for 3 whole days!  Barb met me there and we baked 4 loaves of Amish Friendship Bread (the main reason I went to the store - it had to be baked that day)......and I did a little work on the Marti Michell!  We went back to my house to watch Julie and Julia (5 stars as far as I'm concerned - Barb and I both enjoyed it!) and I worked on the Hand Quilting Sampler from Alex Anderson's book which I completed last night and which Sharon is putting binding on today. (...will post a pic once it's COMPLETE!)

So - yes I got some much needed rest, and yes I got lots of stuff done that needed to be done but I still need 8 more hours in a day!

Here's what the Marti Michell looks like now!  (I'm still loving it!)  I will be working on Sashings tonight I think......probably just getting them ready!  I also have to work on the newsletter which is now THE PRIORITY!

Now that Christmas has come and gone I can unveil the best thing EVER!  A custom made DESIGN WALL!

About 2 weeks ago we got a call from a husband of one of our customers looking for a Design Wall and where he could get one!  I, without thinking twice said, "Richard can make one"!  Oops!  Well, after getting all the specs and finding out exactly what he wanted - Richard came up with this!  It is

6' x 4' and can hang on the wall either way (horizontally or vertically).  It was made so that the batting can be easily changed or tightened when necessary and it is very sturdy but not that heavy.  He really did an awesome job.  He's already taking orders!  Of course he was ready to murder me in the beginning but after having built the Design Wall in our classroom and one in my home studio he knew what he was doing, so it didn't take long before he came up with a great design for a free hanging model.

On that note, I guess I should get back to that Newsletter so you can all see the great line-up of classes and BOM's we have in store for the New Year!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann