Slow Progress
Posted on June 23, 2025 by prairiemoonquilts in Studio NewsLately, I feel like all I’ve been doing is driving. When I’m not driving my truck, I’m driving my longarm. That’s about the only things I’ve been doing. In between, I sleep because I’m so tired from all the driving. I’m still waiting for things to level out a little, but every time something calms down, something else pops up to take its place. Life can sure be crazy sometimes!
While I’m busy trying to face all my challenges with as much grace as possible, I’m throwing in a few stitches here and there, trying to move some projects forward. Most of my long-term projects have been pushed aside, and I’m working on finishing up things that are closer to done. I feel like if I can get some projects finished and gone, it will clear the way for me to drag out one of those projects that might take a little more time and work to get to the finish line. I have many!
The first thing I have completely finished, which surprised even me, is my Made & Found Quilt-Along quilt. I stopped making blocks when I got to 20 and set it together like this:
When I got my new longarm, I needed a quilt to practice custom quilting on, and it was the closest one to the top of the pile, so onto the frame it went! I used variegated thread to quilt it, and I even put the binding on with the longarm to make it quicker and easier.
Speaking of binding, I finally made myself sit down and try machine binding for the first time (after 50 years of quilting and having never tried it). It didn’t go as badly as I had envisioned. There were a couple little spots I had to go back and fix where I slid off the edge, but I will definitely be doing it again, because it sure made things faster.
And speaking of the longarm, here’s the first custom customer quilt I dared to try. I got to try out lots of fun patterns on this quilt for Michele, and it went just fine.
So I guess I can safely say I’m back in business. I’ve already quilted nine quilts with the new machine, and it’s been here a month already!
When I need a break from the longarm, I try to do something sitting down, so handwork has been back on the docket some, but it’s really slow going, so this is the only thing I have to show for it right now — Block 11 of the years-ago Daredevils quilt-along I took part in:
Only one more block to go, but I have mislocated my background fabric. Once I remember where I put it, I can cut out the final block and maybe have one more quilt top finished!
So that’s the boring news from around here. I hope you’re getting more done than I am!
I thought of you this month . I am cranking out blocks. I also have been having fun kitting up blocks for our charity sewing group
Sounds like you’ve been very productive to me!
We always tend to minimize our own achievements, sigh!
I keep making tops and not getting to the quilting them task so the UFOs are piling up, sigh…again!
I finally am back doing some piecing. Finished piecing a panel for a baby quilt. When it is back from the quilter I’ll bind tuck it in the matching pillow case for a baby boy to be born in August. Just have the fabrics picked out for a scrappy wall hanging. Several blocks cut for a guild monthly QAL for 4 or 5 months.
No sewing apart from at the morning quilt group. I forgot I needed a couple more hour glass blocks and didn’t have the fabric I needed, so decided to start joining the blocks together. It’s a start anyway. Now I must remember to get the fabric packed before I forget – the group is on Thursday!
Nice quilting and having 9 behind you is great progress.
Your projects look great! I wish I was getting as much as you are done. I hope you have a great summer.
I tried machine binding once – due to being in a hurry…never again. It was a Christmas gift ‘19. Middle son who has been hit and largely missing holidays showed up. It went fairly well, so I thought. Missed whole sections, he would not let me keep and fix. I was so sad ! I am sure it became a dog blanket. What a gift to be able to long arm like you do. 9 quilts holy smokes!
I prepped some small UFO lap quilts for the longarm and keep intending to load and quilt them. Didn’t happen last week so hoping this might be the week. I’m making some progress on the piecing front of UFOs but everything thing gets hung up at quilting. Even tho I have the longarm quilting is a challenge for me.
Also created about 650 sq feet of new garden in my backyard. I’ve planted it and now am trying to get it mulched and put in a drip irrigation system. Deadline looming! I’m going Sisters, OR for quilt week in 2 weeks 🤪 and I’m afraid I’ll loose my planting efforts if I don’t have water while I’m gone. I don’t think I know what I’m doing, so I keep researching, but I need to just decide and get it done! I’m constantly surprised that my 70+ year old body can’t keep up😂😂😂
HA!! Talk about 70-some year old bodies. Perfect excuse to do hand binding on my quilts. If I had a long arm and doing quilting for hire, then YES to machine binding. As it is, I do sell my quilts; but, they are not commissioned. Folks buy what I make if they like something and I make quilts I like because . . . Thank goodness, several years ago I acknowledged I never have been, nor ever would be a gardener. I conquered the urge to buy plants that die on the porch waiting for me to plant them or packets of seeds that turn brown after sitting on windowsills for a couple years before tossing them out. My flowers blossom on fabric or grow on linen with my needle and floss. Along with an achy, creaky body, age gave me the understanding that if it didn’t happen all these years, this year would be no different. Do what YOU want to do because you want to or need to and chuck the rest. Too old to waste time on anything else.
Boring news???? Beautiful quilting on your longarm, plus hand work?? It’s a joy ( not a bore) to see your work. We are suffering in a heat dome and my quilt room only has an old window AC – so only getting some knitting done in Jersey
Some progress is progress. You’re doing great! Me – not so much.
Blessings, Shelly.
Angie
You are an inspiration to me with all you do. I keep going, getting slower each year. Had a birthday a few days ago, 82 and still sewing/quilting. Slower than yesteryear. If I think about that, I will not get out of bed; so with the projects going, I keep moving.
Continue your routine and I will continue reading your good thoughts and moving.
Marilyn
I just saw this and it sew reminded me of our years of attempting to clear the clutter and finish the unfinished. I believe it is how the creative mind works best. My mom and my sister would totally reverse all three numbers. My wonderful aunt (Mom’s sister) would totally agree with the arrangement of the numbers as they appear. I firmly believe our psyche will not allow me to live in the reverse world for very long.
How I Clean My Craft Room
1% cleaning 29% complaining 70% playing with stuff I just found
Your life is not boring.