Happy Holidays and Time for a Spa Day?

 I've been so bad about not posting again.  It seems that I have a pattern of that.  Will 2023 be better?  I just don't know.  But I did want to wish you all a very happy holiday and remind you what week this is.

Every year between Christmas and New Years, I give my featherweights a spa day.  Yup, it's that time.  People ask me all the time if I do all my machines that week and the answer is, no!  How do I decide which to do?  Well, if I haven't used a machine in 6 months, I don't do a spa for that machine until I'm ready to use it again.  If I just did a Spa day recently for some reason, you don't need to do another Spa day this soon.  So, I'm taking a machine with me while we're on a winter vacation.  I'll do that machine  when we arrive at our destination and before I sew with it.  So, there you go.  You should Spa any machine that gets regular use and hasn't been Spa-ed for 6 months.

And, after you get your machines all done, sew something with them.  I know I plan on doing that.  I'm going to start a new quilt now that Little Brown Bird is over and done with.  It took me 8 years to finish my LBB so something less stressful is really sounding good.  I'm going to start a fall quilt kit that I bought before Thanksgiving.  I usually don't buy kits but this one spoke to me.

I'm going to start a Hawaiian Sunbonnet Sue as well.  I've had the pattern since 2015 but I haven't started it yet.  I'll keep you posted on my progress. I'm going to make it a bit different than what the pattern calls for.  Don't we all do that?

So, I'm hoping all of you had a fabulous Christmas.  I hope the New Year brings all of us some great quilts to make and other projects as well.  I'm so looking forward to my small vacation before our FW Retreat/Workshops in March and our FW Club meetings in April.  As soon as I get a couple of maintenance classes set up for spring, I'll post it on the Schedule page.  

HAPPY NEW YEAR, all.  May your sewing days be many and your non sewing days sparce.  Love you all!

FW Club classes coming up this week

Are you ready?  The first FW club classes are scheduled for November 4th or 6th noon till 3pm and that's just days away.  If you haven't called the Quilt Patch to sign up, their phone number is 517-423-0053.  There are openings at the moment so give them a call.

I've posted what you need to bring over on the class schedule pages.  Check those out.  I'm so excited to see everyone and get things started up once again.

I made it back down to SE Michigan last weekend and I've been crazy busy getting the trailer unloaded and things put away.  I am so ready to sew something..... anything!  It's been a long drought since sewing for me.  First, it was company.  Then, it was time to pack things and load the trailer.  Then we got SNOW and had to cut up trees that had come down. Whew!  It feels good to be back home.

I'm ready to bind the little brown bird quilt to have it done and then, just maybe, I can start something new.  Imagine that!

Well, just wanted to remind everyone of our FW Club classes.  I look forward to seeing you all.  Have a good week and I hope to see you all soon.

Summer is flying past..... thinking of all

 I look at my calendar and see September coming up very quickly.  Is that possible?  Summer flies by so fast anymore.

We had a couple of awesome FW Retreat/Workshops this month.  Again, so many gorgeous quilt tops got finished and others worked on.  FWs got fixed when they needed it and as far as I can tell, everyone had a great time.  Here's a few pictures of the fun you missed if you didn't get to come.

Sign-ups have begun and 2023 FW Retreat/Workshops are already filled.  Send me an email if you'd like to be put on the waiting lists.  Check the FW Retreat/Workshops tab for more information.

Guess what?  We're going to have a couple of FW Club classes this winter, yeah!  I know everyone has been asking me when we'll start those up again.  Go over to the Class Schedule tab for dates, times, etc.

Perhaps you've heard that the Quilt Patch has been sold but I understand our FW activities will continue pretty much like before.  One thing to be aware of is that there will be a class limit to all classes. With a class limit some ladies might not be able to get into a class.  For that reason, if you don't come to class, your payment will be forfeited.   It's a store policy.  I know what we'll be doing the first class.  You're not going to want to miss it.

Okay,  I've worked on my Little Brown Bird quilt all summer and I do hope I'll have it finished so I can bring it to the 1st FW Club class in November.  If you'd like to see how it's coming, here you go!

So, if you have questions, send me an email.  I do have notes about machines waiting for me when I return this fall.  Do contact me if you don't hear from me once I return.  Happy end of summer.  Enjoy every minute of it! 

Last week of June - time for a FW SPA DAY

 It's the last week of June so you know what that means.  It's time for a featherweight spa day.  You know the routine.  So, get the oil and gear grease/motor lube out and let's just do it.  For those with a lot of machines, I guess take a day and do them.  I am only doing one at this point because I'm up in the woods using only one FW, the one that loves it up here at the lake.

Have you had a good summer so far?  It's been quiet here but we are expecting company in a couple of weeks.  You know what that means.  We're busy trying to spruce things up. I brought up a new to me display case for showing off a few quilts and some of my special FWs.  I'm loving the look.  And, we've hung new screen doors because the old ones were pretty worn out and sagging.  We re-built the dock down at the water and that is very nice.  I will do my usual wash all the windows this next week.  It's time for that.

 My flowers have been pretty this year.  I especially like this iris.  It's had a huge bloom of regal colors.  I do wish the blooms would stay longer.

As far as sewing goes, I'm hand quilting Little Brown Bird this summer.  It might take me longer than this summer because there is just a ton of stitching and I'm slow.  But, I'll get as much done as I can.  This picture is just the very beginning of the border.  I'm into the 2nd row of appliued blocks at this point.

The FW Retreat/Workshop for August 2022 is in the final planning stages at this point.  We're going to have a grand time, I'm sure.  I'm going to fly down for those so won't be bringing much to work on other than helping everyone finish up their case covers and maybe I'll try to put together a scrappy quilt during that time.

So, if you have questions, be sure to send them along.  If you just want to know what's going on class schedule wise, head on over to the schedule tab and check things out.  There won't be much happening other than retreats until we return in the fall.  Have a lovely day.  Now, go get that FWs spa day over and done with.

Hoping Spring will come!

 I do hope Spring will get here soon.  It's time to get the Easter quilt out with its bunnies, baskets and Easter eggs, and yes, the tulips and daffodils are starting to show their color.  Maybe I'm just too anxious.  For what ever reason it just seems to be taking such a long time this year.

But, the Spring retreats are over and done with now.  What fun they were.  Quilt tops got finished up.

And we had another High Tea at the later retreat this year.  Thank you so much, Deb C.  You are so wonderful to treat us to such finery.

I didn't post a picture of the potatoe leek soup but everyone wanted that recipe.  I'll put it in the recipe tab of my blog.  Check it out there.

As I wrap up the paperwork for this Spring's retreats, I'll be pulling out the August retreat information and getting started contacting people about those.  Starting in the spring of 2023, I will be holding back 2 slots for newbie FW owners at each retreat.  So many have been pretty discouraged that they can't seem to get into a slot for so much learning on FWs.  If the newbie slots don't get filled, we'll start filling in spaces with those on the waiting lists.

It's nearly time for the semi-annual move, as well.  I am anxious this year to get back to the North woods and get a chance to work on the Little Brown Bird quilt.  I'm going to hand quilt it so that's my main quilting project this summer.  I'll keep you posted.

As always, I'm working on cleaning up FWs to have them ready to sell.  Contact me if you're looking for a machine.  I acquired quite a few from an estate this spring.  I'll be cleaning and cleaning for awhile.

I have one more maintenance class set up on April 20th 2022.  If you need to take a class, just call the Quilt Patch in Tecumseh (517-423-0053) and get yourself on the list.

Okay, have a grand day..... stay in touch.  I will try to check in with some FW ideas soon.