Monday, April 28, 2008

I Can Quilt!

I had my long arm quilt class on Saturday. I should really call it a mid-arm quilt class. The shop has a Pfaff Grand Quilter with the Next Generation Quilt Frame. The class went great and I learned a lot.

He started me on a puzzle design, but it didn't take me long to get into loops and squiggles and creating shapes. He tried to get me to stay with one design, but I was having so much fun. I was so in tune with the machine I couldn't believe it! Here are some photos of my quilting. The first two are small squiggles and the last one is my try at stippling.


DH and I had great time in Portland on Saturday night. We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn in the Old Port part of the city. On Saturday night we went to the Back Bay Grill for dinner. The service was impeccable. DH said it best about the food, "The menu had all the right words, but the food didn't have the zing." After dinner we went to the Top of the East for a view of Portland at night and a final drink.

Sunday morning brought dreary skies and a light rain. But we were determined to stroll the Old Port and visit the shops. We have been looking for that one "WOW" item for our dining room and with all the boutique shops we had to shop. We didn't find the "WOW" item, but we did find some other stuff. Nearly everything we bought will be used in the kitchen: a rubber ice cube tray, a basting brush, a sink stopper with a martini on it and two lunch boxes - one with a Celtics logo and one with a Red Sox logo (perfect for us). I found this octagon box in one store. They were suggesting to use it as storage for coffee filters. However, being a quilter, I saw it as a small sewing box.
When we returned home and I opened up my e-mail I learned that a member of one of my on-line quilting groups had died. She had been fighting her second round of breast cancer. Jen was a fantastic person who never let on how sick she was. She was always cheery, telling us about her latest adventure with friends. I had the opportunity to meet her last April and she was just as great in person as she was on-line. Jen disliked sewing machines and every quilt she made she did by hand. They were truly exquisite quilts.

I hope everyone is enjoying time with their stitching and quilting.

11 comments:

Libby said...

Sounds like you and Hubby had a nice get-a-way *s* It's always fun to go poking in those shops even if you don't find just what you are looking for . . . so many good ideas to tuck away for future use.
So sorry to hear of the loss of your friend.

tami said...

So sorry to hear about the loss of your friend.
I love the Old Port, but I almost never buy anything there. My company's office used to be located one block away from the Hilton Garden. We have moved to about a block away from the L.L. Bean outlet. :cD

julieQ said...

I am glad you had a good time! You are a great machine quilter, I bet it was really fun! Sorry for the loss of your friend...

Helen said...

Wow, your go with quilting with the sewing machine looks better then my attempt. The stippling looks very impressive, especially for a first try.
So sorry to hear about the loss of your friend.

Carolyn said...

So, is there a longarm in your future? Sounds as if you and hubby had a great time together. I'm sorry to hear of the loss of your friend.

doni said...

Glad you're feeling more like yourself! Hate those slumps - but think of it as just processing a backlog of ideas!

If I could find my stitchery patterns :< I'd send you one - perhaps when I'm unpacking next month!

doni in NE for 31 more days!

Mavie_q said...

Hi thanks for comments on girls and the birthday wish. Ur 1st quilting on machine looks great!!! Darlene and I are both looking forward to sat!! and sun.
I was so sad to hear of Jenny's passing I never met her but have heard so much good of her, she has gone to a better place.
nice to see u feeling a little better also. mavie

Sarah Nopp said...

Very nice quilting. I love the midarms down at the shop I rent at. I love to do allover designs too, but I wnat to learn to be a bit more controlled. I like to go FAST and that doesn't always = controlled look LOL

Julia said...

I'm sorry to hear of the loss of your friend.
YOur quilting looks great, I would love to try out a long arm, looks like it would be fun.
keep up the beautiful stitching..

Mary Johnson said...

My Father-in-law took us to the Top of the East on our first trip to Portland.

So sorry to hear about your friend.

Carole said...

What a pleasant get away! You're quite the natural machine quilter! Looks like you were have fun! Keep well!