#65 50th Birthday Celebration

My husband turned 50 at the end of July. What better way to celebrate than with a quilt!! So I made him a fantastic quilt with batiks! I had been working on it for a while starting back in 2013, but since finishing the top I tucked it away (out of sight out of mind) and was able to get it quilted and bound while he was away for a few days!!
As some of you will know from following along on my quilting/long arm journey, I have not had a great experience with my long arm quilting machine. I have now connected with the right person, and quilting my husband's quilt has been the most fun, the best turn out, and fingers crossed the beginning of a great friendship with my machine!!! lol Thanks Greg!

Let me tell you I was doing a very excited happy dance right here!!! First quilt I have finished without any major quilting issues!!!! The first of many, fingers crossed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 This quilt pattern is made from Jelly Roll strips and the video tutorial can be found here.

I had to share some of the celebration food too!! Especially the cake, that my friends sister made!!

Marinated Veggie Salad  Really good! I made it 2 days ahead, yum!!

 Couscous Salad

 Orzo and Spinach Salad from The Art of Home E-Magazine if you aren't getting this free magazine, you should check it out!!

 and some iced coffee steeping and simple syrups to sweeten it with.  I made regular, vanilla and cinnamon!!

 And there's my friend Kellie (miracle baby's mom!! lol) giving Dave his cake!! My husband owns a 1964 Suburban, thus the cake!! It was a homemade cherry chip cake, that tasted as good as it looked!! Thanks again Stephanie!!!!

#57 MQG Fabric Challenge Complete!!

I had just joined the Modern Quilt Guild when this challenge was introduced. I've only been quilting for the last 3 years and blogging for a little less than that, but thought it sounded like something fun to do to challenge myself. So I jumped right in, signed up, and decided to design my own wall hanging!! I've been posting pictures to Instagram as I've completed certain stages and the last post I said I still had some add-ons left. Well for all of you who were wondering what that could be....... here it is!!
I embroidered on the stems and found the cutest buttons to add, lady bugs and bubble bees! Why not, it is a garden after all, and they just add some texture and whimsy to the project!! The quilt was completed with the  Michael Miller Fabrics along with some Kona Solids, and  I used all the scraps to make the binding. The wall hanging finished at approximately 63" long by 25" high. The drop heart quilt pattern just seemed like the perfect pattern to choose for the quilting.

#51 Long Arm Struggles continue

As some of you know who follow me on Instagram (@upstairshobbyroom) I purchased a long arm and have had nothing but problems with it. Everything major has been replaced, and I still have issues (will sew for awhile fine and then goes into a slow sluggish stop start action going to the start of a quilt pattern and when it starts the pattern, the machine goes crazy fast with a jerking motion causing jagged jerky stitching). I was thinking how can a company have so many lemon pieces, a manufacturing problem? Than I swapped out my machine and component with the shop owners and I am having the same issues with hers, even though hers runs fine at her shop, and guess what.... mine runs fine at her shop!!!!! So what is the problem???? I have said all along it has to be the rural power grid I am on (this machine is power sensitive)  (our home is only 4yrs old so our wiring is fine) , but no one will admit to this or agree with me, and I am stuck being totally frustrated and riddled with guilt over the money I thought I was investing, that wasn't much of an investment at this point!!!!
I share this because I am hoping that anyone who has a long arm will share any insights they might have and for future reference what long arm they use and why?  I need info to move on from here, calling all long arm quilters!!!!!! and if you don't, but know someone who does, can you forward the info and ask them to email me, I would be so thankful! ( upstairshobbyroom@gmail.com )

(Update--the long arm has been working better, thankfully I have found some info and maybe the hydro in our area has improved, do to some wind turbine that have gone up. Whatever the reason...I am very happy!!!!)

What I've Been Up To:

Not much sewing this week, but lots of Maple Syrup was made!! We have a small batch still to jar, but from 50 taps we produced approx 45L of syrup!! We make it for ourselves and family, every other year. This year was a total family experience, everyone got in on the action. :)

Here's the  good part of trying to figure out what the issue is with the Long Arm,  4 baby stitch sampler quilts. Not perfect stitches, but still usable, so nothing goes to waste.

Got my Triangles all sewn together for the Triangle QAL

and my two Layer Cake Sampler Blocks 

#26 Holiday Sewing....

So I am now doing 2 more quilt alongs, both Christmas!! Which got me in the mood to start making my Christmas presents too!! Which means I will hopefully stay on task and get everything done well in advance. (I have a huge smile on my face right now, because I know I can be easily distracted by  new interesting quilt projects I might stumble apon....)

Count Down to Christmas

Modern Trees QAL

What I've Been Up To:

over half way through the City Sampler Blocks

Making 3  table runners...2 fall with Halloween disappearing nine patch blocks for the back side, and 1 with Halloween and another celebration on the back. Trying to decide between Valentine's Day or Birthday.

And I loaded the baby quilt, finally found the right thread....but still waiting for the bobbins to arrive. [They sent the wrong size!! boo :(   ]