Virtual Retreat July 2015 - Join Anytime

[Marianne G.]

As for the waviness, I am sure that you can 'quilt that out' :whistle: :P as for cutting your sashing from different directions, because that was all the fabric you had, who cares especially since it is not a directional fabric design. I was originally taught that in appplique you had to have all the grainlines matching - but that doesn't seem to be the rule for all the great applique quilts you see winning big prizes :huh: So I guess the rules are really just guidelines for help, not hinderance .

Thank you, Rosemary! I too was taught to line up grain lines when doing appliqué. To be honest the few quilts and place mats I have made that has involved appliqué has proved the grain lines are important once you have washed the quilt which of course the great winning quilts will never suffer. I'm coming to the conclusion that for show you get away with almost anything where as for something that needs to stand up to use and abuse (like anything I make :P ) I need to be more careful. However the sewing machine cover will fade in no time so I will probably use that as an excuse to make a new one
Marianne

[Marianne G.]

Geneva, so sorry to hear about your machine - I too have a 730E that has become very, very temperamental and I've come to the conclusion that it is age. I'm lucky I have another machine to keep me going when it is throwing a tantrum. Sometimes it will correct itself with a complete shut-down and cooling down. I've decided not to repair if another board goes pop; they are all refurbished boards so something else on the board can go a couple of months later.
Love your fish, Wendy - great fun
More fantastic photos, Lotti - thanks for sharing
I managed to make 2 knit t-shirts over the week-end but can see that sewing knits is a subject that needs researching in depth if I'm to succeed. Having said that both the girls and I agreed that despite a bit of wonky-ness here and there they are much better quality than any we have bought recently and not more expensive. So here's to perseverance! Today I'll start WFQ the cover I think.
Marianne

[Rita C.]

Lotti those photos are exquisite! You really are a very very good photographer. Looking forward to seeing your tumbler muggy.

Meanwhile I have been working on 'Wedding Quilt No. 2'. This little block is one of 4 which will be set on-point in the corners of one of the borders.

But the hand sewing is beginning to cause my arthritis to flare up again so I will have to stop for a while. Which means back to Heidi and some pinwheels.
Geneva, I feel your pain. I hope Sybil gets fixed soon. You know we all seem to feel the same when the big expensive high-maintenance machines take a hissy fit - we go back to our old faithful machines and find that they are so much easier to use and so much less fussy. Have some M&Ms, I'm full! :cheer:

[Nancy R.]

So sorry about your machine problems, Geneva! I hope the new guy can get it sorted out.

Beautiful pictures, Lotti! Thanks for sharing!

Love the applique, Rita! That quilt is going to be gorgeous! I hope your arthritis calms down so you can get back to it. Maybe mixing in some pinwheels each day will allow you to keep doing the hand applique longer. I can't wait to see the final quilt!

[Judith A.]

Oh, Lotti....
I sat down at my laptop early this morning with a cup of coffee and found your pictures. Such a joy to behold!!! Please keep them coming.

What kind of camera do you use? What lenses did you use for the wonderful dragonfly and the owl and the goat. They are works of fine art.

Judith

[Judith A.]

Lotti,
If you could send the owl picture to my personal email
[email protected]
I would be very grateful. I want to show my Granddaughter, Hannah. She is crushing on owls, has been for a couple of years now. She turns 8 this summer and to see a picture of an owl and her Grams can tell her about the person who took the picture, so much the better.
And I am officially asking for permission to print it onto the front of a tshirt, or maybe several. Not to be sold, just for the Grandkids. I'm thinking if I put it on one for her BDay the others, 8 total, will be requesting one too. If you respond with a "no" that's very ok. That's why I'm asking, it's your picture and I'm not going to use it without permission.
Thanks for considering,
Luann

[Lotti D.]

Luann, no problem at all
i have a number of owls in my collection.
you will - hopefully tonight - receive a link to my dropbox
i'll upload a selection of owls for you at a good resolution so you can pick and choose - maybe we can even find enough so you could make a different one for each grandchild B)
for the t-shirt printing you will probably need them in .jpg format
will try to take the laptop home tonight as i'm still purging the pictures from the last two weekends and have only exported a few for use.
physiotherapy at 5 - and it's 34°C here now - still supposed to be getting hotter (no A/C in our office - we're all steaming away and having our brains boiled...)
have no idea how i'll survive an hour of physio - oh welllllllllll

[Lotti D.]

Judith: many thanks
i use an "old" Canon 7D often with my best friend's canon ef 70-200mm f/2.8l is usm (also the old version), an old canon 70-300 (very noisy and slow) and my regular kit lens that came with my camera when i purchased it second hand 1 1/2 years ago.
i'm saving up for the new canon ef 70-200mm f/2.8l is ii usm - and hopefully a sigma 150-600 ...
but... if i keep getting sidetracked by necessities such as glasses (had to update everything - major disruption to my savings), and batik fabrics (well i was in canada and the states just a few weeks ago)... this might take a bit longer
luckily my best friend (the absolutely bestest friend a girl could have) is very patient and doesn't have time for fotography at the moment so i've had his lens by default for the past 6 months - but he'll be finished his school mid july and might just have time again for the important things in life

[Lotti D.]

Hi all! I've been lurking since the begging of this thread...my computer is needing to be replaced, which should happen next Monday....and this one is too old to upload pictures here. I finished 4 quilts this winter, and wanted to show you the last one I got done, but it wouldn't upload. I really enjoy all the posts though

[karen f.]

Oh Lotti your pictures are wonderful! Thanks for posting them.

[ANNE E.]

Lottie I loved your photo's they are all wonderful but the Iris is beautiful....the colours, then the owls so cute.
Hope you have cooled down a bit, like you I don't like the heat.
Anne

[karen f.]

Wow Rita that is going to be a beautiful quilt!! I hope your pain goes away and stays away.
Cute fish Wendy! They look Summery.
That is so aggravating Geneva to continually not be able to count on your machine! I hope the Bernina folks can do something for you.

[karen f.]

Lotti...LOVE your pictures!!!
Rita...the quilt block is beautiful!
Wendy...love the fish! they made me

[Geneva C.]

Dorothy welcome! We'd love to see your pictures when your new computer is working.

Lotti, as usual you amaze me with your photography. That owl!!! He was looking right at me!

Rita, your wedding quilt is very pretty. You are so patient to do hand applique.

Thanks everyone for the sympathy for Sybil. I didn't eat dinner last night. I was too full of M&Ms! And my husband thought of the perfect name for the 1130. Constance. Isn't that lovely? She's a sweetie.

have a good day everyone, geneva

[Rita C.]

What a great name Geneva - tell DH he has found the perfect name for her. It has inspired me to call my old Pfaff 'Patience' as she has had to put up with a lot from me as I learned how to use a sewing machine.

Wendy, forgot to say that the fish are very cute, are they purely decorative or are they pin cushions or something? You're right I am fishing for answers. :lol: