It felt so good to have the longarm back up and running, even if only from the front of the machine. I got the invoice yesterday for new back handles and they’re $200 each ($400 total) plus shipping and tax so that’s why I don’t keep an extra set of back handles. They’re big as Texas (almost) so there’s no reason for them to be lost, nor is there any reason why they were taken out of the box in which I already had them packed. The reason they’re so expensive is that they have all the same buttons as the front handles. They run the machine . . stitch regulator, thread cutter, horizontal and vertical channel locks. I’m not complaining about the cost of them . . just complaining about them being taken out of the box and put who knows where!
Anyway . . enough moaning and complaining (for a few minutes)! I love to machine quilt. It’s the final major step of the process . . except the binding and though some love it, I could do without the binding part. I have the most fun quilting when I’m making feathers.
I’ll show you part of the the back side of my piece for the next 100 Blocks issue of Quiltmaker, Volume 4.
Those feathers were fun! For the batting, I used a double thickness of Thinsulate. I was thinking since this is a table runner and may get washed a lot, I’d like to see how the Thinsulate holds up.
And since yesterday was my last day to moan and complain . . really, I’m giving it up — I’m here and I’ll make the best of it, I decided to have some fun with my label. It’s a temporary label and will come off once the piece returns to me.
Vince will never see it so he can’t fuss at me for doing it. It’s done . . the piece is in the mail.
Today I will finish the pieces for the Bears in the Farmhouse border and I’ll pull the green fabrics for my monochromatic challenge top. What’s happening in your sewing room today?
Karin says
That is SO frustrating that someone would open and repack something you already packed! WHY in the world would they have done that?!!! Unless they were looking for loot? I dunno, just makes NO sense to me! I would be on the phone asking LOTS of questions to those movers!!!! Who knows what else is ”missing”! It would bother me so much that someone had rummaged through my stuff! GAH!
Judy Laquidara says
I truly think they were quite honest but i believe they were trying to be overly cautious with the packing and just took it a bit too far. If the handles got separated from the rest of the machine, someone with no quilting experience would have no idea what they were or how to label them.
katie z. says
Between four trips to school today for my kids (long story), and a trip to the grocery store, there may not be much sewing time. If there is any time, I will work on my Making Ends Meet scrap quilt!
Nancy says
Going with a friend on an “emergency” trip to a local quilt shop. Her emergency not mine…then heading to the sewing room do work on more blocks for my guilds BOM. So far I have Sept, Oct and last night I did Nov. We will be moving in Oct so I want to be ahead of the curve..also waiting on some fabric to bind a challenge quilt for the St Louis Modern Quilt Guild Habitat Challenge..
shirley bruner says
Today i am putting the binding on the two quilts that i quilted yesterday and putting the borders on a church quilt. then plan on loading my green monochromatic challenge top so i can start quilting it.
You’ll find those handles somewhere…then you’ll have a spare. have a happy day!
Judy D in WA says
Today is my day in the sewing room after a short trip out. I am going to load a quilt and see how far I get. I’m excited about that!
I sure hope you submit a bill for your new handles to the moving company along with a (not so) nice explanation as to why they are getting said bill. I wonder if they pay for frustration!
I’m glad you able to get it finished and submitted and I love the label!
Judy Laquidara says
If they paid for frustration, I’d be a rich woman! But, most of my frustration is not the fault of the movers. If I were still living in MO with my green grass, my basement and my air conditioner that works . . I’d be a happy woman. But, I’m not moaning and I’m not complaining! 🙂
Have fun quilting. Hope you get lots done!
Laurie Stone says
Sewing? what sewing?
Really, with our flood, and living in an apartment with the sewing room across town, I do grab a few minutes every couple of days. Yesterday I starched and pressed 6 blocks that had been given me to use on our congregation’s charity quilt. Today I hope to gather a few more of the blocks and get them trimmed.
Laurel from Iowa says
I finished the main part of a disappearing 9 patch and now have to decide what to use for the borders, back and binding. Well, my binding and outer border usually match, so that’s one less fabric to search for. I used some of my polka dot stash and it turned out very cute. Hope everyone finds some time to sew today!
Laurel from Iowa says
Oh, forgot to say that your quilting is exquisite! Isn’t there some way to make the moving company reimburse you for their mistake?
Judy Laquidara says
They will but it’s just a hassle to dig through every box that might have them in there before making a claim. Since we’re not in a permanent location, we had hoped to leave most of the boxes still unopened but it’s like finding a needle in a haystack around here. Vince has made a claim for them and no matter what . . they have to be replaced or found . . by someone.
Darlene B says
I am packing up my sewing stuff to go on a retreat this weekend. I CAN’T WAIT!!!
Helen says
Judy, I like doing the binding! Send me your quilts & I’ll do the binding; I’ll send you my quilts for quilting!
Your quilting is gorgeous.
Sherry says
I was going to say basically the same thing Helen said. I have a friend with a long arm business and she does beautiful work but also hates to do bindings so she has two women who love to do bindings for her and she does free quilting for them. Not custom quilting but it is a win win situation. When you get more acquainted with other quilters in your area, maybe you could exchange services and not have to do the shipping. Just a thought.
Judy Laquidara says
I’m out of the quilting for others business and there are excellent quilters around here so I’ll leave the quilting to them and I’ll do the binding. I mostly try to do it as soon as I take the quilt off the machine so I don’t let them stack up.
pdudgeon says
somebody somewhere should make a homing device specifically made for people who are moving.
the idea would be to insert said homing device into a box packed with important stuff, and have a remote control receiver that could be programed for multiple homing devices. Then a moving company could rent a set of these to each customer to help them find important items when unpacking.
Judy Laquidara says
Great idea but . . what happens when the packers decide to take something out of the “important” box and stick it in a box of who knows what?? Just like my crockpot saying “Kitchen” and “Crockpot” all over it and I explained to them that I needed that right away. DO NOT LOSE MY CROCKPOT . . and they stuck it in the storage building.
Better idea . . don’t ever move!
Marky says
Today I’m off to a quilt meeting and I’m skipping because yesterday I finished the top for the church’s raffle quilt. It has not been a fun project since I had to do over so much of what was contributed and get it done on a short deadline.
I like your label. It speaks honestly about how you are feeling right now; in the future when you look back (if you keep the label) it will remind you of the obstacles and frustrations you overcame.
Judy Laquidara says
Label or no label, this has been a move I doubt I ever forget!
Greg says
I like how your temporary label reflects your current state of mind. But hopefully the folks at Quiltmaker won’t decide to photograph your very creative label!
Judy Laquidara says
I’ll say I didn’t do it . . they must’ve done it and you’ll all swear you’ve never seen this blog post, right?
Anne G says
Today I quilt! I haven’t been in my quilting room for almost a week, so I am looking forward to it. I will be putting boarders on a quilt and then hopefully putting a quilt top together.
I would think that the moving company would have to pay for the handles that are missing, they unpacked a box that they have no business nor no knowledge to unpack and they lost the handles. I would file it on some kind of insurance report either with the movers or with my homeowners. ?? Just saying… 🙂
Judy Laquidara says
They will (movers). But, in the end, Vince’s employer is self-insured so it all comes back on them so we hated to have to make a claim. Vince did submit it but we spent way too much time looking for something we should not have been looking for. Of all the “stuff” we had, I was meticulous with getting all that longarm stuff packed safely and packed together.
Diana in TX says
It would not hurt to put a claim in with the moving company-explain the situation to them-you had them packed in the original box and they repacked them. No where to be found. They will either pay or not pay. I know they do not insure boxes packed by owners, but they repacked.
Love your label and after the move from h… you have every right to have a little fun with the label!
Judy Laquidara says
When I asked why they were going through all the boxes I had packed, they said they’re responsible for everything that goes on that truck — packed by us or not. Vince has made a claim for the handles. At some point they must have trusted me though because I’m finding not all of my “fabric” boxes have been opened.
Becca says
Oh Judy-you know that you’ll find the old handles about 5 minutes after you get the new ones unpacked and installed. I looked for ages and ages for a book I knew I had awhile back-I finally replaced it and lo and behold the next day I found it. Never fails. 🙂
JudyL says
I know and that is why I SO hate to submit a claim for them. I have no doubt they’re somewhere but they’re not in any box labeled sewing supplies or anything sewing related.
Diana W. says
A double thickness of Thinsulate?….EWWWW! I hate that batting. Well, hate is a strong word….I bought a roll of it for a really good price sight unseen. It was a huge roll, 96″ wide and 100 yds long UNFOLDED. When I opened that sucker up it exploded into the room. I use it every chance I get (for the last 3 years or so) and it still is big. It seems to keep growing. I have an APQS Millennium too and had no idea those handles would be that much to replace. That would irk me too having them removed from the box you put them in. What possible reason could they have to have done that? Perhaps you should bill them…knowing they will never pay, but at least give them pause.
Diana W. says
I didn’t read everyone else’s response before I posted….if I had, I wouldn’t have mentioned the missing handles to you (again). 🙂
Have a nice day!
Mary C in WA says
Your quilting is beautiful from the front. I love quilting Feathers too. I’d be putting some frowny faces on notes to Vince hidden in his lunchbox…You have every right to COMPLAIN! It’s hot and your stuff is missing in action! When Momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!
JudyL says
Mary, you’re moaning and complaining and I will have no part of that today! 🙂 But thanks for the idea about notes in Vince’s lunchbox! Shall the first one say “Thank you so much for moving me to Brownwood so you can no longer come home for lunch and I get to sew all day . . uninterrupted!”
Mel Meister says
*snicker*
JudyL says
That one will probably get me in more trouble than the frowny face on my quilt label!
Brita says
Glad to see you’re back to your longarm! Maybe one day soon, you’ll start your feathers on a Carpenter’s Star quilt? See, I didn’t forget — I have a CS top ready and waiting 🙂 Actually, I had it made long before your plan, so that worked out great! A few months ago, you showed a finished quilt where you used a spiraling square on point looking pattern, maybe a panto? Could you give me the info where I could buy it?
Megan says
I love binding, I’ve got to admit. That final step before I know I’m finally DONE with a quilt. I can sit and hand stitch it on of the evenings while waiting for a) my 2 yo to fall asleep b) our favorite tv show to go off and c) my all-day sickness (12 weeks pregnant Monday!!) so subside enough for a good nights sleep.