Has my "luck" turned?

 I got this wonderful prize in the mail a couple of days ago! What is so amazing about this is that I am probably the UNluckiest person to walk the  planet.  I have won things, but those are things I worked hard to win (such as band medals way, way back when, or completion medals for races).  But random ticket drawings and such, never.  It is an ongoing joke in our household that dad always wins, mom never does.  So that is why this is so exciting.

Clover binding clips, just in time to bind my red and white quilt and a dresden plate template.  I never  throught of doing one, but might now. 

A charm pack of Robert Kaufman fabrics, fun and bright. 

Another charm pack of Moda

Bad picture sorry.  I was so excited I couldn't hold still :0)
A snowman candle mat kit.

A great tote bag.  I have already used it to haul my stash to a workshop.

More patterns.

Simply Minnesota book of patterns.

Yay, candy, to keep up energy for all the quilting I need to do with all my goodies.

And last but not least, McCall's quilting magazine. 

Thanks Paula for all the wonderfulness in my box of goodies.  I am sorry it took so long for me to rave about it.  Life happened and I haven't had a chance. Maybe I will enter more contests now :0) 

I made a logo

Happy, Happy Tuesday.

I got a little Brother embroidery machine on sale a few weeks ago (before Cinnamon arrived) and never got the chance to figure it out. Over the weekend I bought some designs and today I got the chance to play with it.

The red is the quilt carrying bag you get as a first time customer, so this will be Dianne's. I am doing a shirt for me too.

logo going on a shirt

I already have quilt #2 loaded and ready to go. I am still deciding how to quilt it. I am probably going to do a little free motion on it.

Lastly, happy, happy, I got a prize in the mail yesterday. I will tell more tomorrow.

My first longarmed quilt

My red and white quilt loaded and ready to quilt

I did it! I completed my first quilt on the longarm.  By the way, her name is Cinnamon, thanks to my friend Christy who said," She looks like a cinnamon red hot."

This is a first quilt in more than one way. Back in 2009 when we lived in Texas, I found a great quilt shop The Old Craft Store in Carrollton. That is where I discovered what a quilt block of the month is and this was my first one of those. I learned a lot every month when I took my completed block back in to get my next one. The ladies working would look at my block and give me pointers on how to get mis-sewn seams to lie flat and butting up opposing seams to get them straight, etc.

So while quilting it I discovered a few things. Upon close

cross hatch pattern and small flower

inspection this is not a well pieced quilt. I don't think of myself as a perfectionist, but I do like things to be as close to "right" as possible.  There are pleats and puckers that are sewn in and quilting will not hide those.  Buttons might though! Since it is not my best work it was a perfect first project for the long arm. All in all I am very pleased with how it turned out.

Picture of the computer screen near the end of the project

I learned about sizing borders better and combining patterns so the machine doesn't stop and start between each connected one and I dealt with thread breakage.

Back detail

The two full days of training with Mark from Stitch N Frame from Vicksburg, MS was a great start but some things just need to be learned hands on.  I know I can do this now and that feels great. My next project will begin Monday. I will do one more of my own and then I have my first "real" one for a gal from my StitchIts group. Thanks Dianne for your vote of confidence!

Almost open

Beautiful Bee Quilting is ready to accept quilts. The machine was delivered yesterday evening and set up/training day one was today. It is amazing to say the least.

There is one small problem. My feet hurt from wearing the flattest of flip flops on an industrial type floor all day. I am not used to being on my feet so much. I think I will need a pair of Birkies. (picture Kevin rollong his eyes, he hates those) Bit that's what I wore when working 12 hour shifts on my feet and I never had back aches or sore feet.

Training day two tomorrow. Yay!