What's on the Quilting Table #1

I have not blogged regularly or as fun as I originally did for a long time and those that have stuck it out over the years are most likely wondering what in the world happened too me.  Life got in the way but I am ready to have more fun and do a few more blogs.  As such I need organization as that is what my silly brain thrives on so I am going to start a new type of post for me and it is what is or was on the quilting table or "Whats on the Quilting Table" and here is the first.

In the past I use to have a little fun and ask questions and get advice.  Since well I don't know what to ask any more maybe I will open it up to others to ask me questions or advice.  That is assuming that some one is reading these blogs and they have questions.  Well new for Tanya last year she bought her self a new machine.  And she has well used it once for about 5 minutes.  I have since quilted 2 quilts and bound 3 others on it and well I like it.  it makes my old machine seem slow and old.

Speaking of old the old machine is broken.  It has been for a while and I just did not realize it.  Something is wrong with the presser foot it is computerized and it keeps throwing errors because it thinks the foot is not down or flat or what ever its issue is.  At the start of a quilt (binding especially cant get it to start sewing and at times I have to start in the middle of the binding and work backwards to get it to work.  So I am glad to have Tanya's (or as she jokes My new machine).  Any way todays what's on the table starts with a reunion quilt I am starting to make the top 2 pictures are the center blocks to 2 (yes i cant make only 1 quilt at a time) simple squares quilts (oh the bottom 2 pictures are a finished simple squares quilt) the center blocks are 12 rows of 10 blocks at 3 1/2 inch squares (I think that's the size any way).

New Years Resolutions and LAFF # 149

Wow has another year really gone by?  Its been just over 3 years now since I started Richard Quilts which was later re-named Richard and Tanya Quilts.  What has happened you say in those 3 years?  Well we had Julia she started it all so we must mention her.  She is now 2 1/2 and getting cuter by the day.  Here she is Christmas morning with her new princess dress.

I have quilted a few quilts.  The numbers are not completely correct but we will live with them.  My first year (2012) I had 94 completed quilts, my 2nd year (2013) I did 71 quilts, and my 3rd year 2014 I did 63 quilts.  Yes I slacked off a lot this year and need to do better in 2015.  So in total that is 228 quilts.  Note that in all our slacking there have been many I forgot to post about but well 230 is items quilted is not bad but its a down hill trend and we have to stop it.

So what can we do to solve this problem? Oh ya make more quilts.  So I am setting a few  goals for the coming year and I need my followers to poke me from time to time if I am not fulfilling the goals.

#1 Quilt 1 baby quilt every week for the year (52 baby quilts)
#2 Blog at least 3 days every week (I want to do more but lets start some where)
#3 Create at least 1 new pattern to sell or give away every month (12 for the year)
#4 Have Tanya be a stay at home mom so she can get more quilting done (our goal is by the end of may to have her quit her job)
#5 Make Christmas socks for every family member in the extended family (40 Christmas socks)

So that is our start for the year.  I total forgot LAFF for Christmas day my kids had me distracted Christmas eve so nothing to talk about from last week.  For those that think I am slacking because I have not posted I did bind 2 quilts today and quilted another.  I will post about them soon.

LAFF #148

Here are some linkups from last week.

Christmas Stocking - CJS Sewing Room

Cheryl's Teapots Quilting

Frosty and Friends - Kathy's Quilting Blog

Little Letters - Tanya Quilts 

Hildy - Modern Parti Quilts

Thank you to my sponsor Fat Quarter Shop for offing $15 gift certificate to a random link up each month please support their business by visiting them at one of these links.

Their store at http://www.fatquartershop.com/ their blog http://www.fatquartershop.blogspot.com/ and Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/FatQuarterShop

Link up Rules are simple.  Link up something you have finished, Worked on, blogged about, slaved over or other wise accomplished over the last week or so.

No item not allowed.  Link up some of yours, visit some of the others and enjoy your quilting day.

Kids, Santa & Prom

Saturday was a busy day at our house.  First we had a Christmas Brunch at Church and Santa visited.  Here are some photos of Jared & Julia.  Julia didn't cry, but wouldn't talk to him either.  I guess the I don't talk to strangers is taken literally.

Saturday night was Rebecca's Junior Prom.  She is growing up way too fast.

New Machine For Tanya

I finally decided that I (Tanya) needed a  better sewing machine.  My little Brother is great for somethings, but I tend to use Richard's machine more than mine.  I haven't used mine for a couple of months and Julia removed the needle plate plastic piece, a new one is ordered, so it can still be used for embroidery. I have used Rebecca's a few times, until it broke. I mostly to straight line sewing, so I decided to do a machine with straight line only.   I decided on a Janome  1600p-QC. It had good reviews on line and Richard's machine has been a workhorse. It is supposed to be great for free motion quilting too.

It sounds great for all the rag quilts, and simple piecing, and great for quilting as well.  I was really excited when it showed up on Tuesday, until I opened the box.  It was damaged in shipping.  I lifted the handle and the top of the machine came off, not a feature I was hoping for.  Needless to say it has been RMA'd and sent back to California.  So much for finishing all the little projects before Christmas on my machine.  My extension table showed up, my extra bobbins ( metal instead of plastic like our other machines) and I have 60 spare needles, but nothing to use them on.  I also have a fat quarter bundle waiting with my name on it to make something out of. I was having a real hard day anyway and this sent me into tears.  This time of year I am missing my Dad and Richard's Dad. Hopefully the replacement will arrive before Christmas, in good working order. It is supposed to show up next week sometime, fingers crossed.