Right as Rain

Wow, what a load off my way too big plate, my Innova is feeling better! as am I!!! 

Jim made us 'right as rain' :0) 

Following a new and upgraded tension assembly (thank you Jim and Innova :0) re-timing we spent almost 4 hours on my Innova. Jim and I ran every kind of thread that I use on every kind of batting that comes into my studio. 

Our biggest challenge was getting a good stitch quilting on Quilter's Dream cotton batting, Request and Select, both very thin battings. It's a good batting, very popular here in Chico because of our temps and the brand of batting available at Honey Run Quilter's @ Cathy's so I quilt on it allot. All of Theresa's samples that I quilt for her are quilted with them. Of their battings I personally prefer Quilter's Dream Wool, LOVE the loft, it's light weight and allot more fun to quilt on! So do quite a few of my customers and the list is growing :0) Yea! 

After Jim left I headed over to Cathy's to bid farewell to Nancy. Dan had 2 cakes for her and she received lots of flowers and cards. I will miss her at Cathy's so very much but I know we will see her often at Embroidery Club having fun with that crazy crowd! ;0) Becky and I invited her to join us for lunch every Monday, that would be great!

By the afternoon it was too hot in my studio to fire up my longarm and it was all I could do to wait for some cool evening air to play on some samples on my Innova. I did and it was a BIG improvement! HUGH!!! It ran a little different on Auto Pilot than it had that morning with the belts dropped free hand. With a minor adjustment on the check spring I had it dialed in perfectly. LOVE this new tension assembly!!! Thank you again Jim and Nicky as well for letting me keep him all morning. The two of them have allot to do to get ready for an upcoming show in San Diego. They will also be at Pacific International Quilt Show in October. If you go, look for Jim and Nicky at their Innova ~ Sew So Shop booth! I have to add that Innova is a really good company. Support is available 24/7 and they really stand behind their product. 

Look for Theresa and Honey Run Quilter's booth at PIQF and the samples she made. With two more I have to finish I've lost track of how many quilts Theresa has made. She is one very busy person! (She also will be sorely missed!) Here are pix of the last samples, this one is up on my design wall waiting for a background fill I have planned for it...

This one was quilted 2 weeks ago...

with Solar by Anne Bright

 using a Fantastico thread *my new fav!*

 and the backing

and one more, from that book I've been drooling over Adding Layers by Kathy Doughty of Material Obsession. It's the one with the giant Churn Dash, this is a pic from the book... Theresa and I challenged ourselves to make this quilt and darn if she didn't do it first!

Wait until you see Theresa's made with a really cool paisley fabric! It's even better! Just like my machine. Now that it is all better, right as rain, I've decided to give it a new name as well. In place of Harley for it's chrome handle bars I think maybe the problem is that it's a she machine. "She" certainly has had her "moods" picking which days she wanted to run. Well now her name is Helena, my mom's name. It's a beautiful Dutch name and I hope it makes her as happy as I am right now. As you can see, I am up early. The windows are open and the fans have been pulling the wonderful cool morning air into my studio. I am ready to go play! See you on the flip side!!! 

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend
Take some time to take some stitches!
Groetjes, Jo