Now I seem to be stuck with this Madeline Island Blog and would rather be posting under something titled about quilting.

Quilting is my passion.  Recently since returning home from our summer adventure in the U.P. of Michigan I have been sewing every day.  My spouse calls my sewing space,  the sweat shop, as I only come out to grab a cup of coffee or use the bathroom.   But I am not getting paid for this work, except in the joy and contentment I get from it.

So far since mid summer,  I have finished three large lap sized quilts and one crib / toddler quilt that is waiting to be quilted.  I may hand quilt that one on our way to Florida.   I usually machine quilt my  pieces unless it is bed sized and that is just too much fabric to jostle around on my home machine.  So when I do stitch a bed sized quilt I send it out to my friend who has a long arm and pay to have it professionally quilted.  that sort of takes  the "my piece"  feel out of it... But I really do not like the quilting part of the process.  

I was up early this morning.  Came downstairs to start the coffee at 5 am.  Somehow that is just too soon to turn on the sewing machine.. IMHO.  But now it is nearly 730 and that is an acceptable time to  continue on with my latest scrap quilt.  

I made a vow to myself over a year ago to use up the fabric I already own before I purchase any more yardage.  Well  that isn't going to happen and I knew it when I made that little promise to myself.  but I have done fairly well at this.  I have like I said pieced 3 or 4 quilts using only fabric I own.  

But today my quilting buddy and I are going to go to lunch and then drive to a small quilt shop about 20 miles from my home..... That is actually a short trip for us.  About once a month we will exploire shops in a defined area of state of OH.  And even Eastern Indianna, and Southern MIchigan.  Still have not adequately explored southern OH,  but that will happen.  

Here are two qults I have made to gift to special people in my life. The top one a scrappy is going to my sister in Florida. the bottom one going to a long time friend we met years ago while RVing in Florida.   Now beginning to start one for a special cousin.  I would love to find an outlet to sell some of my quilts,  but so far have not been successful.  Although I have not really tried to hard either.

I do not like to do craft shows,  It is too depressing to sit there all day and look out at the people walking by your booth, and trying to hold back the words.  : "OK tubby come in here and buy one of my quilts."  Gee do you think it may be my attitude.

I admit I do not have the personality for a job in sales.  I am not an outgoing ,  perky pleasant person who draws people in with my bubbling personality I guess that proves out by the way I spend my days.  alone in my sewing studio with my sewing machine.