'Bummer' News . . . . Machine Brokedown. . . .
 

Hello Quilting Friends. . . .GP here . . . My machine has seen better days:mad:. I've PM'd our leader of my plight, so now, I'm sharing with all of you what's going on.

Hey There My Friend. . . I was just about to post my 'bummer' news. I don't like to make a ruckus until I have received the final verdict.

I just found out that my machine has a serious case of 'pneumonia' & has to be 'hospitalized.'

A week ago, I noticed my seams had loops in them; and as it got worst, I monkeyed with the tension & it seemed to get better with the higher settings. Well, my machine goes from o.1 to 8.0, & the 5th row (that only has one loop in it) is set at 8.0 (I can't go any higher & it's not getting any better) . I took a picture & e-mailed to my LQS where I purchased the machine & they told me to bring it in of Thursday the 10th & the repairman would be able to put a 'band-aid' on it until after the swap (I told them I needed my machine to finish my commitment to the 'Boom'. I received a message yesterday at 1621hrs that I need some part that has to travel from out of state & will take a few weeks to get here(back ordered. . . hhmmmm).

Enclosed is a picture of what's going on with my seams.

I have a plan with a good friend on Friday & Saturday afternoon to finish the 4 blocks I have left. KEEP IN MIND THAT I WORK 3RD SHIFT & MY DAYS ARE OPPOSITE YOURS. My weekend is Thursday, Friday, Saturday & I OWN ONLY ONE SEWING MACHINE (after this incident, I shall look into buying a back-up). Concession had to be made to use someone else's machine on their time. I WILL HAVE THE BLOCKS MAILED OUT ON SATURDAY, 19 APRIL 14, NO LATER THAN MONDAY, 21 APRIL 14.

I really thought I would get it back this morning, sew the last 4 between today & tomorrow, be able to mail by 12 noon on 15 April 14 - NOT THE CASE.

My utmost apologies to the you and the group. I will post this note & the picture to the group to let them know & see what my machine is doing.

WOOOHOOO . . . I am typing this note at 1339 hrs EST & the LQS owner just called & told me to come & get a loaner; the person that helped me was not authorized to check out a loaner. I will get it in the morning. I go to bed at 2PM (I'm late for good cause); I have to get some sleep & get ready for work tonight. I will get the machine & be able to mail on Saturday, 19 April 14 by 1500 hrs. I am sssssooooo relieved with this news as I hope you all will be.

Looking back, I should have told the group sooner, but I had thought the repairman (who is only in the LQS on Tuesdays & Thursdays) would make some magic & I wouldn't have to post this note.

My sincere apologies for this mishap & hope you all don't think too bad of me. I've learned quite a lot on this trip & have been steered to Delaware Quilts for some nice quilt blocks. . . . GP:(

The first line is what's happening at machine default setting (4.0) & the 5th line is at 8.0 (the highest setting)

I'm bummed out ! ! ! ! I make all my deadlines. I hate that I am holding up the group. I ask for your forgiveness & consideration on this matter. I will mail on 19 April 14 at 1500hrs (maybe sooner) . . . GP:mad:

GroovyPieces, Hey! It's ok with me if you need some more time. I don't have any pressing deadline for what I'm going to do with my blocks yet. I don't even have a plan what I'm going to do with them yet! lol Thanks for your apology, but, hey, life happens. It's great you have a friend who can share a machine, and also a repair shop that can lend a machine too. I find it uncomfortable using a different machine-- I'm so used to mine... Please don't stress out. :-)

No stress, no worries!! I have BIG plans for my blocks, which really means they will sit until I get around to making something. I want to make a big Texas star or something for the center and put all your blocks around the edges. This one is for MEEEEEEEE! So, no problem. I hate it when my machine starts acting up, and I noticed last night that my seams are not very straight. It is like the needle is moving from side to side a little with each stitch. Or maybe it is just me!! Dread having to take it to the "hospital".
Givio, I see you are in Michigan. I wonder if we live near!

GP
no worries. I would not get to them tell after all the summer actives are over with.

Sometimes things happen in our lives and we have no way to control it. We all have the best intentions and so I am sure that most of us here are ok that we wait a few more days for the two people to get there's done. Machines just want to work when they want to work and sometimes we have to work more then we want to work. I think it makes us all cranky and we need a rest. I will look forward to every thing being here by next week. Don't stress out. Relax.

Sometimes things happen in our lives and we have no way to control it. We all have the best intentions and so I am sure that most of us here are ok that we wait a few more days for the two people to get there's done. Machines just want to work when they want to work and sometimes we have to work more then we want to work. I think it makes us all cranky and we need a rest. I will look forward to every thing being here by next week. Don't stress out. Relax.

no worries here. i am struggling to keep up with my block a week paper piecing, and then i have a bunch of tops to finish.
i am so sorry your sewing machine is giving your trouble, i know what it is like to be without my little buddy, and its a real bummer.

Buslady, I live near the capitol. I don't go to the Thumb much. I don't go aaaany where much-- gas costs too much! :-p If your needle is moving side to side, are you sure you have it completely off of the zig zag setting? You probably already thought of that, though.

It's Friday. Am I crazy or what? Last night at my guild's board meeting, someone donated a whole bunch of quilt centers for medalion quilts or what ever creative idea you can think to make with them. So many of us grab a bunch. What am I thinking???? I have 19 quilts waiting for me to finish in some order. But hey, what ever I make will be for our Tea which is a year away. do you think I can get some things made by then? HMMMMMM Yeah I will get right on that one. LOL. At the moment I am making a quilt for the summer concert in the park to be an opportunity quilt for some lucky person who goes there. It is going to be the size for lying it on the grass and sitting on it. Don't know what one would call that. I guess like a lap quilt??? Busy busy busy. Keeps us out of Jail.
lol

19 quilts in progress! Oh, my goodness! You can send a medallion my way, if you change your mind about doing one! :-)

LOL givio. Well it is Sunday and so Happy Easter if you celebrate it, otherwise happy Sunday.

It's Monday and I am hoping that some packages are being mailed today. I am off to work on a quilt. Is there anything else to do. Oh yeah a trip to the library and the LQS. If I am going out I just have to stop. LOL

[QUOTE=givio;6677326]Buslady, I live near the capitol. I used to go to the capital for work a LOT, but I have gotten lazy!! I am going to be there Tuesday and Wednesday. Staying at what used to be the Lexingtno Lansing. It has a new name now, though. Will have some sewing with me to be sure!! I don't go anywhere without!!

buslady, That Radisson Hotel downtown on Grand? I don't go downtown much because I don't like driving on the one-way streets and parking is awful. You pack up your sewing machine??!

No, the Crown Plaza on Crytes. Used to be the Lexington. I actually got pretty good at getting around down there, but it has been a while! And I forget easiliy these days. LOL

I know we are all anxious to get our blocks but I was just notified that Happy Lab cannot get hers out until the end of next week. Sorry guys.

Well, that's ok with me. No rush here! :-)

its all good. Life and things do get in the way.

Hello everyone. Well my guest room has 12 boxes sitting on the bed with all your envelops minus two. One is on the way. But the funny part is my sorority sister is coming out for a visit this weekend and I have to find a place to put those 12 boxes. I think it will be a little crowd for her to try to sleep on the guest bed with boxes on it. LOL. Such is life. I love the curve balls it give me

urgodschild2, Have a lovely visit! Sounds fun!

Blocks Headin' Home . . .
 

Morning All . . .

First and foremost: My utmost apologies to all you great ladies; I'm so sorry for the inconveniences that has been caused to you & your quilt projects. I'm glad to say all is well and all your 'babies' are enroute to their rightful homes.

I haven't been ignoring the QB - I needed to get caught up & get things right.

These past two weeks have been a true learning experience. I owned a $400 Janome in 2001 & sold it in 2012 - that machine was a workhorse & I never had more than one machine. That Janome gave me NO TROULBE & NOT A DAY IN THE SHOP. I pay 5 times as much for a machine with some bells and whistles, I don't expect any problems at all at the price I paid. Due to this experience, I was backed-up on all fronts; my paying customers off-line & online, ebay group, & the QBoard swaps.

If you allow me to swap with you all again, I promise to chose a super friendly pattern. I've really enjoyed swapping with you all & you ladies have turned me onto construction of the 'traditional' blocks & HSTs & the Delaware Quilt site is great. Never would have known about these things if not part of the QB.

Lesson Learned: I will invest in a back-up. OK. . . . enough chat . . . .Here's a preview of what's coming your way. . . GP:)

Last Two . . .
 

OK here's the last two quilt blocks. . . GP:)

Groovy Pieces, Thanks for sewing the block for me! I've never seen the Friendship Star/Pinwheel pattern before. It's very interesting! Did you create it, or is there a tutorial online for it?

wow Groovy those are really nice. Looking forward for your squishies to get here.

Ok I am so excited to see what everyone's will look like and so I sit here looking at the ones that I have recieved so far and my brain goes..........maybe I could take each person's blocks and put them on my wall and I can get a sneak peek. LOL Then I realized if I did that I probably would get your blocks mixed up as to who sent them to you. So I am hoping all of you post a picture of your blocks together when you get them. They don't have to be sewn.

I filled up my album for this boom with our pictures. There was a limit of 100 (?) photos for an album. That doesn't seem to compute... so I guess there is a representation of our blocks, but not all of them... I thought I was getting them all as they were posted, but maybe I missed some or maybe some didn't get posted-- I have no idea and there's too many pages to look back through now! :-p

Morning All . . .

Givio . . . . , I just added a Carol Doak PPing pattern in the center. TheMamaHauser kinda' gave us creative license with the pattern choices and Americana fabric.
since I didn't have any Americana, chose a red batik & instead of a plain center, I decided to spruce it up with pieced center. . . . GP

Thank you. All the blocks are just gorgeous, and I second that motion for a picture of each persons blocks all together. Even if not sewn or put together the way uyou intend. Just so we can see them all together playing on the floor!! Thank you all for the fun swap.

I'm getting excited to get my pretties back! :thumbup:

I am still waiting for one more person. I have tried to contact that person and I have had no response back. Do you all want me to mail your packages minus the one?????? I don't know what to do. I hate to be holding these all up because one person has not mailed theirs. I am sure that things are not going well for that person.

Barb

Will the person be able to mail to us directly once she's got things finished up? I'm ok with whatever the others decide.

If she wants to mail the blocks to us separately, instead of to you, that's fine with me. Or if she wants to save postage by sending everything to you at once, it's fine with me if she sends it today including only what she finished-- and if nothing is done yet on mine, then I'll finish mine after I get it. Or do what you like. I'm not in a hurry... Or if she can't get to the post office or can't afford to mail to you, then it's ok with me if she just ends her responsibility for my block without doing it. I don't want to stress anyone out. If she needs rest or time or whatever, then it's ok with me if she takes it.

I will say send my blocks and if the AOL person wants to send to me she can. No use in holding up the group. It is well past April 15.

Ditto. :) I'm not in a HUGE huge hurry, but I'd really like to get started on my quilt while I have the time (craft fair season isn't far away). :)

I am in for whatever the group decides.

Ok this is what I will do. If you want yours to be mailed now, let me know. I really think I should just mail everyone's out as at least we would have 11 blocks to work with. I am in no hurry for mine as I have enough other projects to work on but some of you may want to start now. Let me know and I will send them out.

Barb

Ok, I tried to call the person and the phone number is no longer good. So I am mailing all of our blocks out now. We will just have to figure out what to do with 11 blocks. I know I have enough material to make the last block and I hope that the rest of you do too.

Barb
Will PM everyone on your tracking number after I get it off into the mail.

urgodschild2, thanks for your excellent hosting of this swap!

second the thought. It was a fun swap

Thanks, Barb! :thumbup: