Quilt Pattern - Crack A Lackin

Sound the Trumpets... my first quilt pattern is completed!

Crack A Lackin

Frank named the quilt (and thus the pattern).


As you can see...


...there's just *a touch* of excitement about it around here...


I've also opened a shop in etsy to sell the patterns. Tom has created (a very basic) web page for my new company, Suzy Qute, which you can find at www.suzyqute.com.


As a Grand Hurrah Special, I'll be offering the first ten patterns up at half price... so hurry over to my etsy shop and be one of the first to see what a wonderful job I've done!

[And I'm not at all pround of it either!]

One of These Days

Do you ever give yourself too much to do?

I do.

All. The. Time!

This isn't a "posed" photo to cover sensitive information...
Someone is TRYING to get my attention!

I have so many great ideas and good intentions.

The first week on February I decided to leave "on or around" February 23rd. Then. I got it in my head to design a quilt before leaving... I even thought I'd like to have THREE patterns completed - HA!

I have an appointment in Phoenix on Saturday. I could drive it all in one day... but I've never done that. So, I can still leave today or even tomorrow, but, I don't know. I still haven't packed any clothes or loaded the van or even changed the oil in it yet. My pattern is progressing RAPIDLY in Microsoft Publisher... which is a good thing. The plastic pattern bags arrived late yesterday afternoon (they were due here last Friday). I guess I'll be bringing my mail and bills with me. All these little details.

Mainly, I just wanted to say, I always over-book myself. Always have. There are just so many things I want to do, choosing the best ones - and NOT feeling guilty about the others - has always been one of the hardest things for me to do!

Which makes me think of one other thing. Honestly folks, how DO you watch TV for hours a day? There are So Many things TO DO in life, I just can't figure out when / how to sit around and be unproductive! If I ever let myself do a Movie Marathon or Read a Book, I feel bad for "not doing anything."

Like my Uncle and Husband say, I need to Learn How to Relax.

Any pointers?

Quilt Design - Sample FINISHED!

I JUST finished the quilt... all the way down to the label! I always mean to put labels on and often make them, but don't actually ATTACH them. Anyway, I'm feeling pretty good about finishing the quilt, even though I STILL need to do the final draft of the Pattern, plus actually GET READY to go to Arizona... I'm planning to leave Wednesday... not really sure how I'm going to get EVERYTHING done tomorrow that I "need" to do. I guess I'll just have to "figure it out."

I wanted to let you know that the quilt itself is done... concept to completion, February 11-23. :D

A Little Piece of Me

A little while back a friend mentioned that she sees a lot of my expressions in Jack. Since then, I've been paying more attention to myself (in my mind's eye and also the cameras). Today, we took these photos of each other literally one minute apart.


I see things like this and it reminds me of how much (and quickly) our kids mimic us. I also think that it's funny how I have hair on my forehead at the same place he cut his off!

It's also interesting for me to ponder because while I relate to Frank, I frequently see myself in Jack. It forces me to realize that we are more alike than I think, I just have to discover how we're alike.

Quilt Design - Break Time

Can I take a break? Today, Jack and I left the house at 8 and returned at 3.

Here's an ice sculpture in the town we were quilting in.
You can see Jack's GREAT Self-Haircut!

During that time, we drove to the quilt shop and set up my quilt


I found I made a mistake with one of the zippers, so I had to re-pin it (to make it easier to attach the quilt to the machine, I have a set of zippers I pre-pin the quilt to). Then, I spent 3-1/2 hours quilting the quilt.

It was handy to have a little guy along...
he was able to climb under the machine and attach my zipper when I put things on in the wrong order!

Now, for the binding and label and to finish the pattern, but I think I'm going to take the rest of the day off from all things quilting.


I'm pooped and I need a little break! And you know what... I think I've earned it!

Quilt Design - Almost A Job

Perhaps your tired of hearing about the Nitty-Gritty aspects of creating a quilt AND pattern to go with it... but do you know, I've been keeping track of my time and in the past six days, I've spent over 20 hours on this project. That's "almost like having a job!" And of course, I'm intending to make it lucrative, but, for someone who's "only" job has been running a house, homeschooling, and sorting out mounds of medical bills, adding 20 hours of ANYTHING to a normally busy week is quite a bit.

Tonight, I hit my wall. I miscut one piece, but one measly inch (over the course of 80" it doesn't sound like much). It was easy to fix, but not with the time crunch I was in. Instantly my hands started to itch (a nervous thing of mine) and I knew I was Done. I called Tom up and he encouraged me to take a break (I spent an hour cuddling with the boys on the couch) and push out the quilting until tomorrow. Tomorrow I won't have help from the machine owner. I have used a long-arm machine four times before, but the last time was last May and I had trouble with it. I guess, just like the rest of this project, I'll have to figure it out myself.

It's been enlightening to me that I've wanted to create patterns for so long. Finally, last week I decided I was going to do it, and I am doing it. I've realized that all this time I was waiting for someone else to encourage or nudge me, and really, I just had to make the decision and go for it. I've been so excited, but true to my nature, I've also worn myself out a bit.

I'll be leaving for Arizona AFTER my planned day of Monday. The trip will still happen next week, but I want to finish the pattern this weekend so I can get paperwork in order and pack (kinda HAVE TO do that) before leaving in the middle of the week.

Oh yeah. I JUST finished the quilt top - again. I decided it wasn't done with just the piece-work and added two borders. Today I also designed, cut, and pieced a scrappy back for the quilt. Now, I have to pin on three giant zippers so tomorrow I can "zip it" onto the quilt frame (at 8:30 am with Jack in tow!)

Face Time for Jack

Jack hasn't been getting much (okay, any) face time lately... so, here's a quick picture of him today.


Not the best lighting (he put his back to the window), and the cat is all scrunched over, but, he wanted his picture taken and I wanted to share with you. Last week, right on developmental schedule, he cut a hunk out of his bangs. In true Jack fashion, he turned around and said "Mom! I cut my hair!" No trying to hide it, just excited at his "accomplishment"!