catching up with myself

HI everyone, I have been burning the candle at both ends!! My body is telling me to slow down, but you know it is so difficult to do that sometimes. I love what I do, quilting!
But this weekend, my body told me NO! I want to do nothing! I don't know how many naps I took! LOL
I was on the couch a lot, this is NOT normal for me. I think my poor body is just getting tired. It needed some down time and down time I gave it.
For the most part, I was on the couch watching tv and I even went to bed extra early both Saturday and Sunday night.
I feel refreshed this morning, very refreshed.
Today I have to travel over to Decorative Stitch ( http://www.decorativestitch.com/ ) in Shelby Township. I will be working in the booth at the Novi, Michigan's Sewing Expo in late September. We are training to make sure all of us on the sales floor knows how to operate certain functions of the machines we will be demonstrating on.
Speaking of quilt shops, did you know how many quilt shops Michigan is blessed with?! We have lots here, especially in the Metro Detroit area where I live. All of the shop owners are so nice!
Sew, on that note, Please support your local quilt shop! There are lots that are closing their doors! The owners are sometimes having a difficult time trying to figure out what the consumer needs/wants. Sew, help your owners of the shops by taking classes, buying fabric and notions from your local shop.
Fun pretty fabrics I purchased while on a shop hop in western North Carolina. I had never participated in a shop hop, I think I will do this again, I had such a great time, plus I had a great quilting buddy with me!

My quilt, below, from the set of Love of Quilting

Well everyone, I have to get moving. I have work to do...I have a quilt due to another magazine.
Happy Quilting!

Happy Independence Day!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday weekend!
I'm down in the HOT STEAMY SUNNY south, matter of fact,  I'm in Rock Hill, South Carolina this week.
Last week, I left my home Tuesday late afternoon,  around 4pm, and drove to Lancaster, Ohio. That was the first leg of my trip. I spent the night in Lancaster, got up early the next morning, got in my truck, and off I drove to Landrum, SC!
On Thursday,  I drove to Columbia to teach my quilt "Rock Around the Block"
The class was held at Shirley's Pieces and Patches IN Lexington off of Sunset Blvd.  Shirley and her staff make you feel right at home! Her shop beautiful,  fabric selection is great!
The local guild had invited me to present my trunk show and teach. Here are some pictures...by the way, it was HOT down there! I know I'm a Carolina girl, I know all about heat and humidity,  but HONEY! HOT IS HOT!! And it was HOT, 100° when class was over....we walked outside to load our sewing machines...Oh my!! I have not felt that kind of heat in a LONG TIME!

Tomorrow we are heading to Oak Island for an over night trip.
Wednesday I'm flying to Indianapolis to help out at the American Sewing Guild show with Baby Lock.
Ok everyone, have a wonderful week, safe holiday!
Happy Quilting!

Sunshine, cool temps and quilting

Sew, what does sunshine, cool temps and quilting bring to mind? 

Sew much fun!

Yesterday while I was working on my next project, I thought,

"I think I need to host an online sewing party!"

Sew, what do you think? 

Time to lay down a plan and put it on the schedule. It might take me a while to figure everything out, sew be patient :)

Last night we joined some friends for dinner at Deer Lake Inn. The food was fantastic!

I ordered Pasta Primavera.  Oh my my my, it was scrumptious! The fresh veggies, cherries and almonds,  perfect added touch!

OK, back to sewing

I'm working on a project for Fons & Porter again. After counting the number of blocks I had, making sure they all measured correctly....compared that to the number I needed.....I had to make a few more..... tis the life of a quilter.

I chose these colors for the next several blocks.

All I can say is,

"SCRUMPTIOUS "

SEW, while I was working on those blocks a package arrived!

Love it when that happens!

My new longarm rulers arrived!

Yes, I designed them. I found a need for rulers that I can hold without my arthritis flaring up in my hand.

These new rulers are for curve cross hatching. The ruler allows you to do both concave and convex!

Registration marks for aligning in the center, aligning in diamonds.

But you know what is great about having a large curve to quilt with?

You can use it for more than just one design elements. 

I have the new ruler listed on my website for sale at an introductory price.

www.nancymcnallyquilts.com 

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Sew on!

Happy Quilting!

Chilly breezy day

Hi everyone, it sure was a chilly day yesterday! Our temps here in Michigan, we're only in the mid 60'September and the wind was blowing!
Yesterday I began working on a new class sample.

Those are my drawn lines you see, I erased them after I was finished. 

I lover my Baby Lock Crescendo sewing machine! 

And look at the pretty thread colors!

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

This morning I will finish this little sampler.  I will post pictures later on.

While I was working on the class sample, I had my embroidery machine running. Here is what I had stitching

I believe I have 3 more to stitch out.

I'm using a new stabilizer/batting created for embroidery. 

It's called Battilizer.  

Sorry if I spelled it wrong.

Oh! I almost forgot! My quilt made the cover of "Love of Quilting" magazine !!

Anna Starflake 

I really need to loose weight! Menopause is horrible on the figure!!

On the set of Fons & Porter

Happy quilting everyone!

It's June 1st!

It's June 1st, does that mean spring is gone and summer is here? When I realized that today was June 1st, I began thinking, "do we have to begin thinking about fall now?" I don't want to! I'm not ready to design with fall colors. Don't get me wrong, I love fall colors, just not yet. You know how you can walk into a store and theyou already have the next holiday or seasonal items on display, yet that holiday or season isn't going to be here for a while....drives me nuts! I want to enjoy the present day, week....I guess I'm not too good at planning ahead, lol
Yesterday I worked on a customer's quilt on my longarm machine.
Here are a few designs I've stitched on her quilt:

Video on how I stitched this design in the video below

Hope everyone is planning on a great day!
Happy Quilting!
Nancy McNally