Busy, busy, busy!

I knew it had been awhile since I’d posted anything…my mind, and my fingers, have been racing around!

So, what have I been working on?

DH and I have signed up for a series of Community Education classes on Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights.  It’s taught by one of the local patent attorneys in town and has been very enlightening.  I have some ideas for patterns and I want to make sure I have an idea of what I might be getting myself into!

Homework, of course.  Two weeks ago the teacher assigned FOUR chapters for one week’s worth of homework!  AARGGHH!   I read 1 1/2 chapters, but have not turned in the assignment; this was the week that my middle stepdaughter went into the hospital unexpectedly and had abdominal surgery for an infection, and my DH flew to Seattle to be with her for a few days.  You know the saying “when the wife is happy, the husband is happy”?  Well, same for the reverse, and he was understandably stressed.  I didn’t expect it to affect me quite so strongly, but it did, even messing up my diet for the past 3 weeks.

I also got the tax information in to the accountant; now I have to work on this year’s information, because I messed up my inventory file by trying to adjust it to a new method.

I finished my customer’s quilt this weekend, it’s a simple meander on a purple and white gingham top.  I’ll post pictures soon, just haven’t taken any yet.

I haven’t installed the Pre-Design Studio software yet; I want to be able to spend some time with it and I know I will not get anything else done once I look at it.  I also would like to get some specs for a new computer; of course, then I have to build it and install my OS….

I’ve also been working on my mom’s Grizzly quilt, so I have lots of pieces and partially finished blocks done.  I figured out a really fun, easy way to put it together and it’s going to look so much more difficult than how I actually get it made!

And, I think I’ve finally narrowed the other Bronco quilt selection down for my customer, I just need to send her the photos to choose from.  That means I have another one, maybe two, quilts in progress.  I got some great ideas at my longarm networking group last week on where to show them off for sale, so need to work on that next.

Guild meeting on Thursday…

CueCat arrived!

My CueCat arrived this week and I was able to successfully “de-claw” it!  That means that the barcode is no longer encrypted to a proprietary format and I can scan all my books into the DataCrow open source media cataloger software I found.  So far I’ve got 51 books entered!

One thing leads to another, right?  Well, because I needed to pull the books off the shelf to scan them, I decided to reorganize the shelf entirely.  And that led to unscrewing one of the boards from the shelf holder in order to cut a semicircle into the board so I could run cords through it.  Now that everything is back up it doesn't look much different!

I did however get to work again with the audio cables and the mounted TV now plays audio through the stereo radio speakers, so that’s sort of cool.  It makes me want to figure out how to mount the speakers and/or get an all-in-one receiver of some sort, as I used a three way switch for all of the components.  I need to call the cable company to see if they have a smaller cable box; yes, we still use one as the other cable services that don't require it cost more money!  I still haven't gotten the sound from the Linux box connected to the computer; that wouldn’t work for me for some reason and it sure bugs me!  No matter, when I get a new computer my old XP box will get moved upstairs and then it will be a moot point.

I was able to load the customers quilt this week so it's already to get quilted, and I have to work on my QuickBooks today, too.  My back is sore from sitting at the computer all week and not moving around enough so I'd better go stretch and see what else I can get accomplished today.

Pre-Design Studio software!

Yesterday, I ordered a software package called Pre-Design Studio II!  It's a software package that allows you to create and print your own pantographs.  I saw it demonstrated at Innovations and was really impressed with it.

As wonderful as Adobe’s Creative Suite is, I've been struggling with it for this type of task.  I's simply been frustrating because there are so many options in each of the individual applications of that suite, I don't have enough training, and I don't even have the entire suite, further impeding my progress.

I'm hoping that because Pre-Design Studio is designed specifically for doing what I want to do, it will be a lot more straightforward and I'll get more accomplished.  I'll report back my findings when I get the software and hopefully I'll have a free design to offer my readers.  Hmmm…. maybe even a contest...?

Its big sister, Art & Stitch, is another package I've had my eye on but decided that I couldn't afford at this time.  Not only will it allow you to create and print pantograph's, you can digitize the designs for all current computerized quilting machines and embroidery machines.  So cool!!

Eventually, I'd like to become a certified teacher for both of these software packages so now I have another project on my hands!  One complaint I'll never have is being bored, eh?

CueCat

The box in the mail yesterday, and today, an email from LibraryThing.com, finally pushed me to make a decision.  I bought a CueCat.

I went crazy and bought about 10 books that were on sale by 60% or more before I left for Innovations, and yesterday the first box arrived.  I have been looking for a book/inventory database and some way to manage it for some time and came across an open source program called DataCrow for managing library type items.  Even though I installed the program, though, it’s a bit daunting to try to enter all of my books, CD’s, and DVD’s so I’ve put it off.

The obvious solution is to get a barcode scanner.  Could I get by without it for entering my books…well, sure.  But my DH has quite the CD collection, too, and that’s not any project I want to take on by hand!  And we really need a list of those titles for insurance purposes.

With the arrival of the box yesterday, I figured it would be a good time to enter the info before they went on my shelf.  The problem then becomes which scanner to buy, and they aren’t cheap.  I don’t need a really heavy duty one, and besides, I don’t even really know what I need.  For $15, I ordered the CueCat.  I have other plans for helping to track my inventory, too, so this will be mighty handy if I can get it working properly.

I’ve seen this device before but there’s a history to the device.  You can read all about it on Wikipedia, but essentially, it was initially developed with a customer tracking technology installed and privacy concerns emerged.  The company website and its services are now defunct, and there are lots of sites around to “declaw” the Cat to remove any doubt about sending out personal information.  So, once it arrives, I’ll declaw the cat and get organized!

Innovations 2010 – Second Day, and beyond!

Wow!  As they say, time sure flies when you're having fun!  I can't believe it's already the Wednesday after Innovations and haven't posted since last Wednesday night!  I haven't had a chance to tell you yet about all the fun things I learned on Thursday or about the great dinner I had that night.  Here’s our photo after dinner, from left to right:  me, Debbie Wendt’s mom, Debbie Wendt of Wendt Quilting, Marian Drain (CuddleTime Quilts), Marion Carmickle, and Edie Eliott (CuddleTime Quilts).

Marian Drain taught her Incredibly Easy Techniques for Success class for the first time…and it was a hit!  She talked all about grain line of fabric and how it affects the quilting process and those waving borders, as well as how to tame them.  Way to go, Marian!

I took a Baptist Fan class from Laura Lee Fritz, who is also the author of four different books.  I’ve had my eye on at least two of them for some time now, and I had ordered Creative Classics before I left for Innovations.  What a great class!  Not only did she explain the technique, but we got to go up to the whiteboard and draw out the patterns.  Some were shy and didn’t want to go up to the board, so they stayed at their desk and drew, but I really needed the feedback and it helped a lot.  What a treat to get to take a class from the author of a book!

I also took a class called Bluming Background Designs from Irena Blum, an award winning quilter, author and teacher.  This was also a hands on class and we drew for almost 2 continuous hours, going over the techniques and getting feedback.  Some creative students came up with their own unique variations, creating people and animals from the designs which were quite wonderful.  The time just flew by!

I flew back to Boise on Friday morning, as I was trying to get ready to sit at a booth at the Hyde Park Festival that weekend, but it didn’t work out.  However, I was able to finish a Bronco quilt!

I’ve been looking for a blue and orange variegated thread to use on Bronco quilts and finally found it!  Wonderfil, a Canadian company, was at the show and has a line of variegated rayon threads called Mirage.  I also bought a spool of their Deco Bob thread, but didn’t use it this time so I could test each separately.  Mirage quilted up perfectly, not one thread break!  I discovered, however, for this sort of project, that the variegated colors disappear too much for my taste.  It’s sort of cool that you see a “shadow” of the football design, but  I am going to stick with either a tone-on-tone or solid color that is opposite of the border color.

I’ve got another Bronco quilt top in the queue, I just need to decide if it wants a fleece or cotton backing.

Back to work this week, lots of homework, and quilts calling my name…there’s not enough time in the day!  Sigh….

Innovations 2010 – First Day!

Wow, what a great day!

I met up with one of the Innova quilters who lives in the Tacoma area, whom I met on one of the Yahoo discussion boards.  We had lunch together and other people in the area joined us, too.  Thanks for the sandwich, Sheri!

I only took one class, called Panto Fun, that was about a really wonderful piece of software called Pre-Design Studio.  It will allow you to make your own, original, pantographs!

It has tools similar to those found in major graphic design software packages, and I have been wondering if I should get one over the other.  They both have their places, as I knew they would.  Pre-Design Studio is designed specifically for digitizing images (not creating the stitch information for the design) that can be used for embroidery and longarm use and all of the tools I need are included in this one application.  The stitch-out creation happens in the big sister application, Art & Stitch.

All I can say is “Wow!”  Not only can this package do everything Pre-Design Studio can do, it does more…lots more!  So, not only can pantographs be created and resized, it can be used to create embroidery designs, including the stitch information, as well as computerized longarm quilting files for all major systems on the market today.  Now I just need a computerized system!

A quilt conference wouldn’t be a conference without meeting new people.  I had a wonderful conversation with Mavis Rosbach of Quiltbird Studio after the Pre-Design Studio class.  I was delighted to hear her story of becoming a quilter, teacher, and pattern designer as well as her upcoming endeavors and she was generous enough to offer some suggestions to some ideas I’ve been tossing around.

I also met Anne Bright while I was browsing her selection of pantographs, which can also be found on  her website, AnneBright.com.  Since I was at her booth at the end of the day, I decided to look through her catalog a bit longer before making my purchase; she’s having a “buy 2, get one free” sale and I want to maximize my choices.

After the show, I met up for dinner with Marian Drain and her sister Edie Elliott, from CuddleTime Quilts, and Marion Carmickle.  Marian Drain will be teaching her first Innovations class, although it’s not her first teaching gig, on how to fix the challenging quilts that come into your life.  Marion Carmickle is teaching about leveraging social media and YouTube in your quilting business, as well as a class for new quilters.

Time for bed, I need to get up  in the morning for a full day of quilting classes!

Innovations 2010

Innovations, the machine quilting conference in Tacoma, WA starts tomorrow.  This is the third year I have attended and  I’m looking forward to reuniting with some of the great friends I’ve met at the conference and hoping to bring back a new skill or two to practice.

I arrived in Tacoma late last night.  Know what I did? I booked my flight Saturday, which was late in the game for booking a flight in the first place, and as I went to do my web pre-flight check in for my Monday morning flight, I got a notice that it was too soon to try to check in. What?? It was 9:00 pm and I was supposed to leave the next morning. I re-checked my ticket and sure enough...I had booked the flight for the PM not the AM flight! AARRGGHH!!

So, had to call my friend with whom I’m staying to tell her the bad news, as changing the flight would have cost $75, and I had used my miles to purchase the ticket. As always, she just shrugged it off and said "no problem". When she picked me up last night she said it was probably for the best anyway, as she had had a long night at work (she's a paramedic) in addition to the mandatory morning meeting she had attended, and was exhausted. So, other than not finishing my homework, it all worked out!

I even got to sleep with Elliott, one of the house cats!  Today, Chris and I are off to spend some time together.  I feel blessed to have such good, long-time friends.

On Saturday, I will be at the Hyde Park Festival.  I will be sharing a booth with a couple of other quilters and showing samples of my Bronco quilts and taking orders.  Please stop by and say hello!