How do you sew on a domestique machine?

 I do a lot of quilts, you can see them all on the top tabs, how many I've done over the years.  I even told my husband that I don't know where a lot of my quilts are at this point.  Some that I've made, I've given out, some to friends that are gone, and a couple that have ended up in Paris France and in England somewhere (friends I give a quilt to then they give it to someone overseas). 

Like many of you I've given them out as gifts:  weddings, birthdays, even retirement gifts.  It's funny how people don't know the cost both financially and time wise of a quilt.  But one thing for sure, the cost would be astronomical, if I didn't do the quilting myself.  I use a Janome Memory Craft 6600, and I love it.  I had to do repairs to it a while back and was offered for a trade in.  I asked the price of a new one and I couldn't believe the price. 

So I quilt my own quilts.  I love Silly Moon Rulers.  I can't believe how many rulers I have, and taking her classes are fantastic.  But doing some intrinsic pattern do take time and as they say "Time is Money".  She has videos that you can refer to again if you need a reminder (gosh I sure do some times).  And there are numerous rules, some that do a complete style on their own (like the Astec one)  I keep all my rules in a  bag I got from The Dollar Store so I can see them through the mesh, and know which ones I have.

But I do have a question.  Why is it that everyone wants the quilt and they want it free?  This year alone I've had three people ask me if I can make them a quilt.  They didn't say they would pay me, they just found out how much it would be to make a quilt and they want me to make it now.  Then there's the added pressure of I want this design or this way it is.  It's funny how that is.

In case you're wondering I said no to the one that was in another country (I'm from Canada and she is a good friend from Anaheim).  I told her it would cost me a fortune to get two quilts there in the mail.  I said OK to a work colleague who's husband died and she wanted a quilt of t-shirts for her son, but I made it clear she would have to pay me for the fabric and batting, my time would be free.  But she hasn't called me back when I said that.  I told her it might be at least $150 for just the material alone.  The third  I gave a quilt to and they took it but didn't offer to give me money for it or anything, just a thank you, and truthfully I was fine with that.

At this point of my life (I've been quilting for over 30 years) I'm OK with giving some of my quilts away.  Gave two to my nephew this year, and one to a really nice gentleman in the complex who is in a wheelchair.  There's a third person, a friend of my husband, who just announced she's pregnant so I want to give her one for the baby.  

I'm still pumping them out, just not at a fast pace anymore and luckily I'm really enjoying the quilting process still.  I'm 60 something now, but with more retirement time, so lets see if I can finish all my UFOs (I doubt it) and lets see what quilting designs I can do.  Here's a video of some edge to edge quilting by Quilting Nerds and this link takes you to Silly Moons Channel on you Tube.

Wish me luck.

Have a great week, and to the Americans seeing my blog, Happy Forth of July!!