Meet My Machine - Bernina 750QE

I love reading about different types of sewing machines!  This time, I have decided to link up with the linky party over at The Tilted Quilt for the Meet My Machine blog hop currently going on. 

I got my new machine the week after this past Thanksgiving.  I have been in LOVE ever since.  

Bernina 750QE

My current machine is the Bernina 750QE.  I had been in the market for a new machine for awhile and I first test drove one of these beauties in October and just couldn't get it out of my mind.  I finally pulled the trigger and ordered her at Quilt Festival in Houston and picked her up the week after Thanksgiving.  I haven't officially named her, although my husband says I should name her Betty.  The jury is still out on that one.

Things I love about this machine:
REALLY EVERYTHING!  I am still learning about this machine and am scheduled to take three classes on her next week but for now I will say I love these things about the machine specifically - 

• Automatic thread cutter - how did I survive before?!
• Speed control of the machine is adjustable 
• The lights!  She is bright with 30 LED lights on her!
• Large throat space for quilting
• Pretty, pretty, pretty stitches every time
• BSR
• Super large bobbins!
• Dual feed system
• Needle up/down

I would definitely recommend this model to anyone!  I love love love this machine.  The only downside that I can note about this machine is her weight.  She is a heavy girl but that is okay with me as I don't plan on moving her around often.

The machine I upgraded from was the Singer 7469Q Confidence Quilter.  I sewed on her for almost two years and while she was great to learn to sew and quilt on, she was limited in her abilities.  I was frustrated with they way she would chew up fabric and she just had tension issues too frequently for my liking.  The tension issues were the worst when I would free motion quilt.  I do still use her as she is my traveling machine.  Here is a side by side comparison of my old and new machine.  Check out the size difference!

I also have these two machines.  The aqua one is a Singer 338 and she is a tank!  My Mom received this machine as a high school graduation gift.  I remember sewing on her, here and there, as a child and she still does work but could use a good tune up.  Funny, the machine still smells the same way that it smelled when I was a kid!  Who knows what that smell is, but I kind of like it.

I just received this black Singer from my sister as a gift this past weekend!  I know nothing about it!  I haven't even tried to turn it on yet, but she is pretty.

My sewing space needs some major organization, but I will share a few pictures anyway.  Currently I sew in the back part of our family room behind our sofa, affectionately called "The Nook."  I have some storage in the nook but the majority of my fabric lives upstairs.  I recently purchased some comic book boards to neatly organize my fabric but just haven't done it yet.  I also want to figure out a way to move my fabric downstairs to the sewing nook.  One day.  One day.

Thank you for stopping by my little blog!  I am looking forward to reading all of the machine posts!

Finish It Up Friday

I have a small finish to share this Friday.  Small, but super cute!  

I made these cute bibs from charm squares.  The pattern I used is called Charming Bibs from Thimble Blossoms.  I just love her patterns.  Her patterns are well written and totally my style!  The fabric I used is from Andover and it is called Asbury and is designed by Thomas Knauer.  I received a charm pack of this new line at Quilt Con and I really love this line - bright and fun prints - especially those ice cream cones!

I am linking up to Finishing It Up Friday with Amanda Jean today.  Happy Friday!

Has It Been a Month?!

Wow.  It has been one month since my last post!  That is terrible.  Where did the month go?  I am not sure.  I do know that I have been out of town for three of the past four weekends, so that is part of it!

Anyway, I try to sew as much as I can, when I can, and am thinking about what I want to create when I am not able to sit down at my machine.

Here are a few things I have been up to lately -

Jelly Roll Race -

My LQS had a jelly roll race a week ago.  I have made this kind of quilt top before but never raced!  It was fun!  I didn't place at the race but had a good time sewing with friends.  I used the bright and cheery fabric - Tradewinds by Lily Ashbury for this one and am pleased with how it turned out.

Houndstooth Baby Quilt -

I finished the Houndstooth Baby Quilt top that I have been working on for a few weeks.  I found myself working on this one sporadically.  Quilters A.D.D. I guess!  Anyway, I am glad it is done and need to find some fabric for the back.  This is a for a baby that is due in June so I am still ahead of the game!  The pattern is Houndstooth by V&Co and I used purple and grey Bella Solids for the fabrics.  

Hexagon Quilt -

Last month, I was fortunate enough to attend QuiltCon in Austin!  It was a great experience and I need to do a post on that so I won't forget the experience.  Anyway, one of the classes I took was taught by Jacquie Gering.  She was a great teacher and I am really glad to have taken her class. In the class we learned how to machine piece hexagons!  I am pretty slow at the process but enjoying the result.  Like the Houndstooth quilt above, I work on this one for a little while and then put it away for awhile.  I don't have a picture of my progress yet, so this is the picture from the design wall in the class.  The fabric I am using is Lily Belle by Bari J. for Art Gallery.  I love these fabrics!!

I need to go back and update all of my WIP's but I am afraid to!  Eek!  Too many to count!  Linking up to WIP Wednesday with Freshly Pieced today.  Thank you for stopping by!

A Forgotten Finish

I finished this simple patchwork quilt the first week in January and forgot to post about it.  Oops!  In December, my husband and I were given a free place to stay in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.  It was awesome.  A friend of ours has a timeshare there and he and his family were not able to go, so they let us use the week.  SWEET!

As a thank you I made them a quilt that reflected some of the colors I saw in Cabo.  The colors in the quilt show the different blues in the water, the different and bright colors of the buildings at the resort, and then of course the colors of the beach, rocks and flora.  

I used several different colors of Bella Solids and cut them into charm squares and just put them together very simply.  I love a basic patchwork quilt.  I quilted this one with diagonal lines going in one direction.  The binding is a scrappy binding made with some of the leftover Bella Solids.  On the back I used a gray dot print from the It's A Hoot line for Moda.  I forgot to take a picture of that.  This is also the first quilt I quilted on my fancy new machine and it was a dream!!!!

I just couldn't resist putting up this second picture with my naught puppy Sunny in it!  He looks like he is smelling up some mischief in the air!  He is a sweet but naughty boy at times - he just can't help it.

Linking up to Finish it Up Friday with Crazy Mom Quilts!

Enjoy the weekend!

WIP Wednesday

It has been a few weeks since I have linked up to WIP Wednesday with Lee at Freshly Pieced so I best link up!  I am trying to do this at least twice a month to hold myself somewhat accountable.  So here is what I have been up to for the past few weeks:

Valentine Mini Quilt - Finished!

This mini quilt was kitted up at my local quilt shop and I just love it!  Lots of machine applique, my first attempts at embroidery, flowers made from Dresden plates, and the first bunting I have made.  It is kind of cutesy but I love it.

Strawberry Fields Quilt - Finished!

Finally!  This quilt top was started around the Super Bowl in 2012 and finished around the Super Bowl in 2013.  Eek.  I am glad to have this cheery quilt finished - come on Spring!  The fabric is Strawberry Fields by Fig Tree for Moda and the pattern is Shortcake by Cluck Cluck Sew.  I will definitely re-make this pattern again.

Lucy's Beach Bag - Finished!

This project is from the monthly Label Crew offered by Sweetwater.  I love their fabrics and patterns.  This monthly project was some time in the Summer and for whatever reason I waited until February to make it!  The fabric is from their Lucy's Crabshack line for Moda in canvas and the pattern is called Lucy's Beach Bag.  The bag is far from perfect but it will do for me.  I am trying to get better at making bags - they are still a mystery to me!

Still in Process - On a Whim Quilt Top

I finally put the borders on this one!  So, now the top is complete.  Yay!  Finally!  I don't know why I lost steam on this one because I really do like the pattern and fabric.  Just too many distractions I think.  This quilt is big and I am seriously considering sending it to a long arm quilter.  I am still undecided though and obviously not in a hurry!  

We won't discuss the many many many other WIP's I referenced here......

New Project - Houndtooth Baby Quilt

This one will be a gift for one of the employees in my husband's office.  She wanted the quilt to reflect the colors of her alma mater so.....purple and gray it is.  Eek.  So, I using Moda Bella Solids in Purple and Gray to make this one.  I am enjoying making this pattern so far and trying not to rush through it.

Whew!  If you are still with me - thanks!  It has been a busy few weeks here.  I do love to unwind at night in front of my machine and create! 

Linking up to WIP Wednesday!  Next week....QuiltCon!!!

I'm going to QuiltCon!

I am so thrilled to be going to QuiltCon later this month! Yay!  I simply cannot wait to get there to learn new techniques, see some of the bloggers in person that I have been reading or following for a few years, and of course to do a bit of shopping!

My dear friend, Laura, and I are going.  We are signed up to take 3 classes.  We are taking Quilting Negative Spaces with Angela Walters, Foundation Paper Piecing with Penny Layman and Machine Piecing Hexagons with Jacquie Gering.  I am so excited to learn from these talented ladies.

I am fortunate enough to live about 4 hours from Austin so the trek for me and Laura will not be that far.  Here is a picture of me that was taken in December....in Cabo.....

Since I am essentially a brand new blogger (since late September), five new things you don't know about me won't be that hard!

1.  I met my precious husband by working in his office!  He is twelve years older than me and I worked in his office the summer between my junior and senior year in college.  Who knew we would end up dating (after I left the Summer job) and then wind up married?  Crazy.  This September we will have been married for 10 years.  Time flies.

2.  I am have three sisters.  I am number two in the line up.  They all live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and I am in East Texas.  There is a span of two years between each of us.

3.  I lived my senior year of high school with my tennis coach and his family.  My Dad's job at the time transferred my family to California for my senior year.  I wanted to play tennis in college on a scholarship and thought that moving out of Texas would impact that.  So, I stayed in Texas and did get that tennis scholarship I had worked hard for.  My parents and sisters all moved back to Texas my sophomore year of college so it truly worked out beautifully.

4.  I love this quilting/sewing hobby of mine!  I have tried many hobbies before and they just didn't stick.  I only first touched a sewing machine about 3 years ago and have been hooked ever since.

5.  My last fact is pretty random.  I haven't vomited in 18 years.  It is true.  The last time I did was my sophomore year in high school.  I am actively trying to continue this streak for many many more years.  Totally random fact.

QuiltCon....here I come!  I am really looking forward to meeting everyone.  I am linking up to the linky party with The Modern Quilt Guild.

My Favorite Schnibble of 2012

Last year I completed all 12 of the monthly Schnibbles projects.  I enjoyed making all of the projects and I really enjoyed seeing how every one's projects looked too.  It is amazing how different they can look simply because of your fabric choices.

The project is taking a break for the first part of the year but starting up again sometime this Spring I think, like maybe April or May.  I can't remember for sure.  Any hoo..... for January we are just supposed to feature our favorite Schnibble of 2012.  Here is mine - 

The name of the pattern is called Dimestore and I made it out of Ruby by Bonnie & Camille for Moda.  I just love their pretty fabrics!!  

Here is a close up of my stippling.  I am still trying to get better and have lots of fun quilting like crazy.  I actually have incorporated this into our very limited Valentine decor.  Love the pretty colors.

Please be sure to check out every one's favorites on both Sherri and Sinta's blogs.  Thanks for stopping by!