Way Out There

While visiting in the quilt shop the other day and talking about longarms the quilt shop ladies told me Janet had purchased a longarm (which I knew) but would really, really like some lessons.  Janet and I spoke on the phone, I cleared it with APQS (the company which made both our longarms) and we set a date.  When Janet began giving me directions (note—tonight’s title) she began saying, “go 7 miles, turn left, go 7 miles, turn right, go ……..”—all but about 8 miles of this traveling is on gravel roads--you get the picture, Janet and her husband Milt live on a gloriously beautiful ranch way out there.  Talk about solitude and peace—it’s there without a doubt—a serene kind of place.

Janet’s studio is any quilter’s dream spot and we quickly got to work—tweaking tension, loading quilts so they start and finish square, machine maintenance, etc.  I really, really enjoyed getting to know Janet and hope this was only the start of many more quilting good times. 

Janet and Milt’s view of the Crazy Mountains—today the peaks looked suspended due to the low hanging clouds and fog.

Back home the newest member of my quilting menagerie was waiting compliments of the UPS man, Bill.

Isn’t she gorgeous!!!  Michael was cruising around on eBay the other night and asked me, “is $ too much for a white Featherweight.”  And I said, “are you crazy, buy it!!!!”  It was one of those “buy it now” type auctions on eBay and we just had to click, “buy.”  The machine needed a new belt, has no instruction book and the case needs a new handle—all things the cowboy can handle with the exception of the manual—I can purchase that from a website which sells all things “Singer Featherweight.”  She will join my other Featherweight which belonged to Michael’s mother.  For those of you not in the know about Featherweights—they are highly prized by quilters for taking to quilting classes and can sell for lots of $$$ if in pristine condition.  The little machines were built from 1924 until about 1970 and this particular one was made in 1964.  The one belonging to Michael’s mother was made in 1952. 

After we played with the new toy for a while, it was time to take a walk—what a beautiful sunset tonight over the Crazy Mountains.