Big Doings at Liz B. Quilting

Hello Quilting Friends!!

I just recently realized it has been a very long time since I wrote a blog on here...been VERY busy and going to get busier for the next few months.  However, I really want to get in here and let everyone know what is happening with me and Liz B. Quilting.

As many of you know I am having some medical issues. These are not severe but can be temporarily debilitating.  I can only quilt for 4 - 6 hours at a stretch and being in a commercial building and not in my home makes it hard to keep up with my workload.  If my machines were in my house I would have more opportunity to work and still be home.  So, I have decided to move my business back home in April.  My doctor is pretty sure that most of my maladies are directly related to stress.

I was really convinced for a while that I needed to sell my business, but after much thought and help from my close inner business circle...I have decided just to move it.

We have built a new house and it will have ample room in a brand new studio space, for me to do the quilting and teach classes and everything else I have been doing pretty much from my home.  It is only 3 or 4 miles from where I am now.  The new address will be published soon for all who want to come see the new studio.

A few things will have to change due to the new location.  I will not have a sign our front of my house and quilt drop off will be by appointment only.  I will have much longer spans of time though to quilt uninterrupted, which will allow me to stay current with my workload more easily.

There have also been other developments that have caused me to want to move my business...Aquia Park has decided that I can no longer have my sign on the back of my building and that is most of the reason for being in a commercial space.  My son will be able to ride the bus and play in the neighborhood if I am working from home.  I was unable to find workers that worked for me...I am not such a great manager...lol.  This will significantly lower my overhead, so I can reduce my stress of duplicate bills that need to be paid.

This is such a wonderful opportunity and it came at just the right time, I can't help but think it is a divine as coincidences like this don't usually happen without a reason.   I am so excited to set up my new space and have everyone come and check it out.   So, please keep you eyes peeled on the snail mail and e-mail to look for the new address and other pertinent information.

I am so blessed to have such wonderful customers and such a wonderful business.

Thank You All and Happy Quilting,
Liz Bigger

Behind the Scenes of a Custom Quilt - Why They Take Longer and Cost More

Recently I had an issue with a customer (2 actually).  It was my fault as I didn’t let them know that their custom quilts could take months to get them done.  I woefully under quoted them on the time it takes to do a custom quilt and apparently I lead them to believe that these would be quick and easy…  My mistake!  Custom quilts take much longer than a usual Edge to Edge (E2E) for several reasons. 

The first reason they take longer is because first of all you have to ditch (stitch in the ditch) around every section of the quilt… This can take many days as if you hand guide this portion, you have to be in “good shape” mentally and physically – no aches and pains, no issues gnawing on your mind as you can’t do this with any malady.  If you choose to do it with the computer, it actually takes even longer as you have to not only stitch it out (which goes slower than hand guiding), but you have to set each line up on the computer.  Both of these take many hours and sometimes days.

The second reason they take longer is that you have many more patterns to pick out.  If the customer can tell you exactly what they want, it cuts out the design time…this seldom happens.  If you are like me, I need to have complete confidence in my choices and until I do…I keep looking.  The design time can take hours if not days as well. 

The third reason they take longer is the time it takes to set up these sections on the computer.  I won’t bore you with the details on how you do this, but it requires much measuring and marking the quilt and sizing the quilting pattern, then you have to stitch them out and if it is a complex quilting pattern the stitching out takes quite a bit of time as well.  This process almost always takes days.

When you count this up, it takes hours if not days for all of these processes, so most custom quilts take at least 3 – 5 days and can take as long as 7 – 14 days (and some even longer).  As professional longarm quilters, I think we have a habit of making this seem easier and faster than it actually is, because once we see how we would do it…we let the customer know that it can be done and forget to convey the complexity of the process.

Another reason it is hard to estimate how much time it takes to do a custom quilt, for professional longarm quilters, is that it is impossible to know exactly how long it will take and when you will be able to fit it in to your other workload.  It might seem to a customer that their custom quilt is getting pushed to the back of the line and is not a priority, when they see E2E get done and go out the door.  This is not the case, all quilts are important to me, it is just that sometimes you need to be a little more inspired for a custom quilt.  You need to have your mind and body right to tackle it and sometimes that takes longer than other times. 

Ok, so now you know why it takes so much longer than E2E, this should also help explain why they cost so much.  A few years ago I did a custom quilt for about $400…it was on my frame for 2 weeks and I worked on it every day for at least 5 hours a day and sometimes 8 hours a day…so counted up I worked on this quilt for approx. 91 hours…This means I worked on this quilt for approx.. $4.39 an hour.  Hopefully this helps to explain the behind the scenes of a custom quilt and why it takes longer and costs more than an E2E.

Man Quilters!!!

So, there is something going on in quilting right now...it is not a completely new phenomenon, we have all heard of Ricky Tims -  http://www.rickytims.com/, and Jamie Wallen -  http://www.jamiewallen.com/jamiewallen/Welcome.html etc., but it seems to be going more mainstream!!!!  I discovered it this summer, right after I opened the new studio for Liz B. Quilting, when a man came in and asked me to quilt for him.  He was with his wife and just like a used car sales man, I kept trying to talk to her, so she let me know in no uncertain terms that it was HIS quilt and to talk to HIM!  Cool!  Especially when you see how his quilt looked...

I know right?!!!  It was his first quilt and not only is it crazy hard, but it is a signature quilt as well for one of his nieces...What???

At the Grand Opening of Liz B. Quilting new studio a man came in and said he was a quilter...I said great.  It was/is amazing because he is also a Vietnam Vet...he used to be a mason and now quilts to stay young in the mind!  He has since brought me probably 10 quilts, they are all huge and he donates them all to Wounded Warriors.  They are all his own designs (not that they are not already done, but he doesn't use a pattern, just figures it out).  Here are some of his latest creations...

Next thing you know a guy (who also came to the Grand Opening) comes in and wants to take the beginning quilting class...he takes and does such an AWESOME job!  He started to make a quilt for his Mother-in-Law's church...should have taken a picture of that when he was coming in for open sew.  Here is his beginning quilting class top...

Next thing you know another man shows up for my Spring Bed Runner Class with his wife...he finishes his whole bed runner in one after noon!  He then proceeded to go home and piece a crazy hard chain pattern that I can't seem to get off my phone.  He used strip piecing and chain piecing methods all by himself  What???

And then this morning...this one shows up!  This one was made by a retired Marine who has a mini museum in his basement and is going to put this on the bed down there...then, he is going to make his new grand-baby girl a pink one like this...What???  He designed it himself and even is letting me borrow the pattern (that he designed on Power Point) for my hubby's retirement quilt...(don't read this honey : D). 

As if that isn't impressive enough...he mitered his corners!!!

This is so exciting!  I am loving these Man Quilters!!!

A Christmas Blog

I know that I am woefully late with this blog, but it is such a great story I have to share no matter how late : D...

A few months ago I had a customer come in and ask if I could sew some blocks together for her.  I said, of course I would be happy to do it.  Then, she showed me the blocks...they were beautiful red, green, tan and cream sampler blocks.  They were very hard blocks to make...Dresden Plate, Tumbling Blocks, Appliqué Hearts, Grandmother's Flower Garden, Turkey Tracks - all the usual suspects...AND they were all hand pieced!  They were done very well with lots of room for seam allowance without losing ANY points.  We decided that they couldn't be just sewn together that they needed sashing and cornerstones...a few of the blocks were smaller than the others, so we would put frames around those to make them a little bigger...

So, I had to ask her what was the story of the blocks...and what she told me warmed my heart and I want to share the story with you.   

It turns out 20 years ago she had a very good friend and they started quilting together.  They had made these blocks together and these were her friends.  They were teachers together here in Stafford and her friend had been very meticulous about putting these blocks together.  She further explained that quilting wasn't her thing and she had since had 5 kids and here just wasn't time for her to do them. 

So, I asked her how did she end up with the blocks...she stated that her friend had passed away of cancer and that she had had these blocks for 19 years...and she wanted to get them put together and quilted to give it to one of their very good mutual friends.  This just warmed my heart and I couldn't wait to get started!  

Here is a picture of what it looked like when we it was finished.  She was thrilled and I am so happy to say that her friend loved it too!  She wrote to me afterward and let me know that her friend was very surprised and very happy to have it.  I love my job!!!

Love This Musical Paper Pieced Quilt in the Studio Today at Liz B. Quilting!

Cool Music Paper Piece Quilt in the studio today : D

Spa Treatment for Bella

A few weeks ago, it was time to do some maintenance on Bella (my 12' frame and 26' sew head with Autopilot).  I call this giving her the "Spa Treatment".  I love the Innova because it is so easy to do this "spa treatment" and it makes her so happy! 

First you get some rubbing alcohol and some cotton swabs...

Then you dip the cotton swab into the alcohol and wipe all the white wheels on the carriage...

Then, put some alcohol on a paper towel and wipe off the tracks on the carriage and the frame...

 

Then, wet a cotton swap with alcohol and wipe off the encoders...

 

 

You might notice that there is thread in your wheels (I had some after almost 3 years of use)...

 

You can easily take the wheels off by putting some books under your carriage, loosen the bolt (paying attention to the order that the bolt, washer etc. go together when you take it out) take out the bold and take off the wheel, to get the thread out.  Then, put the bolt assembly back together and tighten it back up.

 

 

If you have an autopilot, you might want to check where the belts go around the pulleys at the end and under the sew head...(be very careful not to pinch your fingers).  If you grab the thread and move the sew head it will come right out.

Bella is so very happy now!  However, the coolest thing is - even with all this thread in the wheel, and lint on the wheels, she still stitched beautiful!!! 

Modern Quilting at Liz B. Quilting!

And the back stitching!!!

This is the back...can you believe it? at Liz B. Quilting!

And the back!!!

Crazy AWESOME Modern Quilting at Liz B. Quilting!

Here is the stitching!!!!

So Cool, Modern Quilting at Liz B. Quilting in Stafford, VA!!!

Modern quilting at Liz B Quilting!!!

Innova at Fredericksburg Expo Center!!!

Come out to see us at the Quilting & Sewing Expo at the Fredericksburg Expo Center, VA : D

A Day of Rest

I taught a Custom Longarming Class on Sat., which was AWESOME and have a tendency to work all the time in order to accommodate the schedules of my customers...however,

I am feeling so GREAT this morning after a day of rest.  When you are starting your own business you have a tendency to work 7 days a week and 24 hours a day...(not literally, but you just never set your stress down). 

I did a puzzle with my son, went shopping with my family and took a nap : D...

I read an amazing article in my e-mail this morning from my wonderful Aunt about stress and relieving stress.  A woman stands with a glass in the front of a group and asks how heavy do you think this glass is?  Some said 8oz, some said 10oz etc.  She says - the actual weight doesn't matter, it is how long I hold it!  If I hold it for a few minutes that is ok, if I hold it for several days there is likely to be damage to my arms, nerves etc. 

Wow, this made perfect sense to me!  I have got to learn to set my stress down for a while now and then.  (My stress doesn't feel like stress most of the time, but I think it wears on me after a while...I love what I do and get so excited about it that sometimes I forget to take a break.) 

I took yesterday off and the sense of peace and readiness to accomplish is AMAZING!  I am ready to tackle it all again.  I have a renewed sense of ability and am making the lists of things that need to be done and putting them on the calendar to make sure they get done! 

I am so blessed that this is my life and I would hate to mess it up with stress!!!  I hope to get lots done today and can't wait to ride this wave as far as it will take me!!! 

Quilts of Last Week!!

Wow, I had a wonderful busy week last week!  Here are some great pics of the GREAT quilts I was privileged to work on the last few weeks!!

What a Difference the Quilting Makes...

1st quilt...

A customer of mine who was renting time a few weeks ago quilted this quilt...

Then, she quilted this quilt...


The crazy cool thing is that the first one the quilting is smaller and it makes the blocks look smaller...BUT they are both exactly the same!!! 



Can you see the difference????

Innova Sequin Attachment...WHAT?!!!

Hail, Hail - The Small Business Owner!

It seems like everywhere we look someone is talking about the "Small Business".  They are usually talking about businesses that have 10 or so employees and do only a few $100,000 a year...well that is not the only type of small business owner...There are some that are even smaller...

I am a one man shop!  I have lots of people who help here and there (usually for free)...but no employees and I will be lucky to make 10's of 1000's this year. 

If the floor is clean, I vacuumed it; if there are paper towels I the bathroom, I put them there; if there is coffee and water, I bought that and brought it in. 

Our profit margins are small and usually we don't even get a paycheck in that we are putting everything back into the business. 

Why do we do it?  When you work 7 days a week and miss family dinners etc. you ask yourself the same question...I can't speak for everyone, but I do it because...

I love what I do

I love to see the look on my customer's face when they get their quilts back
I love to share longarming with others

I love to teach and I love to quilt
I love meeting new people and I love learning new things
I am hoping to be a "bigger" small business someday
I like the thought of creating a business and paying taxes instead of taking a Gov't job that could support someone else that can't start their own business.

I also want to take a moment to praise "big" business too.  I am a huge free market advocate and think that there should be some rules to keep people honest, but think that if you get "big" - good for you!

So, Hail, Hail the Small Business!!!

Quilting Blessings!

I am so blessed, I had a class this weekend teaching longarm quilting.  One of my students said to me "what a great job"...I have to completely agree! 

I love teaching, I love quilting, I love quilters and I love longarming - it doesn't get any better than this for me.  My quilting classes are evolving and every time they get better and more fun - if that is possible : D.

I have received several quilts to longarm in the last week and I am over the moon excited to quilt them!

In my down time (as if I ever have any) I get to look at quilting magazines and decide what we are going to do for next month's classes and what we are going to do for next month's events.  I get to  give back to the community by doing charity work (never as much as I would like), I am involved in the community where I interact with great people like in my Women's Small Business Group "Connected - Women in Business".

I am starting a new venture with a few other quilters - our Commission Quilt Division...they do the top and I quilt it for one wonderful low price : D... YAY!!!  I love to collaborate and I love to see others succeed in their own businesses at something they love too!!!

I get up every morning happy to go to work, which I was never able to say before no matter how much I liked my job.  Now, I get such satisfaction/fulfillment out of my work everyday...sometimes I just look around my new studio and I cannot believe this is my life!

I am so blessed to be doing what I love as my job, I have a loving and supportive husband and a normal 5yr old kiddo!

I am just so very blessed (I know I already said that...but felt like I should say it again!) : ) 

A new Era of Heirloom Quilt

A new Era of Heirloom Quilt...in the last decades, a new era of "Heirloom Quilts" has arisen.  One of these is the "T-Shirt" quilt.  A quilt that has t-shirts from someone or somewhere that make up the blocks to commemorate a trip, a time in someone's life or to have something to do with t-shirts that are too dear with which to part. 

I am also finding that when these new heirloom quilts are made and used (as in the days of yore) they soon need to be repaired.  This is a labor of love that I am finding quilt fulfilling!  I love to pull apart the totally loved stitches and replacing them with new stitches ready to be loved again. 

The above is a wonderful t-shirt quilt that I am totally enjoying at the moment.  I usually don't do this sort of thing, but the owner touched my heart with her story of this t-shirt quilt and I couldn't refuse.  Today, I got the first row re-done and hope to get to work on it again soon! 

Everything Happens for a Reason!

So, if you don't believe that everything happens for a reason,  check this out!  This morning, I got up to make "panacakes" for my son (which is our bonding experience, because I work 7 days a week right now)...and we don't have any eggs!  I was so mad I couldn't see straight!  However, we had Applejacks instead and bonded over it instead.  I was well on my way to an attitude adjustment. 

My hubby got up and I let him know about the eggs...he was fairly sour about it (when he should have been apologetic)...so I was losing the grasp I had on my attitude adjustment.  Then, I decided to take a shower and get cleaned up...this usually makes me feel ready for the day - NOPE!  I felt just as tired and defeated as I had when I got in the shower...only now I was hungry again.

So, I went downstairs to get my usual morning snack of Rita's Cinnamon Pita Chips...but guess what?  He ate all of those too!!! Ugh!!! 

I knew I had my favorite cake doughnuts here at the shop and thought...I will just go there and have my snack, but before I could get out of the house with my new solution...hubby decides to be "Sarcastic Man"...he had no idea how close he came to a nuclear explosion! 

Out the door I went to my shop!  I got to my shop and at my yummy doughnuts my favorite, but I was still livid!!!  So, I meditated/prayed for inner peace.  I was almost there and about to leave the shop to go do some grocery shopping when I looked at my calendar...low and behold - I had a customer coming in at 10am - WHAT????

Wow, if I hadn't gotten all mad at my hubby and stormed out to my store to get a doughnut...I would have missed my customer!  As it stands now, my customer is here and we are having a blast quilting her quilt and I feel soooo much  better!  As if it couldn't get any better, my hubby called and apologized (it is about time!) AND he went to the grocery store to get all the stuff he ate and didn't put on the list!

I am one lucky woman or the divine powers that be (God) is looking out for me!!!  Whooo hoooo!  I love my life!!

Lions and Elephants and Giraffes Oh MY!

Here at Liz B. Quilting, Longarm Quilting Co. studio -  today one of my longarm renters finished her Longarm Quilting Certification Class, on the Innova Quilting Systems, by quilting this adorable baby quilt.  It has a safari big block and the blue green pinwheel.  The quilting pattern is a safari quilt pattern with Lions, Giraffes and Elephants that popped up perfectly in the pinwheel blocks...so cutie!

Here is a pic of a few blocks together on the frame. 

 

Love IT!!!