Hand quilting

[Patch]

Well, I took a hand quilting class from Helene Knott yesterday. She's fabulous! It was so peaceful and calming.......

But I realized I'll never be able to sell anything hand quilted by me, as it will take me at least till my next life time to just become good enough for just my OWN quilts, much less to sell anything hand quilted by me, LOL!

So, Innovations, here I come! I'm ready to choose a machine, especially when I hear somebody say it's getting the bills paid. Of course, it would also mean I'd have ANOTHER debt to pay, but at least it would enable me to do something about it!

Also starting a voice studio at last. I know it will build slowly, but it's what I love the most. I must be in an adventurous mood these days, or I'm just fed up with talking about everything and won't go on without DOING something about it. Yay me!

But anyway, I know hand quilting will be only for my private use to de-stress at the beach or something.

Oh! and my LQS asked if I could work two days a week in the shop. I think that's very nice of them. I hope it works out, but still have to talk to the owner and fill out the application etc. Anyway....

My weekend in a nutshell. Aren't you glad I shared? LOL!!

[Charlene]

Wow, sounds like you have an awful lot on your plate right now.

Be careful and make sure that you are taking time for yourself. It would be too easy to get discouraged and burned out.

I used to do hand quilting and found it to be relaxing and a great project to work on in the evening. I especially liked doing it in the winter as it provided extra warmth.

Char

[sewingupastorm]

Patch when I began quilting machine quilters were the exception and I do not think that anyone did quilts on longarms (bet those were just used in factories to do comforters). Caryl Breyer Faller blew this all out of the water around that time when she got a national award for a machine quilted quilt......................created quite the scandal.

In any case over time I converete to domestic machine and now longarm. I do still handquilt but not very often. I have a forever project that I will complete someday. Handquilting is very relaxing and there are actually people that do it for others. I have a friend that does and she charges by the strand of thread she uses...................she does something else to earn a living and that is jsut a supliment for her.

In any case I am sure that you will very much enjoy the handquilting. It is really relaxing and portable as well.

Good luck on all your plans......................remember you really can make your dreams come true!

[Patch]

Wow, thanks Char and SUAS (Patty? Teresa? No! that's Chickenscratch.... sorry I can't always remember people's names. CRS!)

It is so good to log on first thing this morning and see this kind of encouragement. I really need it, because all my life I've had a problem with self-esteem... Who am I to think I can do anything anyway? I come from a family of people who never did anything big, just puttered in factories for a living and made a little extra money doing service jobs like babysitting, seamstressing, etc. The women all stayed home except for that, and we were not encouraged to think of ourselves as anything but future wives and mothers, when I was growing up. Sounds like I must be 90, right? Nope, just had old-fashioned parents, and a rather religiously literal mom to boot. So it's difficult for me to branch out and really DO something like start a business, because I keep seeing how very un-perfect I am at everything and how very much better than me everyone else is who does this.

But this time I've decided to tell my inner critic to SHUT UP already, and go for my dreams. I will have voice students soon, and what I keep focusing on while I work on arranging my studio is how much I want to encourage young voices. This helps me tremendously. And so as I turn to quilting, I plan to focus on how I enjoy it, and how I love putting fabrics together to say something, and I'm betting this will keep that stupid ol' inner critic quiet most of the time.

Thanks, and have a really great day!

[sewingupastorm]

Patch I think it is time to send that inner critic away on vacation...........................then do what you dream. The sound of young voices sounds like such wonderful music!

[quiltjunkie]

Patty,

Working in the LQS is great for your LA business, so just do it. The pay is usually barely over minimum but I work 1 day a week at my LQS and that really feeds my business since there is another gal in the IMMEDIATE area with a computereized Gammill and she really works that shop by taking a lot of classes and gos to the Sit & Sews and passes out her cards. I'm careful not to openly promote myself but when I'm cutting fabric and someone gives me the opening, I mention that I do LA quilting and 9 times out of 10 they want my card. So with the employee discount and feeding my LA business it's worth the low pay.

[Patch]

So.....what IS minimum wage these days? I started to calculate 16 hrs at $3.50/hr, then realized it's been a looooooong looooooong time since minimum was $3.50!! LOL So I guess I can count on a bit more than that? I think I heard it was around $7.00/hr some time ago.... maybe a couple of years ago, right? Or is that right? Anyway, when I figured out what that would be monthly, it made me very happy. But no chicken counting until they're hatched, so I'd better stop while I'm a head.... yeah.

[pigletaz]

Isn't minimum wage about $6.15? I'm really not sure. didn't they raise the federal minimum wage recently?

Anyway, I also got the "go find yourself a husband speech and forget about college" when I was 18 yrs. old (now I'm 42). From then on I did the opposite, got some college (unfortunately didn't finish my degree), but worked for 16 years in the corporate world before having my first child. Was married for 12 years (now separated) and starting my quilting business with 2 kids, one with special needs and I couldn't be HAPPIER! I say go for it, don't let those voices telling you, you can't, because you can can can.

I always ask myself, what is holding me back, nothing. I've been researching long arm quilting for 3 years and it's time to take the plunge. Exciting time for all of us. Take care.

[chickenscratch]

My son works part time at Papa Johns pizza and they pay $5.45, so is that the minimum wage? Is it the same everywhere?

Patty, Go and follow your dreams. I know how much singing means to you, so get those students lined up and start teaching. And if the LQS wants you to work part time then go for that too. It will give you a good discount, you'll be first in line for all the new fabrics, and once you get your LA you will be able to gain customers.

I'm so glad things are looking up for you. Happy days are ahead.

[lizziesgirl]

Minimum wage is $7.15 an hour. At least that is what I pay the gals that help me in my quilt shop. Wish I could pay them more but maybe someday. If a person is under 18 they legally don't have to pay minimum wage, which I think is wrong but that is sociaty for ya.

Go for your dreams Patty. Wish you lived closer maybe you could teach me how to sing just enough so that my DH won't have to lean away from me in church cause I throw him off key. I usually lip sing everything that way I look really good. LOL

[Patch]

Sheryl, sing to YOUR heart's content. I have this irksome musical ear, too, but I'd much rather hear people singing at the top of their lungs off-key and enjoying it than not hear anyone singing but myself - except when I'm giving a recital, LOL! Singing is the first art, you know, as the Creator made us all with lungs and vocal chords. Just because we sing to the tune of a different hummer doesn't mean we shouldn't sing along. There! That's my two-cents' worth... or is it really more like $2?

Hope things are looking up. Let us know how it goes away back east there, Sheryl.

Teresa, thank you thank you thank you! I soak up every shred of encouragement, so keep it coming, folks. You're right, Teresa, I didn't realize till I made the decision to take the plunge into teacher no matter how unprepared I think I am, that I've been turning my back on myself. Not that I don't want to quilt now, but it's really a therapy for me, whereas singing is my breath.

Renee, GO FOR IT!! I've been researching this for 8 months now, so maybe you and I can take this plunge together, eh? But I'll have to give precedence to my voice studio.....

I just made business cards today, my first attempt. Wanna know what I put on them? Too bad, cuz I'm gonna post it anyway, LOL!

I used pretty fonts, but this is what it says:

Patricia Farrell, Teacher of Singing

Tualatin, Oregon

Bachelor of Music, Vocal Performance: Chapman University, Orange, Ca. (They don't need to know it was only Chapman College then, do they?)

47 years performance experience - Affordable, flexible, dependable.

Beginning and intermediate students welcome

First lesson free - (my phone number)

I know this has nothing to do with quilting, but I'm practicing building a business, which will pay off when I finally do get my LA and get my quilting biz. off the ground, don't you think?