TinaC Posted July 5, 2005 Report Share Posted July 5, 2005 I have done everythin that I possibly can and now I'm letting it go. I've put up a baby gate at the top of the stairs so my dog (timber) can see me working, this has stopped the crying and keeps her out of my studio. I've added a door to my home so now I have a seperate entrance so customers come straight to my studio instead of through my home. I've also added a free pick up and delivery service so that few people have to come to my home, and people seem to like this idea. I carry my portfolio with me, and when my web site is up I will be using my lap top and I can show pictures of my studio and my work this way. Basically, my business may be in my home, however I believe I've found a way to make this work. Thank you ladies for all your kind words of support and encouragement. I also appreciate the constructive critism. I can now understand both sides of the issue. Funny thing is my son brought home a stray so now I have a new member of the family to deal with. We named her Dakota. By the looks of her she seems to have been abused. She's very timid of people except for me. She follows me everywhere. Except my studio that is. LOL I feel that so long as I can wake up everyday and keep going then I have this thing beat. I new it wasn't going to be easy but some days I tell ya.............. Thanks again ladies and I'll keep you all posted as my business grows. Sincerly, Tina The Quilt Lady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted July 6, 2005 Report Share Posted July 6, 2005 Hi Tina, I'm glad you've found a way to keep your customers happy, and also keep YOU happy! There will ALWAYS be naysayers. You just have to know in your heart that they are the kind of people who find the glass half empty with regards to everything in their lives! You are just one little part of that. Enjoy what you do, and learn to love and appreciate the opportunity you have. I've been enjoying my machines (yes, I'm lucky enough to have 2 machines!) more in the last couple of weeks than I think I ever have. I tend to put things off until I think I can do the job "perfectly". After all, I teach longarm machine quilting, and everything I show needs to be perfect, right? Wrong!! All my students need is inspiration, and the technical know how. They don't need ME to be perfect. SO.........all those tops (at least 42!) are coming off the shelves one at a time and they are getting quilted, perfect or not. In the last week I've finished one I started for my sister over 1 1/2 years ago. The outlining around the applique wasn't perfect, so I unzipped it and put it away. I finished another wallhanging I made with antique butterfly blocks I bought on E-Bay. I started that one at least a year ago, and the diagonal lines weren't going well, so I unzipped it and added it to the UFO pile. I am now working on a small lap quilt I made out of scaps my cousin gave me last year. The design comes from a large cross-stitch picture my daughter gave me for my 60th birthday last year. She is thrilled that I'm finally quilting the quilt I made to go with it. So, having let go of the perfectionism, I've made 3 people happy this week. My sister, my daugher, and ME! I came upstairs with tears in my eyes the other night. My husband wondered what was wrong. I said "Nothing. I'm just LOVING what I'm doing SO much, and I feel so lucky to have TWO machines when other gals would love to just have one." I have no idea why I went on this "rant". It had nothing to do with your post. But then again, maybe it did, and I just don't know it. ?? Have a GREAT day, knowing you COULD be stuck in an office and pantyhose! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted July 6, 2005 Report Share Posted July 6, 2005 There are 4 rows and 16 blocks altogether. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted July 6, 2005 Report Share Posted July 6, 2005 This quilt has 20 applique blocks and an applique vine around the outside. I intended to leave the sashings alone, but ended up quilting a line down the centre of them to take up the fullness caused by the intense quilting inside the blocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaudiaPfeil Posted July 6, 2005 Report Share Posted July 6, 2005 Darlene, that?sooooo beautiful quilting! I love your background- quilting! Hope to see you soon! Claudia Pfeil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted July 6, 2005 Report Share Posted July 6, 2005 This shows some of the outer border. I used the same quilting design as inside the vine, but eliminated the swirls, and made it a bit more open. Sister is VERY happy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted July 6, 2005 Report Share Posted July 6, 2005 Thank you Claudia! I thought I was all alone here. LOL It would be wonderful to see you again soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thequiltqueen Posted July 6, 2005 Report Share Posted July 6, 2005 Darlene; Your "rant" to Tina did have a purpose. I, for one, am glad I am not stuck in an office and pantyhose. Thanks for reminding me how lucky I am! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinaCollins Posted July 6, 2005 Report Share Posted July 6, 2005 Darlene, Sing it to the choir, Sister!!! (ROTFLOL!) I know exactly how you were feeling!!! These last couple of weeks, I have been telling myself (over and over and over) that "Finished is better than perfect!!". And..... Amazingly enough, once I stopped agonizing over my imperfections, the quilting became fun again, instead of simply a job I HAD to do!! The quilts came out great in the end (they were for one of my favorite customers) and I found that I was loving to longarm once more!! All that "quest for perfection" stuff is just too darned stressful!! I don't need to always have "perfect quilting" if it is going to take away the joy from something that I used to love. So... I am NOT a perfect quilter..... Get over it!!! (LOL!LOL!LOL!:cool:) P>S> Your quilts look WONDERFUL!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandraC Posted July 6, 2005 Report Share Posted July 6, 2005 When an inexperienced quilter drops a quilt off at my house and is moaning over the fact the her points aren't perfect, etc.etc....I tell her to remember that there are no quilt-police!!! Maybe that goes for us longarm quilters, as well!!!! By the way, when I mention the "quilt-police" to the customer she usually laughs and lightens up right away and stops fretting. Try it and see!!! Sandra:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerri Posted July 7, 2005 Report Share Posted July 7, 2005 Darlene your quilting is without a doubt my favorite. Your fills around applique just make me say Oh My Gosh! Had to give up my Mille for now to care for my mom, but I'm already itching to dive in again, especially looking at your quilting, no fair! Get Darlene's freehand books girls, you will not be sorry, they pay for themselves many times over. Shameless plug. Kerri Oceanside, missed seeing during the big fire! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharonsews Posted July 7, 2005 Report Share Posted July 7, 2005 That background on the butterfly quilt is sooo awesome. Very creative!! I look forward to trying something like that! Thanks for sharing:D Sharon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted July 7, 2005 Report Share Posted July 7, 2005 Thanks for the kudos gals! The background filler is similar to what has become known as "McTavishing", for Karen McTavish who has made the technique popular. Mine is more a combination of my Fern Leaf Filler and Echoed Swirl Filler from my Pocket Guides to Freehanding. I don't have the patience to follow Karen's technique of backtracking! I think it gives the same effect tho'. BTW, if you don't have Karen's book & DVD on McTavishing, you're missing out on a great tool to use in your business. I stock it, as do several other longarm suppliers. Her first self-published book, "Quilting for Show", is out of print but is due again in the fall, republished professionally, and will also include a DVD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted July 7, 2005 Report Share Posted July 7, 2005 Originally posted by kerri Had to give up my Mille for now to care for my mom, but I'm already itching to dive in again, especially looking at your quilting, no fair! >> KERRI, MY HEART GOES OUT TO YOU! And my thoughts are with you. It's not easy being in the "Sandwich" generation. Did you actually sell your machine, or are you just out of commision while you do care taking for your mom? Kerri Oceanside, missed seeing during the big fire! >> HOPEFULLY, the next time will work out for both of us. We've tried twice now; once we got smoked out and last year we were rained out! Is there a better time of year to come than October?! We LOVE the Oceanside area, and even in the rain we had a great time at the Wild Animal Park up in the hills. We'll be back there with all the grandkids in a couple of years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerri Posted July 7, 2005 Report Share Posted July 7, 2005 I did sell it, but the nice part is that since I live so close to Cindee Ferris in Vista, just recently have been able to get over to her new studio and do some quilting on her second machine, the Liberty. That is a great machine. Oh no, the rainiest season ever. The last two weeks in September and October are usually just the best. Honest! Hope it works out the next time you come to Oceanside. Kerri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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