Cleaning and Quilting and A New Haircut

Today was a good day to catch up.  I spent the morning straightening the studio, sweeping up threads and bits, clearing off my cutting table.  Then I gave my sewing machine a spa treatment, cleaning out the lint, changing the needle, threading a new spool of thread, and changing out the quarter inch foot for the free motion quilting foot.

Once the cutting table was clear, I was ready to baste a quilt.  Of course, I grabbed the Sunrise Through the Pines quilt first.  It's the only quilt top that has already shouted to me how it wants to be quilted, so it deserves to be first in line.

After I pin baste a quilt, I ALWAYS take a few minutes to steam iron the "sandwich" from the back side.  I carefully press the quilt top and backing fabric before basting, but I like to do a heavy steam press to the backside after basting, too.  I think it helps draw up the backing just a tad, helping to eliminate any little tucks that may try to creep in during the quilting process.  I do not prewash my fabrics, so this works well for me.

I hadn't planned on starting the quilting process today, but the quilt was ready and the sewing machine was ready, so why not?  Here's my start.
I've started with a variegated red thread.  I plan on changing the thread color often, though.

If you notice on my profile photo, I got a new haircut yesterday.  My hair was getting long and shaggy, and I was ready for a change.  I have more trouble finding a good stylist, but I went to one I'd tried before and liked.  I told her I wanted the haircut of that American Idol contestant who got voted off last week - you know, the blonde with the pink streaks?  I wanted that look without the pink.

She watches the show and knew exactly who I was talking about.  So far, so good.  I wear glasses all the time (VERY NEARSIGHTED!!!), so as always, I removed them while she cut. After she finished cutting, blowing, and styling, I put my glasses back on to see the finished result.  It was cute, but it wasn't at all like the cut I wanted.  It was longer in the front than the back, opposite of the contestant.  But by that time I was more than ready to go back home, and didn't feel like waiting for her to cut more, though I know she'd have been glad to.

So home I went, straight to the kitchen drawer for the scissors, then to the bathroom where I began chopping off the long part in the front.  And now I like it!  So alls well that ends well, I guess.