When Life Brings Change

(WARNING: This post has little to do with quilting, a bit to do with life - and whole lot of honesty!)

It's Saturday night, I'm sitting in bed excitedly thinking about Monday morning! On Monday, my life changes - A LOT! It is a day I have been waiting for, for many years! One that I have been excited for, and a bit nervous anticipating...it is going to be a big change.

On Monday our Twins, our youngest children, start Kindergarten!! 

For the last 7 1/2 years I have spent MOST of my time as a stay-at-home mom to our three daughters (our oldest is in second grade this year) - a job that I never really intended to have! When we had our first daughter, life worked out perfectly - I worked three days a week and was home with her the other two, and of course the weekend. I had the best of both worlds!

All of that changed when we found out that our "ideal number of children" would not be two, but three! When people tell me they wish they had twins, I always laugh and tell them they have no idea what they're wishing for! Don't get me wrong, I cannot imagine my life any other way - the girls complete our family and they bring such joy and diversity to it. But, OH MY GOODNESS are they a crazy pair. The craziness that ensues with twins could fill an entirely separate Blog Series, but know that no matter how well prepared you think you are - IT IS NOT ENOUGH! 

Most of you know how much motherhood changes you - not just who you think you are and what you believe, but the very core of YOU is different. There are now three people out walking around in this world that I would stop at nothing to protect, pieces of my heart out there subject to the craziness of the world we live in. SOMEONE should have warned me!! How can you love someone so much and at the same time wish that you could turn invisible so they could not find you?! 

At times I felt like I wasn't me anymore - the person I was, who I identified myself as. She was gone - lost to motherhood. The cleaning. The feeding. The worrying. The lack of sleep. The crying. The screaming. The constant noise. The insecurity. I wondered where the woman was that my husband married - the one who was confident in herself, knew what she wanted and went for it. At times I didn't know if I would EVER find her again - would I have a passion again?

I can't tell you the exact moment that it happened, but I found something I really enjoyed to do, something that I was willing to be SELFISH enough to MAKE time to do - to hide away and lock doors to do. 

I discovered that I really enjoyed Quilting, not the cutting and piecing part, but the end - the last step - the machine quilting! I LOVED it - and I was pretty good at it. This was something I could have for me - just me, I didn't have to share it with the kids! I would hide away in my sewing room (a converted walk-in closet) to quilt after the girls were in bed. I would run up there and lock multiple doors behind me when their fighting and whining became too much. I could de-stress during nap time by making a cup of coffee and dragging my ever growing stack of machine quilting books down to the couch for a mini escape.

I had found my PASSION again! The funny thing was, I don't think I even realized that's what I had found until last year. Last summer, the summer before the twins started preschool we were on our annual Strait Family Kenai Trip. We go every summer! But last year I worked up the courage on the drive down to tell my husband that I wanted to start a Longarm Quilting Business - actually, what I told him was, "I want something for me, something that is my own, something that I care about again that has nothing to do with you or the kids"! 

Sounds a bit harsh now that I reflect on it - lucky for me I am married to a wonderful, understanding man who knew what I was trying to say - one that saw what parts of motherhood had done to my sense of self. I think somewhere along the line, he saw the spark in my eyes when I would say "I'm going up to the sewing room!" and knew that I had found "me" again! 

Looking back over the last year and the changes that life has brought, I realize that there will be phases where we are lost, and phases where we're found. Life has a funny way of changing just when you think it won't. There will times where we don't get to pursue our passion like we want to but then things change.

When the stars align, the school doors open and you wave goodbye to your children while driving toward the coffee shop and many blissful hours of quilting - you know you've come out the other end of the tunnel, and there's no looking back! 

Here's to embracing change and pursing your passion! If you need me, I'll be blissfully quilting!

:) Enjoli 

The Wonders of the Needle

It's funny how when you've been doing something "for awhile" you start to think you've got things figured out! The moment you have that thought, the universe looks at you and says "I'll show you!". Over the last month I've been having an "issue with my machine", which turns out to be user error (which is what I have been hoping to be honest), where I get skipped stitches when going from batik fabric to cotton fabrics and vice-versa. I could not for the life of me figure out what was going on. At first I thought I had a random issue, and then I started paying attention - it was only an issue either on batik or going back and forth.

So, first I tried extra cleaning and oiling, which didn't seem to make a huge difference but certainly helped. Next I tried a different size needle because I figured well maybe my thread needs a bigger needle - Nope that didn't really help either. At this point I started thinking there was something wrong with my machine, I talked to my amazing tech, Gene, he had a few ideas, all of which helped but didn't really solve my problem. I talked to my Bernina contact while at quilt market, he gave me a few pointers. Got home, tried those, ehhhh didn't really make much difference. Finally, I figured I might as well put it out to a Facebook user group, lets see if anyone else is having skipped stitching issues.

So, here is the thing you should know, Bernina is all about T-N-T for problem solving, "Thread, Needle, Tension". Well I knew my thread was good, it was brand new Superior So Fine #50, just opened! I use great quality needles and had changed the needle to a bigger size to make sure there was enough room in the eye for my thread, and my tension was great! So, what was I doing wrong?!

Here is the advice I got in the user group, "Try a 'Quilting' needle.", my first thought... "OMG these people have no idea what they're talking about, I'm using a topstitch needle for quilting, that't the 'right way to do it' don't they know that?" Remember what I said about "having it all figured out", hah yah.. not so much apparently!

For most other projects/threads a Superior Topstitch needle works AMAZING in my machine and that is what I use and will likely continue to use. However, for some reason the Topstitch needle and the batik fabric do not get along. The tight weave of the batik seems to give that Topstitch needle a hard time.

In the end I decided to suck it up and try out this other needle, since you know, I have deadlines to meet. So, I drag myself over to the needle wall at the shop, pick up the "Quilting" needles and wander back to my machine. As I'm taking a needle out I read the back of the package, "taper to shaft and sharp point to prevent skipped stitches" . . . . . . .

Oh my jeepers!. . . . . . . . Yep, of course . . . . . . That figures . . . . . Guess I'll give it a try . . . . .

You all know what happened next right?! I quilted for TWO straight hours without a single issue or skipped stitch! And here is the kicker you guys, I have been quilting and teaching quilting for almost EIGHT years!

Okay world, I accept the face palm with (a tiny bit) of dignity and vow to never "think I know it all" again!

(Now) Happily Quilting - Enjoli :)

P.S: Don't be like me - check out http://www.schmetzneedles.com/all-about-needles/ to find more detailed information on needles!

Get more info on amazing needles here!

Life & Broken Toys

Isn't it amazing how on top of the world you feel when things are going your way?! The sun is brighter, the kids are better behaved (ha-well it seems like it anyway) and life is pretty dandy!

But what happens when things don't go our way - Armageddon, melt-down city (me and the kids), I drop more things and spill more milk; or that's how it feels anyway!

Going into February I had grand visions of getting settled into our new (new rental-while we build our house) place, having a lovely romantic valentines day and quilting my heart out every week! I know you're all starting to get nervous about where this is headed...and rightly so.

My February turned into a mad scramble to get moved, settled and unpacked (still working on that), spending Valentines day dragging kids between houses to move things, and not  getting much quilting done. Turns out my machine needed some TLC - which lucky for me, she got, but couldn't be played with during that time.

Yep, I was wallowing in self pity!

And then I get the most glorious text ever, "Come play with your machine, I fixed her!". Picture me, giddy as my kids when I give them cookies! (And yes I did say "her", she even has a name!)

And, as life does - house things got put away (aka pushed aside), life settled down and I snuck away for a few glorious hours of bonding with my machine!

I could go deep here and say that things always find a way of working out, or that you have to ride out the storm to appreciate the sun, but to be totally honest - I'm just a much happier person when I get my quilting time!

Hope your February has a lot more LOVE than Broken Toys!

Happy Quilting,

Enjoli :)

Putting the Binding on 2016

Phew.. I can't believe that 2016 is almost over! It has been such an exciting last few months, that they have just flown by. I think I blinked and November was gone. I've had my long arm for almost a month now (and have yet to name her - yikes!), and have been squeezing quilting time out of every spare moment I have! Between three kids, a husband and a few work-related (quilt-shop) responsibilities, my quilting time has been limited. However, 2017 brings big goals and come August, much more quilting time, as my two youngest start Kindergarten! Whoo-hoo!

It's funny how optimistic I am at the beginning of December that I can make all of these amazing Christmas gifts, and then as the weeks go by I start to panic a bit more each week. So, this year I set small goals for myself, only a few hand-made items and of course those customer quilts that I had to finish. Yet, here I was Christmas Eve, sewing away on the last item - which made it in, just under the wire. I think we finished wrapping gifts around 10:30pm last night - gotta hold up the Santa tradition a little longer!

In all the craziness that goes into Christmas with three little girls, I am reminded that it is a blessing to have them to keep the magic of Christmas alive. They remind me that small things can be the what makes you feel like "this is the best day of my life" (a direct quote from my 6 year old today!) and that there is immense joy in giving!

I hope that as we close out 2016 you can look forward to 2017 with excitement and joy at the many things you can make and do to bring joy to others. My hope for Doodle Quilting Studio is not just to help you finish projects, but to help you bring joy to those you love!

Thank you for the love and support you have shown me in the last few months, I can't wait quilt my way through 2017!

Merry Christmas from my family to yours! :) Enjoli

The Strait Family 

It. Is. Happening!

I guess it is time to admit that this is happening - my Bernina Q24, 13 foot longarm machine has arrived at the shop! This week hubby and I will be getting her set up in my studio space! This has been something I've been dreaming up for the last couple years and it feels scary and amazing that it is all coming together. l already have a few beautiful quilts in queue and I can't wait to get them loaded! Thank you to the folks who have already believed in me and my quilting!

Before I get too far into this adventure, I need to thank a few people for helping me get started -

My mom, who this would not have been possible without her generosity with her business space and the shop long arm. She has been unrelentingly supportive and is always the first one to like my Doodle page Facebook posts! How did I get so lucky to have such an amazing woman to encourage and support me!

Angela Walters, who inspired me to first start quilting, who I admired from afar through her books and online classes and finally had the pleasure to become friends with. Thanks for the final push, and your support despite your own busy schedule!

Thank you to my hubby for supporting me and my big ideas, for being willing to let me step out on this adventure and always really looking at my quilting!

I look forward to helping you finish your projects!

Happy Quilting,

Enjoli

welcome to doodle quilting studio

I am so glad you found me here in this little corner of the inter web - welcome to doodle quilting studio! Doodle Quilting Studio is the realization of a passion of mine, free-motion quilting! For the past few years I've been fortunate enough to get to teach machine quilting at my family's quilt shop, Seams Like Home in Anchorage, AK. I stumbled upon quilting out of necessity and quickly realized that not only did I enjoy the finishing part of making a quilt, but preferred it! Like many other machine quilting enthusiasts, I realized that I could not make quilt tops fast enough to satiate my quilting appetite, and the idea for "doodle" was born.

Because of my wonderful connection with Seams Like Home (our family's quilt shop, which my mother owns), I get the immense privilege to have my long arm studio within it's walls! So, not only do I get to spend my days quilting, but I get to do it surrounded by like mind people and beautiful fabrics!

I hope you can find quilting inspiration and encouragement or maybe even the opportunity to get some of those UFO's finished through the services that I offer through doodle!

Thanks for stopping by - see you on the quilted side! :) Enjoli