Back by popular demand, our 12 days of Christmas sale. Enjoy 50% off a different pattern each day! No need to use a coupon code. Just stop by the Design Store each day and shop! Here is the lineup:
Labor Day Sale
Mark your calendars for our Labor Day Sale!
Enjoy 30% off store wide Aug 31st – Sept 2nd using coupon code: labor2024
Visit the Design Store and start picking out your favorite items!
4th Of July Sale
Mark your calendars for our 4th of July Sale!
Enjoy 25% off store wide July 4th – 7th using coupon code: July2024
Visit the Design Store and start picking out your favorite items!
Easter Sale 2024
Our Easter sale is coming up fast!
Mark your calendars for March 29th -31st, 2024.
Enjoy 25% off store wide using coupon code: easter24
Visit the Design Store and start picking out your favorite items!
* Sale is limited to items currently on the website. *
2023 12 Days of Christmas Sale
Once again we will be having our 12 Days of Christmas Sale. December 1st-12th 2023 will feature a different spectacular design on sale each day for 50% off! Here is this years lineup:
Labor Day Sale
Mark your calendars for our Labor Day Sale!
Enjoy 30% off store wide using coupon code: labor2023
Visit the Design Store and start picking out your favorite items!
*Sale limited to items currently online.*
4th Of July Sale
Mark your calendars for our 4th of July Sale!
Enjoy 25% off store wide using coupon code: july2023
Visit the Design Store and start picking out your favorite items!
Easter Sale 2023
Our Easter sale is coming up fast! Mark your calendars for April 7-9, 2023.
Enjoy 25% off store wide using coupon code: easter23
Visit the Design Store and start picking out your favorite items!
2022 12 Days of Christmas Sale
Another Year to Celebrate:
As I look back over the last year with all the ups and downs, my overall feeling is of being blessed. I feel blessed to have such wonderful family and friends that have supported me and loved me through this time. I feel blessed to have such a wonderful customer base that has cheered me on and been so patient as I've been distracted and forgetful. Right now am I especially thankful that I'm approaching the end of treatment and have high hopes for the future.
I had a number of people ask if I would be doing my Christmas Sale again this year. How could I disapoint all of you after how wonderful you all have been??? Well that wasn't even a possibility to me! So once again we will be having our 12 Days of Christmas Sale. December 1st-12th will feature a different spectacular design on sale each day for 50% off! Here is this years lineup:
Easter Sale 2022
Wishing you all a Happy Easter!
Join me for my annual Easter Sale! Enjoy 25% off Saturday and Sunday April 16-17th 2022.
Use Coupon Code: easter2022 to receive your discount!
I hope this finds you all quilting your hearts out and thriving! If you are wondering where I’ve been and what I’ve been up to you can catch up on all the details on this Facebook post. Thank you all for your continued support of myself and my business.
Happy Shopping!
2021 12 Days of Christmas Sale
December Celebrations:
As we start into December we enter my favorite time of the year! A time for the first snowfall, twinkling lights, thoughtful surprises, and lots of celebrating with family and friends. To help celebrate another successful year for Peak to Prairie Quilting I’ve put together a list of designs for our 12 days of Christmas Sale! December 1st-12th will feature a different spectacular design on sale each day for 50% off!
Labor Day Sale 2021
Labor Day Sale is back by popular demand! Enjoy 30% off storewide at the Digital Design Store September 4th-6th 2021. Use coupon code: labor21 at checkout to receive your discount! Sale is limited to designs currently on the website.
Easter Sale!
What’s Going On:
As promised we are celebrating Easter 2021 with a sale!
Here’s the Details:
Use coupon code: Easter30 to receive 30% off store wide. This coupon is good Saturday and Sunday (4/3/21-4/4/21). Sale is limited to items on the website. We hope to see you all there!
A Little Holiday Reflection:
So much has happened in the last year and I am so grateful that this year we get to celebrate this holiday with family and friends. Enjoy your day and all we have to be thankful for!
12 Days of Christmas Sale!
What I’m Thankful for:
2020 has been a long year for everyone. There have been so many ups and downs, so much stress surrounding us all. I’m thankful for the good things that have gotten me through all of this. Loving family, great friends, two crazy pups that keep me moving, a wonderful garden, a beautiful place to live, and all of my fantastic customers. So many of you have been there cheering me on through self doubt and hectic times. It’s now time to give back to all of you!
Ready, Set, Sale!
This year my Christmas sale will be the 12 Days of Christmas. In order to not have anyone shopping during holiday family time I’m starting the sale Saturday the 12th! Each day I will be featuring one of my pattern sets @ 50% off. I will be reminding you daily on Facebook with links to each set, so make sure you hop over there and follow me! Here is the complete sale list, check it twice and mark your calendar with the ones you think are nice! Design Store
12th- Glacier Star
13th- Celebration Tree Skirt
14th- Vintage Rose
15th- Bali Wedding Star
16th- Feathered Star
17th- Fire Island Hosta
18th- Amazon Star
19th- Diamond Wedding Ring
20th- Mariner’s Compass
21st- Fractured Star
22nd- Paradise In Bloom
23rd- Dinner Plate Dahlia
All of these patterns have been a part of my growth and journey as a designer. A lot of my sets have stories which I will be sharing tidbits of in my daily Facebook posts. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed creating them!
My Wishes for you!
I wish all of you a peaceful and safe holiday surrounded by the ones you love! As we look forward to next year I’m excited to continue on this journey with all of you. May it be a bright year full of hope and cheer!
Labor Day Sale!
Sale time again! Here’s the scoop!
➡️ 25% off store wide!
➡️ 9/5/20 thru 9/7/20 (Saturday, Sunday, and Monday for those of us that can’t remember dates. ☺)
➡️ Use coupon code: LABOR25
➡️ Limited to designs currently on the website.
➡️ Have a blast shopping @ https://
Memorial Day Sale
Join us this weekend for our Memorial Day Sale! 25% off Store Wide May 23rd-25th 2020! Use coupon code:
memorial25
Make sure to take a look around the Design Store as I’ve been adding new designs! Hope to see you all there!
Happy Quilting!
– Carrie and Finn
Easter Sale and Wishes!
Who is ready for a virtual Easter Egg Hunt . . .errr, Easter Sale Hunt?
Use coupon code
EASTER10
to get 10% off store wide April 11th and 12th. If you are ready for a little more challenge and adventure hunt through the store to find additional discounts! Find designs from 20-40% off . . .some are on sale Saturday, some Sunday and some both days, so keep hunting for those Eggs . .. errr Sale items and check back until your basket is full! I can’t wait for you all to find what I have hidden for you! Happy Easter everyone!🐰🌷🐣
During this season of confusion and uncertainty, I wish you all an Easter filled with Hope and Peace. May your baskets be filled with blessings and love, and may your houses be filled with those you hold dear. Stay safe and strong!
With Love,
Carrie and Finn
Holiday Thoughts and Sale!
It seems this time of year we are reflecting a lot on what we are thankful for and the joys and trials of the year coming to a close. One of the things I am most thankful for is all of you! Without every single one of you I wouldn’t be able to do what I do. My business has grown so much over the last year and so much of it is due to my wonderful customers that spread my name, support my designs, and trust me with their quilts. My heartfelt thanks to all of you!
With this in mind I wanted to take December and spoil you all a little bit. Instead of doing my monthly sale item I decided to switch it up! Hopefully there will be something to bring a smile to everyone’s face!
- Enjoy 10% off storewide for the entire month! Use coupon code DECEMBER10 to get your discount. (This does not apply to sale items.)
- Every weekend I will be featuring one of my big sets for 40% off! I’ll be reminding you weekly, but make sure to check back every weekend! (Don’t forget to grab your add on pieces while they are also on sale!)
- December 7th-8th: Queen Feathered Star Original Set and Queen Feathered Star Set B!
- December 14th-15th: Queen Dinner Plate Dahlia set! With Fill or Without Fill.
- December 21st-22nd: Queen Fire Island Hosta Layout 1 and Layout 2!
- December 28th-29th: Queen Vintage Rose!
- Schedule an E2E Quilt to be quilted and receive 10% off! Contact me to discuss your quilt! (10% off applies to all E2E quilts scheduled in December even if quilted in other months.)
Have a wonderful Holiday Season with your loved ones! I look forward to seeing where our quilting journey takes us all in the new year!
~Carrie Barone~
Arizona Cactus Table Topper
Arizona Cactus Table Topper Set
Enjoy 25% off the Arizona Cactus complete set for the month of August. Stop by the Design Store to take advantage of the sale! Keep reading for pattern details, tips and tricks!
The Design:
Many of you know that I worked for Judy Niemeyer for several years. I was working for her during the time frame the Cactus designs were being produced and I fell hard for this little block! I have two table runners and a bed quilt from this pattern. I immediately set to dreaming up designs for this set and produced some of my first and most favorite designs!
When I got this little sweet little table topper from CI Sue Wilson to quilt it gave me a chance to work with a new layout. Her beautiful RJR Fabrics were so feminine and immediately had me thinking of delicate pretty designs to enhance them!
As we all do, I have grown and enhanced my techniques over time. This is one of my early creations so the style is a little different than my current flavor but I hope you all still enjoy it just as much!
***Note: All Peak to Prairie Quilting pattern sets come with Placement Layout sheets to help you navigate the pattern names. There can also be additional information on these sheets so please look them over before starting your quilt! ***
I start almost every Quiltworx quilt with Stitch in the Ditch. I use monopoly thread and work my SID through the WHOLE quilt, getting it into one piece. Then I go back and work each color of thread through the whole quilt.
Spikes, Spikes, Spikes!
If you watch my current work you all know that 99% of the time I leave my spikes to POP. I love the varying density this gives to my quilting, I love how it emphasizes the spikes and makes them a focal point, and I love the clean look this gives to a quilt. However, there are times when you just want to quilt those little buggers down . . .and not do all that SID! This set of flames gives some nice texture to these spikes without overpowering them. Easy to place, manipulate or divide as needed you can fit them to the craziest piecing!
Left End
Continuous
Right End
Most of the time when you are working on small projects like a table topper time is a factor. Who wants to pay their quilter hundreds of dollars for a small piece like this? And we all know some of these small projects can take just as long as the big ones. This little swirl design places nicely over the little spikes and saves a ton of time!
The spike background swirl is also easy to place and manipulate. If needed you can easily divide close to where a new curl comes out from the previous one. There is only one line of stitching at these points and makes for the easiest manipulation.
Arizona Cactus, Pieced by Sue Wilson. Designs and Quilting by Peak to Prairie Quilting. Quilt Pattern by Quiltworx.com
Feather Fun:
Now that we have those pesky spikes out of the way lets have some fun! Oh how I love me some feathers and these whimsical little designs have a special place in my heart! Both are easy to place, and fun to look at! While this might be the set they are designed for I have used them over and over in different quilts!
There is no better finish to a quilt than a feather border! This simple swooping feather with curl accents is fun and artistic. Originally designed for a 4″ border, it will come in handy over and over. Make sure you SID along the outer and inner border to give a nice straight finish to your quilt.
The End Result:
Arizona Cactus, Pieced by Sue Wilson. Designs and Quilting by Peak to Prairie Quilting. Quilt Pattern by Quiltworx.com
Arizona Cactus, Pieced by Sue Wilson. Designs and Quilting by Peak to Prairie Quilting. Quilt Pattern by Quiltworx.com
Diamond Wedding Star
Diamond Wedding Star Set
Enjoy 25% off the Diamond Wedding Star complete set for the month of July. Stop by the Design Store to take advantage of the sale! Keep reading for pattern details, tips and tricks!
The Design:
Who doesn’t love the beautiful Diamond Wedding Star design by Quiltworx.com? The beautiful arcs, the star accents, the circular layout and all that negative space keep your eyes moving and soaking up intricate details!
However, when it came to quilting this beauty lovingly pieced by CI Kelly Grant, oh my gosh! What to do in all that asymmetrical negative space? What is the best way to break down those blocks into repetitive manageable patterns? And how do you do all that and create a beautiful, impressive design? The good news is you don’t have to worry about it. I spent the hours agonizing and deliberating and designing so you didn’t have to! Here’s some tips and tricks to make using my patterns a breeze!
***Note: All Peak to Prairie Quilting pattern sets come with Placement Layout sheets to help you navigate the pattern names. There can also be additional information on these sheets so please look them over before starting your quilt! ***
I start almost every Quiltworx quilt with Stitch in the Ditch. I use monopoly thread and work my SID through the WHOLE quilt, getting it into one piece. Then I go back and work each color of thread through the whole quilt.
Lets start with those beautiful blocks!
The Simple things:
- The Arcs: Beautiful ribbon feathers flow down each arc and are simple to place.
- Star Points: Simple designs with dense fill to provide a varying density to the design. The star tip pieces are designed to have 1/8-1/4″ boundary around them. The center star small points are designed to have 1/8-1/4″ space at the top and have the base of the design touch the bottom edge. A simple P2P arc completes the center star (not included in set. Use your P2P curve included with your Statler)
- Feather Unit: Simple base with dense fill included. These are also designed to have a 1/8-1/4″ space around the outside. The feather spike units are so small I found the most effective treatment was SID and then 1/4″ stitching along the points. Keep it simple in this small space.
- Melons: Simple and elegant pearl melon easily places in these spaces. Also keep that 1/8-1/4″ space around the outside of these pieces.
Diamond Wedding Star. Quilting and Digital Designs by Peak to Prairie Quilting. Quilt pattern by Quiltworx.com
Diamond Wedding Star. Quilting and Digital Designs by Peak to Prairie Quilting. Quilt pattern by Quiltworx.com
Diamond Wedding Star. Quilting and Digital Designs by Peak to Prairie Quilting. Quilt pattern by Quiltworx.com
The Pearl Ring and Feathers:
When I first looked at this stunning quilt laid out before me, I could see this elegant pearl ring around the star units. I knew the effect would be stunning! As I began digitizing and laying out the design on the screen it occurred to me . . . If I don’t have these perfectly angled as they go around the circle it is going to ruin the effect. How do I make this happen easily??? And how do I help my fellow quilters make this happen??? What to do . . .
If you knew me at all in highschool . . or were my mother . . you know that I was abysmal at geometry. It wasn’t the shapes and angles, but all those darn rules that stumped me. The irony of a universe that took a girl that was terrible at geometry and continually steered her towards quilting is not lost on me. So while one of you other mathematically gifted people could look at this and figure out some complex equation or give me the exact degree this needed to be situated at , that was never going to happen for me. . .and I knew many other quilters would also glaze over at the idea.
Well, where there’s a will there’s a way and I did come up with a simple solution! I included a circle template in the design set. This will NEVER be stitched. It is simply used to place the designs.
Mark out your boundaries for your stitchable background areas and place the circle template (at its original size of 28.80″) so that it intersects several of the star tips as shown. Use the template circle to line up the pearl background. It does not need to be exactly on the template line to create the desired effect, it just needs to be at the same angle as the template. Make sure to toggle the template as sewn before starting to stitch!
Do your best to have the pearl background hit those diamond points for another lovely effect. Less than perfect piecing on your quilt? The straightline sections at the bottom of the pearl unit are designed to be 1/8-1/4″ away from the seamline and can easily be adjusted to accommodate the piecing.
What about the feathers you ask? Easy, easy to place. If possible, work on the sections that mirror each other at the same time, to ensure they are as symmetrical as possible.
The Borders:
While I was so excited to have all of this negative space to work with, the more I played with it the more I realized the asymmetrical nature of it was going to prove a challenge. I wanted something ‘different’ and ‘outside the box’ and I absolutely love what I came up with! What’s more? It was really easy to place and stitch!
Diamond Wedding Star. Quilting and Digital Designs by Peak to Prairie Quilting. Quilt pattern by Quiltworx.com
Diamond Wedding Star. Quilting and Digital Designs by Peak to Prairie Quilting. Quilt pattern by Quiltworx.com
Diamond Wedding Star. Quilting and Digital Designs by Peak to Prairie Quilting. Quilt pattern by Quiltworx.com
Note: The borders where the last thing I stitched on this quilt. If you are doing them first I’d stabilize your blocks in some way first. Either with SID or basting.
Start by placing the outside pearl hoops. Make sure to check the size of the hoops against the Placement Layout Sheet. Start stitching these from the corner out. Next place the crosshatch piece. Line up the outside edge so it continues the line/angle from the block. Now it’s time to place the feathers. Do Not use the already stitched patterns as your boundaries. This is a big area with dense quilting and there will have been shrinkage. Trust me! You will thank me later! Instead, draw a brand new boundary along your stitched patterns and place the feathers. You may even want to double check your last feather or two before you stitch them. Always safer to double check than to pull out your seam ripper.
The side border will done the same way. Hoops first then the feathers!
The End Result:
I hope this has helped break down the process of quilting the Diamond Wedding Star. Does this quilt take time? Absolutely! Is it a hard quilt to quilt? I hope you now realize that no, it’s not. I love how easily you can get great results with this set without stressing over every stitch. The space built in around several of the designs as a ‘design element’, make them easy to place, start stitching, and walk away.
Another bonus for my JNQ junkies is that several of the patterns from the star unit will also fit in the Autumn Pines wall hanging!
Bali Wedding Star
This June I am featuring the Bali Wedding Star set as the monthly special! We all know that wedding ring quilts hold a special place in our hearts. We also know that they can provide all sorts of challenges not only when piecing but also when quilting. Here are a few features of my patterns and how they can make your quilting experience a little easier!
Bali Wedding Star – Sharon Ralph. Designs and Quilting by Peak to Prairie Quilting. Quilt pattern by Quiltworx.com.
Bali Wedding Star – Sharon Ralph. Designs and Quilting by Peak to Prairie Quilting. Quilt pattern by Quiltworx.com.
Bali Wedding Star – Sharon Ralph. Designs and Quilting by Peak to Prairie Quilting. Quilt pattern by Quiltworx.com.
Believe it or not this quilt didn’t have a single stitch of SID quilting in it. I designed these patterns to provide a beautiful finish without all the hastle of SID. Does your quilt have less than perfect piecing? If needed you can easily divide the arc patterns and adjust to better fit your piecing.
Where you hoping to let the rings pop a little more? Does your customer want a more traditional look of simple rings with pretty background quilting? Simply pair the melon and background design with p2p arc, SID or a simple crisscross in the arcs!
Stop by the Design Store and check out the Bali Wedding Star Set @ 25% off through June 30th!
Memorial Day Sale and Happenings
Thank you so much to everyone that participated in our Memorial day sale! Watch the video to see whats happening at Peak to Prairie Quilting and for more sales and specials coming up!
Oh, For the Love of Chai!
There is nothing better on a frosty morning than a big mug of fragrant Chai! I love the spicy, heavenly aroma of this spicy tea but do not love all the sugar in commercial mixes. I’ve purchased Chai tea bags hoping that they would satisfy the craving, but the watery tea doesn’t satisfy the craving for the creamy mixture I love. I had pretty much given up on drinking Chai when a good friend of mine brought this recipe to my attention.
I was driving home from the holidays (a very long 12+ hour drive) and saw my friends facebook post about this amazing looking Chai tea that cures all your aches and make you feel shiny and new again. Needless to say I stopped at the grocery store before arriving home and picked up the ingredients I was missing.
(The original recipe was posted on Facebook by author Elizabeth Gilbert. Click here to see her post.)
While I thoroughly enjoyed the original recipe I have tweaked it to fit my tastes. Here is my version of Elizabeth’s Big Magic Chai Tea Recipe!
Chai Tea Recipe
Start with 4 cups of water in a pot
Add:
2 Cinnamon sticks
1 to 2 inches of ginger, diced
1 teaspoon of ground cloves
1 teaspoon of whole black pepper
About 8 – 10 pods of cardamom, crushed.
Bring it all to a boil, let it simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes.
Add 2 green or black tea bags. I prefer green.
If available add a couple inches of vanilla pod sliced down the middle. I also add a small piece of Star Anise (not a full Star Anise). Be careful not to add too much— it takes over EVERYTHING.
Simmer again for about 5 minutes. If not drinking immediately let cool and then strain into a quart jar. Store in fridge for daily use.
In a small glass bowl mix approximately 1 TBSP of Turmeric powder with approximately 3 TBSP of honey. I love using a pampered chef prep bowl for this. Adjust these amounts based on your love of Turmeric and how much sweetener you like in your Chai. I leave this on my counter to use every morning. You can also mix your turmeric with your coconut oil instead of the honey. That would give you a little more control over your sweetener without getting overwhelmed by turmeric.
In the morning I take out my preferred mug, and fill it about 2/3 full of the Chai tea. Then I fill with milk (use whatever kind of milk substance you prefer) leaving about 3/4″ space at the top of the mug. I then pour it all into a pan and heat it.
While that’s heating I put about 1/2- 1 TBSP of coconut oil and of the honey/turmeric mixture in one of my Magic Bullet containers. ( a blender or food processor would work equally as well.) When the chai has heated to just below boiling I pour it into the Magic Bullet container, attach the blender and mix until all the honey and coconut oil have blended and it begins to take on a frothy yellow appearance.
Pour it all back into your mug of choice, sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy!
How to Hang It
The Conundrum:
Throughout my Longarming career, one of my biggest struggles has been to get quality photos of my finished quilts. Before I hand off a customer quilt I like to get a few (or sometimes a 100) pictures of the finished project. Photography is important to me and I’ve learned over the years how vital it is to get quality photos of quilts to showcase my designs and quilting. Some of my past techniques have included draping quilts over the longarm machine, laying them on floors, and even hanging them from my machine light bar. This usually left me climbing on furniture to get pictures of questionable quality.
A year ago I made the difficult decision to have my studio separate from our living space. I was lucky to be given work space in my boyfriend’s dad’s house. (That’s a mouthful isn’t it?) The walkout basement gives me plenty of space to spread out. Which means I’ve finally been able to set up a quilt photography space! I determined that the extra bedroom with the nice big window to create side lighting would be the best space to use. So now comes the question . . .How to hang the quilt?
What I Needed:
My requirements for my system were:
- Low budget
- Ease of installation
- Low impact/damage on the wall
After a trip to my favorite helpful hardware store (I swear those guys groan when they see me coming), I had supplies and a plan! And at $24.75 for supplies I had hit all my requirements! Here’s what I had:
- 2 eyebolts $2.79
- 50 ft of soft thin rope $5.99
- 10′ metal conduit 3/4″ diameter $5.99
- 1 boat cleat (to tie off with) $2.49
- Curtain hangers (optional) $7.49
What We Did:
After recruiting my boyfriend and his power tools, we went to work! First we installed the two eye bolts as close to the ceiling as we could. I wasn’t too concerned with them being perfectly even as I figured I could level the quilt as I pulled it up. And honestly, what are the chances of me holding my camera perfectly level anyways? This is why I have Lightroom!
Then we slid the hangers onto the conduit and ran our rope through the center of it. You will want considerably more rope on one end than the other as one rope will travel to the other eye bolt before going down the wall.
Next we strung the rope through the eye bolt on each end of the wall. Then we ran one of the ropes over to the opposite end of the wall and through the eye bolt on that side (so one eye bolt has two ropes running through it. This allows me to raise and lower the quilt from one end. Finally we installed the boat cleat to tie the ropes off.
Now I was ready to load a quilt! First I tie off the hanger so it is about half way down the wall. This makes it a convenient height to load a quilt on. The curtain hangers easily clip onto the edge of the backing and batting. (I’m careful not to clip them onto the quilt top as I would be concerned about leaving marks.) Next I untie the rope from the boat cleat and pull the quilt up to the top. Tie it off again and happily take pictures!
The End Results:
I have been so pleased to have this up and running! It’s easy load a quilt on, and it raises and lowers easily! But I do have a few critiques of the system.
- Installing it on a 8 foot high wall means that a lot of my larger quilts still drape on the floor. My only taller option would be outdoors. That’s just not a realistic option day to day here in the rainy Flathead Valley.
- My metal conduit does bow a bit. Originally I had wanted a wood closet dowel. However these were very expensive and I could only find an eight foot option. Next I considered PVC but decided this would be too flimsy. I consider this slight bowing of the metal conduit acceptable for the inexpensive price. Also the fact that it is light weight, while leaving it susceptible to the bowing, makes it easy to raise and lower.
- I’m not sure if the curtain hangers shown here are the best option for this system. They are easy to use, but I don’t feel that they hold the quilt as flat as I would like. I’m still debating other options.
What about lighting you ask? Currently I’m using my extra plant and chicken lights. You know, the ones with the metal shades and clamps that you can find at the feed store. I made sure to purchase bulbs that didn’t have a yellow tint to use with them. While this has been working moderately well in conjunction with the natural light, I have plans to experiment with my system. Stay tuned for more info!
Do you have a quilt hanging system you love? I’d LOVE to hear about it! Email me at cfbquilts@gmail.com!
Stretch Away the Stress
Winter Blues:
I think every longarmer or seamstress is familiar with the toll our craft takes on our neck, shoulders and back. Long hours this winter sitting at a desk working on website and hovering over my Gammill doing custom quilting has certainly left me with a few aches and pains. It seems no matter how I adjust my machine height I’m constantly hunched over the quilts I’m working on, straining my lower back. Over the years I have found that the more active I stay the easier it is to deal with these aches and pains.
BUT, let me introduce you to winter in Montana. That time of year when the weather outside is frightful, and it takes great effort to maintain any kind of exercise routine. Anyone who has experienced the heavy gloom of the Flathead Valley, in northwest Montana, knows what I’m talking about! Usually I greatly enjoy winter and use cross country skiing or snowshoeing to chase the winter blues away. However we have been plagued by icy snow conditions this winter. That along with my busy work schedule has made it difficult to grab much time outside in the few daylight hours we get. After losing my side kick and personal trainer Hank the cow dog the beginning of January, my will to exercise hit an all time low.
A couple weeks ago, after a particularly nasty weather day I decided it was time to take action. I was tired of living with an aching neck and back. I needed to motivate, so the aches and pains didn’t keep spreading! I also needed some exercise to release some of the stress and cabin fever that has built up over the winter. The solution? Welcome my old friend yoga!
Time for a Change:
For years I’ve practiced yoga on and off. The benefits and enjoyment are undeniable, but when we get busy usually the little luxuries for ourselves are the first things we cut out of our daily schedule. But I recognized that if I didn’t do something to at least improve my posture I was going to be facing much bigger problems in the future. So two weeks ago I decided it was time to commit to a routine. . .even 20 minutes a day . . . surely I have 20 minutes a day for myself . . . for the well being of mind and body.
Anyone who knows me knows that routines are not my strong suit. I love the idea of planning out what I’m going to do each day and for how long, but the reality of being able to stick to that plan often escapes me. Especially when the boredom of a routine sets in and distraction takes over. So my number one concern setting up my yoga routine was how to keep it interesting.
A Little Online Help Goes a Long Way:
Enter yogadownload.com. Introduced to me by a yoga crazy friend, this website that offers some free streaming classes, downloads upon purchase, or a monthly subscription for complete access. It has made all the difference in my morning routine! After creating an account, (and no you don’t have to subscribe to start an account) I searched through their free classes and compiled a wishlist of ones that I want to try in the 20-30 minute range. This reduces that morning search through class after class that quickly cuts into my allotted exercise time. I found many different style of free ones from light stretching routines to ‘you better have a towel handy for this 30 minute class’! I even found an 11 minute stand up and stretch video that I’m excited to try on the days when I have to be behind the computer digitizing patterns or when custom quilting is getting to my back.
So my current morning routine?? Get my workout clothes on and boot up the computer. Get my stove top espresso maker together and ready to roll. Pick out one of the 20-30 minute videos from my Wishlist or Class favorites, and get it ready to play. Turn on the stove, then hit play! I have found a 25 min class will finish up right about the time that the espresso stops percolating. There is something soothing and enticing about doing yoga in the morning while smelling the alluring aroma of coffee brewing. And it’s a great treat at the end of the session! Do you need enticement to do yoga you ask?? I need enticement to do anything in the morning I say. . . .
The Benefits:
The results in the two weeks I’ve been committed to this have already been amazing. I’m starting to notice my flexibility increase, while my aches and pains decrease. Also my body is starting to take shape again after softening out over the winter. Most of the routines I do don’t even get me close to breaking a sweat! Every time I can get a little deeper into a pose than I could yesterday, or feel more balance and strength in a pose, I’m thankful for the changes I chose to make. I’m excited to see how far I can go over the next couple weeks! Another bonus – I don’t dread heading to the desk or machine to work, as I know it’s not going to be so painful when I’m done!
Are you a beginner and scared to try yoga? While I’ve tried several great teachers on yogadownload.com, Jackie Casal Mahrou has some fantastic free light stretching classes with clear instructions and information on how to vary a pose to your level of fitness. I particularly liked her Daily Decompression class!
There is one negative aspect of this routine that I’d like to caution you about. While doing floor poses the other day I had a little time to stare up at the ceiling. After a few minutes I registered the cobwebs that at some point this winter have appeared along the beams. Why oh why did I have to notice that??? I guess spring cleaning shall be the next routine to tackle. . . .
Website Launch!
It is Finally Here!
As many of you know months of work have gone into getting this website ready to launch. There have been many brainstorming sessions, lots of sighs, a few tears of frustration and possibly a glass of wine or two. Who knew that a girl’s idea to sell a few designs online would turn into such an undertaking!
But I am so proud of the site we have put together! And I couldn’t wait to roll it out for all of you to see! We (my wonderful web expert Jenn and I) will continue to add content and fine tune things over the next couple weeks. We have tested the site on several different devices but if you have any suggestions or feedback as you wander through it on your device, we would LOVE to hear them! Please email me at cfbquilts@gmail.com.
I’m so excited to have this website up and running so you all can shop on your own schedule, but I’m also a little sad to be automating it. While it is definitely more cumbersome to handle transactions one by one, I have loved the opportunity it has given me to get to know my customers and develop relationships with each of you. Just remember, even though the buying is automated I’m still right here to help you with any questions or concerns. And thank you to all of you that have already become valued customers and friends!
But for now sit back and enjoy your visit at Peak to Prairie Quilting!
