Stash Report - February 28, 2016

This week, life has kept me from my sewing room for extended periods of time. I have made it to the room for 5 or 10 minutes at a time. I used that time to accomplish several things.

First, I made it a point to put away 10 things a day in the snippets of time I had. Maybe it was a few skeins of floss I had pulled out or fabrics I had tried out but not used. There were even some fabrics I bought last year but hadn't put away. They were just cluttering up my work surfaces, and now they are happily back in their homes. I even managed to dust and vacuum. My sewing space is so much tidier now. 

The second thing accomplished in the short amounts of time was getting cutting done. I finished cutting the borders and the rest of the background for my Civil War quilt. I also cut out the pieces I need for my table runner. The tuffet pieces are now in the correct order, and the first several pieces are pinned in place on the foundation. All of those projects are ready to just sit and sew. 

So my stash hasn't changed this week, but I did manage to get some needed things done. A stash reduction is just a few days away. Monday maybe?

                                      This Week                       This Year
Used                                             0                             14.50
Added                                           0                             22.25
Net Used/Added                           0                               7.75            

On the other side of things, I had someone at karate ask of I always had a project with me. Well...yes, yes I do. If I have binding to hand sew, I do it there. I use a kit similar to this. This is the same kit I use for hexagons.  I just sub the thread for some cheap thread and add hexagon paper and precut fabric.

Otherwise, I have an embroidery project with me right now. I like something that I can slip in my purse, and the pencil pouch works great.  This is what I carry in my pencil pouch, and my progress on my current block. I just have to finish my squiggles at the top, the ferns, button-hole stitch the grass down, and stitch the hexagons in place. I should be done by the end of Tuesday.

When I have a larger project with me, I use this bag.  This is just what I pulled out that was still in it.  I must have been using it for another block of the same quilt I am currently embroidering on.

You might be wondering about the bobbins and the 'cheap' thread. When I am putting on binding, I use thread off of a bobbin. Partly it is because of size and carrying it with me. The other reason is to use up the rest of the thread on the bobbin so I can wind fresh bobbins for the next project. Sometimes my bobbins miswind, so that helps use it up without just trashing the thread.  I also receive sewing kits from time to time as gifts.  It is very thoughtful, but the thread is not something I would use in my machine or on something I want to be around for a while.  So, I include it in my embroidery bag for basting background fabric to foundation fabric or basting templates when paper piecing.

That's it for now.  I am linking up to Patchwork Times.  Have a great week!
Joy

Stash Report - February 21, 2016

Happy Daytona Day!!

I was so busy with a Daytona 500 party, that I didn't have a chance to post earlier in the day.  What a close race!!  I will admit that I got a little emotional today, as Jeff Gordon participated from the broadcast booth for his first race after retiring last year.  He started racing the same time I became a NASCAR fan, and I have rooted for him ever since.  Today, I didn't really root for a specific driver...I just enjoyed the race.

While I was watching, I kept working on my Buttercream Summer blocks.  I have made tremendous progress on this block this week.  I have about half of the daisies completed.  After that, I only have some of the ferns, swirls, roses, and stitching down the hexagon flowers that I have already made.  It might even get finished this week, which wasn't a goal for the month, but I'll take it!!  Here is what it looks like now...

This week, I did finish my Bionic Gear Bag.  It is a great little bag, and I look forward to filling it up and using it.  It has coffee bean fabric, to compliment my ruler bag on workshops.

The rest of the week was spent working on my UFO for the month, Civil War Celebration.  I now remember why it was a UFO.  In 2011, I was at the Alford Inn in Van Alstyne, TX, and I saw this quilt hanging in the stairwell.  Now I'm not really much of a civil war fan, but this quilt spoke to me.  I talked with the owner about it, but I didn't purchase it because I didn't have enough left in my fabric budget.  The next year, we revisited Alford Inn, and I asked about it.  It was on clearance for 50% off.  I told the lady that I had thought about that quilt for a year, and she went upstairs to ask the owner about it.  The owner asked, "Is it the lady from Nashville?"  When the cashier came down and I told her I was, she said the owner remembered how much I liked the quilt, and gave me an extra discount.  I got a REALLY good deal on the kit.  So I am not complaining when I say that the fabric is cut really close in the kit.  As in, I have to use scraps cut off of other blocks to have enough fabric to complete it.  This is not a quilt I can complete in the wee hours of the morning, because it requires my full attention not to mess it up.

So instead of working on it for what remains of today, I will work on a different project.  The Civil War Celebration requires my fully awake and caffeinated attention.

I'm linking my stats for the week to Patchwork Times.  Check out how others are doing demolishing their stash.
                                      This Week                       This Year
Used                                        1.25                             14.50
Added                                           0                             22.25
Net Used/Added                      1.25                               7.75            


I hope all of you have had a productive week, and are looking forward to the next one.
Blessings,
Joy

Stash Report - February 14, 2016

Happy Valentine's Day!  I hope today finds you surrounded by people, pets, and things you love.

Yesterday was guild day, but I didn't go. They made cute heart mug rugs. I'll take mine as a raincheck, and make mine later. Last month at guild, each of us took pieces and instructions for a block home.  They will become part of a quilt we will donate to the library we meet in.  Here is mine.

This week, I also managed to finish the binding on two quilts: Cute Critter and Rainbow Garden.  Both of these started as shop quilts for the shop I work in, so I didn't originally include the fabric in my stash.  Therefore, I don't get to count them out.  :( But I have been able to mark them off my Projects in Progress list, so it got a little shorter.

I also finished the cutting out of the cookies for my Cookie Counter Advent Calendar.  I keep a box in a closet for Christmas decor I miss when I take most of it down.  So this Advent Calendar has been added to the potholder, snow globe, and dish towels that are in the box.  Hopefully, I will finish the placemats and napkins on my Planned Projects list before Thanksgiving, and I can add them to the box.

But my big finish for the week is a T-Shirt quilt I completed.  Finishing it up was also the reason I didn't go to guild. It was a little more challenging then normal, because she had already cut some of the t-shirts.  I'm able to count out 3 yards of ticking from my stash that I used as the back.  She still had to buy another 3 yards, but at least I was able to use part of what I had.  I also used quite a bit of interfacing that I already had, but I won't count that out.  (I usually just count cotton fabric.) She originally bought 3 yards of sashing/binding, and had 1/2 a yard left. I have happily found a home for it in my stash.

I did determine that I really need to clean up my sewing room.  In packing and unpacking for trips, as well as determining where I am on certain projects, I have strewn things out.  I won't take time to actually do it until the end of the month, but finishing the t-shirt helped a little.

                                              This Week                 This Year
Used                                                3.33                       13.25
Added                                                .50                       22.25
Net Added/Used                              2.83                         9.00

Now I need to figure out what project is next.  Have a blessed week!
Joy

The Gift of Time to Complete February Goals

This year, we have the gift of an extra day for Leap Year!  Although February is a shorter month than all the rest, this year we can accomplish more than we normally would in February!

Looking back on January, I completed about half of my projects.  This doesn't take into account how far along I got on the those projects...I just didn't complete them.  Let's recap...

1. Quilt Repair - Done!  And back in the hands of the rightful owner.
2. Cute Critter Binding - Almost!  I need to fix a seam first!
3. Pocket Full of Rulers Bag - Done!
4. Bionic Gear Bag - Close!
5. Tuffet - One of Two Completed. 

So this month, I want to complete the projects I didn't finish last month and a few others.

1. T-Shirt Quilt - This is a t-shirt quilt for someone else.  So far, I have determined the layout.  Next comes the cutting and sewing.  That is what I will be doing today.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Cute Critter Binding - Oops! I need to fix the seam that I missed when I sewed the binding on the front, and then finish stitching down the foot or so of binding on the back.  If I get the machine part done this morning, then I can finish the binding this afternoon during karate.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Rainbow Garden Binding - This is a shop quilt I made last fall, that came back from the long arm quilter last week.  I've already cut and sewn the binding to the front, I just need to stitch the binding to the back by hand.  Once I finish the Cute Critter binding, I'll start on this tonight at karate.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Bionic Gear Bag - This pattern by Sally Thompson is about half finished.  I have all of the inner pockets and zippers sewn together.  Now it is time to sew the sides, exterior, and bindings on.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Guild Block - Last month at our guild meeting, we each took a "bookshelf" block to complete.  This month, they will be collected and assembled as a quilt to the library where we have our monthly meeting. You can find the "Read With Me" pattern by Melissa Corry on modabakeshop.com.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Civil War Celebration by Joe Wood of Thimblecreek Designs - This is my #9 UFO for Aunt Marti's 2016 UFO Challenge at 52quilts.com.  I have all of the setting blocks and 2 of the 9 sampler blocks made.
   
   
   
   
   
7. Quilting Cousins Patriotic Tablerunner - This year I also labeled 10 of my non-quilting projects to complete as part of Aunt Marti's UFO Challenge, with this being #9.  Although I had made more blocks, I gave a few away to the cousins when we had a few miscuts of fabric and ran out.  I was fortunate enough to find some more this weekend, so I think I can finish it now.
   
   
   
   
   
8. Christmas Advent Calendar - Although I finished the actual calendar last year, I didn't finish the cookies that go into the bowl.  They are fused onto felt, and just need to be cut out.  This is another good project during karate.
   
   
   
   
   
9. Temple Replacement Quilt - This is the replacement quilt for the family I did a quilt repair for last month.  I have all of the fabric selected and sorted to complete the 'Country Lane' pattern from the 2012 Winter edition of Simple Quilts & Sewing.  
   
   
   
   
   
10. Tuffet - This is a second tuffet by Tuffet SourceTM, in the same pattern as the one I completed this weekend.  I have all of the strips cut, the pattern is fused to the muslin, and the pattern pieces are cut out.  I still need to stitch the wedges and assemble the base.
    
    
    

I know this is a long list, but many of these projects are only a day or two from completion.  Accomplishing these projects would really make a dent in my overall project list.  And it would also help to clean up my sewing room by getting half-completed projects out of the way.  What do you want to accomplish with your extra day this month?

Be sure to check out all of the January finishes in the February UFO Parade at 52quilts.com.  You'll find great inspiration and motivation.

Enough blogging for now...to the sewing room I go!
Joy