Stash Report - April 3, 2016

I hope everyone had a nice Easter last week.  I was busy preparing the meal, so I missed my post.  Just as well...I really didn't have anything to report.  I haven't really been in the sewing room much the last couple of weeks.  It seems life has happened when I wasn't paying attention.  Hopefully, with the ushering in of Spring, I will be able to return to my room regularly.

Last week, I took my machine in for service.  I couldn't just leave the shop without looking around, especially since it was a shop I hadn't been in before.  I found this great tone on tone neutral.  I like it because it doesn't have flowers on it.  It makes it more versatile for me when my boys want something made from it.  I bought a yard.

I also bought some quilt basting spray for a minkee project I am noodling in my head, and several little scissors sets.  The one with hearts has a clip that clips to your clothes, so I don't lose them while I am watching TV.  The other two have pigs on them, and are gifts for my Mom and Sister.  They help each year on the Swine Livestock Show during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.  (If they say something to me about them, we'll know if they read my blog.)

It is only the first few days of April, and I have already managed to complete a couple of my goals.  First, I was able to complete the stitching down of my hexagons on my Buttercream Summer block.  That will complete this block, and now I am ready to prepare the 7th of 8 blocks for embroidering.  I won't get to count anything out of stash this week for it, but I am one step closer to completing the quilt.

Second, I was able to finish the pillowcase bags for my boys.  I did not pick the fabrics out...they did. Unlike me, they don't enjoy shopping for fabric, so I'm sure they picked the first thing they saw without flowers.  These are really cute bags, and I am thinking about making some more with Star Wars fabric.  My plan is to use these when we travel to put the kids blankets, pillow pets, and stuffed animals in.  Last time we traveled, one of my boys dropped their blanket in a puddle as we were going into the hotel.  This will hopefully prevent that, and make it easier to carry.  I think they would also be great for a sleepover or a laundry bag at camp.  If you would like the pattern, you can find it on allpeoplequilt.com.  Total used for these two pillowcase bags is 2 3/4 yards.

                                      This Week          This Year
Used                                      2.75               21.5
Added                                    1.00               28.75
Net Used / Added                 1.75                  7.25

This certainly has things moving in the right direction, but I have more to do. I am linking up to Patchwork Times, and you can see how others are using these stash.

Blessings,
Joy

Springing Into New Goals

I am excited about Spring having arrived! Are you?  I did not do so well on my March goals, and April will be a little hectic, so I am going to adjust my goals accordingly. First, let's review those March goals.

 1. Civil War Celebration - The only thing that has changed in the last month, is some matched strips have fallen on the floor. It hasn't been under the needle at all. 

2.  QC Patriotic Table Runner - I haven't touched it either. 

3. Temple Replacement Quilt - Still just a stack of fabric. 

4. Tuffet for Playroom - This is a completed top, and I just need to assemble the tuffet. 

5.  Buttercream Summer Block - This block is almost done. I just need to stitch down the hexagon flowers. 

6.  Summer Solstice Block a Day - I am about half finished marking this quilt for quilting. 

7.  E'Lane's Shoes - No progress

8.  Cash and Carry Pouches - No Progress

9.  Coffee Mug Bag - No progress

10.  Boy's Pillowcase Bags - I only managed to set the fabric on the ironing board. 

Clearly, I didn't have as much time in the sewing room as I would have liked for March.  I will be traveling some in April too, so I'm going to stick to realistic projects. 

1.  Buttercream Summer Block - I only need to press, depaper, and stitch down the 4 1/2 hexagon flowers to the top of the dark green stems. Surely I can accomplish that this month!

2.  E'Lane's Shoes - I've started one, and I would really like to complete these by Mother's Day. This will be a project I work on while traveling this month.

3.  Boy's Pillowcase Bags - These shouldn't take much time, and I just need to do it!

4.  Tuffet for Playroom - I need to assemble this, so I know if I need to purchase a different staple gun to teach my classes. I also have a second tuffet cover completed, which I will assemble at the same time. In the picture, the large circles are the bottom of the tuffet, and the smaller circles will be the button covers.

5.  Cash and Carry Pouch - This should be another quick project.  I need to see if I have any fusible fleece first.

6.  Fleece Baby Blanket - I can't find the fleece I am actually looking for.  It has ducks on it.  While looking, I found the one with balls on it.  I have had this fleece for way too many years. All I really need to do is fringe the edges. It is #5 on my non-quilt UFO list, which was the number called this month at 52quilts.com.  If I can find the duck fleece, I will try to complete it too.  In the closet behind my cutting table maybe?

7.  Chained Nine Patch by Cathy Bush - I really like this pattern, and it was started last September in Chattanooga during a class with my Mom. I would like to get it completed this month, and get back on track with my monthly UFO's. It is my #5 quilt UFO, and I will participate in Aunt Marti's UFO challenge at 52quilts.

This doesn't seem like much compared to the last few months, but I think this is completely doable considering my time constraints this month. I like that several of these are near completion, and several more are small projects. Hopefully that means I will be able to finish the quilt on the list. 

Have a great month, and Happy Spring!
Blessings,
Joy

Stash Report - March 20, 2016

Happy Spring!

This week, I enjoyed traveling from Middle Tennessee to Mid-Eastern North Carolina.  The Red Bud Trees, Bradford Pears, Saucer Magnolias, and Daffodils are in full bloom.  What a beautiful and welcome sight!  While losing an hour due to Daylight Savings added to losing another hour due to crossing time zones is not my favorite way to start a trip, I had a great time in Winston-Salem, NC this week.  I attended a Tuffet SourceTM Affiliate Training Workshop, and boy was it fun!

I met with other Independent Teachers and Quilt Shop Owners, while learning all the ins and outs of Tuffet making, from the creator herself, Sharyn Cole. Somewhere between the great conversation, classes, food, and fun, we even managed to complete a few tuffets!

If you read my post last week, you might remember I bought the fabrics for the workshop, but second-guessed myself when I got there.  I really didn't have time to shop before we started sewing, so I just sewed them up!  And I'm so glad I did!  The first tuffet is just a top right now, but after it was sewn together, I am really pleased with how the fabrics look together.

As I was packing for the trip, I also grabbed a few music fabrics from my stash and put them in the bag.  With the purchases I made for the workshop, a few of those fabrics came together in perfect harmony to create this lovely tuffet.

The other thing I love about tuffets is how unique and individual they are.  Just look at this sea of tuffets!

My additions this week were 4 fat eighths, which were part of my goodie bag at the workshop.  Into my stash they go, as I look for the perfect place to use them.

That's about it for me and the past week. I did manage to use some, but I have more work to do to get back in the black. I'm hoping that will happen this week, as I will be home with the boys while they are on Spring Break. Can I finish one of my quilts this week?  We shall see!

                                        This Week                     This Year

Used                                          4.25                           18.75

Added                                          .50                           27.75
Net Used/Added                        3.75                             9.00

I'm linking up to Patchwork Times for my weekly Stash Report.  If you have the time, check out how others are doing using what they have.

Blessings for the week, and Happy Spring!
Joy :)

Stash Report - March 13, 2016

Have you ever bought fabric for a specific project, only to get ready to start it and not like your choices any longer?  Well that where I am today. This week, I bought 5 yards of fabric for a tuffet workshop with Tuffet SourceTM. I arrived last night in North Carolina, and this morning when I pulled them out, I don't like them any more. 

In the top left of the photo, are 7 - 1/4 yard cuts of various blue, maroons, and browns. It will be used with a blue from my stash for a demo tuffet in the 64 strip pattern. I chose these colors so that down the road, I could give the sample to my sister for her house. Ehh...I should have gone with batiks. I still have time to go to a local shop or two before we start sewing those up tomorrow.

The fabrics at the bottom of the photo show 3 - 1 yard cuts of fabric that I bought for a tuffet that uses 2 feature fabrics and 2 coordinating fabrics. When I packed, I grabbed the music fabrics from my stash that I thought would coordinate with my purchases. And now...I'm not so sure. We'll see in about an hour, when I get set up in the sewing room with more light.

And the random solid black fat quarter? I took my son with me to the quilt store, and he picked it out. Because I had to have his favorite color in my stash, of course!

So my numbers dove further into the red for this week, but it should have a turn around for next week.

                                      This Week                       This Year
Used                                             0                             14.50
Added                                           5                             27.25
Net Used/Added                           5                             12.75            

Visit Patchwork Times to see how others are doing on Stashbusting, and what projects they have been working on this week.  Until I post updates from my workshop, have a great week!
Joy