Pirates for Preston

This is the quilt I made for Scyler's little brother Preston.   *see previous post

 

The economy blocks are 9" finished.... and seemed like a great way to showcase the novelty fabric I had left over after I had cut the borders.     This is some fabric that also came from deep in my stash.... I found it on a clearance table for 50% off the clearance price  about 4 years ago.  the backing is a coordinate print.   

 

  

 



 

I quilted it simply... stitched in the ditch around each fabric, and stippled the borders.   This was a fun, quick quilt to finish. 

 

 



Hearts Galore!

This little quilt is actually one of Jess's mystery designs from The Quilt and Needle  .  It was last
December's mystery quilt called "Foreshadowing" .   I chose to make the smaller quilt, since that is the size I normally gift to others.   I did add a top and bottom border to extend the size to my normal 45 x 60 approx size for youth.

This was a fun quilt to do... and Jess's designs are always fun to do.... I am always amazed at how her mind works to put blocks together.  

Hearts Galore 

I had purchased the two heart fabrics about 16 years ago, when my 17 year old granddaughter was just a baby.  I never did get her something made with this fabric.... so it got put to use with some bright fabrics that coordinated with the  prints.   This picture does not show how bright the prints are in real life... (my phone camera does not have a flash..)   Below is a picture of my fabrics before cutting.

 

I had the top completed  the weekend of the mystery last December, but its been waiting for a recipient before I started to quilt......   I used my Janome 7700 to quilt in the ditch to help set off the dimensional look of the fabrics being stacked.  Then kept with the heart theme to add more interest in the squares.  I alternated the hearts in the mid border region.... but it's hard to see, and then did a free motion  simple large stipple on the end borders. 

 

I love the backing fabric!  I found that on sale..... and it's a perfect fit for the top fabric, don't you agree?

 

This quilt is going to a 5 year old who is the granddaughter of a friend.  Her daddy has been clean and sober for almost 3 years now, and was just granted legal custody of her and her little brother.  Their mom is still struggling with treatmentt and drug abuse.    It only seemed right that these two darlings had something to snuggle with.  I'm so glad they get to live together again. * they've been separated for the last year.     My next post will have the quilt I made for her little brother.

It's a Girl!

I have made a quilt for every niece and nephew for the last 25 years..... so when Victoria (Tori) Rae Adams came into this world in September.... it was not at all a question as to whether I was making her a quilt or not... it was just a question as to what I was going to do......

Work was crazy busy this fall!  I had a hard time wrapping my head around what I wanted to make for this bundle of joy.

Then... while digging through the clearance bins and JoAnns on a 50% off already clearance day,  I found a bolt  this fabric.....  there was enough for borders.   At the price of $1.50 a yard.... I bought it.  Thinking I would use something different on the back.    But a trip to a second JoAnn's later that same weekend... I found another piece... which had just the right amount for a back!  

I usually try to avoid "infant" looking prints when making baby quilts... but this was such a cute print..... and the proud parents were super happy to be adding a baby girl to their family..... big brother Liam is now 4.   I had plenty of the right coordinating colors to do something in the center....

And I decided to keep it really simple!   Large 4 patch blocks..... but it looks so sweet and girlie.....  I also like the serpentine stitch for baby quilts... I know it catches all the seam allowances, making it very sturdy and washer friendly. 

 

 

Quiet Solitude

It seems like it's been forever since I had a finish to report... I may have to start posting more posts about progress..... 

With time off from school,  I've had a chance to do some stitching!


Quiet  Solitude

This finish is for a friend of ours.... who has done a lot for Mike.  Mike wanted to find a way to thank him for his friendship and help.   What better than a quilt?    Mike chose the panels I used from my stash..... and they were actually the set that I liked the least.... they were so brown and dull looking.   

I found them on a clearance bin.... and they had been flat folded,  with one of those plastic tag thingies, which had ripped holes in the part of the fabric that connected the panels..... since I was planning on cutting them apart anyway, it was no big deal...... cost of the 6 panels was about  $1.oo each!   I love a bargain!.    I had a deer print to use with it, made by a different manufacturer, so it is more  green... and the green is bluer than the green in the panels.     Trying to find the right green in my stash was challenging.. but I found one that was just right!   

I decided that I needed to bring the green out in the panels, so chose the 9 patch sashings and cornerstones......  the more sashings I made, the better the panels looked up on the design wall! 

 

 

I had wanted to use a small inner border... but all the rusty pieces I had were either too red... or too orange... I just didn't have the right piece in my stash to work with... so after auditioning a whole bunch of fabric that still needs to be put back, I decided to just do without. 

The large 16 patch blocks in the corners of the borders was a fun treatment to use.....    

The quilt is definitely a "guy" quilt.... for sure!   It has been inspected by the inspector...

 

This  should find it's way to it's new owner by the first of the year.....

 

Yeah! Another UFO finish!

 

This was our guild Block of the Month from 2010 - 2011.  The applique patterns came from Fatcatpatterns.com.  Syndi graciously shared her patterns with us.   I chose to use a disappearing nine-patch of various neutrals as my background for the appliques.     Check out more of Syndi's great patterns at http://fatcatpatterns.com/  .   I'll be proud to put this on the back of the sofa during the holidays this year.

The Corbett Trio Story...

So here it is....

Last summer, (2011),  I was out in the little burg of Corbett Oregon, at one of our little quilting get togethers.   I quilt with a group of about a dozen ladies, most of whom live in this tiny community in the Columbia Gorge.  They not only work on projects of their own, but have a community outreach program that is about 10 years old.  We operate from one of the local churches, although only one of our members is a member of the church.  

Anyway...my dear sister in law, Mary, has lived out in Corbett for nearly 40 years..... and her friends have embraced me as part of their group.    She is connected to many in this community through the food bank at the local grange, as well as through the volunteer fire department that my brother has been active in for as long as they've lived there. 

Last summer, a community member, donated a stack of boxes to the quilting group to use foer their outreach project.  In the boxes were tons of magazines,  patterns in plastic sleeves,  and several bags of quilt blocks, pre-cut, some stitched, some not, and some started.   There were three basic color combinations in the group.... red & green..... blue, turquoise, purple and green.... and purple and gold.   No instructions in any of the baggies.......  I volunteered to take the blue, turquoise, purple and green stacks..... thinking I could do something with them... afterall... I had at least 4  yards of the same background fabric in my stash that was not being used......

upon closer inspection.... this person was  highly ambitious, and had cut many blocks that were obviously above her piecing expertice.... lots of bias seams..... lots of points..... and since I believe they were done with templates, rather than rotary cutting,  not all pieces were consistent in size.    The only marking on the blocks was the name, many of them biblical in nature.       The most difficult part of this was that this bundle of quilty stuff came from a home with at least one very heavy smoker... everything reaked to high heaven! 

My first step was to place some fresh dryer sheets in the brown paper bags, place them into larger black plastic garbage bags and set them out in the hot sun for 3 days.... the heat of the black plastic did the trick to make it possible for me to bring the quilt pieces into the house. 

As I started sorting through the blocks and pieces, I noticed three different color combinations within the color range, and I divided them into the three groups.   

Then.... not all the finished blocks were the same size.... they should have been 12 1/2".... but the seam allowances were not at all consistent... so some blocks were 11"... some were 10 1/2".. AND SOME  were nearly 13".     I decided to make a border for each block out of the background fabric that was 3" wide.  Then I twisted my ruler and cut each block on an angle to help hide the fact that it was a different size than the block next to it.   

I finished up the blocks that were started, or at least most of them..... some were beyond being finished...... 
Then I found a fabric on a clearance table and bought all 10 yards on the bolt for 3.99 a yard.

The results yielded three quilts which I think are all very differnt from each other...

There was enough of the bubble fabric to back one quilt.... 65 x 84.... and still enough to use for borders and sashing on another one the same size.  

Corbett trio #1

 

 

 

Corbett Trio #2 -



 

 

Corbett trio #3 -

 



All three tops are done... and I finished quilting #3 this week.   Now if I can just keep the momentum going and get #1 and #2 done soon..... 

Hat Trick

When you get three bulls eyes while playing darts, they call it a "Hat Trick"....

I have 3 completed quilts to share from August... so I'm calling it a hat trick too!

The first  is the Bruin Bear Paw Raffle Quilt.... 


Bruin Bear Paw

This quilt is now in Helena Montana.   It is a raffle quilt for the Capital High Bruin football team.  The season starts this weekend, so I'm happy to hear that it arrived before the season starts.  The booster club will sell raffle tickets at each home game this season.



Bruin Bear Paw close-up

 I quilted it by stitching just off the ditch, and kept the quilting simple.   The one request I had from JoAnn was that it have a flannel backing and feel soft and snuggly.    I found this bear paw fabric at our quilt show last spring and it immediately made me think of this project.    The quilt I made for the team three years ago, raffled for nearly $1,000.00 so I'm hoping that this one will be as successful as the last one.   Each large bear paw block is a different gold fabric from my stash.... and the same fabrics repeat in the delectable mountain border.

            

        

Bruin Bear Paw Border detail

Bruin Bear Paw   label detail

Next, is a Quilt I call "Churn Dash Bears"....

I started this quilt two years ago.... this one will now live on my hubby's recliner.  He has loved his last one to near death... (the quilt's death).  I've patched the flannel back for the second and last time.

Churn Dash Bears

I actually started this quilt in 2010, but once the top was complete it got put into the "to be quilted pile" and has been aging there for two years.   With Mike's tv quilt getting thinner and thinner I felt I needed to move it to the top of the priority list.   Simplicity is sometimes a girl's best friend, and I decided to simply stitch around each block and in the ditch... and to do the same around each of the little components in the border.  I also added a little bear sillouette in the large area created where the blocks joined.  This quilt finishes at 69 x 90  the same size as his previous quilt, but with the new fabrics and batting seams twice as large.  I'm sure it won't take too long for it to break in a bit.





  

Churn Dash Bears block detail



   

 

Churn Dash Bears border detail

 

Churn Dash Bears block detail



Churn Dash Bears  back and label detail



And Finallly, "Corbett Trio #3"....

It's a long story... but I'll have to save that for another post.... let's just say its done and it's for a good cause!   

BAD BLOGGER !!!!!

Well,  I'm not sure which of my excuses is the right one to use,  but I cannot believe that my last post was in early May!    It's been quite the summer.   Here is what I've been up to:

•      June 15,  last day of school  summer vacation started.
•     June 4,  Mike started 7 1/2 weeks of radiation treatment... 5 days a week.
•     No traveling for us... as we were sticking close to home.... how far can you get in 24 hours?   and not knowing how he was going to be feeling at any one time span of his treatment, we opted not to make too many travel plans that we might have to cancel.   We played each day as it came.
•     We did get some projects done around the house...
• new power overhead door on the front of the big shop
• new smaller overhead door on the back of the big shop
• these replaced very heavy rolling barn=type doors
• got the greenhouse built that had been in the box for 2 years
• landscaped around the firepit and patio we poured last spring
• I built a waterfall/ waterfeature from rocks we had in the yard
• did some irrigation pipe work to add spigots out closer to the perenniel beds
• got some gymnasium lites hung up in the shop
• tried to start cleaning and organizing the shop, but it is a work in progress
• cleaned out a few cupboards and closet and got stuff taken to goodwill and salvation army... this is also an ongoing project..... I should do part of this every week.
• We bought and traded cars.... I've already lost count....but we did take some 3 hour car rides to look at cars or to pick them up.   
• And I did accomplish some quilting along the way.... I'll save that for another post.

Mike is now done with his radiation and we are tapping our feet waiting for the first set of test results which we will get at the end of September....  He is at the point post-treatment where he should be starting to regain his strength and energy,  so that is just in time for me to go back to work next week.

It is amazing to me, that having that 20 minute appointment every day can totally undermine whatever project you have going.... it seemed that by the time we got home from the appointment at 11:00 am or noon, or 1:00 after running errands,  the day was too short!     We have seen lots of Redbox movies this summer.....

I'm not usually one to post several times a week,  or to share what it was I had for lunch yesterday,  but three months is a long time.....  I'm hoping that with the treatments behind us, and work on the horizon, that life will find it's normal rhythm soon.  

April Finish

Here is my April UFO progress!  Another finish!  I played with my new curved ruler set that I bought at our quilt show to get the curved cross hatching.  I definitely need to practice more.... but that's the story of my life.  For those of you who are just starting to follow, this was a bonus quilt from my "Roll Roll Cotton Boll" quilt that was Bonnie Hunter's 2010-2011 Mystery. 

I don't know where this quilt will go yet.... it's a small lap / crib size quilt.  

This little sunflower template seemed perfect for the alternate blocks.....

Weigh In Wednesday

We had a "dark week" last week, so when I weighed in this week, it was for a two week time period.  I have lost another 1.2 pounds.   I'm just starting to notice some of my clothes fitting differently.... my jeans with the spandex that I wear the most, must have been stretched just about to their max when i started this process,  because they aren't falling off of me yet, LOL.  I did wear a pair of non-stretch jeans last week, and they were loose on me.   PROGRESS!  My overall measurements haven't changed too much yet,  but it will happen eventually.  

Annual Quilt Show

Well,  it's been a long week,  but our quilt show is officially over for another year!   It always feels good to have this behind us.   I was in charge of where the quilts were laid out.  Set up day was Wed.... and it was a long one.... We got started early... before 8 am... and it was right at 8 pm when I finally climbed into the truck to head home.... 32,000 steps on my pedometer later. 

Over 200 wonderful quilts and wearable art items plus lots of fabulous vendors... I purchased two extension tables to extend my quilting surface,  and some rulers for free motion ruler work.   I tried to keep my fabric purchases to a minimum,  but came home with about 10 yards of fabric.

Our show is a peoples choice show... and visitors our first 2 days choose their favorites in several categories.....  then the ribbons go up for the 3rd day.  

This is our Peoples choice... the most votes of all quilts.... First place for piecing... and first place for hand guide long arm quilting... plus the show chairmans' favorite.....  This gal deserved them all.   She saw a picture of this quilt which was about 3"..... and replicated it without a pattern to go by!   There are heat set zwarovsky crystals on the points and centers.....  As if the workmanship wasn't enough... this young woman made this quilt while her huband was dying of brain cancer..... it was her solice during a very dark time in her life.   Hearing her story brought you to tears....  She has titled her quilt... "He Calms My Raging Soul".

Stash Report Week 14

It has been 4 weeks since I last reported... and in that time frame... I've finished quilting a quilt... but have not used any more....  but I've built on my stash totals  ...

Used this  Month:                  0 yards
Used year to Date:           17.5 yards
Added this Month:              67  yards
Added year to Date:       215.5 yards
Net used for 2012:     -196.00 yards


Thread spools at start of 2012: 294
Thread spools emptied this month:      2
Thread spools emptied year to date: 12
Thread spools remaining : 282

It's a wrap! My Dresden Plate quilt is finished!

Finally!  I got this quilt finished.   It was my February UFO quilt... and I got it finished on the 5th of March... so not too bad....

If you haven't heard (or read) the story.... I purchased the antique rings in 1999.  I then hand appliqued them with a needle turn technique to some muslin.  (this process took me a little over  a year of on again, off again handwork.)  

Then I needed a setting for 11 blocks.   A weird number..... but I did not want to make a 12th block. 

The setting I used was in an old quilt magazine, (can't remember the name, or the date) from the mid to late 80's.  I photocopied the pages I would need,  and purchased the blue fabric.   The original pattern had 4 dresden plates in the four corners, and then a scalloped border on four sides to make it a double size.   I had orignally planned on just using the solid blue for the corners, and leaving the scallops off, to make a twin size quilt.   

As I got around to piecing the top together 3 years ago.... I miscut the corners, (imagine that after 10 years, I had misplaced some of the pages).   And to make matters worse,  I did not have enough fabric to fix the situation.  I chose the scrappy block for the corners, and made 4 of them using my reproduction 30's.   (I felt that new dresden plates would look too new).   

The new corners I made with those blocks, were also not the right size, and I had a top that would not lay flat.  

Fast forward to now,  and by adding a "coping strip" to the corners,  I was able to get the top to lay nice and flat. 

Since I really wanted this quilt to have a vintage feeling to it,  I decided to quilt it with a grid.   This will be a quilt that will stay in my personal quilt collection.   I don't have plans to give it to anyone anytime soon.    

Stash Report Week 10

I haven't kept up each week with my stash report, but I haven't had something to report most of these last few weeks as far as stash progress goes. 

I've backed another quilt, and got some quilting done, and a little stash enhancement... so here I am...

I found the fabric I need for an internet challenge, and besides... batiks were on sale!  While at the fabric store, I just had to check out the sale room, and there were some great black and white prints for $3.50 a yard, so I grabbed those.  I also picked up the border fabric for an upcoming baby quilt a week or two ago.

I backed the dresden plate quilt and it's nearly finished!  YEAH! 


Used this Week:   5 yards
Used year to Date: 17.5 yards
Added this Week: 21 yards
Added year to Date: 148.5 yards
Net used for 2012: -131.00 yards


Thread spools at start of 2012: 294
Thread spools emptied this week:     1
Thread spools emptied year to date: 10
Thread spools remaining : 284

Weigh In Wednesday

Another Wednesday comes and goes... and even though I pigged out on Valentines Day... and then just a few days later we went to the coast with friends and I totally pigged out at the buffet at the casino for two meals, and topped it off with wine and snacks.... I managed to lose .8 pounds this last week!  I've lost a total of 7 pounds in 6 weeks.

I wore a pair of "skinny" jeans yesterday... I was ready to peel them off by the time I got off work, but I did wear them all day without having "zipper lines" on my tummy. 

My dear sweet husband asked me if I'd lost 15 pounds so far.... LOL... just how overweight did he think I was?  LOL 

I need to drink more water, and exercise more.... good thing gardening season is just around the coner. 


Weigh In Wednesday

 I'm now on week 5.... and I've lost a total of 6.2 pounds.  I missed weigh -in last week, due to a sore throat and ear ache that kept me home from work.  

I've been through my birthday, superbowl, Valentine's Day, and  I've still managed to lose.   Weekends continue to be the hardest, 'cuz Mike's favorite meal is a big breakfast, and we love to spend time with friends, enjoying a glass of wine and eating out. 

I know there has to be a happy medium out there for me... so as long as I can continue to head in the right direction,  I'll be happy with 
                                 progress, whether great or small.

Stash Report - week 6

I didn't get a post written last week....
I've used 6 yards for a back... and made a few purchases over the last couple of weeks.

Used this Week:                 6  yards
Used year to Date:         12.5 yards
Added this Week:              25 yards
Added year to Date:     127.5 yards
Net used for 2012:    -115.00 yards


Thread spools at start of 2012:      294
Thread spools emptied this week:     0
Thread spools emptied year to date: 9
Thread spools remaining :             285

Weigh in Wednesday

Another week gone by.... and considering it was my birthday last week,  I feel like did pretty darn good!  I really used the points for dinner on Saturday,  but I brought 2/3 of my crab fettucini home from the restaurant and rather than stack those points on,  decided to just let it go.   The cheese/garlic focaccia bread was probably 10 points... but is sure was yummy.  


I've just about rolled into a routine of getting veggies cut and bagged while fixing dinner so that I can just grab them for lunch and snacks... and my hunger?   I'm really not hungry... at least not any more than before.  I still have that horrible witching hour between about 3:30 and dinner where I'm looking for something, but so far I've been behaving myself. 

Weight loss for the week was 1.2 pounds for a total of 5.8 pounds this month!  YEAH!

Weigh in Wednesday

     Well, it's been a long day, but here on the Pacific coast... I still have 4 minutes before Wednesday is over. 
     I went to WW yesterday after work, and had a successful week!  My total weight loss in 2 weeks was 4.6 pounds.   Yeah!   and the best part, is that I haven't felt hungry between meals...
     One of my strategies is to pack my lunch bag full of ziplock bags with healthy snacks in portiaon sizes, with the points marked on the outside of the bag with a sharpie marker.  
     I've tried a couple of recipes that I've enjoyed.  One being a tofu noodle that I read about on  Hungry_Girl.com . She has a recipe  that uses the light version of Laughing Cow cheese.  I added some broccoli and mushrooms and baked it.  A very tasty version of Fettuccini Alfredo for less than 5 points! Now I'm not a huge tofu fan... so this was a huge risk for me... DH would have a fit if he knew I actually had tofu in our fridge... so I'm not telling!  I bought a package of the angel hair version as well and will try it one day next week. 
     She says it's one point, but with the broccoli and mushrooms, I used 3 wedges of the Laughing Cow, and the grated italian cheese blend I had on hand was not the reduced fat variety.  

Stash Update - week 4

Week 4 has come and gone....

I did do some sewing this week... but it doesn't amount to much coming from my stash.... in fact if I figure the bag of scraps i brought home that were gifted to me..... (maybe I should figure them out in poundage).....  2 bags full of strings to add to my string bins.  Any help in how to figure that out in yardage... let me know.

I pieced a back for a charity quilt, that goes in the mail this week..... and I stitched a few exchange blocks that took another very small dent.....
Here are my totals to date:


Used this Week:                        4  yards
Used year to Date:                  6.5 yards
Added this Week:                       0 yards
Added year to Date:            102.5 yards
Net used for 2012:             -96.00 yards


Thread spools at start of 2012:             294
Thread spools emptied this week:            0
Thread spools emptied year to date:        9
Thread spools remaining :                    285

Weigh in Wednesday

I feel like I did pretty good this last week!   But,  when I went for weigh-in yesterday,  our meeting place was locked up tighter than a drum.... snow closure, and I hadn't thought to think about it..... Today is another snow day in our district, so I can't go to the Wed. meeting either. 

My unofficial weigh in at home lets me think that I lost between 3 and 4 pounds.  I had 10 exercise points and 10 points plus left over for the week.  

My biggest hurdles are going to be weekend breakfasts with hubby,  and those Friday night glasses of wine.... I have my work cut out for me to find a happy medium.

Stash report - week 3

Not a tremendous amount of sewing this week,  but I did get a few more swap items and blocks for charity quilts done and crossed off the list. 

I had hoped to get a quilt pinbasted yesterday, but it didn't happen..... so hopefully this next week.

Here are my totals to date:


Used this Week:                          1 yards
Used year to Date:                   2.5 yards
Added this Week:                        0 yards
Added year to Date:               102.5 yards
Net used for 2012:               -100.00 yards


Thread spools at start of 2012:           294
Thread spools emptied this week:           2
Thread spools emptied year to date:       9
Thread spools remaining :                   285

Weigh in Wednesdays

 I have officially started Weight watchers!    It is free with our insurance package at work, so it's pretty hard to argue with that... and I must do something to keep the scales from climbing.  

 My first weigh in was yesterday, and while I wasn't trying to keep one foot off the scale... I did wear my shoes for the first weigh in....

I threatened to put a few D cell batteries in my pockets... but decided against it.

My starting weight?   182.2..... with clothes...  when I got home and used my home scale... it said I was 178 with the same clothes.... so  I have a 4 pound scale discrepency... guess I need to figure out how to adjust the digital at home..... somehow....

I'm going to try post my progress here on a regular basis..... 


My goal weight?   I'm thinking about 150 would feel great..... if I could get there and keep it off.  

I'm off to try to find one of those tracker gidget gadget things.....

Stash report week 2

ok.... I fell off the wagon for sure this week... but as I mentioned last week, I can't resist a good deal.....
A local craft store is having their annual  flat fold sale this month.....
How does a girl resist fabrics at $3.99 a yard.... or $3.00 a yard... or even $2.00 a yard?  
I can't... I know that.... I tried... believe me... I really did try....


The sale wasn't supposed to start until Wednesday.   But on my way to get groceries, I decided to stop in to see what they had.... and they had started the sale early... no one was in the store... I had access to 2 wonderful clerks to cut my fabric for me.... and I went way overboard.....

Believe it or not... this is 102.5 yards of fabric... all stacked up on the counter so I can pay for it.....
My bill totalled $317.44 !!!!   So I really did stick to fabrics that were a bargain...


These are name brands... PB textiles,  Red Rooster, Hoffman, Robert Kaufman, Timeless Treasures, SouthSea Imports, Michael Miller, etc.  


I got all 10 yards of that yellow with the lime green, turquoise, and brown dots.... It will make great backing and borders.     There are 3 yards in that piece with the wild peace signs... it will be great for a teen or youth quilt... borders... I'm thinking.  


See the multi-colored dots in the center stack... about 2/3 from the top???  There are 8 yards of that between the 2 pieces.... should work for backing on several little quilts. 


I did manage to come home with some tone on tones and blenders....


Now... the sale runs all month.. and they'll get several shipments of new fabrics.. so I may have to go back.... but meanwhile... I need to get these washed and worked into the fabric wall in my stash room.... maybe I'll make a list of colors I could use more of before I go back.... LOL .

Used this Week: 1.5 yards
Used year to Date: 1.5 yards
Added this Week:  102.5
Added year to Date:  102.5
Net used for 2012: -101.00


Thread spools at start of 2012-           294
Thread spools emptied year to date:       7
Thread spools remaining -                   287



.

Design Wall Monday

I'm going to try to stay on top of  this in 2012.... I usually think about it on Thursday.... part of the problem is that my design wall often gets put away, so it's out of sight.... out of mind...

I'm been working on this for about 2 months now....(like I said... it got put away... out of sight, out of mind...)  it will be for a nephew who is about ready for high school, and his baby quilt I made him is looking well loved. 

I purchased this panel and the companion print while on vacation a couple of years ago....  after  I cut the panel parts I wanted,  all the rest of that piece got cut up into squares to use for the setting 4 patches...

2012 UFO Challenge

Well,  the year is off to a big start!  Judy has randomly chosen #5 for the January 2012 UFO....

for me... this means that I'll work to complete  "Annie's Fortune"




























This was an internet mystery quilt that I started in Oct. 2010 by Jessica Smith at the Quilt & Needle.  I got the top assembled during the 2011 UFO challenge... but didn't get this one quilted or bound.  I did get the backing purchased.... and pre-washed,  so I'm getting there..... I think this measures about 84 x 84.  It was made entirely from stash fabrics.    All it needs is to be sandwiched, pin basted and quilted.   I think I should be able to handle this.... LOL   Wish me luck....

Are you participating in the UFO challenge?    Go to the tabs at the top of my blog to see the 12 quilts I have chosen to finish this year.....   

Happy New Year... and Stash Report Checkin

My stash goal for 2012:

Use more from the existing stash, than I purchase new....

Since my stash is huge,  you would think that this would be an easy goal.... but I have to admit that, well,  I just LOVE fabric!   And... I have severe impulse control when I find a great sale.  Ok,  I've admitted it publicly.....

I really need to contain my stash to the area I've allotted for it... and I've crammed about as much organizational help into this room as I can.... so it is what it is...  In order to maintain some sense of control in my life, it must remain behind the partially closed door of my stash room... I must be able to walk through to find what I need to get at... it must remain somewhat organized.... and I have to share the space with my other obsession of cardmaking and scrapbooking supplies.  (It's a good thing that my third obsession is an outdoor activity, and that I don't have to store my gardening supplies or plants in this room, and with an acre and a quarter I still have lots of room to plant and dig.)

It feels good to start the year off with a clean slate.  With the 1st of the year starting on a Sunday,  I'll start with a zero all the way down the board...

Stash Report:  Week #1 - January 1, 2012

Used this Week: 0 yards
Used year to Date: 0 yards
Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 0 yards
Net Used for 2012: 0 yards

I'll report:

Tops as completed
Backing as used when a quilt is pin basted (pretty much committed  at this point, dont you think? )
Binding  when finished
Purchases as they come home

How are you going to do with your stash in 2012?   Come join us as we participate in Judy Laquidara's Weekly Stash Report at Patchworktimes.com.