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.