Quilts for Ronald's House and Stash Report - July 29, 2012

Here are 4 "Summer of Done" projects. Sure feels good to be using up these bits and pieces of fabric. These are going to Ronald's House.

I began with 9 6 inch animal squares  - added a couple of borders and ended up with a 47 inch quilt. Perfect baby size for Ronald's House.

For this quilt I had some 6.5 inch sports flannel squares and I just made some 9 patches to go with it. About 42 inches square.

I found 64 2x3.5 inch blue rectangles and made this baby quilt. I  also found the border print already cut and ready to use. The yellow has tiny hearts on it and the blue has swirls and little gold specks. About 36 inches square.

I had these odd size 5.75 inch sq seahorse blocks, they just needed to be paired with some strips for a finished quilt. approx. 35 x 42.

Baby quilts are fun, quick and go together easily.

Susan from Texas sent me her top to quilt and then send off to Utah for the Phoenix Project, which is giving quilts to the folks who have lost their homes in fires this year. Susan sent the top and the backing, I quilted it with Baptist Fans and then found some fabric from my collection to use for the binding. This is a great scrappy quilt.

I decided to join Jennifer 's I Spy charm swap. I needed one yard of novelty fabric, so I had to visit the quilt shop. And I only bought one yard! Fun little 1.75 x 1 inch cars. This is my first swap and I am looking forward to seeing what charms I get.

Linking up with "Quilts Are For Giving".

Check out Judy's Patchwork Times for more stash reports.

Used since last post - 16.11 yards

Used YTD - 256.46 yards

Added since last post - 1.5 yards

Added YTD - 88.5 yards

Net Used YTD - 167.96 yards

Quilts finished in 2012 - 30

My goals for 2012 are simple~

1 - make one QOV each month. 

Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec

2 - make one quilt for Ronald McDonald's House each month

Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec plus 2

3 - finish one already started quilt each month (have about 20 of these, some more than 6 years old)

Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec

4 - if I complete the above 3 goals each month I can start one new quilt

1 - 2 - 3

Stash Report - July 8, 2012

While reading blogs last week I came across "Julie K Quilts" request for some strings. I have A LOT of strings and decided to share some. 

The brown box is a 16 inch by 16 inch by 16 inch and packed solid with strings.

That boxed weighed just over 20 pounds.  According to the Internet one pound of fabric equals 3 yards. I don't think there was 60 yards in that box so I am only going to count it as 10 yards out. I sent her just under half of my strings.

Finally, I have my first "Summer of Done" quilt finished!

This quilt is being sent to Operation Wood Hollow.

All "Summer of Done" quilts are going to be super easy to make.  This one sure was easy and it looks great. I am sure it will find the perfect home in Utah!

Used since last post - 15.63 yards

Used YTD - 240.35 yards

Added since last post - 0

Added YTD - 87 yards

Net Used YTD - 153.35 yards

Quilts finished in 2012 - 26

My goals for 2012 are simple~

1 - make one QOV each month. 

Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec

2 - make one quilt for Ronald McDonald's House each month

Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec

3 - finish one already started quilt each month (have about 20 of these, some more than 3 years old)

Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec

4 - if I complete the above 3 goals each month I can start one new quilt

1 - 2 - 3

Design Wall - June 25, 2012

My design area has a couple of projects. First - 66 6.5 inch flannel blocks of sport balls - basketball, football, tennis, baseball and hockey pucks, plus some yardage I may/may not use to create 2 or 3 quilts.

These quilts are part of my "Summer of Done" project.

I think I have had these squares cut out for at least three years.

I will make one of the quilts into  a snowball - 9 patch quilt.  I thought of making a rag quilt and decided that  didn't want to do the snipping of the seams.

The "Summer of Done" is all about quick and easy quilts.

2 - When my mother first moved from California to TN I knew she was going to miss her fuchsias, so when I came across fuchsias on fabric I made her a quilt to remind her of her lovely flowers.

These extra blocks have been sitting around for almost 7 years and suddenly I realized they would make great runners for her dresser and bedside tables. Only have to put the binding on and they will be ready for use. I might wait 'til Christmas and put them under the tree. I probably won't be able to wait 6 months. This is another "Summer of Done' project.

Linking up to Patchwork Times.

Stash Report June 24, 2012

Wow, can't believe it has been one month since my last stash report. Been to NJ and PA, then back to NJ and spent some time with my mother in the hospital. I am really surprised at how much sewing/quilting time I was able to squeeze in.

These blocks are for Margaret's Hope Chest.  Click here to check out their website. They are super simple to make and you can get almost 2 blocks per fat quarter.  I made 14 of them, there were 15 but I cut through all the layers when trying to remove the backing from one block. Simple raw edge sewing.

This pattern is from Cluck Cluck Sew - Basket Case. I used dimples strips. I think it looks a lot better if a jelly roll is used. The weaves would then blend into one another and not looked disjointed. I may try this pattern again. A local group will find a good home for this quilt.

This is the fifth (and last)  of  these quilts that I had precut about 18 months ago. Glad to have these completed. This is going to Ronald's House.

Meet our new family member, Harry. He is about 12 and toothless.  Bill teased me that I am the only person he knows that would get an inheritance that would cost us $ on a daily basis ( I asked for Harry and Bill agreed he needed to come and live with us). Harry has chosen Bill as his person, he tolerates me while Bill is away from home. Harry flew home with me from New Jersey and had his own suitcase, which was bigger than mine. He brought two scratching pads, 2 beds, numerous toys, canned food,  meds, bowls, etc...  So hopefully he felt right at home once we got his stuff unpacked.

He is quite the pest, jumping on the ironing board while the iron is hot, messing with the thread while I am piecing, sitting on the fabric as I am trying to sew, etc... The worst part is the dirty looks he gives me when I move him to his window seat so he can watch the birds and squirrels.  For a Yankee he is adjusting well to the Southern life, it helped that I was able to spend 6 days with him in his home before heading to TN.  He also likes to disturb my mother's puzzle pieces and her crocheting. We have a few dog gates up to keep the dogs out of certain areas, but Harry has no trouble jumping over them. He does understand the word "no", but only when he wants to. Living with a Cat is a fun, new experience.

Visited a quilt shop in KY and didn't see anything that I had to have. I did "feel" that I needed to make a purchase so I choose the kit to make this top. The hardest part of this quilt was cutting the center panel to the correct size.  This quilt will be going to Ronald's House and I am hoping a young teen will fall in love with the mermaid. It has been in the closet for at least 5 years and only took me 30 minutes to finish the top - what was I waiting for?  Makes me wonder how many other tops I have that only need a little bit to finish them.


Here is the first finish for my "Summer Of Done". 

It is 42 inches square, perfect baby size.  It has a
green flannel back.  It is a bright, happy quilt. The white circles in the border pop and adds a lot to the quilt. This one will be going to Ronald's House. I have already picked my next
"Summer Of Done" baggie, just have to decide which patterns to use.

Used since last post - 31.62 yards

Used YTD - 230.35 yards

Added since last post - 0

Added YTD - 87 yards

Net Used YTD - 143.35 yards

Quilts finished in 2012 - 25

My goals for 2012 are simple~

1 - make one QOV each month. 

Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec

2 - make one quilt for Ronald McDonald's House each month

Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec

3 - finish one already started quilt each month (have about 20 of these, some more than 3 years old)

Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec

4 - if I complete the above 3 goals each month I can start one new quilt

1 - 2 - 3

Linking up with Patchwork Times.

2012 - The Summer Of Done - Inspired by Thelma

Thelma over at Cupcakes and Daisies is  making 2012 "The Summer Of Fun".  She has inspired me to tackle a bin full of baggies (26) that contain various blocks, strips, squares, etc...  that need to be made into quilts. While my projects might not be "fun",  they will get "done", one way or another!

Some of the pieces in the baggies were left over from the backing of quilts, others when I cut too many pieces for a quilt, or cut them the wrong size.  I will pick one baggie each week and will work on making it's contents into a finished quilt, really simple quilts, using only fabric I already have.


My mental conversation about these baggies have been "What was I thinking when I did this",  "Now what", "I don't remember doing this".  I will be cutting some into tumblers, apple cores, squares and a few will find their way into my strings container. Maybe a few might get cut up and put into dog beds.

I am going to start off my "summer of done" using 42 4 patches. The black fabric is from a back of a previous quilt, paired with brights to make the 4 patches. These blocks have been sitting around for at least 3 years.

The four patches are 4.5 inches. It will be the perfect size for a baby quilt. I am going to set the blocks on point, use black for the setting triangles and this bold wacky circle fabric for the borders. First I need to rearrange the blocks. I have two extra blocks and I will piece them into the backing!


Pulling this top together is pretty exciting for me as I really struggle with coming up with ideas to use these bits and pieces. I do not have an artist's mind. I got an "F" in high school art class. I can follow a pattern, but trying to be creative on my own just doesn't work.  Taking a pattern and making changes to it is almost impossible for me. So maybe using some of the fabric in these baggies will stretch my creativity a bit, or will have me tossing the whole thing into the trash.


Enjoy your "Summer of Fun".

Mother's Day Surprise and Stash Report - May 27, 2012

For mother's Day I asked for a cd tower to hold some of my fat quarters. I had the perfect space 12 inches wide by 5 feet tall. I showed Bill what I found online and left the rest up to him and if he decided not to get it for me I would get one later. Bill had told me on Mother's Day that my gift was coming soon. Mother and I left for a week to Pennsylvania and New Jersey, when we got back my cd tower had arrived and was all set up, even had a few fat quarters in it. It was not the one that was about 7 inches square and five feet tall. This was a huge spinning tower, 5 ft 4 in tall, as tall as I am,  and takes up 38 square inches of floor space (it spins). He was so tickled with himself for surprising me with this gift. The spinner holds 1600 cds!

After a bit of rearranging to accommodate my new tower,  I went about emptying my 14 bins and drawers of fat quarters and putting them (some might be 1/2 yards and others are fat 1/8th) on my new fat quarter spinning tower.

I never thought that I would be able to fill this spinning tower full of fat quarters, but I did! There was also room for 7 jelly rolls, 23 charm packs and 3 rolled up layer cakes and if I were to scoot everything together I would have 4 empty shelves.

I counted 1558 fat quarters ( some are 1/2 yards and some are fat 1/8ths). I was curious to see how much fabric the tower holds, this is how I calculated the yardage.
1 - I rounded the number of fat quarters to 1525
2 - divided 1525 by 4  (4 fat quarters per yard)
3 - 381.25 yards - not counting the jelly rolls, charm packs and layer cakes

WHAT!?!?! Please tell me I miscalculated the numbers. Never did I think I had that much fabric in fat quarters. I can't imagine how much fabric I have stacked on shelves and on bolts. No more fabric shopping for the rest of the year, maybe the next three years. There is no way I am going to be able to use up all this fabric in the next 25 years.

I so enjoyed making the Carpenter's Star QOV a few weeks back that I decided to make another one, in pink, for Ronald's House.

The background is white with tiny red and pink dots.  It is such a sweet quilt, just perfect for a teen.
This would make a cute baby quilt without the borders. This one uses 6.5 inch squares. I just might have to make a few more of these quilts.

Finally, I finished a quilt that was started a few years back - Tile Tango by Atkinson Designs. This will be a donation quilt. So nice to have this one done.

That plaid curtain that you see behind most of my quilts is there because it keeps the cooler air from going into my mother's living area, she likes it warmer than we do.

Used since last post - 17.15 yards
Used YTD - 219.39 yards

Added since last post - 0
Added YTD - 87 yards

Net Used YTD - 132.39 yards

Quilts finished in 2012 - 21

My goals for 2012 are simple~

1 - make one QOV each month. 

Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec

2 - make one quilt for Ronald McDonald's House each month

Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec

3 - finish one already started quilt each month (have about 20 of these, some more than 3 years old)

Jan  Feb  Mar  Apr  May  June  July  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec

4 - if I complete the above 3 goals each month I can start one new quilt

1 2

Visit Patchwork Times to see more stash reports.

Tile Tango

I am linking up with Alycia today.

I am working on a top made from the pattern Tile Tango by Terry Atkinson. I am trying to get some older projects finished and their plastic bins put out into the shed. 

I am using red where the pattern used green,  the 9 patches and sashing are totally scrappy. I am hoping to finish the top today and then quilt and bind it tomorrow. The white has itty bitty dots of all colors on it.