Stash Report - 1/29/2012

This week I went to Joann's with coupons in hand. I went specifically for a Olfa rotating cutting mat. I much prefer sewing to watching TV. My 90 yr old mother lives with us and I can't stay shut up in the sewing room all day and night so I venture out to watch a couple of shows with her each evening. I decided if I got this rotating cutting mat I could still be quilting (squaring up blocks, etc...) and spending time with my mother.

Note: FOUR years ago at the fair I saw a quilt and fell in love. Went searching for the fabric (it had to be the same exact fabric) bought it and began. Soon ran out of the white I was using, couldn't find it anywhere, stuck the project in a box and put it on the top shelf in the closet. Pulled it out last Friday to see what I could do to get it finished.

Back to Joann's: While walking around trying to find something (that wasn't already on sale) to get so I could use my last two coupons I came across the exact white fabric that I needed to finish the quilt I began FOUR years ago.  I am so excited. I also had to buy some more black rick rack.

I also decided to make two I Spy quilts bigger so I needed more sashing fabric.

Only added 5 yards.

Used one yard making "4 Patches 4 Hope". Regina is requesting 4 patches in honor of her mother. She will be turning these 4 patches into comfort quilts.

This quilt came about as I wanted to use the extra from a quilt backing. I fussy cut the butterflies, found one of the two pinks in my stash and made this quilt for Ronald McDonald's House. This is a great pattern because you can make it any size you want and it is easy to make in a day.  Pattern is "Puzzle Box" by Tracey Brookshier.  The inside of the blocks are 6 inches so it is perfect for large scale fabrics. I prefer to make more blocks than add a border. I have enough butterflies to make another quilt after I purchase more pink fabric.

This is a I Spy quilt for Ronald McDonald's house.

Here are 6 beds for the animal shelter - uses 1/2 yard of flannel each.

Four Michael Miller panels still need to find homes.

Purchased  -  60 yards

Used  - 64.68 yards

 Used more than I bought - 4.68 yards - back in the black!

Stash Report - January 22, 2012

Made a trip to Whittles and brought home 55 yards of fabric.  They don't stock the most current lines, but it is good quality, name brand fabric. If you go to Whittles you need to know that they only take cash or checks - no credit cards.  Not sure how the online shop operates.

Doesn't look like 55 yards, I counted it three times to be sure. I paid between $2.50 and $3.50 per yard so I feel pretty good about my selections. The most expensive fabric I saw was $7 a yard.

On the top are a bunch of blue fat quarters. The next three fabrics are 2 yd pieces for backgrounds. The next two are one yard pieces for bindings. The red and the black on the bottom are for borders for kid quilts. The brown dots are also for background.

The bottom red piece is flannel and will become a backing. I just couldn't leave without the blueish fabric. I hope I bought enough to use in a two color quilt for my bed. The top are more fat quarters and the fabric under the fat quarters is full of sweet red flowers and blue swirls.

I didn't find any white with black dots or any background for QOV quilts.

Hope to have my numbers back in the black within the next couple of weeks.

I still have some Michael Miller's ABC panels to give away.

Used YTD - 46.9
Purchased YTD - 55
Stash Report - -8.1 - not too bad. 


Visit JudyL's blog to see how how everyone is doing.

Michael Miller ABC blocks in Italian

Don't know what I was thinking when I purchased this fabric. It was only $1 per panel and I didn't realize that it was in Italian. I should have known when the ladder was on the "S" block! Anyway, I don't know anyone who is Italian or speaks and reads Italian.

Found homes for all the panels.

Stash Report January 15, 2012

I was surprised when I pulled out a tote to finish a top that the top was already finished, just needed to be quilted and bound. Easy first finish for the year. Triple Irish Chain. The green matches my wallpaper in our bedroom perfectly. I love textured wallpaper and would have it in every room if I could.

This quilt was made from a pattern at  www.maryquilts.com/new-forest-bricks/  called Forest Bricks. The bricks were already cut out, made the top go together really quick.

This quilt is called Starry Eyed. First saw it at www.cupcakesndaisies.blogspot.com and decided it would be a perfect quilt to make it all out of all scrappy 2.5 inch sqs. Pattern can be found here www.modabakeshop.com/2011/07/starry-eyed-quilt.html I am thrilled with the results. I will probably make more of these quilts as I still have a gazillion 2.5 inch sqs. Started and finished this week. Another great simple pattern. Bill thinks it more of a girl's quilt because of the white fabric. The next one I will use something other than white and it will make a great guy quilt. I might even try one in reds and blues.

Jeanne wrote on Dec. 30th about being comfortable with her identity as a utility quilter. I feel the exact same way. I want my quilts to be loved and used.

I do plan on adding some fabric next week. I love to use white with tiny black dots as sashing and I am out of it. Also want to find some background fabric for some QOVs.


In YTD - Zip
Out YTD - 46.90 ( I only count fabric when the quilt is 100% finished)

So far so good!

Stats for 2011 / Goals for 2012

I am only counting fabric out of the stash when the quilt is 100% finished. Makes counting the fabric so much easier.

Of the 47 quilts finished this year about 30 only needed to be quilted and bound. I used 443.28 yards of fabric in 2011 - remember some of these finishes are more than 2 years old.

Here are a few of the completed quilts for 2011 -

This is a king size quilt 135 inches sq for my Daughter in law for Christmas. It is adapted from JudyL's book Weekend Quilts. I made the stars different as I already had some green 2.5 inch squares cut and waiting to be used. She wanted it big enough for a pillow tuck and their mattress is a huge pillow top. She seems to like it. It barely fit on my long-arm frame. After making this quilt I made Bill promise we would never ever get a king sized bed.

This baby quilt was made from a yellow flannel charm pack,

Tumbler quilts are one of my favorite scraps quilts to make. This one is twin size.

Had some red and green strips and made this small lap quilt.

While cleaning out one of my cupboards I found a bunch of 6.5 inch star fabric sqs and made this QOV.



I bought 75 yds of fabric in 2011.

Total yards used for 2011 was 368.28. Yippee!

My goals for 2012 are simple.
1 - make one QOV each month.
2 - make one quilt for Ronald McDonald House each month
3 - finish one already started quilt each month (have about 20 of these, some more than 3 years old)
4 - if I complete the above 3 goals each month I can start one new quilt

fabric used YTD - 0
fabric bought YTD - 0

So far so good.......

Stash Report - August 21st and Best of Show Winners!

Here are my finished quilts since my last stash report.

This is a baby quilt for my great niece - Olivia.

This is a I Spy quilt for our Church's Santa's Warehouse, nice to have this one done ahead of time. I have 4 more of this quilt cut out, using different color sashing. I am trying to use up all my novelty prints. It is lap size.

This is a Alaska themed quilt. My mother and I went to Alaska in June and we bought fabrics that would remind us of our visit. There is fabric that says Welcome To Alaska, a map of the area we visited, bears, seal, whales, all kinds of birds, glaciers, small airplane, sea otters, a dog sled (I highly recommend that to anyone who goes to Alaska) every activity we did we were able to find fabric for. I used the All About Me pattern. This is 100" x 100".

This is a huge Halloween quilt. You never can have too many Halloween quilts.

Another I Spy quilt sent to a friend to enjoy with her grandkids.

Granddaughter #4 and her Best of Show Hello Kitty wall hanging at her county fair. She designed this quilt, cut it out, I did the ironing, she did most of the zigzagging around the pieces, quilted it, sewed the binding on by machine, made and sewed on the label, I sewed the sleeve on the back. There are numerous mistakes but I didn't have the heart to make her rip anything out. I am so proud of her, she is 8.5 years old. She said to me "I know why you like quilting as a hobby....because IT IS SO MUCH FUN!" Sure made me smile. She already has plans for next years quilt, a face with flowing hair - wish us luck. She won $60.00!

Couldn't get the picture to go the correct way. Another Best of Show (4th to 6th grades)  for Granddaughter #2 who is 11 years old. She designed her quilt and did everything without any help from me (I did wind the bobbins and thread the sewing and quilting machines) . She also did her own ripping out. I am so proud of her. She asked me that when I get too old to quilt if she could have my long arm! There is a better picture of her quilt in a previous post.  She won $76.00! She also made a stuffed dog with her other grandmother's help and it came in 1st place.

I also made 7 small pet beds for the animal shelter out of left over pieces of flannel with batting and scraps of fabric cut into 2-3 inches squares for the stuffing. 

Total fabric used this year - 184.96


I have decided not to post how much fabric comes into my home. I know that once we are retired I won't have as much $ to spend on fabric. I am buying background fabrics for current quilts and for quilts that won't be made for many years. I think of it as my Fabric Savings Plan or my 401K in fabric. I'll need something to keep me busy for the next 25+ years.

Pet Beds

8 more pet beds for the animal shelter where my granddaughter volunteers. Who knew I had so many scraps of batting. I am going to make some more using bits of fabric along with the batting.  I have a pillow case made and it hangs off my cutting table to throw bits of fabric in when I am cutting out the pieces for a top. I am using flannel from backings for the pillow cases.

The scrappy apple core and the green/blue batik quilts are both donation lap quilts for a hospital.

Total fabric used year to date - 208.36