March 3, 2013 Stash Report

This 50  square inch I Spy quilt is on it's way to Victoria at Bumble Beans Basics. The turquoise fabric is leftover from a backing. I love the stripe binding.

I have two Bernina 1130 machines which I love. One I have had for 18 years and the other about 10 years.

 I just took #1 in for service and when  I began using #2, I didn't put the needle in high enough and I messed up the timing on it. Took it into the shop and saw there were 2 more 1130s for sale! I was ready to buy a third 1130 but Bill wanted to look at new machines. Of course they started at the top of the line, too many do-dads for me. I only use a straight stitch, forward and sometimes backwards. Finally he showed us a basic 830, it didn't have as many extras, it also didn't have the foot pedal you can tap to make the needle go up and down or the knee lift. I could probably do without either one. Bad thing is that my feet from my 1130s won't fit on the 830.  The 830 was less $ than the 1130. I voted for the 1130 and Bill voted for the 830 and we ended up getting.......... 

the new machine. It came with a 2 year in store warranty and two free check ups.  I wasn't expecting it to have the "new car" smell.

The repair guy was able to fix my timing on #2 while we were debating about machines and #1 will be ready next week. 

This yellow quilt will be going to Margaret's Hope Chest.

It is about 45 inches square. I used 1/2 sq triangles to make it.

Used since last stash report - 9.62 / Used YTD - 101.85

Bought since last stash report - 0 / Bought YTD - 41 (bought in 2012, arrived in 2013)

Net used YTD -  60.85

Quilts finished in 2013 - 12

Visit Judy's blog to see what other quilters are up to......

Goals for 2013

1) I am planning on staying out of quilt shops - there is not one thing I need. No patterns, no thread, no batting, no fabric, no rotary blades, no rulers, no gadgets, nothing. If I don't have it then I do not need it. There isn't any reason for me to visit a shop in town or online. I guesstimated how much fabric I have and I will never come close to using it all. The folks who get my quilts don't know if the fabric is brand new or 6 years old, they only know that someone out there in the world cares enough about them to make them a quilt. I will be unsubscribing to all emails from quilt stores, if I don't see it I won't be tempted.

Amendment to Goal #1 - I will be going to the Paducah Quilt Show in April with our new quilting cousin and I will be bringing home some fabric/patterns/etc...  That will be the only quilting shopping I plan on doing this year.

2) Make 12 QOV

1 - 

3) Make 12 quilts for Ronald's House

1 - 2 - 3 

4) Finish 5 quilts that I have already started

5) Make 5 quilts for Margaret's Hope Chest

1 - 2 - 3

Other finished quilts

1- 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 

Get It Done - February's Review / March's Goals

Check out February Goals:

1.  Sew two more rows on my apple core quilt. There are 22 apple cores in each row. Only 18 more rows to go.

I was able to get 3 rows sewed instead of 2......only 15 rows to go!

2.  Quilt and bind these three tops

YES!!! The first one I finished with a pink stripe binding. This one is going to Margaret's Hope Chest. 

This next one is going to Ronald's House. It finished at 38 x 38 inches

Another one for Margaret's Hope Chest. This one was bound with a solid pink fabric.

Feels so good to have these three little quilts finished.

3. Do something with this basket, this bag and this box of scraps. A lot of these scraps are left over pieces from backings.

I will probably cut them into charms, 2.5 inch strips and squares, and add some to my collection of strings. There might be a few pieces that might be fat eighths and I will fold those and put them with my fat quarters. I am thinking 6 hours will take care of this mess.

Happy to report that the above basket, bag and box are now empty!

Took more like 11-12 hours and I am glad I spent the time to get it done. In the middle are my  strips for string blocks. Starting at the top are 2.5 in QOV squares, next are some solids that I didn't cut up as I am wanting to make a 16 patch in solids and blacks, not sure if I want squares or bricks for it. Next a bunch of 2.5 inch squares. At the bottom are some baggies of long strips from backings that I didn't cut up as I am thinking I can use them for bindings on scrappy quilts. Next are my charms, then 2.5 in strips and finally some QOV fabric that didn't get cut up. Every pile is put away.

These pieces are 1/8 cuts and larger and were put with my fat quarters.

4. I will spend 4 hours and  make some blocks for Alycia's Block Drive 
This one is done - made 26 blocks...

March's Goals:
1 - make a runner for a dresser...

2 - make 5 more rick rack blocks...

3 - quilt and bind this quilt for Margaret's Hope Chest...

4 - add two more rows to my apple core quilt...

Stash Report - February 17, 2013

Hope everyone is having a terrific weekend.

Here are two  quilts I made for Margaret's Hope Chest. I bound one with a pink stripe fabric.  These quilts only need to be 39x50, quick and easy to make.  The next one has a solid pink binding.

This little one is a 38x38 inch quilt is going to Ronald's House.

Two weeks ago I posted about my niece wanting another quilt. Mary-Kay gave the me the perfect excuse for not making the quilt by telling them that I wouldn't be able to make it as my quilting time was already booked for the year.

It didn't work - my sister  bought their plane tickets before she called me. They - all 3 -  are coming out to make it, with my help, in March. They will be here for 5 days and I told her that she is going to be doing all the sewing and quilting. She picked a pattern, I figured out how much yardage she would need and she is off to buy it today. She bought a sewing machine from Walmart and I suggested she take it back as it probably wouldn't survive the flight and that she could use one of mine. When she called she wanted to know how big to cut the squares.....She was going to mark the fabric with a felt tip marker and a ruler and I told her that I would cut it for her. Looks like I didn't get out of it after all, at least I am not having to pay for it!

Used since last post - 9.26  / Used YTD - 92.14

Bought since last post - 0 / Bought YTD - 41 (bought in 2012, arrived in 2013)

Net used YTD -  51.14

Quilts finished in 2013 - 10

Visit Judy's blog to see what other quilters are up to......

Goals for 2013

1) I am planning on staying out of quilt shops - there is not one thing I need. No patterns, no thread, no batting, no fabric, no rotary blades, no rulers, no gadgets, nothing. If I don't have it then I do not need it. There isn't any reason for me to visit a shop in town or online. I guesstimated how much fabric I have and I will never come close to using it all. The folks who get my quilts don't know if the fabric is brand new or 6 years old, they only know that someone out there in the world cares enough about them to make them a quilt. I will be unsubscribing to all emails from quilt stores, if I don't see it I won't be tempted.

Amendment to Goal #1 - I will be going to the Paducah Quilt Show in April and I will be bringing home some fabric/patterns/etc...  That will be the only quilting shopping I plan on doing this year.

2) Make 12 QOV

1 - 

3) Make 12 quilts for Ronald's House

1 - 2 - 3

4) Finish 5 quilts that I have already started

5) Make 5 quilts for Margaret's Hope Chest

1 - 2
Other finished quilts

1- 2 - 3 - 4 - 

Stash Report - February 10, 2012

Knowing that Bill's quilting cousin will be a house quest in April I thought it would be a good idea to begin cleaning my sewing room. My plan is just to do a bit each day/week/month so on the eve of her arrival I won't be staying up all night to clean.

Anyway, when cleaning out the closet I came across this pattern by  Kerr and Ringle (I so enjoy their patterns) from the June 2010 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting.

I saved this pattern because I bought some faux chenille at the Houston Quilt Festival and thought this would be the perfect pattern to use it on.  Instead of using 1 inch sashing strips (they would have finished at 1/2 inch,  I just sewed all the green squares together without the sashing. I sewed three layers of cinnamon faux chenille on the seam lines.  

Here is my version - I used odd bits of greens, except of the dark green.

It just came out of the dryer, so it is wrinkly and not hanging perfectly straight, couldn't find all of my clamps. I used every inch of the dark green fabric I had so I went with a brown binding that almost matches the chenille.

Here is a close up of the chenille after washing and a good brushing to help it fluff.

I think it turned out pretty good and for me this was the perfect pattern to use the chenille on. After washing it is about 97 inches square. I worked on this quilt for about 2 weeks on and off

I sent more than 6 yards of fabric in orphan blocks to Beth who is turning them into works of art. Some I had made, some were given to me in block swaps. I can't wait to see what Beth creates from this assortment of blocks. I am glad they are going to a place where they will be made into quilts, instead of sitting in a bin in my closet. I am counting these blocks as 6 yards out.

Thursday's mail brought a wonderful surprise, I was expecting the package, just didn't know when it would arrive.  Background: sometime last year I came across a blog and saw this quilt http://edutach.blogspot.com/2012/02/design-wall-february-27-2012.html  I thought it was just wonderful, showed it to Bill and he also liked it so it was only natural that at some point it  would be made. I contacted Mary and she had already made a tutorial on it so we started looking at fabric. Then I remembered from Judy's blog about Vicki's hand dyed fabrics. Vicki was great to work with. I sent her a picture of the quilt and told her I would be needing 11 different color ways each with 5 shades for my quilt and she came up with the colors and we bought fat eights from her. We also purchased the brown background fabric from Vicki. The fabric we received was perfect, the colors bold and bright, just what we were looking for.

Last November I contacted Alycia to see if she would be able to quilt it for me and she had an opening in January. So I got the quilt top finished and in the mail to her. 

I got the quilt back on Thursday.

We love it. Alycia's quilting really brought it to life. My most modern quilt so far.

I counted the yardage in last year and I get to count it out this week! (I only count fabric out when the quilt is 100% finished) 2 quilts just for me this week!

Here is the backing I used, it is flannel....I like my backs to be a bit unexpected...

Used since last post - 39.60  / Used YTD - 82.88

Bought since last post - 0 / Bought YTD - 41

Net used YTD -  41.88

Quilts finished in 2013 - 7

Visit Judy's blog to see what other quilters are up to......

Goals for 2013

1) I am planning on staying out of quilt shops - there is not one thing I need. No patterns, no thread, no batting, no fabric, no rotary blades, no rulers, no gadgets, nothing. If I don't have it then I do not need it. There isn't any reason for me to visit a shop in town or online. I guesstimated how much fabric I have and I will never come close to using it all. The folks who get my quilts don't know if the fabric is brand new or 6 years old, they only know that someone out there in the world cares enough about them to make them a quilt. I will be unsubscribing to all emails from quilt stores, if I don't see it I won't be tempted.

Amendment to Goal #1 - I will be going to the Paducah Quilt Show in April and I will be bringing home some fabric/patterns/etc...  That will be the only quilting shopping I plan on doing this year.

2) Make 12 QOV

1 - 

3) Make 12 quilts for Ronald's House

1 - 2

4) Finish 5 quilts that I have already started

5) Make 5 quilts for Margaret's Hope Chest

Other finished quilts

1- 2 - 3 - 4

February 3, 2013 Stash Report

Not much to show for this week, made some backs that won't be counted until the quilt is finished and will finish up some quilting on a bed quilt, maybe get a couple of smaller quilts completed that will all be counted next week.

Got the first of my February "Get It Done"goals cross off with these 26 blocks that are going to Alycia's Block Drive. 3 yards were used to make these blocks.

Through ancestry.com one of Bill's cousins - earliest connection is through their great great grandfather - found us and the best part is that she is a quilter. She is coming out for a visit and we are going to the Paducah Quilt Show in April. There is no way I am going to go to this quilt show and not buy something, probably more than one somethings. So there goes my #1 goal for this year, right out the window. It will be fun to connect with our new cousin and share genealogy finds with one another.

Goal #6 has been eliminated! I tried it and decided that I am not ready to tackle this skill.  After 2.5 hours I was able to complete this one block from a tutorial from Amy's Creative Side.

It looks good - though I mis-pieced one white triangle that should have been green. After I figured it out , that right side/wrong side part which was pretty confusing to me, it went together pretty well. I like how all the seams matched! I thought there was some fabric waste and the removing of the paper was not something I would be willing to do for a whole quilt. Paper piecing will have to wait for now.

Got a call from my sister who told me her daughter wanted me to make her a quilt. I love making and giving quilts away, but for some reason this request really bugged me. I made this niece 3 queen size quilts, one for each of her marriages and then another one 4 years ago.  My niece and her daughter live with my sister and last time I was there, about a year ago, not one of their five beds had a quilt on it. They have 17 quilts that I made, where were they? Not sure they realize the cost of making a queen ( okay, I have enough fabric to make it) or the time involved. Plus, this family seldom says thank you for gifts they are given. Should I or shouldn't I?

Used since last post - 3  / Used YTD - 43.28

Bought since last post - 0 / Bought YTD - 41

Used YTD -  2.28 

Quilts finished in 2013 - 5

Visit Judy's blog to see what other quilters are up to......

Goals for 2013

1) I am planning on staying out of quilt shops - there is not one thing I need. No patterns, no thread, no batting, no fabric, no rotary blades, no rulers, no gadgets, nothing. If I don't have it then I do not need it. There isn't any reason for me to visit a shop in town or online. I guesstimated how much fabric I have and I will never come close to using it all. The folks who get my quilts don't know if the fabric is brand new or 6 years old, they only know that someone out there in the world cares enough about them to make them a quilt. I will be unsubscribing to all emails from quilt stores, if I don't see it I won't be tempted.

2) Make 12 QOV

1 - 

3) Make 12 quilts for Ronald's House

1 - 2

4) Finish 5 quilts that I have already started

5) Make 5 quilts for Margaret's Hope Chest

6) Learn to paper piece - just not going to happen

Other finished quilts

1- 2

Get It Done - January's Review / February's Goals

Let's see how I did with January's goals.....

January's 4 goals were:

1)

To make a donation quilt top  out of these 25 9 patch blocks. It will be something easy like just adding sashing. I made these blocks from left over bits from a quilt I made my niece when she got married almost 6.5 years ago.  This might go to Ronald's House for a teen.

Finished this one. I actually had 28 of these 9 patches. I was able to make three quilt tops. Easy and simple and get it done was the goal for these blocks. Margaret's Hope Chest is requesting quilts that are 36 x 50. I was able to make two quilt tops that measure 38 x 50, each top used 12 blocks. The third quilt top is a baby one that is going to Ronald's House, it measures 39x39.

2)

To sew down the rick rack on all these blocks - around 35-40 of them. I did sew them down the center, then decided that I had better sew them down along each side as I didn't want it to curl up when washed. This quit has been waiting for 5+ years. I saw the quilt at a county fair and loved it so much that I searched all over for  the fabric so I could make one. Not sure if I still like it, but I hope to finish it this year. Not sure where it will end up. Maybe I will fall in love with it again.

Got the rick rack sewed down on all 37 blocks!

3)

Sew two rows on my scrappy apple core quilt, I only have two rows sewn together so far. I have all the pieces cut out. I have made a few lap size donation apple core quilts in the past and my mother asked if I would make one for her bed. Maybe this will be finished in time for Christmas.

YES! Got this one done!

4)

I was in a swap a few years back and never did anything with the blocks. I am going to put them together with sashing and call it finished. I think there are either 25 or 30 blocks. This quilt will be a donation.

I  think I feel more comfortable only having three items on my list, but I will try for the 4 as Judy suggested for the first month and see how it goes.

Just couldn't get interested in doing this one. I will put it back in the drawer and maybe later in the year I will get to it.

February Goals:

1.  Sew two more rows on my apple core quilt. There are 22 apple cores in each row. Only 18 more rows to go.

2.  Quilt and bind these three tops

3. Do something with this basket, this bag and this box of scraps. A lot of these scraps are left over pieces from backings.

I will probably cut them into charms, 2.5 inch strips and squares, and add some to my collection of strings. There might be a few pieces that might be fat eighths and I will fold those and put them with my fat quarters. I am thinking 6 hours will take care of this mess.

4. I will spend 4 hours and  make some blocks for Alycia's Block Drive 

I think I will be able to get these goals finished by March.

You can read about some goals other quilter's have set at Judy's blog......

.

January 27, 2013 Stash Report

These past 12 months we have lost too many family members - 

Feb. - we lost our 5 year old Irish Wolfhound, Riley, she just didn't wake up one morning

April  - we lost my BIL, Max, to cancer

June -   we lost my sister, Margaret, to cancer, she fought so hard
July - we lost our cat, Harry, to kidney failure, we only had him for 3 weeks. We inherited him from my sister, she didn't realize that he was sick as she was fighting for her own life

August - we lost our 8 year old Irish Wolfhound, Dixie, to cancer
Jan 2013  - we lost our  14 year old Welsh Terrier, Paddy, to cancer
My favorite cousin, Ray, is losing his battle with cancer - we are just waiting for the phone call.....

Sometimes life just sucks......

I cry every time the Iams (dog food) commercial comes on that features Rocky (he is an Irish Wolfhound) and his mom. Irish Wolfhounds are giant lap dogs, so loving and gentle, but no doubt about it, they would protect you 'til their last breath. Very loyal companions. Rocky looks just like our Riley. Did you know that Irish Wolfhounds have hair, not fur. These are the perfect dogs for those who have allergies, they are hypoallergenic. My DIL and two grandgirls are highly allergic to all dogs and cat, but had no problems when around our Wolfhounds.

See the commercial on you tube  



I made this QOV and it is going to Alycia.

The pattern is by Carrie Nelson - "Blue Skies". This one was fun to make. It is about 65x81.  It would also make a fun kids quilt. I ran out of the background fabric (beige with tiny red stars) so I decided to carry the cornerstones out to the edge of the quilt. I really like this quilt. The binding is a red, white and blue stripe.


I have been successful on  goal #1 so far this year. I wasn't even tempted to drive by the quilt shop to see their new window display!

Used since last post - 9.92

Used YTD - 40.28

Bought last year came this year - 41 - should have counted this in last years totals

Bought this year - 0

Bought YTD - 41

Used YTD -  0.72 in the red -   another  week I should be in the black again....

Quilts finished in 2013 - 5

Visit Judy's blog to see what other quilters are up to......

Goals for 2013

1) I am planning on staying out of quilt shops - there is not one thing I need. No patterns, no thread, no batting, no fabric, no rotary blades, no rulers, no gadgets, nothing. If I don't have it then I do not need it. There isn't any reason for me to visit a shop in town or online. I guesstimated how much fabric I have and I will never come close to using it all. The folks who get my quilts don't know if the fabric is brand new or 6 years old, they only know that someone out there in the world cares enough about them to make them a quilt. I will be unsubscribing to all emails from quilt stores, if I don't see it I won't be tempted.

2) Make 12 QOV
1 - 

3) Make 12 quilts for Ronald's House

1 - 2

4) Finish 5 quilts that I have already started

5) Make 5 quilts for Margaret's Hope Chest

6) Learn to paper piece

Other finished quilts

1- 2