Sunday, February 28, 2010

Sunday Stash Report 2-28-10

Well I had a couple of good stash reports in a row but not this week. I purchased 3 yards of backing fabric but it didnt't get used this week. I also spotted some great new fabrics at JoAnns that I HAD TO HAVE which was another 5 yards.

I have to show no fabrics used. I quilted a quilt but the backing fabric had already been accounted for and the rest of the week was devoted to customer quilts. I did start cutting some unwanted fabric into 10 1/2 inch squares for backings but I won't count those as used until I put them in backings or at least kit them up for a specific backing.

Fabric Used this week: 0
Fabric Used YTD: 48 1/2 yards
Fabric Added this week: 8 yards
Added YTD: 27 3/4 yards
Net Used for 2010: 20 3/4

Yesterday I managed to get my Patriotic Flurries quilt quilted and the binding sewn on. Now I will have a hand stitching project for the next few evenings while watching TV.


Kathie

Saturday, February 27, 2010

One of those days

I had one of those days where I kept meaning to go in the sewing room but not making it there. Chores, errands, a going away luncheon that went on way to long and just life in general took time. At the end of the day I did manage to get in there for a few minutes and started cutting up some unwanted fabric into 10 1/2 squares for backings.

Today I indend on getting one of my projects on the frame. I don't know yet if I will quilt up the hydrandea runners I made last week or the Patriotic Flurries quilt I made a couple of weeks ago.

I try and quilt customer quilts during the week and reserve weekends to quilt charity quilts, craft show projects or something for myself if I am still in the quilting mood. My schedule for the last few weeks has been off with all the snow, kids off from school etc. but am now trying to get back in my routine.

Kathie

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Oh No!!


Well I fell off the wagon this week. I had been doing very well about not buying any fabric the last couple of weeks until I walked into JoAnns and saw this new fabric that they had got in. Love the colors!! Hope to start working on a lap quilt out of these very soon.

Kathie

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Just the right thread


I ordered this King Tut thread (Egyptian Princess) for another customer quilt I was doing. It was on order when the quilt was dropped off and I was hoping it would be the perfect color for this one also.

I love the results. I may have cut down on buying fabric but I sure have not slowed down on the thread!

Mid-Atlantic Quilt show starts tomorrow I believe in Hampton, VA. I was invited to ride along with several other ladies on friday to the show. I would so have loved to go, it has been a long time since I have been to a big show but thought I probably shouldn't be on my feet for hours and hours of walking. My knee seems to have improved after having those injections but don't think I am ready to be on my feet all day.

I stand to do my machine quilting but at least when I am doing that I take frequent breaks and know when it is time to call it a day.

Kathie

Monday, February 22, 2010

Design Wall Monday - 02/22/10


Nothing new or very exciting on the design wall. These are the same blocks that were on the wall last monday, I have just gradually added to them.

I have loads of 2 1/2 strips cut so when I have a few minutes between housework, customer quilts and other projects I have been making a couple of blocks. I really don't need to keep them on the design wall as I am sure they will be rearranged once I get them all made but keeping them right in my face every day reminds me to work on them.

I have not been very good about setting weekly goals for myself late. Partially because my customer quilts have been on the slow side and I don't have a whole weeks worth of work planned.

As far as I can tell at this point my goals for this week are to finish loading and quilting a purple batik quilt (customer quilt), load and quilt my patriotic flurries quilt (backing made and ready) and make a couple more spring craft show runners.

kathie

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Sunday Stash Report 2-21-10

Wow two weeks in a row that I didn't add to my stash, yipee!!!!!!!!!!!

I was so tempted, I just wanted to take a run to the quilt shop or to JoAnns but I resisted as there was nothing that I needed for a current project. I did feel like working with new fabrics so instead dug around in my bin of fabrics that I had purchased to go together and came up with the hydrangea fabrics I forgot I had.

I quickly made 3 craft show table runner tops out of it. It temporarily settled my wanting new fabrics.

So anyway, my stash report for this week is looking pretty good.

Fabric Used this week: 7 yards
Used YTD: 48 1/2 yards
Added this week: A BIG 0
Added YTD: 19 3/4
Net used for 2010: 28 3/4

My goal is to try and get my net used to twice as much as I have purchased and then keep it at that level.

Kathie

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Milestone Week

This week was a major milestone week in our family. My daughter got her driver's permit. Though it has been many many years since I got my first driver's permit I remember the excitement and the wanting to drive everywhere immediately. I wish my mom was still around, I would tell her I appreciated her patience in teaching me to drive. We have been out twice so far. Daughter is doing fine, I am a nervous wreck!

I had several errands to run yesterday and when I got back home just didn't feel like getting the longarm going so I sat and put together some table runners. I had made the paper pieced blocks in the first picture a few days ago and finally added the borders.


Then I pulled some spring fabrics I purchased last year or the year before and started making a table runner. Went together quickly and since I didn't want to put the fabric back in my stash I went ahead and made 3 of these spring hydrangea runners.


Today will be household chore day and then hope to finish loading the next customer quilt and start quilting it. I am actually glad I waited an additional day to start it. I had ordered a new color of thread and it came yesterday and will be the perfect color for this quilt. It is a king tut thread (my favorite) and the color is Egyptian Princess which is a very pretty variegated purple.

Kathie

Thursday, February 18, 2010

On the Frame


This is the quilt that was on the frame today. A few weeks ago I was given a box of batik fabrics for hospice quilts. I cut up lots of fabric and made one quilt top and made up six kits that guild members took to put together.

This is the first of those kits being quilted. This quilt top was put together by Jane. I love these beautiful fabrics. I used a hot pink king tut fabric to quilt it. Once it is back from binding I will post a picture of the entire quilt.

This is the 3rd charity quilt quilted this month, the 8th for the year. This will probably be the last one for this month as I need to concentrate on getting a few craft show items made and of course working on customer quilts.

Kathie

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

A couple of finishes

I have a couple of finishes to show. The first one was my Monet quilt that I worked on most of January. The binding was finally finished and a hanging sleeve sewn on the back to be ready for our local quilt show only to have the roof of the building cave in with the heavy weight of snow. Think I will leave the hanging sleeve on for a bit to see if they get the show rescheduled or not. My daughter suggested the dark red for the binding and I am glad I went with her suggestion.


The second quilt is the Winter Roses quilt that I made during our recent blizzard. I qot it quilted the other day and stitched down the binding over the last couple of evenings. It is nice to snuggle under a quilt while stitching the binding down on these cold winter nights.


Kathie

Monday, February 15, 2010

Design Wall Monday - February 15th 2010


I currently have two things on my design wall. I went to a charity sew in on saturday and the rectangle blocks were what I was working on. I didn't get many made considering I was there for three hours but after being snowed in for two weekends I think I needed the "talking" time more than the sewing time. I think these blocks are going to make for a "busy" but cute quilt.

There are two things in quilting that I almost never do. One is applique and the other is paper piecing. In the current Quilt Magazine they had a simple looking paper piecing pattern. Only 5 pieces in each segment and all fairly large so I decided to try it.

This first block took me forever, guess paper piecing just takes lots of practice which I don't think I have the patience for. I finally did get two more blocks done (not pictured) so will make a table runner out of the three blocks. It makes a cute secondary design so I will post a picture of the finished table runner when I get it done.

Kathie

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Stash Report 2-14-2010

Well I guess there is an advantage of being snowed in and stuck in the house for several days, I didn't add anything to my stash. I know of several people that said they still shopped but on-line. I like to be able to touch and feel fabric before I buy it so rarely purchase any over the internet. I used fabric this week for borders, binding, a backing and an entire quilt that I cut out and started sewing on.

Fabric used this week 8 1/2 yards
Fabric used YTD 41 1/2 yards
Fabric added this week 0
Fabric added YTD 19 3/4 yards
Net used for 2010 21 3/4 yards

Kathie

Friday, February 12, 2010

Another pieced backing


I went ahead and made a test block of the patriotic quilt I am going to be working on at a sew in at our local library tomorrow. I was this on an Austrailian blog and loved how it looked. I am making the blocks out of 2 1/2 x 4 1/2 rectangles and have all my 2 1/2 strips cut to take with me.

Yesterday I got the mini roses quilt top quilted up and ready for binding and then I finished piecing a backing for the Winter Roses quilt. I used up pieces of 4 different pink fabrics I had making these 10 1/2 squares. I love to use up stash that way and not have to buy yardage for backings but it does take a lot of extra time.

What I really need to do is spend a day straightening up all my fabrics and at the same time cut fabric into 10 1/2 squares that I don't love anymore or fabrics that have a minimal amount left and then I would always have a pile of squares ready to piece into backings.



kathie

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Patriotic Flurries

I didn't do much sewing yesterday and nothing on the quilt frame but I did manage to get the borders on my Patriotic Flurries quilt. Now I just need to get some binding cut today and put it away on my shelf until I figure out a backing.



It is snowing again, do I sound like a broken record? News is calling for an additional 4 to 8 inches of snow on top of the 20 inches we already have on the ground. I DO NOT want to dig out of snow again but hey, with schools closed for the 4th day in a row and my husband not having to go to work today at least we can take care of the snow at a leisurely pace.

Weather permitting I will be going to a sew in on saturday at our local library so maybe I will spend some time today precutting fabrics for that and then decide which project to start on next.

Kathie

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

On the Frame

This was the quilt that was on the frame yesterday. I wanted to get it done so it could be picked up before our next snow storm as it is entered in a small local quilt show next week.

A friend of mine teaches kids to quilt. This quilt was made by one of her 13 year old students and is the girls second quilt. She picked out her own fabrics for this one and did a great job. I think she will enjoy sitting under it in this snowy weather while she stitches down the binding.



I feel a little under the weather after having injection #2 in my knee this morning so think I am going to kick back and relax with a cup of tea for awhile. Later today I will get a charity quilt on the frame if I feel up to standing or if not will sit and work on the borders for the Patriotic Flurries quilt.

kathie

Monday, February 8, 2010

Design Wall Monday

Being snowed in did make me accomplish a lot in the sewing room. I had finished the Winter Roses quilt during the initial snow fall and worked on my Patriotic Flurries (named of course because of the snow) during a practically white out on saturday and yesterday I took the remaining roses blocks and made a small quilt "Mini Roses" out of the left overs. This one is only about a 40 inch square but think it is big enough to donate as a wheel chair quilt to the nursing home to brighten someones day.



Here is the Patriotic Flurries that is currently on my design wall waiting for borders. This quick and easy pattern was in the February/March issue of Quilt.




Kathie

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Snow Pictures





Here are some of the pictures of our snow storm. The darker ones were taken yesterday in the middle of the storm and the bright sunny ones today.

We finished digging out for the 4th time. It was hard clearing where the plows had pushed the snow in front of the drive way as it had turned very icy.

kathie

Sunday Stash Report Week 6

I again used a respectable amount of fabric this week. I cut out and made a warm wishes top, made a backing for a hospice quilt and cut some additional pieces for a red/white and blue quilt that I currently have in process.

Used this week 9 yards
Used YTD 33 yards
Added this week 4 yards
Added YTD 23 3/4 yards
Net Used for 2010 9 3/4


Kathie

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Winter Roses


So far so good on the storm. It is hard to tell how much snow we got because we still had some on the ground from the last storm. Last night my husband and I went out around 9 p.m. and dug out the driveway so we wouldn't have to do all that weight of snow today. We got several inches of additional snow over night so my guess would be that we might have between 10 to 12 inches of snow with more on the way.

Last night I finished my "Winter Roses" quilt. I figure since I was piecing it while watching the snow come down through the sliding door in the sewing room that it was an appropriate name.

I even got binding strips cut so the top is now ready to put away until I decide what to use for the backing. I will probably piece one using left overs from the top and any additional pinks or lavenders I have in my stash.

Kathie

Friday, February 5, 2010

Blizzard

Well we are now under a blizzard warning or watch for tonight. I am not loving the sound of that. I don't mind snow as long as I can stay inside, we have food, movies and each others company. I have lots of project to work on so actually looking forward to the weekend.

Now with the blizzard warning I am going to be very nervous tonight that our power might go out.

Our neighborhood is always the last one to get power back. A few years ago when the hurricane hit Maryland it took us 5 days to get power back. It was not any fun at all but at least it was not in the middle of winter so no problem with the cold and after the first day we could get out of the neighboorhood.

Hopefully everything will be ok.

I have been going to town on projects today. I finished quilting a customer quilt and then got all the rows of the warm wishes quilt sewn together. Since it is snowing out I think I will name that quilt "Winter Roses". I will take a picture later.

Kathie

Snow Again?

Now we are waiting for another big snowstorm to hit the whole area. We have lots of food, batteries etc. and they have closed schools for today in anticipation of the snow so it won't be a huge impact on us unless we lose power.

Of course 3 or 4 days being snowed in with a teenager that can't get together with her friends might be a challenge.

I am planning on finishing the customer quilt on the frame and then sew the rows of my warm wishes quilt together.

Finishing a good book, sitting drinking coffee and doing lots of sewing doesn't sound like a bad way to spend the weekend.

Kathie

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

February Charity Quilt

My quilt guild meeting for today got cancelled due to weather so I went ahead and finished quilting this quilt.


It is my first charity top quilting for February. Half blocks were donated to our guild philanthropy projects. I sewed the blocks together and made them into the top over a year ago. It has been sitting on my shelf since then waiting for a back and to be quilted.

I found some fabric in my stash that was green and pieced a backing and finally got this one quilted. After it is bound it will be added to the stack I am accumulating for hospice.

I am going to load the next customer quilt on the frame and then sit and work on my warm wishes quilt for part of the afternoon.

Kathie

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Tuesday Tasks

I didn't get any further work done on the warms wishes quilt yesterday as I spent most of the day working on a customer quilt. If I have customer quilts I work on them during the day and then my own projects in the evening if I still have any energy which I didn't last night.

Two hour school delay today due to the roads still being icy but at least the kids are going back to school. My daughter loves to be off school but then is BORED all day and just lays around, teenagers!!!!!

Have a doctors appointment for myself this morning and a PT appointment for my daughter this afternoon so sometime between all that I need to get the quilt off the frame and invoiced and the next one loaded up.

We are expected a little more snow tonight but I sure hope we don't get it here. My day time guild meeting is tomorrow and I should would hate to see it cancelled due to weather.

Kathie

Monday, February 1, 2010

Design Wall Monday - Feb 1st

After several weeks I finally have something different on my design wall. I got the Monet quilt all quilted and the binding is now in process. I will post a picture again once it is totally done.

We were snowed in (10 plus inches) this weekend so took the opportunity to go through a bin of fabrics. I guess this bin could be called PIGS because I have fabrics tied together and some of them have patterns attached or notes on what my initial idea was to make with the fabrics.

I found a nice bundle with a pretty springy floral and decided to make a warm wishes quilt. Something about sewing on a spring fabric in the middle of a snow storm that made the weather not quite as bad.


kathie