Design Wall Monday - November 10, 2014

Last winter I got got this Timeless Treasures panel and decided that it was time to do something with it.

I like the way all the motifs are etched in gold.  I was unsure what to do with this so with some simple piecing, adding borders and decorating with crystals I made these three wall hangings out of the one panel and still have 3 of the small blocks left for a future project.

I will take these wall hangings to my first craft show and see if they sell.

Other than preparing for upcoming craft shows and getting a start on Christmas shopping I have been working hard at staying on track with Weight Watchers (down 26 pounds) and back and forth to an eye specialist with eye problems.  Another of those appointments tomorrow, hopefully the last one.

Sunday Stash Report - November 9, 2014

Another week has gone by quickly, I can't believe how close we are to my craft show season and Thanksgiving.

I have been trying to finish up the last few craft show items but also have been battling some vision problems in my one eye so have not been doing as much sewing as usual.

I did get three small wall hangings made and a few things quilted in the last couple of weeks.

Current stats are:

Fabric purchased last two weeks:  0
Fabric used last two weeks:  7 yards

Fabric purchased YTD:  160.75
Fabric used YTD:  308

Net fabric used in 2014:  147.25

I think that is a pretty good total with practically two months still to go in the year.

Design Wall Monday and Stash Report

I have used quite a bit of stash the last two weeks, most of it is for backings for a Christmas quilt and a bunch of table runners that I am trying to finish up for upcoming craft shows.  

This is one of the quilts that I got quilted.  

This was from our guild workshop on Bamboo and pinwheels.  This is the bamboo quilt using scrappy Christmas.  

Current on my design wall are all the blocks for a Falling Charms lap quilt.  Think these will be on the wall for awhile while I try and get machine quilting caught up.  Doing no close work right now due to a vision problem in one eye but am still managing to get some of the quilting done, just a little at a time and lots of lights on.  

Current stats are:

Fabric purchased last two weeks:  3 yards for backing

Fabric used last two weeks:  23.25 yards

Fabric purchased YTD:  160.75 yards

Fabric used YTD:  301 yards

Net Fabric used in 2014:  140.25

Design Wall Monday - October 20, 2014

I never did get a chance to post my stash report yesterday so those figures will just wait until next week.  This has been a week of life getting in the way of sewing.  Some good things like purchasing a new car and other not so good things like daughter's car problems, a migraine headache and blurred vision in one eye.

I also never got a picture taken of what is actually on my design wall but this is a picture of one of the last quilts off the frame.  I quilted it with red swirls and like the way it turned out.  I made this several months ago after collecting black, white and red fabrics over the last three or so years.

The piano key border made it grow larger than planned so ended up being an oversized throw at about 60 x 80 inches.

Sunday Stash Report - October 12, 2014

Again I can't believe how long it has been since I have posted.  Last weekend we were out of town but don't know why I didn't the other weeks, guess Sundays and Mondays just turned out busy a few weeks in a row.

I have been busy in the last three weeks working on craft show items.  This baby quilt I pieced a few months ago but finally got it on the frame recently.

This was made from a Moda junior jelly roll, I believe the name was Celebration.

I also managed to get several table runners quilted and a stack of about 8 more in process.  My craft shows start the weekend before Thanksgiving and go on for three weeks so this is the time of year I do a real push to get things done.

I would like to say that my net usages numbers went way up but also in the last three weeks I did some major shopping!!

My hubby and I attended a sewing expo last weekend in Fredericksburg, VA.  I didn't do to bad at the show only purchasing 2 pieces of fabric, it was the shops I went to AFTER the show where I added to the local economy.    This is the stack I came home with.

All but one piece of the fabric was Christmas fabrics and I know those will be used up as I sew on craft show items all year around and need to get nice Christmas fabrics when I see them.

So my current stats are up a bit.

Fabric purchased:  (3 weeks) 24 yards
Fabric used:  (3 weeks) 20.5

Fabric purchased YTD:  157.75
Fabric used YTD:  277.75

Net fabric used in 2014:  120

Design Wall Monday - September 21, 2014 (Workshop Quilt #2)

I spent a lot of last week working on customer quilts (mostly table runners and small quilts) and am finally caught up so this week I am going to devote to working exclusively on craft show items since my first show will be coming up in two months (23rd of November).

This is currently what is on my design wall.  This is quilt #2 for the workshop I attended a couple of weeks ago (Bamboo and pinwheels) where you make two totally different quilts at the same time with very easy piecing and cutting.

I want to lay out the 7 vertical rows of this quilt to make sure no like colors are touching even though there will be a small sashing between rows.  Once that is done I will number them and take them down and will then be easy to sew them together.

I am also working on sewing various cream strips together that will be the base for some table runners I am making so those will be my two piecing projects for the week.

I did spend some time locating and trimming fabric to make backings for about 6 table runners so hope to get a few more of them quilted this week also.  

Only one appointment this week (so far) so if I can limit my errands etc. I should have lots of time in the sewing room this week.

Sunday Stash Report - September 21, 2014

Four more table runners were pieced this week and made backings for two Christmas lap quilts that I got on the frame and quilted.  Just waiting for binding now.  Most of my binding a friend does in return for my quilting a lot of her items at a deep discount.  These two Christmas quilts think I will keep to work on the binding in the evening.  I can do about 15 to 20 minutes of handwork before my hands start cramping up so if I do 15 minutes a night the bindings will be done quickly.  

I had a chance to see quilts twice this weekend, at the county fair Friday night and at a small quilt show at a local church yesterday.  All beautiful quilts!!

My stats for the week are:  

Fabric purchased this week:  0 years

Fabric used this week:  10.5 yards

Fabric purchased YTD:  133.75 yards

Fabric used YTD:  257.25

Net fabric used in 2014:  123.50

Net 123 yards used!!!  Feeling good about that and I can see places in my stash where the stacks have gone down.  Some of the really old fabrics that I don't like anymore I really need to just take the time to gather it up and give it away!!

Sunday Stash Report - September 14, 2014

Had a pretty good fabric stash usage this week and didn't visit a single fabric store or quilt shop.   A few runner tops were made, my pinwheel quilt top was finished and made backings for a couple of runners that I got quilted.

Current stats are:  

Fabric purchased this week:  0

Fabric used this week:  10.5 yards

Fabric purchased YTD:  133.75

Fabric used YTD:  246.75

Net fabric used in 2014:  113 yards

Design Wall Monday - September 8, 2014 (Workshop Quilt #1)

Last Thursday I attended a workshop through my day time guild.  The workshop was making two quilts at once out of an easy strip set with a couple of simple cuts.  The idea was very interesting so I decided to attend and do mine in scrappy Christmas.  Not only would I not have to buy anything but I could finish the two quilts and take them to fall craft shows to try and sell.

The pattern we used is called Bamboo and Pinwheels.  I have all the blocks made for both quilts and was laying out the first of the two quilts yesterday so hopefully can work on getting it pieced together this week.  Of course this is the pinwheel quilt, the Bamboo quilt has both a totally different block look but it also will incorporate a small vertical sashing so no one will ever think they were both pieced at once.  

I enjoyed both the concept and am really liking my results.

This week I need to:
1.  Get binding on my fall panel quilt
2.  Quilt customer table runners
3.  Quilt customer quilt
4.  Identify and make backings for several of my table runners
5.  Work on sewing the blocks together for the above quilt.

Happy Quilting
Kathie

Sunday Stash Report - September 7, 2014

Trying to get back in the groove of doing my Sunday stash report actually on Sunday.

This week I pieced a quilt from a 3 yard kit that I purchased at the Hershey Quilt show in July.  I promptly cut the green fabric wrong and there is hardly an inch extra given so had to pull in a gold from my stash.  I do think I actually like it better this way.

I also put a couple of borders put on this pretty Timeless Treasures panel that I have had for over a year.  This has already been quilted and once bound will hang in my foyer for the months of October and November.

I went to a workshop on Thursday where with simple piecing and a simple cut you make blocks for two different quilts at once.  Lots of fun and I am like the way they are turning out.  Will be lots more yardage to count once those tops are complete.

Here are my current stats:

Fabric purchased this week:  0 (for a change)
Fabric used this week:  10.5 yards

Fabric purchased YTD:  133.75
Fabric used YTD:  236.25

Net fabric used in 2014:  102.50

Design Wall Monday - September 1, 2014 (and stash report)

Can you believe that it is September already?  I sure don't know where August went.  This is the first summer at college where my daughter only spent part of the summer at home due to a summer internship and I think that is why I feel like summer shouldn't be over already.

I have been trying to concentrate on getting a few things at least to the finished top stage the last week so I don't have so many pieces and parts floating around the sewing room.  I did manage to get a few runner tops finished and the middle of a Christmas quilt all pieced and ready for borders.

Here are some of the runners I worked on and finished up the tops this week, posting those pictures as there currently is nothing on my design wall.

These fall runners were made from fall charm packs with a 1 inch strip added down the middle.

The Christmas runner on the left if finished (top) and the other still in process.  These blocks were made out of left over binding strips and then the black and gold pin dot fabric was added for the snowball corners and narrow sashing.   These were based off of a Missouri Star pattern where she made striped beach balls and thought they would also make great ornaments.

My current stats are:

Fabric used this week:  7 yards (runners and backings)
Fabric purchased this week:  2 more yards of the black and gold pin dot

Fabric used YTD:  225.75
Fabric purchased YTD:  133.75

Net fabric used in 2014:  92 yards

Stash Enhancement Report

I can't believe how long it has been since I posted.  I guess to many things going on, especially on Sundays when I would usually post.

Had to move the daughter out of her college apartment the end of July and then back in last weekend, a weekend trip to Virginia Beach, a trip to the Hershey Quilt show and a variety of other things.

Because of all of that and working on several customer quilts I also didn't get as much sewing done as I thought I would in the last month or so.

I purchased over 9 yards of fabric at the Hershey quilt shop, 6 yards locally and another 3 when we went to the beach.

My current stats now are:

Fabric purchased in the last few weeks:  20.5 yards
Fabric used in the last few weeks:  17 yards (several table runners and backings)

Fabric purchased YTD:  131.75
Fabric used YTD:  218.75

Net fabric used in 2014:  87 yards

Going to strive to get a few more projects to the completed and yardage counted point.  I always have a few things going at once but right now just far to many and have a new one starting for a workshop next week that makes TWO quilts at once.  Plan on doing them scrap Christmas so I don't have to buy anything I can use up some of the smaller Christmas fabrics that I have left.

Design Wall Monday (and Sunday Stash Report)

I have no clue why but I never got on here to post my Sunday stash report so will do that first.

Fabric I used this week was for 2 table runner tops, a couple of backings and gave a little wine themed fabric away to a friend.   So my current stats are:

Fabric purchased this week:  ZERO!!!
Fabric used this week:  5.5 yards

Fabric purchased YTD:  111.75
Fabric used YTD:  201,.75

Net fabric used in 2014:  89.75 yards

The zero purchase/added this week was great.  I know I can't have that again this coming week with going to the Hershey Quilt Show on Saturday but I am going to try and go with a couple of "missions" so I only look for those fabrics.   I know I won't totally stick to that but I do so much better when I have a mission to accomplish.   Right now I will be in search of a sort of ugly green to go with some crab fabric I have.  Will have to spend part of the week going through projects I have and see what else I can specifically look for.

As for the design wall part of my posting, unfortunately I don't have anything on there right now.  I have several projects in the works (batik quilt for our bed, charm quilt for Mandy if she likes it and two charm fall table runners I stared on Thursday) but nothing on the wall right now.

I did decorate the trees on this table runner with crystals so thought I would show that.

I am not going to set any specific quilting goals this week.  I have several small customer items to quilt so that will probably take a lot of my sewing time.  In addition I have a couple of appointments this week, the bus trip to Hershey and also get ready to move the DD home for a few weeks.  College apartments have an 11 month lease so she needs to move home for a few weeks and then the end of August back right into the same building, just a different apartment.  It would be so much easier if her stuff could just be moved from one apartment to another but the building uses those few weeks of no one in the building to do all the maintenance, painting, repairs etc.

So will be a busy week, hope to work on at least one of my projects for awhile.

Design Wall Monday - July 14, 2014

I wasn't to good about taking pictures this week but I did take a picture after I got the hexagon runner top done, this was inspired by Eleanor Burns visit to Fons and Porter show a little over a week ago.  I like how the black makes it pop.  

This is still on my design wall.  No new projects in the works right now.  Trying to get binding on a couple of runners, zig zag around the motifs on a couple of other runners, make some backings for the next few things to be quilted etc.  Lots of progress but nothing much to speak about.  

I did pretty good on my goals for last week.  I quilted several table runners and a wall hanging and even got the wall hanging bound and decorated with crystals.  I inventoried all the table runners I have so far for fall craft shows but still need to price and inventory all the lap/baby quilts.  I usually wait till right before the shows and regret it so trying to get that done early this year and will then price and inventory the rest as they are finished.  

Sunday Stash Report - July 13, 2014

This past week I quilted a wall hanging and several table runners so most of my fabric usage has been for backings and bordering some table runners that were partially done.

Seems like it has been a busy week but when I look back I wonder what I did?  Think it was just one of those weeks with lots of errands to run and a couple of appointments and the daughter visiting.

I also joined weight watchers yesterday so hope that goes well.  When I want to eat maybe I will need to go to the quilt room and sew something instead.

My current stats are:

Fabric purchased/in this week:  4 yards (Christmas fabric for craft shows)
Fabric used this week:  10.5 yards

Fabric purchased YTD:  111.75
Fabric used YTD:  196

Net fabric used in 2014:  84.25

My numbers are starting to recover a bit from the June Lancaster trip.  Now if I can just control myself in a couple of weeks when I go to the Hershey, PA quilt show!!

Design Wall Monday - July 7, 2014

I actually really do have something on my design wall this week and at least I think they are interesting.

The Christmas Tree is a new panel just out (I just received my bolt about 5 days ago) by Northcott called Old Time Christmas.  I cut the additional designs that were on the top and bottom off and bordered it with black with pin dots of gold in it.   Didn't want a huge wall hanging with this one so that was the only thing added to it.  I plan to quilt with a red/green/gold King Tut thread and then decorate the tree with lots of crystals.  I think it will make a quick and easy but very pretty wall hanging.

I watched the Fons and Porter show that comes on here at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday mornings (yes I am usually up at that time).  Eleanor Burns was on there making a hexagon runner.  I already had some red and green hexagons cut out so was playing with the placement.   After the picture was taken I swapped gold hexagons for the centers.  Will try to post a picture of the finished runner soon.

Considering my daughter was home for 4 days I got a lot more done than I had thought I would.  I guess that is mainly because when a 20 year old is "home" they are not really at home much more than to sleep.  At least I did sneak in some good visit time which will hold me to the next visit.  She also was home when I got my new iphone and since I had a slide phone that was about 7 years old she was able to teach me many of the features of my new phone that I probably wouldn't have figured out on my own.

This week I want to:

1.  Quilt the tree wallhanging
2.  Quilt at least 2 runners
3.  Make a backing and quilt a kids quilt
and 4.  Inventory all my craft show items.  I really need to do this, just keep pushing it off.

Sunday Stash Report - July 6, 2014

I hope that everyone is having a great 4th of July weekend.  We have been enjoying a nice visit from our daughter, home from college internship.

I have managed to get a few things quilted this week, a table runner and wall hanging top completed and backings made for a couple of items.

Here is the table runner I made inspired by a video from Missouri Star Quilt Company.  She did hers in summer colors and I believed called it a beach ball quilt but I used left over binding strips and mine I think looks like Christmas ornaments.

Think I will make another one of these but next time I will have some of the blocks facing up and down and not all of them sideways.

My current stats are:

Fabric added this week:  5.25 yards for backings
Fabric used this week:  9 yards

Fabric added YTD:  107.75
Fabric used YTD:  185.5

Net fabric used in 2014:  77.75

I want to try and push that net used number up past 100 yards this summer.

Design Wall Monday - June 30, 2014

So hard to believe it is already the end of June.  I think with my daughter not coming home for the summer from college this year it has messed me up on what month it is!

Currently on my design wall are these 42 blocks made at a recent retreat.  These were made by using one charm pack and one jelly roll (Moda High Street).  Between each block I am going to put white sashing and a hot pink cornerstone.  Have not decided if I am going to cut the sashing 2 or 2 1/2 inches wide so these will sit on the design wall until the decision is made.

I did so much sewing at the retreat last week that I plan on devoting this week seeing how many items I can get quilted on the longarm.   I have a baby quilt partially loaded on the frame now so hope to get that and a few other things quilted this week.

Goals (hopes) for the week:

1.  Quilt Zoo baby quilt
2.  Quilt at least 2 more runners
3.  Make backing for at least one quilt and hopefully get it on the frame
4.  Start on sashing above quilt.

Since daughter will be home for four days the end of the week I don't know how much of this I will get done but if it is like last visit we didn't really see her that much.

Sunday Stash Report - June 29, 2014

I have a good amount of stash reduction to claim this week as I went to a 3 day retreat located at a Lighthouse Innkeepers Cottage right on the water.

I worked on various table runners for fall craft shows and have these 7 tops done.  Some of them had a block or two done before the retreat but most of the work was done there.

I also made at least a dozen more blocks for a batik quilt for our bed and blocks from a simple jelly roll/charm pack pattern.  Can't claim the yardage from either yet but will have a picture of the jelly roll quilt on design wall Monday as I know it will be up there for awhile.

My current stats are:

Fabric added this week:  0 yards
Fabric used this week:  10.25 yards

Fabric added YTD:  102.5 yards
Fabric used YTD:  176.5

Net fabric used in 2014:  74 yards

Stats were much better before that recent trip to Lancaster, PA but hope the usage numbers will climb back up now.

Home from a 3 Day Retreat!!

I was lucky to be able to attend a fun quilting retreat starting on Sunday and ending yesterday morning.  Other than not much sleep at all (long story) I super enjoyed it.  Joyce, the organizer, did all the cooking and she made some wonderful meals.  I don't know if we did more sewing or eating and unfortunately made the mistake of getting on the scale this morning.  DO NOT DO THAT after a three day retreat.  

The retreat was only about 45 minutes from my house and was held in a lighthouse keepers cottage that has been converted to rentals.  

You could see the water from any window in the cottage but my favorite part was sitting out on the screened porch first thing in the morning drinking coffee and watching the sun rise over the water.  We also got to watch many sail boats go by.

Of course much sewing was done by all.  I put together seven table runner tops for fall craft shows...

and in addition I made another dozen or so blocks that will eventually become a queen sized batik quilt for our bed and I made 42 simple blocks (using a charm pack and a layer cake) that I need to lay out and figure out sashing.  

After all the chatting that went on my house sure seems quiet today!!

Design Wall Monday - June 16, 2014

What is currently on my design wall isn't even my project.

At my one quilt guild they always do a block of the month.  I always take the pattern and lots of times make them later but rarely to enter for the block drawing as usually I just don't get to it in time.  My DH saw the latest pattern, thought it was cute and decided to try it.   After some complaining about all the pieces being different sizes and a couple of sessions with the seam ripper he made one block.

He said he definitely wasn't going to make any more so told me to toss it in the drawing and it would then be someone elses problem.  As luck would have it I won the drawing of 13 blocks.

He was very surprised when I brought them all home.  I told him if he didn't want them I would make them into a quilt eventually but he decided to go ahead and add some fabrics that we already had and make them into a kids quilt.

So this is what he is doing with the blocks and what it currently on my design wall, I think it is pretty cute.  Of course it will now be up to me to quilt and bind it but thats ok.

My goals for the week are:

Quilt 2 table runners
Quilt customer wall hanging
and then get all my projects and supplies ready for a quilt retreat I will be leaving for Sunday night!!

Sunday Stash Report - June 15, 2014

Monday night was our yearly quilt guild silent auction.  I donated some fabric and other items and though tempted came away without enhancing my stash any.  I figured sine the weekend had been spent in Lancaster, PA doing nothing but enhancing my stash I better control myself.

The only thing I added to my stash this week was 3.5 yards of backing fabrics for the next batch or two of table runners I am going to be quilting.  Fabric was from my living room that contains the left over fabric from the shop we owned.  Since it wasn't really in my stash I consider it an add.

I did use fabric in my warm wishes horse quilt

some binding I made, one table runner top and some backings so at least I used this week more than I added.

My current stats are:

Fabric added this week:  3.5 yards
Fabric used this week:  8.5 yards

Fabric added YTD:  102.5
Fabric used YTD:  166

Net fabric used in 2014:  63.5

I am hoping my usage goes way up in the next couple of weeks.  Will be going on a 3 day retreat in a little over a week.  Have lots of projects cut out and ready to take with me, I just don't know how many of them I will actually get done.

If you are lucky enough to still have your dad enjoy your Father's Day.  I was lucky to have a great father and still have many years miss him a lot.

Warm Wishes

One of my favorite go to quilt patterns that I make at least a couple of times a year is called Warm Wishes.  Easy piecing of a modified rail fence block and a solid square.  Works great with any theme print.  I like the way this horse quilt top turned out.  I sewed the last few seams on it Monday.

Design Wall Monday and Sunday Stash Report (aka Temporary Insanity)

First off I have nothing on my design wall, plenty of projects being designed in my head but nothing that I am working on that I have taken a picture of.   I am hoping to change that this week with lots of time to quilt and sew.

This was a week of GREAT stash enhancement.  We went to Lancaster County, PA to spend the weekend.  When you have probably a dozen fabric and quilt shops in a 30 minute driving distance in any direction from our hotel you can't not buy, right?

I did go with a mission of purchasing Christmas fabrics, especially different reds to add to my choices when making craft show items.  Then of course had to add some greens that look like Christmas trees, some neutrals and oh yes a touch of fall.

Then I went into a shop that had one shelf of batiks for $6.00 a yard and a few of those had to follow me home.

When I laid it all out at the hotel I couldn't believe how many yards I had purchased.  My DH purchased a heavy duty hand dolly at Harbor Freight while we were there and he kept teasing me it was because it would take that to unload the car.

The most interesting shop we stopped at was out on an Amish farm.  They had mostly quilts for sale but also had one room in the back of fabric.  No electricity so the lady lite this tall pole gas lamp.  Created a lot of light but not the best for matching colors.  Luckily the two pieces I bought there (one nautical and one a go with) did really match when I got them out in natural light.

The other interesting place a lady was sitting and sewing and my husband thought it was electric but he said it sounded different.  He went and talked to her and the machine was run by I think he said compressed air.

So I did terrible or great this week on buying fabric depending on which way you look at it.  It really altered my stats thats for sure:

Fabric used this week:  7 1/4 (a couple of runners and some give away fabric)
Fabric purchased this week:  41 yards (no, I can't believe it either!!!)

Fabric used YTD:  157.5
Fabric purchased YTD:  99.5

Net fabric used in 2014:  58 yards (still well in the black but nothing how it used to look).

I have a multi-day retreat coming up later in the month so hope that will help my numbers.

Good Intentions

I figured with my DD leaving Sunday to go back to school for a summer internship that I would be doing nothing but sewing this week, NOT.

I have quilted a customer quilt and a couple craft show table runners but have not sewing anything other than this one block.

I try to keep self made kits ready to take to sewing group days (which I have one or two this month, hard to keep track) plus I have an upcoming retreat also this month.  I cut and made this block and then cut enough for 5 more blocks so that I can make two table runners, one in reds and one in greens.  Be easy to make these blocks and chat at the same time which is essential for a retreat!

It has been one of those weeks of multiple errands, chores and book work to do.  Today is my day time guild meeting so maybe tomorrow I can stay home and sew all day.

Design Wall Monday - June 2, 2014

Well I actually have nothing on my design wall and the design wall is even put away so that the wall it usually rests on can be painted.  Of course the painting was suppose to have been done a week ago but life happens.

I did work on getting borders on this cute kids panel last week and now have it ready to be quilted.   I believe this panel is called Jungle Bunch and it is by Timeless Treasures.

I also quilted several small customer items and worked for a few hours on the horse Warm Wishes lap quilt.

My DD was home from college for a few days before going back to start a summer internship so I tried to limit my sewing time to times she was out with friends and spend as much time with her as possible.

This will be the first summer she won't be home for the whole summer and old mom is having a little bit of a hard time dealing with that.  I know she would be bored crazy if she was here.  Her summer internship will also give her some spending money and some job experience in her field (Environmental Science) so she will be where she needs to be and hopefully enjoy it and learn a lot but change is hard.  At least she will be home for a few weeks the end of summer before starting back to school.

This week I hope to:
1.  Quilt two craft show table runners
2.  Quilt customer planet quilt
3.  Cut out more table runners for retreat later in the month
4.  Work on horse quilt

Sunday Stash Report - June 1, 2014

Though we have had some summer weather already I am having a hard time believing that it is already June.   I have both a trip to Lancaster county PA with my hubby and also a 3 day quilting retreat to look forward to this month so I think June is going to be great.

I have very little yardage I can claim for my stash report this week.  DD has been home from college for 10 days so have been enjoying my time with her.  She leaves to go back today so I am sure I will be spending a lot of my time in the sewing room the next few days with no one to visit with.

A patriotic table runner was pieced this week and also added borders to a cute kids panel to make a nice baby quilt.  I purchased 1/2 yard each of two different greens that I think will make good trees for some upcoming projects.  So my current stats are:

Fabric purchased this week:  1 yard
Fabric used this week:  3 yards

Fabric purchased YTD:  58.50
Fabric used YTD:  150.25

Net fabric used in 2014:  91.75

Design Wall Monday - Memorial Day 2014

A great Memorial Day to wall who served or are currently serving.  Since I live in a military town just about everyone has some connection to the military.  

My design wall actually has something on it.  I went to an all day sew in and did major sewing and saved the cutting and ironing till I got home as the cutting/ironing table was really short and crowded and my back just couldn't handle it.  

I cut the strip sets into blocks yesterday for a Warm Wishes quilt using horse fabric.  Glad I have the barbed wire fabric, I think it added a lot to this.  

Last night I cut out the remainder of the blocks so think I will now neatly stack them up and save sewing them for my next sewing group.  

I have a 3 1/2 day retreat coming up in June so I need to start cutting out projects for that.  I have one quilt cut and ready to go but I don't know about you but when I go to a retreat I need 3 or 4 things to work on so I can rotate if I get tired of sewing on one project.

Sunday Stash Report - May 25, 2014

Not as much yardage used this week as I had hoped because I spent a lot of my sewing time quilting a couple customer items.  I did mange to quilt up some table runners so I was able to claim the backing and also made a patriotic wall hanging just waiting for the binding to get done.    This is Northcott's new Stonehenge panel just recently available (I got my bolt about 2 weeks ago).

I also spent all day yesterday at a sew in.  Worked on three projects but finished nothing so that yardage will be claimed in coming weeks.  

Current stats are:

Fabric purchased this week:  2.75 yards (patriotic panel and 2 yards Christmas red)

Fabric used this week:  8 yards

Fabric purchased YTD:  57.50 yards

Fabric used YTD:  147.25 yards

Net used in 2014:  89.75 yards  (not as much as I had hoped so far but churning along)

Patriotic

With Memorial Day coming up I figured I would take one of the new Stonehenge panels I got in,  add a couple of borders and get it quilted.  Won't be ready to put in my foyer by Memorial Day but should be up well before the 4th of July.  Will make a nice hanging for my foyer maybe through Labor Day.

My goal is to have a different wall hanging to put up for each season.

Design Wall Monday - May 19, 2014

There is actually NOTHING currently on my design wall.  I finished the table runner tops I was working on so those are put away waiting on quilting.  I have a couple of project cut out but didn't want to show just strips of fabric so I will show you my most recently finished project.  

I took a class about three years ago and made this quilt top.  I finally quilted it a couple of weeks ago and my friend Jane just finished sewing down the binding for me.  I love this one and think it will have to be a keeper.  I think it will fit on a wall in my bedroom so will have to measure and get a hanging sleeve on it before another 3 years go by!

I did quilt two table runners yesterday and loaded a small customer quilt on the frame so I have been spending time every day in the sewing room.  

This week I hope to:

1.  Get two customer quilts quilted (both really small)

2.  Quilt two more runners

3.  Work on Patriotic wall hanging

4.  Start sewing on Warm Wishes horse quilt

DD gets home from college wednesday evening so I don't know how much sewing I will get done for a couple of days but I am sure she will be visiting friends and doing shopping for clothes for her summer internship so am sure I will still have lots of time in the sewing room.  

Sunday Stash Report - May 18, 2014

Made one fabric purchase this week of 1.25 yards of patriotic fabric to make a couple of table runners and added 1.75 yards of fabric from my in home shop (fabric left from when we had a quilt shop) to back a couple of table runners so not bad.  

Will be going to Lancaster next month with hubby so trying to save any purchases until then.

I gave some small pieces of Christmas fabric away, made backings for a couple of table runners and pieced several other table runners this week.

I made two of these runners and a couple of others.

The other runner I made a Gingerbread version and a nautical version of the same pattern.

My current stats are:

Fabric purchased/added this week:  3 yards
Fabric used this week:                     9.25 yards

Fabric purchased/added YTD:         54.75 yards
Fabric used YTD                            139.25 yards

Net fabric used YTD:                       85 yards

Celebration Panel

Isn't this a beautiful patriotic panel by Northcott.  I just love their fabrics, they feel practically like silk.  Anyway I got a bolt of these panels in yesterday (I sell them on etsy) and trying to figure out how I am going to use one.  I have a big foyer so would like to make one of these into a wall hanging, just trying to decide if I want to keep it simple with a couple of plan borders or make some kind of a pieced border.

Cutting Along

Still have not been in the mood to machine quilt anything or even piece much so I have been cutting along.  I found some Christmas fabrics in my stash to give a friend that is making Angels for the church Christmas tree, I cut out two patriotic table runners and the fabric to make a Warm Wishes Horse quilt.  If you have never made the Warm Wishes quilt I guess you check it out on like.  It is a very simple pattern that turns out looking great.  Now I have all sorts of self made kits ready to sew.

The only piecing I have done so far this week is finish two Christmas table runner tops that I had in process.

I do like how the fabrics look on these.  One will have a gold binding and the other green as I didn't have enough of either fabric left to make both bindings the same.

Design Wall Monday - May 12, 2014

Didn't get to see my daughter for Mother's Day so that was kind of a bummer but with two days left in the college semester and end of term projects due today it wasn't possible for her to come home, she was where she needed to be.  Looking forward to seeing her for a few days after finals before she starts an internship in DC.

The only thing I have on my design wall right now is this one little test block.  It sure looks lonely!

This is my test block.  I will be making these blocks out of a Moda Highstreet charm pack and layer cake.  Once all the blocks are done they will have white sashing and hot pink corner stones.  After making the test block I sorted the fabrics to make nice combinations and then got all the pieces for the blocks cut out.  They are pinned together and in a bag waiting for a sew in or retreat to work on them.

Try to set quilting goals for myself every week but between being in a little bit of a quilting funk and several appointments and activities this week I will just set my goal to spend at least an hour a day in the quilt room and forget about trying to figure out what projects I want to work on.  Whether I am cleaning the quilt room, picking out fabric for the next project or actually sewing something it all needs to be done.

Have a wonderful week and hope you get in plenty of quilting time!

Sunday Stash Report - Mother's Day 2014

First of all Happy Mother's day to all the Moms, grandmas and step-moms out there.  Hope you have a wonderful day.  

I don't know what happened this week but have very little to report.  I did get a couple of tops quilted so guess that is where my quilting time went.  The only fabric I can claim used is one quilt backing and a table runner.  

I made this table runner out of left over 1 1/2 inch strips from a layer cake quilt I made recently.  Usually pieces that small I just toss but decided to use these because I liked them so much.  Don't think I will do that again, seemed to take forever to sew them all together but made a cute summer runner.

This was also my sewing buddy yesterday.  I turned around from my machine and she was right up at the sliding glass door watching me.  I think we stared at each other for a good 10 minutes before she finally walked off.  

My stats for the week are:

Fabric purchased this week:  3.5 yards (for baby quilt backing)

Fabric used this week:  5 yards (purple backing and summer runner)

Fabric purchased YTD:  51.75

Fabric used YTD:  130

Net fabric used this year:  78.25

Design Wall Monday - May 5, 2014

I actually have a big nothing on my design wall this Monday.  The last thing I was working on was a backing and I didn't think showing a huge piece of purple fabric would be very interesting.  Instead I will show you the two kids quilt tops that I completed last week.

This first quilt was made out of a Moda Celebration Jr. Jelly Roll.  Someone said the blocks look kind of like hinges. It was fun and easy to make.

The second quilt is another simple quilt using only strips of fabric (recently purchased at Hobby Lobby) with a simple checkerboard.  The Orange is a little more "in your face" than I had planned but thats ok.

I do really like the animal print, here is a close up.   I think I have a yard of the fabric left so it will find its way into another project SOMEDAY.

I don't think I will set many specific goals this week.  Quilt a customer order and then just to make sure and sew a little something most days.  That will get a lot done and since I don't know what I will be in the mood to sew on this week and I don't have any deadlines, that will work.

Sunday Stash Report - May 4, 2014

Had a great week for fabric usage.  I made a backing for a quilt, used yardage for a table runner and got two baby/kids quilt tops finished that I had been working on.  

No sewing the last couple of days so need to try and fix that today.  Always errands and chores to do and then yesterday spent half of the day having a yard sale and the other half of the day travelling back and forth to my daughter's college to spend part of her 20th birthday with her.  Oh my gosh, where have the years gone!!  Loved being able to see her even if it was just a couple of hours for dinner.

My current stats are:  

Fabric purchased this week:  5.5 yards (most for backings)

Fabric used this week:  10 yards (thanks to backings and sewing at a sew in)

Fabric purchased YTD:  48.25 yards

Fabric used YTD:  125 yards

Design Wall Monday - April 28, 2014

I met or exceeded all my sewing goals last week.  I quilted and got binding on 4 table runners, quilted a customer quilt and cut out two new projects to take to a sew in on Saturday.  Definitely on a roll last week.  Seems some weeks I get tons of stuff done and other not much.  I know sometimes it depends on how many appointments I have but don't you get more in a sewing mood some weeks than others?

I had a great time at my sew in on Saturday and ended up getting all these blocks made and they are now being rearranged several times on my design wall.  This little kids quilt is out of a Moda Celebration Junior Jelly Roll.

I hope to get these sewn together and borders on later this week at another upcoming sewing group.  Belonging to 4 sewing groups means there is always a sew in coming up, not that I go to all of them but sure nice to have so many opportunities to visit and sew with friends.

Weekly goals:

1.  Quilt customer runners currently partially loaded on the frame
2.  Get Celebration blocks sewn together and hopefully borders also
3.  Load black and white quilt on the frame

I am keeping the goals simple and few this week.  Between a couple of appointments and going to see the kid at college later this week I will be getting less done.

Sunday Stash Report - April 27, 2014

This week I used up as much fabric as I brought in so the ratio is staying the same.  The only fabric that I added was for a couple of backings so need that to get some projects done.  

I made a couple of table runners, made backing and quilted some other runners.  

I cut out and started two new projects at a sew in yesterday so hopefully by next week I will be able to report yard used for those.  

Current stats are:

Fabric added this week:  5.5 yards (backings)

Fabric added YTD:  42.75 yards

Fabric used this week:  5.5 yards (runners and backings)

Fabric used YTD:  115 yards

Check tomorrow to see my in process projects on Design Wall Monday.

Design Wall Monday - April 21, 2014

Recently I made a black and white with touches of red quilt and ended up making to many blocks.  So....... I made a second smaller quilt to use up the blocks.  When I put together the originally quilt decided it needed a piano key border so cut more strips (way to many) for that.   So whatever I did I ended up with to many strips or blocks lol.  Guess I am not much of a planner.

So to use up most of the rest of the strips I have been working on making a black/white and red table runner which is shown about 3/4 of the way done here.

When I get done with this any remaining strips will be put away, given away or something.  I am officially tired of working with black and white!!

I have very little scheduled for this week so have some goals I would like to reach.

1.  Quilt at least 2 more table runners
2.  Make a backing for one of the black and white quilts
3.  Quilt customer quilt
4.  Cut out a project (I always like to make up a couple of kits ahead of sewing projects to take to sewing group etc.)

Sunday Stash Report - April 20, 2014

This turned into the week of table runners.  I cut out a couple of new ones, sewed up some that I have had in process and started another one out of the left over black and white fabrics from the quilts I made.  Now I just need to get the ambition to get some of them quilted.  Some weeks I feeling like quilting and others don't want to stand at the machine and would rather be piecing something new.

I saw the focus fabric for this first runner at a quilt shop a couple of weeks ago and loved the kind of modern look to it.  Luckily I had fabric in my stash that was a perfect go with.

This second runner was also made out of a new focus fabric combined with fabrics I already had.  This has a softer spring look to it.   This one was actually made after cutting the focus fabric wrong.  Since I had only bought 1/2 yard of it and wanted to salvage the fabric it became this little 4 patch and squares runner.

My stats for the week are pretty good.  I did buy an orange fabric (didn't have anything close to matching) and the backing for a couple of runners but also used up a fair amount.

Fabric purchased this week:  3 yards (orange and backing)
Fabric purchased YTD:  36.95 (not bad!)

Fabric used this week:  7.25 yards (various runners and runner backings)
Fabric used YTD:  109.50 (good but need to step it up to reach personal goal of 100 yards per quarter)