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