Sunday Stash Report - August 8, 2010

Well after quilting panel quilts for the last couple of customer quilts I pulled out all the panels I have purchased over the last few years (here are a pictue of part of them) and never did anything with. I have a stack, but honestly not as many as I thought I had.

I do think I purchased two Christmas panels a few months ago and I can't find those anywhere. Now did I just think I purchased them? or are they lost somewhere in a stack of other fabric?

I do have one Christmas panel (a recent purchase) so I think that will be my next piecing project so that one doesn't get lost also.

I am making no headway in my stash reduction. This week I did use up several yards of fabric but purchased the same amount so nothing was gained.

Fabric Used this week: 6 yards
Fabric Used YTD: 157.75 yards
Fabric Purchased this week: 6 yards
Fabric Purchased YTD: 103.25 yards
Net fabric used in 2010: 54.50

Kathie

Panel Quilts

Do you make quilts using those cute panels they have in all quilt shops these day? I hate to say it but I probably have 8 to 10 of them in my stash that I bought because they were so cute and never did anything with.

The last two customer quilts I quilted were both from panels (the pictured one is a huge panel) and they were both really cute. It got me thinking that I should probably haul out one of mine as my next project when I am done with the current batch of runners.

I know I have 2 or 3 Christmas panels so I could make one of them up into a lap quilt. It would get rid of the panel and would be a quick and easy way to get another Christmas quilt for fall craft shows.

Off to do some back to school clothes shopping today. Tax free week starts tomorrow but it just fit into our schedule better to go today.

Kathie

Thankful

I went grocery shopping at the commissary yesterday and saw a family of 3 little girls. All in pretty dresses and so cute. I did a double take when I saw their mom. She obviously didn't have any hair and was wearing a pink ball cap.

She was obviously fighting some disease, probably cancer and my heart went out to her. It must be terrible to be fighting something like that and worrying about your kids.

I am as bad as the next person, complaining about all the little things but seeing that family and all they are probably facing it made me take stock of my life.

I am so thanksful to have a husband and daughter that mean the world to me, that we are in basically good health. We have a nice new house and my husband has a good job. My teenager drives me nuts as all teens do and of course I worry about her getting a license soon but she is a good kid and does well in school.

I am going to try and be more thankful and take it all for granted less.

Kathie

Wonderful Wednesday

Woke up to rain this morning but it is a wonderful day because today is my day time guild meeting. It is a great group of ladies and I always have a super time. Also when you work at home and by yourself it just feels so good to go out and socialize once in awhile.

I did get the quilt loaded and half quilted yesterday. I hope to get it finished this afternoon and will then take a picture of it. This was a simple quilt, just a large center panel with several borders but her choice of border colors really made it interesting.

I also machine stitched around the Christmas trees on two of my runners. Once I get a couple more stitched around I will put them on the frame between customer quilts as I need some binding hand work to do in the evenings.

I am enjoying all the extra space in the new house but it still doesn't feel like home yet. Think that is because we still don't have curtains up or very many pictures. I hung a few old family photos (black and white) up last night and that looks nice. Maybe I can get a few more up tonight. Curtains will have to wait until we do more painting, a slow process.

Kathie

Charity Quilting Assistance

Another lady in my guild agreed to take two of the hospice tops to quilt and last night at a board meeting another lady popped up and offered to quilt one. I was getting overloaded and overwelmed with the number of tops I had. I quilt 2 or 3 a month and probably had at least 6 months worth if I didn't get any more tops in. I would like to see a lot of these quilts finished and donated and NOT sitting in my basement so I was very happy about it. I also want to keep encouraging people in the guild to make quilts as there are so many organizations that can use them.

I also gathered up 10 1/2 squares and made two backing kits and took those to the meeting and both of them were taken to be pieced. I will try and make up a couple more and take them to our meeting next monday as probably half of the quilt tops I have do not have backings. I don't mind making up one once in a while but it takes time and I would rather use my charity time getting them quilted.

Having a little discomfort in my knee (arthritis) today so I don't know how much quilting I will do. I have loaded the backing (large) for the next customer quilt this morning and put a border on the last of my 8 Christmas Tree runners. I will at least get the quilt fully loaded and then see how the knee is doing before I start to quilt.

Kathie

Design Wall Monday - August 2, 2010

Not that much on my design wall, just these three blocks. My friend is now in charge of the block of the month at our guild. I decided in addition to the blocks I will make to turn in for the block raffle each month I will make one of each block out of Christmas fabrics.

By next summer I will have enough to make a Christmas sampler. It will be busy as I am not picking the same fabrics every month. I will probably have to sash it is black or something to tone it down a bit.

Here are my first three blocks. The 9-patch was for July, August is the one with the large center, and Septembers is the shaded 9 patch.

Do you set quilting goals for the month?

Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't bother, I just work on certain things. I usually quilt 2 or 3 charity quilts a month and I am running out of backings so I guess I will make a charity goal for the month of quilting two hospice quilts and making up two backings.

As for my craft show items, I will continue to work on runners and get as many done as possible this month.

Kathie

Sunday Stash Report - August 1, 2010

Do you believe it is August already?

My stash reduction is a wash this week. I purchased the same amount of fabric that I used but....... the purchase is for a backing so as soon as I wash and iron it I will be making it into a backing so it is never actually going to hit my fabric shelf.

I piece backings for my quilts at least half of the time but for this baby quilt I just wanted a whole piece of yellow.

So my current stats are:

Fabric Used this week: 3.5 yards
Fabric used YTD: 151.75
Fabric Purchased this week: 3.5 yards
Fabric Purchased YTD: 97.25
Net Used in 2010: 54.50

I am not making to good progress towards my person goal of a net of 100 yards by the end of the year.

I did manage a finish yesterday. I sat down and finished the binding on this pinwheel quilt before our company got here so that I could put it away. It was from a workshop we did at quilt guild. It was a fun workshop and I love the way my quilt turned out.


Kathie