Evening in the Garden Quilts

Adventures in Fabric Art

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Sunday Stash Report: 1/12/14

Nothing in, and nothing out this week.  I’ve been working away at the Bright Strings quilt, and the back (all from stash as well) is almost finished, but it’s progressing at a snail’s pace.  I’ve had back spasms all week and can’t sit at the machine for very long at a time.  Hopefully it will get finished this week.

This week:  +0 yards,  -0

This year:  +0 yards,  -10 yards

Net stash used this years:  -10 yards

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In other news, I have a new ironing board.  My tall son leaned on the old one, bending the legs and producing a permanent slant.  I don’t know how obvious the problem appears here, but a.) Yuri kept rolling off, and b.) I kept cursing as the fabric and iron slid off.

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The new one is Bed Bath and Beyond’s “professional” model.  It was too expensive, but I used a coupon.  I wanted one quickly, and the main review complaint on the ones from Amazon was that they were arriving damaged, so I went with this.  It is 18″ wide, which I like, and it has it’s own electrical cord and outlet for plugging in the iron, so I am no longer fighting the cord as I iron.  It has a built in iron rest and cord guide.  The padding seems pretty thin and the cover is a rough, cream colored fabric, but I guess I know how to fix those things.  Since I haven’t been in the studio much, I haven’t really used it a lot, but so far, so good.

Hope you’re using your stash this year.

I’m linking up with Sunday Stash Report at Patchwork Times.


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WIP Wednesday: Brights Top is Finished

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I finished the Brights top today, and I only had to put the borders on twice to get them right!  It’s too large (about 60 x 80″) to get a good picture, but you get the idea.

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Now I’m looking at fabrics for the back.  I don’t have four yards of anything remotely coordinating, but I do have all these brights, so I think I’ll cut them into large squares and piece them together. Which may procuce more bright strings, and I’ll be right back where I started…hmmm.

Quilting:  what do you think?  I’m thinking of doing all the quilting in a shiney black thread, or shiney dark gray.  Or maybe a varigated colorful thread on just the black borders.  Any ideas for color or motif?

Hope you’ve all made the progress you want.  I’m linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.


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Design Wall Monday: Brights and Blacks

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Here’s a quick peek at my design wall on this cold, cold day.  Yesterday I made the forty flying geese blocks for the border, and today I am going to add all the sashing and cornerstones to the center.  The layout uses twenty-four of the bright string blocks, so I’ll have six left for the back.

Stay warm and keep quilting!

 

I’m linking up with Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.

 


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Quilty Resolutions 2014

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My quilting the past year felt a little directionless, so I’m trying to sets a few goals for this year.

Bags

I’ve sewn purses and bags through the years, but haven’t tried the new ones popular in this century.

  • I asked for and received Purses, Bags, and Totes by Moya’s Workshop for Christmas.
  • I’ve been saving Pins, tutorials, and posts about bags I like on Evernote for the last two years.  (Do you use Evernote to save everything in your life?  Recipes, blog posts, web pages, everthing, all nice and organized and private.  Across all devices.  I love it.)
  • I think little zipper pouches would make good gifts for kids at Christmas, and would be a good way to try out several patterns.

Quilt Variety

I tend to get into ruts extended studies on the same pattern or quilting design.  I don’t think that’s all bad, but I want to branch out some this year.

  • Do more with curved piecing.  It’s been a while.
  • Pick out a block pattern I’ve never used before.
  • Asked for Fabulous Feathers and Fillers by Sue Nichols for Christmas.  Okay, so that’s not different, but maybe I can take them in another direction.  And I could stand to learn a new filler or two.
  • Saw a great old quilt with really bold sashing that I want to try.

Slow Quilt

I do love to pull fabrics with abandon, cut big patches quickly, and stitch up a bright, fresh quilt before the energy can leave me, but maybe it’s time to slow down and make something planned and elaborate and maybe even show quality.  Maybe.

Stash

My goal is to have a net use of 100 yards again this year.  I’ve done it the previous two years.  I think the wire basket drawers where I keep my fabric are closing a little easier… hard to tell, but I must be making progress.  At least the fabric is turning over, and the drawers are stuffed with more modern fabric that is more my taste.  Sunday Stash Report at Patchwork Times is a great motivator, and I’ve really enjoyed my membership in the Flickr group, Stash Pact II:  Electric Bugaloo.  I can’t tell if we’re going into the new year, but I hope so.  There haven’t been comments in quite a while, but we continue to post photos as we sew, knit, scrap, etc., our way through our stashes.  Really positive people.

Getting It Done 2014

I haven’t seen if Judy is doing this again at Patchwork Times, but I hope so, and I expect she will.

January Goals

  1. Make ten pillowcases to go with the two I have for donation.
  2. Make HST commission quilt
  3. Make string commission quilt
  4. Scrapitude, step 4

Wishing all of you a great year in your personal and quilting lives!


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Merry Christmas 2013!

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I’ve spent a most unusual Christmas here, since my DS will be marching with the Marshall University band on Friday at the Military Bowl in Annapolis.  I hope all of you have spent the day just the way you wanted, with family, friends, or maybe some sewing.  Wishing you beauty and peace, now and in the new year.

Valerie


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Sunday Stash Report: 12/22/13

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We’ve been doing a lot of this here, what with lots of snow and Christmas movies and Chex Mix, but there’s been some sewing, too.

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This week:  +0 yards,  -8 yards
YTD:  +145 yards,  -259.75 yards
Net stash used in 2013:  114.75

I’m pleased with that.  My projects are all finished and wrapped, so no last minute panic.  I hope you are finished, or at least enjoying your work.

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merry christmas

I’m linking up with Sunday Stash Report at Patchwork Times.


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Sunday Stash Report: 12/15/13

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Lots of yardage used this week!  7.5 yards for the green quilt and 5.5 yards on various Christmas gifts.  I also bought 4 yards for gifts.

This week:  +4 yards,  -13 yards
YTD:  +145 yards,  -251.75 yards
Net stash used in 2013:  106.75

I hope your Christmas sewing is going well, and that you’re not stressing too much.  It will get done.  Or it won’t,  and that will work out, too.

I’m linking up with Sunday Stash Report at Patchwork Times.


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Sunday Stash Report: 12/8/13

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Winter greetings!  It’s been good weather here to stay in and sew.  I used seven yards in the Chevrons quilt, and bought six yards for Christmas sewing, so still a little ahead for the week.

This week:  +6 yards,  -7 yards
YTD:  +141 yards,  -238.75 yards
Net stash used in 2013:  97.75

How are you doing on your destashing?

I’m linking up with Sunday Stash Report at Patchwork Times.


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Sunday Stash Report: 12/1/13

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I’m writing to you this morning from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.  I have been lame and not taken any new photos of this beautiful countryside, so you’ll just have to take my word for it.

I also didn’t photograph the new fabric I bought, but it was 4 yards of batik.  You’ll agree that’s necessary, won’t you?

A few Christmas gifts were purchased down here, but this pin is just for me, by local artist Sharon M. Hollar.  Yes, it’s my third pin of hers, but we’re not keeping track of jewelry here, are we?

This week:  +4 yards,  -0.5 yards
YTD:  +135 yards,  -231.75 yards
Net stash used in 2013:  96.75

Just wait till next week!

I’m linking up with Sunday Stash Report at Patchwork Times.


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Getting it Done in November and December

I hope Judy does this again for next year.  I suppose I could make my own list, but somehow doing it with all of you makes it matter more, and I really am getting things done!

 

November Goals

1. Finish quilting my throw quilt from the Oh My Stars quiltalong.

2.  Finish piecing and quilting OMS throw for my shop,

3.  Finish piecing scrappy red, blue, gray cabin top (Quilt of Valor?)

4.  Piece aqua and gray chevron throw quilt for shop.

5.  Scrapitude Mystery Quilt, Step 3.

 

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December Goals

1. Quilt for DS (Christmas)

2. Placemats (Christmas)

3. Pillowcases (Christmas)

I can’t add links to these because they’re not started yet.  The quilt is designed and I’ve pulled some scraps for it.  Hopefully you’ll see it soon.

 

How did you do with your goals?  Crazy busy time, if you got anything done you’re doing well!

I’m linking up with Getting it Done at Patchwork Times.