Evening in the Garden Quilts

A new year, a clean slate, and some TIME, after Christmas and before the garden starts (at least for us up north).

I’m not going to write formal goals for this year, or choose a word.

I’ll put in a fresh rotary blade, tidy up my workspace, renew my list of potential projects.

I’ll straighten my fabric (someone seems to have been rifling through it!).

Then I’m just going to SEW.

I’ll continue to set my monthly goals, because they really do focus me and jog my memory. I’ll continue to log the use of existing fabric so that I can replace it with newer yardage. But that’s about it.

January Goals:

1. Cut fabric for Charlotte’s Scrap Fantasy Medallion.
2. Complete Clue #1 for Scrap Fantasy.
3. Design a throw quilt to be made with chartreuse fabrics.
4. Begin making blocks for the chartreuse quilt.
5. Donate pillowcases and baby quilts.

So here’s how I started last year.  These really did help keep me on track.

Keep up with my photos.

• I need to clean out my Dropbox every month after my goals post, deleting repetitive photos and filing others in the proper folders.  Did some of this, I can do better.
• I really, really, need to add photos to Flickr every month, so I’m not doing it all at the end of the year.  Besides, it’s more fun to add current photos and interact with friends and groups.  I kept up with this through July, so that’s something.  I can do better.

Organize my studio.

This is a repeated one, but it needs it again.

• I need to better store boxes and packing materials.  Boxes need to go in another room.       I may need some new bins for packing storage.  Yes!  Looks much better.
• I want to declutter some of the knick knacks I have on display.  Yes.
• I should vacuum and put away fabric after each project.  Did well on the fabric, sometimes vacuumed.

Make things other than quilts.

This is another goal from the past.  These won’t be the elaborate things some people make, but just a change, and practice reading patterns.

• I’m making a tree skirt and I made another!
• I want to make some more easy tote bags, because I have more uses and ideas.  Yes, made two different ones.
• I’ll try a new zipper pouch pattern.  No, not a new pattern, but I sewed two pouches with my own improvised designs.

Get back into printmaking.

I keep mentioning this and not doing much with it.  Let this be the year!

• Borrow or buy a book or two about printing on fabric.
• Experiment with some easy media like foam or cardboard that will hurt my hands less than carving blocks.
• Turn the results into hangings, etc.

I bought three used books on various kinds of printmaking and read them, but I didn’t get around to doing any printing.

Turn over my stash

• Use 25 -50 net yards of fabric this year.  It’s getting harder, now that I’m down 500 yards from when I started this.
• Add back in colors and prints that I need.  I haven’t found a subscription service that’s just right, so I’m doing my own.  Last year I added greens, this month it was blues.

I used 45 net yards, so that was good.  I added whites one month, and a 12lb. box from Fat Quarter Shop, and then the rest was for projects.

And, specifically for December:  (No links.  Look back at the last post or two if you want to see these.)

December Goals:

1. Finish the Louisville quilt.  Yes!
2. Make blocks for Kat’s Nov/Dec Covered in Love drive.  Yes, twelve.
3. Pull fabric and begin cutting for Charlotte’s Scrap Fantasy Medallion.  I pulled the fabric but didn’t cut.
4. Finish Handy Dandy???  Yes, finally!

As you can see, the results were mostly positive.  Always room for growth!

And now to make some plans for 2020!

Last report of the year!

Apparently, I didn’t post a report last week?!? Its rare that I don’t post when I have something positive to report. I must have written it in my head…

Anyway, last week I made those dozen blocks for Kat, using 1.5 yards.

This week, I have a big finish! The Handy Dandy mystery quilt is finally quilted and bound! It’s washed now, and I’ll take photos when it stops raining here. I used twelve and a half yards.

And, I made ten pillowcases to donate to Ryan’s Case for Smiles, using ten yards.

This week: + 0 yards, – 24 yards

This year: + 90.5 yards, – 135.25 yards

Net destashed added in 2019: 44.75 yards

I’m very happy with this, since I bought a lot of fabric this year! My goal was to use 25 – 50 net yards, and I came close to 50. It’s not that I don’t still have a lot of Stash, but I don’t have many larger pieces that work for backs and borders, and I don’t always want to piece those.

I have plans to make some donation quilts in these last few days of the year, but I’ll go ahead and count those on my first 2020 report. It will feel like a head start!

I hope you’re enjoying some peaceful sewing in these waning days of the year. Take care!

Not my quilt, these are blocks for Kat’s Covered in Love block drive.

If you have a few minutes, these are easy and a great scrap buster.

Some progress to report! I used a yard and a quarter to make this 24″ tree skirt for our tree in the front hall.

The Softball commission used 14.25 yards. (Anyone need some University of Louisville scraps?)

This week: + 0 yards, – 15.5 yards

This year: + 90.5 yards, – 111.25 yards

Net destashed added in 2019: 20.75 yards

I expect to use some more in the next few weeks, but this number’s not too bad.

I hope you’re enjoying the season and finding a little time to sew your stash!