Evening in the Garden Quilts

Adventures in Fabric Art

Tag Archives: Patchwork Times


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Design Wall Monday

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These heavy twelve-inch cabins don’t want to stay on my wall, and I can barely reach to pin them, even with my stool.  Still, I love the Streak of Lightning set.  I varied the size of the red centers to use up some scraps I had, and I think it adds some interest.  The logs are all in blues and grays, and each has one red or rust log.

Today, back from traveling, I made some final adjustments to the layout and then numbered the blocks with a Crayola washable marker.  Then I climbed up and took them all down and put them away for another time, because it’s not on my July list.  It’s just a scrappy donation top I was working on when I wanted some mindless piecing. I’ll only be home about a week between trips, and I want to try to piece the top for my SIL’s quilt before we head west.

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Last week, when we were east, I bought fabric very reasonably at Zook Fabrics in Intercourse, PA.  They have a really large selection, but I stuck with pieces I needed for backs or sashing.  I think they’re beautiful, even if they are a bit muddy.

Are you playing with fabric today?  Hope so!

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


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Sunday Stash Report: 7/14/13

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Greetings from Amish country!  There’s been no sewing at all this week as I’ve been traveling along the Jersey shore and attending a family reunion that we held in Lancaster, PA.  Of course, Lancaster also means fabric shopping. I didn’t go around much, because we all know that I don’t need more fabric, but the prices are very good, especially here at Zook’s.

This week:  +14.25 yards,  -0 yards
YTD:  +111.75 yards,  -171 yards

Net stash used in 2013:  -59.25 yards

Better luck to you on destashing!

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I’ll leave you with a photo of a glass iron, made during WWII when metal was in short supply.  I don’t know how well it worked, but it sure is beautiful! I saw it at the Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center at Mill ville, NJ.

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


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Sunday Stash Report. 7/7/13

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No new fabric this week, and I used 7.5 yards for the Beach Quilt.

This week:  +0 yards,  -7.5 yards
YTD:  +97.5 yards,  -171 yards
Net stash used in 2013:  -73.5 yards

Good thing I’m doing well, because I won’t be doing any sewing this week.  I’ll just try not to do too much damage in fabric stores.

Good luck on your destashing!

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


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Getting It Done in June and July

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Summer is certainly here, and I am a warm weather fan.  Unfortunately for quilt production, it also means gardening, lack of routine, family activities, vacations, and a sultry studio.  For these reasons I’ve really seen my finishes slack off.  I’m content with that, but it’s why my July goals are very modest.  “Machine service” isn’t even a sewing goal, but I included it so that it will Get Done.  Last year I forgot to take it in before we left on vacation, and then I didn’t want to be without it when I returned ( my LQS is pretty slow.). It deserves a good cleaning.

June Goals

1.  Make donation quilt (Tulips).

2.  Nautical baby quilt.

3.  Make pair of pillowcases (Nicey Jane).

4.  Piece top for SIL Christmas gift quilt.  ( I got this designed and ordered fabric for it.)

July Goals

1.  Piece top for SIL Christmas gift quilt.

2.  Piece top for summer/beachy quilt

3.  Take sewing machine in for service

4.  Quilt beach quilt.

I didn’t do too badly on my June goals. Also, I completed the commissioned quilt and pillow cover that I hadn’t anticipated. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.

I hope you enjoy summer, whether you make all your goals or not.

I’m linking up to Getting It Done at Patchwork Times.


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Sunday Stash Report: 6/30/13

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Good morning!  Yes, some fabric was purchased, five yards from Scizzors on Etsy.  They have a great selection of novelty prints.  This is earmarked for a Christmas project, so it will come back off the rolls, hopefully in the next few months.

I used three yards to back the commissioned quilt and pillow cover.

This week: +5 yards, -3 yards
YTD:  +97.5 yards,  -163.5
Net stash use in 2013:  -66 yards

How are you doing with destashing? It’s freeing, isn’t it?

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


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Design Wall Monday: A Nautical Feel

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Here is the baby quilt top I worked on over the weekend.  I had previously made a nautical baby quilt and really enjoyed it.  I purposely did not look back at pictures of the last one.  I took the tiny bit of leftover stripe fabric I had, put it with some red and blue canvas print, yellow, clouds, and really old (1996!) water print.  I just started cutting 4 1/2″ squares and 4 7/8″ squares to make into HSTs, and used the tiny scraps to make some four patches.  I like all the strong diagonal lines.  This measures 36″ x 44″ and uses 99 blocks.

 

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And here is the one I made last year.  Turns out I used 180 3 1/2″ blocks for it.  Also, I included lots of white, so it has a lighter look.  I like them both.

Have you been playing with fabric?

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


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Sunday Stash Report: 6/16/13

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Happy Father’s Day!  I did skip last week’s report, because I hadn’t added any fabric or used any (I don’t count till I have a finish.)  Also, I am dismally behind on all of your blogs and podcasts, so that would be why you aren’t receiving any comments or encouragement from me.  I’m with you all in spirit!

This was a good week, because the Tulip Quilt used 10.5 yards, and I used 2 more for a pair of pillowcases.  All that tulip fabric is very nearly gone, but there are strings… Hmm.  Log cabin?  Sometimes it seems as though we never use it all up.

This week:  +0 yards,  -12.5 yards

YTD:  =83.5 yards,  -157 yards

Net stash used in 2013:  -72.5 yards

 

How are you coming with your stash reduction?

 

I have a new project coming up as I will soon receive a package of baby clothes to use in a commission quilt and pillow cover.  Do any of you have any experience doing a quilt like this?  Know any links to nice memory projects like this?  The client and I have communicated about the design, but I’d like to see lots of ideas.

 

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

 


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Getting it Done in May and June

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Well, where did May go?  It’s always a busy month, with end of school stuff (not so much for me anymore, but my son did have to be moved home from college), birthdays, and holidays.  Still, I was thinking about reporting for the month about the 27th, and then…poof!  It was June.

 

May Goals

1. Finish Project Hope Online Quilt Show art quilt.

2. Make pair of pillow cases to coordinate w new queen quilt.

3. Make primary baby quilt

4. Scrap donation quilt. (orange and blue)

June Goals

1.  Make donation quilt (Tulips).

2.  Nautical baby quilt.

3.  Make pair of pillowcases (Nicey Jane).

4.  Piece top for SIL Christmas gift quilt.

 

Yes, I made all my May goals.  Considering that I’m retired, these were not lofty goals.  I prefer to make them very attainable, and feel the satisfaction of getting them done.  Without them I am sure I would wander around and do far less.  Plus, it gives me a place to write down new projects as they occur to me.  I know, some people track everything on spreadsheets, but that isn’t me.  My Goals page, my Flickr destashing group, Stash Reports, and my little calendar with the cat on the front are where I track my progress.  It’s working.

 

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In addition to the goals I wrote down, I also made the aqua and gray zig zag baby quilt, and a flag for To Boston With Love.  Have you seen the flags hanging?  Look at this video of 1500 of them hanging in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

 

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The most satisfying May goal was the Project Hope Online Quilt Show.  Go there and see more of these beautiful, thoughtful pieces.  Lots of good vibrations sent out to combat the hatred in the world.  Be inspired and add yours to this great project.

 

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

 


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Design Wall Monday: D4P

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Today’s fabrics aren’t even on the design wall yet.  I spent time today repairing the damage to my fabric closet after The Great Stash Cave In.  The problem was the extremely close quarters inside the closet.  There is not enough space to pull the baskets straight out to remove them from the frames.  And I have some backings hanging in there.  And packing boxes.  And I was in there.  So that was an ordeal.

 

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But while I was at it I pulled several older, floral fabrics that I do not wish to see anymore.  They are lovely, and perfectly good quality.  I once was obsessed with tulip fabric.  I collected quite a bit, and made one of my nieces a twin sized quilt using a lot of it.  But I still have a lot left.  And I’m just not as into it.  So I want this to become my next donation quilt.  Perhaps someone else can indulge a tulip obsession.  Or at least keep warm.

My concept at the moment is to do a Disappearing Four Patch that transitions gradually from one fabric to the next as it goes across the quilt.  I’m still working out how to do that, but I think I’ve settled on the fabrics.  The florals and the pink are definite.  I’m reluctant to include my wonderful green Grunge because I like it so much, but that’s silly, isn’t it?  I bought it to cut up and sew into quilts.  I just want to use it and keep it, too, like cake.  But it wants to be in this quilt, so I will probably use it.  I think.

 

Are you playing with fabric today?

 

I’m linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Time.

 


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Sunday Stash Report: A little out, a little in. 6/2/13

 
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It’s been a busy, hot week, and I didn’t sew as much as I would have liked.  I need to make sure I get up early and not linger over the coffee and tablet.  Our woods are deceptively cool, but by noon my upstairs studio is usually too hot for sewing in this weather.  We’ve also been away a fair amount.   This week I used 6 1/2 yards for the Orange and Gray String Quilt.  I’ll blog about it soon.

 
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Some fabric was purchased.  10 1/2 yards.  but isn’t it pretty?  Those are little gray flying geese on the white one!  I passed by The Fabric Shack twice in the last two weeks, but I couldn’t look the other way the third time.  The geese were on sale…  Aaa, I have the rest of the year to make it to -100 yards!

 

This week:  +10.5 yards,  -6.5 yards

YTD:  +83.5 yards,  -144.4 yards

Net stash used in 2013:  -61 yards

 

How are you doing with your destashing?

 

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