Yesterday I made forty 6″ string blocks, and I am in love with the colors. No, I can’t tell a difference in my string baskets. What is up with that? but I like to sew string blocks, and I always feel I’ve created something from nothing. I’m sashing them with Kona White, and using this nice gray and white Kaufman leaf print for the borders. This will make a throw size, 50″ x 74″.
Are you playing with fabric today?
I’m linking up with Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.
Well, yes, that is new fabric. 22 1/5 yards from eQuilter. I suppose it doesn’t reduce the yardage that most of it was on sale, does it? But it’s great stuff, and some of it is earmarked for a Christmas gift project. I did use 7 1/2 yards to finish the Blue and Orange donation quilt.
This week: +22.5 yards, -7.5 yards
YTD: +73 yards, -138 yards
Net stash used in 2013: 65 yards
How are you doing with your stash reduction? Sometimes you have to buy some to use some…
I’m linking up with Sunday Stash Report on Patchwork Times.
I finished up the blue and orange donation quilt yesterday. I had a lot of fun quilting it with straight lines and feathers in orange thread (Superior Highlights, 40 wt.). The textured blue fabric was weird and stretchy to piece together, but not too bad to quilt with the walking foot. It has great cozy texture now that it’s washed up.
I have to admit that I like the back almost as much as I like the front. These are orphan blocks from a double nine patch that I had made, and some from this quilt, when I discovered that too many nine patches would make it too busy.
So much of the stash fabric I have and need to use is floral, and makes pretty feminine quilts. I try to switch off by making every other donation quilt out of something a little more appealing to anyone, including men. And, apparently, cats. Lots of help. This is headed to Moore, OK.
You could have knocked me over with one of my own feathers yesterday when I answered the phone and it was Judy Laquidera from Patchwork Times! I was sewing the binding to this quilt when she called. She called several of us who had donated quilts for West, TX, to see if we minded if she sent them on to Moore. They have all they need in West, and Judy knew of a truck with people she trusts going to Moore. I told her I was fine with that, so I guess my pink and gray quilt will go there, too.
Doesn’t it seem like there’s been a lot of need this year? I sorted some strings last night to start a new donation quilt for whatever comes next. Don’t even want to think about that.
What have you finished this week?
I’m linking up to Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts.
This week I finished up this baby quilt. The top went together very quickly, of course. I spent much more time arranging the blocks (originally I thought all the blocks would have the color spikes, but that gave me secondary patterns.) than when I finally sewed them. Then all the straight line quilting was tedious and time-consuming, but very worth it. It gives it a great crinkly texture and saves it from being so plain.
The object was to use this very bright print. It looks like a hand dye, and like it’s crinkled, but it’s just a print. A print that went with nothing. I put it with two gray and white dotted fabrics. I don’t have the selvage, but I think they were “Mix and Match Dots”, or something like that.
I used the rest of the bright on the back. Using the Fairy Frost and nearly the last of my Mirrored Dot is probably what started me into the new HST zigzag quilt.
Hope you had a satisfying finish this week.
I’m linking up with Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts, where I love Amanda Jean’s new finish.
Well, it was all buy this week and no use. I was feeling a distinct lack of solids and neutrals, and my DH and I found the perfect day to make a trip to The Fabric Shack. I know that those of you around the world who buy from them because of their low-cost shipping are jealous that I am close enough (forty-five minutes) to visit there. It is a great store to visit. The stuff just goes on and on. However, they have more in their online store than they can fit in the brick and mortar place. Kona solids, for instance, are never completely represented when I go there. Their warehouse is in town, and if they’re not busy (ha!), and you can wait long enough, they might bring over the bolt you need, but sometimes it is just easier to order. Still, we had a very pleasant spring trip, and I found the floral on a good sale.
I’ve been sewing all week (when I wasn’t fabric shopping), but I only succeeded in quilting half of my queen sized Nicey Jane quilt, so nothing to count as used. Maybe next week?
If you like numbers, notice that I’ve used exactly twice as much as I’ve purchased this year. So if I buy another hundred yards… No, I guess not. As you can see, my stash is already out of hand.
This week: +12.75 yards, -0 yards
YTD: +50.5 yards, -101 yards
Net stash used in 2013: 50.5 yards
How are you doing on your destashing?
I’m linking up with Sunday Stash Report at Patchwork Times.
Yes, there’s more fabric! Fourteen yards, to be exact. But it was all on sale, and mostly nice basics that I need. Besides, remember that I had to buy some so that I didn’t make my goal of 100 yards too early. The Pink and Gray quilt used 7.75 yards, all from stash, so it’s really like I only bought 6.25….
This week: +14 yards, -7.75 yards
YTD: +35.75 yards, -90.5 yards
Net stash used in 2013: -54.75 yards
How are you doing on destashing?
Yes, Darla, I’ve sort of been marching along this week. There were a couple of days when I got no sewing done, but I wrote a blog post, sent Frances some fabric, photographed quilts, etc. I must have logged some hours, because I did make the pink and gray quilt, so you can tell I’ve been trying. Keep it up, everyone!
I’m linking up to Sunday Stash on Patchwork Times and March-a-Long at The Scientific Quilter.
Fabric was ordered this week, but has not yet arrived, so my numbers look good. The Sultry quilt took 7.25 yards, and was my only finish this week.
This week: +0, yards -7.25 yards
YTD: +21.75 yards, -82.75 yards
Net stash used in 2013: -61 yards
How are you doing with destashing?
March-A-Long
I sewed every day this past week, except for Friday, but I did make a quilt-related blog post that day. I would guess that I averaged two hours per day sewing time. Thank you, Darla, for marching us along! Know you’ve been hard-pressed for sewing time this week, hope you find some time soon.
Linking up with Sunday Stash Report on Patchwork Times, and March-A-Long at The Scientific Quilter.
Just a little bit of fabric came in this week, but even less went out. These things happen.
I was proud of myself for taking my ConKerr Cancer pillowcases to the nearest drop off on February 28, helping to complete my goals for February “Getting It Done” at Patchwork Times. (I also met that day with the very nice and appreciative lady who collects Project Linus blankets, and handed off eight baby quilts, so I did complete all my goals.) Nothing like waiting till the last day of the month, but I DID it, and that’s what counts. However, The Mason Jar, that took the pillowcases, IS a quilt shop, so what could I do? I think it would have been very rude to leave without buying anything…especially when they gave me 10% off for dropping off ten pillowcases… So I wasn’t rude, but I didn’t buy very much, either. I bought two golden brown batiks to fill out my dwindling browns, and the end of a bolt of fabric with large dots. When I asked the women at the cutting table what color they thought it was, the answer was, “Kind of a grayish, blackish, brownish color. Taupe?” So I have some taupe dots for a backing. Hmmm.
This week: +5.75 yards, -3.25 yards (pink quiet quilt)
YTD: +21.75 yards, -63.5 yards
Net Stash used in 2013: -41.75 yards
Linking up to Sunday Stash Report on Patchwork Times.
Low volume, schmo volume! I’m excited to be diving into rich colors again! I’m putting together another quick donation quilt for the east coast. Luanna posted this update yesterday on quilt distribution to Sandy victims, and I realized how many people are still without heat or their own homes. I already sent one, but sitting here warm and dry with all this stash makes me feel that sending one more wouldn’t hurt.
Knowing your stash really helps. I could visualize most of the fabrics I wanted to use for this. I have so much floral, not really sure why, so lots of things turn out very feminine. I wanted to make this deeper, suitable for anyone, though I didn’t completely avoid florals. I really did dive in to choose, cut, and stitch these blocks without over thinking them, and I’ve really enjoyed working with these great prints and colors. I know the blocks merge a bit and are rather dark. I think the quilting I want to do in turquoise thread and the light brown border will lighten it up a bit. Yes, it’s exactly like my Quilt of Valor and Quilt for Husband, but with these colors it will really look different, and that large orange and aqua floral couldn’t be cut up any smaller, could it? Nope.
Are you playing with your fabric?
I’m linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.
Making a little bit of mess here and using a little bit of stash. The Quiet Blue baby quilt took 3.25 yards, all from stash, and that is all I have to report. I’m coming right along on the pink one, but I’m quilting it more intensely, so you’ll see it next week.
This week: +0 yards, -3.25 yards
YTD: +16 yards, -60.25 yards
Net stash used in 2013: -43.25 yards
See more Stash Reports at Patchwork Times.
Evening in the Garden Quilts 