Stash Busting Report Week 49...

In about two hours - if you don't mess around much with the quilting - you can have one of these...

On Friday I made another Wallet & Grommet Bag from Maple Island Quilts.  This time I used some of the new Moda Primrose Inn... sorry that the picture isn't better - I didn't have my camera and used my phone.  With the first two bags that I made I didn't have any fusible fleece (batting) that they called for for the handle - so I just used the same cotton batting I had used in the bag.  With this bag I used the fusible fleece in both the bag and the handle and I LOVE IT!  It gives the bag a bit more umph than my others have.  Now I will admit that I probably could have gotten a bit more umph if I had more machine quilting in it - but I didn't want to distract from the fabric so I did a minimal amount of quilting. 

Here are the three I've made - I'm actually using the one on the right - the other two are hanging in the shop as samples.

I liked making the last one so much that on Saturday when I went down to the shop to say hi to all the Thimbleberries Ladies - I made another one with other fabrics.  These bags are addictive... and they are fun... and they are fast... and you could probably go crazy with embellishments too if you wanted.  On the one pictured above I use the handle fabric and put a tiny accent fold between the 2 fabrics in the bag.  Then I stitched it up in some places and down in others when I added the machine quilting.

I may have to go shopping for some fringe or ribbon or lace or or or... never-mind - not this week.

All this to say... I'm reporting 4 yards in and out for the two bags I made this week.

Stash Report... what week is this?

I know Judy L has her report listed as 49... but I'm thinking it's only 48 yet... but anyway... I guess it really doesn't matter does it as we are getting down to the wire here.

This week I can actually cross some yardage off the list - YEAH!

See these - 6 yards total out of the bins into 6 new pillowcases.  2 are for me - 2 are for my daughter in MA and 2 are for when my grandkids get here from Hawaii in just TWO Weeks!  Yahooo!  I know I have some other fabrics (christmas) I had gotten for pillowcases somewhere around here... hmmm??  would be nice to find them while I've got the serger out.  Or was that fabric I just thought about buying but didn't???  Oh geez now that's gonna drive me crazy wondering about whether I got them or not.

One of these early early mornings I should update my spread sheet... I should...

I finished up the Atkinson Designs Fire Escape pattern - if you are looking for something to make up in a hurry... this is it!  Nice for batiks - would be especially cute for novelty prints for a kids quilt.  Any fabric you don't want to cut into small pieces so that you can still see the design - this would be great!

So nothing in this week and 6 yards out!

Weeks 46 - 47 Stash Report...

I missed last week due to an out of town trip... but last weeks report would have been 'nadda' so y'all didn't miss anything by my not posting.

This week for Judy L Stash Report I do have a little bit of yardage to account for.  I've got 6 yards of batiks in and out for the new Atkinson Designs pattern Fire Escape.  If I make some progress on it - it will show up in the Design Wall Monday post .  It will be at least for a shop sample and possibly a class down the road.  I've sold several of the patterns just showing what I picked out to customers at the shop.  Should work up quick as it's some 4 patches, matching squares and long rectangles.  I love these kinda quilts.  Would also make a cute kids quilt using novelty prints!

Speaking of shop samples... this is an old Thimbleberries pattern called Tree Farm that I finished the binding on this week.  A nice way to use a large hunk of fabric without just putting it in as a slab o'border.  Sorry but the picture isn't the best.

 

Here is a better one - these are from a Moda line... ummm - but I can't remember the name... oh well...

And I finished the Garden Stars last week too... at least to the flimsy stage... not sure if I'll make it a bit bigger.  I want it to be a summer weight quilt and could use it on this bed if it was a tad bigger.  Maybe if I find a tone on tone green leafy sorta nondescript something... right now it's about 68" square.

I need to get myself busy... I've got some cleaning and laundry I've been ignoring.  I'd like to spend a few hours up in my studio and the final NASCAR race is on today. 

Stash Report... Week 45

Waaa Hoooo!   I can finally report some usage... 4 yards out of my stash for the Christmas Tree Napkins!  I have 16 napkins - 8 from each pair of fabrics.  Here's the forest...

The bottom right 2 have just 3 folds and are therefore chubby and short - the others all have 4 folds and are taller and not as wide.  If you had a fabric with a bigger design element on it - the 3 folds would show off the fabric more...  always nice to have options.

I didn't do anything else quilty this week at home... I've been too tired to be motivated.  This getting up at 4:30 AM has kicked my butt.  I need 7.5 hours of sleep... so it looks like I'm going to have to head to bed for 9 PM for that to work.  Aaauuuuggghhh!  But I'm gonna get my big girl panties on and get over it... hopefully... soon...

So 4 yards out... all from stash!  Nothing in.

Maybe one of these early mornings after The Engineer heads off for the day I'll pull up the spreadsheet and get it caught up.  Maybe...

Stash Report - of the Fabric Variety...

I accumulated nothing this week... I may or may not be able to resist Christmas fabric next week though.  Just being honest here...

A few customers have been in to the quilt shop the past couple weeks buying fabric for Christmas Tree napkins.  They are pretty much a 1/2 circle of 2 fabrics sewn together and turned - when you fold it - it looks like a Christmas Tree. 

Here is a PDF pattern I found via Google... 4 napkins out of 2 half yard cuts of contrasting fabric.

Or here is a You Tube video - looks like she's using a 2 sided full circle... but I'm still liking the idea of using a half circle - which would be half the fabric of these.

I have a yard or so of a couple things I like in my stash - but not sure that I like them together... so we shall see.

After the post about My Other Stash I've decided to try and spend a little time each week identifying what's in the boxes and getting the boxes organized by type and marked better.  Hopefully I can locate some of the other machine heads I'd like to get out for use or display.

I did finish something this week... the PortaPocket Purse Insert is done.  It's a pattern by Studio Kat Designs.  I had made the larger one last spring but I don't carry a purse that big - this smaller one will be something I can use.  Sorry the picture is dark - the web site above has better pictures.  It was easier to make the second time around... see you can teach an old dog new tricks!

The idea is that you put all your stuff in this and then you can move this from purse to purse.  Which would resolve the problem I have of leaving all kinds of stuff in purses I stop using... does anyone else do that or am I just strange that way?

So nothing in and nothing out... still no spreadsheet...

Stash Report Week # 43... A Public Service Message

Judy L has certainly set the bar high for fabric accumulation this week!  Remember Envy is a bad thing... LOL

I did add 3 yards of homespuns to my stash this week.  But I'm not happy about it.  I hate it when shops have a minimum of 1/2 yard on regular priced fabric.  I don't mind if it's sale fabric because I realize they are trying to get that stuff out the door - but if it's regular priced goods you should be able to buy a 1/3 of a yard without paying an additional .25 per cut.

I went ahead and got 1/2 yard cuts... but I won't shop there as often as I might otherwise.

As a Public Service (to help y'all use up some of your stash) I've added a list of Links to Manufacturers Free Patterns over in my side bar.  I rechecked them all today to be sure they all still go someplace.  I'm sure you have nothing else to do today...

Speaking of doing nothing... I best get busy as I have a Porta Pocket Insert to make today to prepare for an upcoming class.  I'll try and post again later with pictures of my progress and links to the Pattern Mfg.

So 3 yards in - 2 yards out to a project... still no spreadsheet.

Week 42 Stashbusting Report

This week in Judy L's Stashbusting Report she notes that there are just 10 weeks left... 10... only 10 weeks to this year.  Did someone spill coffee on a 'Master Calendar' somewhere?  We seem to be zipping along.

This week I am reporting yardage for a double duty project.  I'll use it as a sample for the quilt shop and as my selection for a 'Pick a Number' group challenge with quilty friends.  You could join the challenge too - as always the More the Merrier!  Check for a later post titled Pick a Number Please!

Stashbusting Report - I picked up a yard of green and a total of 4 yards worth of FQ's in reds, blues and greens for the project so they'll show as an in and out this week.  I also pulled from my stash another variety of FQ's and misc. pieces - that's 3 yards. 

I know I've got more fabric pulled than I need - problem with applique projects is that you use a little bit of a lot of things to have the variety... but I may also make this project bigger too so it won't be wasted.  After looking through no less than 6 small scrap bins I've decided that I need to start cutting up my leftovers rather than just setting them aside. 

Interesting thing I noted as I rummaged through my FQ and Scrap bins... I have no purples outside of a few in the vintage fabric category and those are few and far between.  I'm just not a purple kinda gal - so when I am accumulating fabric for no other reason than to accumulate - purple just isn't on my radar.  In my life I can only remember buying one purple shirt... it was one of those billowy smock type maternity tops we so fashionably wore in the 70's.  I hated it when I bought it - but it was better than the bright pink ones on the rack.

Oh and speaking of color... check out this cheddar colored cauliflower I bought this week.  I was after the white... But the Amish farmer had 2 heads for $3.00 - or I could get 3 heads for $4.00 so I grabbed the cheddar colored one too.  Guess what other color he had that I passed on?  Purple... LOL

Purple would have looked funny in this soup don't ya think?  I hadn't added the cream yet in this picture. Boy was it yummy!  I took a quart to my in-laws and put a 2 qt and 1qt container in the freezer.  I may freeze up some individual servings today after lunch... if there is any left.

So my report...

• In this week:  5 Yards
• Out this week: 8 Yards

Still no spreadsheet... but that's not new - I'm pretty consistent about that.

Week 41... Usage and Re-Usage

Is Re-Usage even a word???

I did some reconstruction and recovered my older ironing surface with 2 yards of fresh muslin and then took it into the quilt shop to use in the classroom.  So that's my 2 yards used this week from stash!

Originally I had covered it with the Teflon Ironing board material, a layer of cotton batting, and then a muslin cover.  My mistake was stapling all of these layers in place.  It didn't take too long for the original muslin to start looking icky - but removing all those staples would be a pain.  So I borrowed an idea from my friend Neen up in Maine and used quilting pins to attach a new layer of muslin (right over the old) that could be removed when necessary and washed. 

I figured this week I'd just get that old icky original almost cardboard muslin off and replace it with a canvas type material (drill) that I stapled over the teflon and cotton batting and then pinned a new muslin layer in place.

I also had to cover the board that will go on the new stand The Engineer made...  here it is still naked on the new stand.

Isn't the stand pretty!  The Engineer re-used some old wood to construct it - I like it that I've got some history built into my stand as the wood is from both this house (new garage doors put in and we removed wooden supports and hung the new doors from the ceiling) and our old house in MA (wood from old stairs that were rebuilt).  To cover some holes in the wood he made some decorative inlays - I appreciate the time he took to make the heart and spinning star shapes.  It's a nice sturdy stand - has locking wheels - a full shelf below and pegboards on each end.

I covered this board also with the teflon material, a layer of cotton batting and the canvas - each stapled in place.  Then I washed and pinned my old muslin top from the other board onto this board - this is my Re-Usage!

I want to put a decorative cover on - maybe a pretty toile?  I'd like to try and put ties or elastic cord along the edges so I don't have to pin it in place but that's going to take some figuring out so I'll just be happy with the old cover for now.

I'm all kinds of ready to iron!  Well - first I have to finish shoving things around and decide the best place for this to sit... light is my biggest problem up there.

Nothing else used... 2 yards is it... still no spreadsheet...

Stashbusting Week 40...

I'm killing a couple fabric birds this week.

For the winter teaching cycle I've picked out an applique project out of Kim Diehl's new book "Simple Comforts".  We are expecting a new Moda Civil War line later in November that I can use in this project but in order to get started now and make sure things are really scrappy I pulled from the Civil War reproductions I have been collecting over the years.  This quilt is called Peas in a Pod... easy little curves to applique that I've been able to prep in advance and then work on while The Engineer and I watch some TV in the evenings.

I've pulled about 2 yards of reproductions from my stash... which only goes to offset the 2 yards of background fabric I had to buy... LOL  Here is my start - I wanted to complete a few of each blocks with what I had on hand. The rest of the applique I'll just put one or two curves on each block so that I can add some from the new fabric when it comes in.

And since I'm loving most of what's in the Simple Comforts book... I decided to use this book for my "Pick a Number Challenge". 

I'll tell you later in the week about the challenge (you could join the challenge if you like) - but for today I'll tell you that I've pulled 6 yards of fabrics out of my stash for that project.

Still no update on the spreadsheet...

This week :

• 2 yards Purchased
• 8 yards Used

Stash Busting (Ha!) Weeks 36-38

I think I have to actually sew to have some busting going on... and that doesn't seem to be happening here during canning season.  What few postings I've had during the past month revolve around canning... and what sewing I do seems to be limited to working on samples while working at the quilt shop.

I did go out to Sauders Fabrics & Dry Goods last week during their Warehouse Sale to find backing fabric for my sister in TX.  I picked up 2 bolts - both were 15 yards - one a print at 1.95 a yard and the other a tone on tone at 2.95... my sister selected the print so I'll be adding the 15 yards of tone on tone to my count this week. 

I had to return to Sauders to pick up some oatmeal and some Clearjel to make my pie filling for canning... and another bolt of fabric came home as well.  (I knew it was a bad idea to wander around amongst the fabric)  It was something I thought would make nice curtains for one of the bedrooms - another 15 yards.

So that's 30 yards in for me... and nothing out...

I'll finish up some canning today and then make my plans to do some sewing this week... maybe next week I can report something going out!

Week 35 Stash Report - nothing for ME

I'm sure glad I don't have to report the fabric I helped to buy this week... LOL

I was working in the shop Thursday when the Moda Sales Rep came in for his appointment with the owner... I now understand why I never met any of the sales reps at the last shop I worked at.

I had already seen the brochure and voiced my interest... "you really could order this whole line... and Ohhh this is really pretty too..."  All easy to say if you aren't paying the bill.  And of course it's Moda... so it's hard to just pick and choose because it's all nice don't ya think.

Between me and the owners daughter (who was also there) well if it was up to us - we could be hard on the pocket book I'm sure.  The owner settled on several lines and assorted bolts from others... lots of pretty stuff coming in.

I've settled on the classes I'm teaching for the fall... more about those later.

So nothing in and nothing out... for me!

10,000 faces - Week 33 Stash Report...

I know I'll never come close to using the amount of fabric Judy L does... but it's good to be back to doing some sewing.

I'm working on an applique Santa wall hanging as a sample for the shop and a possible fusible applique class this fall.

I picked out all the fabrics Friday at work with plans to work on it Saturday at home.  I drew off all my pattern pieces on the fusible and as I did I realized that I didn't have fabric for the Santa face.  I had a white print for the suit trim... and I had a white for the beard... but I didn't have any face color.  I didn't need to run back to the shop - I knew we didn't have the right fabric there... I certainly didn't have it in all those silly bins full of fabric at my house... so I ran up the road to Sauders.  I know they have a big selection of solids.

I looked and looked and looked through the bolts of solids.  Some were too pink... some were too tan... others were too peach.  I then noticed a pile of solids on the remnants table ($2.20 something a yard for what ever is there - no cuts).  Wouldn't you know it... I found the perfect color - not too light - not too dark - not too pink or too peach. 

Perfect! 

Except that it's a 3 1/8 yards piece.... three and one eights yards!  

I need a 3" square... but now I can make 10,000 Santa faces!! 

OK... ok... yes I'm overstating it a bit... I can make at least 481 Santa faces!  LOL  We were going to make up some kits at the shop so I'm whacking off the 1/8 yard (4.5") and using that for my Santa face and taking the rest in for the kits... and we will still have leftovers!

I'm not counting the other fabric in and out for the wall hanging because I didn't get any extra - so it's a complete wash.  I will however count the FACE fabric...

So I've added 3 1/8 yards...

and I used 1/8 yard...

No I haven't updated my spreadsheet...

But I hope to have a picture of Santa later...

Week 29 thru 32...

Yep... it's been that long.  Hey this girl has been busy!

Well I'm up and down 4 yards for that class project I mentioned in the week 28 report.  I had worked on the blocks several weeks back but I haven't had a chance to report yet.  Nor have I been working on that project for awhile... what with all the visitors and traveling I've been up to over the past several weeks.  I was good - no quilt shops visited while I was gone - although there were many options

Since getting back home I think I've caught up with the garden... some of the stuff I just pulled out because the powdery mildew was winning.  I've about got the smell from the freezer under control... see my previous post for the details... Home Sweet Home.  Yeah it's always great to come home!  LOL

I need to get my Stashbusting spreadsheet updated sometime soon.  I also plan to get back to posting on a more regular basis... oh and sewing, painting, picking blackberries & making jelly and syrup, oh and applesauce...

I think I need to get me some more hours in my day...

Week 28...

Finally something to report...

2.75 yards in... and out...

I purchased Moda's Kansas Winter Jelly Roll to use for a fall class quilt - the pattern will be out of the Jelly Roll Quilts book - more on that another time.

I was able to sew a bit on Friday at work but that was it for the week as I was busy cutting FQ's of new stuff that arrived.  If I have the time after I clean up my sewing room I'd like to get all these strips cut down... it will make hauling them around so much easier.

I've got quilty friends coming in next weekend... so I've been busy getting the house ready... picking up clutter and the such - seems we will be using all available space so there's no place to 'hide' anything... LOL

This will probably be my last report for a little while with quilty friends one weekend, SIL the next and then a family reunion right around the corner from there... I'm gonna be busy.  Not sure when I'll get around to painting... or sewing... LOL

Week 27 Stash Report...

I am so copying Judy L this week...

Nothing in and nothing out!

I am back to work at the Quilt Shop - I made it in all three days this week!  I've been working on a shop sample and it's almost done.  I'll have pictures later this week.

In a couple weeks I'll have Quilty Friends arrive for a weekend visit!  I think the list of visitors covers Maine, New Hampshire, NY, NJ, PA and possibly KY?  Hopefully some day-trippers as well.  Which means I need to clean up and finish arranging my sewing room... the last of those boxes have to find a home in the attic storage room, and all that fabric laying on the day bed up there needs to be put away - or spread out so the ladies can sleep on it.

Shopping yesterday at the Kutztown Folk Festival I saw these Personalized Covered Cake Pans...  how cool are they?  I'm thinking they would make great gifts... my girls (are ya reading this too?) might be getting one for Christmas this year!  If they are lucky they get to pick out the design and lettering... LOL

Gotta run and cut the grass - I got a reprieve last week but need to help out this weekend... so a pain pill and the couch are in my future as well.  Guess I'll need to find a movie to sleep in front of watch this afternoon.

Oh and last but not least here is a picture of a quilt I saw yesterday... I like the layout... I'll have to play around with that in EQ later.

Wk#26 - Stash Report... finally

The only yardage I spent any quality time with this past week was 33 yards of 1 inch Chicken Wire.  I'll take fabric any day of the week - putting up even a short fence is hard work... especially if you are already hurting.

Good news is that I haven't been fabric shopping... so no fabric added.  YaaaHooo!

I did a little bit of sewing this weekend - not much as I quit when I started to hurt - but a little bit is is better than none.  I'm working on the "Stars in My Garden" strip quilt.  A quilt I really am looking forward to getting made - more about that another time.

I also started getting the details of my "Take a Number Please" Challenge.  Something I've been pondering for over a year and mentioned last Feb. in the Week 8 Report.

Details will follow for any who are interested... it would be a good way to use up some stash and have fun along the way!  Over the next week or so I'll reminisce about some past Challenges I've participated in...

Until then... zip in and zip out...

Stash Report #25

Seems like the only thing I could do this week was buy fabric...

I can't work in the garden until my ribs stop hurting... I certainly can't move on to painting inside... I wasn't able to work at the quilt shop last week either... so I took my sister over to a fabric sale at Sauders and there I found a pretty floral for $1.95 a yard.  It will be a nice backing for a floral strip quilt I started this winter.

What I think I'll do is venture upstairs to my sewing room and work on that quilt this week... it's all cut out so all I have to do is sit and sew. 

There are also the directions for a 4 Patch Stacked Posie quilt my sister in TX wants to make.  She will be setting the posies in the center of a variable star.  I've drawn it up in EQ6 - but now need to write up the directions.  I don't mind flying by the seat of my pants when it comes to quilting but she'd rather have a pattern to follow.  It will sure be pretty when she gets it done.

I should be able to go back to work this week - I need to machine quilt a small Christmas Panel that I added a braided border to using a printed foundation... sorry for the bad picture - all I had was my cell phone - I'll take the digital camera in this week.

So 12 yards in... nothing out!

Check in later this week and I'll tell you about the 'yard of bunnies' I have!  LOL

Stash Report #24 - 7/8ths and 20

The 7/8ths was a pretty little piece from the sale table this week... it is a nice bright print destined for the strips bin.

The 20 yards are PVC pipe (glad I don't have to report them).  They are for a watering system for the grow boxes that The Engineer and I built this weekend - pictures later this week...  if it ever stops raining around here so I can use them.

I think I will head off to see the Dr. tomorrow about my back ribs... I'm not healing as fast as I'd like - maybe a trip or two to Physical Therapy for some ultrasound treatments will help get things on the mend quicker.

Sitting and sewing would certainly be easier on my poor body... just need to finish getting these flowers planted... oh and a couple 'yards' of mulch flung around this week as well. 

Good thing a bag of quick concrete mix is too heavy for me to haul around... I might just be tempted to scatter that around the yard and water it in!

Stash Report #23... A New Category...

In my last report I confessed that there were a couple fabrics on the sale table at the shop that had been calling to me... I didn't buy them at the time but honestly figured I'd get a couple yards of each when I went back to work this week. 

But someone came in early in the day Wednesday and bought a sizeable amount of both of them... nearly finished both bolts.

One had a bit more than a yard and the other was a bit less - so I pulled them off the bolt - marked the yardage and set them on the counter... figuring I'd buy them later.

Well.... it was a busy day at the shop... and since they looked like remnants someone came in, picked them up and bought them... both!

So I'm going to start a new category:

The fabric I DIDN'T Buy this week: 4 yards...

What I did come home with was 2 yards of a (sale) red/green/tan plaid that will be a nice plaid to have and a great one to use for bindings in the colors I like to use.

Only sewing I've done is at work for shop samples... and because we've been busy - even that has been slow!

I hope to share some pictures of the 4 Patch Stacked Posies that my students have been making this spring... maybe later this week I'll have a chance to go through my pictures and get them posted. 

Stash Report Weeks 21 & 22

I wish I could report the 204 yards I've used over the past two weeks...

But 200 of it was landscape fabric and 4 yards were cubic yards of sand, sawdust and peat moss... not linear yards.

All I can say is I'm glad we don't measure fabric in cubic yards... but if I had to guess - I think my stash occupies about 3 cubic yards all total...

The quilt shop was closed last week - which was good timing for me as I was able to complete the gardening out back.  I did manage to not buy several yards of fabric that landed on the sale table the week before... but if they are still there I might not be able to help myself this week - just being honest ladies!

So - nothing in and nothing out - if I can only count fabric linear yardage over the past couple weeks... I do so look forward to getting back to sewing... it's not necessarily a heavy lifting, bending over, squatting, working in the sun hobby that gardening is... I have quite the farmers tan going!