Confessions and Stashbusting in 2009

Ok, I confess: I AM A LURKER!

I have been a major online lurker for the last year or so, but it's been so much fun that I can't contain myself anymore and decided it's time to come out of lurkdoom and get involved in the online quilting world. The online quilting community is amazing!, so much talent, generosity and inspiration, one can not help but be excited and want to be part of it. Now I will be part of this community instead of just staying on the sidelines and miss the fun. This is my coming out party!.

My inspiration and most influential sites are Judy's http://www.patchworktimes.com/ and Bonnie's http://www.quiltville.blogspot.com/. I am currently working on Bonnie's New Year Mystery: Double Delight, here is a look at my progress

I also plan to participate on Judy's 2009 Stashbusting Pledge http://www.patchworktimes.com/stashbusting-in-2009/. However, I am behind two weeks, but will be starting my stash reports on week 3. These purchases made last Saturday will be included in my tally.

So far, I believe my coming out of lurkedoom is going great!.

My first Quilting marathon

This is the aftermath of my solo quilting marathon! I have not left the house since last Thursday (closed the door after the last thanksgiving guest left and it has not been open since).



I've spent these three days sewing scrap strips on muslin foundation to make string blocks. Most of the scraps came from a very generous classmate, Nancy, from my Saturday morning quilting class in Baldwin Park, CA. Nancy was cleaning up her stash, she brought yardage and a huge plastic bin of strips and odd pieces to share with the class. All the ladies at the class made a dive for the yardage while I stood back and waited for the frenzy to end. Little did they know, I was waiting for the best treasure of them all, SCRAPS!. I love scraps, specially if they come from other's people stashes, mostly because they are already cut and I don't have to agonize over cutting up pretty fabric, they are (most of the time) prints that I would not personally buy (adding variety) and using scraps makes me feel like I am giving a second chance to fabric that would otherwise end up in landfills. I do have more reason why I love scraps, but I can't wait to show the results of my labor this weekend:

My muslin foundation was cut in the most efficient way I could think of. I tore 11" strips from the bolt and in turn, tore each strip into quarters. This gave me a rough 10 1/2 by 11" almost squares, which after sewing were trimmed to 10 1/2". My original intent for the 30 + blocks was to make a top, however, instead I will probably make some tote bags for Christmas gifts . If I use 8 blocks per tote, there may be at least one bag for each of my sisters (I have 6 sisters and 6 brothers by the way). I don't know, the tote bags project means I still have to make a few more blocks, will there be another marathon next weekend?? We'll see.

The pictures below are of the special beings that kept me company this weekend. My husband was content to leave me to my sewing while he spent the days alternating between surfing the internet on his laptop, playing Playstation2, watching movies and playing his guitar.

Swiffer looks bored!

This was a great first quilting marathon.

Finished

I finished something, just not what I had planned on finishing..... This little bag was done with left over pieces from my mystery quilt. The pattern called for flying geese made with the square in the corner method, these are the resulting half square triangles after trimming the corners, which were in turn trimmed to 1 1/2" unfinished. I had quite a few of them and decided to make little stars, but as usual I was side tracked and they became UFO's (I will post some pictures later). These little guys on my bag escaped the star's fate and are happy full-filling their new purpose.

The Sun Bonnet Sue IS quilted, I just need to finish one side of the binding and a label needs to be added. It will be done!...................

It's a girl!

I was very determined to finish the scrappy stars top asap, but the stars had a different plan! I ran out of the red fabric! It now has to wait until I decide where to go from here. Fortunately, While on the search for the needed fabric, I came across four left over Sun Bonnet Sue blocks from a previous project. Upon closer inspection, the reason why they were orphan blocks it's because the block borders were the same fabric and no matter how I arranged them, they were touching each other, what to do now? The yellow fabric to the rescue! Once the light bulb went on, I quickly put my blocks together and this is the result!

I was so excited about completing a project; I put in a border, found a backing piece and pin basted it for machine quilting, even have the binding strips ready to go! The plan is to quilt diagonal lines using the mock hand-quilting stitch on my machine. Soon, very soon... I am determined!

Scrappy stars

I am working on this top and hope to finish it by next weekend. What to do on the borders? We'll see.....