Sunday, May 30, 2010

The ultimate quilter's validation

Fabric added this week: 0 yards
Fabric added YTD: 131 yards
Fabric used this week: 0 yards
Fabric used YTD: 56 1/2 yards
Net used for 2010: -75 1/2 yards

In my opinion, the image below is the ultimate validation for my quilting efforts. Seeing how well loved and used one of my quilts is makes me extremely happy, in fact, I couldn't be any happier. This quilt was featured on my first blog post and has been living with my little sister since 2008. This is what a little less than two years of constant use has done to it. Well, my sister's new puppy helped some. When she told me what the little rascal did, I offered to repair it for her. After all I still have some of the left over blocks and scraps. I had no idea how worn the quilt was!The block on top right corner I had saved along with the left over fabric, the patch below shows how much faded and worn the quilt is. This quilt is also an example of how not using the right materials can affect the life of a quilt. the entire center is worn and torn at the seams. I'm pretty sure that it was caused by my using a polyester thread instead of 100% cotton. I always thought the "rule" that polyester thread would cut cotton fabric was a wife's tale. I'm proved wrong. The damage is too much to repair, for one I don't have enough scraps to replace all the worn patches, I wouldn't know how to even begin repair them, certainly not by hand appliqueing and lastly; it would be more fun to start a new quilt. My sister agrees. She asked for red, white and black, but not too much white. Here are some of the fabrics I'm auditing for her new quilt. I will be using nine patch & stripe pattern from Quilt in a day. Since my stash is all over the house and I had to systematically search every single room, closet, bed and box for the right fabric, I decided to also pull fabrics for a patriotic quilt. Judy over at patchworktimes is hosting a Memorial Day quilt along. I obviously won't finish the top this week but I thought I can still make it and donate it at a later time.

The coming week promises to be busy and fun. I don't have to babysit until Wednesday so I'll take advantage and get these two projects started. My stash report should show some activity next week, I just don't know which way the scale will lean; I'm going shopping sometimes in the next two days.... For today, I'll keep myself busy entertaining company and working on my knitting and crocheting.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Sunday Stash Report - May 23rd 2010

Fabric Added this week: 0 yards
Fabric Added YTD: 131 yards
Fabric Used this week: 1/2 yard
Fabric Used YTD: 56 1/2 yards
Net used for 2010: -75 1/2 yards

This week was slow, I spend most of my free time navigating and reading blogs instead of getting busy with my sewing machine. It wasn't all wasted time as I found this neat blog blog with a portable DVD player tote tutorial. The tote will be perfect as we do have the dual player for the car, so I made a prototype for my personal DVD player to test the pattern and give myself time to find the fabrics I want to use for the car.
I lined my tote and added a handle at the top flap instead of a strap, it's not perfect but it came out cute and will serve its purpose. Here is a shot of the back pocket, neat idea for the charger.I have also been reading about knitting socks and decided to teach myself how to make them. This is my second attempt, the first one was not bad looking but i made many mistakes and they kept haunting me. The entire sock became a ball of yarn and I started again with this new piece. I'm almost done with it, I just have to watch a gazillion youtube videos on how to do the Kitchener stitch. I just don't get it. Maybe because I knit continental style? I'm hitting a wall with this stitch, but I'll persevere.
When the sock instructions became a little confusing and I needed a break from it, I started this doily. I'm liking it, but... the drawback on this one? The pattern said one ball needed which was perfect since that was exactly what I had on hand. I made sure I used the proper size hook to obtain the gauge and I made a swatch to test my stitches. Arggg!!!! I'm done to the last few yards of crochet thread and still three or four rows to go!...
So, I have a decision to make. try to find more thread at the store? leave it as is and call it done? Is it obvious why I'm forever starting project and never finishing them? It's not my fault, really. This will be another unfinished project and to keep myself busy I'll have to start something else. What a vicious circle, but what fun!.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Birthday and Mother's Day Present

Fabric Added this week: 0 yards
Fabric Added YTD: 131 yards
Fabric used this week: 2 1/2 yards
Fabric used YTD: 56 yards
Net used for 2010: -76 yards

Just a small usage of the stash this week . My first born had a Birthday and she requested an apron. Well, she asked for it several months ago but typical procrastinator that I am I figure her Birthday was a good opportunity to finally get it done.
Of course there were scraps left over, so I used them to make her an iPod cozy as a Mother's Day present, I found the tutorial at sewmamasew While searching for a matching backing fabric for my daughter's apron, I found this other child size apron I had started (last year?) for my friend's daughter. Figured I may as well finish it too. Unfortunately the already made ties and the extra fabric (to make new ties) were nowhere to be found.
I hate it when that happens. I'll have to get creative and maybe use some ribbon? Should I dig in all of the scrap boxes and find the missing pieces? Hummmm, creativity sounds like the best option.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Heart Palpitations & Sunday Stash Report


Fabric added this week: 38 yards
Fabric added YTD: 131 yards
Fabric used this week: 0 yards
Fabric used YTD: 53 1/2 yards
Net used for 2010: -78 1/2 yards
This leaning tower is approximately 38 yards worth of quilt shop quality fabric. Yesterday, while visiting my oldest sister in Hemet, CA and searching for an address, she made a wrong turn into a Goodwill store parking lot. I said "it's meant to be, may as well go in the store now" and we did. I found several zip lock baggies with little white cards giving the yardage and price of the contents; the prices ranged from $2 to $4 a yard, the smallest piece 1/2 yard and the biggest at 4 yards. The store had a 40% off so I figure it was a great deal at $1.20 a yard, I choose the prettiest fabrics and restrained myself to a few bags. I showed my sister my find and she said "That's not the price, those are the prices from the person who donated the items, ask the store manager for their price". The manager said: "$1 a bag with 40% off" WHATTTT????!!!!!!!! My heart stopped, my brain instantaneously remember how many bags there were and my feet took me across to the other end of the store in a nano-second flat. I scored those 38 yards squeezed into 19 bags for $11.40 and no tax!. The adrenaline was pumping, it took an immense amount of self restrain not to start shouting and jumping of joy.
I don't care that I haven't sewn a scrap of fabric in the last week(s), I don't care to spend another 10 minutes searching my computer for the picture of my finished king sized quilt (which I'm incredibly proud of) to show, and I don't even care that I'm in the RED with my stash report, I AM HAPPY! Deep breath now.........................