She is home!

Fabric added this week:  0 yards
Fabric added YTD:  2 yards
Fabric used this week:  1/2 yard
Fabric used YTD:  14 yards
Net used for 2011:  12 yards

I brought my new machine home!

She is my reward for not buying so much fabric in the last couple of years as well as a late Christmas present for myself, I think I saved enough money on fabric to pay for her and a couple of accessories.

  My old girl also earned a reward of her own, she FMQ'd a nice meandering on my January UFO challenge with minimal problems or thread breakage.  She is at the shop getting a nice overall maintenance service.  I timed the comings and goings so I'm not without a sewing machine, I'm happy.

On the quilting front, I finished quilting my Bears in the Farm UFO. 

Once again, I chickened out and just quilted meandering, every time I tell myself I will try a new pattern or design but I always end up with just the meandering as I want it done and I'm pressured for time; maybe I will on the next quilt. (old song, I know...)

I couldn't remember if I had prepared the binding for this quilt when I finished the top, a half-hearted search didn't yield anything so half a yard of green was cut into strips for it.  I have two sides hand sewn with plans of finishing the other two by this evening, then it will be play time with my new girl; she will have the privilege of sewing those NYE mystery blocks into a top.  I also plan to finish two flannel baby quilts for gifts due next Saturday.  I'm happy she is home!

Sunday Stash Report - Jan 23rd 2011

Fabric added this week:  2 yards (8 fat quarters)
Fabric added YTD:  2 yards
Fabric used this week:  0 yards
Fabric used YTD:  11 1/2 yards

I had lots of fun at the Road to California show, great vendors and the quilts were amazing, but I forgot my camera and couldn't use the phone as my battery was too low. Other ladies in my group took pictures, I'm hoping they will share some next week.  My fabric purchases were very modest, I bought 8 fat quarters

Some grommets for a purse

And this:

An organizer/rack for my rulers.  I love it!  I can't wait until my hubby hangs it on the wall.  I actually couldn't wait and had to try it. 

Side view

I was so excited with this wonderful piece,  I forgot to check out the sewing machine I wanted..  Nahh, just Kidding! Well,  I didn't buy it just yet, but I made my selection and will be picking it up at the store next Saturday.  That way, I will take my MC6500P for her yearly service and bring home the new toy, a Janome 3160QDC. 
On the sewing front, I still had some fabric left from the yardage used on the NYE mystery and decided to make more blocks for a total of 56, my top will now have 7 x 8 rows.  Unfortunately, that's all I managed to sew during the week and did not get to start  FMQ'ng on the UFO challenge, oops!. I better get off the computer and get started if I'm to meet the challenge!.  But not just yet, I have some stash reports to read.

Sunday Stash Report & UFO Progress

Fabric added this week:  0 yards
Fabric added YTD:  0 yards
Fabric used last two weeks:  1 1/2  yards
Fabric used YTD: 13 1/2 yards

My little sister is getting more interested in sewing, not quilting yet but she was excited about making another tote bag while visiting during the Holidays.  She found a 1 yard piece of fabric she liked and made this bag:

 I'm still working on piecing my NYE mystery blocks, I have 23 done with 19 more to go, I want to make my top 6 x 7 rows.  It's slow going...

Moving on to my UFO #6, Bears in the Farm House.  This is where the 1/2 yard used fabric went, my backing was short so I added two 9" strip to bring it up to the correct size.  It was layered together yesterday during my Saturday morning class:

I plan to start quilting it this morning (after a cup of coffee and a little stash reports reading) and see how far I get before babysitting duty later this evening. If all goes well, it will be ready for binding by next Saturday, fingers crossed.  Speaking of Saturday, my Saturday Morning Quilting group has a field trip to the Road to California show, I'm steeling myself against buying fabric, but I'm seriously considering buying a new sewing machine; it should make for a fun report next week.

New Year, New start

Fabric added this week:  0 yards
Fabric added YTD:  0 yards
Fabric used this week:  12 yards
Net used for 2011:  12 yards

Wow!, my first stash report in the black, LOL I hope it is a precursor of what 2011 will be like.  The 12 yards were cut for Ann Smith NYE 2010 mystery in a full/queen size. I'm at clue 4 but the fabric has been cut and therefore committed to the top; borders, backing an binding pending.  I couldn't help myself and made one block:

I'm liking it.

RRCB mystery is on standby as I was only able to sneak in my sewing room for a few hours this week but visiting sister is leaving in the next day or so, then all should be back to normal.  Speaking of normal, I'm up for a cup of coffee and a lazy Sunday morning reading a few stash reports, I'm sure most of them will be in the black too

Sunday Stash Report - December 26th 2010

Fabric added this week:  0 yards
Fabric added YTD:  196 yards
Fabric used this week:  0 yards
Fabric used YTD:  118 1/4 yards
Net used for 2010:  -67 3/4 yards

As I didn't really set a number of yards to be used, my real goal for 2010 was to hinder the impulsive buying and I accomplished it!  Ending on the negative side of stash busting is not a bad thing, I've had a productive year regardless of how many yards of fabric I bought or not.  The best product of this year was getting my own sewing room; it still is a work in progress and I'm sure it will continue to evolve as I figure what works and what doesn't. 

I've also had lots of fun this year with many mysteries, free patterns, great tutorials and just an amazingly inmense amount of talent and inspiration, but most importantly? getting to know many people on the internet quilting community.  I still have to work on being a little more friendly or rather being less shy.  I sometimes feel like a child on her first day of school and find myself taking peeks at others from behind my mother.  I'l work on my courage and will eventually get out completely and join the party.  

While I wait for the year end festivities to be done, (and while my sewing room is occupied by unexpected but welcomed company), I'll work on a list of goals for next year.  Oh, and while I wait for everyone in the house to wake up, I'll grab another cup of coffee and read lots of year end stash busting reports at patchworktimes.com

Sunday Stash Report - December 19th, 2010

Fabric added last two weeks:  43 yards (Christmas present to myself)
Fabric added YTD:  196 yards
Fabric used last two weeks:  1 1/4 yards
Fabric used YTD:  118 1/4 yards
Net used for 2010:  -67 3/4 yards

Here is a picture of what my 43 yards look like:

I took advantage of a recent clearance sale and scored all of the fabric at a great price, none of it was more than $2 a yard.  Also, most of these fabrics have an intended usage, pillowcases for donating.  I hope to get 50 pillowcases done in that many days, one a day seems doable if I cut and prepare the fabric in advance.  The two bolts are about 8 to 10 yards each, these are to be backings.

The 1 1/4 yard used?  That was my first cut for Ann Smith's 2010 New Year mystery; the fabric requirements and pre-sewing instructions have been posted, I plan on using these:

I should have the rest of the pieces cut today.

I have also been working on Bonnie's RRCB mystery and have clues 1,2 and 4 partially done, my favorite clue #3 is all done, I haven't taken pictures of the completed units but these are the fabrics I'm using:

Yes, I am a mystery quilt addict (my  2010 UFO Challenge post will attest for this) ; they are so much fun. There has only been one that I didn't like and didn't finish, the fabric is hiding in a box somewhere. Other than this one fluke, they have all been lots of fun, as a matter of fact, there were a few that I didn't do and I regret it.

Well, I think I've reported all that's been going on in my sewing room and quilting life for these last two weeks.  I'm going to get as much fabric cut this morning as I can possible can, my sewing room's door will be closed later this afternoon and probably won't be open until next Sunday. I have an insanely busy week ahead and don't expect to have much time for sewing, but I plan to make up for it during the days between Holidays.

2011 UFO Challenge

Judy is hosting a UFO challenge for the new year, I'm in! While trying to get a list going, I realized that I don't have that many unfinished projects, what I do have is unfinished quilts. My count is 12 tops and 7 UFO's.  Planned, some day and on the wish list projects, well, that's a whole other challenge all together.  Anyhow, I plan on listing both types to work on, if a number without a project is chosen by Judy, then I'll have green light to start a new project, I have to get that UFO list started for the following year, right?  LOL.  
  Here is my list of unfinished quilts:

1. Blue & Green jewel box

2.  scrappy double four patch

3.  Purple nine patch

4.  Ann Smith summer mystery

5. Double delight 

6.  Bears in the farm house

 7. Fat quarter quilt 

 8.  scrappy stars

9.  June mystery 

10.  Planet patchwork mystery 

11. Little sister quilt 

12. Judy's mystery

For the UFO's, I'll have to dig in boxes to find them and take pictures. I should have it done before the new year.