Stash Report Week 11 & 12

Let's get the stash report out of the way. Nothing in, nothing out.

We had the Pomona-quilt-craft-sewing-festival this weekend, I wasn't too excited about attending nor wanted or needed to shop for anything. Besides, I'm committed to using my stash and don't really need anything at the moment (Isn't this so mature of me?!). Maybe I am just too busy and I can't spare the time or energy to shop. A few weeks ago, I began a second job babysitting, which combined with my regular job and driving teenagers to and from school, takes most of my awake hours. Not a complain by any means, the baby is a joy to watch and very entertaining, but, she is only 7 weeks old and requires constant attention. Needless to say, the sewing goes to the back burner. I am glad for my Saturday quilting class though, that is where I spent the last two Saturday's completing my step four in Judy's quilt-along. Here is my top so far:
And a close up of a block.
Here is one of the corners.
Since I am waiting for the next step to be released later this week, I will work on my Double delight's borders , my stash challenge blocks, and my sister's string block bag that should've been her Christmas, then her Birthday and now Mother's Day present. Hurray for a quilty Sunday!.

Report Week 10

I have nothing to report for this week, did not add any fabric or used any of it. Maybe I am approaching it the wrong way. I had plans to report fabric usage as soon as a project was completed, but here I am at week 10 and still not much is finished. A few on-going projects, but nothing really done 100%. Perhaps I should start counting as soon as the fabric is cut instead. A decision to be made for sure.

In the meantime, I worked on Judy's Quilting along and completed my 12 bear's paw blocks. Here are a couple of pictures where I was considering the sashing fabric. I originally had selected this light brown , but it made the block look dull

Here, too much pink...... I changed fabrics many times, but this was my final selection and layout. my brain just did not want to work on getting the stripes orientation correct, it took lots, lots, lots, and I mean lots of unsewn stitches to get them going the same way. It was just not working, then when I was almost cramping from holding the seam ripper so much, I realized that all I needed was mirror images.

My daughter thinks the blocks look Christmas-ssy,they look more box-y to me but I am happy how they turned out.

I also worked on a few blocks for the Stash Project . This one is going slower but I am getting them done.

Stash Report Week 8 & 9

Fabric Added this Week: 0 yardsFabric
Added Year to Date: 75 yardsFabric

Used this Week: 0 yardsFabric
Used Year to Date: 10 yards

The last two weeks have been disastrous and unproductive for sewing and stash busting, there has just not been anytime to sew or do anything related until yesterday. I took my quilting-along fabric to Saturday's class and managed to cut and sew the required 192 half square triangles for step two. I'll work on trimming them to size tomorrow.

Even though my quilting has been almost non-existent, I am here commiting to also work on Judy's stash project http://www.patchworktimes.com/2009/02/27/about-that-stash-project/ This morning before the household woke up, I squeezed a couple of hours to work on cutting some scraps for it.

So far, I have 9 sets each of lights and darks. The second fabric on the top left is questianable, it is not quite a light nor a dark. I may have to replace it, but so far I am happy with my selections.

It's been two long weeks and I am ready to get re-acquainted with my quilting. I am looking forward to a productive week.

Self-discovery & Stash Report Week 7

Fabric Added this Week: 0 yards Fabric
Added Year to Date: 75 yards Fabric

Used this Week: 0 yards Fabric
Used Year to Date: 10 yards

Nothing added, nothing used. I have just begun to feel normal again after almost two weeks of fighting the chest congestion and the subsequential lingering cough. I did finish the Double Delight top, however, I won't count the yardage used on this project until I get borders, backing and binding added to it.

On Self- Discovery:

There is a point on your life when you discover something about yourself that makes you pause and you have to take a few moments to accept the ugly truth. I came to this point a couple of days ago when I realized that I AM NOT A STRIPES LOVER AND DON'T OWN ANY SUBSTANTIAL STRIPE YARDAGE!

It all began when I started searching for the fabric that would allow me to participate in Judy's Quilt along. I need two yards of a focus stripe fabric, OK it should be easy enough, after all, I have hundreds of yards of fabric all around the house. I started with the under-the-bed containers, a wonderful visit getting re-acquainted with the fabrics living there, however, not a stripe in sight. Not to worry, the boxes in the master bedroom closet would yield the needed piece.

Well..... better starting looking in the boxes on the laundry room shelves, what? none here either? I must of segregated them in a special place last time I "organized" the stash. All right then, let's see: Dinning room buffet cabinet, hall closet, daughter's bedroom closet, son's bedroom closet, car trunk, the ottoman in front of my sofa, OMG! I don't have any stripes! Is it possible?, I don't particularly make it a point not to buy them, I actually like them and have used them in some projects, but really? I don't have any? What in the world?????? There were a few scraps from older projects, a few fat quarters, even 4 or 5 diagonal stripe pieces, but no substantial strippy yardage? Come on, not even one stripe on those last 70+ yards purchased at the beginning of the year? That's when I sat on the couch, stared at the wall for a loooong time and began to accept this shameful truth.

After a few minutes of self consoling and reassuring, I remembered! Someone had (a couple of years ago) gifted me with a stripe fabric, which fabric storage place was holding it hostage? Ahhh! Here it was, under the spare desk in my daughter's closet, stored in a box of non-quilting fabric, wrapped inside a plastic shopping bag and keeping company with coordinating fabrics. Yeah! I don't have to buy any fabric!

Unfortunately, I still have to deal with my lack of love for stripes, is it possible for a stash to trive without them? What's keeping me from adding them to my collection? Is it fear?.. I don't know, I supposed I have more self-truths to discover.

In the meantime, I am ready to start the quilt along, let the fun begin.

PS. Someone asked about the burp cloths I made last week, the pattern is from Simplicity #2924. I am pretty much a blog newbie and I don't know how to deal with or respond to comments.

Stash Report Week 6

Fabric Added this Week: 0 yardsFabric

Added Year to Date: 75 yardsFabric

Used this Week: 4 yardsFabric

Used Year to Date: 10 yards

A small progress considering I am still working on getting better. There was a need for some more burp clothes and receiving blankets. I like this kind of projects, they take a few yards quickly and are fun to make.

The most enjoyable part of making these was using my machine's decorative stitches:

Flannel lint, however, is a pain to keep out of the machine. The poor girl will be getting a nice cleaning today.

Stash Report Week 5

Fabric Added this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Added Year to Date: 75 yards

Fabric Used this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Used Year to Date: 6 yards

I only managed to finish the binding and label on baby's Sun Bonnet Sue.
Maybe next week will be better. I am aiming to finish a few more baby items as soon as this chest congestion rans its course and I am well again.

Stash Report Week 1 to 4

Fabric Added this Week(s): 75 yards

Fabric Added Year to Date: 75 yards

Fabric Used this Week: 6 yards

Fabric Used Year to Date: 6 yards

I am starting this report on the negative side, I couldn't resist the recent year end clearance sales and ended up buying almost 75 yards!. In my defense, the purchases were done in two visits to the store, the first trip yielded a timid and humble purchase of 15 yards or so, I had to have these flannels for baby receiving blankets, burp clothes, diaper bag and other baby items.

The rest of the fabrics (mostly blues and neutrals) convinced me they were needed to supplement my stash. I bought about 27 different prints and a total of 58 yards of fabric! I was hyperventilating at the cutting table, but only because the people behind me were giving me evil looks for holding up the line. Otherwise, I was very happy with my selections and best of all, with the final tab, no more than a $100 for the whole lot.

Also, I did not make it to the Road to California quilting show, although I did not try too hard on that one since I had already gotten my new fabric fix with the sale purchases. Now that I think about it, not such a negative start after all.