Stash Report - Jan 10th 2010

Fabric Added this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Used this Week: 12 yards
Fabric Added Year to Date: 32 yards
Fabric Used Year to Date: 12 yards
Net Used for 2010: -20 yards

I'm so excited and proud of myself, I started the New Year's Eve Mystery and kept at it! I changed the design by adding sashing, just to make the top a little bigger (finished at 82" x 95") and to avoid matching all the seams ;-). Today I'll rummage the stash to find a suitable border fabric, there are some leftover pieces from the main fabrics but none big enough for a 4 to 6 inch border. I intent to use the scraps and make a table runner and/or a pillow, my goal is keep the scraps accumulation at a minimum.

On the stash starting numbers, technically, half of the purchases were made the last week of 2009 and the top was started on Jan 31st as well, but I figure the exact dates are not important as long as I'm honest (with myself) about the amounts of fabric that are being purchased and used.

I've also kept knitting and I'm on my second scarf, a few more inches to go and it will be done. I'll try to have pictures ready next time I post.

Well, that's all for today, gotta get to the fabric auditions but not before stopping by Judy's blog to find out what over quilters have been up to this week.

Fresh Start - Stash Report

I lost track of the stash report a few months ago and do not know what my ending numbers are, I do know 2009 was not such a productive year on the quilting front as it could of been, but 2010 promises to be better. There's lots of inspiration and support on blogland, with this amazing group's influence and challenge, I'll continue to keep working on using my stash, be more selective on my purchases and work on projects I really enjoy.

Speaking of joy, I was very excited to participate on Ann Smith's New Year's Eve mystery, I had selected my fabrics in early December and was eager to get started. There were, however, some "forgotten" blocks from last summer's mystery hanging around in a pizza box, how could I start a new mystery when the previous one was still unfinished? I challenged myself to finish the summer mystery or I wouldn't start the new one. Here is the finished top Here it is with borders on, it is big about 85" x 104" and I love it! The best part? I could now start on the new mystery!

I made over 600 of these half square triangles, somehow my math failed me and I was short a few, had to piece scraps of the brown fabric to complete my planned blocks. (I later found the stack of "unmade" patches under the sewing machine).

Here is what a few blocks look like:

And a set of 9 blocks.

The design is beautiful and I'm very pleased with it. Managed to complete 42 blocks and will be putting them together this coming week.

As for the stash report, I did buy fabric yesterday, there was a clearance sale and scored 6 yards of 110" backing fabric for $3.00 a yard, couldn't pass it up. I'm giving myself this week to get a good tracking system established, I should have my starting numbers by next weekend. In the meantime, I'll be working on my mystery blocks and have them become a wonderful quilt top.

No Stash report

Still no sewing or stash usage around here. There is light at the end of the tunnel though, I have a couple of project in the works. These are my fabric choices for Ann Smith New Year's mystery. We recently replaced our living room set and the chosen tan, brown & green colors match the new furniture. I Also started cutting scraps for Bonnie's Carolina Christmas mystery. My dear friend Ann parted with a nice gold piece big enough for this project, her generosity bumped up my quilting mojo 200%. My hands have been busy with some more knitting. A few months ago (maybe last year?) I bought some chenille yarn so I started another scarf with the first skein I pulled from the bag. I don't own any pattern books so I tried to knit a pattern from memory. knit 4, purl 4 and alternate stitches every four rows. I remember the pattern being more defined but I'm loving the chenille's softness and texture.

I'm very eager to start sewing again and hope the sewing will be started this week, maybe I'll have some numbers to report next Sunday. I'm also trying to come up with a new stash busting plan or approach, next year could be much better. I have a couple of weeks to work on it.....

Now, for the customary little peanut picture, she wore her fist "dressy" dress on Thanksgiving. She also started to "talk" and is keeping us amused and entertained.

Also, other blogger's projects and progress are a great source of inspiration and motivation, let's visit some today.

Unfaithful Gal

I have been cheating on my sewing machine & fabric stash with my knitting needles. I learned to crochet when in middle school and have been a crocheter on and off thru the years, I mostly crochet baby blankets for my nieces and nephews, almost a tradition that every new baby in the family would get a blanket, but I've never really knitted. I was taught to knit and purl the continental way by one of my neighbors, I've tried to teach myself to knit "the normal" way unsuccessfully, I suppose I thought that collecting needles sets would turn me into a proper knitter. Earlier this week, I wanted to do something with my hands and decided to give knitting another chance, would not try the normal way but just do what I know. The first yarn skein I pulled was a black and brown boucle, the label said 5 ounces, well, I knitted two and purled two and kept on until I used all the yarn. This is the result, all 88 inches of it:And a little detail of the texture. Are scarfs supposed to be this long? Maybe it is too long, but I love it! What I love the most is that this is my first ever completed knitting project!

By the way, last Sunday and before the affair with the needles, I put together my Jacob's Ladder blocks. I'm happy with the layout and how it turned out.

Not forgetting that today is Stash report Sunday, I have to say there was no change in the quilting stash..... BUT I gave away two - full to the brim - 30 gallon bags of fabric, including what looked like almost twenty (didn't count) commercial garment patterns. I had major heartache while filling the bags and had to keep saying to myself "if you have not sewn a garment in more than 10 years, it's likely you won't in the near future". Not that I ever was a serious sewist, just another well kept collection. I didn't count and don't care how many yards of fabric left my house, but I can honestly say that my heartache left with the bags, the fabric went to a great home and left a very nice empty spot in my hall closet. I'm happy.

Another source of happiness in my life is the little peanut, here's a picture I took of her before she went to church on a Sunday.

Maybe I'll continue the affair with my knitting, What is that saying?..... You always return to your first love? Doesn't sound like the right saying but it sure sounds appropriate in my case. I hope to pull from the stash for a couple of new projects that are tempting me, might as well do it while and happy and content.

Stash Report Week 45

Fabric Added week 45: 3 yards
Fabric Added Year to Date: 86 yards
Fabric Used week 45: 2 1/2 yards
Fabric Used Year to Date: 76 1/8 yards

I finally finished something!. Made a little bag for my daughter with some tiny scraps from a very generous friend, Juanita was getting rid of her leftover pieces (I posted about her quilt here ), but instead handed the little 1 1/2" inch strips to me. I pieced them randomly and let it grow as it wanted, the new fabric grew enough to allow me to fold it in half and box the corners. I just had to add the linning, handles and a small front pocket. That's were my three yard purchase came in, perfect print to finish this off. Of course it didn't require all three yards, but the other 2 1/2 yards would be used to make that apron I've promised my daughter.

My Saturday sewing group is working on a Jacob's ladder project, I choose a two color way and non scrappy, I thought I would be bored with it, but found two fabrics that play together very nicely. Here's a block:

There was only one yard of the tan piece and a little less than 2 of the navy blue, that yield 12 12" blocks, I wanted this layout, but it just didn't work. Instead I will set the blocks in a 4 x 3 straight grid with navy blue sashing, it will be finishing at about 44" x 56", perfect for a little boy's baby quilt. It feels good to enjoy and want to sew again, finishing a project is even better.

Stash Report Week 41

Fabric Added week 41: 10 1/2 yards
Fabric Added Year to Date: 83 yards
Fabric Used week 41: 0 yards
Fabric Used Year to Date: 73 5/8 yards

Well, retail therapy has somewhat helped with my funky mood, I bought 8 light brown/tan FQ's , a white & black FQ bundle (5 pieces), a dark blue FQ and 4 different fabrics in yardage for a total of 10 1/2 yards.
The new fabric stayed on the dinning room table while I worked on my summer mystery. I was motivated to try and finish the top so I can start something new soon. Five completed blocks, 7 more to go, they are almost done as they only need one last row sewn on. I have also been playing with my doodling with the intent of using this design on free motion machine quilting. So far, it's going good on paper, I just don't feel confident enough to try it on a quilt.

While I was relocating some of my storage boxes last weekend, I found a candlewick project I had started and abandoned last summer. These stitches are my inspiration for the doodling.

By the way, I received two of these candlewick kits as a gift from my sister in law a few years ago, I've never heard of this type of embroidery and the kit looked like fun. I tried crossstiching in the past (without success), this looked easier so I started them. Not too bad for my first try, but again, a couple more of unfinished projects. What else is new? At least I'm sewing again.

Stash Report Week 40

Fabric Added last three weeks: 3 yards
Fabric Added Year to Date: 72 1/2 yards
Fabric Used Last several weeks: 0 yards
Fabric Used Year to Date: 73 5/8 yards

With this post I'm trying to catch up with Judy's show-you-stash challenge. A couple of weeks ago we bought new High efficiency, stack able washer and dryer, which entailed the removal of shelving in the laundry room and re-location of storage boxes. I've forgotten what these boxes had in them and it turns out it was a lot. I managed to clear out four copier paper boxes by re-distributing and compacting the fabric in other boxes that were half full. They now reside in my bedroom closet.

This is the left side, two top clear containers and cardboard box on top of them are flannels. Shoe boxes next to the flannel are 1/2 yard pieces sorted by color.Below the flannel are more shoe containers with fat quarters and more 1/2 yard pieces. Turning to the right are the evicted boxes from the laundry room, these are full of 1 yard or bigger pieces of fabric, fleece scraps, yarn and batting scraps.The last side is more of everything, fat quarters, larger pieces and more scraps. This is only about a quarter of my stash,since I don't have a sewing room or corner for that matter, the rest is distributed amongst two bedroom closets, the hall closet and under my bed.

Other than the re-location, there has not been any fabric usage or sewing around here. I plan to concentrate on re-organizing the stash and reducing it to a more manageable size by passing it on to other people. I know some of the ladies in my Saturday morning class have been hit by the "cutting back hours" trend and can't afford to spend too much money on fabric. Ideally I want to reduce it to a point were it all is in the same room. Am I realistic? Will it be easier said that done? I hope it works out as planned.

To end and just because I am so proud of the little peanut, here are a couple of recent pictures.