Sunday Stash, 3/20/11

You know how I've been muttering over the last few stash reports that I had something big that was going to be done with my stash? Beyond organizing? Well, yesterday was payoff!



No, no. That's not incoming. That's OUT. Approximately 150 yards from my "old" stash, all packaged and now officially delivered to the members of the CT Piecemakers quilt guild, which is the largest quilt guild in my area, at over 200 members. They have subcommittees that make quilts for a variety of charities, including Project Linus, Quilts of Valor, and a local one, Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. All are charities dear to my heart, for various reasons. But that's another blog post.

The guild used to meet at the library where I work, which is how I first became familiar with them. However, their large and growing group of members quickly outgrew the library's meeting facilities and moved on to larger venues for their meetings. But I knew they still met in town, so when the urge to do some spring cleaning came, I contacted their board.

I've been quilting for about 12 years, and while you've seen my newer, more modern stash in recent posts, there's a whole lot that has been packed in tubs in our spare room, fabric that in many cases has been with me through three moves, and not getting much love at all.

Do you see where this is going?

Yesterday afternoon, one of the Piecemakers was nice enough to stop by the library (I was working) and take all five boxes to be distributed among guild members and subcommittees for various purposes, including charity initiatives. It just felt like the right thing to do.

The numbers this week look pretty good, too! I'm still in the midst of the sewing room overhaul, and as a result, there hasn't been much sewing going on. Um, make that nearly none this last week. I'm hoping that a trip to Ikea tomorrow night and the subsequent final shuffle in the sewing room this week should clear it so that I walk into the room and can just sit down and sew, instead of walking in and feeling too overwhelmed to know where to begin!

So the numbers...

Used this Week: 150 yards (Not sewn, but out of the stash and on its way to being sewn!)
Used year to Date: 158.5 yards
Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 50.25 yards
Net Used for 2011: 108.25yards

Now I just need to remind myself not to try and fill the space in my house left by the donation!

Spoils...

So, I'm coming clean with my reverse stash-bust here. *looks sheepish* I got some more goodies in the mail today...


FOUR charm packs, three by Moda and one from RJR. They came care of EverythingQuilts.com and FabricShack.com. There are some great deals to be had online, folks. And these charm packs are DELICIOUS!

The spoils do not end there, I'm afraid. There was *gulp* yardage involved...

Fabric Shack had some amazing deals, so I picked up a half-yard each of the Scott Jarrard whale print and stripes (they were on super mark-down, and SCREAM to be made into a sweet baby quilt), as well as the wonky plaid from Windham and the tiny geometric print from Play Date (both also on super sale, a yard and 2 yards, respectively). I foresee the plaid becoming binding, and the geometric becoming the backing for the current Project Linus quilt top.

Speaking of which... I came home from work today, and after dinner, just flopped on the couch and vegged in front of the TV. I started thinking about heading for bed, but looked at the clock and realized it was only about 8 o'clock. Well! That's way too early to head for bed, in my humble opinion. Sure I have to be at work at 8:30 tomorrow morning (yes, I work Saturdays), but still. So I decided to go ahead and spend a little time at the sewing machine, and here is what I wound up with:


I put the borders on the second panel for my Project Linus quilt. They're here auditioning with my one non-brick red fabric, which will be the final round of borders. At this point, I'm really fairly pleased. This means that if I can hack it, I will be finishing this top on Sunday, and pair it with its backing, reading to go to the longarmer. AND, it means I will likely start another quilt top. I have this itchy little need for a lavender and green and white 9-patch. No idea what will come of it, but I'm ready all the same!

However, I also have a 4-day weekend coming up over the 4th of July weekend. And since I am a guild-less quilter with no plans for four days, and a spouse who works retail and will be gone the majority of the time, I decided to join some of the ladies over at the Stashbuster Yahoo Group for an on-line quilting retreat. My plan originally was to finish the Project Linus top and then work on piecing some more pinwheels for the pinwheel chain quilt. Since it looks like the PL top will be done THIS weekend instead, I'll likely split time between a machine project and the handpieced pinwheels--the last time I tried to hand-piece for a whole day, I spent the evening with my hand in a bowl of ice, and the next day I finally dragged out my machine. I'd like to think I've learned from that experience...

Still coming soon: stash pictures!

Oh, and since I might as well start sharing these, here's a photo of one of the Christmas stars for my sampler:


--Meg

*grabby hands*

I am the worst Stashbuster ever. *sigh* Maybe it's the gray days that just won't let up that make me crave bright colors? I am being good and shopping sales, if at all, and cut myself off at $30. But I need to go back on buying hiatus--my stash is kind of ridiculous. I have pics, which I suppose I should post later today. Getting into this Project Linus thing is kind of dangerous, I think. I can piece a LOT of tops from stash, but here's the thing.

Most of my stash is NOT kid quilt material. I have a lot of Civil War era repros, a lot of tone on tone and darks and neutrals. I have a small amount of fabric that is novelty, and a very small amount of pastels. I don't do brights, or pink, or pastels, by and large. So what I have to work with that would be remotely kid-appropriate for what my local chapters want would probably fit into a shoe box. So, I'm doing a bit of sale shopping to boost that part of my stash. I'm having such fun with the current top--I love the bright yellow with the denim blue, the primary colors, the small size of the project that allows me to finish in a couple of weeks instead of a couple of months...

See, I basically only get to quilt on the weekends. And every third weekend, I only get one day off. My evenings have already been spoken for by work and friends and my husband, so I might get one evening a week to myself. Sometimes I read, sometimes I quilt, or watch a movie, or just go to bed!! I just feel like I need more time!!! Don't we all?

Until next time,
--Meg

Oh, but ps--there is still nothing like finding an amazing fabric from a great designer for only $2.98/yard. I'm just sayin'...

A weekend's work...

So, I pieced and pieced and pieced yesterday, and by this morning, I had this:


I have to rearrange my office/sewing room in order to set up my design wall. So in the meantime, I'm using my dining room table. This also counts for Judy L.'s Design Wall Monday post over at PatchworkTimes.com. :)

So this morning, I laid out all of the HST blocks. And then walked away for a bit. I set up my sewing machine. It's kind of broken (the foot lever snapped off), and desperately needs to go and visit the Sew N Vac, but it's working well enough to piece. And I honestly couldn't stand the thought of hand piecing all the little blocks together. SO, I went ahead and pieced a few double strips. And came up with this:


I did two long strips of double chains, and then walked away again. And thought. I was having a wicked time trying to match all of the seams and points--it has been a LONG time since I've machine pieced, and my accuracy is not what I'd like it to be. The thought of doing a whole top like that, when I'm trying to get the majority done in a weekend was enough to make me want to cry.

So I thought, and I ate grilled cheese, and I thought some more.

And I came up with this:


This is one of two panels. I have the blue and yellow borders cut and ready for the second strip. I'll do a final round of borders in red, and join the two panels with a strip of red. Kind of thinking of binding in green scraps. I haven't picked out a back yet, but I'm thinking of trying to machine quilt this, after I've had the machine serviced. Just in a plain grid. I dunno. Maybe. For now, it will get stacked in wait for quilting. Any longarmers want to help out Project Linus with a bit of time donation? :) I'd be happy to pay postage.

In any case, the finishing will be tomorrow night after work. I'll post more pics when it's done. :)

--Meg

mini at-home retreat weekend

Well, the DH is working crazy long hours this weekend, and I'm off for 2 days on a muggy, rainy weekend. What to do? SEW!

This morning, however, I got caught up on a little cutting, AND a little picture taking!!


Things to be cut. I needed more light HSTs for my ongoing pinwheels, and to finish up the cutting of the light strips for my chain squares.



I decided to throw in a few brights to do HSTs with, too. My mini-retreat project is a flimsie (quilt top) for Project Linus, of HST blocks, to use up some of the leftover blues. I had a few extra charms in primary colors (not shown) that I chopped up and threw in the mix, too.


The ironing board, complete with FQ and iron piping hot and ready to go. I cut at my dining room table, and have the ironing board right next to me so I'm not having to run all over the place. If I ever manage to clean out the other half of my office (currently taken up by a shoe organizer and 5 boxes of my husband's junk that needs to go up to the attic) then I hope to move this in there.



Not bad for about an hour's work this morning. I have the rectangles (top right) for my chain blocks, a couple of bright charms (bottom) for my ongoing stack of precut 5" squares, light and bright HSTs for the Project Linus quilt, and a big stack of 5" background fabric charms. My best guess right now is that they will either become HSTs at some future date, or perhaps will become part of a scrappy 9-patch top. I can't say for sure at the moment. More WHIMMs. Also, at the very top of this pic, you can see my little waste pile of trim and schnibbles too small to do anything with. There was a casualty in that pile, however--I was cutting a white FQ, and found that even though I'd washed it, it had stayed stained along a fold line. It was, unfortunately, how I'd received it. :( So I used all but the dirty bit, which I tossed.




Finally, this is my scrap bag. I also have a second bag for strips that are destined for wonky squares or log cabins someday. No idea what these will be, I guess we'll see. For now, I'm off to mark seam lines and get to piecing! I'd like to try to finish all the HST piecing today, and then put the top together tomorrow. I have Monday evening to myself, so if needed, I'll finish the center and put on borders at that point. The top will likely stay a UFO until autumn, when it will be cool enough to do some lap-quilting. Anything bigger than a lap quilt gets sent to the longarmer's these days.

I've also taken pics of my stash, and of my completed Xmas stars, so those will be posted in the coming days. Stay tuned!!