Summer Break 2014 Week 3

Well I made progress this week.

I worked in the yards: It really doesn't take much to fill up all the trash cans around here. :)



My cutting table went from this:

[caption id="attachment_2768" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Cutting table before[/caption]

 

To this on Monday, and really you can still see the surface today too.

[caption id="attachment_2769" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Cutting Table After[/caption]

I tackled my "Mountain of Flannel"  now it is mostly contained in these bins.

[caption id="attachment_2761" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Mountain of Flannel[/caption]

I finished up my String Star Centers and even trimmed up several to start my star block.  Yes I was doing it at the kitchen counter and yes I grabbed a bowl out of the cupboard above for the scraps. :)

[gallery ids="2774,2772"]

Also finished up some furniture.  How about this lovely little shin warmer chair. Is she cute or what.  While I was on the furniture roll I finished up this little storage footstool too.

[gallery ids="2779,2778,2775,2777,2776"]

I received some 2" charms from Deanna at Wedding Dress Blue for my 2-inch quilt which is her pattern Growing up Odd.  Still totally in love with this pattern and can't wait until fall when I have it all together.  I've fallen behind on my one block a day goal but made up many when I received her charms.  I just had to use them right away. Of course

[gallery ids="2770,2773"]

I'm cutting squares and sewing blocks as I work through my scrap bins

Here is my block count for my three summer projects

3" 9-Patches :  Have 247  Need about 400 I think

2" Quilt:  Have: 54   Need 17 to be caught up to July 1st

2.5" Plus quilt:  Have 184 sets of 5 cut  Need 97 more sets for a total of 281

2.5" Plus quilt: Have 10 sets of 4 cut.  Need 21 more sets for a total of 31

Stash Report Week 26, 2014

Half way through the year and I'm ahead of the fabric.....that is a good thing. :)

I had some time to work on the sewing room and fabric this week. I spent some time sorting through the mountain of flannel. It's still a mountain just not as tall as McKinley anymore.  The yardage is now contained, well almost  in six bins and the scraps and small pieces are in one bin, ok one and a half  for sorting later this month summer, those are the clear bins setting on the side.   The blue bin on the top has flannel that has been pulled for projects and either cut or started.   I put the current sewing projects in bags for the summer  (so I don't lose them) while I tackle the sewing room.

Yikes that sounds more like NINE bins, cause they all are full of flannel.  I think it's past time for a sew-in at the Brick Sidewalk.

[caption id="attachment_2761" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Mountain of Flannel[/caption]

 

Overall I'm happy with where I am with my stash numbers for half way thru the year.

Here are this weeks numbers:

Added since last report:  0 Yards
Added this Year: 91.50 Yards
Used and donated since last report: 24.50 Yards
Used this Year: 117.75 Yards
Net Used this Year  26.25

 

For more stash reports head over to Judy's Patchwork Times.

 

Summer Break Week 2

Week two of summer break and no finishes sure hope it won't be like this all summer.  So just what did get worked on this week?

There was some painting. I changed color in mid painting of the chairs and this is the vintage fabric I'm using on the seats.

[gallery ids="2738,2739,2740,2741,2742"]

We welcomed a new old sewing machine to the fold.  She came with her own cabinet. A singer 201

[gallery ids="2747,2749"]

We did some cleaning out, yes this part of the house still has original 1960's avocado green carpet. This is not the permanent home for the new machine.



I started in on the guest room.  Can you believe there were still Halloween and Christmas pillowcases and table runners on the bed from last fall.  It's no wonder we don't get many guest. I think they're afraid they'll have to sleep on the floor for all the fabric on the bed.  Not really Sister, you can come anytime.



Mr Bill took apart an old pump organ.  Before you feel too bad it was in really bad shape and we saved the good pieces and carved pieces to repurpose.

[gallery columns="2" ids="2743,2744,2745,2746"]

Tuesday was QOV sew day.  We were making string blocks ala Al Lind.  I have a few many to go for my quilt top.  But I sure do like string quilts.  Here is the link to the pattern on the Quilts Of Valor site

This summer I'm trying to get the sewing room back in order and get all the donated scraps under control. Some times I have a hard time cutting up the larger scraps, cause wonder if I need a 4 inch block and I cut it all down to 2.5 in.  Really sometimes I can drive myself crazy.  Well not this summer it's all getting cut down to usable sizes and this fall I'll have a empty "scraps to cut down" bin (or two).

So with that in mind I'm cutting 2.5 in and 1.5 in squares in sets of five.  The 2.5 in for a plus quilt that I'm starting in the fall, as of this morning I only need 100 more sets, no matching sets for this one.  The 1.5in is for nine patch blocks I started last July as my leader/ender and I'm ready to finish it up too....But I need lots more for the layout I'm thinking so it has moved from leader/ender to summer project.

[caption id="attachment_2751" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sweet little 9 patches that will finish at 3in[/caption]

Then there is the 2in quilt.  The one I was going to make one block a day quilt.  Well I'm only 13 days behind.  I'm thinking Wednesday night will be 2in nine patch marathon so I can get a few days ahead. I wrote about it here.

[caption id="attachment_2752" align="aligncenter" width="300"] 2 in quilt[/caption]

So that is how Week 2 went. Not so exciting yet but there's always hope.

Till next week.

 

 

 

Summer Break 2014 Week 1

And just what did I get checked off my impossible long list.  Well not a gosh darn thing.  I've started on things but no finishes for the first week.

First there was the furniture.  Doing the prep work always takes the longest

[gallery ids="2719,2720,2721,2724,2725"]

I did make a cover for Mr. Bills computer while getting acquainted with my new featherweight.



The dirt piles that have been showing up got moved and spread around.  Mr. Bill got to do his favorite job of "water boy "  and look there was a bonus in the piles of dirt.  Big granite rocks, we like big rocks here.

[gallery ids="2726,2727,2728,2729,2730"]

Then I pulled this quilt top out of cold storage..well you know what I mean. You might remember that it was just last summer that I was finishing it up.  I really was not happy with the way it turned out so it got put away to rest.  I think I'm ready to try again to get this one off the UFO list.

[caption id="attachment_2723" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Charm Quilt Top[/caption]

Time was also spent cutting up scraps, eye appointments and trips looking for paint and to Home Depot.

I did some cleaning too and found the top of my buffet.  Now that impressed Mr. Bill.

[caption id="attachment_2731" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Buffet[/caption]

Not too bad for the first week of summer after all I don't want to get it all done in one week.  :)

Stash Report Week 24, 2014

I'm  happy to say that I used fabric this week that I can count out.  I'm super happy to say that I had no fabric coming in.

Yes that's right I used a whopping three quarters of a yard for a pillow back.  I like to write it out like that cause is seems like so much more..right?  It was a big pillow.

[caption id="attachment_2710" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Feed Sack Pillow[/caption]

 

This was my first flap back pillow so I made the back pieces different on purpose cause I knew they would not match up. That's a skill I may or may not work on. :0)

[caption id="attachment_2711" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Ticking Back[/caption]

 

Added last week : 00 Yards
Added this Year: 91.50 Yards
Used last week: .75 Yards
Used this Year: 93.25 Yards
Net Used this Year 1..75 Yards

To more stash reports head over to Judy's Patchwork times 

 

What I'm Working on This Week

The design wall has changed but not because I finished the Gecko quilt. The Gecko blocks were taken down so I could put up the flamingo strip top.



I was getting ready to quilt this new strip quilt and have just run out of time. So it too has been folded with the backing and batting and put away until I can spend some quality time with it

What is happening is that today is the official start of my Summer Break.  For me this is more a state of mind than a break because I have of course made a impossible long list of what I want to get done this summer before my classes start up again in September.  Starting with a very thorough cleaning of the sewing room.  There is just too much in the room to make it functional anymore.

So my starting point will be the table and surrounding area.  There are a lot of scraps to be cut down to the sizes I use. I think that this summer will be a good time to get caught up on that too.  Besides cleaning up and out the sewing room there is the main floor of the house that we're working on too.  This will be the summer of the big clean out. Oh let us not forget the yards too all this while I'm thinking of starting up a walking program.  Well I won't be bored this summer that's for sure.

Anyway to see more design walls that are really in use head over to Judy's at Patchwork Times.

Stash Report Week 23, 2014

It's been a while since my last stash report. Let's just say that May was a really long fast month.

During the month of May there was some sewing and some stashing.  I'll just say it's a good thing there isn't an upholstery fabric stash report.  Here are  few of the fabrics acquired in the last month or so.

[caption id="attachment_2699" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Retro Kitchen[/caption]

Love the retro kitchen appliances and I finally settled on fabric for my nephew that is due very very soon.

[caption id="attachment_2698" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Baby Boy[/caption]

 

When all the numbers were tabulated  I was totally surprised.

Added since last report:  26.00 Yards
Added this Year: 91.50 Yards
Used since last report: 18.50 Yards
Used this Year: 92.50 Yards
Net Used this Year 1.00 Yard

I am one yard ahead of the game.   I really thought I'd be back in the red and would have to start digging fast.  :)  If I get some time in the sewing room this week hopefully I can increase my lead.

For more stash reports head on over to Judy's Patchwork Times.

Hands 2 Help Finish 2014

It's time to share my finished quilts for Sarah's Hands 2 Help Challenge. Here they are three quilts for Hurricane Sandy Survivors.   I enjoyed working on these quilts and I'm glad to send them off to new homes. Many Thanks to Sarah for having this challenge as a chance to help just a little bit. I'm linking up with Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict for the H2H Big Reveal  

What I'm Working On

Just what am I working on?  Sometimes it's darn hard to tell.  Do you ever get so many project going that you get lost?  Happens to me all the time.

Right now on the design wall are the Gecko blocks ready for sashing and on the table in front is where I'm cutting fabric for my plus quilt.  While I'm cutting 2.5 inch strips from the fabric I might as well cut a 1.5 in strip for my 3 inch 9-patchs and 2 in strips for my growing up odd quilt.

[caption id="attachment_2681" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Gecko blocks[/caption]

I started the 3 inch 9-patchs last July as a leader/ender.  I counted my squares and I only need about 100 more for the quilt floating around in my head. No time limit on these it just happens as I sew other blocks.

[caption id="attachment_2683" align="aligncenter" width="300"] 3 inch 9-patches[/caption]

My 2 inch Growing up Odd quilt  that I promised myself just one block a day, well somedays I'm caught up and other days I'm making two or three blocks. I've yet to be head of the one block a day.

[caption id="attachment_2682" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Growing up odd[/caption]

So mostly this week I'll work on getting all that fabric cut and off the table so I can work on the Gecko blocks again.

What are you working on?  Head over to Judy's at patchwork times and check out more design walls/