60 Days and Counting

Today I'm Whooping about my fabric closet.  My #1 Niece came to visit at the end of March during my Spring Break and besides playing tourist and eating out (alot) she folded all  a lot of my fabric (all the fabric on the shelves in the closet and then some)  and sorted it by color and some by theme.

[caption id="attachment_2107" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The sorting begins[/caption]

She worked on it for several days between the Zoo, Museums, and Dinner from the Food Trucks.

[caption id="attachment_2108" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Do we have enough boxes?[/caption]

She was amazing!  Would not let me help.  I got to just set and sew while she folded and we talked and had a great time.

[caption id="attachment_2109" align="aligncenter" width="300"] More stacks[/caption]

 

That was 60 days ago today and this is what it looked like this morning.  This  photo has not been retouched.  :)

[caption id="attachment_2110" align="aligncenter" width="200"] May 31, 2013[/caption]

I know, I can't believe it either.  60 days and I've kept it going.  I've used a lot of fabric out of this closet and I've put away new fabric when I brought it home and I've been making headway on a few stacks piles of fabric on the guest bed.  The really best part is that when I need fabric I'm not searching for it all over the place.  I can find it right here in my fabric closet!!

Thank You Thank You #1 Niece.

My Whoop Whoop is my neat and organized fabric closet.

Head over to Sarah's at Confessions of a Fabric Addict for more Whoops

 

Change, Changing, Changed

I've been thinking about change lately, in fact I've been thinking about it a lot.

I know that some people don't like change. Heck I myself have been know to balk, resist, avoid, rail, ignore, or down right refuse change.  I find as I'm getting older for the most part I welcome change.  I read a quote from Martha Stewart that says" When you're through changing you're through".  That has been stuck in my mind going round and round along with something my friend says "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result". While I'm not on the verge of insanity (I think) I'm not satisfied with what I'm get and not getting done.

My goals have gotten muddied and I think it's time to change things and head into another direction to accomplish what I want to do this summer.  I think this mostly means changing my focus.  The interesting part about this change at this time is it seems to be across the board in my classes, quilting, yards, house, well just everything.

I've one class left and two quilt club meetings before summer break and I'll spend that time getting ready for "My Summer Of Change". What can I hope to change and get done in three months (two of which are very hot)? I hope I can get a lot done, I'll be writing about it here.  Some things will just be small changes while others are big major changes.

Now that I've written this down and read it for myself this change is sounding very exciting. With two weeks to clear out projects and make way for change, I can't wait to get started.

 

Stash Report Week 21, 2013

I missed last weeks stash report, the weekend just got away from me next thing I knew it was Tuesday!  So my numbers for the last two weeks are staggering.

Last week I'd used up my osnaberg so I had to restock that and I ended up buying the bolt so that really raised the incoming fabric.  Then this week I bought lots of pillowcase fabric, but didn't get them all made.  I hope to get some more made in the next three weeks so I could even out by Christmas. :)

Lucky for me I did get some pillowcases and some blankets made to send to Oklahoma and that used up some of what I bought.

Here are the numbers for the last two weeks:

• Added this week: 53.5 yds


• Added this year: 260.50 yds


• Used this week: 55.0 yds


• Used this year: 145.25 yds


• Net 2012  -115.25 yds  

I'm one and a half yards less in the hole this report than last report so that's a win, right?

For more stash reports head over to Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday, May 20, 2013

On my design wall this Monday it this little Asian fabric quilt.  This started out as left over strips from a quilt I made a couple of years ago.  All the blocks are sewn in to rows and I just need to sew the rows together.

[caption id="attachment_2087" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Asian quilt top[/caption]

 

Then I need to set it aside to get busy on some 4th of July projects.  And I wonder how all those UFO's happen.  I know how I want to finish it so I hope it doesn't get buried to deep.



For more design wall head over to Judy's at Patchwork Times

 

 

Design Wall Monday May 13, 2013

On my design wall today is this soft floral quilt.

[caption id="attachment_2080" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Soft Floral[/caption]

Need to sew on those borders and it will be ready to take with me tomorrow for my appointment with the Long Arm.  Maybe I'll get the binding made too so I'll be ready to finish it up this week.

To see more design walls head over to Judy's Patchwork Times

Stash Report Week 19, 2013

This was a good week.  Fabric moved in my sewing room, both in and out.

On the fabric coming in to the sewing room I picked up some solids and these great charm packs.

[caption id="attachment_2068" align="aligncenter" width="300"] charm packs[/caption]



I finished a tote bag this week and I'm counting out one of a pair of quilts.  I was going to wait until I'd finished both quilts but I want to move this out of my sewing room so it was time to count it out.

[caption id="attachment_2062" align="aligncenter" width="225"] tote bag[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2069" align="aligncenter" width="225"] RWB Quilt[/caption]

 

• Added this week: 13.5 yds


• Added this year: 207 yds


• Used this week: 14.5 yds


• Used this year: 90.25 yds


• Net 2012  -116.75 yds    

I'm linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times for Stash Report.

Photo of quilt taken at Motor Transport Museum in Campo CA

A Friday Finish-Tote Bag

I finally have a Friday Finish, it's been a long time between finishes.



This is a very cute, very large tote bag.  I'd made one a couple of years ago and a friend asked if I'd make one for her.  Yikes! I thought.  Sure hope I can find the pattern and then remember how?  Well most of it came back to me when I read the pattern and I asked questions of the girls at quilt club that helped me last time.



It all came together and I'm thinking I'll make another just to be sure I remember for next time.

The tote bag pattern is Chubby Charmer by Penny Sturges.

I'm linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Whoop Whoop Friday.

 

Not what I should be working on

Do you ever come up with an ideal and tell yourself you'll just make two or four blocks to see how it's going to look.  Then next thing you know....you're not working on what you should be doing, the stuff with deadlines.  You just keep working on your little ideal..Well that's what I've been doing this week.

[caption id="attachment_2052" align="aligncenter" width="300"] 3 inch strips[/caption]

All last week I kept trying to come up with a quick little donation quilt for Quilt Club and every thing I came up with wanted to be bigger than a 40 inch quilt.  So I stopped for a few days and work on other projects.  But I kept seeing this package of left over three inch strips of Asian fabric from a quilt I did a couple of years ago.  I kept thinking what if I sew them together..but then what.

[caption id="attachment_2053" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Cut into 3 inch strips again[/caption]

I came up with nine patches and I like them.  I'll add white or cream sashing with corner stones and it will be the right size.  But now I like making them so much and they are going together really fast that that's what I sew on every time I'm in the sewing room.  And I wonder how projects become UFO's?  Could it be anything to do with my short attention span? :)

[caption id="attachment_2054" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sweet Nine Patches[/caption]

A few blocks between projects and to start and end a sewing session and the little quilt is coming together.