Sunday Stash Report, Week 52 - Last report of 2013

Christmas has come and gone, and it was a wonderful time.  We seem to have established some new traditions, as well as enjoying some old!

 

Miss Sassy (Zoey 2 1/2) and Alex (5)

 

When I was a child, we always got to open one gift on Christmas Eve, and it always had pyjamas in it.  I carried on the tradition by making pyjamas for my daughters most years, and now I'm making them for my grandchildren.  They were pleased as punch to have matching jammies.

 

Newish tradition: A few years back, we got in the habit of driving around to look at the Christmas lights on Christmas eve, now with the little ones we wait until they get in their jammies, bundle them into the van and off we go!  By the time we get home, they have fallen asleep and we carry them into my house, and play games for the rest of the evening.  It sure helps make the evening pass quickly for the kids.

 

 Christmas was also great for busting out some fabric! 


Used since last report: 10 metres

 

Used Year-to-Date:   97 metres

Added since my last report: 10.5 metres

Added Year-to-Date: 216.75 metres

  

Net used/Added for 2013: 119.75 metres

(For more stash reports, visit Judy's blog at Patchwork Times)

On Christmas Eve, I decided to make another 2 pillowcases to use for wrapping towels and a bath mat set for my younger daughter and her husband.  That was good for another 2 metres out.  Of course, I was too rushed to take pictures!

This quilt also got gifted:

 

I got it bound 5 days before Christmas!  It was so large it took a full metre of fabric to bind it.  My daughter didn't waste any time getting it on her bed and posted on Facebook (where I shamelessly stole this photo from!) The other daughter will get a quilt for Christmas 2014.

 

I also made and gifted 6 of these:

 

 

I found these cute miniature composition books in the dollar store, and designed the crayon holder to fit them perfectly with 8 crayons. 

 

 

 

 Perfect for the little ones in church, the doctor's office or anywhere they need to be quietly occupied. (I also bought the triangular crayons, so they don't roll away).  That's another metre out (approximately, because I used a fat quarter and scraps!)

 

I also made a set of placemats for my co-worker, but again, no picture (I resolve to do better with that).  Another 1.5 metres outta here!

 

While I was busy doing all the Christmas sewing, I used my first "Bonnie Hunter" scrappy quilt as my leader and ender project.  Today, I focused on getting it finished and I'm happy to say it is done!  4.5 metres of 2" squares dating back to the 1970's (from my mother's stash and my first sewing projects), and includes scraps from clothes I sewed my kids all the way through to pieces from my recent finishes, including Easy Street! There are almost 40 years of memories in this quilt, and now I can get rid of those fabrics I will never use again (mostly the poly-cottons that I used in this memory quilt, but won't quilt with again).

 

 

 

Of course all this fabric busting would have been great for reducing my numbers if it hadn't have been for this:

 

 

A trip to IKEA - I bought 6 metres of this wonderful large-text print (at only $3.98/metre) for backing some quilts this coming year.  I also had to get some solids for an upcoming project, which will be done by May.

 

 

And I couldn't resist the text print on gray on top! So in, a total of 10.5 metres, including the IKEA fabric.

 

Also at IKEA, I got these great decorations for my sewing room (AKA my Happy Place):

 

 

Don't they look great?  They're metal, with large nylon laces and make me smile every time I see them!

 

I had started off the year with the intentions of trying not add to my stash this year, but between being gifted so much fabric, finding some great bargain websites, and not getting much down due to working so much overtime, I ended up in the very RED side this year.  I am seriously going to go on a fabric diet this coming year, and also finish up some major UFOs and hopefully break even in 2014.  Until I get my UFO list down to a manageable level, I resolve to no longer to shop online and will only go to my LQS when I need fabric for a specific project, and restrict random purchases during those trips to a fat quarter or fat eighth.  Hold me to it, will you?
 

Merry Christmas from British Columbia, Canada!

Just a quick post to wish all of you a Merry Christmas, or an enjoyable day if you celebrate a different holiday!  My oldest daughter and her family stayed overnight, so for the first time in a while I was able to enjoy the excitement of Christmas morning with a little one!

 

 

 

He was moving so fast, it was hard to get a good shot!

 

Now we are just waiting for the rest of the family, and pretty soon this will be opened!

 

 

Daisy will have a hard time giving it up!  (This snow is from a couple of days ago, it's all gone now and we have another typical green Christmas day - at least it's not raining!)

 

Have a wonderful day!

 

Celtic Solstice Link-Up, Week 3

 

It's Week Three of Bonnie's Mystery Quilt Linkup, but I have barely started Week Two.

 

I have a good excuse though - I've been binding my king-size version of Easy Street, all 440 inches of it!

 

 

And I have a helper!

 

 

I can't lay a quilt down without Daisy laying claim.  Once it's finished, I'll get some good pictures and show off the quilting.  I am so happy with the final result and I know my daughter and her husband will be too!

 

 

I seem to have a mental block making these, I have about a dozen right-hand sides, but have a hard time getting the left-hand side down pat.  I love the result though - 4 down, 46 to go.  I even used some of my precious Pukeko fabric from New Zealand, all the while humming "A Pukeko in a Ponga Tree". (My grandson got the New Zealand version of the 12 Days of Christmas in a package from his Kiwi grandparents, and we've had to sing that version ever since!)

 

I made some Triangle Buddies, a la Bonnie Hunter.  These are great for making bonus triangles for future projects.  I have no idea what I'll use them for, but I have an addiction to crumbs!

 

 

For more great colour options, be sure to visit Bonnie's Linky Party on her blog!

 

 

 

 



Sunday Stash Report, Week 46 - and are you lucky number 1?

The push is on to get Christmas sewing finished.  It sure is nice to see some numbers in the USED column:

 

Added since my last report: 0.5 metres

Added Year-to-Date: 200.5 metres

 

Used since last report: 12 metres

 

Used Year-to-Date: 81.5 metres

 Net used/Added for 2013: 119 metres

 

I got the backing pieced and pressed for Easy Street:

 

 

I got the backing at IKEA for just $3/m and because it was 60" wide, I only needed 6 metres and spent just $18.

 

 

(from IKEA website)

 

All packed and ready to go.

 

 

It was dropped off for quilting and will be ready the first weekend in December.

 

I also got five of the six pillowcases I need for Christmas finished  for another 5 metres out! Here is my favourite, destined for my granddaughter, Zoey. 

 

 

I only make these once a year, and last year had tried the "burrito" method of making them, but couldn't remember where I found the tutorial I used.  I found a couple that were close, so I mashed them together and made my pillowcases.  I had no idea how many different ways there are to make a pillowcase.

 

Now I have to take the time to thank my fellow bloggers and hats off to all of you that take the time to provide tutorials!  I decided to make a tutorial for myself so I don't have to hunt next year, and although I can whip together a pillowcase in less than 30 minutes start to finish, it took me 1 1/2 hours to sew one while I was taking the pictures.  AND that was having the fabric already cut and pressed...and I still haven't written the tutorial.  YOU GUYS ROCK!

 

I also did a bit of sewing for me.  My regular readers know I'm big fan of Bonnie Hunter and her leaders and enders method of sewing.  Often, I will put together a small project while I'm sewing another.  I made two projects in the last couple of weeks while I was working on my Christmas sewing:

 

First up, a cute Berry Basket from free tutorial by Anna of Noodlehead:

 

 

I didn't have a stiff fusible batting or interfacing, so mine's a little floppy but that is okay, once it was filled

 

 

with my collection of charm packs

 

 

it stands up quite fine!  Here it is in its new home:

 

 

Good for another half metre out.

 

Last but not least, I designed and finished a daybook cover, complete with credit card slots and a zippered pouch.  This was for a challenge put out by the Fraser Valley Modern Quilt Guild, which I've recently joined.  I've counted half a metre out for this one, even though there are a total of five different fat quarters used - the leftovers will show up in another project!

 

 

I'll do another post on it this week. 

 

And Debbie never claimed her prize from my giveaway last stash report, so I drew a new number:

 

 

Glenda in Florida!  I've sent you an email for your snail mail address.  Thanks for playing!

 

Hope you all had a productive weekend. For more stash reports, be sure to visit Patchwork Times.

 

Thanks for visiting,

 

Terri in BC

 

 

5 Weekends to Christmas!

 

I've already made a good start on preparing for Christmas this year - I don't know what is wrong - that's not like me at all.

 

I've made a list and checking it twice:

 

1. Quilt for B&R
2. Placemats for S&R (they'll get their quilt next year)
3. Christmas dress for Zoey
4. 8 pillowcases (6 for the goody bags, 2 to match #1)
5. 6 small gifts for girlfriends - not sure what that will be yet
6. Advent calendar for B
7. Christmas wall hangings for B&S
8. Start Celtic Solstice!

 

 

This quilt has been dropped off at Quilted Cats Hideaway:

 

 

Linda suggested her Circle Lord swirls pattern, which I think will be a lovely counterpoint to the straight lines and angles.  Pick up is scheduled in 3 weeks, so I have to plan binding this king-size monster before Christmas (I prefer the look of a hand-stitched binding).

 

My sister and I have carried on a tradition of "goody bags" for the little ones, that my mother started when our kids were little (read more here).

 

I make the six pillowcases and since my sister loves to shop, she usually ends up filling them.  I make or buy a few things, but in my opinion, she does the hard part.  All but one has been prepped, and I'm making two more to match the quilt above but need to make a trip to Hamel's today.

 

I've started collecting a selection of smalls to review and still need to decide what to make for my friends.  I'm leaning towards pouches.  I have a board on Pinterest to review today! 

 

To keep my sanity, I'll work on the newest Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt.  This year it is Celtic Solstice, in honour of her recent trip to Ireland.  Being of Irish heritage, I'm looking forward to doing something that will also reflect my background.  This year, she is offering two sizes, large double or king size, but I think I'll start with half the size and plan on using it in the kidlets' bedroom.  Here is a mockup using her colours:

 

 

Not my usual, but I think my grandson is going to love it!

 

Have a great day,

 

Terri in BC



Sunday Stash Report, Week #44 - and a winner for my giveaway!

 

First up, I'd like to thank everyone for reading and commenting on my last post!  Unfortunately, life got in the way and I wasn't able to reply to everyone nor even do the draw last week like I was supposed.  On a positive note, I got through those bags of fabric (it was a great stress reliever!) and have 5 + yards of 6" strips to give away to:

 

 

 

 

#10 - Debbie. 

 

I hope you are reading, Debbie, because you don't have a reply-email set up.  I'll wait until Wednesday, then draw another number if I don't hear from you.

 

And today, I assembled the remaining rows of Easy Street:

 

 

This quilt is assembled on the diagonal - the longest row is over 12 feet long! 

 

 

Most people use quilt racks to display quilts - me, I use them to assemble all my pieces on! Here are all eleven rows and two corner pieces ready to go.

 

 

And here it is!  All sewn up and ready to go to the long-arm quilter's.  I have draped it over the kidlets' bunk bed, what you can't see is two more rows at the top.  This quilt is huge!  I'm keeping it here until I can drop it off, no wrinkles that way.

 

(Sorry for the washed-out colours, but our winter rains have started and it's hard to get a good shot. The colours in the middle picture are the closest to actual.)

 

Now, a drumroll please.... this is 20 yards out!  Talk about making a major dent in my numbers.  Adding in the 5 yards of my giveaway and that is more than half of my used total for the year.  Nice to see some progress, finally.

 

Added since my last report: 0 metres

Added Year-to-Date: 200 metres

 

Used since last report: 25 metres

 

Used Year-to-Date: 69.5 metres

 

Net used/Added for 2013: 130.5 metres

 

It's been roughly three years since I discovered quilting blogs, and one of the first sites I can across when I was trying to deal with my scraps was Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville.  I became a firm believer in her Scrap-User's System and started using Leaders and Enders for all my sewing.  Mostly, I use parts from various stages of one quilt project (for example, when working on a mystery quilt such as Easy Street, as soon as Bonnie released Week Two's clue, I would start that one, and use Week One as my Leader and Ender).  But when I didn't have any parts on hand, I would reach into a small bucket of 2" squares and assemble 4-patches.

 

 

I got a lot of 4-patches done while I was making Easy Street!  In fact, I have enough to finish what I call my first Bonnie Hunter project.

 

 

This is where I left off the last time I emptied the bucket.  The center square is 16x16 1.5" squares, with a 1.5" white sashing, then a ring of 1.5" squares, 8 squares high.  Maybe I'll get this one done next week! Other projects call, and Christmas is fast approaching.

 

Thanks for visiting,

Terri in BC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Sunday Stash Report, Week 24

 

After rocking two finishes in as many days, things slowed down the last two weeks.  With working so much overtime, there hasn't been a lot of free time but I have been trying to be in my "Happy Place" aka my sewing room for a bit every day - I've been managing about 45 minutes to an hour each time.  (It helps that the sleep specialist has put me on a rigid schedule - I'm not allowed to go to bed before midnite and have to be up at 7 am, weekends included.)

 

I did get a great piece of fabric at a garage sale.  I've been looking for a new cushion set for my patio swing, but without any luck.  I had decided to make a scrappy quilt that I could throw on it that wouldn't bother me if it got left out by mistake.  When I spotted this, I was thrilled!

 

There are four cheater panels of Double Wedding Rings on this piece.  I'm going to back each panel with a vintage sheet and quilt each one separately with a simple "stitch-in-the-fake-ditch" stitch, then assemble the four panels with a sashing.  It will be so much easier to handle that way on my machine.

 

Added this week: 3.25 metres

 

Added Year-to-Date: 66.75 metres
 

Used since last report: 0 metres

 

Used Year-to-Date: 21.5 metres

 

Net used/Added for 2013: 45.25 metres

 

I've enjoyed going in my room every day, even if it is not until 10 at night.

 

I'm still plugging away on Easy Street by Bonnie Hunter.  This pattern has now been retired and will be published in her next book.

 

 

Most of the parts are complete, and I'm finishing the rest as I assemble the blocks.  I want to have this finished by the end of June, so I can get it off to the long-arm quilter.  This is going to be one big quilt - it measures about 110"x110" before I even think about borders.

 

I've sorted through my UFOs for some hand-work projects for summer so I can have something to work on when I'm over at my daughter's or at my friends house hanging in the backyard.

 

 

I prepped the second border for embroidery and started the applique in the center of my Vignette Mystery quilt by Leanne Beasley.

 

 

I finally started Birdie Stitches - I've only had the fabric for two plus years!

 

 

I've assembled little kits for my hexie flowers - every one is different, so I have to make sure I have them properly organized. 

 

I also have a cross-stitch project in my bag, Christmas stockings for my grandbabies!

 

So now I am ready to go when I'm invited somewhere - no more excuses!

 

 

(One of these days I'm going to make a bag the same size and stiffness as this Safeway shopping bag - it holds everything perfectly)

 

I also made some progress on a new design, a TV tray cover with an ironing pad, cutting board holder and multiple pockets that will hold all my tools at my fingertips.

 

 

 

I'm using scraps of Vintage Modern by Bonnie and Camille, along with some yardage in the aqua colourway.  I've been working on this a little while now, and when I get frustrated I put it aside.  It's now back in the corner!

 

 

(So, do I look for another smaller cutting mat or cut this one down... or pick out all the stitches and add a border to the already-quilted piece?)

 

Linking up to Patchwork Times Sunday Stash Report

 

Now I'm off to tackle another UFO!  Thanks for visiting and have a great day,

 

Terri in BC