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

Sunday Stash Report #46

Nothing new in to report, but I'm starting to see progress in the almost-finished column - mostly Christmas presents which I can't share here yet.  I did finish one thing for me, a tote bag for my Featherweight sewing maching:

 

 

It is my own design and I used the contents of a Moda Scrap Bag purchased from Fabric Depot a couple of years ago.

 

I love these little scrap bags - they actually hold quite a bit of fabric (I estimated between 2 - 2 1/2 yds) and are all from one coordinating line.  The only downside is you don't get to specify.  Only once have I received a bag with fabric I wasn't crazy about (a civil war reproduction), but I just fed the strips into my scrap bins and some of them found their way into my Orca Bay quilt! I use Bonnie Hunter's Scrap User System, which has increased my productivity four-fold.

 

 

 

Each side has a pocket, which fit all my essential tools (the 6x12" ruler fits in the bag, I just tilted it to show it.)  The bag looks a little big right now, but I wanted to allow for shrinkage the first time it is washed.  I made it to protect the case and handle, as the bottom edges had a little fraying, and I've heard the handles can give over time, and I want to preserve my case as best I can, since it is in such good shape for a 65-year-old!

 

 

 

The strips on the pockets line up with the strips on the base.  The whole piece was made using the quilt-as-you-go method and I also incorporated the handles  into the base sections as well for additional strength.  There is no way those suckers can pull off!  I covered a button with coordinating fabric and made the tab from scraps. 

 

 

 

I made a matching mat to go under the machine when I'm sewing.  When I sew at my friend's house, we use her dining room table and I want to help protect it.  I just realized as I took these pictures, I forgot to do the double-lines of quilting beside each seam, so I'll go back and add those before I stitch down the binding (after I finish this post!).

 

 

I used a simple white muslin on the back of both the bag's quilted pieces and the mat, since you won't see them anyway.

 

 

The binding was pieced from the rest of the scraps.  I think I only had about 24" of 2"-3" wide strips left, which have now found their way into the scrap bins, to be used in a future Bonnie Hunter scrappy quilt.

 

So at the end of the day, my stash went down a little - with the backing I've estimated a conservative 2.5 metres.

 

Used since last report:  2.5 metres

Used year to Date: 88.25 metres

Added since last report: 0 metres

Added Year to Date: 93.5 metres

Net Used/Gained for 2012: 5.25 metres

 

 

 

 

 

This week should show a huge number used, as I have started quilting Zoey's quilt.  It has to be done by Christmas, but I want it done by Thursday so I can start living on Easy Street!