Sunday Stash Report, Week 2 of 2014

First up, I'd like to introduce the latest sewist in my family!

 

 

5-year-old Alex made a sleeping bag for his favourite stuffie!

 

 

I bought this half-size real sewing machine a few years back for just $40 at Sears, with the intentions of teaching my grandchildren to sew and yesterday, it became a reality!  I set him up at the little table his mother and aunt used to play at, gave him good lighting and let him practice "driving" without a needle first.  Once he got the hang of using the foot peddle, he couldn't wait to pick out some fabrics (of course, it had to be yellow!) and away he went.  He was pretty good at maintaining a fairly straight line too!  I can't wait to work with him and his cousin on a regular basis.

 

Now on to my Stash Report!

 

Destashed this Week: 3.6 metres

 Destashed year to Date: 5.6 metres

Added this Week: 10.5 metres

 Added Year to Date: 10.5 metres
 Addd for 2014: 4.9 metres 

 

While Alex was working on his project, I was able to work on the binding on this mini quilt.  A little late for Christmas this year, but I can put it away and possibly gift it next year.  It's my second Finish of the year!

 

 

I learned this from a tutorial called Wonky, Wonky Little Stars by my fellow Fraser Valley Modern Quilt Guild member, Cathy of Blueberry Stitches.

 

As I was making it, I realized it is a variation of Bonnie Hunter's Maverick Stars. The main difference is that the stars are nested.

 

 

Wonky Nested Stars

 

 

Maverick Star

 

The biggest difference between the two is the assembly of the blocks.  You can make Maverick Stars as a nine-patch, and just pile them up.

 

With the Wonky Nested Stars, you have to build up the design as you go.  I may do some as a scrappy project, but I think I would only build the star points and pin them together with the central block until I was ready to assemble the project.  Cathy does a really good job of explaining the assembly process.

 

I also gave away some fabric to my bestest friend, Kim.

 

 

There's about 3 metres in this bundle.  They are from some Moda scrap bags that have been hanging around for a few years, and she needed them to finish a quilt for one of her adopted daughters.  She'll trim off the selvedges and give those back to me (like I need them ;o)

 

I'm trying not to add to my stash this year, but sometimes you just need to.  However, this purchase only cost me $5!

 

 

One of the local thrift stores (charity shop) was having a sale - $5 for as much clothing as you can fit in a bag they provide.  Zoey loves purple, so I couldn't resist this dress:

 

 

And the shirts will be cut up to make Moth in a Window blocks. 

 

 

 The plan is to make quilts for the men in my family for Christmas.

 

One shirt is a nice tan corduroy. 

 

 

I think I might try my hand at making a teddy bear.  I've made small ones in the past, and I think it would be fun to try again.

 

I don't feel bad about cutting up what appear to be perfectly good shirts.  Some have minor flaws, like this ink mark on the shoulder of the tan shirt:

 

 

And at an average of 1 1/2 metres of usuable fabric per shirt, you can't beat the price of 47c a metre (and a free dress)!

 

Happy stashing,

 

Terri in BC