Sunday Stash Report, Week 20

Okay, so it's Week 22 apparently!  I lost 2 weeks somewhere along the line - no wonder I only had one post in May!

Another busy two weeks have passed, but at least this time I can report some finishes! 

 

 

I had basted this quilt together at the time of my last stash report with the intention of gifting it to my co-worker for her sister who had just moved to hospice. Unfortunately, she passed the same day I made my report, after just 3 days in hospice.  I went ahead and quilted it, and presented it to my coworker in memory of her sister.  She has decided to give it to her mother with my blessings! She has been giving me a hard time ;o) ever since about making her cry (I love her that we both can laugh and cry at the same time).  Counted in my stash report is the binding at 1/2 metre.  

 

I added one of my special labels made with a Heather Ross goldfish.  My mom used to mark her ceramics with a fish (check out our last name!) and when I found these goldfish, I decided to use them to mark my special quilts.

 

 

I finished my experiment with old poly/cottons and lace from my mother's stash that I inherited (see more here).  It turned out exactly how I envisioned! I've shown it to a couple of friends and my daughter and they all love it - in fact, my daughter wants it if she has another girl. 

 

 

Pardon the wrinkles!  Since it also has eyelet fabrics, I plan on putting a layer of muslin underneath the top, then use white flannel for the batting.  I plan on using minkee for the backing and it will be too heavy if I use a regular batting.  This one measures about 36 x 36 in., perfect for a stroller or car seat, or swaddling.  I have enough fabrics and lace left to make at least 4-5 more, but I might make myself a summer lap quilt instead!  I hope to get it quilted this week.  Used from my stash, only 1.5 metres - yikes, I can probably get about a dozen from what is left.

 

 

Yesterday, I realized there are just 10 days until Zoey's second birthday, so I quickly put together her I-Spy quilt.  I had to raid the stash for the last 10 fabrics and now my Happy Room looks like a bomb went off. It's pieced in rows and as soon as Bonnie Hunter's Quilt Cam starts in about 45 minutes, I plan on sewing the rows together and hopefully get it quilted today!

 

 

I even fussy-cut a frog princess from the leftovers of her big-girl quilt - the scraps that keep on giving!  This was an easy 2 metres of fabric out of the stash, good thing I have to make another one by July for another birthday.

 

 

Of course, since I cleared some out of the stash AND it is Super-Stitcher weekend at my favourite local quilt shop, Hamels (20% off all regular priced fabrics, first weekend of every month!), I decided to stop by and add to my stash of Bella solids.  I was lucky enough to find a couple of bolts of Glamping by Mary Jane, so I grabbed some of that as well (along with a Fat 1/8 of Salt Air).  Added: 6 metres - so much for stash-busting with those finishes.

 

Instead of buying a colour card, I've decided to spend the money on the colours I want, and made up my own colour ring so I know what I already have.  Good thing, because I've already bought the 3 of the same colour twice each  (I apparently love Feather, Blue Raspberry and Aqua)!

 

I cut an approximately 1" x 2 1/2" piece (preferably from scraps) with pinking shears, use fusible lightweight interfacing to add body, and mark it with a pigma pen with the brand-name, colour and stock number.  Then if I remember to bring it with me, I don't double up any more.  My stash is small, but I only buy what I need for current projects (so far).  These ones are mostly intended for the Super Mario quilt that I want to make for my grand-nephew.

 

 

Added this week: 6 metres

Added Year-to-Date: 63.5 metres

Used since last report: 4 metres

Used Year-to-Date: 21.5 metres

Net used/Added for 2013: 43 metres

 

 Linking up to Judy of Patchwork Times Sunday Stash Report.  I've made a promise to myself to spend 15 minutes a day in the sewing room this month, so hopefully I will also post more frequent, shorter posts!

 

Thanks for visiting,

Terri in BC

 

 

A experiment in low volume

My kids came over Saturday for dinner and to celebrate my and my daughter's birthdays.  The little ones had fun playing with the boxes and wrapping.

 

It was fun to see them dressed almost alike - unintentionally since my two daughters didn't check with each other.  What a sassy look on Zoey's face!

 

 

 

This is a much more typical look!  It's hard to believe she'll be two in June.

 

The next afternoon I spent cutting out some spring and summer outfits her.  I mostly used poly/cottons, some which dated back to when her mother was a baby!  Pink rosebuds, gingham and eyelet are timeless.

 

 

I dug through a bin of fabrics to find these - they had been put aside because they weren't quilting cottons.  I also found scraps from some of the clothes I sewed for my girls when they were little.  I decided it was time to bust those scraps!

 

 

I cut them into strips and squares of 2 1/2", 2" and 1 1/2".  Then I just started sewing them together in pairs, regardless of width of the strip.

 

 

Then I cut the paired strips cross-wise at 2 1/2", 4 1/2" and 6 1/2".  I did end up with a few at 3 1/2"  so I've thrown them in the mix too. Even though there were some purples and a bit of pale green in the stash, I only pulled the pink, blue and white fabrics for now, to attempt to have a bit of cohesiveness.

 

 

At first I was going to piece them into 6 1/2" blocks, but I changed the plan part-way through.

 

 

I've pieced the various pieces together to a consistent width of 6 1/2" and I plan to sew them together in 6 panels of about 45" long. 

 

 

That should get me a cute baby girl quilt measuring 36" x 45", perfect for a stroller or playmat. Since it is made of poly/cottons, it will probably wash up easily and doesn't have to be treated as an heirloom.   I think I have enough strips to make two or three of these! 

 

If it works, I hope to make a more detailed tutorial.  And hopefully get better pictures that aren't taken late at night, on a really gross ironing board cover ;o)