Sunday Stash Report, Week 37

 

Nothing in or out this week, but I've finally been playing in my sewing room.

 

Added: 0 metres

 

Added Year to Date: 26.35 metres 

 

Used/Given away: 0 metres

 

Used/Given away Year to Date: -23.0

 

Added for 2015: 3.35

 

I finally finished Step 1 of Bonnie Hunter's 2014 Mystery Quilt, Grand Illusion, all 100 units. (This is no longer available, but should appear in her next book.)

 

 

 

I got all of Step Two cut now, filling a mini-basket at my fingertips and I've started sewing, using these as leaders & enders. This step will create 200 bonus HST that will finish at 1 1/2".  Those could make a cute mini-quilt.

 

I pulled out my Birdie Stitches again, and I'm working on finishing the borders on the blocks.

 

 

(Another old picture, March block before I finished embroidering it)

 

I keep a series of baskets by my sewing machine filled with stages of various projects to use as leaders and enders.  This one has been sitting there far too long, and I want the basket for something else, so time to get 'er done!

 

I also worked on the Super Mario quilt, up to the point where I realized I didn't have the right orange for the Fire Flower, and I needed to cut more squares.  At least 3 blocks of six are finished now and the fourth one is half-way done! These blocks are huge at 27" each.

 

 

Last but not least, I made this cute little mini 9-patches:

 

 

The smallest scraps I keep are 1" squares and strips.  The bowl I keep them in was starting to get too full, so I made these 9-patches that finish at just 1 1/2" (unfinished 2").

 

 

 

I may try Sue Garman's Omigosh quilt someday, so 30 are a start - only about 850 more to go!

 

 

 

Sunday Stash Report, Week 36

I'm finally getting used to my new (too-small) space, and pulled out a stalled project to finish.

 

Pattern - Nested Churn Dash by Quilt Jane

 

These are large blocks - 24" each, so they are fast to finish  - but not when they get buried and moved!  The quilt will finish at 48" square, so it will make a nice wall hanging or baby quilt.

 

Added: 0 metres

Added Year to Date: 26.35 metres 

 

Used/Given away: 2 metres

 

Used/Given away Year to Date: -23.0

 

Added for 2015: 3.35

 

Hopefully by next week, I can get back in the black!  Christmas is fast approaching and I have a list a mile long.

Sunday Stash Report 2015, Week 34

 

Although it probably wasn't the best timing, I took a week off and went to Alberta! Now that I'm back, I have to put all my efforts into job-hunting once again.  I think it's time to find my bliss...

 

While traveling, I made a few stops to pick up some Row-by-Row patterns:

 

 

From Chinook Fabrics in High River, Alberta

 

   My best friend, Nancy and I have been friends since just after high school and she recently moved back to Alberta from Manitoba, so I couldn't miss the chance to see her again. She is one of those friends that visiting her is just like we last saw each other yesterday, even though it's been about 5 years.

 



 

Of course, you can't just get the free pattern without looking around.  Nancy loves the old school Christmas characters and bought the panel with the idea that I could make her placemats, which I agreed to do. I also picked up 3 fat quarters of the exclusive Row-by-Row fabric, just because I loved the colour.

 

After a stop to visit my new great-niece Eloise in Calgary, I headed back through the Rockies!

 

 

It's hard to take pictures when you are the only one in the car, but I love this shot!

 

from Sugar Pine Quilts in Canmore, AB

 

My niece got married in Canmore a few years ago, so I had to stop back at Sugar Pines Quilts. This shop is known for its landscape kits of local scenery and their Row-To-Row didn't disappoint!  It shows the local mountains, the Three Sisters, and local wildlife!  I had to buy the kit (mainly because I don't want to do that intricate cutting).

 

 

Their other offerings didn't disappoint. Due to getting a layoff notice, I didn't buy as much as I would have liked, but I did get a few neutral fat quarters, some quilt labels (from the new Sweetwater line, Holly's quilt farm) and a bag of scraps for just $5.00 (approx. 1.5 metres).

 

I tried to find the quilt shop in Salmon Arm, but due to get a bulge in my tire and having to stop to get that replaced (ouch), I got all turned around and couldn't find it.  Finally I was on the road again and stopped in Kamloops at Katja's Quilt Shop.

 

I also bought this kit. The colours in the kit are a bit lighter, plus I might add my row-by-row fabric to brighten it up a bit more. 

Katje's the author of the New Hexagon, and is hosting The New Hexagon Millifiore Quilt-a-long.  I didn't realize until I got home that Katje helped me in the store.  I wish I had asked her to autograph my book. I also got 2 metres of Sweetwater's Church Cookbook fabric. 

 

So now that I am home again, I've added up my purchases. 

 

Added: 6.6 metres

Added Year to Date: 26.35 metres 

 

Used/Given away: 0 metres

 

Used/Given away Year to Date: -21.0

 

Added for 2015: 5.35

 

I'm now officially in the red for 2015, but I have plans to start knocking out the Christmas pillowcases this week and those numbers should be back in the positive soon. I also have some projects and patterns mulling in my head that I need to start working on. Remember that bliss I mentioned - I'm really being drawn in that direction.

Yesterday's 15 minutes

I did my mandatory (to me) 15 minutes in the sewing room again yesterday, and it turned into 2 hours.  I grabbed the first thing I saw, and finished up this future cushion cover flimsy:

 

The block started out as "Idaho Square Dance" from Quiltmaker's Addicted to Scraps column (a Bonnie Hunter column) and it just grew to use up the 1/2 pack of a charm pack I received from the quilt guild I belong to. Unfortunately, I don't have any left (unless you count about 5 1" squares in the Omigosh quilt bin), so I'll have to figure out something for the backing.

 

I'm going to quilt it with "organic" straight lines (fancy way of saying I'm not stressing if they aren't straight and evenly-spaced), then I'll finish it up and put it away for a Christmas present.

Sunday Stash Report, Week 31

I went into the sewing room today for 15 minutes and spent over 4 hours in there! Besides doing some cleaning and organizing, I finished a dress for baby Mya:

 

I made it a little shorter, because she is finally crawling!  She's almost 10 months now.

 

 

I added a vintage button from my mom's collection to disguise the fact that I didn't have the neckline even at the back!

 

And although I didn't a picture, my grandson just "had" to have stuffed starfish for his upcoming vacation, so I made two of them (one for my older granddaughter as well) so they could have hugs from Gramma at the cabin!  (Both families are going)

 

So, 1 1/2 metres out!  But....

 

this week's the hens came home to roost.

 

 

 

 

My package arrived from Ozark Fabrics.  The best thing about ordering from Tonya is that she will wait until you have a full envelope or box, and then ship it!  That means I can buy what tickles my fancy, but not pay shipping for every item.  It is a closed group on Facebook, but I highly recommend it for quality fabrics, great prices and a unique shipping method.

 

The bottom fabric is 7 yards of "Color Me" fabric - to make pillowcases for all the boys this Christmas. There was actually enough to make 9, and I only need 7 so I gave enough for 2 to my friend and co-worker. I still have 4 yard of "girl" fabric coming - it was on backorder.

 

The quatrefoil fabrics are for Christmas projects as well.  Good thing I got them now, because I got a layoff notice and I'll be looking for work to start in September.

 

 

I also got these various 1/2 yd and fat quarter pieces, plus my co-worker gave me the Scrabble board fabric!  More Christmas present sewing in my future!

 

So the totals are:

 

Added: 15.75 metres
 

Added Year to Date: 19.75 metres 

 

Used/Given away: 3.0 metres

 

Used/Given away Year to Date: -21.0

 

Added for 2015: -1.25

I'm still in the negative, but barely.  I better start kicking out some more finishes!  I have a ton of quilting to do, and hope to tackle some of those tops this week.

It's been too long...

I've been really slacking off on my blog and also my sewing!  So I'm going to try and get in the sewing room for at least 15 minutes a day, then post about it.  Today, I actually spent a couple of hours in there, cutting down scraps into usable sizes, then made a few Wild 'n Goosey block units and a crumb block. Yay, me!

 

 

5" squares, 2 1/2" strips and blocks, 2"  & 1 1/2" strips and HST in a variety of sizes

 

 

5" strips of novelty prints for I-Spy quilts

 

Colour's not true - it's after 11 p.m.  I love these little 3 1/2" blocks.

SCORE and Sunday Stash Report, Week 27

Yesterday I went garage-saleing for the first time in a few years, at not since I started my vintage sewing machine addiction.  At the first stop, I scored all of this!

 

(Ruffler, binding foot, pintucker and seam guide plus extras)

 

 Cost: FREE! The seller had sold an old machine that needed work, and these fell out of one of the drawers when they were loading it up.  The buyer didn't want them, so the seller had put them in the trash.  When I asked if she had any sewing machine accessories for sale,  she said she just thrown some out, I asked if I could see them. We literally dug through the trash!

And at the second stop, these!

 

Total cost: $6.00  Both the buttonhole attachment (it was complete) and the circular stitcher will work on my 1947 Singer Featherweight and my 201 (once it's up and running).  I'm going to play with these and post more about them another day.

 

On to my stash enhancements:

 

 

These colours are not accurate, but it is too hot to go out for good pictures, and besides the grass is all dead anyway, so it would make for a lousy background.  The pindot is a dark aqua and the large polka-dot has a black background.  I was introduced to a new-to-me store near my work that is like a wholesaler.  Prices were amazing at $6-12 a metre for quilt-shop quality (min. cut 1 metre), but even better they offer a 2 for 1 pricing, so you pay the same for 2 metres as you do for one metre.  My friend and I spilt the cost and ended up with a metre each!  Unfortunately, they don't sell online.

 

Added: 3 metres

 

Added Year to Date: 4 metres 

 

I also found out one of my friends recently started quilting, so I invited her over to pick through my stash for her next project (a wall hanging).  She chose these colours, so I gave her a fat quarter of each (that's all she wanted!)

 

 

 

Used/Given away: 2.0 metres

 Used/Given away Year to Date: 22 metres

 

Added for 2015: -18.0 metres

 

All the fabric I have given away this year has helped me stay in the negative.  Good thing, because I don't seem to be sewing much! It's been too bloody hot! I really miss my basement sewing room this year!

 

Here on the West Coast, we have been breaking 100+ year-old records.

 

 

It was over 40c (104F) in the shade on Canada Day! What a switch-around in the weather the last couple of years - usually it's us on the West Coast that is waiting for summer to start until mid-July. Instead, this year, it seems like it is everybody east of the Rockies.  The downside is the number of forest fires starting daily is crazy - the last week has averaged 30-35 a day. 

 

In the morning, my kids and grandkids, some of their friends and I went on a hike.

 

 

I am so proud of myself.  I climbed this mountain trail...

 

 

...up to this lake (Lindeman Lake, near Chilliwack, BC).  I haven't done it in over 30 years, and after having knee problems two years ago, I thought I would never get to do it again.  My knees never bothered me at all (although my butt cheeks were sore the next day ;o) and I plan on doing more hiking this summer.

 

After, we spent the afternoon in my daughter's pool, where some of us (1) got to cool off in the best way! (Although it looks sunny, my daughter has a UV shade drawn to protect her).  She is sitting on a quilt my mother-in-law made and gifted to me when the kids were babies - proof a quilt doesn't have to be made from quilt-shop fabrics to be enjoyed and loved.

 

 

Mya is eight months old and starting to move, but isn't crawling yet.  She'll sit like this for hours, but as soon as your back is turned she'll bum-scoot off the blankets.  My daughter says she's watched too much Doctor Who when she was pregnant, and Mya is like one of the Weeping Angels that only move when you turn your back!

 

Hope you all are enjoying your summer so far.  If it's hot where you are, stay cool and careful not to start any fires.  If it has been raining where you are, I hope you see a change soon.

 

For more stash reports and goings-on, check out Judy's Stash Report linky at http://www.patchworktimes.com/2015/07/05/fabric-document-write-stash-report-week-27-2015/

 

 

Terri in BC