Sunday Stash in action, 5/1/2011

Happy May Day, (or Beltane) to my readers! I'm still here--and officially on a "stay-cation" this week. That's right, all the sleep, cups of tea, book reading, couch lounging, and sewing I have been missing out on for months! Think I can cram it all in in just a week? Yeah, me either. Oh well.

I do have a few things I plan to get done in the early part--you know, the "gotta-do" stuff. But I also want to do them, so it doesn't feel too terrible.

One is to turn this pile of scraps into a couple of blocks for this month's round of do.Good Stitches, the Peace circle.



I'll be turning these bright and pretty scraps into a couple of coin blocks--hope to show those tomorrow!

I also need to get cracking on a mug rug for a swap over on flickr. I know there are some folks who really don't get the whole mug rug thing. I think they're cute and functional--hope my partner knows I hope to use what she makes until it falls apart! I drink a LOT of tea and coffee, especially at work, so I'm hoping that I'll have something cute to bring in to the office and break up the dreary gray of my workspace a bit. Honestly, I'm really all about the silver linings lately. (Not up for positive? Come over and I'll make you cookies. Seriously. Life's too short to be miserable--I've had a lot of forcible reminders of that lately.)



These are what I've pulled for the mug rug I plan on making my partner. I hope she likes it--I need to get sketching!

Oh, and as far as keeping track of my Sunday Stash? I think I'd rather just enjoy what I'm working on than keeping inventory on what I buy and what I use. I tried it, it's not for me. I'll still do Sunday Stash posts, but I think it will be more about using the fabric instead of sitting down to do math and statistics every Sunday morning. Ok with you guys? Or are you sticklers for math?

With a little help from my friend...

If you're familiar with the song in the title, I'm sorry--I know you'll be singing it for the rest of the day. :)

I am referring, of course, to my quilting buddy:


This would be Timmy, keeping half an eye on me while I sew, in between his naps, of course.




What is it about cats and niches? Does that look comfortable? (please don't look at the fact that we're missing the baseboard on that wall. It's been on the honey-do list for...5 years? Oy!)

Timmy was supervising my work on this:



A ginormous 20.5" log cabin in Echino-inspired solids, for Andi of The Beehive. I left this slightly large for Andi to trim down--it's bigger than my cutting mat! I loved working with the range of bright colors, though, and every time I work strictly with solids, I promise myself that one day, I'm going to do a solids quilt. Of course, you and I both know that means I'll start one... *wink*

This week also saw the kickoff of the second quarter of the 2011 3x6 Sampler Quilt Mini Bee over on Flickr. This is my second round with the group (though I did help out with a couple of angel blocks in the 4th quarter last year), and it's my first time acting as caretaker! Yeah, I don't know how I managed to get roped into that, either. *sheepish* So the first week has been hectic, getting everyone set up, information shared and links mailed. I also spent two nights knocking my head against the wall with total quilter's block. I had a flash of clarity two nights ago as to what I'd be doing for one of my groups.

Did you catch that?

That's right, in addition to The Beehive, and do. Good Stitches, AND caretaking one group for the 3x6 Bee, I'm doubling up and participating in a second hive with the 3x6 Bee.

Am I insane?? Quite possibly. We'll see if I can manage to make this all hang together the next few months.

In the meantime, I've been cutting up lots and lots of little squares...


Spending the rest of the day working on my trial-run block, and if all goes well, tackling a few more of these!

And since I'm running behind on my Sunday Stash reports...

Used this Week: 3 yards (bee blocks sewn from stash)
Used year to Date: 161.5 yards
Added this Week: 3 yards (Solids from Pink Chalk Fabrics)
Added Year to Date: 53.25 yards
Net Used for 2011: 108.25yards

If you don't see me for a day or four, don't worry--you know where I am. :)

Sunday Stash, 3/20/11

You know how I've been muttering over the last few stash reports that I had something big that was going to be done with my stash? Beyond organizing? Well, yesterday was payoff!



No, no. That's not incoming. That's OUT. Approximately 150 yards from my "old" stash, all packaged and now officially delivered to the members of the CT Piecemakers quilt guild, which is the largest quilt guild in my area, at over 200 members. They have subcommittees that make quilts for a variety of charities, including Project Linus, Quilts of Valor, and a local one, Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. All are charities dear to my heart, for various reasons. But that's another blog post.

The guild used to meet at the library where I work, which is how I first became familiar with them. However, their large and growing group of members quickly outgrew the library's meeting facilities and moved on to larger venues for their meetings. But I knew they still met in town, so when the urge to do some spring cleaning came, I contacted their board.

I've been quilting for about 12 years, and while you've seen my newer, more modern stash in recent posts, there's a whole lot that has been packed in tubs in our spare room, fabric that in many cases has been with me through three moves, and not getting much love at all.

Do you see where this is going?

Yesterday afternoon, one of the Piecemakers was nice enough to stop by the library (I was working) and take all five boxes to be distributed among guild members and subcommittees for various purposes, including charity initiatives. It just felt like the right thing to do.

The numbers this week look pretty good, too! I'm still in the midst of the sewing room overhaul, and as a result, there hasn't been much sewing going on. Um, make that nearly none this last week. I'm hoping that a trip to Ikea tomorrow night and the subsequent final shuffle in the sewing room this week should clear it so that I walk into the room and can just sit down and sew, instead of walking in and feeling too overwhelmed to know where to begin!

So the numbers...

Used this Week: 150 yards (Not sewn, but out of the stash and on its way to being sewn!)
Used year to Date: 158.5 yards
Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 50.25 yards
Net Used for 2011: 108.25yards

Now I just need to remind myself not to try and fill the space in my house left by the donation!

Sunday Stash, 3/13/2011

If you saw yesterday's post, you saw that I actually finished stuff! I know, crazy, right?

I kept some momentum yesterday and finished the last of my Just One Star blocks--13 in all.


Those are all wrapped up and heading to Moda in Texas tomorrow. If you missed it, go check out the Just One Star initiative on Moda's blog here. 100 quilts in 100 days for servicemen/women and veterans through Moda and Quilts of Valor's collaboration. As I've mentioned, the blocks come together very quickly, and it's a great way to do some good without having to try and manage a whole quilt project. If nothing else, it's a quick way to use up a little stash or some of those scraps!

I also made up a little monochromatic improv block for a super-secret collaborative project.


It's off tomorrow to the secret HQ!

Lastly, it wouldn't be a normal week around here if there wasn't a sexy bit of new fabric, right? Right!

I love solids. When I first got into quilting *mumbledy* years ago, solids were still strictly Amish territory. Yeah, I know. Crazy talk. As evidenced above, I've embraced them very warmly! So when Kathy of Pink Chalk Fabrics opened up her Monthly Solids Club, I did not walk. No, readers, I ran to sign up! She offers this in fat quarters, half-yards or yard bundles. I went with middle-of-the-road, and this month, my first bundle showed up, in lucky Irish greens!




Mmmmmmmmmm. So many possibilities. This bundle of 8 fabrics is actually 7 Kona solids and one Moda Bella solid--I use both brands and love them equally. Really, how could I ever choose a favorite--it's like asking me if I love my mom or my dad more.

So what does this mean for the bottom line?

Used this Week: 5 yards
Used year to Date: 8.5 yards
Added this Week: 4 yards
Added Year to Date: 50.25 yards
Net Used for 2011: -41.75 yards

A wee bit of progress!!

Sunday Stash, 2/27/2011

Well, the postie decided to show up today. Yay! But oh, what I did... Sale + free shipping + a weak moment? Many thanks to Clint and Judy of Green Fairy Quilts for this box of lovelies!


A Basic Gray Origins layer cake...




Prayer Flag by April Cornwell jelly roll, plus one in white and one cream--I really love the solids precuts--they make for very speedy quilts! (PS, a little birdy told me that GFQ is also carrying lots of other Bella Solid precuts, like charm packs, layer cakes, and fat quarter bundles. Ok, I saw it on their site, and I thought I should enable you. You're welcome!)




I saw this great kit full of Kate Spain's 12 Days of Christmas, and since I have a couple of charm packs but not enough to make what I'd been thinking of making, I snapped this up--more for the yardage than the cute pattern. I do love the little canvas bag, though. :)





And finally, some charm packs. 2 Chrysalis, 2 City Weekend, and one each of Hoopla and Clermont Farms.



I have some secret-like sewing going on this weekend, so there should be outage to report next week. (Don't I always have an excuse?) But the numbers this week? Oy vey...

Used this Week: 0 yards
Used year to Date: 3.5 yards
Added this Week: 22.5 yards
Added Year to Date: 46.25 yards
Net Used for 2011: -42.75 yards

*Edited to add: GFQ is not a sponsor. I just really love their shop!

Sunday Stash

On Monday, again.

The past week or so has been all about evolution. I've sorted, ironed, folded, shifted.

I started out with my office/sewing room looking like this.

(If you are sensitive to photos of wanton stacks of fabric, unsorted, haphazardly folded in various sizes, you might want to scroll past the next few photos. They may shock you. You've been warned!)


Pulled out of my closet and onto my sewing table. No room to work! No wonder I can't get anything done in here!



The stash in flux. Some neatly folded and put away. Some waiting for the royal treatment. God, what a sty.



More stacks, pre color sorting, ironing and folding.




Soon to be happy fabric, posing with the new love of my life, comic book boards.


Did you make it? Are you ok? It's over. I promise.

Let me show you what all of the stacks and mess has turned into...


Warm and neutrals. See the issue here? Yeah, no room for orange. I'm working on that...


Altogether now. A spot for oranges. On the bottom left, you're looking at FQs in the front, with a project bin, all 3 purple fabrics I own, plus my FMF and AB Love stashes.

Off to finish with the oranges, and see if I can get my solids organized! (Thank goodness for Presidents' Day!)

Used this Week: 0 yards
Used year to Date: 3.5 yards
Added this Week: 2.75 yard (Found a couple of great deals on Etsy. I need to stay off of that site!!)
Added Year to Date: 23.75 yards
Net Used for 2011: -23 yards

Erk. Need to finish cleaning so I can get sewing!

Sunday Stash (on Monday!)

This is going to be a bit of a drive-by posting. You see, with winter receding a bit (52 degrees outside--the warmest it has been in my neck of the woods since...October?), I've rediscovered my social life! Sushi with a former co-worker, movie-night with the madman, dinner out with friends--on a Friday night?! I know, crazy talk! It has been really lovely to reconnect and go out and be social.

However, it has made for NO sewing. None. Not one bit. I managed to do a little stash culling and reorganization over the weekend, but I'm mid-project and would rather show off when it's done...maybe next week?

In the meantime, since I worked on Sunday and came home too knackered to do more than plop on the couch with a book, here's my belated stash report!

Used this Week: 0 yards (I have grand plans for some stash-busting, but then, don't I always??)
Used year to Date: 3.5 yards
Added this Week: 1 yard (A kind bloggy friend sent me some of her scraps--lots of strings for my string-quilt-to-be!)
Added Year to Date: 23.75 yards
Net Used for 2011: -20.25 yards

Here's to hoping for more time, and more productivity! (I know, right?!)

Sunday Stash, 2/6/11

The confession edition.

Well, two giant boxes showed up at my house this past week--snow, ice and rain still (mostly) can't deter the postal service.

The first contained the damages from my stop over at Aunt Bea's online store closing sale. I'm so sad to see that shop close up, they really had some amazing stuff. I say had, because apparently, I bought it all! (PS--Totally blaming Ashley over at Film in the Fridge for posting about the sale when I was having a weak moment. Just saying...)

On to the carnage!



First, some super-cute fabrics for little boy quilts. I come across boy-appropriate fabrics fairly infrequently, so I tend to stock up when I find something I like. From the left, Michael Miller Plaidsportation, Alexander Henry elephants, and the last 4 are from Robots by David Walker for Free Spirit. I actually have one of the other focus prints from the Robots line, and I think they're adorable. Now I just need more friends to have boys... *crickets*

Moving on...


Adding to my AMH Good Folks stash. I LOVE this print.



Weekends, Mingle, and Meadowsweet in sort of a pink/orange/white trio.

And finally...



A couple of yards of Japanese imports. Top is Isso Ecco for Lecien of Japan, and the bottom is Kei Honeycomb. I have SUCH a love affair with honeycomb dots. Did you know that until a couple of years ago, I hated polka dots and owned none? Scary, I know. Apparently, I am now making up for the error of my ways--with interest.

Which brings me to package #2. Are you tired of fabric yet? Me either!

The second package came from the lovely Kerri's Etsy shop, Sew Deerly Loved.



At the top, 6 yards (I KNOW) of Kona solid in Medium Gray. This is going to be the background for my Single Girl Quilt-Along quilt. I'm still pulling fabrics for the rings, but you can get a tiny peek if you look at the left side of the first photo in this post.

Don't worry, I'll wait...


...


I'm thinking prints of mostly white, turquoise and aqua with navy and lime accents on a gray background would be stunning, but we'll see what happens when I get into that.

Back to the goodies Kerri sent. There's also a yard of Essex Cotton/Linen blend in Natural for part of my Urban Home Goods Swap project. Then *looks down* a few other things jumped in my cart. Like the cute little elephants. And the cool Alice Kennedy red and white leaf print. And more Honeycomb dots, this time in orange. I SAID I have a problem!!

So where does this leave me in the realm of stash busting? Are there awards for "reverse" busting? No? Crud.

Used this Week: 0 yards
Used year to Date: 3.5 yards
Added this Week: 22 yards (OMG)
Added Year to Date: 22.75 yards
Net Used for 2011: -19.25 yards

Looks like I have my work cut out for me--literally!

Sunday Stash, 1/30/11

Stash in action!



To say I feel a bit better about my productivity this weekend would be an understatement. I listened to music, and cooked, and most importantly, I sewed. This will be one quarter of My Quilt. I've gone whole hog with this quilt, cutting into my Heather Ross stash for the star centers, and even going so far as to cut into my Flea Market Fancy scraps for some of the star points. Crazy, I know! But I figure that if it's going to be the first quilt that I make for myself, it should be special, right?

It is also going to be HUGE. Each block is finishing at 12.5" square--what's on the design wall now measures just over 36"x48", and that's just a quarter. Finished, this puppy should be a fairly enormous 72"x96", a very generous twin size. PLENTY big for cuddling under. And considering that we're still buried under 4 feet of snow, with over a foot predicted to fall in the next storm slated for Tuesday/Wednesday this week, I think a big quilt is a very good idea.

I've done some shopping this past week, for a couple of reasons. When we were assigned our partners over in the Urban Home Goods swap on flickr, I had an immediate lightbulb moment. And then there's the Single Girl Support Group bunch on flickr--we have mentors helping us through making this slightly intimidating but very cool pattern by the very talented Denyse Schmidt. So while I decided to make the rings of said quilt with fabric from my stash, I didn't have the 5.5 yards required for background. So... I went over to Kerri's Etsy shop, and found everything I needed for both the quilt AND my idea for the UHG project. Those items aren't here yet, though, so I'm not counting them as adds to my stash this week, but I promise pictures in next week's post...

And then...there was the other purchase. See, I can justify (excuse?) the yumminess on its way from Kerri--even if a few extra odds and ends did happen to jump into my cart... But the other? Well, I'm blaming Ashley over at Film in the Fridge. She happened to mention the closing of a certain online retailer in a post this past week, and having caught me in a weak, snowbound moment, I caved. And boy, did I have fun!! So there will be more photos of guilty pleasure incoming.

In the meantime, I will look anywhere but directly at you and whistle innocently while I post my stash report for this week...

Used this Week: 0 (not counting the blocks on the design wall until they become a bona fide quilt top)
Used year to Date: 3.5 yards
Added this Week: 0
Added Year to Date: .75 yards
Net Used for 2011: 2.75 yards

Sunday Stash report

For me, I got quite a bit accomplished this week. I look around at my other quilty, bloggy friends and am often in awe at how much they manage to crank out, week after week, even with jobs and families and pregnancies and all sorts of other distractions. Heck, I just work, take care of the Madman, and indulge in a couple of other hobbies *coughWarcraftcough*. How do I manage to lag behind so terribly? Do you ever feel that way?

Part of it, I know, is just perception. And part of it is that they blog more often, and take prettier photos!

In any case, I finished my blocks for the first quarter of the 3x6 Beehive mini bee, all pieced from stash--I'll have photos of them tomorrow! I made one for each of the 6 other girls in my hive, plus one mock-up block in my own colors, just as a test run. They were not difficult, went together quickly, and used up a mighty amount of fabric--wonky piecing always seems to do that.

Oh, I got an update on the baby quilt I made and sent out last week. Even with all of the wild weather the East Coast has endured the last week and more, it got there in time for the baby shower! YES! And since I had finished one old UFO with that quilt, I figured that gave me license to start something new. Logic? Has no place in a quilter's studio. Heh.

So I did something crazy...


I got out all of my Heather Ross fabrics. ALL of them, all of the Mendocino and FFA2 and Munki and Lightning Bugs that I have been hoarding in scraps and bits for over a year...



And I started cutting! Oh yes, I did. Squares, 4.5" each. Lots of them. Some turned into triangles, some are staying square. What will they be? MY quilt. I decided it was high time I had a quilt of my own (to which the Madman says "It's about time! Dang!"), and what better to make than a quilt of some of my favorite fabrics ever? I have a whole week off from work (the Madman and I refer to it as "post holiday recuperation") and lots of time to sew. *happy dance!*

Oh, wait, this is supposed to be a stash report, right?

I'm counting fabric out as the tops and quilts are finished (or bee blocks, if pieced from stash), sooo...

Used this Week: 1.75 yards (yardage and scraps for bee blocks)
Used year to Date: 3.5 yards
Added this Week: 0
Added Year to Date: .75 yards
Net Used for 2011: 2.75 yards

In the meantime...

While keeping track of my stash for 2011, I'm not counting my last two purchases of 2010, courtesy of Kathy at Pink Chalk Fabrics and Jackie at Canton Village Quilt Works. I have plans for a number of quilts involving solids, let's see how many I can finish in 2011!


Such a stack of loveliness...


Speaking of finishes, off to stitch the binding on my first finish-to-be of 2011. This is where I park to do my hand-stitching...


My end of the couch, cuddled up against the pillow I received from Kendra in round 4 of the flickr Pillow Talk Swap. I LOVE this pillow--such a bright little spot of sunshine! If you haven't seen Kendra's blog and all of the awesome craftiness this woman is capable of, go now! How she manages all she does, and three boys, too, I don't know. Thanks again, Kendra!!

Hopping on the Sunday Stash bandwagon...

Angela over at Cut to Pieces has issued a challenge. A fabric diet. As we looked at the new year, she said, "Hey, I have a lot of fabric. I know I'm not alone. I'm going to try not to buy any new fabric for 2 months. Who's with me?"



That would be me. I have a lot of fabric. And I'd like to work pretty hard this year on using up some of what I have. I know I'll add some in the meantime, too, but perhaps I might try and keep track? So I'm going to join Judy of Patchwork Times and her Sunday Stash group to see if I can't keep up with what's actually going on with my stash.

I'm not telling you how much stash I'm starting with. I don't know, and I don't need to know! (Ok, I'm afraid to find out. I said it!!)

So, in the name of full disclosure, I'll start off by saying that I've already failed terribly! LOL Only a few days into the new year, and I added to my stash. Whoops! It's not actually here yet, but I figured out what I wanted to do with my 12 Days of Christmas charm pack (day late, dollar short, yeah, yeah, I know--always next year, right?). Only problem? I needed 2 charm packs to make the design I sketched out work. And I'm apparently enough of a dope that I bought only 1 charm pack to start out with. *sigh* So, I cruised Etsy and found one on super duper sale. And bought it.

It's not here yet, but I feel the need to confess! So I'm counting it as an add to my stash for this week.

But, there's a project in the works that is counting for some busting, too--pics of that soon! Sashing, backing and binding all are from my stash. Huzzah!

Used this Week: 1.75 yards
Used year to Date: 1.75 yards
Added this Week: .75 yards (1 charm pack)
Added Year to Date: .75 yards
Net Used for 2011: 1 yard

What about you all? Anyone else willing to take up Angela's and/or Judy's challenge?