Stash Report Week 30

Hello,


I missed last week's stash report, back in Indiana one again.  Still cleaning out Grandma's house, but I'm almost done.  School starts soon and I'd like to have the house cleaned out and be done with all that before DS starts kindergarten.


Not a single project has been finished.  One of the only things that has been sewn recently are these two blocks for the guild's charity committee.  I took them out a-g-e-s ago and they were left in my computer bag and then covered up on the sewing table.  

They were quite easy, especially since all the pieces were cut except the colored sails.  We had to add those pieces from our stash. Had I read the directions carefully, I would have trimmed the HST to 2.5" before piecing the block.  That's what happens when you try to finish an hour before the guild meeting.


Last week before leaving for Indiana, this package arrived from Renee' at Sewn with Grace.  I won her July giveaway.  Isn't it pretty?!

There are 48 different 6.5" feedsack prints (yes, real feedsacks!), 1.25 yards of background fabric and the Darlene Zimmerman pattern.  

And, a book!  I've picked this book up several times in the shops but always ended up buying more fabric instead.  The patterns are cute, fun, and small.  I like small.  Once I get some large projects finished, I think I will stick to small for a while!


We had our monthly sewing time and worked on our Fading Charms Quilts.  I got quite a bit done. Here's the center 100 patch along with two other blocks.

And here are some of the smaller blocks that go around the center.  A few more of these to make and then I need to cut the sashing/background.

To the numbers - yikes!, I really must find my quilting mojo!
Used this week: 0

Used year to date: 20.775

Added this week (purchased/won): 2.70
Added this week (inherited/gifted): 0

Added year to date (purchased/won): 29.381
Added year to date (inherited/gifted): 65.75


Added year to date total: 95.131

Net used for 2012: -74.356

Please click over to Patchwork Times and see other stash reports. 

Have a great week!

Stash Report Week 29

With daily watering the cucumbers produce.

It's hot/dry again - every morning outta bed, to the back yard to strategically set the little sprinkler that doesn't blow water sky high into the wind in the beds. You see, grass seed and starter fertilizer are cheap but the shrubs and perennials - that's different. Once the sprinkler is going, walk the dog.  Return and move the sprinkler about 4-6 more times.  I try to do zones on alternate days. Then there's the rose bushes to do in the front yard and the Asiatic lilies and ferns on the north side.

Cooler night time temps and the cherries finally ripened

And...with the rise in humidity and the somewhat cooler temps, below 100 that is, well I caught a cold.  A cold?!  In this heat?!


My guess is that the change in humidity brought a change to the allergens.  That 13-28% humidity we had made this the best summer I've ever spent in the St. Louis area.  No sneezing, no headaches, no constantly clearing the throat - until now with humidity over 70% - ugghh!

However, Romas and other large varieties tend to look like this.

I've really been sidelined the last 2 days.  But I cannot leave the watering to my DH who I watched yesterday with the hose nozzle spraying the plants and calling it watering. All he had to do was set the regulator on the end of the hose to low and let the sprinkler do the work.  But, will he listen to me?

If you have lots of watering to do, you must find one of these regulators at Lowe's or Home Depot or your hardware store.  DH bought them years ago and they are fantastic.  No more running to the on/off valve to try to get just the right rate of flow. It will even stop the water.  Just don't forget to turn it off at the source!






So, I guess this cold crept on me because I've had little energy to do anything this week.

Native Ozark witch hazel burned from the heat.

Used this week: 0

Used year to date: 20.775

Added this week (purchased/won): 0
Added this week (inherited/gifted): 0

Added year to date (purchased/won): 26.681
Added year to date (inherited/gifted): 65.75


Added year to date total: 92.431

Net used for 2012: -71.656

Please click over to Patchwork Times and see other stash reports. 

Have a great week!

Mid week update and some links

Happy Hump Day!

String therapy has continued since it first began on Saturday afternoon.  Here are samples of the twelve 6.5" blocks, two chevron blocks, two 4.5" blocks, and two 3.5" blocks.

The 3.5" blocks use up the short strings left over from the 6.5" blocks.  It is surprising just how large a piece is necessary to cover that last little triangle on the page or how long a scrap must be to cover those first 2-3 diagonals.

When I tried crumb blocks, which really weren't for me, I realized that, "yes" there are scraps that are just too small.  The same is true for string blocks.  Some are too skinny, leaving you with only 1/4" or less showing while some are too short.  However, I do not like using 2" or 2.5" strips b/c they are just too wide and don't create enough interest in the block for my tastes.

I've done a bit more with the 1" hexie top, no idea how large it will be, there is no plan.  I guess this is the week that I plug along on the long (very long) term projects.

Now a little reminder about "no reply" bloggers.  There were many in my last giveaway.  Karen has updated her "no reply" instructions.  Please check them out,  it makes blogging so much more fun if you can "talk" with someone.

Okay....onto some fun stuff:
Connie at Quilting by the River is having a sweet batik giveaway.  Eight fat quarters are up for grabs.  She used four to make an adorable floral table runner and the other four are a surprise from the Quilting Lodge.

Have a great day - Namaste.

Stash Report week 28

It's been quite a week of heat here.  My days begin around 6AM so I can walk the dog before 7AM and get the garden watered before 8AM.  Since we live in "the armpit of the gardening world,"  it's not vegetables that I grow but lots of shrubs and perennials, many of which are native.  

Our grass is dormant and sounds like straw when we walk on it.  It rained some last night and our temps are a little lower today with chances of rain.  The cloudy skies certainly do provide some relief.


In the midst of the heat, I did stay in and get some sewing done.  However, there are no finishes to report.  I have about 6 projects sitting around my basement corner.  Three of them need to be quilted, one needs binding.  And you know what?  I just don't "feel" like it.  Ever have that happen?  I don't know if the early mornings, or if it's the heat, or if it's dealing with Grandma's estate, but I just don't have it in me to finish anything these days.

Yesterday I received a box of batik scraps from Leona of Leona's Quilting Adventure.  They are so pretty I had to do something with them.  So,  I found a string block tutorial at Loose Threads and grabbed the little phone book I set aside ages ago to try this technique.  There's also a tutorial for chevron string blocks that I'd like to try.

The scraps were small, so were my phone book pages, and I have two 6.5" square rulers.  So, I decided to make my blocks 6.5".  I have absolutely no plan for these.  It was just sewing to use up some scraps.

I received 4 more hexies from the Inchy Hexagon Swap, which I left this month.  Aren't they pretty?

So I added a few more to the big piece one evening while watching tv with DH.

Then I finally quilted the sashing and borders on the Disappearing 9 Patch topper.  

I plan to turn the backing to the front for a self binding, when I feel like doing all the precise measuring and trimming.


Nothing fancy, just loops that sometimes look even and sometimes, do not!

Last Sunday afternoon I grabbed the Friendship Quilt blocks out of the closet and decided to get it into quarters, ready to quilt in sections via the Marti Michel method.  


These are fabrics that we traded in a class at the Viking sewing center in 2010 (that's a long time).  As I was pressing, look at what happened!

This piece wasn't all cotton, obviously. So, 30 minutes later, after cleaning my iron, unsewing, and resewing this quadrant was finished.











What keeps you busy in the heat wave?


To the numbers:
Used this week: .75 (gifted)

Used year to date: 20.775

Added this week (purchased/won): 0
Added this week (inherited/gifted): .75

Added year to date (purchased/won): 26.681
Added year to date (inherited/gifted): 65.75


Added year to date total: 92.431

Net used for 2012: -71.656

Please click over to Patchwork Times and see other stash reports. (**Judy's been having technical difficulties so the link may not work this week.)

Have a great week!

Stash report week 27

No fabric added this week!  WooHoo!!

As a matter of fact, I get to subtract 1.5 yards for the fabric that is packaged and ready to send to Dona, who won the 12 polka dot fat eights yesterday. She does quilts for Ronald McDonald House and other children's charities.


Here are 3 little finishes:

I used the organic fabric that I won from the Green Bag Lady to make 3 drawstring bags.  These will be traveling laundry/shoe bags.

Here's the pretty medallions on the organic fabric.  It's all ready to sandwich and then quilt into a cute topper for Grandpa's desk.







Before starting any new projects, I need some place to keep them and I refuse to buy more of the ArtBin stackable boxes.  If do that, then I may never finish some of these UFOs!

Blogger please let me show the photo upright!

There are two sets of Civil War blocks in my bins, 6"and 12", so I decided to start with the 6" blocks.  I've always wanted to do a project on point and a small one is an easy way to learn.  It was also easy to square up.  


I want to add a brown flange and another muslin border.  Hhhmmm....maybe I should just leave as it is and bind it in brown?  What do you think?




Last night we started piecing our Fading Charms quilts.  Well, except for quilty friend Cheri who brought her finished king size top to show us.  She said once she started she couldn't stop!  Of course, I forgot my camera! This project really is perfect for a group.  Even I can talk and chain piece squares!


On to the numbers....



Used this week: 3 (1.5 yd gifted)

Used year to date: 20.025

Added this week (purchased/won): 0
Added this week (inherited/gifted): 0

Added year to date (purchased/won): 26.681
Added year to date (inherited/gifted): 65


Added year to date total: 91.681

Net used for 2012: -71.656

Please click over to Patchwork Times and see other stash reports.

Have a great week!