Finishes! ...and Stash Report Week 34

Finally, two UFOs are finished!

This first one is a disappearing 9 patch pattern from the Moda Bake Shop.  It used two charm packs and some sashing.  Since I got 4 yards of the brown fabric for $1.99/yd at a LQS, it made a great sashing and backing to use for self-binding.  It is just the right size for the dining table that we brought from Grandma's house and it used about 5.5 yards.

The second project is from the Civil War BOM that my guild did last year.  We're sharing our quilts at our meeting on Tuesday night. Each month I made a 12 inch version for the raffle and a 6 inch version of the blocks to keep so that I would have a manageable project to complete.  Again, the backing also became my self binding - love that technique! The muslin background is from Grandma's stash.  This one used about 2.25 yards.

You may remember that I won some of the 12 inch blocks. However, I need to make a few more to make a larger quilt so that one will probably remain on the UFO list til at least next year.

The leftovers from the backings are neatly placed in the scrap saver's system.  Ready to move on to the next UFO...wonder which it will be!

My will power is still in place despite the pretty batiks that have been on sale.  No new fabric came into the house this week.

Used this week: 7.75

Used year to date: 28.525

Added this week (purchased/won): 0

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: -66.606

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

Have a great week!

Stash Report Week 33

Howdy!

Did you know that size matters in the bird world?  It does - these blue jays, who are not regular visitors to our wooded back yard, caused quite a ruckus yesterday morning at the bird bath.  The robins were quite put out at being relegated to second place in line!

What a week - DH attended an out of town conference most of the week and DS started kindergarten - of changes! 

Plus, our lovely below-average temperatures continued.  One afternoon I had to turn the a/c on due to the humidity, not the heat.  However, that was short-lived when another cold front moved through.  We're still very dry, two hours of moving the sprinkler around the yard, but at least we can enjoy being outdoors.

I got in some sewing - woohoo!!  These T-blocks, or the pieces for the blocks, have been sitting on my sewing table since about February.  I knew there were a few pieces that still needed to be cut but I had forgotten which fabrics.  Sew, I decided to sit and work through them to determine what was left to be done.

Chain piecing two blocks at a time on the featherweight went so quickly!  And, it wasn't terribly boring doing the same block over and over again.  

Another exciting part of my week - my iron arrived!  Linda at Stray Stitches recommended the Continental Dry Iron and I added it to my Amazon.com wish list.  Well, at $29.99, I thought I'd wait and shop around a bit.  Quilty friend Cheri "has a guy" that ferrets out vintage dry irons and she's got him on the job for me.  

Sunday afternoon I happened to check my wish list and the price was 49% off! That made the iron about $14.99 with free shipping b/c, of course, I easily added the $10 necessary to get to the qualifying $25 purchase total.  

I am so glad I did.  I've only used it on about 8 blocks and I like the point. It's nice and a bit heavy so it won't tumble over at the slightest nudge. The poor ol' Black & Decker still works but it just won't stay on.  In pressing a single block it might shut off as many as 3 times!

Hoping for some finishes this week - I think I've said that before.

To the Numbers:

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): 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 32

These flew over our house early yesterday morning.

We had temps in the 60s overnight, for the first time since mid June, and they must have taken advantage of flying in the cooler air.  I recognized the sound of the hot air filling the balloons - yep, we had our windows open - for the past 2 days!  Summer is definitely my least favorite season.

Yesterday we took DS to the "fun town" to play mini golf...

... and ride some rides

...and enjoy being outdoors, what a novelty!

I've managed to accomplish nothing this week in the sewing department.  Bindings still need to be put on.  However, I have high hopes for the near future.  DS starts kindergarten this Tuesday.  It's only a half day but it will be 5 days/week, rather than the 3 mornings of pre-school.  

No fabric has been added - woohoo! And, I've been cutting some of the scraps that my friend gave me in June.

Here's what I start with, rather odd shapes and sizes.  This is where the GO Baby! comes in sooooo handy.  

I looked through all the free patterns on Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville and decided that I could make Fourth of July exclusively from these scraps.  So, I now have 240 3.5" squares.  This would make an easy leader/ender project.

some limited fussy cutting amidst the GO cuts

There's still lots more to cut from these scraps, but I used a couple empty shoe boxes to put the remainder in so I could clear the table and actually sew for a bit in what's left of this weekend.  Oh - and I did go buy six more 5 quart shoe boxes on Monday - lol!

How was your week?  Have Better weather, is school starting, find good deals on fabric, get any finishes?

To the Numbers:

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): 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 31

Howdy!  

I was so happy to see the rain last Sunday that I had to go and take some pix.  My rain barrel was filled once again - the water bill thanks you, Mother Nature!  Isn't it lovely?!

This is a short post and I'm happy to say that my numbers have not changed.  Well, allow me to clarify, happy that I haven't added any fabric.  I have done some quilting this week and really need to get to the bindings, then I can post some positive movement in those numbers.

I spent some time organizing this week.  I made a trip to the local Dollar Tree store and bought 12 five quart shoe boxes.  They "ain't purty" but for $1 each they hold fabric and are small.  I have two larger tubs and I always feel like I'm wrestling to drag them out to open them up. Then I have to sift through all the plastic bags holding different size strips and squares.  

I cut 2.5, 2, and 1.5 inch strips. And I cut 5 inch squares.  I had started cutting whatever size I could get out of a scrap but that's just too many squares to keep organized.  I may start cutting 3.5 inch strips, too, we'll see. Bonnie Hunter has some great tips for taming your stash and making it usable.

Only 3 of the 12 are empty and 3 are completely full.  The others have some room.  However, if I actually get to cutting up all the scraps that I have in mind to cut up, well, I may need 12 more!  Ssshhh - don't tell DH!  

I tell you what, nothing keeps me from buying fabric more than looking in a few of these bins.  All I need are some neutrals/whites and I could probably piece 4 large quilts easily.

What keeps you from buying too much fabric? (Besides that pesky ol' budget - I think most have one of those.)

To the Numbers:

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): 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!

Iron issues

My iron quit!  

My 2 year old, German-made Rowenta just stopped working!!

When plugged in it refuses to get hot at all.  Uggh!  I love the tip of that iron.


Here it is next to the old Black & Decker.  Apparently, the ol' B&D has hit the floor one too many times b/c when I was pressing with it, it just shut off on me. So, the backup doesn't work either! It's a really light weight iron and one little bump to the ironing board would send it falling this way or that.

So, I need to find a new iron.  After babying the Rowenta - no water left in it, unplugged when not in use, not even used on the hottest setting (no need, really) - and paying what I did for it about 3 years ago, I'm not looking for a new Rowenta.


I'm gonna hit Target and Wal-Mart (if I dare, hate that store) and maybe Kohls and see what I can find.


Any recommendations?

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!