Stash Report - April 25, '10

Fabric in this week:      .75 yds.
Fabric in YTD:     36.5 yds.

Fabric out this week:      1.5 yds.

Fabric out YTD:      39.75 yds.

Stash busted:   3.25 yds.

If you would like to see how others are doing check out Judy's blog.

I bought 3/4 of a yard to bind the Shakespeare in the Park but I used it immediately. I also forgot to count the binding on the Triple Irish Chain last week so out goes 1 1/2 yards. Yea! I'm still in the black. 

This week was a good one. I finished quilting SITP, (#4 for the year) got it blocked and bound. For quilting I used the Circle Lord. The crosshatching was ruler work. This pattern is in the Creative Pattern Book (by Judy Martin) only I changed it a bit. The pattern is only two colors and I did three. It also has asymetric coloring and setting (5 x 6) which bothered me. I made the quilt 6 x 6 which added more blocks and would have made it too big. To compensate for the added size I reduced the blocks from a 12" to a 10" block. I am really happy with how this turned out.

Are you ready for some pictures? 

Full:

Close up:

Star and snail block close up:

I love the backing I used. I looked all over for green and purple fabric and finally came across this one that had happy birds. I figured the birds fit in with the "in the park" theme.

Now I need to get working on my double wedding ring and the Jelly Girl. Gotta have something to show for next week. 
I hope we all have a great week of stash busting.

Penny

You Want Postage Stamp?

I'll give you a Postage Stamp quilt. Kare is the moderator of a Yahoo group that trades 1.5" squares and they make Postage Stamp quilts and lots of other quilts using those squares. She loved my Triple Irish Chain quilt so she posted a link to my blog. I was so flattered that it was pointed out to that group. The mention of Postage Stamp quilts brought to mind one that I had made several years ago.

I call this quilt my "beer" quilt. No, you do not have to be drunk to make it. The title makes my friends do a double take because they know I do not drink alcohol of any type. Years ago Anheiser Busch had an ad with a mother talking to her little girl about drinking responsibly. On the wall behind them was a quilt similar to this. It puzzled me for years how to do it until I saw a postage stamp quilt. Bing! I found a pattern in Quick Quilts From Your Scrap Bag (by Leisure Arts) that had it all laid out on point, only in a different color. I wanted the soft muted colors that were in the add. I bought fabric (lots of fat quarters) and put it together. It turned out just like I wanted. Enjoy!

I machine quilted this on my Bernina. (That was back in the day.)
Penny

Stash Report - April 18, '10

Fabric in this week:      12.5 yds.
Fabric in YTD:     35.75 yds.

Fabric out this week:      7 yds.

Fabric out YTD:      38.25 yds.

Stash busted:   2.5 yds.

If you would like to see how others are doing check out Judy's blog.

I bought 7 yards this week for the backing for Shakespeare. It is all seamed up and on the machine. The quilt is just over half way quilted so I am counting it as busted. I really don't have large pieces of fabric. Mostly fat quarters.

While at the fabric store I happened upon a couple of jelly rolls 50% off. I had been thinking of getting a couple to do the pattern Jelly Girl. So I picked them up. I think they are the Nature's Chorus  by Moda. I think I will start sewing on it when I finish quilting Shakespeare. 

I finished quilting, blocking and binding my Triple Irish Chain. I liked it so much I did the binding by hand. I think the freehand feathers in the border turned out very well. I love this old classic. I am such a traditionalist at heart. Without further ado here are some pictures:

Full

Center

Corner (I managed to turn the corner!)

Border

This quilt is finish #3 for the year and (drum roll) #50 that I have quilted on my longarm. Woohoo. That is 50 over 18 months. Not bad. I think I piece more so I can have more to quilt. 

Hope you have a great quilty week. 

Penny

Stash Report - April 11, '10

Fabric in this week:      0 yds.
Fabric in YTD:     23.25 yds.

Fabric out this week:      0 yds.

Fabric out YTD:      31.25 yds.

Stash busted:   8 yds.

If you would like to see how others are doing check out Judy's blog.

 Nothing in and nothing out that can be counted. I finished piecing the Shakespeare in the park and the top is done. All of that fabric has been counted. I put a Triple Irish Chain on the machine. I counted that backing last year so no new numbers to add. I am more than half way through quilting the TIC. I have been practicing my freehand feathers. I have two borders done (I am so happy with how they have turned out) and will have to wait and turn the quilt for the final two. I chickened out on the feathered wreaths and used a stencil. This quilt was all from stash except for the plain green. Pretty good. 

Next week I hope to show this one finished and the Shakespeare one on the machine. We shall see how it goes.

OK, let's get stash busting!

Stash Report - April 4, '10

Fabric in this week:      0 yds.
Fabric in YTD:     23.25 yds.

Fabric out this week:  4.5 yds.

Fabric out YTD:      31.25 yds.

Stash busted:   8 yds.

If you would like to see how others are doing check out Judy's blog.


Welcome to April. Can you believe 1/4 of the year has gone by? Unbelievable. When I turned my working calendar over here is what greeted me. It made me smile.

I absolutely love the sentiment. Maybe that will be my new theme, motto, or saying. Do you like it as much as I do? I am glad I get to look at it for a month. I also love the flowers and the color. For April Fools day we had snow. It melted by the end of the day but it was a joke on us all.

Spring is just about here. My pansies are looking good and my daffodils are just about to bloom. The tulips have green leaves up but no buds yet. I love the anticipation this time of the year brings.


This past week I managed to get the 48 stars pieced that are in the border and Sat. I put it up on the design board and start sewing the blocks together. The angle of this picture is wonky because there is about three feet between the board and my sewing machine. I store my board until I need it then it come out into the only place available in my sewing room. This also gives me incentive to get the top put together fast.

I hope you have a meaningful Easter and a great week of sewing up your stash.
Penny

Technology

I must admit that I am not eager to embrace new technology. My DH calls me a techno-phobe. I have been blogging for about six months and thought that was a big leap for me. I just learned that my mom, who is in her 80's, has a facebook page. I do not have a facebook page and have been resisting getting one. My kids say I should have one so we could keep in touch much easier. Is it worth it? Is this something that will suck me in and not let go?

I still can't believe my mom has a facebook page.
TTFN
Penny