UFO #8 (MAR.) - DONE

March has come and is nearly gone--and UFO #8 is done!  Yea!  I have had the Shadowbox pattern for about 2 years I think and knew I wanted to do it in browns & golds--so I was excited to get it started and finished.  I love the fabrics--some were leftovers from a lined jacket I made in the fall of 1997.  That was another class taught by Dee, a very talented lady who was a Bernina girl but who could help everyone with their brands of machines.  It is probably the only lined jacket I will ever make--but I learned a lot and love that jacket.  Anyway, I had to add a few fabrics to those I used when making the jacket (a fan on the back of the jacket and prairie points, etc.), and I purchased Moda Marbles for the sashing/shadows.  Here is the picture--we just took it and the colors look more muted than they are in natural light (need to find a solution to lighting for these pictures!).

Shadowbox in Browns/Golds

Then, because the Shadowbox quilt was finished quite early in March, I went to my "C" UFO list and started on my funky Santa quilt (Nancy Barrett, With Needle & Thread - "Nicholas' New Friends" - machine applique).  I was so excited--but when I got to the last 8 blocks, I wasn't quite as excited!  I did use most of my red Christmas fabrics, and was able to use the Debbie Mumm fabric I got from Mari for the backing.  The quilt is quite large so the picture won't show all of it.

Nicholas' New Friends

There are 4 embroidered blocks, a couple of pieced blocks, and a block with decorative stitches.  I also used some decorative stitches and decorative trims on some of the Santas.  I am going to make some tiny yo-yos for the Santa caps, add some pom-poms on some, and buttons on others--but will wait until it is off the longarm before doing that. 

My Favorite Block

My Second Favorite Block

My Husband's Favorite Santa

And now on to April--UFO #10; for me that is an Irish Chain in pinks.  I love making Irish Chain quilts, and pink is my favorite color--what's not to like about April's choice?!  I'm not sure what size this quilt will be, or if I will add any embroidery.  Guess I'll think about it for a couple of days!

STASH REPORT - Week 13, 2012

Used this Week: 3/4 yards 
Used year to Date: 71 1/4 yards 

Added this Week: 0 yards 
Added Year to Date: 25 2/3 yards 

Net Stash Decrease for 2012:  45 1/2 yards

Oh, this math is getting complicated!  I just rounded so I wouldn't have to get in the "12ths" of a yard.  Not much fabric used--I counted a guesstimate for the applique used in my Santa blocks as I was using fabric scraps from my applique stash.  I spent a lot of time sewing--well, not counting Monday when I read instead of sewing!  My Santa quilt is progressing (good thing--need to start preparing our tax returns!); it is assembled in 4 segments and I have 2 put together.  I will count the sashing next week; I had hoped to have all 4 segments put together, so I could count it this week but the book was just too enticing!  I have one more machine embroidery block (there were 6 total amongst the applique blocks) to do today and then I can put the final 2 segments together  :-)  and start thinking about borders.  There is a lot of blanket stitch when you have 34 blocks.  My husband asked how many "pieces" are in each block, so I counted the one I was working on at that time--24 (some have more, some have less)--but that's not counting all the starts and stops for overlaps, etc.  I'm ready for this quilt to be done!!

What a weird winter/spring it has been!  We have had so much melting this year--makes me afraid for summer forest fires.  Our roof had only about 6 inches of snow remaining, and some of it is completely free of snow.  The forest floor is showing, and the catkins are on the native pussywillows.  We've seen more birds returning--and it's still March on the mountain!!  I'm beginning to get spring fever with the nice weather.

On another note, I may have to learn to use the camera so I can add more pictures--but maybe not!  Gives my husband a reason to get out of his shop and visit the sewing/quilting room!!

STASH REPORT - Week 12, 2012

Nothing in, nothing out--well, sort of. 

Used this Week: 0 yards 
Used year to Date: 70 1/2 yards 

Added this Week: 0 yards 
Added Year to Date: 25 2/3 yards 

Net Stash Decrease for 2012:  44 5/6 yards

I have been working on the Santa quilt all week; only 10 more blocks to applique, and then I can start putting it together.  Since I am using fabric from my "applique" stash, I'm not sure how much I have actually used.  So, I decided I would not count the fabric in the appliques until they are all done--then I'll probably use the amount shown on the pattern minus a percentage since I don't think I actually used as much as they recommend.  Anyway, that is my plan; I should be able to finish the blocks this week and count fabric used next week.  I was really excited about the first 18 blocks, but now am looking forward to finishing the applique and putting the top together.  So many tiny pieces!  My husband remarked that most people who would look at the finished quilt would have no idea of how much time is involved--true! 

A Walk Through Quilting Memories...

Yesterday gave me an opportunity to take a stroll back through quilting memories as a friend brought her daughter and granddaughter over to look at some of my quilt tops.  What beautiful fabric we saw--chronicled in quilts I have pieced.  Some I had forgotten that I had made, some of the details I added made me laugh (egg and chicken recipe names added in the sashing of the funky chicken quilt top--truly those chickens look like they've spent the afternoon nibbling on corn mash!), some of the tops were just beautiful!  Thank you, Carol, for bringing your family to take that stroll with me!  Alas, it was also a reminder of how many tops are waiting for the longarm--wish there weren't so many patterns saying "make me, make me!"

STASH REPORT - Week 11, 2012

Another week has passed--oh, how fast it goes!
Used this Week: 13 2/3 yards 
Used year to Date: 70 1/2 yards 

Added this Week: 16 2/3 yards 
Added Year to Date: 25 2/3 yards 

Net Stash Decrease for 2012:  44 5/6 yards

Well, my numbers still look OK, but my net decrease went down--and here's the culprit (thanks for recycling what you weren't going to use, Mari):

Medium Flat Rate Priority box filled with Christmas fabrics:
2 pieces, 4.25 yards and 2.5 yards Debbie Mumm Santas,
3 yards T'was the Night Before Christmas cotton
Here Comes Santa, flannel, 2 panels
Cold Winter Noses by Sandy Gervais for Moda, flannel panel
Debbie Mum Santa panel
almost 2 yards Woodland Christmas from Mumms the Word
1 yard Snowmen by Brother Sister Design Studios
Asking $20, includes flat rate box shipping within US.

I couldn't resist!  I'm a sucker for all things Christmas, and especially fabric.  And what a bargain price-wise!  I have 3 wreaths that stay up year-round (my husband does woodturning, and I added a beautiful wreath this year that incorporates wood birdhouse ornaments), a Woodland designer Santa, some nutcrackers, some Christmas items I have painted--well, anyway, I'm a sucker for all things Christmas!  So my "Christmas" fabric tub is stuffed to the top--and I love it!!  I had actually been working on decreasing that tub last year--I think I made 4-5 quilt tops using Christmas fabrics--but couldn't resist this offer.  The Debbie Mumm Santas will be enough for a quilt back and the 3 yards of T'was the Night Before Christmas is what I call a "border" fabric with the width being made up of separate "borders" all put together (clear as mud?).  I will use it to put together printed borders for a couple of quilts.  I'll probably use the flannel panels to donate or gift--just quilt them to a flannel back (do I see more purchases of flannel backing?!) and perhaps add 1-2 borders to make them a nice lap size.  Oh, what fun!!

On the "used" side, I finished my March UFO--it's large and I used 7 2/3 yards for the backing.  I will wait to post a picture of it.  Now I'm working on a Nancy Barrett Santa quilt--have had the pattern for a couple of years and am enjoying putting the applique blocks together--have 4 done.  And that's my week in a nutshell!

Wood-turned birdhouses tucked into the pine branches.

Isn't he pretty...

He was part of the herd we watched yesterday!

STASH REPORT - Weeks 9-10, 2012

And here's how my week (whoops, 2 weeks!) went:
Used this Week: 6 2/3 yards 
Used year to Date: 56 5/6 yards 
Added this Week: 5 yards 
Added Year to Date: 9 yards 
Net Stash Decrease for 2012:  47 5/6 yards

Not an outstanding week, but I made progress.  I bought 5.5 yards to use in my March UFO (I'm nearly ready for borders) and .5 yard of a black fabric for a quilt on my bucket list for "someday."  I need a lot more blacks before I can get started on it.  So, the yardage used this week was for the Shadowbox March UFO.  I opted to make the larger of the two sizes--wow, 84 x 104 is really, really large!  I've got the vertical rows draped over my longarm and they trail across the floor; I will finish the sashing and inner borders today.  Some of the fabric used was leftover from a fall, 1996 project--I love that fabric!  I wonder how I ever managed to cut into it--I wonder why I didn't just leave it in the cupboard and take it out frequently to pet!!  Now it will be in a quilt that I can "pet" as I pass by!

I finished the large envelope for the back of my paperdoll quilt (Feb. UFO); I will button it to the back of the quilt after it comes off the longarm.  I backed the 2 dolls with felt and the clothing with fabric from the quilt top--voila, the dolls and clothing went into the envelope where they will wait for little hands to pull them out! 

We had snow yesterday, so the branches of our towering pines are adorned with mini-puffs of snow--it is really beautiful.  My (I've claimed ownership!) goats were grazing only about 6 feet above the highway yesterday evening--they are so beautiful! 

A new month...

Ah, a new month with new goals and no finishes--yet.  After Judy drew #8 for the March UFO, I had to make a trip to the fabric store yesterday to find coordinating fabric--there goes my stash-busting report for the second month in a row!  I had all the golds (and have had some for a lot of years!) I will be using but no brown to go with the golds.  So, I bought two browns and will preview each today to see if I like them.  I may substitute black for one of the browns when I see how it looks.  I bought the pattern sometime in the last two years and this will be the first time I use it.  One of the definite advantages of doing the UFO Challenge is finally using some of those patterns that I couldn't live without!!  And one of the disadvantages is my growing bucket list--I look at all the beautiful quilts and think "I want to make that one!"--and the bucket list grows and grows.  I love Judy's leaf quilt--I think I just have to make one soon.  (Maybe I'll add it to my C-list!)  I think I'll start on my ShadowBox quilt today--and maybe dig through my Christmas fabrics to make one block of Nancy Barrett's "Nicholas' New Friends"--I don't think I can wait!!  And here's the story of how Nancy's funky characters call my name...

When we moved to our mountain after retiring, my quilting friend and I decided we would make a quilt each year, our long-distance attempt to continue inspiring each other.  Sandi would choose the pattern one year and then I would choose the next year; Sandi usually chose applique and I usually chose traditional pieced quilts.  Our quilts looked so different because our visions were different--fabrics, colors, how we put them together, etc.  One of the first quilts we did was the Northwoods quilt--I was not too enthused about the applique and Sandi wasn't too enthused about the pieced sashings--and we both loved it when it was finished!  Then on one of her year's we made a MOY quilt--we both have Viking Designer sewing machines and used a lot of decorative stitching on the blocks--and again they looked totally different--I complained every inch of the way--and turned out loving it.  (I just took it off the guest bed yesterday!)  Anyway, I chose Nancy Barrett's Elepinks--they are such funky elephants and pink is my favorite color--and Sandi hated it from the first stitch!  But when it was finished and she took it for show & tell to her quilting group, they absolutely loved it and there were lots of oohs and aahs.  And that always makes us take a more positive look!!  I absolutely love my Elepinks, which I put together in blocks (not according to pattern directions)--and, again, they look so different!  We did Noah & Company and I did Tea for Twenty (Sandi declined on that one!)  And I have the patterns for In Santa's Workshop and Nicholas' New Friends--did I say I love Nancy's funky characterizations?!  (http://withneedleandthread.com)  And I don't even want to do another applique quilt--but it is calling my name!  And I have the patterns just waiting to be used!! 

Anyway, I think I'd better spend time in my sewing/quilting room today!  It is snowing lightly again today, but we didn't get the 6-8 inches expected.  We really need more snow!