STASH REPORT - Week 14, 2014 (4/6/14)

Used this Period: 0 yards
Added this Period: 0 yards

Used year to Date: 81.64 yards
Added Year to Date: 30.47 yards 

Net Stash Decrease for 2014: 51.17 yards

 

Well, another finish--this one in my crochet UFO-NewFOs.  I'm trying to use all the yarn I have stashed--and there's a new grandbaby on the way, so that variegated yarn was just right (although I had to buy another skein!).  I used a simple picot edging on the afghan and really like it--sort of understated elegance.  Wouldn't it be nice to have no stash in any of my craft hobbies?!

After cleaning my quilting studio in preparation for a rolling thread cabinet which should be done sometime this week, I loaded a quilt onto the longarm.  The last time I quilted on the longarm was too long ago--and now I feel like a beginner again!  To make it easy on myself, I used my clamshell board--just to sort of ease into this skill set again.  It was a good choice for the baby quilt I quilted, and I am happy with the way it looks.  I used a variegated thread.  I wonder how long it will take to get some of my skills back?! 

I don't know how or why, but my one of my longarm canvas leaders was off by a couple of inches.  I can't understand how it happened--the gorilla tape attaching it to the pole had not moved and the leader was not out of alignment--the center point was just a couple of inches off.  Oh, well--even though I avoid all things "mechanical" or remotely related to being a fix-it type of job, I removed the canvas, shifted it by eyeballing it, and reattached it.  Then the next day, I got DH down to check it; we straightened one end and decided to leave it like that for a few quilts to see if it shifts again.  I quilted one more baby-sized quilt, and it seems fine.  This quilt used the same variegated thread and has a variegated chenille backing--the little animals on the front look like they are chenille so it is a perfect backing--and makes a heavy and warm "blanket."  I used a ribbon meander.  Both of these were just a piece of fabric (that coordinates with the backing) and involved no piecing.  

 

The story:  Years ago I found some little stuffed bears made from the same type of chenille; they were on sale and I bought them.  When I made this same quilt years ago as a gift, I pinned one of the bears to it.  I found the same top fabric ("chenille-looking" bears) a couple of years ago in the hardware store (yes, the hardware store sells fabric and is more like the old general stores!) in the little town (350 pop.!) that is 18 miles from our little town.   Who would have thought that would ever happen--finding fabric you really like and had used previously several years prior?!  I decided to make the same quilt again--and that's the story! 

 

One of my 2014 goals was to longarm quilt 5 quilts a month--a worthy goal since I have just under 100 quilts awaiting their visit to the longarm!  (And then I could use those rubbermaid tubs to store something else!)  In my defense, there are so many new, unmade quilt tops calling my name--such a siren song!  Anyway, after the March finishes, I'm only 18 quilts behind my goal!

And all of that verbiage is a long way around to say that my stash remained the same!