Friday, April 22, 2016

FABRIC STASH - WEEK 17, 2016 (4/24/16)

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

Used year to Date:  130.28 yards
Added Year to Date:  6.25 yards

Net Stash Decrease for 2016:   124.03 yards

 

Can someone tell me where the time has gone?  I know I'm getting older, but surely that isn't the only cause of those calendar pages turning so rapidly.  The weeks are whizzing by.  However, the two quilts that I have started are not going nearly that fast!  Nothing to report again--even though I have been sewing.  The "blues" quilt is progressing (15 blocks done, another 5 cut out), but the lime/avocado is still languishing with only 4 strips sewn together.  

 

We went to the nearby "big city" so I could donate blood and stay on the same schedule as DH.  It was an excellent experience--the tech got a good stick and I filled the bag in good time, which is not always the case.  I was well hydrated and had abstained from caffeine (coffee) for a week, hoping that would facilitate a good draw.  I don't know how much that mattered; however, I had my first cup of coffee yesterday after a 2 week abstention--it did taste good!

 

Mama Moose visited a few times, still looking seriously at the cherry and plum trees.  She was at the back of the house; but by the time I got to the window to watch her, she had gone around the front and around to the side of the garage.  I cautiously went to peek at her around the corner of the garage--and heard a loud thrashing sound (she was going through the undergrowth on the forest floor--away from me).  I thought maybe she was coming back around the corner, so I pivoted (or tried to!) to run back up on the porch.  Unfortunately, I twisted my knee in doing so--and am limping around now!  Mama Moose probably thought that loud little dog was going to chase her again--so away she went!  Moose can be extremely dangerous--probably wasn't even a good idea for me to try to peek around the corner at her!  We have had incidents where a female moose went up on a porch when someone got too close--and kicked and broke a jaw.  Or even charged a vehicle.  This is especially true if they still have their young ones with them.  

 

 

Saturday, April 16, 2016

FABRIC STASH - WEEK 16, 2016 (4/17/16)

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

Used year to Date:  130.28 yards
Added Year to Date:  6.25 yards

Net Stash Decrease for 2016:   124.03 yards

 

Nothing to report this week.  Darn!  I pulled fabric for another lime green/avocado quilt top, 2 greens for a Double Irish Chain--both from my "petting cabinet" (you know, the one that has fabric that is just too pretty to use but that you take out to look at and pet).  One has some gold highlights, so I looked through my stash to find a gold that I could use for the larger sections.  I wasn't very successful--either there wasn't enough to use or it was not neutral enough to use.  The closest one had some gold flowers with a bit of blue and an old gold background (the background would have been perfect!).  I mulled over whether I should just go ahead and use it or wait until we go to the Big Town and try to find something that would coordinate better--and decided to wait.  So, I have a few strips cut for the chains, but that is all that is done.  However, since the gold fabric with flowers and a touch of blue was out, it occurred to me that maybe I should combine it with some of those never-ending blues.

 

I'm singing--oh, wait, that is "sewing" the blues again!  I chose the Lady of the Lake block to use and started cutting and sewing.  The size will depend on how many blocks I can make with the amount of gold fabric--no end of blue fabrics to choose from!!  I have 2 blocks made and 2 blocks partially sewn.  I'm using 16 small HSTs per block--that's a lot of sewing, trimming, sewing!  

 

I think we'll go to the Big City on Monday--I'll donate blood, break my fabric diet, and get some groceries.  We had snow on Thursday, but it melted quickly.  Most of my flower beds are out from under their blanket of snow, and the lilac leaves are budding out.  Mama Moose visited us this week, trimming the pussy willows.  When she decided the plum trees looked quite delectable, DH and Smokey (the Great Hunter--not!) chased her down the ravine.  I'm sure she will be back--just too many good things to eat on this side of the ravine!  The mountain goats are entertaining us again--they've been down near or on the highway.  With all the melting that is going on, their usually pristine coats are looking a bit muddy. 

 

 

Saturday, April 9, 2016

FABRIC STASH - WEEK 15, 2016 (4/10/16)

Used this Period: 14.75 yards
Added this Period: 0 yards

Used year to Date:  130.28 yards
Added Year to Date:  6.25 yards

Net Stash Decrease for 2016:   124.03 yards

 

Well, that was a marathon sewing event!  I completed the lime/avocado green quilt--yea!  I had to add a third fabric for the border (I ended up with five inches left of my second fabric)--the woes of quilting from stash!  I have 2 more fabrics in the same color scheme (but that didn't look quite right with the fabrics in this quilt), so I will make another quilt but am not sure what pattern to use.   This quilt measures 85 inches square.  You can't tell it from the picture, but the outside border is made up of 1.5 inch logs, to match the interior logs.     

I have crocus blooming--the harbinger of spring on the mountain.  My front beds are still covered by a foot and a half of snow, but the snow level is decreasing pretty rapidly.  It is always so nice to see those first flowers of the season.  

Sunday, April 3, 2016

FABRIC STASH - WEEK 14, 2016 (4/3/16)

Used this Period: 4.75 yards
Added this Period: 0 yards

Used year to Date:  115.53 yards
Added Year to Date:  6.25 yards

Net Stash Decrease for 2016:   109.28 yards

 

Another panel--it just popped up in the baby fabric!--found when I thought I had all the panels done!  This one was easy as I just added borders and made a backing.  Maybe I'll get back to the lime/avocado green quilt now--it has been resting long enough.