FABRIC STASH - WEEK 2, 2018 (1/7-13/18)

Used this Period: 0 yards 

Added this Period: 2.25 yards

Used year to Date:  0 yards
Added Year to Date:  0 yards

Net Stash Decrease for 2018:   0 yards

 

On Monday we traveled to the nearby big city.  DH was donating blood, we got some grocery staples, and I went to JoAnn's to get some more fabric for my January quilt (#10).  I had finished 12 blocks with leftover fabric from past quilts, but did not have enough to finish.  What a zoo it was at JoAnn's--they were having a big sale and there were people everywhere!

 

As I was looking at embroidery floss, a woman came up and started talking to me about all the colors of hair she was seeing on both young girls and older women.  (She wondered if they didn't have mirrors to see how they look!)  That topic evolved into her life story in recent times.  She came to the United States from Lebanon to receive medical care after ISIS bombed the car in which she was riding.  She lost 4 sons and was burned over most of her body--and she now has a colostomy bag as her abdomen was shredded.  She showed me her legs--scarred and mutilated--and her face looked like the skin was "new."  She told me they are Christians and want to remain Christians, but that ISIS won't allow them to practice their faith.  And then they called my number at the cutting table--I had to interrupt our conversation to get my fabric cut and did not see her after I left that area of the store.  We are so fortunate here--I wonder if we are as thankful as we should be for the freedoms we enjoy.  I hope and pray that the United States remains the beacon of freedom we now are.

While I was waiting to get more fabric for #10, I went through some of my embroidery stuff--what a mistake!  I found between 7-10 unfinished projects--why did I start them and not finish them?!  One is an afghan of bears of the month that I have the January bear about half finished.  I loaned the pattern to my niece a few years ago; it took her a year to finish it.  I should have finished all the X-stitch that was on the 18- and 22-count fabric when I was younger!!  My son gave me a magnifying glass for Christmas so I started working on it again.  But in searching for a hoop, I found all the other unfinished pieces, plus a Christmas stocking kit and a kit showing a Singer sewing machine.  Oh, my--not sure what I am going to do with all those unfinished projects!  

I also found a partially finished X-stitch quilt top that I started 10 years ago.  It has a long story.  When I bought the kit, I started working on one half of the quilt top--without sewing the two halves together to cut down on the bulk.  Then I decided that it would be best to sew it together before continuing to work on it--and found that the second half had been printed on the back instead of the front.  So there was no way I could put those 2 halves together.  I contacted the company and they told me to just throw it away and they would send me another complete kit--which they did.  I finished the second kit, working it in pinks.  I couldn't throw the other kit away--after all, I had a lot of work done on it already.  So, I decided I could pull the table apart and make a sort of light box of it--and transfer those X's to the front of the quilt!  I have now sewn the 2 halves together and have traced some of the X's--and started working on it again (the bear afghan will just have to wait!).  I have a lot of tracing to do, but am determined to get this done.  I'm using a blue and yellow color scheme on this kit.  Wish me luck--maybe I'll finish it before the end of the year!

I have finished my physical therapy now, with one appointment scheduled for a month from now.  I continue to do exercises twice a day at home and will continue those for at least a year.  The swelling and stiffness are decreasing, but I still struggle with both.  I'm very careful as we have snow and ice on our mountain now, and I don't want to fall.  It has been 4 months since the surgery--the time has gone quickly in some respects--and has crawled in others.  

I will have to really get busy this next week if I want to get the January NewFO completed. 

FABRIC STASH - WEEK 1, 2018 (1/1-6/18)

Used this Period: 0 yards 

Added this Period: 0 yards

Used year to Date:  0 yards
Added Year to Date:  0 yards

Net Stash Decrease for 2018:   0 yards

 

A new year, a blank slate, fabric stash to be used--and my first week's stash report is zero!  That's the bad news.  The good news is that I spent time at the sewing machine this week, the first since I participated in the Henry Glass Desire to Inspire Challenge last August.  It felt good although I had some swelling of my knee (replacement was done the latter part of September) and resulting stiffness.  I have finished 4 blocks for my autumn quilt (#10 on my NewFO list), all in the Sawtooth Star pattern--only 19 more to go.  I wanted to complete more blocks yesterday but Smokey, the Lhasa, came downstairs wanting some company.  Guess I need to sew while he is napping in the mornings!

 

I hope everyone is feeling energized by the New Year and that we all meet or exceed our goals for 2018.  Wishing good health and much happiness to all!

Recap of 2017 goals

It's time to review stash usage and completions for 2016.   My goal was to use a net yardage of 200--my gross yardage used was 112.6 and my net was 90.23.  Not even close to my goal of 200 yards!  It is interesting to review the usage and completions for the past 6 years.  2013 and 2017 were years punctuated with medical problems, which is reflected in the totals.  I have reduced the new fabric purchased (22.4 yards), but still have not reached the net stash decrease goal.

 

2012:  18 quilts finished - 223 yards used - net stash decrease 95 yards

2013:  9 quilts finished - 137 yards used - net stash decrease 119 yards

2014:  19 quilts finished - 186 yards used - net stash decrease 98 yards

2015:  21 quilts finished - 205 yards used - net stash decrease 165 yards

2016:  15 quilts finished - 198 yards used - net stash decrease 175 yards

2017:  8 quilts finished - 112.6 yards used - net stash decrease 90.23 yards

 

 

Stash Busting Goals - 2018

Stash Busting Goals - 2018

I didn't end my blog very well in 2017, having stopped in September which is when I had knee replacement surgery.  I'm hoping for a happy and healthy New Year with much getting finished in the quilting studio!  My goal for 2018 is for a net reduction of 200 yards.  My 2018 goals are:

 

A) Reduce the LongarmUFO list.  That will start in January.  I won't put a definite number per month since that didn't work in any previous years.  Quilted quilts take up more space than pieced tops--but that would be a good problem to confront!

 

B) Reestablish a UFO/NewFO quilt top list--this will be A and B lists, as follows:

1a) Embroidered Redwork Angels (NewFO)

2a) Solid/Scrappy Quilt w/Quilted Spirals (NewFO)

3a) Embroidered Child's Parable Quilt (NewFO)

4a) Embroidered BFC Cupcakes (NewFO) (machine embroidery not done)

5a) 3-Size Blade Dresdan Plate Quilt (NewFO)

6a) Bear Claw in Bear Claw (NewFO)

7a) Scrappy 16-Patch Quilt (UFO)
8a) Embroidered Morehead Angels (NewFO) (machine embroidery not done)
9a) Sandi-Pat Challenge Quilt-Manipulated Quilt (NewFO)
10a) Halloween Ohio Star Quilt
11a) Double Dresdan Quilt (NewFO)
12a) Penguin (NewFO)
1b) Waterwheel Variation Quilt (NewFO)  
2b) Scrappy Birds in the Air (NewFO)
3b) Dizzy Geese in R/W/B (NewFO)
4b) Biscuit Quilt (NewFO)
5b) Scrappy "Corners 81" (NewFO)
6b) Basket Quilt (NewFO)  
7b) Sunshine Pineapple (NewFO) 
8b) Selvage/Scrappy String Quilt (NewFO)
9b) Halloween  Black-Orange Star Quilt (NewFO)
10b) Color Spectrum Jigsaw Puzzle Quilt (NewFO)
11b) Courthouse Steps Quilt (NewFO)
12b)

C) Work on Machine Embroidery/Embroidery/Crochet/Decorative Painting UFO lists.  All of these lists are on paper; I will list completions as they are finished.  I will attempt to include more pictures of completions and stash on my blog.