May - June 10 ---

Used this Period:  0 yards

Added this Period:  0 yards
Used Year-to-Date:  17.54 yards
Added Year-to-Date:  2.5 yards

Net Stash Decrease for 2021:  15.04 yards

At least I have finished some projects even if not quilts!

May 1, 2021

Used this Period:  7.2 yards

Added this Period:  0 yards
Used Year-to-Date:  17.54 yards
Added Year-to-Date:  2.5 yards

Net Stash Decrease for 2021:  15.04 yards

Well--long time, no blogging!  I'm not doing very well with my goals this year--can I blame it on COVID?  (Why not?  Everyone else does!). I've been in a quilting/sewing funk and have hardly even gone downstairs since finishing the January selvage quilt.  So, what have I accomplished?  Well, the hump-back trunk is finished.

DH did the technical parts--new handles, new board where missing on the bottom, new hinges supporting the top, lining the tray and bottom portion with cedar strips, etc.  I had spent quite a bit of time removing all the old paper and glue from the inside--then took several months' hiatus while it sat in DH's workshop (until he got tired of it being there and started working on it!).  After he did the "man" things, I stained the wooden staves and varnished them and then painted the embossed and plain tin parts.  We're happy with the way it turned out!

Then I finished one afghan, the one with the long history.  The color of the variegated yarn is Sea Coral, and I initially bought 3 super skeins.  That wasn't enough; but when I tried to buy more, nearly everyone was out (darn COVID).  Amazon had some but wanted just under $19 a skein--it's usually about $6.50.  I decided I could wait until it became available again--and it finally did in January.  It's so soft and pretty.

And I worked on stamped X-stitch quilt blocks in February-March.  Not sure why I decided to do one more hand-embroidered quilt--they are a lot of work and take a lot of time.  I finished it in March or early April and let the blocks set for awhile.  I wasn't sure what type of fabric to use for sashing; but when I went through my "backing" tubs, I found the exact one I wanted to use--has nearly all the colors of the embroidered blocks and 7.2 yards!  So, I put the top together and made the backing and binding--and now it is in the "long-arm" tub, awaiting quilting.

So then I counted the embroidery UFOs--what was I thinking when I started a new project without finishing the one I was working on?!  I counted 10 UFOs--and then found some more a couple of days later!  I also have 4-5 kits that should be done and probably won't be done.  One I love but it is on 32-count fabric and that is much too small for these old eyes.  In addition, I have 4-5 X-stitch afghans I would like to make--and lots of Christmas stockings and floral scenes I really would like to do.  

So, at this time, I'm making myself work on UFOs of one kind or another each day.  I've been trying to do at least 5 rows on a teal variegated afghan every day, and have been working on a "Dream" dresser scarf, too.  And the Embroidery Essentials (for Epic2) course is calling my name--as is the longer and the quilt tops stored in 8-9 tubs.  

On another note, my crocus is blooming!  And the snow is gone from the front flower beds.  I have one daffodil that should be out tomorrow--spring is here!  It was 80° outside yesterday, which is very nice but won't be so nice during the summer fire season.  And now back to working on UFOs!

Week 1-4 (1/1-31/21)

 Used this Period:  10.34 yards

Added this Period:  2.5 yards
Used Year-to-Date:  10.34 yards
Added Year-to-Date:  2.5 yards

Net Stash Decrease for 2021:  7.84 yards

I'm not starting the year off right with this blog!  It has been a whirlwind of a month for sure.  Because the Burlington house needed to be sold to get DH's name off the lien (taken by Jim to buy the business for Brent), DH was in contact with the realtor there to put it on the market.  We decided on Monday morning, January 4, that we needed to go down to Colorado to get the house cleaned out so it would show well.  DH had asked Sheryl to take Jim's coats/hats out of the front closet and had asked Brent to remove Jim's clothes from the bedroom.  Sheryl said one week later that she had not emptied the front closet because she didn't know what to do with the coats/hats--and that's why we knew we would have to go down to get the house ready to show--nothing had been done!  We stayed in Limon Monday night and got to Burlington about 8:00 on Tuesday morning.  And we started working about half an hour later after saying hello to Sheryl.  I started downstairs and DH started working upstairs.  As I emptied the 2 bedroom closets downstairs (we took a whole roll of white garbage bags from Alpine--thank goodness!), I had to take the filled bags upstairs--and those stairs are steep and not a normal width!  DS had called and said he was on his way from Colorado Springs to help us--what a blessing that was!  He arrived a little after 10:00 and started right in, blessedly carrying the filled bags upstairs (my legs were already rubber!).  Sheryl had come over about that time and started working in the closet of the back bedroom--and it took her a day and a half to get it emptied.  In that time I emptied 2 downstairs closets, 5 bureaus, the laundry room (that was a real beast with old magazines, etc.), and had started on the linen closet and kitchen upstairs.  DH had the upstairs pretty much done except for the kitchen, as well as making numerous trips to the thrift store and dumpsters with DS. DS helped me with the office-bedroom downstairs and stacked the stuff in the hobby room (which we were going to leave until the house sold)--as well as making numerous trips with filled bags up those darn stairs.  I fixed lasagna that evening with a salad--we worked until about 8-9:00 and then sat down to eat.  The next morning DH made coffee but the three of us started working before we drank the first cup!  Sheryl came over after 9 and worked in that closet--not sure what she was doing--how long does it take to empty one closet?--and then came to work in the kitchen.  I had emptied 5 of the cabinets and the pantry while she was boxing a set of dishes for Jeff.  By then, we were starting to stage the upstairs--curtains, pictures, removing the hot glue Estie used to hang pictures, vacuuming, etc.  We finished at 2:30 and the realtor came at 3--and the house looked better than it has for years!  Sheryl was pretty nasty to me the entire time but did not get nasty with DH as she had on the phone the week before we went down.  The realtor was amazed at the transformation of the house and took pictures, put the sign up, etc.  DS had left about 11:30 to return to the Springs--the 3 of us had worked really hard for a day and a half and got the job done!  DH and I spent Wednesday night at the house and left Burlington Thursday morning, headed to Alpine.

The sequel to the house story--it went under contract in 6-7 days, with closing to be on February 19.  Brent said he would get all the stuff that was piled in the hobby room area out, with a friend helping--and get the rest of the furniture out.  Sheryl said she would go over but didn't think she could do much--what else is different?!  We'll wait until closer to the closing to see if the remaining stuff is cleaned out--if not, we'll make a trip down to get it done.  This will get DH's name off the lien--what we needed to get done!

I finally worked on the selvage quilt and finished it today (1/31).  Glad to have it done!  I used all the selvages that were large enough--they need to be cut 1.5 inches wide.  The scraps of selvages that were too small and the ones without printing on them went in a sack to be donated to the Valley Piecemakers.  They use them to make bedding pillows for the animal shelter.

2021 GOALS

2021 GOALS

A) Reduce the LongarmUFO list.  That will start in January.  I will try to quilt 50 quilts in 2021.  I have about 122 tops ready to be quilted on the longarm.  Quilted quilts take up more space than pieced tops--but that would be a good problem to confront!  I'm still looking for an antique wardrobe in which to store the finished quilts--the closet shelves are full!  

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

1a) Moda Cowboy boots Quilt (NewFO)(Sandi-Pat Challenge 2020)

2a) Embroidered Christmas Trees (NewFO)(machine embroidery not done)

3a) Star in Churn Dash (NewFO)

4a) Sunshine Pineapple (NewFO)

5a) Embroidered Morehead Angels (NewFO)(machine embroidery not done)

6a) Bullion Rose Quilt (NewFO)(machine embroidery not done)

7a) Embroidered Child's Parable Quilt (NewFO)(machine embroidery not done)

DONE 1/31/2021 8a) Selvage/Lavender String Quilt (NewFO)

9a) Sandi-Pat Challenge Quilt-Manipulated Quilt in Pinks(NewFO)
10a) Penguin (NewFO)

11a) Embroidered Puppy Tails (NewFO)(machine embroidery not done)

12a) Embroidered Lil Kids Sports (NewFO)(machine embroidery not done)

**1b) Cathedral Window (NewFO)

Good luck to all the sewing/quilting goal-setters!