STASH REPORT - WEEK 5-7, 2015 (1/31-2/14/15)

Used this Period: 9.5 yards
Added this Period: 0 yards

Used year to Date: 23 yards 
Added Year to Date: 1 yards

Net Stash Decrease for 2015:  22 yards

 

I've had a 3-week hiatus from making stash reports--I'm glad to see my numbers move!

 

The Why baby quilt is now quilted, bound, and delivered; I used 2.5 yards for the backing and binding.  It's larger than most baby quilts so I couldn't use a crib-size batting.  I found the perfect thread to quilt it with: SoFine 403 "Putty" and YLI "Confetti Pastel" and a white MagnaGlide bobbin.  The putty color blended very nicely, even into the blue.  And the Confetti Pastel had all the colors of the sashing/border fabric (blue with tints of pink, yellow, green, etc.); I would buy it again in a heartbeat as it is excellent for a baby quilt and is muted enough so it doesn't overpower the quilt.  The Why panel is a Henry Glass panel for a book which I cut apart, added fabric, etc.  Sure am glad I finished it before my grandson is 18!!  I'm really arguing with myself about buying another panel--I don't, don't, don't need to do another quilt that is nearly the same!!

 

And then it was time out to go visit the grandchildren and get my "grandmother fix!"  What fun--it seems like the girls are more grown up every time I see them, and the new grandson (now 5 months old--where did the weeks go?) was full of smiles and coos.  And it's always a treasured time when I can visit with my son and daughter-in-law!  We did so much--and not very much!  Does that make sense?!  I missed the Grandparents & Special Friends Luncheon at the older granddaughter's school (she's in kindergarten), but a firefighter friend of my son (single and drove an hour to attend!) accompanied my son which made Shane happy.  I got to meet teachers, principal, parents, and friends and see classrooms when I did arrive a couple of hours after the luncheon--the younger granddaughter is in pre-school and showed me her room.  The week passed quickly, and then I started the trip home, where it is still winter and very icy.  I met interesting people while waiting for my flights and on my flights.  But it is always nice to get home, too.

 

So, now I have finished the chubby penguin BOM quilt (FatCat site), clearing out more stash.  I need to get another yard of the backing fabric if they still have it at JoAnn's, so the backing is not made.  The colors are not true--I'll be glad when summer is here so pictures can be taken outside.  The background is gray, and all the colors are brighter than depicted.  Oh, well... 

   

This week will be busy with a couple of luncheon's commemorating Valentine's Day--always nice to share time with friends (but not as productive!).  I started cleaning up my studio and cutting up my small scraps, Bonnie Hunter method.  I have an order for fabric--one coordinating fabric for a Christmas quilt, one a burgundy for an accent in one of the embroidered UFO quilts, and a backing for the BOM Penguin quilt.  Why is it that with all the fabric I have stashed, I don't have just the right yardage/fabric for a WIP?!  I woke up the other morning and thought that if I live for 10 years, I still won't have used all the fabric in my stash--and here I "have" to buy more!  My DH tells me not to stress over it--just to buy as much as I want.  He's no help!!

 

I started putting together another of my embroidered block UFOs.  There are only 12 blocks so I will have to be creative in adding borders.  Really like the fabrics I am putting with the blocks--AND it's from stash!!  I still get excited when I see a quilt come together!  

STASH REPORT - WEEK 4, 2015 (1/24/15)

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

Used year to Date: 13.5 yards 
Added Year to Date: 1 yards

Net Stash Decrease for 2015:  12.5 yards

 

Nothing to report this week, but I did spend time in my quilting studio.  I unzipped and removed the Christmas panel that was on the longarm, thinking that I would rip out the border feathers that I had done and was dissatisfied with.  But when I took it off and looked at the back, I thought they looked good--so they won't be removed!  I think the reason I was dissatisfied is because I used an off-white thread on the top since there are light and dark colors in it--and the white looks pretty stark on the burgundy print (even thought it has white starbursts on it).  When I finish LA'ing the current quilt, I guess I will experiment with using different colors of thread on a single quilt, and also different colors in the bobbin and on top.

The current quilt is the most recent baby quilt for the new grandson--I really like it.  I should be able to complete the quilting today as I just have borders and sashing left to do--all the SID and echo quilting within the blocks is done, which has stabilized the quilt.  Normally I would do the borders and sashing as I go; but since I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, I stabilized it with pins and left it.  

 

I have figured out how I want to make the settings for my next set of embroidered blocks, so that will be my next piecing project.  But I want to get 2 more tops quilted on the longarm before I start that project.  Wouldn't it be nice if I could reduce the LongArm UFO stack to zero this year?!

STASH REPORT - WEEK 3, 2015 (1/17/15)

Used this Period: 10.5 yards
Added this Period: 1 yards

Used year to Date: 13.5 yards 
Added Year to Date: 1 yards

Net Stash Decrease for 2015:  12.5 yards

 

It's snowing, it's snowing...  Does that seem like a repeat of last week?!  Polaris is filming their next promotional up a nearby canyon because of the snow we have on the ground--and in the air.  I'm glad I don't plan on going anywhere today.

 

Another finish--yea!!  This is my machine embroidered snowmen quilt--the embroidered blocks were done a couple of years ago.  It was quilted from stash, but I had to purchase 1 more yard of the white background fabric for the inner border.  It was still available since I had purchased this fabric in December, 2014.  You can't see the background well (last picture), but it has tiny blue outline snowflakes on the white.  I have enough of the blue-green/purple mottled fabric for the backing.  I love that fabric--it has an excellent hand but even better, I bought it for $2.99/yd. on a closeout at the hardware store (yes, the hardware store in the next little community sells fabric!).  I'm pleased with this quilt--the designs were a "free" gift when I purchased my Designer Diamond a few years ago (if there is such a thing as a "free" gift when purchasing something!).  I'm on a design moratorium because I have a lot of designs that I've never used--anyone else have that problem?  It's the first time I have used a shadowbox setting for embroidered blocks.

 

Taken without a flash.

White w/blue snowflake sashing fabric.

I think this will be the year that I make quilts from my embroidered blocks--I have five more quilts to make with blocks that are already embroidered.  Hope everyone has a great day!

STASH REPORT - WEEK 2, 2015 (1/10/15)

Used this Period: 3 yards
Added this Period: 0 yards

Used year to Date: 3 yards 
Added Year to Date: 0 yards 

Net Stash Decrease for 2015:  3 yards

 

It's snowing, it's snowing!  These aren't our usual humongous flakes, but perhaps that will change as the day advances.  One of the does visited early this morning, and set off the motion-activated buzzer.  Our poor trees--they probably got another bad trim job!

I just finished reading Grisham's newest book, "Gray Mountain."  It was excellent, very well written.  I don't remember feeling that way about his previous novel.  Often it seems that even with good writers, latter novels are not as well written as earlier ones.  The push for "billable hours" that is expected of new hires (and it continues beyond the early years) and the number of hours expected to be devoted to achieving those billable hours in big law firms is a fact.  Big salaries if you are willing to put your life on hold.  I'm glad that my students who have gone into law careers did not choose big firms.

And on to what happened in the studio this past week.  I finished putting together the new baby quilt for the new grandson.  This is the second top I have pieced for him--I like it so much better than the previous one (which hasn't been quilted yet!).  The fabric was meant to be made into a book, but I made a quilt instead.  I have one word ("book") that needs to be covered (a heart or a leaf?) so it will read correctly.  I do not have the backing made or the binding, but will count the quilt top as I want to get some numbers up--I will count those when the quilting is completed.  I hope to get this quilted soon, so it can be mailed and used before he is 18!  The book panel was purchased in the last few days of 2014, the brown speckled fabric used to border the blocks and in the border and the blue sashing/border fabric are from stash.

I have also started setting the embroidered Playful Snowmen blocks--but will defer a picture until the top is completed.  That should mean 2 completions in January--wouldn't that be nice.  And I have started a simple crocheted afghan which should use that variegated yarn that called my name in the waning months of 2014.  And even tried Judy's pressure cooker recipe for pork chops--which is the same recipe I've used in the past.  Of course, my pressure cooker is a stove-top model--but I love it.  I think it originally belonged to my husband's great aunt.  And that sums up my week.

STASH REPORT - WEEK 1, 2015 (1/3/15)

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 2015: 0 yards

As in the past, I will count usage only when the top is completed; I make the binding and backing at that time and also count it as used (and move the "package" to the Longarm UFO stack).  I hope (!) I mostly buy fabric needed to coordinate with and finish stash fabric--I have such beautiful fabric in my stash!

 

In the few days of 2015 that are now in the rearview mirror, I finished the applique on the January block of the FatCat BOM; there will be one more block to add in February, and then I will assemble the blocks (have started assembly).  I'm ready to start putting the machine embroidered Playful Snowmen into blocks.  A lot of the UFOs on my A list are comprised of machine embroidered blocks that are ready to be put into a block setting--I need to get those done, and Playful Snowmen will be the first one I work on!

 

And I purchased a "book" panel that I am making into a baby quilt for my new grandson--not quite 4 months old.  I fell in love with it and have cut the "pages," put a border on (the brown speckled one), and am ready to do sashing.  I think his older sisters will love "reading" it to him.  I hope I don't "fall in love" with too many panels/fabric this year! 

So, I have nothing to report--but lots of work in progress!

Stash Busting Goals - 2015

It's always encouraging to have a blank slate to begin stash busting in a new year.  It would be nice to purchase less fabric than last year (87.8 yards) and use more fabric.  In 2014, my net stash decrease was 97.97 yards.  So, 2015 will have the following focus:

 

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 2014.

DONE 1/7/15 1) WHY Baby Quilt
DONE 4/1/15 2) Xmas Panel #2
DONE 4/4/15 3) Xmas Panel #3
DONE 4/9/15 4) Xmas Panel #4
DONE 4/10/15 5) Xmas Panel #5  
DONE 4/15/15 6) Gingerbread Xmas Lap Quilt
DONE 4/24/15 7) Scrappy 16-Patch/Pinwheel
DONE 4/25/15 8) Blue/Grn/Yellow Baby Quilt Panel
DONE 4/26/15 9) QOV Labyrinth Patriotic Blues
DONE 5/18/15 10) Puppy Baby Quilt for LMcNeel
DONE 5/20/15 11) Dick & Jane Lap Quilt 
DONE 12/13/15 12) Wildlife Log Cabin Quilt for Son 

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

1a) Bear Claw in Bear Claw (NewFO)

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

DONE 5/28/15  3a) Embroidered Colorwork MOY Boys (UFO) (machine embroidery done)

DONE 6/12/15  4a) Embroidered Colorwork MOY Girls (UFO) (machine embroidery done)

DONE 2/11/15  5a) FatCat BOM Penguins (UFO)

DONE 1/14/15  6a) Embroidered Playful Snowmen (UFO) (machine embroidery done) 

DONE 2/24/15  7a) Embroidered BFC Shoes (UFO) (machine embroidery done)
DONE 3/16/15  8a) Embroidered BFC Shoes (UFO) (machine embroidery done)
DONE 3/29/15  9a) Embroidered BFC Shoes (UFO) (machine embroidery done)
DONE 11/14/15  10a) Sandi-Pat Challenge Quilt-Wildlife (NewFO)
11a) Scrappy Twirling 9-Patch (NewFO)
DONE 10/2/15  12a) Purples Sampler (UFO)
1b) Penguin (NewFO)
2b) Sapphire QOV (NewFO)
3b) Secret Jungle QOV (NewFO)
4b) Biscuit Quilt (NewFO)
5b) Scrappy "Corners 81" (NewFO)
6b) Dizzy Geese in R/W/B (NewFO)
7b) Embroidered Morehead Angels (NewFO)
8b) Embroidered Redwork Angels (NewFO)
9b) Scrappy Birds in the Air (NewFO)
10b) Embroidered Child's Parable Quilt (NewFO)
11b) Sunshine Pineapple (NewFO)
12b) Selvage/Scrappy String Quilt (NewFO)

Unplanned:
DONE 1/7/15  1c) "Why" Baby Quilt
DONE 2/21/15  2c) Yellow/Green Quilt1 
DONE 4/22/15  3c) Santa Block/Log Cabin Quilt
DONE 4/25/15  4c) Blue/Grn/Yellow Baby Quilt Panel
DONE 7/1/15  5c) "Why" Baby Quilt #2
DONE 8/12/15  6c) Red/white Single Irish Chain
DONE 10/4/15  7c) Red/white Single Irish Chain (twin size)
DONE 11/29/15  8c) Santa Panel (lap size)
DONE 12/1/15  9c) Moose Fishing Panel (lap size)
DONE 12/2/15 10c) Autumn Country Panel (lap size) 
DONE 12/3/15 11c) Christmas "O Little Town" Panel (lap size)
DONE 12/4/15 12c) 12 Days of Christmas Panel (lap size)  
13c)  Blue/Yellow TeaTime Quilt
14c)  Yellow/Green Quilt2
15c)  Delectable Mountains in Blues 
16c)  Embroidered BFC Shoes
17c)  Embroidered BFC Cupcakes
18c)  Embroidered Morehead Angels

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. 

 

~Useful Measurements~

1 yard of quilt fabric weighs approximately 4 oz.

1 pound of quilt fabric is about 4 yards.

A full size scrap quilt takes about 2 pounds of fabric pieces.

Twin Quilt takes approximately 6 yards of fabric

Full Quilt takes approximately 8 yards of fabric

Queen Quilt takes approximately 10 yards of fabric

King Quilt takes approximately 12 yards of fabric

• 	Standard Bed Measurement	Approximate Quilt Size
  Crib	27" x 52"	36" x 60"
  Twin	39" x 75"	63" x 87"
  Double (Full)	54" x 75"	78" x 87"
  Queen	60" x 80"	84" x 92"
  King	76" x 80"	100" x 92"

                          *http://www.victorianaquiltdesigns.com/VictorianaQuilters/Library/UsefulInfo/UsefulInfo.htm

STASH REPORT - Week 52, 2014 (12/27/14)

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

Used year to Date: 185.77 yards 
Added Year to Date: 87.8 yards 

Net Stash Decrease for 2014: 97.97 yards

 

The end of the year is nigh and an accounting is due!  In looking at my numbers, I wish I had not succumbed to the siren song fabric sings to me--"Buy me!"  And I wish I had used a bit more stash and finished a few more projects.  Which all brings me to thinking about what I accomplished in 2014 and what I want to cross off my UFO-NewFO-Stash Reduction list in 2015.  

 

I numbered UFO/NewFOs in 2014 and drew a number each month--as we used to do on Judy's blog.  Because my bucket list is so long and continues to grow, I made A-B-C lists and even started on a D list.  I wasn't very successful on the A list which is the one I drew from each month, finishing only 3.  I finished 2 from the B list, 9 from the C list, and 5 from the D list--a total of 19 quilt tops pieced.  That shows me that when I see a quilt that I "just have to make," I abandoned my original list and added those quilts to my C and D lists--hmmmm, something to work on.  Perhaps I will set a goal of finishing something on my A list for every "new" quilt I do from the C & D lists (the B list is more like the A list).  Or maybe that involves too many rules.  My crochet/decorative painting/embroidery/machine embroidery/longarm quilting project lists didn't fare very well in 2014. 

 

To end the year on a very positive note...I can see a real reduction in my stash!  Some of the shelves are becoming less crowded--yea!  I wish you all a wonderful and productive 2015!