I've been having fun with my scrappy flower blocks for the RSC Challenge. I've determined that I need two and a half blocks for each of the ten months. And since that isn't going to work, I think I'm going to make three one month and two the next. That will work well with similar colors like medium blue and dark blue, but I'm not sure about some of the other colors. I'll have to play it by ear.
Friday night, I dug out my travel kit and worked on a Ferris Wheel block (English Paper Piecing). In an effort to spend more time in the evenings with Hubby, I'm going to start working on these in the evenings instead of spending time by myself at the sewing machine.
This week I was gifted with fabric. A friend was thinning her stash and asked if I wanted some fabric. Well, yeah! Thinking it was odds and ends of less than desirable colors, I told her that my quilt group could always use fabric for our donation quilts. This was way better than odds and ends.
A kit with all the fabric needed plus the pattern. A really cute pattern, I might add.
A magazine with a pattern bookmarked and all the fabric to make it.
Another pattern with all the fabric to make it.
Some fabrics she had marked for various things, like "border" and "backing" but no pattern with it.
And 36 fat quaters.
After looking at the three patterns, I could tell they are not the kind my group likes to make, so I'll keep those and make them sometime. The other fabrics will make some great wheel chair lap quilts.
Score!!!!
Unfortunately, now I have to record this in my stash report. My supposed stash reduction report. Thursday, I thought I was doing great because I had used more than I had bought. Then, this gift. And to compound my loss of control, I ran across a sale Friday that I couldn't pass up. A local quilt store had a shelf of 75% off fabrics and a few bolts of fabric for 50 cents a yard. I didn't buy any of those 50 cent fabrics though. I didn't think I could cut them into small enough pieces to hide the ugly. But I got several of the 75% off. So they too will add to the report. Now my report is a runaway train headed in the wrong direction.
I also unpacked a box of fabric. A big box, and it was nearly all fabric. QuiltPaintCreate said she gets a laugh out of these boxes of fabric I keep finding. When we were packing up to sell our house, everything was going into a unit at a storage facility with pretty poor security. Anything of value, I marked with code words like "Large canning jars" (or something else not worth stealing) meaning something of value and another code word to describe the item, or "Small canning jars" meaning something with little value. Sounded like a good idea at the time, but I also had real canning jars or gladware, or whatever the code word was, and over time, I forgot what the other code words meant. So nearly all our boxes are labeled "Canning Jars", "Gladware", "Books", "Paint clothes," etc. Most fabric was used as packing for lamps and other odd-shaped breakables, but there are some boxes marked "Sewing fabric". It's an adventure to open boxes; we never know what to expect.
I'm happy to say that I am still headed in the right direction in my 15 Minutes of Sewing Report. That will change in a month or so, so I'm going to claim this victory while I can.
If you saw yesterday's post, you know I finished the Glory Box Wallhanging. I spent some time one day quilting the Double Irish Chain but it was a battle. I think I can get it done but it's really bigger than I would like to quilt on my machine. After a few hours, my shoulder was killing me. I decided to give my shoulder a rest and then work on it in much smaller time slots until I get it done. I think it will also be a wall hanging because I still haven't mastered the ruler foot. Even when the top looks good, there are places on the back that look like the tension is off. But then the next section looks fine. I'm not sure what the problem is, but I'm pretty sure it is the user, not the machine.
I also spent time this week with the ripper, and finding that some blocks I made several years ago didn't have quarter inch seams. More about that another time unless I decide it's not worth the effort.
I have sewed every day this week and for the month so far. I'm at 100% for those, but at 88% for the year. That shows what one bad week can do. I can just imagine how low it will be in July and August.
Linking to:
Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun than Housework
15 Minutes of Sewing at Life in Pieces
Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate
Friday night, I dug out my travel kit and worked on a Ferris Wheel block (English Paper Piecing). In an effort to spend more time in the evenings with Hubby, I'm going to start working on these in the evenings instead of spending time by myself at the sewing machine.
This week I was gifted with fabric. A friend was thinning her stash and asked if I wanted some fabric. Well, yeah! Thinking it was odds and ends of less than desirable colors, I told her that my quilt group could always use fabric for our donation quilts. This was way better than odds and ends.
A kit with all the fabric needed plus the pattern. A really cute pattern, I might add.
A magazine with a pattern bookmarked and all the fabric to make it.
Another pattern with all the fabric to make it.
Some fabrics she had marked for various things, like "border" and "backing" but no pattern with it.
And 36 fat quaters.
After looking at the three patterns, I could tell they are not the kind my group likes to make, so I'll keep those and make them sometime. The other fabrics will make some great wheel chair lap quilts.
Score!!!!
Unfortunately, now I have to record this in my stash report. My supposed stash reduction report. Thursday, I thought I was doing great because I had used more than I had bought. Then, this gift. And to compound my loss of control, I ran across a sale Friday that I couldn't pass up. A local quilt store had a shelf of 75% off fabrics and a few bolts of fabric for 50 cents a yard. I didn't buy any of those 50 cent fabrics though. I didn't think I could cut them into small enough pieces to hide the ugly. But I got several of the 75% off. So they too will add to the report. Now my report is a runaway train headed in the wrong direction.
I also unpacked a box of fabric. A big box, and it was nearly all fabric. QuiltPaintCreate said she gets a laugh out of these boxes of fabric I keep finding. When we were packing up to sell our house, everything was going into a unit at a storage facility with pretty poor security. Anything of value, I marked with code words like "Large canning jars" (or something else not worth stealing) meaning something of value and another code word to describe the item, or "Small canning jars" meaning something with little value. Sounded like a good idea at the time, but I also had real canning jars or gladware, or whatever the code word was, and over time, I forgot what the other code words meant. So nearly all our boxes are labeled "Canning Jars", "Gladware", "Books", "Paint clothes," etc. Most fabric was used as packing for lamps and other odd-shaped breakables, but there are some boxes marked "Sewing fabric". It's an adventure to open boxes; we never know what to expect.
I'm happy to say that I am still headed in the right direction in my 15 Minutes of Sewing Report. That will change in a month or so, so I'm going to claim this victory while I can.
If you saw yesterday's post, you know I finished the Glory Box Wallhanging. I spent some time one day quilting the Double Irish Chain but it was a battle. I think I can get it done but it's really bigger than I would like to quilt on my machine. After a few hours, my shoulder was killing me. I decided to give my shoulder a rest and then work on it in much smaller time slots until I get it done. I think it will also be a wall hanging because I still haven't mastered the ruler foot. Even when the top looks good, there are places on the back that look like the tension is off. But then the next section looks fine. I'm not sure what the problem is, but I'm pretty sure it is the user, not the machine.
I also spent time this week with the ripper, and finding that some blocks I made several years ago didn't have quarter inch seams. More about that another time unless I decide it's not worth the effort.
I have sewed every day this week and for the month so far. I'm at 100% for those, but at 88% for the year. That shows what one bad week can do. I can just imagine how low it will be in July and August.
Linking to:
Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun than Housework
15 Minutes of Sewing at Life in Pieces
Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate
What a great post Marti! Your flowers look very similar to my Snowball blocks I am attempting to put together. What a lot of lovely fabric to be gifted. And I had done a similar thing on a big move. I had a little notebook and kept track of what I labelled boxes like "sewing stuff" on the stereo box. I didn't think thieves would be interesting in sewing stuff. lol
ReplyDeleteWhat a great gift from your friend! Some of the patterns are fairly new and the fabrics are nice. I can't imagine her stash if what she gave you is the cast-offs.
ReplyDeleteWhen we cleaned out mom's house I used all her kitchen towels, dish cloths and potholders to pack glassware. When I needed new dish cloths I decided I should use hers up and couldn't find them. I went through box after box of dishes looking for those things. I found them eventually.
Jocelyn, I'm glad I'm not the only one who did that. I hope yours wasn't as big of a mess when unpacking later. When I packed up, I never dreamed it would be years before unpacking.
ReplyDeleteI read your post about no reply bloggers and oh so talented bloggers. I've noticed a connection between no reply bloggers and Google+. I don't understand why it is that way either. I can't comment on your blog without joining Google+. I had signed up for it once but it caused other problems for me, mainly with email. So I finally got out of it and don't plan on ever joining it again. If you ever find a compromise, let me know.
quiltpaintcreate, I know! I've seen her quilting room but never noticed how big her stash it. It's in closets and cabinets and I'm not quite that nosy. And these aren't cheap fabrics either. She only buys from quilt stores.
ReplyDeleteThat's quite a windfall! There are some gorgeous fabrics in there. It's hard to pass up a sale, I keep saying it's my retirement stash. It's hard to not to give in temptation. Congrats on a successful week of stitching. Maybe setting a realistic goal would take the sting out of not being able to sew sometimes. The fact is 100% is pretty much impossible for most of us. The goal is to sew when rather than waste time (which I can be really good at). If there are commitments that keep us from the sewing room, that's different.
ReplyDeleteI love all the pastels. My favorite colors.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous Sunday, my friend. ♥
Too bad, so many new beautiful fabrics in your stash ;)) Love your purple blocks!
ReplyDeleteThose are some beautiful fabrics. Time to sew sew sew! Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome surprise! I need some people to destash their stuff with me!! LOL
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! If that's thinning stash I'd love to see the actual stash!
ReplyDeleteThat Ferris Wheel "block" looks similar to a Jack's Chain. Whatever - I love it. I also kind of like how you've joined your snowballs into flowers. Sweet!
I am not a quilter, but I have a sister and sister-in-law that are big-time quilters. I thought I heard that gifts did not have to be included in your official stash! (LOL) I like the blues ...
ReplyDeleteThat is a big score. Such beautiful fabric.
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to have a pick up and put down project at hand for the evenings. Great fabric haul. Enjoy.
ReplyDeleteSome covetable fabric there!
ReplyDeleteI have a guilty stash of fabric - Liberty lawn and Italian linen from Zurich days. Mine is intended for clothes - but haven't sewn for years. Sigh.