Blooming Ninepatch Progress

You can see at the very top that I am blending colors 4 and 5. I think it is looking good. DD told me that if ds doesn't like it she wants it! LOL!

Stash Report, Week 4 of 2009

Fabric Purchased this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Purchased YTD: 0 yards

Fabric Busted this Week: 6 yards
Fabric Busted YTD: 10 yards

Net Used YTD: 16 yards

I wanted to show a reduction this week again so whipped up 6 dog beds. They are made out of berber fleece. Doggies love them!

More Retreat Progress and Sunday Dinner


Start of ds' blooming ninepatch.




DD making dumplings for chicken and dumplings along with her assistant. I think Rascal is laughing at him. He is a solid black dog by the way.

Charity Quilts and Stashbuster Retreat Progress

Nancie V from Texas sent me two of her UFOs. One was a set of 14 blocks. I ultimately decided to set them into two sets of four and one set of six. She had included a stack of striped triangles so I decided to use them to finish out the pinwheels on the corners and sides. I ran out of triangles so just added a simple border to the second one.

I started cutting for my ds' blooming ninepatch. I was thinking about the stash report and tried to think of a fast project I could do. Dog beds!! I had 6 yards of berber fleece that I had bought to make dog beds with. I made each of them a yard long and sewed them so that they look like pillowcases. We can stuff them as we see fit. The dogs have already been snuggling in on them. I think they are a hit!

I don’t care if it harelips the governor!

A phrase I learned from my mil many years ago. I have been working on that silly pieced border on the charity UFO I was given. I got over one hump and got overconfident and have to rework some of the pieces a little. And "I don’t care if it harelips the governor” I am gonna finish this top tonight!

Now, let's add insult to injury. I had this little stack of striped triangles to use to work on these blocks. I have just enough for one top to allow the pinwheels to be finished in the border. I also have another top of 4 blocks that I wanted to do the same treatment on, then I have another 6 that need something done. I am going to strip the 3 of the 6 that I are "finished" to use those triangles and send them to Debra for her homeless teen project. Then I will take the triangles from those so I can finish the 2nd top in the same way. I think I will have just enough. Be sure that I will count before I strip because if there are not enough I am getting a new plan involving donating the whole lot!

Someone Else's UFOs

Last year someone sent me two sets of blocks that were their UFOs. I had just finished all my UFOs and announced it on Stashbuster. I got an email from another member offering up her UFOs. I thought it would be fun to work on someone else's projects and accepted. That has not been the case to this point.

The first issue was deciding how to set them. The first set of blocks are mostly 30's prints. There are 11 18" blocks and then 3 that need one more border added. There is also a little pile of triangles to complete the pieced borders.

My first struggle was to decide how to set them. I have pieced 2 2x2 settings and plan to donate those as baby quilts. That left 6 blocks. I was going to do a 2x3 setting but saw that Debra is making quilts for homeless teens. I will make the 3 unfinished blocks 18" to match the rest and send them to her for her project.

The next challenge was what color to use to border them. I have a post for border auditioning and have finally decided what color I will use for the 2 quilts. I will have the same challenge for the 3 unfinished blocks when I get to them.

Last night I went into my sewing room and began working on the border. I have a strip for the border and am trying to determine how to get those triangles on in the correct position. I got one triangle sewn properly to one end and finally came to the realization that to get the correct position for the other triangle I will have to make an HST and sew that on separately. So I didn't physically accomplish much but I am over the hump so to speak and will be able to get the rest of the border done! I might be able to enjoy this now!

Just think. When I get these three mini-projects (from one UFO...sigh) complete I have another UFO awaiting my attention.

QOV Topped

10 Yards Busted

I have been thinking about my fabric used to date. I have finished two baby quilts and one lap size top this year. That only accounted for 10 yards. Then I think about how long it takes me to walk into a store and buy that amount or more in a few hours or less. My eyes are opened wider every day.

Now I will say that there are those out there that like to buy and keep a large stash. It is their painters palette. For them that is fine. I am not to that point yet. I have lots of fabric that was purchased just because and need to find what that "because" is. Until now I make a quilt where I have bought the fabric I intend for a specific pattern. That is what all my kits are that I am pulling together. Yes Sharon I will count and report them soon. Once I wade through these I may need to learn to be a scrapper. My other option will be to pull as much from my stash as possible then buy the fillers.

I am finding my way....

Stash Report, Week 3 of 2009

Fabric Purchased this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Purchased YTD: 0 yards

Fabric Busted this Week: 3 yards
Fabric Busted YTD: 10 yards

Net Used YTD: 10 yards

Except for mitering the corners on my borders my QOV is done. I will post a pic later this week and mail it off to be quilted. It will be donated from there.

It has become a game for me to find something I can finish so I can show stash busted. It might be awhile before I have more to show. Tracking does motivate me to not buy since it is easy to wipe out any progress you have in busted stash!

QOV Layout and My Sew In

I met with my friends at our monthly sew in. I pieced the blocks to my QOV and have a layout.

I also ironed 18 yards of fabric and boy does my back hurt.

Auditioning Borders

You have to work for the pictures in this post.

Quilt #1

Red, Green or Blue? Note there are two different shades so describe which one you prefer.

Quilt #2

Green?

Thoughts? Opinions?

I Feel Special!

Look what came in the mail. Sharon made these just for me! I went to the mailbox on the way to the store and there was the package. When I got there I took my socks and shoes off and put these on. They fit wonderfully and Rascal even approves.

Finished Pinwheels!

I rushed home last night and started trimming the remaining 20 HSTs. I ended up trimming for about an hour after I posted Sunday night. I immediately went to my sewing machine and sewed the HSTs into pairs, pressed and right back to the machine. I now have all my HSTs together.

I started playing with the layout last night but don't have good floor space to lay everything out. It is my group sewing date this weekend so I will just take it all over there and lay it out on the floor. I can get group input that way as well!

I think I will play around with the three charity quilts I am working on that were someone elses UFOs. That should keep me busy through this week.

Stash Report, Week 2 of 2009

Fabric Purchased this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Purchased YTD: 0 yards

Fabric Busted this Week: 3.5 yards
Fabric Busted YTD: 7 yards

Net Used YTD: 7 yards

Quiltathon Progress for Sunday

2:05 p.m. I have the 6, 9 and 12 inch blocks done. Now to make 22 3" pinwheels. That is 88 2" HSTs. Pray for me and my sanity! LOL!

3:05 p.m. 44 2.5" squares cut and marked. Sewing has begun!

9:44 p.m. 11 3" pinwheels are done. That is 44 2.5" HSTs. I have the other 44 HSTs made. I just have to trim them. So with this post my quiltathon is coming to a close. I will trim a little until bed but will sew them later this week.

Quiltathon Progress

5:15 p.m. I have to make 12", 9", 6" and 3" blocks for this QOV. I have a test block made in the three biggest sizes and all the HSTs are sewn now for those sizes. I am trimming them now. I will sew the blocks in the larger sizes then will embark upon the 3" size next. Pictures later tonight.



11:41 p.m.




All the 12" blocks are done. All the 9" blocks are done. 7 of the 6" blocks will be done before I go to bed with 6 left. Then I have to make all the 3" blocks tomorrow. I should be able to top it tomorrow!

Quiltathon Goals

Judy is hosting a quiltathon this weekend. My goals are:

• Finish the QOV top
• Decide how to finish 3 sets of blocks sent to me for charity and pull fabrics

I have been cutting on the QOV so have a good start.

QOV - Burger Queen Mystery

I am making a QOV using the Burger Queen Mystery recipe. You choose the block and follow the recipe to arrange various sizes of the same block. Here is a 12" block to give you a peek. Stay tuned for updates.

January Goals

I talked about my goals for 2009 but not specifically about January. It is easy. I am working on things that I "owe".

• baby quilts (2) for a friend. I just shipped them
• QOV that I pledged to Alycia

It should be easy to meet these goals. My issue is that I don't have a plan other than the QOV and have already caught myself spinning my wheels while I decided what I wanted to accomplish next. I just suggested the theme for the Stashbuster retreat as "Gifts for 2009". I should heed my own advice.

• quilt my daisy quilt for me
• start piecing batik blooming 9 patch for ds
• find oriental print fabric I bought to make a quilt for dd

This will keep my January full!

We Have Pictures!

This is the Easy Breezy pattern and is a gift to a man that worked for me a few years ago. I called to see how his son (now 2) is doing and learned there is another baby!!

I had seen a friend make a simple double 4 patch and thought I could make one up quickly. The red and black OU fabric already looks patched so this is just a simple patch quilt. These are both in the wash and will be bundled up to be mailed off tomorrow.

Here are the three aprons I made from the free pattern I got back in November. I made the first and did not like how the ties were done so made a small change there. I am not sure about the pocket so will add it to the two at the bottom later if I decide I need it.

Stash Report, Week 1 of 2009



Fabric Purchased this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Purchased YTD: 0 yards

Fabric Busted this Week: 3.5 yards
Fabric Busted YTD: 3.5 yards

Fabric Gifted to Me this Week: 3 yards

I am showing the gifts since they do increase my stash. I will include them in the year end totals but will track them separately for now.

Do You Own This Book?

Look up the model for The Peacock quilt. That is mine. I was very proud of this accomplishment. To have a model in a book. It wasnt quilted in time for the photo session but they hid that well.