2014 Wrap & 2015 Start

Wow! It is hard to believe that this is the last day of 2014. For me, it has been a very non-productive year. I am not complaining but between back issues and a cold that I could not shake, not a lot was accomplished except sewing for Christmas.

These are the fleece blankets that were sewn for Christmas. Since most of the purchased blankets are only 60 inches long and everyone (except me) is tall, the blankets needed to be longer. I used two layers of fleece cut approximately 80 inches long.  It was a lot of fun picking fabrics that would suit each persons personality. They are so nice and warm when sitting around watching TV or playing video games. The boys that live in Fargo, ND, thought they may keep theirs in their vehicles. What a good idea, since I am not sure they have the most reliable vehicles.

 I don't know about everyone else, but I am taking a look at all I would like to accomplish in the coming year. Not really making any New Years resolutions but thought I should establish an idea of projects to work on. Also, what challenges that would be fun to do for 2015. Trying very hard not to add any new regular projects, but that will not even be a possibility!! LOL. Since I didn't have Celtic Solstice by Bonnie Hunter completed, I wasn't going to start her new mystery but - - -  the temptation was just too much for me and I started it.

Here is hoping that everyone has a wonderful and 

blessed New Year!!!

Hugs, Beth

Christmas Greetings

May you all have a very blessed Christmas!!

Hugs, Beth

Stash Report

                               Used since last report:                   8.25 yards

                               Used year to date:                         44.08 yards

                               Added since last report:                 0.00 yards

                               Added year to date:                      52.625 yards

                               Net used in 2014:                        - 8.545 yards

Last Saturday, Oct. 18, we had a birthday party for my Hubby's 75th birthday. He likes to say he is only "57". Good try but no buy, Buddy!!! Our son did a pig roast and it was nummy. Everyone was home until Monday, so there was plenty of time to visit with everyone.

Finished sewing 27 bags for the Coborn's Cancer Center in St.Cloud, MN. They hand out approximately 700+ bags a year for new breast cancer individuals.  That is only one of the many hospitals in Minnesota. The number of new cancer patients is staggering to think about.

I finally finished staining and putting urethane on my quilt ladder. Byron, my son, built it for me. It is nice to have a place to showcase more of my small quilts, instead of rolled up in the closet.

Hugs to all and make sure you hop over to Patchwork Times to see what others are doing.

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2014/10/26/stash-report-week-43-2014//

Hugs, Beth

Stash & Autumn Splendor

                               Used since last report:                   9.00 yards

                               Used year to date:                       35.83 yards

                               Added since last report:                 0.00 yards

                               Added year to date:                     52.625 yards

                               Net used in 2014:                       -16.795 yards                         

Well --- It has been a week of extremes! Last weekend was 80+ degrees and I was able to enjoy the wonderful early morning view from the deck. This weekend is cold, blustery, and we have had snow showers. By next Spring the 40 degree temps will feel like a heat wave but right now, it feels cold. Brrrrrr

You can tell it is fall when the bees are so very busy collecting nectar from my sedum plants. I don't mind watching the honey bees but I really do not like the wasps that also hang around. There was even a butterfly feeding. 

I actually have some significant yardage used to report. Wow!! Brenda's quilt is completely finished after much naughty language. I don't think my machine liked the thread I had picked out, so it had temper tantrums all week, but I got it quilted. Brenda is happy to have it done since it has been in the UFO pile for quite a while. It is perfect timing, since she is in the process of buying a house and selling her condo. The quilt will work for a housewarming addition.

Hugs to all and make sure you hop over to Patchwork Times to see what others are doing.

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2014/10/05/stash-report-week-40-2014/

Hugs, Beth

Stash Report

Used since last report:          0.00 yards

Used year to Date:              26.83 yards

Added since last report:      18.50 yards
Added Year to Date:            52.625  yards

Net Used for 2014:             -25.795 yards

Haven't decided if I was a really good girl or a really naughty girl! LOL I added 18.5 yards of fabric to the stash but it was oh so much fun!! Westwood Acres Fabric has some really nice fabrics and I just couldn't resist. I have been trying to make a dent in my really old fabrics but sometimes a girl just has to have some of the new stuff! Right??  I have been petting and drooling ever since they were delivered.

Last Monday was Sew-Sew Monday at Gruber's Quilt Shop. Several of the ladies brought in quilt tops that they had finished from a class. Wow - they are nice!

Rosie is hiding behind her quilt. The red really sets everything off.

Gale (on the left) made this quilt. What a pretty blue background.

Rosie (on the left) made this lovely scrap quilt. 

 I worked on a very, very old UFO at Sew-Sew. Can you guess what era the fabrics are from? 

This will be a crib quilt when completed.

My daughter Brenda's quilt is finally on the frame and I started quilting it. Since I am doing a lot of ruler work and free-motion quilting, it will take me a while to get it done. I have been holding off because it just barely fits on my frame and my free-motion quilting is not all that great.

Hugs to all and make sure you hop over to Patchwork Times to see what others are doing.

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2014/09/21/stash-report-week-38-2014/

Hugs, Beth

Stash Report

Used since last report:          6.50 yards

Used year to Date:              26.83 yards

Added since last report:       1.50 yards
Added Year to Date:            34.125  yards

Net Used for 2014:               - 7.295 yards

It has been a busy week. Lots of activities. Why does everything get scheduled in the first two weeks of each month? 

Did manage to finish two items on my UFO Challenge listing for St. Cloud Heritage Quilters. Our challenge ends at our October meeting, so there was a lot of good "Show & Tell. (Check out the Facebook page for St. Cloud Heritage Quilters for some great pictures) I only had one item for the meeting and finished another one today. Only six more to go.

String Diamond Quilt - Hubby hiding behind the quilt!

  

Tablerunner

Guess I sometimes need a challenge to get projects done all the way. The tablerunner top was completed about eight years ago and the diamond string quilt was only two years in the bin. Just needed to get these items quilted. 

Hugs to all and make sure you hop over to Patchwork Times and see what others are doing.

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2014/09/07/stash-report-week-36-2014/

Hugs, Beth

Stash Report

Used since last report:          0.00 yards

Used year to Date:              20.33 yards

Added since last report:       2.50 yards
Added Year to Date:            32.625  yards

Net Used for 2014:               - 12.295 yards

Wow!! I am close to having a UFO completed and I will be able to report some fabric used. After a summer of not much getting done, it is a good feeling. I just took my String Diamond quilt off the quilt frame and it is ready for binding.

String Diamond Quilt on the frame.

I did have to add some fabric. It is for the Jelly Roll quilt. Since the fabric (dark purple) is for a borders and binding for a quilt in process -- It was necessary!! LOL I like the use of the extra fabric for the pieced border.

Jelly Roll Quilt

The Color Group met Wednesday in the Courtyard of Gruber's Quilt Shop. This group is a small study group that is part of our guild. It was a very fun meeting. The topic for this month was "luster."There was a lot of laughter as we attempted to lay out a 25 square block that conformed to this month's topic.  Not sure we accomplished the mission, but I think there is a better understanding of "value -- the lightness or darkness of a fabric." We used our cameras and a red filter to attempt to achieve "luster - shine without necessarily using shiny fabrics."

Color Group members

Hugs to all and make sure you hop over to Patchwork Times and see what others are doing.

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2014/08/31/stash-report-week-35-2014/

Hugs, Beth

Stash Report and Catching Up

Used since last report:          0.00 yards

Used year to Date:              20.33 yards

Added since last report:        5.25 yards
Added Year to Date:            30.125 yards

Net Used for 2014:               - 9.795 yards

It is amazing how fast the month of August has gone by. This month has been a busy month. I spent almost a full week at the end of July and beginning of August up in Fargo. It was time to do the Chipper watch while my daughter Natalie & SIL went to Sturgis, SD.  Chipper is my daughter's dog. He is always a character and fun to watch. 

Chipper being very busy holding down the couch!!

My friend, Mary, joined me for two nights and a day for some fun time of sewing while I was watching Chipper. I think she came mainly to visit Chipper!! LOL She has been working on a quilt made out of 30's fabrics and is trying very hard to use up her supply. (Good try, Mary!!)

Mary's quilt.

While in Fargo, I worked on a quilt using batiks and the 7" Crazy Curves template set. I sewed 80 blocks and when I got home, selected a lot more batiks and sewed another 40 blocks. Now I just need to lay the whole thing out. 

A portion of the Crazy Curves Quilt.

I was only too glad to get back home. The day after getting home, Hubby and I joined our youngest daughter, Brenda, at a Minnesota Twins game at Target Field in Minneapolis. It was a gorgeous day, but the Twins lost the game. This was our Christmas present from Brenda. We just had to pick a date to attend.

Hubby & I at the ballgame with Brenda.

We had our Featherweight sewing day. Most of the ladies worked on their Strippy quilts and I worked on my Celtic Solstice.  Hope to have it pieced and quilted by the end of September. There was also some "Show & Tell".

Love, love this quilt by Featherweight member.

Has wool applique'.

Celtic Solstice

This is the time of the year when I pick up a case of beets to make beet pickles. It is always nice to have all of the mess done in one go and then clean up.  They are always so pretty when all done. Also made some refrigerator pickles. Nummmmm! I do like all the fresh vegies and pickles at this time of the year. The green beans and tomatoes are ready to go wild!

Last Thursday and Friday, was a little retreat at Mary's cabin by Mille Lacs Lake. We all got a lot accomplished. Mary was sewing on another 30's quilt and had another that she worked on at Sew-Sew Monday. That's three quilts of 30's fabric. (Still doesn't have all of that 30's fabric used up! LOL)

I started one of those strippy quilts and a Scrappy Trips quilt. The center of the strippy quilt is sewn and now I just need something for the borders. Since the quilt was from stash and not a jelly roll, it was too wide. So I cut off the extra width and will work it into the border. Hope to find a dark solid looking batik that will work.

Scrappy Trips blocks

Strippy Quilt

There are a lot of projects started, now I just need to finish some! LOL

Hugs to all and make sure you hop over to Patchwork Times and see what others are doing.

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2014/08/24/stash-report-wee-34-2014/

Hugs, Beth

Stash Report

Used since last report:           6.00 yards

Used year to Date:              20.33 yards

Added since last report:        7.375 yards
Added Year to Date:            24.875 yards

Net Used for 2014:               - 4.545 yards

Finally finished the Sister's Choice quilt top. Hoping to get it on the frame and quilt it this week. Piecing a backing for it.

This month at St. Cloud Heritage Quilters guild meeting, Holly Cain presented a trunk show and talk "If You Give a Quilter a Triangle.”  It was fun to see all her quilts that she has made with triangles cut from 2 1/2" strips. Here are some samples of her quilts. *Looks like time for a new camera!

Thank you to everyone who has inquired how I am doing. My back and leg are getting a lot better and I am doing my exercises. Do not have to make so many visits to the Chiropractor. 

Hugs to all and make sure you hop over to Patchwork Times and see what others are doing.

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2014/07/20/stash-report-week-29-2014/

Hugs, Beth

Stash Report & Other Happenings

Used since last report:           0.00 yards

Used year to Date:              14.33 yards

Added since last report:        5.25 yards
Added Year to Date:            17.50 yards

Net Used for 2014:               - 3.17 yards

Well, it has been an interesting few weeks but not a lot of sewing since the last post. Over the last two weeks there have been a lot of visits to the Chiropractor. Shame on me for ignoring my symptoms. Will never do that again. There is a good outcome though. I have lost some weight and hope I can keep it off!! LOL

We had our Minnesota Quilter's Show on June 11 - 14. It is a nice show but it has gotten smaller over the last few years. There were not as many vendors either. BooHoo! Course that saved me from buying too much. LOL One of the booths from California, "A Quilter's Dream", needed workers during the show, so I worked one day in the booth. It was great fun. Saw so many people that I know plus the products were great. Also, managed to take a class with Gwen Marston, "Liberated Log Cabin." 

Beautiful hand dyed fabric and embellishments purchased at the MQ Show.

Patterns from "A Quilter's Dream" that I just had to have!

Blocks done in Gwen Marston's class, Liberated Log Cabin. 

Well, hopefully I will soon be fully functional and finish some of the projects that have piled up. Course that happens even when I feel good. (Very Big Grin!!)

Hugs to all and make sure you hop over to Patchwork Times and see what others are doing.

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2014/06/22/stash-report-week-25-2014/

Hugs, Beth

Stash Report

Used since last report:           4.00 yards

Used year to Date:              14.33 yards

Added since last report:         0.25 yards
Added Year to Date:            12.25 yards

Net Used for 2014:                2.08 yards

Boy, has it been a while since writing anything. It seems like a lot has been going on and the days just go by. Had bowling tournament at the beginning of the month and "Girl's Weekend" with my two wonderful daughters Memorial Day weekend.

I did take thirty patient bags to the guild meeting in May and that accounted for another four yards of fabric used. 

My Sister's Choice quilt is progressing. Currently I am putting the rows together and hope to have the borders on by the end of the day. We'll see!!! This quilt is dedicated to the Breaking Free program. It is a service project supported by our quilt guild.

I am hoping to plant some of my plants in the straw bale garden today. Glad I did not get seeds planted because they would have washed away in all the heavy rains we have had over the last 36 hours. Have been planting some of the flowers and even a couple of trees. Hubby groans every time I mention planting a tree. We only have three trees in the yard. Our previous home was so shaded and in the woods that there was not a lot of sunshine during the day in the summer. I love all the sunshine our current home gets but I did want to have just a couple more trees to make the yard prettier. May also get another flower bed ready for fall planting. Summer finally arrived in Minnesota!!

Over the last month, I have read the first five books of Marie Bostwick's Cobbled Court Quilt Series and the first three books of Ann Hazelwood's Colebridge Community. Marie's books are very well written and address in a very sensitive manner some of the issues that women face. A very good read. Ann Hazelwood's books are not the greatest writing but are just a fun read. It has been years since I just relaxed and did a lot of reading. Audio books have usually been the way to go because then a person can sew or do other tasks. It was nice to just sit and read.

Hugs to all and make sure you hop over to Patchwork Times and see what others are doing.

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2014/06/01/stash-report-week-22-2014/

Hugs, Beth