Sunday Stash Report

Used since last report:       11.00 yards
Used year to Date:             11.50 yards

Added since last report:      0.00 yards
Added Year to Date:           1.50 yards

Net Used for 2013:             10.00 yards

Wow, I am in the Black----  ;>) I have decided to count the center of Easy Street, since it is completed and I have not decided on the border treatment yet. Will need to go shopping for a purple because I do not have enough of the purple fabric that I used in the pictures. I have a couple of options for a possible border treatment but not positive yet which I will use. Leaning towards the top option. The stripe will be cut on the bias which is a much more interesting treatment than if it was cut on the crosswise grain. All depends on the fabric I find for the main border. May decide to do a pieced border. Shopping is of course such a hardship!!!! LOL 

This week I spent time with Marilyn Bujalski, a fellow guild member.  Marilyn is in charge of our guild web page for St. Cloud Heritage Quilters, http://stcloudheritagequilters.com/. I am in training and will take over the web page in 2014. It is a fun way to learn my way around Wordpress. We learned so much and accomplished so much in one afternoon. She showed me around her studio (which was just tooooo neat for words). After our getting together, she is now enthused about doing more on her blog. Hope she does.

Marilyn makes fabulous quilts using one inch squares and counted cross stitch designs. See the following link for an article about her: http://www.thequiltermag.com/features/158/MarilynBujalski.shtml  She is in the process of writing a book showing her process for making the quilts. 

I am so slow about adding the last border to my Dotty Dresden Plate quilt. Was hoping to count the yardage for this weeks stash report.  I have been asked to teach a class and while I know how I am going to do the border, not sure how I am going to write good clear instructions for inserting the plates around the corner. Still thinking ---  (that can be dangerous)   ;>) 

Check out Judy's Patchwork Times to see how others are doing:

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2013/01/20/stash-report-week-3-2013/

Beth

Sunday Stash Report - 1/13/13

Used since last report:        0.50 yards
Used year to Date:             0.50 yards

Added since last report:    0.00 yards
Added Year to Date:         1.50 yards

Net Used for 2013:            -1.00 yards

I was hoping to report more fabric usage, but ----  VBG   For the last two days, I have worked on Easy Street. All the blocks are pieced and I have started putting the top together. This has been a fun quilt, and I love the colors. I don't have a border fabric yet.  Guess I need to go "shopping."  LOL  Hopefully I will be able to finish piecing the top today.

Our Featherweight Group meets on the second Thursday of each month.  So on Wednesday evening I decided to take Christine, my little white (celery green) Featherweight, out of her case and try her out. I absolutely love this little machine and I was so bummed when I received her and she didn't work like she was suppose to. I would sew for a while and then the belt would start slipping and the motor would get hot. She sat in the case for two years.  After I took her out of the case, I oiled & cleaned her, lubed the motor and then powered her up and practiced sewing on it. She sewed like a dream. I ran her at slow speeds and fast speeds and did this for an extensive period of time. Christine did not miss a beat. She has been behaving beautifully ever since. Who can figure??? Do you suppose she got over her "hissy" fit after sitting, ignored for two years? So on Thursday, she was able to go to Featherweight Group with me.

At the FW meeting Sarah, one of the members, demonstrated folding paper to make a pattern for fabric boxes. The paper box provides a pattern for making the fabric boxes. So, when I got home I just had to make a fabric box. Still need to make a bow for the top, but the boxes turn out very cute. What a fun way to present small gifts. I found this link which uses the same folding technique shown to us on Thursday:  http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2011/01/fabric-origami-box-tutorial.html

Couldn't bowl on Tuesday because I had a disagreement with the coffee table and the coffee table won. I stubbed my foot and have not been able to wear my regular shoes. It is slowly getting better (at least it did not interfere with sewing), but my foot was too sore to be able to wear my bowling shoes. Course, my blind score may have been better then my regular score would have been --  Point is, don't argue with the furniture by kicking it. You will not win!!!

Talked to my daughter, Natalie, this morning and she asked if I would like my own private retreat for a few days to  house & dog sit. Of course, I did not turn that down. I have gone up to Fargo ND the last two January's and done this for her and her hubby. My Hubby is welcome to come with but he prefers to stay home. Hummmm, what kind of mischief may he be brewing??? LOL

Check out Judy's Patchwork Times to see how others are doing:

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2013/01/13/stash-report-week-2-2013/

Beth

Last Stash Report for 2012

Used since last report:        0.00 yards
Used year to Date:              80.545 yards

Added since last report:     25.75 yards
Added Year to Date:           101.375 yards

Net Used for 2012:             -20.83 yards

Well, I did not end the year in the black but I think I didn't do just too bad compared to other years. "Thousands of Bolts" web site did me in with the great prices. Most of the fabrics that I purchased are designated for projects, not just impulse buying.  Course, if I had completely completed more projects so I could count the yardage used, they would have put me in the black. Oh well, that should help me in 2013!!  LOL

The white with the squiggles, is three yards of an extra wide fabric for the back of my "Dotty Dresden Plate" quilt. The red is five yards of a wonderful Moda Bella Solid that I wanted for several of Bonnie Hunter's quilts that are in the planning stage. I added the white on black dots and black on white dots (not shown) for another quilt using dots. I thought the blue would work for my "Blue Ridge Beauty" but --  does't do the trick.. It will work great for a future QOV quilt since it has a generic design

.

I have completed all parts for Easy Street and am impatiently waiting for the next step.

Hop over and check out the rest of the stash reporters at Patchwork Times: 

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2012/12/29/stash-report-week-52-2012/

Beth

Design Wall Monday

I am so impatiently waiting for my copy of  Victoria Findlay Wolfe's book "15 MINUTES OF PLAY". I received a card and a note from Victoria today, informing me that C&T will be sending me a copy. Since I have been following her blog for a while, it is doubly thrilling to win her book. Yippee!!!!

Well, my Dotty Dresden Plate quilt has progressed to the last border. Oh sigh --- I had to go buy some fabric for the last border. Originally, it was going to be a pieced border alternating between white on black, and black on white with dresden plates in the corners. It just did not look right, so Iaid it out with just a black on white fabric and it looked much better. The two black borders with the colorful squares has been sewn on since this picture was taken (the quilt is folded in quarters since it is so large). I found a white on black fabric that repeats one of the fabrics used in the background of the dresden blocks and will work very well for the outer border. Now I just need to cut the border pieces and sew them on. It is such a happy quilt but quite large. 

Easy Street is progressing quite nicely. I have completed part two, have half of part three sewn, and all of part four cut. We have Sew-Sew Monday at a quilt shop in St. Cloud and I hope to catch up with all the parts. Can't wait for part five!!  Getting a little impatient and I should be doing other things. 

We will be having our family Christmas on Sunday, so I need to get the shopping, cooking, and cleaning done. Oh how we set ourselves up!!  Procrastination has done it's job so well again. LOL

Check out Judy's Patchwork Times,  http://www.patchworktimes.com/2012/12/17/design-wall-december-17-2012/ to see what others are working on.

Merry Christmas to all!!

Beth

Stash Report

Used since last report:        4.15 yards
Used year to Date:              80.545 yards

Added since last report:     6.92 yards
Added Year to Date:           75.625 yards

Net Used for 2012:               4.92 yards

WooHoo!!! I am still in the black and hopefully I will be able to end the year in the black. Course, there are all those sales that come up for New Years!!!  Guess we will just have to wait and see. Maybe I'll get a large size quilt quilted and bound, then I will be able to report a large number of yards used --- then I can add to my stash and still be in the black. Sounds like a plan to me --  Very very big grin.  ;>)

If I reported yarn, I used a couple of skeins making a Christmas present. I managed to actually start and finish a knit project in one month. Wow --- that is a record and should be marked on the calendar. The project is a circular cowl scarf that can be worn around the neck like a necklace or pulled up over the head like a hood in cold weather and the yarn is so nice and soft. I think I need to knit one for myself. The colors are much prettier in person and the pattern is lovely.

My youngest granddaughter, Hannah, had a birthday this month and I made her some pillowcases. She likes blue and purple and it would have been nice if I could have found a cute novelty fabric in those colors. I hope she likes the fabric I used. The colors in the pillowcases are close to the colors being used in Bonnie Hunter's "Easy Street" mystery. I have a sneaking hunch that the Easy Street quilt will make a great graduation quilt for Hannah.

Finally finished a table runner for my daughter, Natalie, and her husband for a housewarming gift. They moved last May and the top was completed at Spring retreat, but I didn't get it quilted until now. Is that procrastination or what ???? The pattern is by a good friend of mine. It is a long table runner - 70" and the colors are perfect for Natalie and Norm's house.

Last Sunday, my youngest daughter, Brenda, had a cookie party. Due to the incoming snow storm, I traveled down to Minneapolis on Saturday. Good thing because I would not have been able to drive the distance on Sunday. The party was a lot of fun and I met two more of her friends.. Due to the all the snow, there were only six of us all totaled. Brenda coordinates all the baking recipes and supplies and others contribute some money, snacks and/or drink. 

Jason is decorating the lemon bells and Sarah Jo (in the background and below) is making pretzel sticks dipped in chocolate and Heath brickle. They are called "Crack Sticks" and are extremely addicting.  (I love Brenda's blue cabinet in the back. She bought it just this fall and it is adorable in her condo.) 

Sarah Pierce is mixing up pumpkin cookies and Bart is holding down the fort in between cookie jobs. I did not get a picture of Brenda - Duh!!

The freeways on Monday were horrible coming out of Minneapolis and most of the rest of the way home. The snow had built up into rough ice conditions and some of the crazy drivers didn't help the situation.  Since it was the first large snowfall of the season (over 12"), people have not been practicing their winter driving skills. Oh well!! I just took my time and left plenty of space between me and the vehicle ahead of me. When I arrived home, it was so beautiful and a regular winter wonderland. I love winter (except for some of the driving).

Hop over and check out the rest of the stash reporters at Patchwork Times: 

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2012/12/16/stash-report-week-50-2012/

Beth

Easy Street

Yaaaaa!  Finished pressing my 4-patches during Quilt Cam on Sunday afternoon. I even have six extra blocks. Do we have any guesses of where these will be used???

Check out Quiltville to see how the others are doing:    http://quiltville.blogspot.ca/2012/11/easy-street-monday-link-up-1.html

Beth

Stash Report

Used since last report:        0.00 yards
Used year to Date:              76.395 yards

Added since last report:     0.00 yards
Added Year to Date:           68.705 yards

Net Used for 2012:               7.69 yards

No additions or deletions!!  Sigh!!  Projects do need to be completed before Christmas, so hopefully some stash reduction will soon take place. Time to also work on the UFO list for 2013. I was not too successful this year. Too many large projects on the list. For 2013, I have put small projects on the list as well as some large ones. Hopefully I will be more successful next year at reducing some of the many, many, many UFO's around the house. (For all you Turtles out there who are worried about how long it takes you before you get some projects done -- I know that I have UFO's that are so OLD, they have grown mold and hopefully disintegrated into "time and space" never to be seen again! VBG

I am working on the mystery, Easy Street, by Bonnie K. Hunter. These mysteries are just too much fun not to take part. This is the second mystery of hers that I have participated in. Last year we did Orca Bay. The top is pieced but I have yet to quilt it. 

Chain piecing 2" strips for Easy Street

Chain piecing the two-patches into 4-patches.  After pressing, they are so cute!!

Pressing all those 192 4-patches

Yes, yes -- I have the 4-patches for Easy Street all sewn!!! Just need to finish pressing (while watching Bonnie on QuiltCam this afternoon at   http://quiltville.blogspot.com/.   Hopefully, I can keep up this year. 

Hop over and check out the rest of the stash reporters at Patchwork Times: http://www.patchworktimes.com/2012/11/25/stash-report-week-47-2012/

Beth

Stash Report

Used since last report:        0.00 yards
Used year to Date:              76.395 yards

Added since last report:     4.59 yards
Added Year to Date:           68.705 yards

Net Used for 2012:               7.69 yards

Since I was not completely happy with the gray fabric I had bought last week for the Easy Street Mystery I added a different gray fabric that I like much better. The first fabric will not go to waste!!  LOL I think I will use it to piece the backing for the Dotty Dresden Plate quilt I am currently working on. Of course, I just  had to "enhance" my white with black fabrics while in the quilt shoop!!! VBG 

The gap is starting to close between used and added. Guess I had better get my "buns" in gear and finish quilting some items so that fabric used can get reported.  LOL

Hop over to Judy's "Patchwork Times" to see how others are doing with their stash report: http://www.patchworktimes.com/2012/11/11/stash-report-week-45-2012/

 Beth

Design Wall Monday

Dotty Dresden Plate

While on retreat, I machine appliqued the plates onto their background squares. It was fun to see the reaction from the other quilters at the retreat. It is just such a fun cheerful quilt and can't wait to finish it.

 

When I got home from the retreat, the blocks were squared up to 16 1/2 inches and then sewn together. Now it is time for borders.

 

 

Also, while on retreat I worked on Bonnie Hunter's "Blue Ridge Beauty." Only have 51 more four-patches to sew. Would you believe I ran out of enough cut strips to finish sewing the four-patches?? Here I thought I was well prepared for this retreat. All the pieces are in the Wal-Mart cake carrier that was discussed on Bonnie's site. I love these carriers. It holds all the pieces for a large quilt with room to spare.

 

Getting ready for Bonnie's "Easy Street" mystery, has kept me busy for the last day. Here are most of the fabris that have been pulled. Can you feel the excitement building?? November 23 can't come too soon.

 

Check out http://quiltville.blogspot.com/p/easy-street-mystery.html to see what all the excitement is about.

 

 

I still need to finish pulling my white with black fabrics. The fabrics look so fun together.

 

Check out Judy's Patchwork Times, http://www.patchworktimes.com/2012/11/05/design-wall-monday-november-5-2012/ to see what others are working on.

Beth

 

 

Stash Report

Used since last report:      0.00 yards
Used year to Date:            76.395 yards

Added since last report:    5.50 yards
Added Year to Date:        64.115 yards

Net Used for 2012:          12.28 yards

I went shopping this afternoon for fabrics to add to Bonnie Hunter's new mystery, Easy Street, that will start on November 23. The shop was having a 30% off sale, so of course, that justifies the purchase - Right?  Even though I shopped mostly my stash, of course, I needed additions. VBG!!!
This is what I had. The stripe had the perfect colors, so I used it to pull my colors together. Not sure I will be able to use it, but sometimes even I am surprised what I find when I shop my own stash. LOL

. 

This is what I added.

This is what the collection looks like when all put together. I will be pulling more white with black prints. Not concerned about them because I have plenty.

I did buy a couple of other fat quarters - "just because!"

Last weekend, friends and I were on a great retreat. It started out a little rocky because the heat did not work in the lodge where we were to sleep. Finally they found the problem and the place heated up very quickly, but all of us scrambled for any extra blankets or quilts we had in our vehicles. Quilters are always prepared!!!  The lodge where we slept was very nice.

Here are pictures of our sewing area. That is my friend, Mary, waving from way in the back. The sewing area was in a different building from the sleeping area, but it was nice to step outside and get some fresh air. We shared the sewing area with scrapbookers. There is a large screen on the one end and they show fun "chick flick" movies. Also, we did not have to cook. So besides the dedicated sewing time. there were no chores and lots of visiting. 

Darlene finished a cute Christmas "flimsie." 

Mary finished the binding on this quilt. It is for donation to one our guild service projects.

I finished the machine applique of the Dresden Plates at retreat and worked on Bonnie Hunter's "Blue Ridge Beauty." Would you believe that I again did not have enough fabric to finish sewing all the components? This quilt top was started at spring retreat. Maybe next spring, it will get done.

Hope over to Judy's "Patchwork Times" to see how others are doing with their stash report.  http://www.patchworktimes.com/2012/11/04/stash-report-week-44-2012/

Beth