Stash Report Week #48

I bought 6 yards this week, as reported here. Who can resist 40% off the end of the bolt? The assistant has been smuggling away the fat quarters any time she realizes I took them back! We like them.

I gave the aprons away on Thursday when my SiL was here. My mom called yesterday to tell me how much she appreciated all the work I had put into them, and I was so happy. You know how people are when you give a gift, they always say they like it. But Mom went out of her way to let me know, and I'm so glad - I really enjoy giving gifts that people actually appreciate!

IN this week: 6 yards
IN YTD: 154 1/4 yards

OUT this week: 0 yards
OUT YTD: 177 1/4 yd

TOTAL: 23 yards OUT!

DH and I were sick Friday, and I'm still recovering, so my goals may be a bit lofty for me to accomplish, but I'll list them anyhow:

- quilt 12 squares on the Coca-Cola quilt
- cut the squares for my BiL's quilt
- make another Jesse tree ornament

from the room of Zana's Ninis,
katie z.

Stashbusting 2009

Judy, here I go:.

Goal #1: Use more fabric than I buy. Let's go for broke and say 50 yards used more than I buy.

Goal #2: Reduce old pieces that measure less than 1/2 yard by 50%. If I buy new fabric, use it, and end up with less than 1/2 yard left, that's okay.

Goal #3: Buy fabric with only 2 thoughts in mind: I need it for a specific project or it REALLY makes me smile. Not, it's okay or kinda pretty, but the kind that says, "You'll be sick with gut-wrenching guilt if you don't take at LEAST a yard of me home with you." And no buying 1/2 yards or 1/4 yards... unless they're fat quarters for the assistant. I'm making no promises about her stash for the next year. (hehehe)

Goal #4: Make a quilt to donate to charity. This may not seem like a big deal to the really productive quilters out there, but as I don't finish all that many quilts, one is a significant amount of quilting time!

40% Off End of Bolt!

This week a LQS had a sale, 40% of the end of the bolt. If you bought the entire bolt, it was 40% off! I bought two Hoffman pieces of star fabric, one light and one dark, as well as a fat quarter bundle from Blank. The fat quarters are in my favorite color, a turquoise-green. Mmm. It makes me smile just to think about them. That's 6 yards in. They're my reward for working two full day with the Screamer on my hip. The assistant went to a non-family babysitter all day for the first time (twice!) without crying or whining. Whew! I'm so glad work is done for the week. I'm ready for a few days' respite. Maybe I can get some quilting done.

The aprons are going to their new owners this week. I hope they like them as much as I like mine. (As I write this, I am wearing one to protect my clothes from the pear-drooling Screamer. She has discovered fresh pears are her new favorite food!)

I am hand-quilting a Coca-Cola themed quilt for my dad, but I'm pretty sure I won't have it complete by Christmas... maybe a late gift?

Also, DH's Christmas gift arrive today. It's from Maple Grove Gallery, which has wooden objects made by the husband of a quilter, Thearica. Check out his art and her quilts - I'm thrilled with the new present!

Stash Report Week #47

IN this week: 3 1/2 yards
IN YTD: 148 1/4 yards

OUT this week: 0 yards
OUT YTD: 177 1/4 yd

TOTAL: 29 yards OUT!

I didn't have enough background fabric for BiL's quilt, so I bought 3 yards. I also bought 2 1/4 yard pieces of star fabrics for a long-term project (more details soon). This week I have to work all day Monday and Tuesday (I've never been away for 2 whole days - I don't know how the assistant and I will fare), and 1/2 day Wednesday, so we'll see where I can fit in quiltiness.

A happy and blessed Thanksgiving to all!

Motivated to Move Monday!

I'm done with work for the day!!!

I have cut some of the strips for my newest quilt for my dear BiL. I will be using a pattern from Bonnie Hunter's new book, Scraps and Shirttails, called "Star Gazing." I'm excited, even if I won't be able to make it as scrappy as Bonnie. It will be nice to start a new quilt; lately it seems I've done mostly garment sewing. I like the quick finishes, but I love the feeling of satisfaction after a newly finished quilt!

Now if Screamer would go to sleep, that machine could fly!

from the room of Zana's Ninis,
katie z.

Stash Report Week #46

Yesterday, I finished a skirt from the book "Sew What! Skirts" by Francesca Denhartog and Carole Ann Camp that used 3 yards.

OUT this week: 3 yards
OUT this year: 177 1/4 yards

IN this week: 0 yards
IN this year: 144 3/4 yards

YTD: 29 1/2 yards OUT!

Stash Report Week #45 & Halloween

Let's see if blogger cooperates as I some belated pictures to upload! Make sure you look because I may not post pictures of my girls ever again... I'm paranoid, you know, but these are so cute I need to share!

Stash report first:
IN this week: 1 1/4 yard purple star & calico
IN this year: 144 3/4 yards

OUT this week: 4 1/4 yards
OUT this year: 174 1/4 yards

YTD Total: 29 1/2 yards !!!

I finished a hat from Amy Butler and 2 more aprons. Hopefully the aprons are done for a while (at least until DH thinks of another woman who needs one!).

Here's a picture of the fabric I talked about last week.

Then... you know that holiday called Halloween? We were on our own (DH out of town), but I snapped a few pictures of the assistant, lovely as a fairy, and Screamer, who lived up to her nickname! She was supposed to be a cat, but she refused to wear the costume so she didn't trick-or-treat. She's too young for candy anyhow, so she says, "Dang, Mama, what were you thinkin'? Who said I wanted a fuzzy, scratchy hat on my head? I sure didn't! Geroff!"

The assistant said, "I don't want to be a cat." Forget that DH's aunt was lovely and bought cute costumes for both girls. No, no cat today. Instead, "Pretty." Okay, so we'll be a fairy in a borrowed costume. I can do that. We have tights, we have a sweater... we have FACE PAINT? That was for cat faces, not fairies. Sigh. So, we have face paint. What to do for a fairy? I was inspired by bingo-bonnie's face painting at her fall festival. One complication. The assistant still sucks her thumb, and hooks her forefinger over her nose when she does. Okay, re-apply the makeup 3 times before we actually ask for candy.

Of course, she's so beautiful that I can't help but share pictures with you.

Finally Friday

It's 57 in the house this morning, but now we have a lovely fire going... I like having a blanket and quilt on the bed at night! It's 40 outside, and sunny. I think winter only gets to me when it's cloudy for weeks on end.

We don't have to work today!!! Instead, we are relaxing in the living room. The assistant is watching "Nemo" (last week her favorite was "Chicken Run"), and I am going to work on the forbidden "A" word... APRON!

This weekend, my MiL is coming, so there won't be much quilting going on, but the girls will be in heaven!

What a great day!

from the room of Zana's Ninis,
katie z.

Smiles

The assistant now insists on wearing her hair in 2 braids with a "tail" on her forehead - it looks like she has a horn or she's a Who from "When the Grinch Stole Christmas!"

Here's a BRIGHT! picture of a log cabin quilt I made last year (or the year before?). It's currently being saved for my younger sister, who may (I hope! I like the boy!) get married in the next few years. She loved it when I finished it, so it will be for her wedding gift. It's nice for a gloomy day like today.

Stash Report Week #44

This week, I had 2 finishes and 2 buys/gifts...

I purchased 5 yards of fabric from Peggy Toole when I discovered the fabric I was longing for was out of print... (pictures to follow when I have a camera and computer in the same place!)

Then, Karol-Ann sent me a fat quarter of lovely star fabric because I sent her some roses for her hexagon rose quilt. That was so kind of her!

I finished the scrap quilt... by turning it into a duffle-type bag for DH's enormous T-shirt quilt (8'x9'). That was 6 yards out, since I line it with old fabric instead of batting.

I also finished a skirt for another 3 yards out.

Therefore...

IN this week: 5 1/4 yards
IN YTD: 143 1/2 yards

OUT this week: 9 yards
OUT YTD: 170 yards

TOTAL: 26 1/2 OUT!

I have no plans to buy more fabric in the near future, but hope to work towards many more projects before year's end: a Coca-cola themed quilt for my dad, a hat using the Amy Butler Blue Sky Hats pattern, skirts for my sisters, 2 aprons for my MiL and step-MiL. Maybe I can convince DH to watch the girls so I can take part in Judy's quiltathon in 2 weeks! (Shh... don't laugh. I'm dreaming here!)