Stash Report Week #30

This week was certainly more productive than last week. (I still am owed 1/2 yard of fabric, but I'll wait until I am actually using more than I buy!)

I made a set of placemats for a couple that is getting married next month. 1 3/4 yards

Over the weekend, more trimming of the Assistant's fabric and more sorting of mine for a total of 1/2 yard out.

Here she is before her self-administered haircut - o, wait, she gave herself 2 haircuts, so it's really short now! No more ponytails for my cute little girl - but she tried to give herself a mullet, and I just couldn't leave her like that.
And after (this doesn't link to anything - don't know what I did!). They shared some dried blueberries and found an entire bag of chocolate chips. Oops. They've been sick this week, so I can't complain about the mess. At least they were eating!
I also gave away some broadcloth for 3/4 yards out.

I finished the Gordian Knot quilt (pattern by Mary Whitehead) for another 5 yards out. I machine quilted it, am not thrilled, but think I am improving as long as I don't expect much!

I also finally finished a shirt I cut out for myself at the beginning of June! I wish it were more fitted, but this will work. That's 1 3/4 yards out.

IN this week: 0 yards
IN YTD: 156 1/4 yards

OUT this week: 9 3/4 yards
OUT YTD: 150 yards

YTD total: 6 1/4 yards IN

I might actually bust some fabric this year!

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

Stash Report Week #29

Nothing out...

4 yards in. DH accidentally taught the Assistant a 4-letter word, so every time he says it, he owes me a 1/4 yard of fabric. Today he owed me 2 1/4 yards, and the Assistant picked out some fabric for herself!

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

Garden Produce

What do you do with 14 1/2 pounds of cucumbers? I'm waiting for my pressure canner to arrive, and I will be attempting some pickles, but then what? I read you could slice and freeze them, so I sliced two. I also read you could dehydrate them and use them as salad crumbles or chips, so we're drying some now. That still leaves... too many, with more expected. We're giving some away, but I must say, I think we planted too many cucumber plants. Oh, wait, that was DH and the Assistant, who are seed planting fools!

I just hope our pumpkins do as well!

After a good rain storm last night, most of my potato plants are laying on the ground. It might be time to dig them up and weigh that harvest too!

In other news, my first quilt (shudder) has been bought home for its yearly check-up. It needs some serious work. Obviously I knew a lot less about quilting when I made it!

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

Stash Report Week #28

A busy week! I did well the beginning of the week, then ran out of steam (and time!) by the weekend).

I cleared out my stash and reorganized it. I have a tub full of jeans to deal with, but I'm not prepared for doing that. I found plenty of other polyester/polyester blend stuff to get rid of, so 11 yards went to charity. Here is my entire stash, including scraps. Not so bad, right?

I used one piece of fabric I found to make a quick skirt, and that was another 1 1/4 yards out.

Then I made Roman shades for our bedroom. It's black in there now at night! Our lovely neighbor (she really is) tends to leave a light on in her living room, and that always makes our room a bit lighter than we like. Not anymore! That would be another 5 yards out.

Finally, I made an apron from scraps. It's for the garden, when I dig up potatoes, pick cukes, dig up onions - I can't always find a bucket when I need one. It's reversible, so that's another 3 yards out.

I used my new cutting board for the first time. My old cutting board was 6+ years old, and I had not idea how different it would feel to cut on a new board. Oops. I'll try to replace it more frequently.

IN this week: 0 yards
IN YTD: 152 1/2 yards

OUT this week: 20 1/4 yards
OUT YTD: 140 1/4 yards

YTD Total: 12 1/4 yards IN

I'm finally approaching 0. Let's just hope there are no new purchases for DH this week!

I'm working on a wedding gift for a friend that must be quick (she's getting married August 8). I wasn't sure she'd invite me (limited list), so I hadn't planned anything to make her. Oops.

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

Cleaning

I checked out a Peter Walsh book from the library today. DH is going to regret it.

We don't have a "cluttered" house - guests can definitely come over whenever, and I'd only have toys and crumbs to clean up! Still, we have a lot of stuff that is neither beautiful nor useful. How much do you think I can make disappear before DH gets exasperated? He likes to keep everything, and I want to trash almost everything - except fabric!

... and I have chigger and mosquito bites everywhere!

Stash Report Week # 27

(Meet the Screamer. She's watching you!)

I had a very messy sewing table as of Thursday night, so my goal this week was to finish some projects and put away excess.

I really finished the girls' wedding dresses (DH is my hero and found the cord!) by sewing down the elastic in the sleeves. Whew!

I made 7 sets of folding exercises for my daughter and for various atria around town. I bought 6 1/4 more yards to cut out all the 12" squares I needed, but not that they are totally finished, that's 8 1/2 yards out.

When I bought more fabric to finish the above-mentioned folding exercises, of course the Assistant had to help herself. I was trying to be good, and I didn't want any more fat quarters, so I encouraged her to buy a pink polka dot remnant of about a yard, and I bought a lovely sun & star fabric of about 3/4 yard.

Then there was this lady who likes to live in two states, and she send some noodles and a fun fat quarter. Thanks, Lori! That was another 1/2 yard. I really think I need to send her some fabric back!

I had a several pieces of large-print fabrics that I never could find a project for. That's always the problem with buying fabric for DH - sometimes I think he'll like it, and it's not quite his style. Last week, I decided to cut up 3 yards of large prints and of small prints that feel yucky. This week I tried to learn to use my narrow hem foot and decided I liked a wide zig zag better! The narrow hem foot gave me fits, even after hours of practice, but the practice came in handy later. That's 3 yards out.

I tried to cut out a summer shirt for myself, but when the Assistant figured out what I was doing, she decided we needed to "nini" a shirt for her. I had some cutting issues (you know, cutting things on a fold. oops). The shirt is finished and very cute, although she promptly smeared fresh blackberry on the shoulder! 3/4 yard out.

I will be working on roman shades and a shirt for myself this week since I'm "off" work for the summer (not really, but we can pretend!). I would also like to take all of my fabric out of drawers, shelves, and bins to see what I actually have and assess my strengths. I have a feeling I will find some fabric that I will never use, and I really don't need to keep it in one of my boxes. Wouldn't it be nice for me to write "20 yards out" next week? Unfortunately, it won't work that way.

The police have been patrolling our street almost hourly after our "visitor." I hope the poor man gets caught so he can get some help/supervision!

IN this week: 8 1/2 yards
IN YTD: 152 1/2 yards

OUT this week: 11 3/4 yards
OUT YTD:120 yards

Total YTD: 32 1/2 yards IN

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

There was a Stranger in my House...

Let's call him an intruder to clarify.

Today while I was at my training and the girls were at my mom's, DH was upstairs working on his philosophy syllabus for next year. Much to his surprise, shortly after lunch, he hear the back door rattle open and water begin running in the sink. As I wasn't due home until 5 and it was around 1, he yelled down, "Katie, are you there?" No answer.

Thoroughly concerned at this point, he ran down the stairs yelling (not very nice words, I understand), and heard someone run through the house, unlock the front door, and run down the porch steps.

Can I just say I feel a little insecure about going to bed tonight? I'm glad I wasn't home, and nothing is missing, but AAHH!

DH called the police and went to talk to our neighbors. Someone was in our south neighbor's back yard before ours, and our north neighbors heard someone, but assumed it was DH. Whoever it was had put the dirty dishes in the sink and started to run water. Weird. Creepy. Really creepy. And the poor man must be mentally ill to want to wash a total stranger's dishes.

At least I can expect that he won't return, but a similar incident happened to an acquaintance in April, so you can be sure I will be checking the doors whenever James isn't home. Maybe the next time he wanders in, he won't be so nice.

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