December Block Count

42 blocks for a teacher quilt
72 blocks for the backing of my hexi quilt
12 rows of Tshirts for two Tshirt quilts
13 Bits and Bobs
3 rows for a rainbow quilt
Adds up to 142 new blocks for a total of 1400 blocks in 2016!

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

Stash Report: Year End

IN this week: 5 1/2 yards
OUT this week: 0 yards

IN YTD: 56 1/2 yards
OUT YTD: 178 yards

YTD Total: 121 3/4 yards OUT!

This week, I finished a customer quilt and had 1/2 yard of fabric left.  I'm also counting my stash packs from Vicki, as I'd rather count them this year than next (they're my birthday gift to myself).

While I intended to buy less (that quilter's garage sale ruined my numbers!  There were also some prize winnings and a needed backing), I am happy with my stash reduction.  Everything fits in a single cabinet, even my scraps and some projects.  I don't want to outgrow my space.  I rearranged my storage this year, and having all the fabric out together makes me realize my blue-turquoise-green stash is WAY to big.  I love it, but it takes up too much space, so I'm going to use some of my favorites in 2016.

36 spools were emptied in the course of the year.  I have no desire to replicate this feat, as I feel like I had lots of "rush jobs," and I want to slow down next year.

Next year, I think I'll hold to a fabric diet again, and I'm looking forward to a stitchy year.

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

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: the End

(of the year!)

My week found me hustling to finish a last customer quilt.  It's done!


Then I basted my hexagon quilt, which I will hand quilt between now and May.  I've picked the first colors of thread and need to find my quilting needles.

My Bits and Bobs are sorted and ready to be sewn next week.  I found and stitched enough pieces between all the Tshirt quilts that I've 16 blocks ready!

Spunky and I started a new quilt out of a layer cake I won earlier this year.  I've cut it into charms, and we're making four-patches for a quick and easy quilt.  I'm hoping to finish it before the end of break, and since we've another week before school starts, I think we can do it.  She's clearly been sorting pairs for me!

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

Stash Report Week #50

IN this week: 0 yards
OUT this week: 9 3/4 yards

IN YTD: 50 3/4 yards
OUT YTD: 178 yards
YTD Total: 127 1/4 yards OUT!

I finished a scrappy quilt of 1.5" squares this week, and now that I've washed it, it's my favorite quilt!

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

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: Bring on the Crazy

So… You need a JoJo update.  Wednesday night, he smashed his face into the corner of the door frame into the kitchen, yielding a torn frenulum, two holes through his lower lip, a huge cash inside his lip, and some serious bleeding.  When he was tossing in a miserable and restless sleep Wednesday night, I stitched down the binding on my quilt while holding him.

 This fabulous little quilt is done and it's totally mine.  It finished about 60"x68", before washing, and it's the perfect size for me to sleep in the armchair with JoJo.  I quilted it simply in a diagonal through all the white squares in one direction.  I love the texture, the colors, the movement… Yup, I do think I'll be keeping this quilt.

 The backing is the same fish print I used on my grandfather's quilt, and I bound it in a sparkly silver grey fabric that I picked up at a garage sale.

Meanwhile, since it is the week of crazy, I finished the 16 patches for the back of my hand-pieced hexagon quilt.  They're now in rows, and I probably won't get the backing finished until next week.  I'm pretty happy with how it looks, even if I wish a little that I had used less lights.  I used only scraps, so this is where it's going.

I think I'll be hand-quilting from the back, so all the squares will give me a lovely grid to follow.

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

Another TShirt Quilt!

First off, yes, I'm aware I took another lousy set of photos.  I don't have a place to hang large quilts, and the lighting is terrible in the winter, and JoJo likes to touch my camera lens. I apologize.

Anyway, this is one of my oldest UFOs.  My sister has been handing my Tshirts for at least four years, probably more.  It wasn't urgent, so I delayed, and forgot about it, and delayed again.  The UFO challenge this year has been instrumental in finishing one of my three "real" UFOs as well as moving my oldest of the three significantly closer to a finish.

 I love these shirts, as most of them are from either high school and college, and we went to the same schools.  My favorite might be the quote "God's will.  Nothing more.  Nothing less.  Nothing else."

I cut a passel of dusty blues for the backing.  Seeing it in the photo, I think I should have cut them all to 10"xWOF instead of some 10 and some 20.  Oh, well.  It's the back, it's done, and we're all happy.  I used a lovely yellow and orange stripe for the binding since my sister loves yellow.  It's about 90"x105", so it should fit nicely on their bed.  I'm thrilled to have finished it!

I also made two pillows with the last three quilt shirts I couldn't fit into the quilt top, but sent them to my mom without a photo.

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

Stash Report Week #49

Time keeps on slippin, slippin, slippin, into the future...

I finished a Tshirt quilt for my younger sister.  She had patiently passed me Tshirts for at least the last five years, and finally the UFO challenge this year gave me the needed impetus to whip it out.  I always dread starting a Tshirt quilt, but once the cutting is complete it really does move quickly, so I'm a fool to procrastinate.  I also made an altar cloth for church, so I used some of the linen that arrived last week!

IN this week: 0 yards
OUT this week: 8 3/4 yards

IN YTD: 50 3/4 yards
OUT YTD: 168 1/4 yards
YTD Total: 117 1/2 yards OUT

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

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: the Top

The back

 The front

Can I keep it?

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

Stash Report Week #48

IN this week: 4 yards
OUT this week: 9 yards

IN YTD: 50 3/4 yards
OUT YTD: 159 1/2 yards

YTD Total: 104 3/4 OUT!

I finished a quilt this week but had to order linen for a project for church.  It's all good as the year is winding down.

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

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: Finished Scraps

My big project for the week was the finished quilt I chat about below.  The second major project was assembling the top and backing for a Tshirt quilt for my sister.  It's my second oldest UFO, and it's going to get knocked out yet this year.

After and in between those largish tasks, I pieced the rows of 16-patches.  I'm quite happy with how it's looking, even if I now regret using anything for the background other than white or cream.  This is destined to be a teacher quilt, but I cannot tell you how much I want to keep it myself.

The tiny four-paches are rejects from contemplating an Omigosh quilt.  I couldn't face the minuscule triangles, so the four patches found a home here.  I'll sew the rows into pairs, then belly up to the ironing board for lots of seam spinning!

 I powered through the Assistant's quilt, which is found in Kim Brackett's Scrap-Basket Sensations.  She pieced the strips, chose the combinations for the blocks, laid out the blocks, and chose the borders. Everything was from my stash and scraps, except for a few fat quarters she picked up at a quilters' garage sale.  It finished about 72" square.

 I like how it turned out, and I like my giant four-patch for the backing.   I think this quilt will be for JoJo's speech therapist, but that remains to be seen.

Since I finished my major projects for the week, I've been assembling the backing for my hexi quilt.  It's all scraps, and I'll have a finished thing or two to show yet this month.

Be sure to check out other scrappy projects for inspiration!

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

December Update of the UFO List

November 1: 21 projects
New: 1
Finished: 1
Trashed: 1
November 30: 20 projects

I'm down to 20 projects.  Whew!  The biggest project on my list, a quilt for my grandpa, was finished.  Shouldn't it count as more than one?

I added a project for Spunky, who asked oh so sweetly for sewing to do with mama.  I trashed the future spools quilt.  I can keep thinking about it, but I don't currently have the scrap variety in 1.5" to complete the quilt, so there's no point to keeping it on the list.

There are some placemats I "ought" to add to the list, but we don't have names for the babies, so I can't finish them and haven't started them.  So, they're not on the list.

"Something Done"
1. 16-patch
2. Bits and bobs
3. Tell it to the Stars
4. ABC
5. Hexagon
6. Alzbe's Tshirt quilt
7. Twinkler Star
8. The Assistant
9. Spunky's 4 patch
10. stockings (3 of 7 complete)

Not Started Yet
1. Mom's yellow and grey
2. Odd Fellow
3. Applique
4. Scrappy DWR
5. Aegean Sea
6. Orphan blocks
7. Puzzle
8. Pillow
9. Embroidered pillows
10. Purple and grey

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

December Goals

In November, I wanted to...
1.  Use lime green scraps.  I made the last 16-patches, more Bits and Bobs, trim scraps, and cut for a Twinker Star quilt in green and pink.

2.  Finish Grandpa's quilt.  Done!

3.  Piece my hexi backing.  I managed to get all the bits to 4-patches.

4.  The Assistant has a quilt in the works.  The quilt was basted by the end of the month, and I finished it last night.

5.  Ugh. Mending.  True story.  Finishing the mending guarantees the family will produce at least as much, if not more, new mending on the day I finish the old.

In December, I hope to…
1. Keep on the scrap management train.  I already trimmed the bucket down for the month, and I would like to finish the 16-patch quilt by the end of the month.

2. Finish the Assistant's quilt.  (A bit of a cheater goal now, since it's already done!)

3.  Baste the hexi quilt.  This would require that I finish piecing the backing.

4.  Sew a T-shirt quilt for a friend.

5.  Finish my sister's T-shirt quilt.  I currently have the top pieced and am the process of piecing the back.

6.  Spunky has been wanting a project of her own.  I cut a layer cake into charm squares, and we're piecing 4-patches together.  Given all the "big" sewing to do in the above goals, I only desire progress.

7.  A friend asked for some jumpers and skirt for dolls.  If she brings the material in time, I'll get on this.

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

November Block Count

111 new blocks this month!  That brings my total for the year to 1258.  (Wow!  It has been a sewing year, I see.)

36 blocks for a new quilt for the Assistant.
36 more blocks for a total of 135 for my grandpa's quilt
31 more Bits and Bobs quilts, for a total of 269
8 more 16patches, for a total of 164
added to the previously finished projects, and total should be 1258.  I did have to triple check my math again, as I lost 10 blocks from October to November!

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

Finished Quilt: Northwoods Quilt

Deep breath in.  It's done, folks!  This beauty was a stretch for me: huge, vague theme, not my colors, uncertain reception by the intended recipient.

So I was given a theme of "north woods" for a quilt for my grandpa and it needed appliqué.  You do know appliqué is not my strong suit, don't you?  Despite these colors not being "my thing," I found plenty of them in my stash.  I find my stash is quite eclectic, as I am drawn to many different colors, even if I now prefer brights.  I'm glad I was able to find ample fabrics in my stash, as I'm happy to use it and happy to see it plays nicely together.

 So I began with choosing some hunting animals, found images, and began.  I foolishly thought I had plenty of time, but found the appliqué a fun challenge, so it finished fast.  Then, using scraps, I added the squares to fill out the center panel.  Then, faced with the borders, I realized I needed to move fast.

 Next came the various borders, each chosen to fit with the theme: log cabin, flying geese, and bear claw.  I initially intended to add another narrow border between the flying geese and bear claws but realized that was far too complicated in order to make the math work.  Part of me wishes I had turned the log cabin blocks in a different direction so there wasn't quite such a visual separation, but it's done now!

I love the way the geese undulate across the quilt and that the scrappy backgrounds cooperate nicely.

The bear claw blocks threatened to defeat me.  Cutting triangles is my poorest skill.  I do love how they worked out, and might even make more of them some day, but in a much larger size.  Thousands of 1"finished triangles gets fiddly.

Then came the quilting.  My throat space on my DSM is about 6", so fitting the entire 96"x110" quilt was a challenge.  It actually moved nicely.  In the log cabin border, I chose to quilt themed words, such as moose, hunting, trapping, etc.  Other rows have loops, meandering, and other simple quilting.  Someday I need to tackle feathers, but not on a quilt for a man.

The binding is the dark gold used in the appliqué backgrounds.  I finished the hand-stitching in a day when we had colds and stomach bugs leaping from person to person.  Holding a baby all day as she dozes provides plenty of time to stitch away.

Fish for the backing doesn't exactly "go," but it was the right feel and tone, and I had enough of it, so it was the backing.  Washed and dried and crinkled, I love how the quilt finished.

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

Stash Report Week #47

A good week!  I finished a giant quilt and a stocking.

IN this week: 0 yards
OUT this week: 20 1/4 yards

IN YTD: 50 3/4 yards
OUT YTD: 150 1/2 yards
YTD Total: 99 3/4 yards OUT

So close to 100 yards out!

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

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: Odds and Ends

It's time to clean my camera lens again, so I apologize for the blurry pictures.

I finished cutting myself a kit of 60 blocks in pink and green scraps for next year.  The material on the right I ordered for a border since it coordinates with the background fabrics of the blocks.

 I also finished out my Bits and Bobs.  I've exhausted my triangles, and I'm not sure I finish enough tiny nines to assemble any more blocks this year, but next year, the tiny nines will be back!

I have lots of top assembly to do next month.  I'm not sure it's all possible, but I certainly intend to have fun as I try!

Check out the other odds and ends this week that are part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!

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

Stash Report Week #46

My giant quilt is still under the needle, but I'm hoping by next week I'll have it conquered!

I purchased three yards to accompany a quilt I've been knitting up.  I was using a lovely fat quarter stack for the background but found myself about 1/2 yard short.  I was able to find the fabric online, despite it being a year or two old, and found a lovely coordinating print in pink.  Since the blocks are pink and green, this will make a lovely border.  This violates my "no buy" year, but I'm making the quilt as a gift and want it to be right.  Nothing in my stash "went," so I bought.  I'm still ahead, so I'm not too unhappy with myself.

IN this week: 3 yards
OUT this week: 0 yards

IN YTD: 50 3/4 yards
OUT YTD: 130 1/4 yards
YTD Total: 79 1/2 yards OUT

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

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: Wee Snippits of Green

Basting and quilting the behemoth of a quilt for my grandpa has consumed most of my sewing time this week, but as I only have four bobbins and three have a snag somewhere, I end up with leftover thread.  I choose to use it as a muscle break and a sanity reliever, so I've stitched up some of the Assistant's blocks and a few Bits and Bobs for myself.  (Yes, that's a 96"x104" fitting through my throat space.  It's all good.)

 I find there aren't many green pieces left, but I'm using what I have!

Be sure to check out the other green bits this Saturday!

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

Stash Report Week #45

I'm in a holding pattern at 82 1/2 yards out.  I did use another two or three spools of thread, so I've used 34 this year.  I must have used more partial spools this year, as usually I only have 25 or so used.

I'll be happy when my current giant quilt is finished.  I need to estimate yardage, but I'm guessing between 15 and 20 yards when all is said and done.

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

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: Missing Much Green

Well, folks, here I am again.  Same old, same old quilt.  I managed to finish the bear's paw blocks and attach them.  There's one last brown border, so this is probably the last time the quilt will appear in my Rainbow Scrap Challenge posts.

I spent my "free time" (oh, what a crazy week) cutting a pink and green quilt for next year, but I thought I'd wait until all the pieces were cut until I snapped a picture of the tub.  I've nearly exhausted the sections of my green and pink stashes, but the blue-green area still takes up over 25% of my stash.  I can see where I don't need to buy next year!

Ooh, the Assistant has her quilt blocks in halves.  There's no green, but they're scrappy, so I figured you'd be interested.

Maybe the coming week will be less busy and I'll stitch up some Bits and Bobs!

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

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: Lean, Green, Fighting Machine

My 16-patches are now at an end.  I needed one last turquoise, so it was whipped up after the greens' photo shoot.  I'm excited to see the quilt come together in December.

In the meantime, I've been fighting through the triangles.  My cutting is clearly still too haphazard, as the thought of cutting 32 triangles for each of 48 blocks impelled me to haste.  Still, I finished 24 more blocks, so there are 12 to finish next week.  That leads me to believe that it will be possible to finish this quilt in November and have time for a few customers' requests before Christmas.  I'm quite happy to see the blocks working out, since I've never made these blocks before and only planned the quilt on paper..

It's funny that I spent the entire week sewing set after set of triangles, interspersed mainly with mending, and I don't feel particularly accomplished.  I think only making two check marks on my to-do list is much less satisfying than four or five.  Next week will be more triangles accompanied by cutting a new quilt for next year's Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

Miss G has been learning to lick the beaters

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

P.S. Check out all the other green projects this week!

UFO Update

UFOs October 1: 23
New projects: 3
Finished projects: 5
Trashed projects: 0
UFOs October 31: 21

I'm almost down to my desired 20 projects!  I finished my Irish Chain and triangle quilts as well as the long-delayed placemat (that's directed at you, Millie!).  I also started and finished a skirt and some folding cloths.  The Assistant started a new project, and since I'll be ultimately responsible for seeing it through, I've added it to my list.  Additionally, I finally brought my hexagon project to flimsy stage.  It will be a while before it's done, but it so much closer!

I'm only anticipating two more finishes for the year, the Northwoods quilt and the 16-patch quilt.  Maybe, if she's interested, we'll get the Assistant's done as well, but it would appear that I have my list for next year.  That should keep me under my goal: 10 projects that are either WIPs or UFOs, and 10 projects that I'd like to start but haven't yet.

"Something Done"
1. 16-patch
2. Bits and bobs
3. Tell it to the Stars
4. ABC
5. Hexagon
6. Grandpa Northwoods
7. Alzbe's Tshirt quilt
8. Twinkler Star
9. The Assistant

Not Started Yet
1. Mom's yellow and grey
2. Odd Fellow
3. Applique
4. Scrappy DWR
5. Aegean Sea
6. Orphan blocks
7. Puzzle
8. Stockings
9. Pillow
10. Embroidered pillows
11. Purple and grey
12. Spools

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

November Goals

In October, I wanted to...

1. Use brown scraps.  I finished my triangle quilt and made 16 patches and Bits and Bobs blocks.

2.  Make all the blocks for my grandpa's quilt.  I made 12 of the last 48, but was defeated by the 16 pairs of triangles needed for every block.

3.  Cut the Tshirts for my sister's Tshirt quilt. Done.  I won't get to piecing it any time soon, but this is mounds of progress considering that I've had the shirts for over four years and haven't done a lick.

4.  Make progress on my hexi quilt.  It is my oldest (and one of only two) true UFO, so it's time.  It's a top!

5. Make a skirt for a friend.  Done.

6.  Finish my Irish Chain quilt.  I only have the binding to go!  Done.

In November, I'd like to...
1.  Use lime green scraps.  I'll make the last 16-patches, more Bits and Bobs, trim scraps, and cut for a Twinker Star quilt in green and pink,

2.  Finish Grandpa's quilt.  Deadline is arrival in time for my aunt to deliver it on Christmas.

3.  Piece my hexi backing.  Whatever gets done is great; I don't need the whole backing ready.

4.  The Assistant has a quilt in the works.  Maybe we could finish the blocks this month?

5.  Ugh. Mending.

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

October Block Count

128 new blocks for a total of 1147

17 hexagon snowflakes
61 new blocks for my grandfather's quilt, for a total of 99
9 last blocks from the triangles quilt, for a final count of 63
22 new Bits and Bobs blocks for a total of 238
19 new 16-patches for a total of 156

Add that to the 574 from previously finished projects, and I have 1147 blocks!

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

Stash Report Week #43

Nothing in, nothing out.

I complete a top, but I won't count it until it's done.

I pieced a gazillion triangles, but that doesn't count either.  It's all good, and I'm still having fun!

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

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: Brown

I've made good progress on my Bits and Bobs, even to the point of ironing them!

 Some cutie got a new outfit for her birthday.  Of course, she wanted to take the camera, so I took a number of blurries before we got a few nice ones.

I've made good, albeit slow process on my grandfather's quilt.  All those triangles are a bear.  Who wants to run a few hundred pairs of triangles through at once?  I'd fall asleep!  I did finish and trim them, so 12 of 48 are done.  I'm working on blue next, then green and red.  They'll be mixed up around the border, but I wanted to lay them out for the picture.  I'm excited that the final border is really coming together!

Last night, while the rest of the family watched the Royals vs. the Mets in the World Series, I hustled to finish the last border of my hand-pieced hexagon top.  Let me tell you a sickening story.  I put an empty, rinsed bottle of bleach in the recycling.  Miss G found it, I removed it from her possession, but one of us touched the quilt top before I washed our hands.  Oh, the horrors.  On the left border, you may be able to see the white spots.  There are also at least six hexis with bleach marks, and since each hexi is unique and some are several years old, I know I can't replace them all.  What to do, what to do, what to do?  Firstly, I will be more careful with bleach in the recycling.  (Stupid choice, Mom, and be glad she didn't ingest any.)

Anyway, I'm working on the backing next.  Below is the box of cut squares.  I may need to cut another 100 or so since the quilt is longer than I originally intended.  No worries.  I have more favorite fabrics!

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

Stash Report Week #42

I'm a bit glad I skipped last week's report, as now I have a finish to balance my purchases.

Last week, I learned of a quilter's garage sale in which the highest price for quilt shop quality fabric was $5.00.  Needless to say, the Assistant and I visited and stocked up.  The majority of my purchases were neutrals, to tide me over for another year of stitching.  The Assistant picked up some fabulous fat quarters that are already cut for a quilt!

To help make up for my purchases (I was supposed to be no-buy this year, but this was too delicious a deal to pass up), I finished a placemat for Miss G and my triangles quilt.

IN this week: 33 yards
OUT this week: 8 yards

IN YTD: 47 3/4 yards
OUT YTD: 130 1/4 yards
YTD Total: 82 1/2

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

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: a Project Completed

Whew!  I'm in a bit of a brain fog, so I apologize for excessive typos.  One young man slept 12 hours one night and the next stayed up until 2 am.

I'm most pleased to share my version of Crazy Mom Quilt's "Up, Up, and Away."  While her finished on point, I opted for a straight set.  Remaining triangles made an appearance on the back of the quilt,  and I think one lonesome block of black triangles snuck into the orphan block box.  I quilted this on my friend's inherited long-arm.  I have plenty of learning to do, but I'm satisfied with the results. I love how much faster and how easier it is to quilt on a long arm, even if my stitches and movements need a little work!  This quilt finished up at 48"x60" and will be gifted to the Assistant's teacher (I think).  She has gotten a wild hair about stitching her own quilt, some it may go to a different teacher.   My bag of triangles is now satisfyingly empty, and I'm on to the next project!  (Boo!  I thought I'd snapped a square photo, but clearly not.  Just imagine with me, will you, as the quilt is square!)

I should add two notes.  There are two different backgrounds, so the reds didn't run, they simply have a darker background.  I started with a set of 10" wide strips, remaining from helping my sister make fabric covers for her bulletin boards.  When those were gone, I moved on to the next closest match, which was this cream.  Secondly, there are deliberately turned triangles.  I thought it would be interesting to have a triangle twisted here and there, swimming in its own style!

19 more 16-patches have joined the 16-patch box.  I originally thought I would be far short of my initial plsn, but I realized that plan included a twin-sized quilt.  I don't need it to be twin-sized, so I'll make a quilt out of whatever blocks I have at the end of next month.  I think I'll have a hard time giving this one away.

My Bits and Bobs are in an untidy heap awaiting a date with the iron, so more on them next week.

My grandpa's quilt is slow going.  I managed to cut all 48 blocks, including the 16 pairs of 1.5" triangles for each block!  Now I'm slogging away at the brown triangles.  Perhaps by the end of next week, I'll have a few finished blocks.

The hexagon quilt is now in three large chunks with one border applied.  This project is now at the point at which I can't carry it with me any long, so I've taken over the end of the dining room table and work on it in between morning chores and evening routines with the kids.  Obviously, I should have turned on more lights.

Be sure to check out other brown projects this Saturday!

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

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: Cocoa

I'm afraid I've stalled on my only-brown work.  Instead, I've been hustling along on this:

 I'm ever so grateful to have the flying geese on.  If you look at the top left and bottom right corners, you might notice there are some complicated joins.  It made my head hurt to puzzle how best to make use of the space when I had 6" blocks and a 7" space to fill.  I love the waving flying geese, however, so it was absolutely worth the brain stretching!  The last border will be Bear's Paw blocks, and the cutting of triangles will keep me busy for a week or two.  I'm regretting leaving such a fiddly block for the largest border, but I certainly hope the effort is smashing.

My brown triangles are already stitched into a lovely top, shown here with it backing and batting.  I'll be trying out the long-arm to quilt it, so this should be finished by next Saturday.  The Assistant's teacher, who is the intended recipient, favors the color yellow, and I have only one block of yellow in it, so the backing is an eye-searing shade of yellow, with leftover triangles.  I'm excited to see this one wrap up, and to have one more empty project bag!

 My 16-patches are moving along, although I've left the browns to the last, so I have nothing new to show.  The hexagons are coming together, but slowly.  I look forward to it being a top, as I finally feel this project is no longer beyond me.

Meanwhile, someone turned one this week.  She's quite a personality already.

Be sure to check out more brown projects this week!

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

Stash Report Week #40

IN this week: 0 yards
OUT this week: 14 3/4 yards

IN YTD: 14 3/4 yards
OUT YTD: 122 1/4 yards

YTD Total: 107 1/2 yards OUT

I finished a big quilt and a little project this week, so it was fabulous!

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

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: Muddy

We had a glorious rain Thursday night into Friday morning, so I'm quite happy with the mud outside.

Meanwhile, my design wall is a bit muddy.  There are a few 16 patches, none in brown yet.  I pulled out my 1.5" square bag and pulled together as many 16 patches as I could.  I think there are another 13 yet to stitch, including a handful in brown.  Maybe next week.

My triangle blocks are all done, so I've begun assembling the rows.  My goals for next week is to assemble the top and backing.  The backing will be bright yellow for the Assistant's teacher.

Finally, on my design wall, is my hexagon quilt.  In the bottom left corner of the quilt is the only remaining blank.  I think I have two more patches to baste and sew before I'm ready to work on assembling.  Last time, assembly is what overwhelmed me.  Some of my hexagons don't have enough seam allowance, but I didn't discover this until I had two many hexagons done to turn back.  It's tricky to keep the plastic templates in, but I'm going to persist this time.

 I finished the Assistant's scrappy Irish chain this week.  It's based of a quilt (Happily Scrappily Irish, I think) by Bonnie Hunter.  The Assistant assembled the block components, then I helped her out with assembly and quilting.  I love how it turned out (and how many scraps it ate!).  I can't say my quilting in the blank areas is all that classy, but I practiced and learned a bit, so it's all good.  This quilt is now washed and ready to give at Christmas.

I also completed another round of my grandpa's quilt.  Since it's coming entirely from stash and contains lots of brown, you might be interested in a peek at it.

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

P.S. Be sure to check out other brown projects!

Moving Right Along

First, an apology: my camera lens is dirty, so the picture is blurry.  The top is square, but I don't have a free place to hang it, so I'm off to the side.  Erg.

Anyway, I've added the round of log cabins.  That was an adventure to be sure.  First, Miss G ran off with a block over the weekend.  DH returned one, but apparently she made off with another and I couldn't find it, so I had to whip up an extra block.

Then, I sewed the top and bottom on without realizing I had planned for a narrow coping strip before the log cabins.  Rip it, rip it, rip it.

Now we're all happy.  I'm on to the flying geese, whose formation is as yet undetermined.

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

Stash Report Week #39

2 3/4 yards out this week.  I made a denim skirt for a friend's daughter and another friend and I used two yards on a quilt sandwich to practice on her long arm.  It's not bound, but since I don't intend to bind it, this is as done as it's going to get!

 Since I have mislaid my notebook with yardage listed, I don't have the exact totals for incoming yardage.  I do know I'm up to 92 3/4 yards out for the year.  My queen sized quilt is bound on two edges, which means I still don't get to count it.

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

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: Brown

I'm surprised at how much brown is in my stash and in current projects.  My triangles, 16 patches, and Bits and Bobs are all bagged up and ready to stitch.

My scrappy Irish chain, in greens and browns, wiped out my 2" strips in those colors.  I had to raid the stash for more, and this was a great way to use up some unloved bits.  This is the quilt the Assistant stitched on all summer.  I've spent the last week quilting.  I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of my quilting plan for the open spaces, but by the time I realized this, I was too far gone to undo it all.  It's far from perfect, but once washed I hope it will be great on my FiL's bed.

My quilt for my grandpa is also moving along swimmingly.  I've completed the center and the first border blocks, log cabins.  Next will come flying geese, I think in a slightly staggered formation, and finally bear's paw blocks.  I may regret the bear's paw blocks as the final border as the fiddly bits will go on for ages!  This quilt is entirely from stash/scraps as well.  I was able to cut almost all of the logs from my scraps.  This color scheme is definitely not common for me, but since all the fabric is from my stash, I must like it well enough!

The long-neglected hexagon quilt has found new life.  I'm enjoying prepping the hexagons before speech therapy, and finding colors to finish off the edges is much more satisfying than the eternal "I don't know what's next," that was the previous life of this quilt.  I think I'll complete the edge units, then tackle stitching this whole thing together.  It will be messy, and I'm mentally preparing myself to want to give up, but I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.

Be sure to check out all the brown projects this week!

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

October Goals

In September, I wanted to...
1.  Use orange scraps.  Done.

2.  Finish my Scraps to Treasures quilt. Done.

3. Finish my Irish Chain quilt.  So close... Not done.

4.  Start a quilt for my grandpa. The center is done.

5.  Make a round bag for the basket that sits at the bottom of the stairs. Done.

6.  Make a diaper pouch for my bag.  Done.

In October, I'd like to...
1. Use brown scraps.  I'd like to make my triangle blocks into a top, given time.  There are more 16 patches and Bits and Bobs to go.

2.  Make all the blocks for my grandpa's quilt.

3.  Cut the Tshirts for my sister's Tshirt quilt.

4.  Make progress on my hexi quilt.  It is my oldest (and one of only two) true UFO, so it's time.

5. Make a skirt for a friend.

6.  Finish my Irish Chain quilt.  I only have the binding to go!

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

UFO Update: September edition:

I'm slowly but surely making progress!

UFOs September 1: 24

New projects started: 3

Projects finished: 3 

Projects trashed: 1

UFOs September 30: 23

I finished my Scraps to Treasures quilt, which was a great load off my mind.  I also started and finished a diaper pouch and a storage bag.  I added a spools quilt to my someday list, as I loved my last one and would like another.  I "trashed" my T&H quilt, for my brother, because they once mentioned something and haven't since.  If they're not interested, I've got other quilts to make!  Why burden my list with something that may never happen?

So my list...

UFOs
1. Irish chain
2. Triangles
3. 16-patch
4. Bits and Bobs
5.  Alzbe's tshirt quilt
6. Tell it to the Stars
7. ABC quilts
8. Placemat
9. Hand pieced hexis
10. Grandpa's quilt

The rest of the story
11. Twinkler star in pink and green
12. Purple and grey quilt
13. Mom's yellow and grey quilt
14.  Odd fellow
15. Appliqué
16. Scrappy DWR
17. Lime, Aqua, white
18. Embroidered pillows
19. Spools
20. Orphan blocks
21. Puzzle quilt
22. Stockings
23. Pillow

Now to finish that Irish chain!

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

September Block Count

82 new blocks this month...

38 blocks for a new quilt for my Grandpa
2 new triangle blocks
23 new Bits and Bobs
19 16-patches

Add that to the previous month's 937 blocks, and hopefully it adds up to 1019 blocks for the year!  I'm in the throes of quilting a queen size quilt, which has put a dent in my block-piecing, but as my grandpa's quilt needs to be done in time to be shipped for Christmas, I know the remaining blocks for that one will get done.

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

Stash Report

I'm holding steady at 90 yards out for the year.  My scrappy Irish chain is about 3/8 quilted, so I still have a long row to hoe before those yards get counted.

I did finish another spool of thread this week.

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

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: Wee Orange Bits

I did well this week!  There's one more wee block not in the picture above, so my total is 23 of these blocks.

That's it for orange.

I'm stitching away at the giant Irish Chain quilt the Assistant pieced this summer.  The ironing board has been requisitioned as a support table, and I will knock out the straight line quilting and mull over what to stitch in the large alternate blocks.

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

Stash Report Week #37

Two finishes this week means I made up for last week's backing purchase!

IN this week: 0 yards
OUT this week: 9 1/2 yards

IN YTD: 14 3/4 yards
OUT YTD: 104 3/4 yards

YTD Total: 90 yards OUT!

My next prospective finish is a queen size quilt that still needs a backing pieced, so I'm not anticipating a finish for a few weeks.  That one will be lovely, however, as I will use 7 yards for the back alone.  I still need to figure out yardage on the top!

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

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: Whittling Down the Projects

Whew!  This week I finished my Scraps to Treasures quilt, which means I have one less project clamoring for attention.

I also sorted out my backing purchase from last week and wrestled with frustration that, because they ran out, I don't have enough fabric for two complete lengths of the fabric.  So below is my plan for a backing for the scrappy Irish Chain I need to baste and quilt next.

 My happy 16-patches are ready to go.  I have come to the conclusion that I won't reach my desire of 300 blocks by the end of the year, so I may need to ponder a border for these darlings.  I currently need 74, and without making this quilt even more predominately blue, I don't know how to eke out enough blocks.  Oh, well.  It will work out!

 I also managed to take a few precious scraps and make this bag:

 It fits inside a plastic basket I use for accumulating things that belong upstairs from the basement.  The basket had large holes, so little things fell out.  No little things will fall out, this will be easy to wash, and it's all from stash!

The outside is mostly this lovely blue fabric (I wish I had an entire bolt, but this is the end) and a fun splash of pink.  I'm not a pink girl, but I though this would be fun.  The bottom circles were cut from two fat quarters my lovely older sister has picked up for me in her travels.  I love gifted fabric.

Be sure to check out other fabulous orange projects this weekend!

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