Stash Report

Well, no changes to the stash this week. Soon, though, it looks like I'll have a good month, as my applique blocks are almost done, my star burst blocks are nearly done, and my nephew's quilt will get a boost one of these days!  Now if I can just stay away from sales!

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

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: Slow Moving

Whew!  I'm tired, folks.  I did finish six more stars, so there are only two left.  I managed to cut out the sashing, and there are six new Bits and Bobs, but when it came to the last day to sew the stars, I was just too tired.

Next month, I suppose, as I want this quilt finished.  There are too many (Tell it to the Stars, Odd Fellow, and Bits and Bobs, to name a few) hanging out unfinished.

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

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: Not Pink

I'm not sure what happened to my week, as I clearly didn't sew much, but here it is Saturday again!

I hoped to finish all 16 blocks for my Star Burst quilt, but they do take a bit to sew, so I only managed 8.  Despite the many triangles and much trimming required by these blocks, I'm enjoying them.  I do think they will need sashing, probably in red as my blues were exhausted in the cutting.  Hopefully, I'll finish the blocks next week.  I've found one of my backgrounds is not such a nice fabric, so I think I'll be using it as a backing or giving it away, as you can see in a few blocks how it distorted.

One more applique block (in pink!) was finished this week.  I have less "sit and wait" time in the summer than during the school year, so I find two a week is not happening!

I finished by blue "Sea Breeze" quilt last Saturday evening after choosing wavy quilting.  You might remember that I alluded to the possible need for a pink and purple quilt last week.  Well, I don't need it.  My sonogram Wednesday showed I'll be having a boy, so one of the two blue quilts I made recently suffice for my newest baby's quilt!  At some point, I'll get to that quilt, but now right now.

The Assistant has made decent progress on her scrappy quilt.  We conferred as to what size she would  like, and she told me she'd like it to be big enough to snuggle with the new baby this winter.   I did a little math, and we determined she needed 300 4.5" blocks.  She has 138 done right now, and I hope she'll get all the blocks done by the end of the summer.

Be sure to check out all the other scrappy goodness this weekend!

from the room of Zana's Ninis,

katie z.

Stash Report Week #29

I visited the previously mentioned soon-to-close quilt shop and bought: 3 neutrals, two pinks, one red, and a gorgeous green stripe with a touch of gold.  Despite my numbers taking a dive into negative territory this week, I can tell the stash reduction efforts have been more concerted this year. Gaps are appearing.  I really need to reduce my over-abundant blue stash next, and then I can continue filling in needed colors.

IN this week: 19 3/4 yards
OUT this week: 0 yards

IN YTD: 63 1/4 yards
OUT YTD: 57 yards
YTD Total: 6 1/4 yards IN

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

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: All Twinkled Out

I survived my twinklers!  Actually, the sewing wasn't difficult, simply tedious.  I needed 20 pieces to make each set of 4 - 2.5" squares for the stars.  Then came the saga of the missing star.  In the end, I opted to quilt it with a meandering "c" shape.  No fabrics bled in the wash, so it finished at a crinkly, snuggly 48" x 60".  This will be going in the Christmas gift stash.

That's all she wrote, folks.  The pink is over for the month.  Even for my Bits and Bobs, I only have a few pink 9-patches.  What am I going to do for another two weeks?

Firstly, I'll be tackling this little beauty, which I think I'll call Ocean Waves.  I've already basted it, so it's ready for quilting and at its diminutive size of 40" x 46", it will be a breeze to quilt.  My trouble currently is how to quilt it.  I've chosen two blue threads, a light and dark, and feel stymied.  Follow the movement?  Ignore it?  Sharp or curvy shapes?  I'm depending on your wise advice to settle my dilemma.

Secondly, DH would like a new quilt for his Memaw.  The original quilt I gave her was lost/given away in a move, and she's now at a retirement home and in need of some cheer.  Her first was a patriotic quilt, and so is her second.  I'll be using red instead of pink for the rest of the month.

I definitely purchased a "few" yards of fabric when I visited the soon-to-close quilt shop.  I was dismayed to see how naked the store was, only six days into the sale.  Included in my purchases are two lovely pinks.  One is a fabulous pinky purple.  The Assistant and I agree that I should have purchased the whole bolt.

Finally, there might be a pink and purple quilt in my future, all depending on a certain appointment Wednesday morning.

Be sure to check out all the fun pink projects this Saturday!

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

Stash Report Week #28

I finished the last stitches in the binding of my Twinkler Star quilt last night, so it's a finish!

IN this week: 0 yards
OUT this week: 7 yards

IN YTD: 43 1/2 yards
OUT YTD: 57 yards
YTD Total: 13 1/2 yards OUT!

I've also used up 13 spools so far this year.

My favorite quilt shop is closing, so now the struggle is: do I shop the sales for neutrals and backings, or do I keep on sewing up my stash?  The stash is starting to have a few holes, and finding backings and borders is becoming more challenging...

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

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: Hot Pink Mess

Shortly after I posted last week's blog about the missing block, it reappeared!  It was definitively missing when all the blocks were on the wall.  When I recounted, it was still missing.  When I replaced them on the wall, it was back!  I can only imagine one of the kids found it and, knowing how irritated I was that it was missing, snuck it back on the pile without telling me.

Determined not to give Miss G an opportunity to abscond with another block and repeat the fiasco, I began sewing the top together.  Despite all the pinning required, the flimsy came together quickly, so quickly in fact that I already have it basted and mostly quilted.  Since it's still under the needle, it currently looks like a hot pink mess.

As I'm quilting, the great debate has become the color of binding.  I originally bought an extra piece of coordinating background print that could be used for binding, but I could also using bright pink, which might be more to the liking of the intended recipient.

Meanwhile, I'm still stuck in aqua land.  I am making a second baby quilt out of the same luscious Vicki Welsh fabrics as the most recent baby quilt, and that will leave me with nothing but scraps.  I will be using another fabric I picked up on vacation for the backing.

Finally, I'm torn.  A local-ish (there are no local quilt shops when you live in the country) quilt shop is closing.  It carries lots of fun fabrics, so do I want to take advantage of the 30% off, or do I find myself content with what I have?

Be sure to check out other hot pink projects this weekend!

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

July UFO Update

I finished two baby quilts and abandoned my plans for Aegean Sea, as it turns out I've been saving the wrong size of strips all along!  I stated another baby quilt, using the same fabrics as one of the previous ones, as it seems to be baby season.

"Something Done"
1. Tell It to the Stars (quilting)
2. Stockings (4 of 7)
3. Twinkler star
4. Applique
5. Bits and Bobs
6. Odd Fellow

7. Memaw

8. Baby strip
9. ABC applique
10. 

Not Started Yet/On Hold
11. pillow
12. Orphan blocks
13. Mom's gray and yellow
14. Uncle Ron
15. Scrappy DWR
16. Embroidered pillows

June 1: 17 UFOs

Started: 1

Finished/abandoned: 3

June 30: 15

from the room of Zana's Ninis,

katie z.

July Goals

In June, I wanted to...

1. Focus on my scraps: trim, applique, Bits and Bobs, finish the Twinklers, and work on a baby quilt in aqua blues.  Only 7 applique were finished, but the baby quilt is finished!  the Twinklers are done.

2.  Work on a baby quilt for my SiL along with the girls.  We finished it!

In July, I want to...

1.  Focus on pink scraps: trim, applique, Bits and Bobs, and finish the Twinkler Star quilt.

2.  Work on a baby strips quilt with Spunky.

3.  Start on a quilt for Memaw, DH's grandmother.

from the room of Zana's Ninis,

katie z.

Stash Report Week #27

With another small finish, I have numbers moving back in the right direction!

IN this week: 1/4 gifted train fabric
OUT this week: 4 1/2 yar

IN YTD: 43 1/2 yards
OUT YTD: 50 yards
YTD Total: 6 1/2 yards

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

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: Turquoise Totals

Last Saturday, we were on the road, so I missed a week of turquoise.  It turned out to be a nice month despite missing out in a week of stitching.

My Bits and Bobs grew by a total of 6.  I think I need 70 more to wrap up this quilt, which may take me another year or two.

I completed my quilt based on Bonnie Hunter's Nifty Thrifty pattern.  It used up all but half a strip of the background, but I still have enough aquas left for another baby quilt.  I think Spunky will help me with that one.  I used one of the batiks I acquired on vacation for the backing, the captian's wheel, so I've decided to call it "Sail Away."

Much to my frustration, Miss G made one of my Twinkler Star blocks disappear.  We've cleaned the playroom twice, so it must be thoroughly buried.  Since I plan to finish this quilt in July, the first order of business will be to make a replacement block.  The next will be to ponder a backing.

My applique has strayed totally from following the scrappy color of the month, since I'm trying to fill in sparse colors.  I finished 7 in June.  Currently, for the life of me, I cannot remember how many I'm making in total!  As it 63 or 72?

I find my plan of whole quilts in various color schemes is not working out as well as I hoped here in the latter part of the year.  I'm not quite sure why I feel that way, except perhaps that I dislike having the Odd Fellows quilt unfinished in the background.  It is a quilt with many, many prices, and maybe a bit much for only two months.  It's a good thing we'll have November and December to wrap things up!

Be sure to check out new and old projects this Saturday!

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

June Block Count

I finished 61 blocks this month: 16 for a baby quilt, 8 for another baby quilt, 24 Twinkler Stars, 6 Bits and Bobs, and 7 applique.

Add that to my existing 292, and I have 353 for the year!

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