I’ve done no sewing all week.  Well, I take that back, I did make this block:

It was a sample I made to make sure I could explain how to make the block to a friend.  But other than this block, I’ve not sat at the sewing machine.

I  have cut the rest of the spool blocks that I’m going to need.

Between these two activities, I’ve decided my sewing mojo is effected by the excess fabric sitting around the room.

The crumb tin is overflowing.  It’s time to pack it up and send it to my sister – but I did see a neat crumb quilt earlier this week….

Then there is the basket with the shirt trimmings – strings, tails, cuffs, and collars.  I’m not positive what is in the two shoe boxes.  I simply cleared a couple of flat surfaces into the basket and boxes.

While I was clearing things, I “contained” the larger pieces of fabric by stacking them on my fabric boxes. I need to go through and re-fold and re-arrange to really get this fabric contained.  I see the red moving out of the red/green box (not sure where it’s going) because I now have enough green to fill up the box.

Then there is the treadle — a flat surface which hasn’t gotten cleared off.  Most of the “loose” fabric is for the Scrappy Trips I‘m working on haven’t worked on since May 5th.  So much for treadling one day a week. The fabric in the plastic bag on the left is T’s 70th Birthday Quilt. I need to spend a weekend and get it done so I can pass it to V to quilt.  We did say our goal was to get it complete by her 71st birthday — so we still have a few months.

I really need to cut the pieces for the border for Nifty Thrifty.  It’s hung on my wall all week.  I just need to cut 30 squares from the brown and then I could finish up the quilt

So what am I doing?  Digging in the Orphan Block Box (the plastic bag contains the spool blocks).

The box is simply overflowing and it’s not possible to put another thing in it.  And that block at the top of this post?  It needs to go in this block.  Periodically I sort through the box trying to layer everything in a more orderly manner to get more into it, but there’s simply no way this time.  So, this weekend I have 2 goals.

1. Get the border on Nifty Thrifty
2. Make a quilt from the orphan block box so I can easily close the box

I wonder if I’ll get either done this weekend?

According to my notes, I started the Spools leader/enders August 20, 2012 — so I really have another month. However, Bonnie has posted the link up, so I’m posting my progress as it is today.

As of today I have 284 spool blocks.  The missing block is complete, but it is still under my sewing machine needle.  Just yesterday I cut enough to bring the number up to 300.  To make the quilt I think I’m making I still need another 34 spools.

But of course I could change my mind before I get that far.

See what other have done by following the links over at Quiltville.

The last row was finished just as the clock struck midnight.  Then I realized that 2 of my cornerstones are the wrong fabric.  I’ll get back to you on whether or not I’ll switch them out.  I still need to add the border — it will be various shirtings with a brown square to finish out the “plus signs”.

Check out what others have been working on by following the links over at Patchwork Times.

Nothing in this week, and although I sewed and sewed, nothing out.  I didn’t finish the top to Nifty Thrifty, but I’m close.  One more row and then the borders.

Oh– Friday was Stitch and Chat and I hauled the double wedding ring.  Didn’t get much done, but any progress is progress, right?  Later today I’ll up date the icon on the right.

Fabric Added Since Last Report: 0 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 122.087 yards

Fabric Used Since Last Report:  0 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 54.645 yards

Net Used for the year -67.442 yards

See how others are doing with their stash over at Patchwork Times.

Now to tackle the sashings.

A few more blocks have been made.  I have another 3 cut and ready to stitch.

I’ve gone through all of my shirts and dug deeper into the mystery crate. These are the pairings for the rest of the blocks for Nifty Thrifty.

Nifty Thrifty is still on my design wall.  After digging through my shirts I’ve found enough to add a round of blocks. Although, clearly I’m going to have to redo two of them.  The first block I’m planning on redoing is the top block on the left.  I think flipping the fabrics will solve that problem.

On the other hand the dark block on the top will need a different  light fabric.  Or maybe I’ll use the “light” as the dark fabric and find a lighter fabric.

Perhaps this will be the week I get the top finished.

Don’t forget to check out others’ design walls by following the links over at Patchwork Times.

This week I focused on the Nifty Thrifty quilt top. But since I decided to add more blocks, the top is not finished and I can’t count the fabric used.  Most of the block pairs have been selected (I’m still waffling on a couple of them and one turned out to be BAAAD.) Of course to select the pairs I had to finish cleaning up the shirts.

The pile of shirts has gone from this:

To this:

All that is left for me to deal with is the shirt tails/strings and cuffs.

Fabric Added Since Last Report: 0 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 122.087 yards

Fabric Used Since Last Report:  0 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 54.645 yards

Net Used for the year -67.442 yards

See how others are doing with their stash over at Patchwork Times.

I’ve decided to add a round of blocks to my Nifty Thifty quilt.  So, I’ve had to come up with some substitutions as I will run out of the beige and red shirts I used for the sashing and the cornerstones.

The picture above is the sashing fabric — the one on the top is what I’ve used so far, the plaid on the bottom is the substitute.  That was easy.  The decision regarding the cornerstones is not going to be as easy.

The plaid across the bottom is what is in the quilt.  There simply is not enough of this shirt left unless I haphazardly piece scraps together – and then there may not be.  I’m considering using another red shirt for the cornerstones on the outer edge.  I’ve added a strip of brown across the top as that shirt is part of the pieced sashing which actually surrounds the cornerstone.

My first thought was to use the plaid on the left as it has the yellow that is in the original shirt. Now that I see it with the brown, I’m not so sure.  Perhaps the right on the right.  Which ever shirt I don’t use will end up in the quilt as a block. Since I need to make another 22 blocks, I can leave the three red blocks to the end and ponder the question.  Who knows, I may dig through my crumb box and find more of the original plaid.