All I got done this week was cutting up half the scrap basket into usable pieces. I’ll count those pieces when I pull them to use in a quilt. So, the only thing I “used” was 1 1/4 yards of the purple striped batik I bought last week as vacation souvenirs. I gave each of my quilting buddies a FQ at dinner Thursday night.
Fabric Added this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 159.5 yards
Fabric Used this Week: 1.25 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 54.952 yards
Net Stash: +104.548 yards
I have no idea what has gotten into me. For the last couple of days I’ve been tackling the scrap basket. As you can see, great progress has been made. With the exception of the pile of pressed scraps, all that is left is the red, pink, purple and blue scraps.
My boxes are getting full. I’ve got 1 1/2″, 2″, 2 1/2″ strips, strings, 2″ x 3 1/2″ bricks and 2″ blocks and 2 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ bricks & 2 1/2″ blocks.
One of these days I’m going to make a log cabin quilt with the 1 1/2″ strips. Believe it or not, I haven’t made a traditional log cabin quilt. As for the rest of the pieces, who knows what they’ll end up in.
Last week I pulled most, if not all of my green scraps from my scrap basket to cut them up into usable pieces.
I just finished cutting the last of them up.
The pile at the top are the slivers which will be tossed out, then there were 3 pieces which were too big to get sliced up. The pile at the bottom are crumbs. I’m not into crumbs, but I know there are those who are, so one of these days, I’m going to box all the crumbs up and send them to someone.
The stack of 2 1/2 inch by 4 1/2 bricks is about 1 inch tall, the 2 1/2 inch squares about 3/4 of an inch tall. The 2 x 3 1/2 inch bricks and 2 inch squares are about 1 3/4 inches high. I’m not sure how many bricks and squares that works out to.
Then there is are the strips and strings. 2 1/2 inches, 2 inches, 1 1/2 inches and finally strings.
I think I’ll dig through my basket and find another color to work on now.
What’s on my design wall? Technically the same thing as last week. So I’ll answer the question “What am I working on right now?” It’s this red work snowman from Crabapple Hill’s Winter Wonderland. I bought this pattern several years ago and have been working off and on on the red work. I’ve also been collecting red and white fabrics to make the pieced blocks.
One block was finished a while back, and I just finished the second block a couple of weeks ago. This is what I grab when I know I’m going to be waiting somewhere. In addition to the block in the hoop, I have two more traced off and ready to go. There is no deadline for this quilt top, so when I finish up the red work, I’ll start on the pieced block.
Check out Judy’s blog to see what is on other quilter’s design walls.
Judy over at Patchwork Times has pointed out that we are halfway through the year. Am I as far along as I’d like to be with my stash? My goal was simple. Keep track. And good or bad, I’ve done that. It has been an eye opener for me. It has also made me more conscious of my purchase. I’d like to think it has slowed my purchases down, but I couldn’t say for certain. I do know that I think about each purchase I do.
So how did my stash go this week? I cut fabric from my stash to make several cool ties (got 3 made before the outdoor concert last week)and I made another block for the Kansas Spirit quilt. Most of pile of green scraps has been cut up as well — but I’ll count those when I use them. I also worked on my red work snowmen.
The inbound fabric is 3 1/2 yards. 1 1/2 yards of the purple stripe batik, 1 yard of the plaid and 1 yard of the blue Ice print.
So here’s report:
Fabric Added this Week: 3 1/2 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 159.5 yards
Fabric Used this Week: .875 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 53.702 yards
Net Stash: +105.798 yards
Over the past year, I’ve managed to get my scraps into this single laundry basket. It’s about 18 inches square and 11 inches tall. It fits nicely under my fabric shelves. As you can see it’s rather full – but I can’t bring myself to toss out usable fabric. So, this week, instead of doing any number of other things around the house which need to be done, I’ve been working on my scraps.
I follow Bonnie Hunter’s Scrap User’s System with some variation. I’ve got shoe boxes on my shelves with squares, bricks, strips and strings. I’ve even been known to pull pieces from these boxes for quilts I’m making.
My goal is to clear the laundry basket — some day — but more importantly not add to it. So, moving forward whenever I finish a project I’m going to cut up my scraps if they are smaller than a fat eighth.
This week I’ve pulled a couple of handfuls of fabric out of the basket and cut it up, but I could hardly tell looking at the scrap basket. So, tonight I pulled most of the green out of the basket. I won’t call it all, because I didn’t do a complete search. There could still be some hidden in the middle.
I’m curious to see how many pieces I can get out of this. When I get this pile done, it will be back to something more pressing I’m sure.
Last week’s design wall project is finished. I posted about it a couple of days ago. So, it’s on to a new project.
This week it is this table runner I made from the Kansas Troubles Quilters Cranberry Wishes line. Yes, it’s a new project (so much for no new starts). Last fall I bought a jelly roll to make a couple of table runners and a bag from the Jammin’ Table Toppers & Bag pattern, also from KTQ.
Although it looks to be finished, I want to add the raw edge applique flowers to the ends of the runner. I’m actually trying to figure out if I can fashion a poinsettia since this is a Christmas line. I’ll either figure it out, go with the flowers as designed, or call it done.
Check out other quilters’ design walls at Patchwork Designs.
This week I finished a UFO, made a birthday swap block, started and nearly finished a new project all from stash — if you don’t count thread. I didn’t have anything remotely close to use on a Kansas Troubles table runner, so a quick trip to to the store was in order.
Since thread was 50% off, not only did I buy the three spools of Gutermann color # 561, I also picked up spool of Coats & Clark in Caramel. It’s a great color to use on just about everything (except Ks Troubles)and I’m about out. I’m happy to say that I walked in, picked up my thread and was back out the store doors with out even looking at fabric.
The table runner is bound but I am considering some raw edge applique flowers to each end so I’ve not declared it done.
Fabric Added this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 156.0 yards
Fabric Used this Week: 4.125 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 53.702 yards
Net Stash: +102.298 yards
As I mentioned on Monday, I started making this quilt in the early 90’s as a high school graduation gift. This was before quilting took over my life, so I didn’t really know what I was doing.
Today, it’s finished. It’s not perfect, but it’s done. I think I’ll call it Stars & Stripes.
Nothing at the moment. I finished up the quilt from last week and haven’t gotten anything else out.
That’s not to say I haven’t been quiting. I’ve made the next three Kansas Spirit BOM samples for the LQS, I finished the Pink and Brown quilt and I made a birthday block for a swap I’m in.
Currently, I suppose you could say my design wall is the ironing board.
This is a UFO from the early 90’s. It was supposed to be my husband’s godson’s high school graduation present. I never finished it. One of the QCC (Quality Control Cats) threw up on it. But don’t worry, he eventually got this quilt a few years ago.
Anyway, the front of this quilt is alternating squares of stars on a blue background with a red and white stripe. It seems I pieced the front and was going to do wide sew flip borders. The center section and the top and bottom borders were already sewn down, but there is no quilting in the center. I’m going to have to do some sort of ‘tacking’ to quilt it, as I’ll quilt more puckers into it doing anything else. I’ve got one of the side borders on and just need to fix a spot on the other borer and then I’ll be ready to do whatever quilting it’s going to get.
Part of me says rip the border off and ‘do it right’. But the part of me who wants it finished says just go with it. There’s nothing special about this quilt, but I’m sure it will keep someone warm this winter.
