Quilting and Stuff by Knitnoid

Stash Report Week # 50

December 13, 2009 10:49 am ⋅


This week I didn’t sit at my sewing machine very much. I find that after a finish, whether it’s a complete quilt, or a top, I tend to need a break. It’s not that I don’t have plenty on my list that I want to do – like finish the last few seams on DWR – but that it ends up becoming a chore and quilting is supposed to be fun. So once I finished the Autumn Splendor top on Monday, I read a couple of Lynn Kurland’s books.

Sometime this week I pulled out my music fabrics and started thinking about the back of the Music Star quilt top. Naturally the back is going to music as well. After all I conservatively STILL have 40 yards of music fabric. I based my calculation on the 156 unique fabrics in the quilt top — I had to buy at least a FQ and frequently bought more. However it’s probably closer to 90 yards since the music fabric is stored in 2 drawers about the size of my fabric boxes and they are stuffed. My fabric boxes can hold 45 yards of fabric. Of course since I made the top, I’ve bought or was given a few more FQs and I didn’t use every fabric I had in the top.

Anyway, I’m making the back ala’ Bonnie Hunter (scroll to the bottom of the page). So Friday after dinner with the girls, I started cutting 10 1/2″ squares, one from each piece of music fabric. I’ve got a few pieces which won’t work as 10 1/2″ squares such as this border print called Marching Band (It’s Pattern # 2923 from Andover Fabrics and was designed by Gail Kessler).


I love this print, and searched the Kansas City area for it when it came out. That was the year of the Iowa Road Trip (13 stores in 3 days). I found it on our last day at Quilting Connection in Ames, Iowa. I bought 1 yard of it then. I’ve since bought a 2 yard piece mail order. Other than going into the Music Quilt I didn’t know how I was going to use it. I cut one strip that didn’t quite finish at 10 x 40 so I pieced a couple of squares to make it work. (Any ideas for how to use the rest of the fabric?)

This panel is another pieces that didn’t fit.


I’m adding a couple of fabrics not already used in the back to it to make it finish at 20 x 30.

When it’s all said and done, I’ll need the equivalent of 99 10 1/2″ squares. I managed to get 91 cut Friday and Saturday.

So if you’ve made it this far, here is my stash report for the week.

Fabric Added this Week: .25 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 282.583 yards

Fabric Used this Week: 9 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 105.426 yards

Net Stash: +177.157 yards

See how everyone else is doing with their stash over at Judy’s blog at Patchwork Times.

P.S. That Snowflake FQ is for the Guild Christmas Party tomorrow. It’s the first thing I’ve bought in 5 weeks.

Posted in: music star back, Stash Busting Report

Autumn Splendor Top is Done

December 7, 2009 10:03 pm ⋅


Cross one thing off my December quilting list. I just finished the borders for Autumn Splendor. The binding is also made. This is from the pattern Crazy Eights by Bits ‘n Pieces. I used 12 FQs instead of 8 and added borders. The top measures 63 x 78.

Posted in: Autumn Splendor

I Must be Crazy

December 7, 2009 8:11 pm ⋅


I just found out that Dorothy Young is doing a Christmas Mystery called Raising Cane. I’ve made several of her mystery quilts – Spring Breeze, Diamond Links and The Chain Event and have loved all of the quilts/tops. (Only have Spring Breeze Quilted). I’m in the middle of Carolina Christmas and I know everyone thinks I’m crazy with the list of quilting stuff I’d like to get done by the end of the month.

I must be crazy is the only explanation I have for why I’m even considering starting a new quilt before the end of the month.

Posted in: mystery quilts, Raising Cane

What’s On My Design Wall? – 12/7

December 7, 2009 12:15 pm ⋅


I took my swap blocks down Saturday, so there wasn’t anything on the wall until I put Autumn Splendor up there for a photo shoot. Yesterday I finished sewing on the inner borders, and then cut the fabric for the outer borders binding. That’s 2 of my 4 yards to get me to 100 yards used for the year.

See whatever one else has on their design walls by following the links over on Judy’s blog.

Posted in: Autumn Splendor, designwall

Stash Report Week # 49

December 5, 2009 11:45 pm ⋅

This week I cut the fabric for Part 2 of Carolina Christmas. No other fabric out and no fabric in. That makes it 5 weeks since I brought any fabric into the house. I might just hit 100 yards out before the end of the year.

Fabric Added this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 282.333 yards

Fabric Used this Week: 3 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 96.426 yards

Net Stash: +185.907 yards

Check out how everyone else is doing over at Patchwork Times.

Posted in: Stash Busting Report

December 2009 Quilting Goals

December 5, 2009 9:05 pm ⋅

Here’s a quick recap of November Goals first:

* Keep up with the SBS BOW – no

* Finish the hand quilting on Josh’s Quilt – Finished and given!

* Finish piecing the DWR – no (why haven’t I got this done?)

* Complete Finishing Instructions for large Kansas Spirit BOM – finished (technically in December)

* Keep Scraps Cut Up – yes

I’ve gone back over my goals that I’ve listed over the year both here on my blog and on the Quilt in a Day Forum. After a review here’s the list of what I didn’t get done that I’d like to see done by the end of the year.

* Get the DWR on the quilt frame and quilt 11 rings by the end of the year.

* Get the borders on Autumn Splendor

* Get the borders on Ladder to the Stars

* Catch up on November’s SBS Blocks (D1, E4, M7, B3 & J5)

* Complete the quilting on my Green and Cream swap blocks (quilting in sections)

* Prep the applique for a quilt so I have handwork

* Quilt a baby quilt

* Keep Scraps Cut Up

If that is not enough, I’d like to get the backing pieced to my DH’s music quilt. That will push me over 100 yards of fabric used this year.

I must be crazy. Even with 2 weeks of vacation I’m not certain I can get all of this done.

Posted in: monthly goals

Missing Recipe – Found

December 5, 2009 2:07 pm ⋅


Earlier this year I found an awesome cinnamon bread recipe on the web. It made 3 cute little loafs. I’m not much of a bread maker, but this recipe looked, so much so, I went out and bought these 3 small pans. They are about 4 x 7 edge to edge. The bread was yummy.

Now I can’t find the recipe! I printed it off, so you would think it would be in my recipe drawer, but it’s not. About the only thing I remember is that I found it reading a blog and that the blogger recommended Saigon Cinnamon. Is this ringing a bell with anyone?

Well, I’m going to search some more, now that I’ve remembered the the detail about the cinnamon and then do a bit of sewing.

9:20 – I finally remembered where I found the recipe. The Quilt in a Day forums. I searched for Saigon and found the thread. Once there I searched again for Saigon and found the recipe.

Posted in: bread

Carolina Christmas – On Temporary Hold

December 3, 2009 12:30 pm ⋅


Ok — I peeked at Clue # 3 even though I haven’t finished sewing Clue # 2. Boy am I glad I did.

Since I’m using “clear” pinks and blues, I opted for a bright white on white for the background. Thinking I needed 2 yards, I pulled everything from my boxes and just barely had enough. I thought I was going to have to cut into my snowflakes and snowmen that I’m saving for my redwork snowmen quilt. One or two strips each would still leave me enough, so I was OK with that.

However, it turns out we need more than 2 yards of background fabric, so I have to make a decision.

1 – use the creamy off white moving forward
2 – back track and remake some of Part 1 and Part 2 using the new creamy off white so there will be some bright white on white to use in the rest of the parts
3 – get over it and go buy some more bright white on white to finish the quilt (I still don’t have enough using all of the snowflake and snowmen fabrics)
4 – toss in the towel and use what I’ve made for something else.

I’m stubborn so #4 isn’t an option. In fact last night and DH and were discussing my options, that was nixed right away. #3 really isn’t an option since I want this to be from my stash and I don’t want to buy any more fabric this year. So that leaves #1 and #2.

Until I see the quilt put together I won’t know which way I want to go. In the end who knows what I’ll end up doing. But I have learned something. I need to focus on gathering some ‘shirting’ type fabrics — light backgrounds with bits and pieces of color.

Can’t wait to see Bonnie’s finished quilt.

Posted in: Carolina Christmas, mystery quilts

What’s On My Design Wall? – 11/30

November 30, 2009 7:30 am ⋅


Judy said she cheated since her picture was from Sunday. The SBS Blue & Brown swap blocks may be on the wall, but they are not what I’m currently working on.

I’m working on Carolina Christmas. Part 1 is complete and I’m half way through and I’m now cutting the large “green” triangles. (My gold is green and my green is blue. My red will be pink).

Posted in: Carolina Christmas, designwall, SBS

Stash Report Week # 48

November 29, 2009 8:17 am ⋅

My big plans were to get the borders on two quilts this week, but I only managed to get the first border cut and partially put on Autumn Splendor before starting Carolina Christmas. Hum…I wonder if this has anything to do with why I have so many UFOs?

Fabric Added this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 282.333 yards

Fabric Used this Week: 3.04 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 93.426 yards

Net Stash: +188.907 yards

Check out how others are doing with their stash busting efforts over at Patchwork Times.

Posted in: Stash Busting Report