STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  0 yards

Fabric used year to date  109.375 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added  year to date  33.75 yards

Net used 2016  75.625 yards

 

 Nothing completed so my numbers are the same.  I do have a quilt top and pieced back waiting in the wings to be basted and quilted, but I'm still working on community quilts.

This is another small quilt top that was pin-basted at the last community quilts work day.  The centre block was an orphan that had been donated by a guild member.  It is a fused applique, and it was stitched using a built-in embroidery stitch on a sewing machine.

The inner green border is quilted with heart shaped leaves and loops - very simple, using a variegated green thread.
The red border has bows connected by ribbons - from The Inbox Jaunt tutorials.

The final wide border was stitched using my favourite hooked feathers, and I also added a frame around both sides.  It was also stitched with variegated green thread.  It is difficult to photograph the quilting, especially in my basement sewing room!

Now I'm off to begin the quilting on quilt 3 of 4 - this one is quite a bit larger than the previous 2 quilts.
Check out the progress shared at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.
 

MACHINE QUILTING ALL DAY

I made a stop at our community quilts headquarters on the way home from the guild executive meeting on Wednesday evening, and picked up 4 quilts, pin-basted and ready for quilting.  Three are lap or wheelchair quilts, and one is for quilts of valour.

 The first one is made of a large central panel, with multiple borders added.  
I stitched "in the ditch" first, then  added some outline stitching in the central block.
Each border has a different design stitched.  Some areas I marked to guide how I headed to The Inbox Jaunt for some inspiration and chose several quilting designs from the tutorials. 

 I used several different designs, using a different one in each border.  I also used some different colours of thread.

I had fun experimenting with different stitched designs, without having to pin-baste first!

BACK AT IT!

I worked diligently, getting all most of my quilting gear unpacked, but then my sewing machine was calling!  I had a collection of oriental print 2 1/2 inch strips, so I started sewing them together.  When I finished I had an odd sized block of fabric, so I pondered what to do with it.




  While looking for Oriental prints, I came across an unused section of strips, pinned and leftover from a kaleidoscope quilt that I made several years ago.  I cut the 4 repeats into small squares, and made 4-patch units, then added triangles made from a cream/metallic gold print, to make them stand "on point". 
 I needed to make the unit longer, so I cut some green strips to stretch the pieces to fit the two short ends. I also used the cream print for border strips.

Finally I used the remainder of the main print to make borders for the quilt top.  I usually plan things before starting, but this seemed to evolve as I stitched.  I think it takes less time to plan before cutting, but this was an interesting experiment.
Now I just have to find some backing fabric.
After lunch, DH and I did some clean-up in our small front and back garden areas of our townhouse.  We put all the leaves into our "green bin" to be collected tomorrow morning.  Our community does lots of recycling, so we usually only fill a green bag with garbage once a month.  The "green bin" takes all the kitchen scraps, including bones and fat, along with paper towels, tissues, and small amounts of garden clippings. 

 I've always had a compost bin at every house we've lived in, but I can't have one here, so this allows me to recycle, knowing that it will be made into good compost.   My irises and day- lilies are sending out new growth, along with many of the perennials.  My chives are full, and even a parsley plant survived the winter.  Some areas are slower to grow, especially in the front as the area near the door gets very little sunshine this time of year.  We took out a large shrub in the front last fall, so I have to decided what to plant in its place.  It had grown too large, so DH dug it up and transplanted it at a neighbour's home, and we hope it survived its upheaval.
I'll be attending my guild's executive meeting on Wednesday evening, and our community quilts coordinator is planning to bring me some pin-basted quilts to stitch.  It will be great to see everyone, after being away for quite a while.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I'm in mid pack, which means that there are piles of things everywere.  I brought some "kits" south in the fall with plans to complete them, but totally forgot that I had left several the year before!  I decided to sort through everything, and decide which ones were remaining again this time.I thought that pictures might help me to remember next fall, when I begin packing once more.  These are all baby quilts, mostly using panels I have collected over the years.  
Kit 1 is a narrow panel, and I've left an assortment of green fabric, along with a gold with colourful stars.  The fabric on the right will be binding, and the flannel is white with tiny green dots.

Kit 2 is a baby panel based on Twinkle Little Star.  It is very pastel, and the stripe on the left will be binding, with the baby print flannel will be the backing.

Kit 3 is a panel of calico animal toys, and shares the same binding and backing fabric.

Kit 4 is a panel with toys riding on a train, and the backing is a train print flannel that I've had for some time.  The binding will be made from the primary coloured stripe. 







Kit 5 is a cute panel  with pink gingham backing flannel.  I'll have to hunt for an appropriate binding fabric - I'll check my stash when I return north.

Hopefully I'll remember that they are here waiting to be made when we are ready to return next fall.

Check out all the creativity shared at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  16.625 yards

Fabric used year to date  109.375 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added  year to date  33.75 yards

Net used 2016  75.625 yards

My last two finishes added to my "used" total this week.  

I have a neighbour who is packing up her home, ready for sale, and she gifted me with several bags of batting pieces, and fabric.  Instead of keeping any of it, I found a neighbour who is teaching sewing and quilting at a local Womens' Shelter, so the whole lot is heading her way!

I stitched my final blocks for my guild BOM yesterday, and now all the fabrics are packed into a large tote bag, along with the blocks.  I rolled them onto the tube that holds my slider for machine quilting, so they won't get crushed on the way north.

I'm slowly organizing my fabrics, and deciding which to leave for next winter, and which to return home to work on over the summer.  I keep a list of all the tools and rulers that stay here, and I'll be packing the rest.  

Of course, since we're leaving soon, there are lots of get-togethers with friends and neigbours, and I'm trying to use up the remaining meat and veggies before we head out.  We have several neighbours who live here full time, and they keep a good watch on all the Snowbirds' homes while we are north for the summer.

Check out all the progress shared at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.