STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  12.125 yards

Fabric used year to date  160.125 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date 33.75 yards

Net used 2016   126.375 yards

I managed to finish 2 wheelchair quilt tops with binding for my guild's community quilts program, using the remaining strips that I had cut for a previous strippy border.

I also quilted a wheelchair quilt that I brought home to complete after our last workshop day, but none of the fabric was from my stash.

I finally completed another project, that began with orphan half- square triangle units that were leftover from my guild's BOM quilt.  They were stitched into pinwheels, then I used fabric from my scrap bins to add corner squares.  Then more leftovers were used to tilt them left and right.  The only "new" fabric used was the funky striped fabric for sashing strips and the black cornerstones and binding.

Now I have to figure out what I want to work on next, from my huge list of possibilities.  But the decision will be left for another day.  I'm off to enjoy our long weekend - a pool party, then dinner at our friends' home, then off to the first concert in the park - what more could anyone wish for.....

Share the progress with Judy at Patchwork Times....

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  7.625 yards

Fabric used year to date 148 yards

Fabric added this week 0 yards

Fabric added year to date 33.75 yards

Net used 2016   114.25 yards 

My "used fabric" was from the "Out of the Box" quilt tops and binding that I completed for my community quilts group.

I was left with lots of 2 inch and 1 1/2 inch strips - leftover from the strippy border, so I decided to use them rather than put them back into the bin. I have two large blocks pieced that will become the centres of wheelchair quilts.  Now I have to get back to work, adding borders.

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

OUT OF THE BOX QUILTS

During the past year, the volunteers who meet once a month to work on my guild's community quilt projects, spent time to sort all the donated orphan blocks and pre-made parts.  Each group of similar size and or shape were placed in a raspberry box.  (These boxes were salvaged from a local supermarket, and are cardboard, built to stack while holding quarts or pints of raspberries).

At our last get-together, our fearless leader asked if everyone would take a box home and figure out how to use the contents for a quilt.

My first box held 60 9-patch blocks that were 3 1/2 inches, and I made this quilt top.

I wrote about it on Design Wall Monday.  I had difficulty getting the true colours to show in the pictures.  The light borders are really a darker beige, the blue-ish border is much darker, and the final border is a deeper rust colour.

 Box number 2 held 29 pinwheel blocks that had been squared up to 8.25 inches.  I made one more block, then set them with sashing and cornerstones.
I decided to make a strippy border, so I sorted through my 1.5 and 2 inch strip bins and pulled all the strips that had colours found in the blocks.

I made binding for each quilt top, but don't have fabric for backing.  I'll take them to our next community quilts workshop, and hopefully I'll find backing fabric for each of them, then after pin-basting both, I'll bring them home to machine quilt.  This is a win-win - I get to use some of my fabric scraps, and there are 2 less boxes full of parts waiting to be used, and soon 2 more quilts ready to donate.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

Here I am, posting late again, but better late than never!  First a picture of my guild's BOM project for 2015-16.  I finished mine a while back, but finally got around to taking some pictures!
The final border is from Judy's book, "60 Pieced Quilt Borders"
Here are some close-ups of some of the quilting in blocks...

 

Several of the quilting fills were inspired by the free tutorials at The Inbox Jaunt.

At my last get-together with our community quilts group, the coordinator asked people to take a box of quilt blocks, and make them into a quilt.

The first box I picked up had 60 small 9-patch blocks, made from gold, rust, tan and brown fabrics.

I began by adding triangles in tans and rust to make the blocks larger.  Then sashing and cornerstones.  The centre used 48 of the 60 blocks, so I used the remaining blocks as corners in one border and corners and centres in the final border.  I have the binding made, and it will head to the next community quilts get-together to find a backing and get pin-basted, ready for quilting.

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

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  15.875 yards

Fabric used year to date  140.375 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date   33.75 yards

Net used 2016  106.625 yards

I finished my BOM  for my guild group!  (Pictures to come later....) It went into the washing machine for a cold water rinse and spin, and is hanging to dry.  I had used a blue wash-away marker in one of the blocks, and wanted to make sure it was completely gone!

I had a busy week, with my guild's annual spring dinner on Wednesday.  The executive members do the catering, with two of our social committees providing dessert.  We had the ArtWear group from Ottawa visiting, and they provided us with a wonderful fashion show!  It was a great way to finish our quilting season.

Today we are waiting for the gas company to show up to change our meter.  We've had problems with readings for the past two winters, so it was past time for a replacement.  Of course we have a window between 8am and noon!

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

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I'm still quilting my latest project, but I took some time off this afternoon.  After teaching a workshop on clothesline baskets, I came home and started wrapping some for myself.

I was inspired to try a new edging after watching a tutorial at Ami Simms website.  She made hers with cotton clothesline that was dyed, but I used the regular wrapped clothesline. 
The edging takes way more line that you might think, but it creates an interesting edge.

I also had a shorter piece of clothesline, so I kept wrapping.....

This used some leftover fabric from my grandson's quilt, along with the selvedge and some narrow strips of a multicoloured stripe that I used for the sashing in another project.  I decided to finish with some swirls on the outside this time.

Now back to quilting.

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

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week 2 yards

Fabric used year to date  124.5 yards 

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date  33.75 yards

Net used 2016  90.75 yards

My community quilts group was busy trying to complete as many quilts as possible, so we could send them to the Ft. McMurray fire victims.  I brought 2 baby quilts home and quilted them, and added the binding.  I also made 3 blocks to be donated to the BOM draw at our next meeting in June.

I'm in the middle of quilting my guild's BOM quilt project, that was shared this year.  I've done most of the SITD quilting, and now have to figure out interesting designs for all the blocks and areas.

I've spent the weekend getting caught up on laundry, and making soup.  One of our grocery stores had skinless chicken breasts on sale for the long weekend.  Sales were slow, even though they were a great bargain.  My friend called on Thursday to tell me that they had marked them down to half of the sale price, so DH and I headed over and picked up 5 packages of 4 breast, each for just over $2!  I boned all the breasts, and we packed them up for the freezer.  I made chicken stock yesterday, and this morning after skimming all the fat, I made chicken veggie soup with a few noodles.  I'll have lots for the freezer too!

Check out everyone's stash progress at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

 

WORKSHOP ON THURSDAY

I was asked to take over a workshop on Thursday.  The person who was going to teach it had to be out of town.
Thursday morning I headed to the fairgrounds in Odessa ON, where we use one of their buildings for large workshops.  I was there about 8:45, and helped set up tables and chairs.  Soon ladies started arriving with sewing machines, and lots of assorted stuff.

I had 2 helpers for the morning and part of the afternoon too.  The ladies were there to make some clothesline baskets.  I only had a couple to show, as most of mine have been gifted or sold, but my helpers each brought one as well.  It took a while to get everyone started, as it is important to get a good starting wrap of the clothesline.  Then the 3 of us were flitting from table to table to help everyone start their coils ( the hardest part, I think). 

I shared a couple of websites with the group, and everyone was off and wrapping then stitching.




Personally, I like to wrap the clothesline ahead of time, then just sit and stitch.


By 4pm, there were some finished baskets, and some great progress by others, who had decided to make a large basket to hold knitting.

There was lots of chatting and visiting to see what other's baskets were looking like and seeing how different fabric choices were working.  







I explained that I save all the selvedge edges from the fabric I buy, and make scrappy baskets, so I think I have people looking a the selvedges with "new eyes".




I must say that I was tired by the end of the day - my first full one since I was ill, but when I returned home, I sat and wrapped some selvedges around some clothesline!

DESIGN WALL (MONDAY) - WEDNESDAY

Sometimes I wonder where the time goes..... 
 It was Victoria Day weekend in Canada, and we spent a couple of days with our son, daughter-in-law and grandson.  I was busy doing this.....  He is a bit too small to reach the pedals, but he loves to walk and steer.

I have this completed top on my new design wall.  My sewing room is in the basement of our townhouse, and there is a long, narrow hall leading to the room.  I needed a larger design wall, so DH and I put this up.  My other "wall" is an old pin board that we rescued from a garbage pile.
The pinwheels were made from the bonus pieces while making the pieced border for my guild BOM quilt.  The setting triangle were all cut from my 2 1/2 inch strip bin.  The light and dark blues were leftover from the BOM quilt.  I pulled a funky strip for sashing and thought that the black cornerstones helped to pull it all together.  My only difficulty with the design wall, is taking pictures from an extreme angle, but I'll take a full picture once the quilt is completed.
I'll be teaching a workshop on making clothesline coiled baskets all day tomorrow - looking forward to a fun day!

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

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  0 yards

Fabric used year to date  122.5 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date  33.75 yards

Net used 2016  88.75

 

I'm still struggling with my cold and cough!  I don't think I was totally better and have been a bit sick since February.  I'm on the uphill side of it this time, and my cough is almost gone.

 

I've been working on my guild's BOM project.  I finally stitched tht top together, and then planned the borders (my choice).  I used a border from Judy's book "60 Pieced Quilt Borders Mix & Match", adjusting the size to fit my quilt.  I only have one more border to stitch, and then the top will be complete.  Now I just have to find the energy..... 

I'm catching up on the laundry today and making a pot of soup.  We hope to visit our grandson and family next weekend, but I don't want to take my germs along.  They've had a tough time with illnesses, since my DIL returned to work and grandson to daycare.

Check out all the progress shared at Judy's blog, http://www.patchworktimes.com/2016/05/15/stash-report-may-15-2016/

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I was feeling a bit better this morning, so I decided to get back to work on my guild BOM project.  I had made the blocks each month, but hadn't finished the last one, as I had to decide what I wanted to add to the basic blocks.

I finally decided to make some small Dresden plate pieces.  I made an open circle on the left side, and then played with the pieces to make two looped shapes on the right.
Pardon the cut off picture.  My sewing room is small and that is the best I could do.  The top right block has the woven pattern that is a mirror image of the top left.
I machine appliqued the Dresden parts to the block using monofilament (invisible) thread.  I challenged myself to make the whole quilt in shades of blue and white, and I've been enjoying the process.  I still have a few more borders to add - they were not provided with the pattern.  It will be interesting to see all the finished quilts.  This time I'll remember to enter mine in the next quilt show.

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

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  13.125 yards

Fabric used year to date  122.5 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date  33.75 yards

Net used 2016  88.75

 

My quilting seems to go in "fits and starts" this year.  I am suffering through cold number 2 for this year - a personal record.

 

My guild's block of the month program is going back to normal, after offering 2 complete quilts starting in the fall.  This month's block had a floral centre, with definite colours in the other pieces.  They will be handed in at the June meeting, and the participants names go into a draw for all the blocks.  One block, one entry.  I decided to make 3 blocks this week.  I needed to have a small project to work on during my few good spells. 

The other yardage was used in the Oriental Strip Quilt I completed on Tuesday.  It will be heading to my Community Quilts group for donation.

 

Happy Mother's Day to everyone.  I had along conversation with my older son this afternoon, and this morning we Skyped with our younger son and his family.  Our grandson loves to "talk" to us via the computer.  It will be great when he uses real words, but we have fun chatting with him and watching him play with his toys.

 

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

A FINISH FOR MAY

I've come down with a cold - as bad as the one I had in February!  I'm blaming all the variable weather we've been having since our return. 

While in Florida, a neighbour gave me some 2 1/2 in strips of oriental print fabrics.  I added a few of my own and made this quilt.

I decided that it should be wider and longer, so I pulled an oriental print that was leftover from a project a few years ago.  I found a stack of fabrics that had been lined up for a stack n whack block with just 4 repeats, so I cut them up and made interesting 4Patches.  I set them on point, using a neutral fabric, and then added green spacers to make them wide enough for a top and bottom border.  Then I added more side borders, and the leftover oriental print is leftover no more!  
 
Here is a closeup of one of the borders, showing the 4 patch stack n whack blocks and the quilting in the neutral areas.  The rest of the quilting was very simple.  This quilt will be donated to the community quilts program at my guild.

Now I have to get back to my guild's block of the month quilt.  I still have to invent a couple of appliques for the final block, and then start piecing and figuring out what kind and how many borders I'll add.  Lots of fun!

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.

LAST TWO FINISHES

I managed to finish two small quilts - the last for this winter season.  Now I have to begin packing for our annual trek north.

 This baby quilt was made from a panel.  It seems like most of the fabric manufacturers are only making them 24 inches wide instead of a full yard.
I had some flying geese leftover from another project, then I made to new star blocks.  The quilt is machine quilted using monofilament (invisible) thread.

 I stitched the binding to the back of the quilt, then used a machine blanket stitch to sew it down to the front.  I used Superior's King Tut thread in lovely variegated pastel colours.
This is my favourite thread to use on baby quilts!

 This is my second completed quilt.  I dug deep into the fabric vaults and found this piece of "cheater quilt" yardage.  I made lots of flying geese in green, two shades of yellow and two shades of peach to encircle the yardage.  Lots of quilting in the "blocks" and around the "appliques, using invisible thread.  Then more King Tut thread for the free motion stitching in the blue borders.

I had fun stitching leaves and loops on either side of the geese, and adding some flowers in each corner.

I still have more blocks to complete for my guild's BOM quilt that we've all been working on this season.  I'll try to squeeze in some sewing time over the next couple of days, in between checking lists and sorting items for packing.

We've had a great season, but it is always hard to say good-bye to so many friends.  This year we've said a final farewell to some who won't be returning next year - always a sad time.  The happy thoughts of getting to hold my grandson again make me look forward to our return.  We also have a family reunion planned in June, and lots of other activities to keep us busy, and we hope to visit Nova  Scotia and Prince Edward Island this spring as well.  Too much to do - never enough time, but we'll try!

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  0 yards

Fabric used year to date  92.75 yards

Fabric added this week  12 yards

Fabric added year to date 33.75 yards

Net used 2016  59 yards

We took our company to the airport very early Thursday morning.  When we returned home DH had to set up to play for a lunch-time pot luck party, and I started to do laundry.  We went to bed early and slept almost 12 hours!

This week, 2 of my local shops had sales, and I had a gift card for one, so I picked up some fabric to complete a 1 block wonder quilt.  I found the fabric for it a couple of years ago, and once I had the block halves stitched, I had to decide on a layout, so I could get the rest of the fabric for the top.  I'll wait to assemble it until we return north, as I don't have a design wall here.

Yesterday we headed to my favourite shop, and waded our way through all the quilters.  I picked up some background fabrics, several red fat quarters, that I'll use for the half-square triangle blocks needed to complete the top, and a turquoise and gold swirly fabric, "just because".

Today I'm washing fabric, and I have a quilt backing to piece.  We only have 1 1/2 weeks until we'll be heading north again.  I hope to get some quilting completed this week.

We did an inventory of meat remaining in our freezer, and made a meal plan for the rest of our time here.  We stocked up on veggies yesterday, and I have to do some prep on a dish to take to friends' home on Tuesday.  We should come out about even as long as we don't get too many more invitations.......

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