Stash Busting Report #4

Wow. Nothing in, nothing out. And our quilt store was having a sale! Yes, yes, I was tempted! But not enough to bring anything home with me. My mood certainly affects my buying habits!

Not to say there was no sewing done - there was! In fact, I made an entire quilt top last night, but unfortunately - it's not completed. Won't count for a while!

I have also given myself permission to rid myself of some dumb DUMB block of the months that I started in good faith and have become completely disappointed in. I can't find a place around here (or anywhere in this state) that will take blocks, so it's off to Goodwill with them.

Once I made that decision and took them off my design wall, the quilting vibe came back in full force. I'm so pleased! I thought it might be gone forever!

Speaking of which, I'm off to sew!

I wouldn't say I've been missing it, Bob....

That's one of my favorite quotes of all time, from Office Space. Yes, the geeky work movie from the 90's that suddenly becomes a timeless classic when you work in an office and can identify your own Milton and Lumbergh.

But this post shall not be about work! I am dedicating my weekends to no work talk. But I have exciting talk that is about missing work - so I thought I'd share.

I'm going to the Sister's Quilt Show this year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YAY!!!

And today, I have zero plans, so guess what I'm going to do?

Figure out what classes to take when I go to Sisters!

And sew, of course. The NICU up north needs some more baby quilts, so I am dedicated to making a few more today.

If I can squeeze it in, I should go to the gym. Maybe I should go to they gym first... Hmmmm....

Stash Busting Report #3

Nothing in, nothing out!

Though, the day is young - this could still change! The quilt shop is having a sale until Jan 23rd and I do have a gift card for the store. But.... I don't need any fabric, and one of my goals this year is Purposeful Purchasing.

Fabric used this week: 0 yards

Fabric in this week: 0 yards

Net used, year to date: 56.9

My sewing friend is visiting today and we'll see if we accomplish much! I may choose some fabric to make some additional baby quilts for the NICU in Eugene.

Hmmmmm.....

Visit Judy Laquidera's site to see how others are doing on their stashbusting! patchworktimes.com

:)

Stash Busting Report #2

I've done great this week!

I was able to finish the 8 boxer shorts and 3 baby quilts, for a total of 14 yards out!

Fabric used this week: 14 yards

Fabric in this week: 0 yards (yay!!!)

Net used, year to date: 56.9

Will there be sewing today? Perhaps. I have to drop some stuff at the library, hit the gym, and pick up a late Christmas gift.

I'm loving this stash reporting!

West Coast Joy - Thank You East Coasters!

One of my great joys as a west coaster is to wake up on Saturday morning at a leisurely 8 a.m., get my brekkie, and sit down with my laptop to catch up on my blogs. And by 8 a.m. most, if not all, of my east coast blogs have been updated and it's so exciting to read new posts while I scarf down my oatmeal. Thank you, east coasters! You have been productive while I was snoozing away. But no worries... while you are getting ready to bed down, I'll be stitching away. Or watching bad TV, but who's counting anyway?? ;-)

Remember I was telling you about the super easy 9 patch quilt pattern I'd managed to botch? Here are the quilts from that project. Like I said, it's 3 yards, 2 cuts, 3 quilts. Each quilt will just take 1 yard to back.

I make quilt tops for a NICU about three hours north of here. One of the great things about this particular organization is they will accept just the quilt tops. So lucky me, I get to count these in my stash report this week! I bet they get more donations because they take on the responsibility of backing, batting, quilting and binding. I know they do from me, at least!

The yellow was my focus fabric. It's got bunnies on it and is super cute. I paired it up with a light blue feather and a green check.

Each quilt turns out to be very unique. When I'm making these I sometimes hope they go to comfort a set of triplets... wouldn't that be cute?
Regardless, it's great fun to make quilt tops for charity. Super satisfying and comforting. This last one is my favorite.

I'm off for the rest of the day. I'm seeing Tangled and having lunch with a good friend, and then my darling honey and I are going to shop for showerheads and kitchen faucets. Think of all the fun we'll be having!

Why You ALWAYS Read the Instructions

I have been sidelined by a cold. Sadly, it has hampered my attempts at quilting...

I was planning on making 3 baby quilts from an awesome and easy pattern called Super Sized Nine Patch by Anita Grossman Soloman. I've made it before and the tops always turn out super cute. It's three yards and two cuts - et voila! 3 great baby quilts.

Except this time I felt foggy and breezed through the instructions... Only to have cut my fabric completely wrong. I will still be able to make the quilts, they just won't wind up like the pattern! But to think of it, which of mine ever really do?

And that is why I always want to read the instructions before cutting. Preferably with a non-cold brain. All that congestion equals confusion.

In good news though - all of my FiestaWare arrived from Macy's thanks to an incredible B-O-G-O sale (saved more than I spent!) and only one piece needs to be returned. It wasn't even a shipping issue, the finish just isn't right and has already been scratched. My local Macy's store said I could just bring the plate in and they'll swap it out for a good one. One reason I love Macy's.

Also, I was able to finish my honey's boxer shorts on Monday, so they'll go into the stashbusting numbers next week. 11 yards! Yay! I even went to the quilt store on Sunday and didn't buy anything but elastic (to finish the boxers!). Go me!

Well, I'm off. It's about time to dose myself with more Alka Seltzer....

Stash Busting Report #1

My first stash report. Yay!

Fabric used this week: 43.5 yards. WOAH!

Fabric in this week: 0 yards

Net used, year to date: -43.5 yards.

Here's how I'm counting:

I will be counting projects when they are fully completed - quilted and bound. Or, as in the case of the boxer shorts that I will hopefully count next week - completely useable!

I was lucky this week that I had three twin sized quilts come back from the quilter. The photo is of one of the three and it's sideways. I'll be learning about posting photos as I go. It's a little fuzzy! The quilts will soon be with my local Project Linus chapter

My other goal for 2011 that I haven't shared is that of Purposeful Purchasing. I will often just wander my LQS or craft store and grab fabric as I desire it. But... that means I wind up with a lot of fabric I have never used. Not that I won't, but that I haven't. So this year, I plan on practicing Purposeful Purchasing. I will only purchase fabric that is going into a quilt that I am currently working on. Since I generally have one project at a time this shouldn't be too much of a problem.

What to do with all that fabric I know I'm not going to use? I think they'll look lovely in pillow cases for the Million Pillowcase Challenge from APQ. Don't you think? Lucky for me the Project Linus drop off point is also the same as the MPC.

I must head out for brekkie with my DH and our amigos. It will be homemade and delicious and I'm looking forward to it!