Using the stash

A horrendous week at work so quilting time has been almost nil. I'm supposed to be on holidays starting tomorrow but have to go in to work and hopefully get things sorted so I can still have the rest of the week off.

There were few stolen moments and I've been sewing down the binding on the batik quilt. Mereth did a beautiful job with the quilting. Interestingly it has started to soften with all the handling. Can't wait to see what a wash does to its feel. Having said that I still don't regret giving my batiks away.



To the totals then:-

Week 5

Fabric used 1/4 metre

Fabric used to date 6 1/4 metres

Goal for 2010 Use 100 metres

Head on over to Judy's to see how others are doing.

Design Wall Monday

Last Wednesday and Thursday I did a class with Sue Ross at Quiltsmith. It was paper piecing which I wasn't a huge fan of before the class and still I'm not but for this quilt it is the way to go.

Here's a snippet of Sue's quilt posted with her permission.



Here's my progress at the end of day one



the end of day two



and over the weekend.



The rings aren't sewn together yet and shock horror I may even try sewing them in on the machine. Then again I may not.

I've discovered my Bernina likes paper more than my Janome so will use it for this project.

I'm not sure if this block will make the final cut - it was good to have a practice first I think.

BTW for the Sydney siders Melinda has installed blinds in the classroom and it has made a world of difference. It was much cooler in the classroom than the outside temperature.

Using the stash

Here it is Sunday again. I had a most enjoyable two days playing with the rectangles from last weeks post. Check back tomorrow to see how they have been used.

As a by product of cutting all those strips I was able to cut lots of squares which have become tumbler shapes all ready for sewing one day.



To the totals then:-

Week 4

Fabric used 2 1/4 metres

Fabric used to date 6 metres

Goal for 2010 Use 100 metres

Head on over to Judy's to see how others are doing.

Design Wall Monday

If you read my stash report yesterday you would know my week has been filed with cutting lots of rectangles.

Here's what my wall looked like on Saturday



and here it is again on Sunday night.



More progress has been made tonight but I'm too tired to put them up for a picture.

So what are they to become. A foundation pieced circle with 100 different fabrics. Wish me luck in my class this week as I am no great fan of foundation piecing but I am going to give it one last try. Check back next week to see how I did.

Using the stash

This week involved a lot of cutting for a class I'm doing this week at my local store Quiltsmith with Sue Ross.

The preparation involves cutting 100 different 2 1/2 " by 4 1/2" rectangles. I have about 70 cut so should get them done by Wednesday.

Cleo loves activity so she had to get in on the action this week.



To the totals then:-

Week 3

Fabric used 2 3/4 metres

Fabric used to date 3 3/4 metres

Goal for 2010 Use 100 metres

Head on over to Judy's to see how others are doing.

Cleo thought you might all like a close up of her gorgeous face!

She's looking cross as she doesn't like the camera but how I love her.

Design Wall Monday

Still nothing much on my design wall but that's because I'm still hand piecing. We are finally getting some warm weather so I have been sitting outdoors and stitching. This is block number eight in my tessellations quilt. Not quite finished yet but you can see what it is going to look like. I think I have decided on 16 blocks so almost halfway there.



Head on over to Judy' to see what others have been working on this week.

Using the stash

Well here we are week 2. I bought absolutely no fabric this week. That doesn't mean I haven't been tempted. Lori is sharing a pattern for a doll quilt that I intend to make. The setting squares are a solid cheddar and I own absolutely none. I was going to shop and then remembered this bundle from last year of chromes and cheddar. Mightn't be solid but will work so tomorrow I will start cutting.



To the totals then:-

Week 2

Fabric used 1/2 metre

Fabric used to date 1 metre

Goal for 2010 Use 100 metres

Head on over to Judy's to see how others are doing.

Design Wall Monday

Yes I'm back again this year. I have to say posting something each Monday has proven to be a great motivator for me.

I could show you a picture of last weeks top with the borders on - well I could if they were on yet! I do have them cut out so should get them on soon but then again maybe not.

So this weeks show and tell is not on my design wall it's on my table.

When I saw this book before Xmas I knew I had to own it. Loving it to pieces and will provide lots of inspiration for the future.



I love this quilt and it just so happens something similar is one of the projects I will be working on in class this year. I will say that the class quilt does not have anywhere near the amount of hexagons that are in this quilt. Can't show you a picture of that pattern yet as I respect my teachers right to ask us not to photograph current class projects. People pay a lot of money for classes so makes sense to me.



So what have I been doing this week. Hand piecing hexagons. They're my first love and it has been truly relaxing stitching them together. My paths are pink so here's a sneak peak. I'll show you again at the end of the year and we can see how much progress I have made.



Now head on over to Judy's to see what others have been up to.

A new year and it's the stash again.

Long time readers of my blog would know I started last year with good intentions of using some of the stash and publishing the results and fell off the wagon in August. I have pondered why and came to the conclusion that it was making me feel miserable when buying new fabric! This was because I was also documenting how much I bought and the truth is I feel absolutely no need to do so.

I do what to use the stash but also I know myself well enough that I will continue to buy fabric just as long as they keep making it. So I have a new plan for this year.

Everything that I owned as at the 31st December is now considered as stash. If I buy fabric during the year just because I want it it will also be considered part of the stash and counted as an out. If however fabric is bought for a specific purpose it will not be considered part of the stash and so will not be counted. Clear as mustard - probably not but I understand my own rules.

One of the things I am going to do in an attempt to use some of the stash is make some scrap quilts. The first one I have started on is inspired by this one of Kathie's. I'm hoping I will become braver with my fabric choices during the year. I have a tendency to want to match which leads to blandness often.

I did make a start on it - as you can see progress will be slow LOL.



Week 1

Fabric used 1/2 metre

Goal for 2010 Use 100 metres