2010 Quiting Year in Review

In January, I posted my Quilter's Code.

Let's see how I did!

A. Promise Quilts and Things. Made a few quilts and things for family/friends. Still need to make a few more. Seems like I just can't say, 'No'. but hey, that's okay! :)

B. Gift Quilts. Made a few gift quilts, piano teacher, 6th grade teacher, birthdays. I love to make a quilt for special occasions that occur.

C. Donation Quilts and Things. Made a few Cancer Recovery totes, a few QOV's for Alycia and few children's quilts for Carin at Margaret's Hope Chest.

D. Dinosaur Projects. I actually used *older* fabric and made quilts for the children of Margaret's Hope Chest's Prison Ministry. A perfect fit for me!

A good quilt year for me. and yes, I did use over 100 yards from the stash! yea!

HAPPY 2010 EVERYONE!

WIP Wednesday

Well...WIP Wednesday really is an oxymoron for me today! I have NO works in progress nor do I plan on starting ANY!

I did arrive home safely with only minor traffic slowdowns and a bit of a snow squall through Chicago. :) Since then, I have been enjoying the Milwaukee Admirals' High School Hockey Showdown as my local high school was invited to participate. Turns out the neighbor boy~young man~ plays on the high school team and is a pretty good skater! There are also a few home games this week for the Ads~

What is a post without a picture or two?!

Here is my quilt-y haul this Holiday Season. I've gotten to the point in quilt making (10 years now!) where I need to start replacing my tools. A few new rulers as the markings are worn off the old ones, a nine slat ruler holder, just a few 60 mm blades :), the rotary mat~my old one actually had grooves at the zero mark on all sides where I *true* my fabric and the latest book in the Elm Creek series! Pretty good, I'd say!

I'll be back later in the week for my 2010 Year in Review along with some 2011 Year Goals and Winter 2011 goals...see you then...

Stash Report Week #52

Congratulations to Everyone!

We are at the end of another sewing year! woohoo! Personally, I can hardly wait to start all over again at zero and watch my *numbers* grow...in both directions...! :)

Fabric added this week: +3 yards
Fabric added this year: +312 yards

Fabric used this week: -3 yards
Fabric used this year: -429.5 yards

Net fabric for the year: -117.5 yards! woohoo!

What I accomplished this week:

• completed various Holiday gifts...no links as all this is scheduled to appear. :)

Goals for next week:

• none...I'm on vacation!

Happy Holidays! and Happy New Year!

Last of the Christmas Gifts...

...I made the two runners from my MIL's cow fabric, as requested. :)

I wasn't quite sure of a pattern so I simply, framed out 6.5 inch squares so as not to chop up the cute cows. I then alternated the cows up versus down. I sewed the borders on *backwards* to me so that the cows are actually standing correctly when one is sitting at the table and looking at it!

I quilted it with Happy Times panto from Willow Leaf Studio~their website is down for maintenance otherwise I would link back. :)

I also gifted my MIL this Christmas quilt. My friend, KathyW made the blocks and I sewed borders on it. I also quilted and bound it. A good gift for my MIL as she orginally gifted this Holiday fabric to me~many moons ago! :)

Here is a little closer picture of the orginal fabric. Just about used it all up, too. :)

panto: Popcorn from Willow Leaf Studio

A Few More Gifts

I made a few more backpacks and gifted them to a few members of my family. One is a Hostess Gift~to our party hostess. The others went to my *out of town* relatives for the *After Party Party*. An unusual tradition that my family keeps. After the large family Chiristmas Party, all the *out of town*ers gather at my Mom's house and exchange gifts~again!

Although *no one* claims to know exaclty how the *After Party Party* started, I theorize it began as a way for my brother and his family to celebrate their Christmas while away from their home when the children were small. :) Their children are no longer small but the *out of towners* gather at my Mom's and exchange small gifts to each other.

I also made some luggage tags to go along with the backpacks.

Let's not forget the potato steamer bags, too for this group!

Winter Solstice

Today is the Winter Soltice
.

Today I would normally review my goals for the last three months and set new goals for the next three months. Seeing that it is so very close to the end of the year, I think I will wait and Review The Year then set goals. Sound like plan?!



Please be patient with me as I am knee deep in trying to finish my sewing projects for gifts! If you leave a comment I will be delayed in responding...thanks for understanding!


Image from Google Image Search: Winter Solstice.


Article found here.

A Few Gifts

My family traditionally opens our gifts to each other the Sunday before Christmas Day since we are usually out of town visiting our relatives! Well~for the past 7 years that is!

My quilty gift this year is this wonderful packet of Island Batiks Fat Quarters from DS and his GF! Aren't the fabrics just yummy! It will definitely take me a year or two to make a quilt so that I can enjoy this pack as long as possible!

Next up is the Dog Quilt that is a combination gift for DH and DD. They gifted me the dog border fabric Christmas 2008. DH has been after me to make something~so ta-daa! As you can see~DD immediately took possession and it is on her bed. :)



*They* will have to work out the joint custody arrangement!

pattern: Mock Trip Around the World by Quilting Assistant.

panto: Happy Times by Willow Leaf Studio (site down 12/21/10)

Stash Report Week #51

Okay! Are you ready?!

Fabric added this week: 0 yards (woohoo!)
Fabric added this year: +309 yards (ouch!)

Fabric used this week: -18 yards
Fabric used this year: -426.5 yards

Net fabric for the year: -117.5 yards! (used!)

What I accomplished this week:

• some really BIG Holiday gifts~pictures after gifted!
• some really small Holiday gifts~pictures after gifted!

Goals for next week:

• believe it or not~finish some Holiday gifts :)

The Christmas Whirlwind Continues...

...I've been baking, binding, sewing on labels, wrapping and making

potato steamer bags!

shhh! one of these just might be for you or someone you love! :)

DD and I are taking a break tonight to cheer on our favorite team! Go ADS! :)

WIP Wednesday

Bindings!

I finished the binding on Super Secret project #1...yea!

Now onto the bindings on Super Secret projects #2 and 3~but first there is laundry, grocery shopping, band concerts, labels, birthday card making, holiday cooking and shopping for presents!

Hang in there with me! Our whirlwind Holiday Season is upon us! :)

Stash Report Week #50

Wow! 50 weeks of stash reports~where has the year gone?!

Fabric added this week: +5 yards
Fabric added this year: +309 yards

Fabric used this week: -8.5 yards
Fabric used this year: -408.5 yards

Net fabric for the year: -99.5 yards

What I accomplished this week:

• bound Purple Treasures
• pieced and quilted Super Secret #1
• pieced Super Secret #2

Goals for next week:

• bind Super Secret #1
• quilt and bind Super Secret #2
• work on more Holiday projects!

Sorry I can't share more photos in posts but, some gifts need to remain secret! I'll share after the Holidays, pinky promise! :)

A New Start...

...of another Super Secret Project.

The cow fabric was gifted to me by my MIL with the stipulation that I make her a table runner! The cows are pretty cute, eh?!

A Little Peek...

...of one of my super secret quilting projects.

Block parts here and border fabric here. I am quilting with Happy Times panto from Willow Leaf Studio.

Do you see anything wrong with this picture?!

Yep...I'm about 3 inches longer on the top than the bottom~not a good thing!







Right about then I was grateful for a few things:

a. I was quilting this and could fix the problem

b. When asked at JAF the other day, "Would you like the remnant?" I said , "Yes" . Although I really didn't want to have to count *it* *in*. :)

c. Valerie has zippers on her canvas leaders~till this point I had never zipped it on or off for that matter.

d. I was able to sew a little more to the bottom and managed NOT sew in the top, batting or canvas! and I did actually sew the right sides together! :)

e. I had started this secret project early enough in the day so that I could fix the problem, finish the quilting and hide it away before the giftie (DD) arrives home from school!

This is much better, agreed?! I was running a little close on the batting, too. Glad it was the backing that needed the extension and not the batting!

So after about 30 minutes I was able to quilt the last row...and now it is time for lunch.



Have a wonderful weekend, all!

The Milwaukee Admirals play a 3-in-3 weekend...that means they have a game Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday afternoon! Tonight is in Rockford, Illinois but Saturday and Sunday's games are at the Bradley Center~you'll find me at the rink this weekend!

section 206 on Saturday and section 220 on Sunday...if you do, indeed, need me! I'll be ringing my cowbell! :)

Go Ads!

WIP Wednesday

I finished the binding on the Purple Treasures. All I need to do now is make and sew on the label! One step closer to completion!

pattern: Crumb blocks

panto: popcorn from Willow Leaf Studio

Design Wall Monday...

..er, Design Sewing Cabinet Monday!

Parts for the newest quilt are ready to be sewn together.

Stash Report Week #49

Eh gads, gang!

I'm going in the wrong direction!

Fabric added this week: +10 yards
Fabric added this year: +304 yards

Fabric used this week: -2 yards
Fabric used this year: -400 yards

Net fabric for the year: -96 yards

What I accomplished this week:

• pieced Purple Treasures to a flimsy
• made 4 cowbell bags

Goals for next week:

• quilt and bind Purple Treasures
• work on more Holiday projects

I Had Great Plans...

...but, they didn't happen!

I was going to sew and quilt the day away with the FAB's as we make a *push* with our Holiday sewing. Before breakfast, I did manage to sew the last Traveling Tote (pattern by Terry Atkinson). These little beauties are flannel lined so that our cowbells won't get scratched any more than they currently are, when I cram them into my Milwaukee Admirals' game bag. The black one is my cowbell~I'm currently collecting players' signatures and when it's filled then I will paint a clear protective coat on it.

Instead, DH brought up my Holiday decorations containers. Now Mary, Joseph, the Shepards and Wise Men are awaiting baby Jesus, the stockings are hung by the fireplace, the Nutcrackers are standing watch, my Santas are all collaborating on gifts, the sleigh bells are hung by the door, the Santa plates are in the cupboard along with my holiday coffee mug collection and the lighted garland is placed in the mud room~all ready to Welcome the Holiday Spirit into Bell Creek Quilts.

Today Mother Nature did not disappoint as we are covered with about 3 inches of snow. The first of this season! :)

Purple Crumb Treasures Update

I finished piecing the Purple Treasures quilt to a flimsy. I had originally thought that my purple scraps wouldn't have enough variety for my liking but I do like it! Although I still have half a box of purple scraps~I can at least *see* the dent I made into my purple box!

:)

Sometimes I wonder exactly *how many* crumb quilts are actually lurking in the scrap boxes waiting patiently to be made and loved by someone...

A little stash addition, too. The dots are for the back of the Purple Treasures, so it will have a quick turn around but...the hockey fabric! It was on sale and being a hockey girl...just how could I resist?!




+4 yards dots.
+6 yards hockey :)

+10 yards total added.

Holiday Cards!

As you may or may not remember, DD and I have ventured into the world of card making. DD is also scrapbooking but I figure, one scrapbooker in the family is plenty to preserve our photo memories! :)



Many THANKS to my very talented friend, Maureen (craft blog here and travel blog here) for sharing her Holiday card ideas and directions! Isn't she awesome!

Thanks again, Maureen!

WIP Wednesday

All the 6.5 inch purple crumb blocks are complete!

Design Wall Tuesday

The start of the Purple Treasures quilt, DD picked the color. :) good choice, I say!

The Blue Treasures quilt is here.

The Green Treasures quilt is here.

Stash Report Week #48

My MIL gifted me 8 yards of the cow fabric! The only stipulation is that I make her a table runner from the fabric...I think I can do that! Now to start researching a table runner pattern that will work with the directional cows :)

I also added a yard each of the purple and teals. DD suggested a purple Treasures Quilt for the Christmas exchange with green sashings but when I saw this purple and teal on the sale rack...well, it just followed me home for this project.



Fabric added this week: +10 yards
Fabric added this year: +294 yards

Fabric used this week: -1 yard
Fabric used this year: -398 yards

Net fabric for the year: -104 yards

What I accomplished this week:

• two *me* bags

Goals for next week:

• work on Christmas gifts!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate!

Have a Wonderful Day to ALL!

Some *Me* Sewing

With winter almost upon us, it was time for a winter themed backpack, right? I tried a *new to me* applique technique demonstrated at the Groove Girls club last Monday. A Terry Atkinson take on applique where you layer the applique fabric right side up, the background fabric right side up (the applique fabric is on top of the background fabric)then the applique shape wrong side to wrong side of background fabric. I pinned it all together. really good. You then zig zag around your shape, cut away the extra applique fabric and ta-da, a raggey applique. I left the snowflake raggey, but I could have zig zagged over it for a more finished look. I am now out of the black cording~figures, right?~so I am testing the white cording to *see* how that works. I also made a matching lanyard for my keys since the fabric was out and Baby was threaded with matching thread. :)

I also wanted to try out a new pattern by Terry Atkinson~Stand and Stow. I made mine Christmas-y so when I carry my *stuff* to guild (and wherever) I will be in the holiday spirit. :) This is the medium size tote.

Stash Report Week#47

I shopped a little and I had two finishes. Another somewhat, balanced week.

Fabric added this week: +7.5 yards
Fabric added this year: +284 yards

Fabric used this week: -17 yards
Fabric used this year: -397 yards

Net fabric for the year: - 113 yards (used!)

What I accomplished this week:

• quilt and bound Triple Treat Petite
• pieced, quilted and bound Blue Cypress
• posted quilts to Margaret's HOPE Chest

No goals for this week as the family will be home (DH off work, DD & DS off school) for our Thanksgiving! Enjoy your week in whatever you choose to do! :)

Blue Cypress

Although it was a little cramped at the computer last night, while I listened to the Milwaukee Admirals play the San Antonio Rampage (game results here), I did complete the binding on the Blue Cypress quilt.

Blue Cypress is a free pattern from Lyn Brown, part one here and part two here. If you haven't had a chance to visit with Lyn, please do! She offers many free and interesting patterns. :)

You will not be disappointed!


I do wish, however that I had used more tone on tone prints in this Blue Cypress. Since it uses fq and I cut from yardage, I have enough for another Cypress Quilt already cut and bundled.

panto: Ebb and Flow from Willow Leaf Studio.