Stash Busting Report Week #15 and Q#3 D2

I thought for today, I would combine my stash busting report and Quilt-a-thon #3 Day 2. It seems that although I have been piecing a few tops together, I did not quilt any tops. I decided to count the fabric out of my stash when the piece is quilted but perhaps not bound. That's my story and I sticking to it!

The report for week #15:

• fabric received in: 7 yards


• fabric used: 0 yards (oh my!)


• net fabric for the week: +7 yards

Net fabric year to date: -23.5 yards (used)

What I accomplished this week:

• pieced pineapple blossom to a flimsy


• sewed binding back on kitty biker strippie


• cut then sewed 1/2 of Lake Country mystery


• sewed kitty 9 Patch Pizzazz to a flimsy (with the ZFAB's :) )
  

Goals for this week:

• practice quilting (a carryover from last week)


• cut and start piecing floral Disappearing 9 Patch


• continue piecing Lake Country mystery

Now for the Quilt-a-thon Update (are you still with me?)

I was able to cut a few of the florals pieces and

I did manage to sew 1 block together! well, I have almost all the florals cut, the 'green sash' blocks and the 'dirt path' blocks.

Amazing how long it took me to cut this many!

but when I finish cutting this pile then I'll be good to sew a few of these quilt tops together.

Quilt-a-thon #3 Day 1

Today JudyL hosted Quilt-a-thon #3. Today was also the cyber-sew-in for the ZFAB's. The ZFAB's had chosen to make the Lily Pond Quilt from Judy Sisnero's 9 Patch Pizzazz.

I started sewing at 8:30 am central time and at 10:00 am I had my 'dancing' and 'mooshy' 9 patches completed. (I had sewn strip sets the day before but cut and completed the 9 patches today.) After checking in and chatting a bit, I headed back downstairs to the sewing room.

At 12:30 pm, I took a lunch break and had sewn my inner top together! Just the borders remaining. I really didn't think I would progress so far and as a result, I hadn't thought too much about the borders. Time to go to the closet...I was stuck because this quilt (when finished) will be joining Pam's M2M and I didn't want it to be too girl-y. So I choose a multi-colored dot on black. not sure I like the borders but sometimes, finished is a good thing.

At 3:30 pm, this is my end result. A quilt top flimsy that is about 46 x 53!

Thank You to the ZFAB's for inviting me to the cyber sew-in today! It was fun, 'fiend' :)

My Birthday October 17

Your Birthdate: October 17

You tend to find yourself lucky - both in business and in life. And while being wealthy is nice, you enjoy sharing your abundance with others. You put your luck to good use: you are very ambitious and goal oriented. Often times, you get over excited and take on more than you can manage. Your strength: Your ability to make your own luck Your weakness: Thinking you can do it all Your power color: Bronze Your power symbol: Half Moon Your power month: August Find out what your birth date means here.

Update on Lake Country Mystery and 9PP Prep

I was able to sew two more churn dashes on my Lake Country mystery quilt. I also put the sashing on the flannel cuz I wanted a pix so I could remember the placement. Then I thought, why not just sew it together this far? So I sewed half of the inner pieced blocks together. I still need to make 6 more churn dashes but at least now I know what the placement is when I pull the parts out of the shoebox :) This is a pattern that was shared by one of our members so I don't 'know its origin'. If you know, please leave a comment. I would appreciate it. This quilt should finish in the range of 55 x 70...a better size for a teenager to snuggle in!

I also did some prep work on my 9 Patch Pizzazz for the FAB sew-in. I took Pam's advice and placed the bigger pieces on the flannel for a 'map' of how it should go together. I wonder why don't I ever follow directions?! This would be easier if I had! Instead my focus and companion fabrics for the big pieces are the same (a whole lot of kitties are playing here) while my focus and companion fabric for the 9 patches are different from the big pieces, my pink is blue and my green is yellow...are you confused yet? I know I am...LOL. Maybe check back in over the weekend and 'see' if I can sort through it all and produce a quilt top :)

I sewed my 'dancing strip sets' and my 'mooshy strip sets' but no stitching the 9 patches 'til morning :)

9 Patch Pizzazz Weekend

The ladies of the FAB's (Pam, LindaJ, Norma, and Cher) graciously invited me to a cyber sew-in with them this weekend.

We are making the Lily Pond Pattern from Judy Siserno's 9 Patch Pizzazz book.
We all received one yard of the challenge fabric...yellow with white dots and blue stars. I'm using the cats as my focus and companion fabrics, the yellow with stars as the main 9patch fabric, the blue and pale yellow to make the remaining parts of the 9patches. One set of patches should be 'bright' and the other 'mooshy' according to Judy Siserno. We will see how I do as I think I'm not a real 'mooshy' color person, if you get my drift. Our completed quilts will then be donated to Pam's Mission to Mexico (or M2M). If you haven't stopped by and checked out what Pam does...hop on over...it will warm your heart that the needs of children in Mexico are being met one loving quilt at a time :)

WIP Wednesday on Thursday

WIP Wednesday...well it's already Thursday but I'm usually a day late and a dollar short! What can I say?
In any event, I choose to do a patriotic color scheme for the Lake Country Mystery today (Thursday). This was as far as the directions gave. I cut for the 4 block wallhanging but I might add blocks to make it throw size. DS is commenting that all the quilts in the family room are too short...they are mostly my first quilts that I made and back then I didn't make anything bigger than 40 x 50 so I guess it is time to make a bigger quilt or two for those people in my family who are taller than 5' 2" :)

John Deere Tractor, Laundry and Sewing Slug

What do the John Deere Tractor, the laundry and a sewing slug all have in common?

ME!

Last week, I was definitely slug material as I got very little done in the sewing room!

While I was waiting for the tractor to be delivered from winter storage, I did my DH's laundry.

Must have been about 2 weeks since it was last done!

I was also able to sew down the binding of the kitty biker quilt since I wanted to stay on the main floor and wait for the tractor delivery and babysit the laundry (you know, take it out of the dryer as soon as it's dry instead of letting it get all wrinkled).

At noon, still no tractor so I headed downstairs to the sewing room. I was able to sew the borders onto the green/white pineapple blossom quilt for Rachel's Graduation from Michigan State University this May. (sorry for the design floor picture but it was too big for the flannel in the sewing room :)

I'm happy to say that the binding and borders were two goals that I wanted to accomplish this week. yeah, two down about a gazillion to go :) I was also motivated to cold-call a few possible Presenters for my day guild. I booked one Presenter for November 2008 and left messages for two more possible Presenters! That feels good to get the ball rolling on programs for the 2008-2009 year.

Stash Busting Report Week #14

I seemed to have lost my focus in the sewing room this week and as a result, I have a few carryover goals heading into the new week. My report for this past week follows:

• fabric received in: 3 yards
• fabric used: 5 yards
• net fabric for the week: -2 yards

Net fabric year to date: -30.5 yards (used)

What I accomplished this week:

• quilted 1 Tiny Teddy Panel
• machine sewed binding to front of kitty biker strippie
• pieced a 4Patch ISPY to a flimsy

Goals for this week:

• hand sew binding back on kitty biker strippie
• piece Green/white pineapple blossom to flimsy (this is a carryover)
• practice quilting on Tiny Teddy panels (this is a carryover)
• find, cut and begin piecing for day guild mystery (oh my...due Thurs!)
• cut and start piecing a floral disappearing 9Patch

I also have a few miscellaneous items to take care for my day guild this week. I better get to it so that I will have something to report on Thursday :)

What Was I Thinking?

I machined sewed the binding on the third strippie quilt and now I have the hand work to do. What was I thinking when I brought this fabric? Sure the girl biker kitty on the back is pretty cute and in some way reminded me of a time when I used to ride on the back of our bike.

So I ask you...how did I miss this 'cat' smoking his cigar?! Please forgive me to whomever will receive this quilt...at least my heart was in the *right* place even if I did overlooked this 'cat with a cigar'!

Pam asked, "What is under your cutting table?" Well, Mary has these wonderful mesh bins. Me? Recycled paper grocery bags with 3 x 5 card labels sorted by color families...maybe someday I will upgrade! Oh...I also spy a little bit of cuttings trash and some, is that fabric?, in a priority mail box!

WIP Wednesday

It seems there are many projects waiting patiently for me in the sewing room...

a strippie quilt to be trimmed and bound...

fabrics to be pressed...

quilts to be quilted.

Yet I find myself not doing any of these things but instead *playing* with 4-patches and 6.5 inch I SPY type squares :)