Stash Report Week #36

I added some fabric but used more fabric this week with a few finishes! Some of the finishes were small and others were bigger. Feels good to finish up projects in the sewing room!

My report:

Fabric added this week: + 1 yard
Fabric added this year: +148 yards

Fabric used this week: - 15 yards
Fabric used this year: - 212 yards

Net Fabric for the year: - 64 yards (used)

What I accomplished this week:

• quilt and bound Corvette quilt
• made 2 companion pillows
• made 1~4 corners apron
• made 3~luggage tags
• made 1~coin purse
• made 5~cancer tote bags and arm pillows
• pieced 8~4 patch posey blocks

Goals for next week:

• finish quilting Signature Stars QOV
• piece 4 patch posey into a flimsy
• quilt and bind 4 patch posey
• start piecing DS's bed quilt

I made some progress this week in using the stash but with the Holiday gift season approaching, I will be buying more fabric to reflect the interest of others as I make the gifts...stay tuned for a Fall *to do* list.

Mail Call!

I won Stephanie's from Scraps blog Movie Trivia Contest back in July! and look at all this yummy loot! Thanks Stephanie!

She was a sweetie and waited until I arrived home from my August adventures before mailing out the package. Everything is really cool and the chocolate covered cranberries? I ate about half of them while I was checking out the goods!

Stephanie usually has a Movie Trivia question on a Saturday post then will post the answer on Tuesday. Head on over to Stephanie's blog, it's fun to see what movie she picks out every week to highlight. :)

5 in a Line-Up...

...and ready to be chosen!

I finished 5 tote bags with arm pillows (inside) to be donated to the local hospital Breast Cancer Treatment Center.

When a new patient arrives at the Center, they are given an opportunity to choose a tote bag to place the abundance of paperwork they receive during the first visit. This is part of the charity work sponsored by my Day Guild.

WIP Wednesday

I finished stitching back the binding of the Corvette quilt for Show and Tell today.







DS picked out a fun *police theme* print for the back. I quilted it with the Popcorn panto from Willow Leaf Studio.




He also asked for a couple of pillows. When I ride in the corvette, my back needs a little extra support in the bucket seats. :) I followed Jacquie's of Tallgrass Prairie Studio tutorial...Quick Dishtowel Pillow Tutorial...except that I used the cotton fabric to match the inner panel of the quilt. You will need to scroll down and the link is in the right hand sidebar. The pillows were quick and easy to make following Jacquie's directions. I'm thinking it would be a fast way to decorate for the holidays...just simply change out the pillow covers.

Finished Just in Time

The Quilt Club at Ben Franklin issued a summer challenge. Our challenge was to find an antique apron, whether from our mother, grandmother or aunt, and to make a new apron. Everyone that joined in the challenge would be eligible for a gift certificate to the Ben Franklin. The aprons would then be used as a display in September in the store.

My mother no longer has any of her aprons. She gave up baking a few years back. My mother-in-law only had one apron at the cottage, so I didn't want to take hers. :)

I found this rather funky one at the local antique mall. I was liking the glove material and the dish towel sewn into the waistband. I'm not sure if it is an antique, but I really *grooving to* it! :)

For the current apron I used the Four Corners Apron by Vanilla House Designs.









Here is the apron I made using red and green chili print. I used black yo-yo's as the embellishments as I didn't have any black buttons in my stash. I figure that I can use this apron as a Christmas gift! One gift completed, not sure ?! how many more Christmas gifts to make! :)

A Few Small Finishes and September 1st View

I have a few small finishes to report.

First, DD asked for a couple of name tags made from the fabric she found at Fabric Depot. One will be for her backpack and the other will be for her flute case. She is in fifth grade this year and is eligible for band.

Second, DS asked for a change purse for in his backpack. He will keep assorted coins so that whenever he wants a drink from the vending machine at school, the change will be ready and available. I choose the casino coins simply because I had black thread in Baby and it *sorta* went with the print. :)

September 1st view out of the kitchen slider door. We have had a few cool nights (in the lower 40's) and the plants are starting to wane. That and I do believe, that DS *forgot* to water when we were away last month. :)

School started today for DD and last Wednesday for DS (He is attending a local college this year). I was trying to decide, when is the official end of Summer and the beginning of Fall. When the kids are back in school? or after Labor Day? September 21st? with the Fall equinox? In any event, I will need to review my Summer *to do* list and start on my Fall *to do* list. :) I seem to focus better when I have a list to work from as I like to cross *finishes* off the list!

A Little Bit Quilty

After 3 false oils of the longarm, today I sewed two rows of Popcorn (Willow Leaf Studio) on the Corvette quilt!

It's not a lot, but it is a start!

Stash Busting Report Week #35

More stash enhancing and nothing finished...

My report:

Fabric added this week: +4 yards
Fabric added this year: +147 yards

Fabric used this week: o yards
Fabric used this year: -197 yards

Net fabric this year: -50 yards

What I hope to accomplish this week:

• quilt Corvette quilt
• bind Corvette quilt
• make companion pillows
• sew an apron

The apron would be due at my Wednesday meeting...let's see how I progress with my goals since it's been about 4 weeks since I had any quilty goals! Wish me well! :)

Check out this awesome GiveAway at Mama Spark's blog to celebrate her 400th post! On second thought...don't! as I want to win the Robyn Pandolph FQ Bundle! just teasing! sorta! :)

Family Vacation

On Saturday, August 15th, we headed north through Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, across the Mackinac Bridge and arriving at the Family Compound in the evening. When we arrived, BIL,SIL and their kids had a wonderful fire built. We spent some time around the fire catching up then off to unload our luggage.

Sunday was a day at the dirt track and on the boats, although a storm kicked up right as the group was arriving back at the cottage.

Monday, 9 of us loaded into Grandpa's motorhome for a tour of the UP (Upper Peninsula of Michigan). We travelled to Saint Saulte Marie, Mi and went through the Soo Locks boat ride. My friend, Maureen and DH had just visited here and it sounded like fun, plus DD had just learned about the Soo Locks at school. Visit Maureen's travel blog for some great pictures...you might need to scroll through a few pages as she has visited many places since Michigan.


We also visited Whitefish Bay and a few brave souls walked in Lake Superior! (ummm...not me!)






Not to be discouraged, Grandpa drove the few extra miles to Tahquamenon Falls, both upper and lower. They were very pretty and worth the drive to visit. After a snack of ice cream, we loaded back into the motorhome and arrived in Saint Ignace, Michigan for the night around 9:00 pm.


Tuesday was our day on Mackinac Island. 7 chose to ride their bikes while my MIL and I decided to visit shops on foot. We had a wonderful, peaceful serene lunch overlooking the gardens and water. (no pictures as DH took my camera---he was a biker---as he left his in the motorhome). I even ate half of a whitefish sandwich! definitely a big step for me as I usually don't eat fish of any kind!

Wednesday and Thursday were cottage days. My SIL has a wonderful stamping/card making area that DD and I we able to play with. Thanks, Auntie El for sharing your stash with us!

I visited a thrift store in search of an apron, but alas, none was to be found.

What followed me home was a yard of this kiddie novelty fabric (for 5ocents) and

this quilt.

Now I know WHY I must label my quilts...if the quiltmaker had labeled her quilt~I would know so much more about it!









I also have a stash of coffee mugs...so naturally a few followed me home. :)









Friday and Saturday we travelled south for a visit with my family. One niece was having a birthday party so it was fun to see most of my family at the party. My sister was also in town, visiting friends.

Sunday, DD had a *rider request* for a stop. A fun little town with only a party store/ice cream /gift shop. :)

Well one last photo...who can resist the Chicago skyline as one sits in traffic?!

Hope you enjoyed my trips as much as I did! Now to get back to sewing and quilting!

The Days Between Vacations...

...were spent doing laundry for four and a full day at the Wisconsin State Fair.

The first load of laundry that I did, I managed to flood the laundry room. After I cleaned that up, along with 3 years worth of lint under the washer and dryer, I worked on the wash. At about 3:00 pm, DS noticed that his DVD case (and movie inside) were wet! OMGosh, the flood dripped down into the basement and soaked about 10 of the drop ceiling tiles. DS was wonderful and got the ladder and removed the soaked tiles. At about this time, the Grandparents arrived. They were a welcomed diversion from my *crisis* I was dealing with.

This latest flood just re-inforces my opinion that *water is evil* and it seeps/soaks everything/everywhere when given the opportunity!

Thursday, August 13th was our day at The Wisconsin State Fair. DD took a friend and the only picture I took was the two of them in the SkyRide. We always look forward to the SkyRide and this year, we rode it 4 times! :) We did visit the Crafts Building where the quilts, woodworking, baskets, sewing, jams, bread, flowers, fruits, vegetables, cakes and just about anything one might imagine was entered into the fair for judging. We also went into the building that features Wisconsin made products and another that has the vendors in it. The last building has the 4H displays and some kid's make it/take it projects~which were popular with the girls. We also watched pig racing~what a hoot! is all I am going to say about that! We decided to skip the animal barns this year as the allergies were acting up for DD and myself! and neither of us remember to take the allergy meds before going to the fair.

Friday was the finishing of laundry.

Saturday we packed and headed out on the family vacation!