Stash Busting 2009 - Week 8

Okay, I finally busted some stash!! Unfortunately, I added some, too. But how can you pass up a gift of fabric? I may not have bought it, but it did get added to my stash, so it must be counted. I finished one quilt top today for the next class session, which used the fabric that I bought last week. Yesterday my mom and sister and I had lunch together at a little restaurant which just happened to be near two quilt shops. I picked up some fabric for my Dear Jane project -- which I promise I will be starting soon!

Fabric in this week: 2.5 yards
Fabric out this week: 2.75 yards

Fabric in this year: 11.5 yards
Fabric out this year: 3.75 yard

Mini-Dear Jane completed!

Here's my completed mini-Jane. I got it done last night, just in time for Lance to bring it to his work today. The pieceing was difficult, but do-able. One of the hardest parts was squeezing the whole top out of the small piece of fabric I had left. I really didn't think I'd get the binding done. It has the absolute narrowest binding I've ever made! I cut it 1" wide and made it single fold. There was not a single scrap left! Anywho, it's done and now I can get started on the "real thing"!

Stash Busting 2009 - Week 7

Oops! I took today (Monday) off work, and because yesterday didn't feel like a Sunday, I forgot to make my Stash Busting report. I went backwards just a little, because I need to get my projects done for the next class session, and I couldn't pull the fabrics I needed from my stash :). But I surely did try!! I went through a lot of fabric, but I just couldn't work it out.

Lance and I also worked really hard on re-organizing our dining room area, which seems to have become my permanent sewing area. I had all kinds of sewing "stuff" overflowing the whole area. We had to make way for a table I bought for my new sewing machine, so we dug in and cleared the whole area out. I'm not good at organizing things (I'm good at paperwork and such, but not "things"), so it was somewhat painful for me to have so many things that didn't have places for them. But we made it through and my table was delivered today (it's nice to work for a courier company!!). It was already assembled, so we just had to juggle the tables and I think I'm finally set. Whew! Can I sew now, please???

Fabric in this week: 3 yards
Fabric out this week: 0 yards

Fabric in this year: 9 yards
Fabric out this year: 1 yard

Happy Valentine's Day

Lance and I had our Valentine's Day dinner last weekend, which I decided would double as my birthday dinner. For those keeping track, my birthday was in October... We have always believed that it is not a good idea to eat out on "holidays" like these. The restaurants are too crowded, you get rushed, and the food is never as good as on normal days. So we are content to do it on at our convenience. As far as today goes, I have been planning to give Lance his mini Dear Jane quilt (four blocks) for Valentine's Day, but it is not finished yet. If I put my mind to it, I can get it done today. So today is a sewing day for me. I'll update with a picture when it's done. Wish me luck!

Fat Quarter Month

So here it is the 11th already and I just realized that February is Fat Quarter Month over at Sew, Mama, Sew! They have daily links to tutorials perfect for using fat quarters. I see pillows, handbags, and today they have a link to a tutorial for slippers. Very cool. Which reminds me, I was going to make my own tutorial for book covers. Hmmm. Stay tuned for that -- but not too soon...

Stash Busting 2009 - Week 6

So here's my new pride and joy! Last week I bought a new Bernina with a stitch regulator. So exciting! I've had my eye on this model for quite a while, and there was a big sale that I couldn't pass up. I've really been struggling with my machine quilting technique, and I really think this should help me out. Next to it you can see the latest Dear Jane block that I made. I've also been playing with my Dear Jane software this week, and I really want to ramp up my block production on this quilt.

Unfortunately, a 4 1/2" Dear Jane block does not take very much stash, so nothing used again this week. I do have an entire quilt cut out and ready to sew tomorrow night. I am determined to count this fabric out next week -- even if I'm doing it Saturday night!! :)

Fabric in this week: 0 yards
Fabric out this week: 0 yards

Fabric in this year: 6 yards
Fabric out this year: 1 yard

Stash Busting 2009 - Week 5

A quick post today for my stashbusting report. We were busy doing lots of things this weekend. I made an exciting purchase that I'll post more about later!

You are all probably tired of the same "nothing in, nothing out" post every week, but it's true again. However, I have been cutting pieces from my stash like mad. I'll count all that yardage out of the stash when the quilt top ("flimsy") is done. Which might even be next week! But in the mean time, here goes:

Fabric in this week: 0 yards
Fabric out this week: 0 yards

Fabric in this year: 6 yards
Fabric out this year: 1 yard