Stash Busting 2009 - Week 26

This news is only a week late, but Matthew and Lily got married last weekend. They had a wonderful ceremony in the redwood grove at the Berkeley Botanical Gardens. Lance officiated the ceremony and I thought it went really nicely. Lily was just beautiful.

Here's a picture of the ceremony. We were concerned because there was no sound amplification allowed, and we thought maybe people wouldn't be able to hear Lance speaking, but he had everyone sit as close as possible (why do people always sit towards the back first?), and it turned out just fine.

Last Saturday (the day before the wedding), my friend Lori had invited the ladies from class to go up to her house to sew. She has a wonderful house with lots of light and room to sew. We sewed and ate and chatted for hours. I had a great time. I did all the cutting on a quilt for the next class session and was able to make all of the blocks. Yesterday I was able to put all of the blocks together, and I picked up some fabric for the borders. I really wanted to put those borders on today, but wasn't able to get to it. I think I'll count the stash out for the body of the quilt, and I'll count out the borders next week (provided I get them on the quilt by then).

Fabric in this week: 1.33 yards
Fabric out this week: 3.00 yards

Fabric in this year: 19.83 yards
Fabric out this year: 15.75 yards

Class Show & Tell

Here are some more pictures from the last quilting class a couple of weeks ago. First up is a quilt that was made by Laurie, a new recruit to the class. She brought this project, and boy was she organized! She had each block pre-cut and each packed into its own baggie with the corresponding pattern. The blocks are small (maybe 8" each??) and all different. Each block has a special meaning and they all relate to her life story. Her piecing was superb. There is a lot of detail in the blocks. I didn't compress the picture, so you should be able to click the picture to make it bigger.


Next is Irene showing her finished (except binding) Buzz Saw quilt that she made from the project that I presented last summer. Looks great!! Irene is on a UFO finishing binge!

Here's another top that Irene finished. I had presented this project last year, but some of the newer students hadn't seen it, so I brought it back as a bonus project and a few people made it. This one looks great - the medium color in each block is a ladybug print and she pulled all of the colors from that fabric. She is thinking of appliqueing some small ladybugs in the border. Can't wait to see how that turns out!

There were lots of great projects completed this time around but unfortuately I didn't get pictures of all of them. I need to remember to bring my camera to all of the classes and not just the last one!!

Stash Busting 2009 - Week 25

I've never really tried to add a lot of pictures to any of my posts, and it looks like I'm limited to a certain number. I'll add more pictures to the next post.

Last week was the final class for the spring sewing session that I teach. We're off for the summer now and it's always a little sad to know that we won't be seeing each other for a few months, but the last class is always fun with lots of show and tell and a pot luck. I have door prizes and we draw for quilt blocks that we have made. I think this was my best session yet -- a good time was had by all. Here are some pictures of quilts (mostly tops or "flimsys") that people brought to show. Below is Lori with a project that she put together from a pattern she got through a program at one of the local quilt shops. I can't remember the name of it, but it is just wonderful.


Next she showed her version of one of the quilts that I presented this session. I called it Novelty Boxes. Very fast and easy.


Oh dear, here she is again with another project that I presented this time around. String pieced green squares alternated with applique flowers. Very pretty!

Here's one of my new students, Tippy, basting a quilt to be hand quilted over the summer. She quilted years ago and is getting back into it. It's been a while - she had never seen a rotary cutter!!

Here's Susan's quilt that she made for a challenge that one of the local quilt shops was having last year. We had never seen the final product, so she brought it in to show us. Nicely done, Susan!

I have more pictures for the next post, too.

On the stash busting front, I did pull a piece of fabric out of my stash to use as the focus fabric for a quilt for class in the fall. Unfortunately I had to buy two pieces to go with it. I did get all of the blocks made, but not put together yet. I'll have to count it all out when it's done, which will be soon -- maybe next week???

Fabric in this week: 4.00 yards

Fabric out this week: 0.00 yards

Fabric in this year: 18.50 yards

Fabric out this year: 12.75 yards

Stash Busting 2009 - Week 24

One more block on my Dear Jane quilt done this week -- M12. This was a pretty easy block. I could have pieced it in the normal fashion, but I went ahead and foundation pieced it so that I would be sure that everything would fit on the first shot. It looks like a little blip in the middle seam line, but that's just a pressing issue.

I had ordered some freezer paper sheets that can go through my printer, and I saw the fabric below at the on-line shop. I thought this was too adorable to pass up, so I got a fat quarter as an impulse buy. Oh well, I guess I just can't help it. So that's just one quarter yard added this week. On the bright side, however, I pulled four coordinating fat quarters out of my stash as a giveaway at tomorrow night's class. It is the last class of the session, and due to my new job and time constraints, I will not be teaching a summer class. So no more classes until September! Sad that I won't see my friends for a few months, but nice to have a little break and time to prepare for the next session.

Fabric in this week: .25 yards
Fabric out this week: 1 yards

Fabric in this year: 14.50 yards
Fabric out this year: 12.75 yards

Dear Jane E5

I finished my second Dear Jane block! It was a fairly easy one. I foundation pieced the strips and appliqued the center. I was able to get it done in a couple of hours at class on Monday night. I must not have put it square in the scanner -- everything really does line up nicely in the real thing! I wonder which one I'll work on next...

Stash Busting 2009 - Week 23

Edited to correct the block name (J3)...

Yay me! I got my first Dear Jane block done this weekend (not including the practice ones I made a few months ago...)! This is block J3, and it has a little piecing and a little applique. I cropped it so you can see what it will look like after the seam allowances are gone. I like it a lot and it wasn't too difficult. I'm on my way! Only 224 blocks to go. Hmm. I'm guessing I won't be as excited after 100 blocks or so.

Unfortunately for my stash busting efforts, I did buy some fabric this weekend. However, it was for the Dear Jane quilt! I got a few fat quarters to add some variety to the colors I have chosen and mapped out for the quilt. I got five fat quarters total, so 1.25 yards added.

Fabric in this week: 1.25 yards

Fabric out this week: 0 yards

Fabric in this year: 14.25 yards

Fabric out this year: 11.75 yards