Stash Busting 2009 - Week 4

Class starts tomorrow night, and I'm finally done writing the patterns -- whew, glad that's done. Maybe now I can do some sewing! Above is the block for our Block Lottery, called Nelson's Victory. It's a pretty simple one, so I hope a lot of people participate! The way is works is, I hand out the pattern, and anyone interested in participating will make the block and turn it in to me. For each block they make, their name goes in a hat. On the last day of class I'll draw a name and that person wins all of the blocks. The funny thing is that the same person usually wins! She's very lucky that way! I just have fun making the blocks and getting rid of some of my scraps at the same time.

Anyhow, now on to the Stash Busting report. Same as last week, nothing in and nothing out. But now that class is starting, I should be able to get some sewing done, so I'm looking forward to that! I want to get that stash busted!!

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 3

For Christmas I got my nephew, Jackson, a little loom like one that my sister and I had when we were kids. You can pretty much just make potholders with it, but I remember Cindy and I making tons of them, and my mom is still probably using them today. There are nylon loops that you stretch across pegs, and then weave other loops across in the opposite direction using a hook. Anyway, it looks like Jackson likes it, and I promptly received one in the mail. Yay! My own potholder! Thanks, Jackson!

And now for my stashbusting report. Nothing exciting this week. Nothing in, and nothing out. I think I was a little generous with how much I busted last week, so I'm reducing that amount in the year-to-date figures.

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

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

Winter 2009 Class Projects

The preview for my Winter 2009 quilting class was this past Monday night, and I had a pretty good turnout. I'm always very nervous before the preview, because it is the night that I have to do the most talking in front of everyone. Most of the other nights I do more one-on-one or small group talking and teaching. But I made it through and everyone seemed pretty excited about the projects that I'm presenting this time around.

Below is a wall hanging of the Carpenter's Wheel block that is all made with half-square triangles instead of diamonds. This one goes together very quickly. I've seen this technique before, where you take a traditional block that uses diamonds and alter it to use half-square triangles, so I got out my encyclopedia of quilt blocks (by Barbara Brackman) and looked for this type of block. I've also seen it done in a Lone Star quilt. It looks pretty big in relation to the other pictures, but it is really only about 42" square.


The fish quilt was designed by Mary Johnson and I just love it. Mary's so creative and I am always inspired when I visit her blog. I haven't quilted it yet, but I have a lot of ideas for quilting and embellishing. I even busted some stash with the fabric for the fish! I bought the blue background fabric because it was just perfect with little circles and dots that look like bubbles.

Last I have a quilt that my mom made that I adore. It is such a simple quilt, but really wonderful. Now this is a stash buster for sure. I am using hers as a sample for class, but I plan to make one of my own in short order. A friend of hers did some really lovely quilting on with her DSM that really enhanced it.

There is no class next week, as the building in which I teach is closed for the holiday, so the first class of the nine-week session will be held on Monday, January 26, 2009 (6:00 pm - 9:00 pm) at the Veterans Memorial Building in Redwood City, CA. If you are local and are interested, just drop in to the first class to enroll. See you there!

Stash Busting 2009 - Week 2

Bear has decided to help me out with my stash busting efforts. I wonder what he's working on...

Okay, so I really didn't think I'd fall off of the stash busting wagon so early in the year, but I didn't realize that my local fabric shop was having a 40% off sale last week until I happened to be in there on the last day for a block-of-the-month meeting. Now I ask you, how can anyone pass up 40% off at a quilt shop??? I do have to say that I was really good though. I only bought a couple of neutrals that I can use for backgrounds for the scrap/stash quilts that I am planning to make this year. Another plan of mine is to make the Block of the Month quilt that is being featured for members of The Quilt Show. It is a wonderful medallion quilt with a feathered star center. I strolled around the store looking for fabrics for that quilt, but then decided that I would try to make the entire thing from my stash. Yay me!!

I may have bought two pieces of fabric on Saturday, but I also just finished a project for class that used a bunch of pieces from my stash. I started it late last year, but since I just finished it this weekend (and I need some motivation) I'm going to count it "out" this week. So my final figures are as follows:

Fabric in this week: 6 yards
Fabric out this week: 2 yards

Fabric in this year: 6 yards
Fabric out this year: 2 yards

Stash Busting 2009 - Week 1

So in keeping with Judy's stash busting challenge, I will be posting my progress every Sunday. Today marks the end of "week 1", however, this "week" was only a few days long. Oh, I wonder if everyone else is counting the whole week! No matter, my figures wouldn't change anyway... I have lots of sewing to do, but have I yet? No. I'll try to get some in a little later tonight. However, I'll just be working on projects that are almost complete already. In other words, no fabric in, no fabric out yet. Here's my first report:

Fabric in this week: 0.00
Fabric out this week: 0.00

Fabric in this year: 0.00
Fabric out this year: 0.00

New Year, New Look

For the new year I decided a new look for the blog was in order. I like this template better than the old one. I've also figured out how to put a photo in the header area, so once I find a suitable picture, I'll try that out. Meanwhile...

Bear decided he was going to see what this sewing thing is all about... Pay no attention to my overflowing notions container behind my sewing machine. I'm lucky I got the sewing table cleared off -- organizing the notions will wait for another day.

I got several quilting/sewing books for Christmas this year. Each one was one I had been wanting, so I've been having fun looking through them this past week. I've got so many ideas and so much inspiration now!! If only I had more time to sew! Maybe that's what I'll ask Santa for next year.

Good Bye 2008

I can't believe 2008 is done. It has been a very busy time for me of late. The company I work for is going through a lot of changes, and combined with the busy holidays, I've had little time to do anything, let alone quilting. We had a wonderful Christmas. The family all got together in Tracy at my sister's family's house. It's always fun to see my nephews' excitement on the holiday. Sadly, the batteries in my camera were dead, so no pictures there. I hope to be posting more soon. I have the class projects to finish and I have lots of ideas for quilts that I want to make. 2009 will be a fresh start all around. Bring it on!!

Stash Busting Pledge for 2009

Okay, it's the last day of the year and I've finally decided to commit -- in writing, no less -- to busting my fabric stash this year. Last year I kept this goal in the back of my mind, but didn't make much of a actual dent. But then, I wasn't a very prolific quilter last year. About a month ago I was looking for a particular piece of fabric and I ended up pulling bin after bin after box after bag of fabric. It really started to hit home just how much fabric I have. For the most part, I have my colors separated into large conainers, but if something gets pulled out, it usually doesn't go back in -- instead it gets tucked into a corner or on a shelf out of site. It makes it difficult to see just how much I have. Unfortunately, long ago when I would collect fabric, I would only buy small pieces, which are more difficult to use when planning a new quilt. A lot of us bloggers are having the same problem, so Judy Laquidara is trying to help us all out through her blog. She did the same last year and I enjoyed hearing of everyone's stash-busting efforts. This year I'll join in and we'll see how I do. Wish me luck!!

Cookie Winner!!

Last weekend was my nephew Max's 4th Birthday, which we celebrated at Ardenwood Historic Farm. They were having their annual Christmas Days with special festivities all weekend. One of the things they were doing was a Cookie contest. Anyone interested was to bring a dozen cookies with recipe by 11:00 for judging and winner announcement at noon. Well lo and behold, yours truly won first place with my Ranch Cookies, and my mom won third place!! I have to admit that my recipe was originally my mom's which I tweaked just a little. Above you can see us with our prizes. I got a family pass back into the farm (two adults and two children) which I gave to my sister for their family. My mom won an Ardenwood mug which was made by a potter on their grounds. It was brutally cold until a little before we left, when the sun finally came back out and the wind died down, but we all had a great time and Max was excited about his birthday. I'll put a slideshow in my next post with pictures from the day. Unfortantely I need to do this on my laptop which is not available right now. I hope to have those pictures up soon.

I've been trying to get some sewing done, but for some reason I'm just not very motivated. I did, however, get most of the small class project completed and I'm really happy with it. No pictures lest I spoil the surprise!

I'm sewing finally

Yes, I'm finally sewing at home. I'm not sure why, but I've been in a real sewing slump lately. I just haven't felt much like setting up my sewing machine at home. I mostly have been traveling with my machine and supplies (to class and my mom's house) so it all usually stays in the car. This weekend I finally set myself back up at my dining room table and did some sewing and it was great! Above is a picture of the progress that I've made on the quilt my mom chose (see previous post) and my newly, if not only partially, cleaned off work area. The unfinished projects, patterns, and stray fat quarters were closing in on me. It doesn't look very clean in the picture, but then I didn't dare take a "before" picture for comparison.

And now for a picture of the blissfully happy Bear, whose main happiness seems to be laying on a reclined lap.

Birthday Sewing

Every year for my sister's and my birthday, my Mom puts together a quilt project for us to work on at her house. We were finally able to get together this past weekend for this year's project day. It's always a wonderful day with sewing and laughing and eating. The project is a surprise until we get there and everything we need is provided by my mom. We had a great time as usual.

Above is the sample of the quilt that my mom made. The fabrics for our two are different from hers and will look really different. I didn't finish my top, but I can't wait to see how it will look.

I snapped a picture of the project that I mom was working on that day, which I thought was really interesting. She'll cut the strata in a curve and piece in another fabric, if I understand it correctly. I'll be interested to see how that turns out.

Pink Basket

I made this adorable little pink basket this weekend using all fabric from stash! The tutorial was listed on Sew Mama Sew's Handmade Holidays that I posted about earlier this week. It was very quick and easy. Go here for the tutorial, but be sure to check to Sew Mama Sew! daily for new ideas. In addition to the links to the tutorials, they also have a link to something related to the day's theme to buy, a recipe and an opportunity to win a prize each day.

Election Day 2008

The time is finally upon us. We've endured over a year of tireless campaigning. We've been inundated with information, both false and true. Millions upon millions of dollars have been spent. Now is the time. I can't urge my fellow Americans enough to go out and vote today. It is an honor and privilege to even be able to vote, and in my mind it is just not an option not to vote. I have strong opinions about who and what I am voting for, but regardless of anyone's opinions, you just need to go do it. I actually find it fun to go to the polls. If I have to stand in a long line today, I might change my mind on that, but for now I like the ritual of physically going and casting my ballot. Go Democracy!

Handmade Holidays 2008

Handmade Holidays is back over at the Sew Mama Sew! blog. Just like last year, there will be links to tutorials every day of the November for items to make for the holidays. I loved looking at the site every day for new ideas. I ended up making many dishtowel aprons as well as crayon rolls. Stop by to see what's new!

PIQF 2008

The Pacific International Quilt Festival was held last weekend at the Santa Clara Convention Center. Oh how I look forward to this event, and this year was as wonderful as ever. I've prepared a slide show again this year. It looks like I took 81 pictures. The worst part of the show is the lighting. I found that if I turned off the flash, the quilts looked closer to real life. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that you have to hold the camera extremely still when there is no flash. Quite a few pictures turned out blurry, but not too bad. I'll have to remember that for next year.

edit: These slide shows tend to show very small in the blog. If you double click on the center of the picture, you will link to the web album and see much bigger and clearer pictures of the quilts.