It's Another Sunday Update!!

I know, I know... Its been a LONG time! No excuses, just life! At present, I am playing nurse, chauffeur, cook and house keeper to family members who needed help after surgery. All of that doesn't leave too much extra time. I did manage to take a walk the other night and capture the photo above.

I have been mostly working on my hand projects. For the Joseph's Coat applique quilt, I cut out the remainder of the background squares then made up groups of 'melons' for each so that I don't end up with duplicates in one block. I have completed 26 blocks to date and continue to work on them whenever I get a chance in the evenings.

I have also done a few more pieces for my 'Many Stars' EPP project using 60 degree diamonds. That one continues to be a slow work in progress.

STASH REPORT for Week 43 
Used fabric for a few more melons needed for the Joseph's Coat and I cut 20 more background pieces.

Used this week: 1.9 M
Used Year to Date: 37.06 M
Added this week: 0 M
Added Year to Date: 26.72 M
Net used for 2010: 10.34 M

Be sure to check Judy's blog to see all the other stash reports this week!

Catching up

I have not been in the sewing room now for almost a month and has been well over a month since my last post! I had such great plans for quilts that I was starting...  I started sewing the "Between Charming Friends" quilt. I know - everyone else who was doing them are long finished but I like the quilt and had a charm pack to use. It's still in the same state on the wall as it was a month ago.

Start of Between Charming Friends quilt

Instead, I have been working on bookkeeping for my daughter's business. They had a major fire in their building and need everything caught up for insurance. The end is getting close now so hopefully, I'll be able to get back to doing some "FUN" stuff soon!

Update on my Stash Report....

Used this week: .65 M
Used Year to Date: 35.16 M
Added this week: .25 M
Added Year to Date: 23.47 M
Net used for 2010: 8.44 M

New Quilter

It's Sunday again! I've been busy this week helping my Grand-daughter Leah (16) make a quilt. She is doing great and I'm so proud of her! Because of her quilt, I haven't had much opportunity to work on any of my projects but that's ok. I'll have lots of time after she goes home next weekend to do any sewing I want. I'm sure going to miss having her around. I'm planning to do a post with pictures and daily progress of her first quilt.

This week, the purchases I made were for her quilt. Most everything came from my stash until she decided she wanted purple setting blocks and I just didn't have enough of any one on hand. She also found a neat black & white print to use in her quilt. I'm hoping that we can find something in my stash to use to piece the back yet too.

STASH REPORT for Week #32

Used this week: 5.6 M
Used Year to Date: 34.51 M
Added this week: 3.0 M
Added Year to Date: 26.47 M
Net used for 2010: 8.04 M

Check Judy's blog for all the stash reports this week.

Quilt Two-step

This past week I decided to use up a charm pack that I have had around here for a long time. I had been admiring all the "Between Charming Friends" quilts that were done and decided that one of those would be great for using up the charm pack of 'Midas Touch' by Ro Gregg for Northcott that I had. When I looked at the instructions, I realized I needed two charm packs... I figured I would never be able to find another charm pack the same as it is a few years old already.  Scrap plan #1 for now and move on to plan #2.

Plan #2 was to join in on the "Charm Quilt-along" on Freckled Whimsey. I have 3 charm packs of L'Amour by Sandy Gervais for Moda that I'd "won" on ebay and had no idea what I was going to make with them. This quilt-along is perfect! All I needed was some background fabric so, off I went to the quilt store.
When I walked in and started looking around, I spyed some charm packs and... GUESS WHAT? There was a single charm pack sitting there of Midas Touch! Of course I bought it and decided to go back to plan #1, the Between Charming Friends quilt. I couldn't remember how much background I needed exactly but picked up 2.5 meters. I rushed home and began cutting.

I cut a whole bunch of 5" squares for the first step, or so I thought. When I checked the instructions on Charming Chatter to find out how many I needed, I discovered that I was cutting for the plan #2 quilt on Freckled Whimsey and NOT for the plan #1 Between Charming Friends quilt. OK then... rather than waste all of that cut background, it looks like I'm going to be doing both. Thankfully, the antique white background I bought works well with both sets of charm squares. I ran back to the store and picked up some more of the same fabric so I'd have enough to do both quilts.

I cut up all the Midas Touch squares and realized I was 2 squares short. I found some black with a gold metallic swirl pattern and cut 2 charms from that. Phew! Thank goodness for stash!  I've sewed the 12 four-patch blocks required and got the strips joined for the 16 patch blocks.

Thats when I decided I needed the design wall to lay these blocks out so I can get good balance. Problem is... my double four-patch is still not all put together and is still on the wall.

 

OK, so I stop everything in order to sew the double four-patch quilt top together to free up the design wall. I had sewn all the vertical rows together when I had to stop for the night.

Does anyone else work like this?? or is it just me? Always seems to be three steps forward and two back.


STASH REPORT for Week #31
Somehow I've confused things and missed week #30 altogether but, there were no changes to report anyways.

Used this week: 9.05 M
Used Year to Date: 28.91 M
Added this week: 6.4 M
Added Year to Date: 23.47 M
Net used for 2010: 5.44 M

Check Judy's blog for all the stash reports this week.

Lost & Still Not Found

Since I have never showed this project, I'm presenting it today. This was a kit I purchased a few years back and finished all the hand appliqué and stitching on it in about July of 2008. It seems now though, I have misplaced it somewhere plus I couldn't find the finished picture either. This next one shows the appliqué partially done...

I'm going to have to go digging in some boxes downstairs to see if its down there somewhere! Hmmm, maybe I'll find the other missing pillow too. Does anyone else loose stuff like I do??

Hope everyone is having a great Sunday and a wonderful summer. I don't have much to update on the stash today. The past week has been a total wash as far as getting any quilting done. It's just been too hot!

STASH REPORT for Week #29
Used this week: 0 M
Used Year to Date: 19.86M
Added this week: 0 M
Added Year to Date: 17.07M
Net used for 2010: 2.79M

Check all the stash reports on Judy's blog.

Who Matters?

There comes a point in your life when you realize
who matters,
who never did,
who won't anymore, and
who always will.
 So, don't worry about people from your past,
 there's a reason they didn't make it to your future.
Author Unknown
 

Sunday.... Again!

Do weeks pass more quickly in summer? I've managed to catch up a little with Hazel's Diary Quilt-along finishing block 6 and 7 plus the last 6 alternate blocks. I'm not sure I like my fabric choices for Block 7 (on the right). I may end up re-making that one at the end when I see what fabric I have left over.




Then,  Block 1 has been bugging me since I made it so, I decided to try fixing it. I took it apart and re-oriented the yellow and teal. Now I like it more!! See original here.



STASH REPORT for Week #29
Used this week: 1.2 M
Used Year to Date: 19.86M
Added this week: 0 M
Added Year to Date: 17.07M
Net used for 2010: 2.79M

Read everyones reports on Judy's blog.

Even Small Steps Forward Is Progress!

A little bit of sewing has been happening here and I do mean a little! I needed a clothespin bag and, instead of being patient and waiting to find the one I really wanted to do (see my previous post), I just went ahead and created a utility version. This is my new clothespin bag! Nothing too fancy, just used a fat quarter and some bias tape I'd had sitting around for a long time.

Two more blocks for Joseph's Coat were appliquéd this week bringing my total to 19 now. My hopes of doing 3 or 4 blocks a week have not materialized. Since I had to use 2 different background fabrics, I need to figure out what backgrounds I still need to cut and out of which fabric before I start assembling my first two rows. The last thing I want is to have to take them apart again...

Block 5 for the Hazels Diary was completed. Now I am only 3 behind...

My oldest grandson (13) is staying with me for a few weeks and I'm doing my best to try to keep him busy. That means doing things like cleaning out the garage and doing some repair work around the house instead of sewing. He's already washed both the car and truck twice by hand just for something to do!  Wonder if he'd like to learn to quilt??

STASH REPORT for Week #27

Used this week: .36 M
Used Year to Date: 18.66M
Added this week: 0 M
Added Year to Date: 17.07M
Net used for 2010: 1.59M

I've LOST it!!

I've heard that it happens to everyone but, it seems to happen to me LOTS. I have been wanting to make a new clothespin bag for a while already as the old one is totally wrecked has seen better days. It was a replacement I made for the original one purchased many moons ago. The old replacement has lasted at least 10 years so, I figure it's time for a new one.

The one I want to make is nicely lined and is really cute. OK, all I need to do is go to that website where I have seen that really cute clothespin bag with the tiny appliqued clothes on a line on the front of it. I have seen it many, many times, always right there in the side bar of ??her?? blog. I went to all the usual sites I visit... not there. Where the heck is it?? Not even google could help me find it. RATZ! Guess I have to figure something out for myself. Do you know where it is?  **Edited - the tutorial I was looking for is by Joanne at Thread Head HERE**


About those PhD's...  How is it possible that six months are over?? Another thing that I seem to loose is TIME. I started the PhD Challenge sponsored by Myra at Tactile Pleasures in Fabrics in January and set a goal of 6 projects to be finished in 6 months. Sounded doable to me. I managed to get two done early on but, since then, I have not had any more finishes. (Insert red face here.) Here are the pictures of my two project finishes for the challenge.












Not very much to show for six months.... One tote bag and one tablerunner.

Maybe I will do better in the next six months?

Flooding, Scraps & Stash

I live in the area of Southern Alberta where there is a lot of flooding happening right now. Its not a good situation for many people. I am fortunate enough to live on higher ground and shouldn't experience any problems. There is a news story about it HERE on CTV News Calgary for today and yesterday. Just click the play button on the video player that comes up. I'm not sure how long they keep their top stories but would think several days.

I decided to do some organizing this week of all my scraps... not that I really have all that many, but I thought they should be sorted out a la Bonnie Hunter. I have one of those four drawer plastic organizer thingies so figured that would work. When I pulled out my pathetic pile of scraps, I discovered that I wouldn't even come close to filling those drawers, even the shallower ones. Guess I need to make more quilts to create more scraps?? I will probably just use the video organizer boxes that I have been storing the unorganized scraps in. I'll divide them up into size categories and mark the boxes. Maybe one day I'll have enough to do something with...

I did find  LOTS of those 'bonus' triangles that I'd saved so, during my TV time, I'm sorting those into sizes so I can hopefully create something - perhaps a pinwheel quilt. One may be a mini as the triangles will make 1" blocks. Why on earth do I feel compelled to save these bits of fabric? Most people throw away a lot bigger pieces than these! Perhaps it was from the early lessons I learned from my parents:

 Waste Not, Want Not

 OR

Use it Up,

Wear it Out,

Make it Do or

Do Without 

Stash Report for Week 25

Yikes, almost to the half-way point of the year! Nothing used or purchased again this week. Haven't done well on the PhD (UFO) finishing front either as I've only done 2 of the 6 I had wanted to finish by the end of June. I did manage to finish one more block for my Joseph's Coat project but all of those fabrics have been counted already.

Used this week: 0 M
Used Year to Date: 18.3M
Added this week: 0 M
Added Year to Date: 17.07M
Net used for 2010: 1.23 M

Have a look at how everyone else is doing with their stash reports on Judy's blog.

Sunday Confessions

Somehow, two weeks has gone by since my last post! Not sure where all the time runs off to... sure would be nice to find a whole lake full of it and dip some back out. I love this picture. I took it in BC near Chilliwack during an off-road adventure several years ago. Doesn't that log just look like a sculpture of an animal?

I've been sewing Klosje blocks by hand in the evenings these past two weeks. There are another 13 done which makes my total now 27. At a finished size of 3 1/4" each,  I'm going to need quite a few of them to make anything. Guess I should decide how big a quilt I really want! Something is saying.... wall hanging.

There are two other hand projects that I have been neglecting - Joseph's Coat and Diamond Stars as nothing has been done lately on either of these. I'm going to aim toward getting another 3 or 4 JC blocks appliquéd this coming week. So far, 16 of  the 48 needed are done.

My Stash Report for Week 24
The net amounts have not unchanged from my last report on May 30th. I suppose nothing new purchased can be seen as a good thing!

Used this week: 0 M
Used Year to Date: 18.3M
Added this week: 0 M
Added Year to Date: 17.07M
Net used for 2010: 1.23 M

Check out everyone's reports on Judy's blog.

Not sure anyone is really interested in all of this but, the accountability is good for me! It is, hopefully, how I will stop creating more half-done projects. Your comments are a big help to me as well! *hugs*

Last Sunday of May 2010

Wow... Can't believe that it's almost the end of May already.

I have been knitting a bit again this week. I made this dishcloth from a pattern I found by Dave at Criminy Jickets. I was a bit disappointed after it was done, but not because of the pattern. There were some knots in the ball of cotton I used and it seems that, each time I came to a knot, it was a different dye lot. I didn't notice the differences until it was done. Why do yarn companies do that?? Also, I found the cast on edge to be not so nice. I later found an alternate way to begin this pattern at Tinker Tots. I'm going to try it again with this alternate start.

My evenings watching television have produced 4 more blocks for my Joseph's Coat quilt.

Most of my hand stitching time has been spent making Klosjes, 14 of them so far.  Each block finishes at 3 inches. I have another 30 or so cut out and ready to sew once I get the match points marked on them all.

It seems that this week, I am sitting perilously close to the brink of going into the 'gain' side of stash usage, or should I say stash gainage? Not only that, but I am way behind on my PhD's for the challenge. Fabric in those is already counted as used unless I need to add something like borders to one of the UFO's so, finishes don't count towards the stash report totals.

I've been in a bit of a slump here again. Some days, it is difficult for me do accomplish anything as I seem to have no drive to do much at all. The past week has mostly been dreary and dark accompanied by lots of rain. All I know is, I could REALLY use a good dose of HAPPY!

My fabric purchase this was 4 M of plain white for backgrounds plus 4 FQ's of mottled brights. Perhaps I need a cheery quilt to work on? Or, maybe the purchase was just to get that bit of a 'fabric happy' when you are in a quilt store looking at all the wonderful things they have there. I know my purchase will not be a waste as it will be used at some time.

I've been looking at a lot of simple quilts using just plain white muslin as a background and then cheerful bright colors in squares or zig-zags etc. Here are links to a few I really like:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/redpepperquilts/3648528058/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/theblueberrymoon/4214469628/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/67604797@N00/4362916659/ 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/67604797@N00/4231949740/ 


I know I shouldn't be thinking about starting something else when I have so much not finished. Not sure how others manage to keep themselves on one project until it is completely done...



WEEK 22 STASH REPORT
Used this week: .5 M (for Klosjes)
Used Year to Date: 18.3M
Added this week: 5 M
Added Year to Date: 17.07M
Net used for 2010: 1.23 M

The Latest Virus

Klosje Fever started in Holland where many have been afflicted over the years. It seems that now, due to the internet, it is spreading swiftly throughout the world. I have seen reports of the fever affecting those in all parts of  Europe, Austrailia, United States and Canada.

Many seem to be affected more on one particular day known as Zaterdag in Dutch. On this day, people, the majority of whom seem to be women, are compelled to devote their day to making Klosjes. The effect of Klosje Fever causes you to forget all your promises and resolutions about starting new things. Your fingers begin to itch. You find yourself digging through your supplies and, before you know it, you have one in your hands. One Klosje leads to another and another.

It seems that I have also been afflicted by Klosje Fever. Those cute little Klosjes find their way into your brain, your heart and very quickly, your hands. Before I knew it, I too was spending my Saturday working on them.

For more information regarding Klosjes, go to  Valentina's Corner.

My stash report for Week 21:

Used this week: .25 M (for Klosjes)
Used Year to Date: 17.8 M
Added this week: 0 M
Added Year to Date: 12.07M
Net used for 2010: 5.73 M

Check Judy's blog to see what everyone else has reported this week.

Checkerboard Dish Cloth Pattern

This is a pattern I made up for my granddaughter so she could practice this prior to making a bigger blanket. If you try this pattern, please let me know if you find the instructions easy to understand.

Checkerboard Dish Cloth

with Seed Stitch Border

 by Edna @ Needling Things

1 50g ball Worsted Weight 100% Cotton (such as Lily Sugar 'n Cream)

1 pair size 4.0 mm knitting needles (US #6)

Two stitch markers

Large eye darning needle

Cast on 42 sts loosely

Row 1 – *K1, P1 repeat from * across row.

Row 2 – *P1, K1 repeat from * across row.

Repeat rows 1 & 2 three more times for a total of 8 rows of seed stitch.

(For ease of knitting, place a marker after the first six seed stitches and before the last six seed stitches on the next row. On all following rows, slip the markers from one needle to the other to keep them in place.)

Row 9 – Work 6 stitches seed stitch (as in row 1) marker, K6, P6, K6, P6, K6 across to last 6 stitches, marker then 6 stitches seed stitch (as in row 1) to end.

Row 10 – Work 6 stitches seed stitch (as in row 2) up to marker, P6, K6, P6, K6, P6 across to marker then work 6 stitches seed stitch (as in row 2) to end.

Row 11 to 16, repeat rows 9 and 10.

Row 17 – Work 6 stitches seed stitch (as in row 1) up to marker, P6, K6, P6, K6, P6 repeat across up to marker then work 6 stitches seed stitch (as in row 1) to end.

Row 18 – Work 6 stitches seed stitch (as in row 2) up to marker, K6, P6, K6, P6, K6 repeat across up to marker then work 6 stitches seed stitch (as in row 2) to end.

Row 19 to 24, repeat rows 17 and 18.

Row 25 to 32, repeat rows 9 to 16

Row 33 to 40, repeat rows 17 to 24

Row 41 to 48, repeat rows 9 to 16

Row 49 to 56, repeat rows 17 to 24

Row 57 to 64, work seed stitch as in rows 1 to 8. (Stitch markers can be removed on row 57 as they will no longer be needed.)

Cast off and weave thread tails in using large eyed needle.

I hope you enjoy using or gifting this washcloth!

    

Copyright 2010 by Edna McFall. Permission is granted to make and sell items from this pattern provided that credit is given to me as the designer. Permission is not granted to reproduce the actual pattern, or post it, or distribute it, without my express permission.