My New Look

I have spent some time today playing with my blog. Hope you like the changes and don't be surprised if more show up in the near future. There are now tabs at the top of the page and I'll be adding more as I gather information that I want to put in them.

To my surprise, I discovered today that I have DOUBLE DIGIT followers!! Thank you all so much for choosing to follow my blog. You have made my day!

Just for fun, I created a new Wordle Cloud from my blog. I just wished I knew how to make it appear bigger here but you can click on it to see it larger.

Stash Report for this week

All of my quilting time this week has been spent on finishing more blocks for my Joseph's Coat quilt. All of the fabric I used has already been reported. The picture above is a few of my finished blocks laid out to show how they will (eventually) look when they're all joined together.

Due to the sudden arrival of warm weather here, I have been spending much of my time getting lawns done and flowerbeds ready for planting. It's hard to believe that two weeks ago, we had some major snow and now today it is 25C, flowers and trees are blooming! Both of my neighbors are already running their air conditioning units. I've enjoyed sitting outside in the evening this week working on my applique for my Joseph's Coat.

My projects to finish for the PhD Challenge are falling behind. In order to meet the number I committed to, I will need to do at least 2 this month and 2 in June. I'm not sure if that is possible but will hopefully I can find a bit more time now to work on those.

My Pink Lemonade quilt is still hanging on the design wall. How long does it take for a project to switch from being a WIP (Work In Progress) to a PhD (Project half Done) to a UFO (Un-Finished Object)?? Is there a guideline somewhere? I've also fallen behind by two whole blocks on the Hazels Diary Quilt-along. I guess I'd better get off of here and go work on something!


WEEK 20 Stash Report
Used this week: 0 M
Used Year to Date: 17.55 M
Added this week: 0 M
Added Year to Date: 12.07 M
Net used for 2010: 5.48 M

Check out how everyone else is doing with their stash busting efforts on Judy's blog.

Mother's Day Stash Report

Another week has slipped away somehow.  Thanks to the generosity of my sister, my special little companion dog was able to have some much needed surgery this week so I have been playing nurse to her. She's feeling a lot better by today and almost back to her 'normal' self - doing her best at bossing me around.

While she was at the Vet's, I was able to spend about 4 hours in one of my favorite places - Deanna's Quilted Garden in Brooks, AB. Although Deanna was not in, Shirley kept me company between the many customers as I worked on my Joseph's Coat blocks in the classroom. Most of those customers wandered back to chat with me and find out what I was doing. It was great to visit in person with other quilters again!
Of course, when you are in a quilt store for numerous hours, it's pretty hard to leave without buying anything! I did my best to resist but still ended up with a couple of FQ's and a few other smaller remnants that I thought would go well into either my Joseph's Coat or my Diamond Stars paper pieced project. Somehow, just bringing those little bits of fabric home prolongs the feeling of the wonderful day I had on Monday.


WEEK 19 STASH REPORT

Used this week: 0 M
Used Year to Date: 17.55 M
Added this week: 1.17 M
Added Year to Date: 12.07 M
Net used for 2010: 5.48 M 

See how everyone else is doing with their stash busting efforts on Judy's blog. 

Sunday Stash Update and Fun on the Farm

Just in case all you really want to know is how I'm doing in my efforts at stash reduction, here is my report that covers three weeks this time. (I'll explain how that happened again farther down for those who might be interested...)

Unfortunately, not a lot of stitching has been happening. I've done a few more blocks for the Joseph's Coat quilt but still have lots to do. I have 14 of the 48 done now and have another 8 blocks prepared so I can continue on. My progress is really slow but at least it's progress!

Week 16, 17 & 18 STASH Report

Used this week: .8 M
Used Year to Date: 17.55 M
Added this week: 3 M
Added Year to Date: 10.90 M
Net used for 2010: 6.55 M

Not a lot compared to some others but I am happy with what I am using up and enjoying my (slow) progress on my projects!

Check out what everyone else has done this week at Judy's site.

NOW... about the last few weeks....   
My sister had asked me several weeks ago if I would be able to come to her home to care for her husband while she attended a conference. I was more than happy to do that. I was to be there on Thursday... BUT, on Monday, this area of Southern Alberta was hit with a huge snow storm.

There was more than a foot of really heavy, wet snow and then the wind picked up. The result was many downed power lines and even power poles that were snapped right off at the ground. Most of this devastation happened within 10 miles of where my sister and her husband live in a rural area. As a result, they were without power starting late Monday. When I arrived on Thursday, there was still no power. Since my brother-in-law is on oxygen all the time, they had a generator set up to run the oxygen machine and the furnace fan. Even though the furnace is gas (propane actually), it needs electricity for the fan to work or you still don't get heat.

She also has 3 deep freezes and, of course the fridge in the kitchen. Too many items to have plugged into the generator simultaneously. As a result, I was continually changing what was plugged in to try to keep everything cold or frozen.... and, at the same time... hauling gas to keep the generator going. It was very hard work until the power finally came back on late Saturday.

My sister also had another commitment this weekend so I've been here again since Wednesday. Fortunately, there is power although there was yet ANOTHER snow storm in Southern Alberta! Luckily, the worst missed us here and we mostly just experienced very strong winds (up to 90 km) and rain with a bit of intermittent sleet. I think we are getting March weather in April and May this year. Last week, everyone was out cutting lawns and doing yard work.... gotta love it!

Sunday Stash 'n Stuff

It's been almost two weeks since my last post and Easter has come and gone. The blocks for my pink and yellow quilt are still on the design wall in the guest room and I am still moving a few around. My only excuse for not posting is that I have not been doing anything in the way of quilting. It seems that my body has decided to ache non-stop for the past week, joints swollen etc. so it was difficult to get enthused about much of anything.

I did manage to pick up some knitting (as it doesn't require using tiny needles and thread) and, even though it was a little uncomfortable, managed to finish the second slipper to a pair that has been sitting around here for well over a year. Just as I was completing it, I discovered I had missed a portion of the instructions but, it looks like I did the same thing on the first one too so I am going to just leave it. I'm hoping they will fit someone. They are called Sasquatch Booties and I'm sure that kids will really like them.

Then, I finished knitting a cotton dishcloth that was half-done and started another with a pattern I created. My granddaughter Leah (14) has started knitting and now wants to make a blanket. I thought it might be a good idea for her to practice the stitches used in the pattern she picked, so I made up a dishcloth pattern using those same stitches. I decided I'd best make one from my instructions to be sure I had things right before I gave it to her! If anyone else would like to test-knit one, let me know!! Just remember that I am NOT a professional pattern writer and any input would be appreciated.


Week 14 & 15 STASH Report

Used this week: 0 M
Used Year to Date: 16.75 M
Added this week: 0 M
Added Year to Date: 7.90 M
Net used for 2010: 8.85 M

Be sure to check out how everyone else has done this week with their stash use on Judy's blog.

Finishes this week - 1 pair knit slippers, 1 knit cotton dishcloth.
Starts this week - 1 pink knit dishcloth

Does Your Stash Need a Manicure?

There is a brand new blog just starting for those who are looking to 'manicure' their stash.

The idea behind the Stash Manicure Challenge is to help give you a reason or challenge to eliminate some of your stash plus a place to share and find ideas with others doing the same. Best of all, there will be prizes! Pop on over to Stash Manicure and check it all out!

Sunday Stash Report

I did a fair bit of catching up this week. Just this morning I finished Block 4 of the Hazel's Diary Quiltalong mystery. I had more trouble with this block than the first 3. The center part just seemed too small so the block doesn't look as square as it should. But, I really like how its turning out overall with the bright colors against the black background I'm using. I think I might be the only one working with a black background. Check out the Hazel's Diary Flickr Group for more photos from others doing this project.

Here are my first 4 blocks.

To see what else I did this week, check my previous post.

WEEK 13 STASH REPORT

All fabric used this week went into the melons (petals) for my Joseph's Coat quilt.

Used this week:               .50 M

Used Year to Date:      16.75 M

Added this week:               0 M

Added Year to Date:     7.90 M

Net used for 2010:        8.85 M

Be sure to check out how everyone else has done this week with their stash use on Judy's blog.

Catching Up

I've been working on a few things all week in an effort to catch up with some of the projects I am doing.

1. Joseph's Coat - worked every evening for 6 days to get ALL the rest of the melon shapes prepared. I'm done that part of it!! YAY!! Now I can work on the applique...

2. Caught up on "Hazel's Diary Quiltalong". I have finished Block 2 and 3 plus caught up-to-date with Block 4!! These are 6 inch finished blocks so the pieces are rather tiny and can be a bit hard to get the points all lined up and meeting. But, as my Dad used to say... "They'll never see it from the highway!"

3. Finished assembling the feathered star block that was a tutorial on Erin's blog One Piece At a Time. I had a bit of trouble with this as it seemed like some parts were either too large or too small to fit together correctly. My block will probably never lay flat...

I've played a bit with the pink & yellow quilt blocks on the wall. I'm still moving them around a little but I hope that I will soon be happy enough with the arrangement to go ahead and sew it all together.

Pink & Yellow quilt AGAIN

I am still fretting over the placement of blocks in my Pink and Yellow (Disaster) quilt because of the difference in value of the fabrics.

There are many ways to think about laying it out. As it is now, I have the lightest fabrics at the top and getting darker as you get to the bottom. Now, I am wondering if I should try putting the lightest fabrics in the center with the darker around the outer edges... OR I could use a diagonal idea with the colors and start with the lightest at the top left gradating to the darkest on the bottom right. OR, on the same diagonal idea, have the lights and darks of each color going the opposite direction.... **sigh**

Any suggestions are MORE than welcomed!!
 

The hurrier I go, the behinder I get....

Can't believe its Sunday already! Where did the week go??

For the Friday Night Sew-In, I didn't work on what I had originally planned. (More on the ongoing saga of the my Pink & Yellow "Disaster" quilt later..) 

I decided to spend my evening working on the pieces for my Joseph's Coat. I spent a couple hours creating more freezer paper shapes and pressing them on to fabrics. The rest of the evening was spent cutting them out.

I did manage to get about a dozen melons ready to applique. (Pardon the picture... its hard to take pictures when both hands are doing something else. At least my bust shelf is useful as a tripod...) I also spent Saturday evening in front of the tv with the pressing board on my lap getting more melons ready.

I will still have a few more evenings of work to finish preparing the rest of the melons that I need. I thought that, since this is the most tedious part of the project for me, I would get it ALL done so I can just get on with doing what I enjoy, the applique.

WEEK 12 STASH REPORT
All of the fabric I used this week was for the Joseph's Coat project (melons and background).

Used this week:          2.25 M
Used Year to Date:   16.25 M
Added this week:             0 M
Added Year to Date:    7.9 M
Net used for 2010:      8.35 M

Be sure to check out how everyone else has done this week with their stash use on Judy's blog.