Stash Report 5

Scrap bag, which is going to be used for the Sugar Block Club BOM

Here is my Stash Report through 02/02/2013:

Used This Week:  0 yards
Given this week:  16 Yards

Used/Given year to Date: 35 yards

Added This Week:  6 yards 

Added Year to Date: 10 3/4 yards

Net Used/given for 2013: +24 1/4 yards

I am so excited that I have been organizing my fabric as it has allowed me to purchase less fabrics and get more used up.  I do not count fabric used until the whole project is completed.  I do add in the fabric received for the BOM even though I will not count the fabric used until the whole quilt is completed.

So then why are there pictures of fabric on this post? Well....I was at the check out with baby girl to purchase the scrap bag of fabrics I am thinking will really work for the Sugar Block Club BOM, when I saw the prettiest little wall hanging on the wall right behind the cashier.  It turned out to be a free pattern written by one of the Ladies that works at the store and it uses Sandy Gervais' Flirt line by Moda.  Since I do not have very many valentiney decor, I simply gave in and purchased the materials.  I was thinking that if I hurry up and get it completed this week then I can use it at Miss Z's First Birthday as part of the decor...seems justified, right?  well, I just need to follow through now.  

See ya tomorrow!

*Shanna

Finishes 5

Z's Birthday Dress

So, I set out to get some clothing completed, but as usual I got a little distracted!  I did make quite a bit of headway with her dress, but got stalled at the portion where I need to pin and gather the skirt which is not exactly smart to do with such a curious child about!

I am not really worried right now that Baby Girl will be without clothing as many have graciously supplied her with an abundance of clothing via baby showers before she was born.  Well on top of that we have a doting grandmother and several ladies at my Church who seem to remember Z when they are shopping or go to a garage sale.  My problem this week as I was sorting through clothes is I really had no good place to put her items so time to do a little fabric organization!

February 1st, 2013

I have decided to keep these bins right on the table as you see it now because I think it is going to work for me.  I realized today that I have an idea of what color fabric I need for a project so I only go to the particular bin, not even glancing at the others.  With the bins up I found the perfect fabric for the Sash for Z's Birthday dress (photo above) so I did not have to order as I had intended.  I also was able to add Border fabric to a WIP Quilt Top and find fabric to make the backing right away (Photos below)!

Completed Quilt top

Backing for Quilt

I also was able to add Border fabric to a WIP Quilt Top and find fabric to make the backing right away (Photos below)!  You wouldn't believe how excited I was when I spied a couple fabrics I now plan to use to make the backing for the "Chained" Quilt top I finished last Thursday [POST].  One of the fabrics was actually purchased for that quilt, but I honestly had forgotten about it.  It is so nice to have most of my fabrics organized again!  There are a few bits and pieces scattered about, but hopefully if I can swipe adopt a shelf from the dining room I should have a  place to put all my displaced items (in my own bedroom!!!!) that needs to be to move to make room for Z's clothing in her room!

Not a huge amount of finishes per se, but I feel the fabric organization is worth it!  I did hate to cut into the Yellow, but I would much rather have a quilt back and not be tempted when Z and I go to the Quilt store tomorrow to pick our BOM.  I think I am going to let Miss Z pick out another scrap bag because she has been carrying around the last one every day, stopping to pet her fabric.  I am debating though, should I leave the fabric be or make a little something with the fabric?

Linking up to:

TGIFF Hosted by Laura@Quokka Quilts
WHOOP, WHOOP Fridays @Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Link A Finish Friday @ Richard & Tanya Quilt
Finish It Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts
Fabric Tuesdays @ Quilt Story

It's A Scrapful Life: February

Greetings!  I am getting things organized over here and boy do I like making lists!!  I saw Judy's POST about listmaking last month and I knew I had to join up. You list the 4 things you want to accomplish for the month.  It shortens my UFO list to give me focus.

So Getting it Done:

1.  Sugar Block Club, Block 2
2.  Craftsy BOM, Block 1 & 2
3.  Legacy Sampler, BOM Block 5
4.  Complete Easy Street Quilt Lap Quilt

I hope to:

1.  Finish February Scrap Project
2.  Finish January Scrap Project
2.  Finish 2 additional UFO's

So I am also back with my own challenge for February.  I still have some of that fabric left over from a binge on Moda Scrap Bags a couple of years ago, so I endeavor to find something to do with them.   Here is my challenge for February to myself:

1933 by Chloe's Closet (A Moda Line)

What are your suggestions?  Okay, now your turn, shop your stash and scraps, what will you challenge yourself with this month?  Don't forget to link your finished projects up to the Flickr group:  A Scrapful Life

I have not been great about adding pictures of my progress on my January Project, but they will be added later today.  I am getting close to having this one completed!  I am also very excited because instead of purchasing fabric for the sash for Z's Birthday Dress, I found something that would work from my Stash! [see pictures HERE]

*Shanna

Another Lustful Fabric Moment

Have you ever had a fabric line that follows you around?  I mean everywhere I turn I see little snippets of this line named Simply Color [From Moda by V and Co.] and I actually like it and I think I am starting to fall in love with it!  Even whilst I am trying to clear out my own stash I cannot seem to help drooling for these lovely prints...

Do you think my husband will get the subtle hint that I might want some of this lovely fabric for my birthday if I post pictures of a Fat Quarter set all over the house?  Lets see and I will let you know...

Perhaps I should just link this blog post on his facebook page...lol.  I mean he has until the end of March and then on to our Anniversary in April!  Unless I go strictly with the PB&J line (POST HERE)

* Shanna

UFO/WIP 5

Well I am pleased that I am making progress on some things but let em be honest, I really need a completed project to make me feel a little better!  It will be a bit before I can pick up more batting so the finished tops do not count until they are quilted and bound with nothing left to do on them.  You can see the full UFO/WIP List I am going off for the Finish-a-long first quarter (with pictures) HERE--to be updated next week!!. So lets get some clothing items completed this week!

Playdate Dress:  I had forgotten about this dress until I was organizing

[Updated: 01/30/2013, new pictures added of Z's Birthday dress]

Z's Birthday Dress:  Bodice is mostly completed, skirt is pinned and fitted to space, Sash is completed.    

Z's Birthday Dress:  A close up of the finished Sash by the cut skirt fabric

 When I pulled the left over yardage out I figured out there was enough to cut the same dress for Z's older Cousin!  She has a birthday this summer, but for now we are just making her a coordinating dress!  I used some of the pink yard I bought a couple of weeks ago for the lining and Sash for her dress.  I haven't decided on if I will use a Zipper, Snaps, buttons or velcro.  What do you think works best for a child?  My husband is voting Zipper for Z, but she is turning 2, her cousin is 5 this summer.  Oh, I was so excited that at the last minute I decided not to order the Sashing fabric because I happened to spy the fabric above in my Stash as I was passing by.  I have all the containers open, lidless, and leaning against the wall to iron, fold and organize any yardage that has meandered out of their place or new items I may have purchased in the past couple of years that are just floating around my craft area.  I have to remember to shop my Stash more often!!

C2's Dress:  Bodice is Assembled, Skirt is cut, Sash is complete, waiting on measurements for length

I am linking up to:

2013 Finish-a-long hosted by Leanne @She Can Quilt (Via Flickr when projects are complete)

UFO Sunday hosted by Leah @ The Free Motion Quilting Project

WIP Wednesday hosted by Lee @ Freshly Pieced

* Shanna

Are you thinking of going scrappy this year?  If you have time, link up your posts each month with your own personal challenges.  Check out January post:  HERE

Stash Report 4

Well Miss Z started her own fabric collection on Wednesday (See post HERE)

Pam Kitty Scrap Squares

2 pieces of yardage & 1 charm pack

Here is my Stash Report through 01/25/2013:

Used This Week:  0 yards
Given this week:  0 Yards

Used/Given year to Date: 19 yards

Added This Week:  4 1/2 yards 

Added Year to Date: 4 3/4 yards

Net Used/given for 2013: +14 1/2 yards

Work on BOM's for Monday

Finishes 4 (little Early)

So the goal this week was to finish making my Half-Square-Triangle (HST) String Quilt and finish making a  tutorial for it.  I was almost tempted away from it by Richard's new Color Blast Quilt tutorial [@ Richard & Tanya Quilt] (can be found HERE), which made me want to see if it could be converted into using Jelly rolls or maybe even a charm pack (I certainly have charm blocks a plenty over here!).  I also saw THIS POST over at Amy's Creative Side chatting about her Dancing Stars QAL and I nearly swooned because it is the perfect quilt pattern for my little Kate Spain Designer Bundle I bought in November 2011.  If I can get most of my UFO's either completed or to a completed top for the quilt projects then I am going to start this baby!!

With my Iron blowing up in smoke/leaking like a really bad thing, it really put me behind on my schedule, but that is okay, its not like the USA Financial Cliff that would shut down the government.  When one keeps things in perspective it is a whole lot easier to deal with one's disappointments.  To be honest, I was hoping to get caught up with most of the projects I have been focused on this month.  Although I have only completed 1 top this week, I am so pleased with the advancement being made on the other projects on my list.  I am a little short on time tonight as we are heading out to visit an open house for the school that Miss Z might attend in the fall. A new post is in the works with an updated list with new picture,s of course, that will be posted at the start of February.

Chain Quilt:  Top is complete, back & bindings are is in process, then limbo until new batch of batting.

Linking up to:

TGIFF Hosted by Nat@Made in Home
WHOOP, WHOOP Fridays @Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Link A Finish Friday @ Richard & Tanya Quilt
Finish It Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts
Fabric Tuesdays @ Quilt Story

Be sure to check out all the lovely quilt shops around the world and consider adding your own local Quilt Shop to the blogland tour.  Little Miss Z and I went over on Wednesday to pick up her first fabrics all while snapping pictures for our LQS Day post!  You can see that post HERE

What are your thoughts on quilting this year?  Are you going Traditional or Modern? Precuts or Scrappy?  Sampler projects or Free-form or a Pattern?  This is the year of the scraps & stash for me, so each month I am making a challenge to myself by choosing some fabrics.  Do you do the same?

Visit Your LQS Day!

Miss Z w/ Purse, On the Hunt

Today is Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Day!  In the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex (the little area and towns surrounding these two Large Cities make a nice congested mess) there are gobs of Quilts shops compared to the rest of the world it seems.  Within an hour drive I can reach a couple dozen individual shops, however The Old Craft Store is the one I visit every other week with Little Miss Z.  We have joined the fabric savers club, a Block of the Month Club, and soon I hope to sign up for my very first in-person class!

In celebration of our Local place I gave Miss Z some money and told her that we'd stop by for her very first fabric purchase.  We only had an hour to look around, which is hard for both us material girls as the selection is HUGE.  We chatted it up with the shop ladies right off as they are used to us coming in for a visit.  I had a little trouble with my Quarterly Newsletter making its way to me recently so they generously gave Miss Z a little pile of fabric squares they sent out with the newsletter; they promptly went into her little purse!

The Large Photo Shows what it is like to walk through the doors, 3 smaller shows some lovely displays

The Shop is broken up into 3 long Sections.  The First portion holds the view you see in the larger photo above as you take your first step into the shop.  You can find books to the left of the Right Bottom picture of the precuts.  This area is where one would find Scrap Fabric Packs and end of bolt offerings.  The Store also handles local mail drop off and shipping.  There is a little section behind that still sell gardening seeds and the makings for a very fine vegetable garden. One can see the old metal containers and packaging from the days of the general Store neatly collected in this back area.

Fabric to the right of the Entrance

Fabric and cutting table straight ahead from the entrance to shop

Next we move to the center section:

They make use of every scrap of space hanging projects and class offerings all the way up.  Yet there is room for yet more fabric!  There is also an area for rulers & templates along side individual patterns that might need them.

Oh What a surprise, there is more fabric in this section!

And finally the last section which contains:

The classroom and work areas

A Pattern and notion wall

A bit of more fabric  and  an array of colorful threads for hand-stitchers

new Block of the Month being announced

It is the end of our trip to The Old Craft Store so to the register we head; to the right we noticed a new Block of the Month being announced. Well as it is time for Miss Z to pay for her chosen treasure, a little scrap bag of fabric.   Then we will depart and go home.  Later that night, I laid all of the fabric out to look at the treasures after bath time.  The great surprise came to me when I pulled the squares from the purse to realize they matched!  Already Miss Z has a great memory for she only glanced at the fabric squares a moment before they were closed away!

Miss Z and her chosen"treasure"

The fabric squares the ladies gave Miss Z for her purse when we first arrived

Thank you for joining us for Little Miss Z's First fabric purchase at The Old Craft Store in celebration of our Local Quilt Store!  Continue your adventure at the next LQS with the next blogger on the list HERE.

I am also linking this post up to:
Really Random Thurdays@ Live a Colorful Life

Did you Hear the One about the Dead Iron?

Well, my shark iron is dead.  Really leaking, smoking, dead.  I ran to target and picked up a cheap $10 iron because I really need to get something completed over here!  So back to the grind stone tomorrow...

*Shanna

UFO/WIP 4

Greetings!  I am working on a Tutorial for the HST String Quilt top I showed a peek of on Thursday; I am very excited about posting it sometime this week.  However, as the warm and Natural Batting cache has dwindled to just small pieces and scraps, the quilt tops will have to stack up until I am able to purchase another bolt.  So moving right along to the next projects I want to tackle this week!

I am here to ask your opinion on my projects this week.  I almost have all of the squares squared up to 5" blocks, but now comes time for the assembling.  Which option would you go with from the pictures below?  I could (option 1) sew the squares directly to each other and put a border on the outside to bring the quilt top up to size.  Or in option 2, I add the border as sashing instead.  Any other options that you can see?

Option 1:  Sew squares directly to each other

Option 2:  Sew sashing between blocks

Other projects at the top of the list this week:
Chain Quilt:  Arrange Quad-blocks into a quilt top, determine if sashing and borders are needed.
Red Eye Quilt:  Add border this week or determine if its even needed.

You can see the full UFO/WIP List with pictures HERE.  This also the list I am going off of for the Finish-along group!  I realize now that I didn't have an updated picture of the pieces cut out for Z's Birthday dress for the Finish-along post, so I am going to have to dig up the basket out to snap a quick picture!  Do you have an opinion on the sash fabric?  Check out THIS POST and tell me your opinion of my choices!

Here is my Stash Report through 01/18/2013:
Used This Week:  0 yards
Given this week:  0 Yards

Used/Given year to Date: 19 yards

Added This Week:  0 yards 

Added Year to Date: 1/4 yards

Net Used/given for 2013: +18 3/4 yards

*Shanna