Homespuns on the wall/floor

I made progress with my Bear Tracks quilt top.

It's probably going to bother me forever that the quilt isn't "balanced". The left side of the quilt should have a row of two bear paw blocks and one nine patch. But the quilt is already 82 x 101. If I add another row it would add another 18 inches to the length making it 82 x 119. If I then add another row to the width, *that* row would be unbalanced. So I'm just going to stop here and let it be. I've got all of the border components made except for the corners. I'm excited to finally be getting this project closer to being finished. I had lots and lots of bear paw blocks collected that had been from a swap back in the 90s sometime. So when I saw the Bear Tracks quilt pattern at Glad Creations I knew it was a perfect pattern to use up some of these blocks.

But not enough blocks, I still have 46 waiting for a home. I may make this quilt next. It was in Fons and Porters Scrap Quilts Fall 2013.

Scraps I Couldn't Bear to Toss by Gina Thackara

Or maybe this one made by Melissa at Doodle-head.com. It's another Glad Creations pattern called Bear Chase.

Or maybe this one which I found on Flicker. It was apparently from the Oct 2007 issue of Quilt It. Isn't it beautiful?

Found on Flicker. Made by Janice M.

 So many choices, so little time.

Head over to Patchwork Times to check out other design walls/floors.

Stash Report

Fabric. Soft, beautiful, and so much to do with it. There is always new, even more beautiful fabric coming on the market, so you need to keep buying it, right? Well, if you're stacking fabric on the treadmill because you are overflowing the space you have for it, you have to stop buying fabric. If you would have to live to be 120 years old to use up all of your fabric, you have to stop buying fabric. I have known for quite awhile that I need no more fabric and this is the year that I use what I have! So, I've joined Fabriholics Anonymous and I will also be keeping a stash report and reporting to Patchwork Times. I'm hoping that I will be pushing myself to finish up projects so I am able to report fabric "used"!

I will report fabric used when I finish a top - if scrappy I will weigh the top and use the estimate of 1 lb equaling about 4 yards of fabric. I will then again report fabric used when a quilt is finished - backing and binding. Also non quilts will be reported when fully completed.

This week I completed one toiletry bag. 1/4 yard!!!

Purchased this week - 0 yards
Purchased year to date - 0 yards


Used this week - 1/4 yard
Used year to date - 1/4 yard


Net - 1/4 yard used :) It's a start.

Check out other stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Cute little pouch

I spent a very little bit of time in my sewing room today. I was able to put together the first of this month's Rainbow Scrap Challenge cosmetic bags. It took more time than I expected as there are seams to match up.  The first time I sewed the two fronts to the zipper I forgot to consider that the squares needed to line up and, of course, they didn't. So I took it apart, used some pins and now I'm happy with how it turned out.

This little pouch is about 8 1/2" x 4 1/2"

Tomorrow I hope to put together it's mate - a larger toiletry bag.

I'm linking up at Confessions of a Fabric Addict , Rainbow Scrap Challenge, Sew Darn Crafty linkys.

Fabriholics Anonymous

Hello, my name is Melinda. I'm a fabriholic. I also appear to be a hoarder of UFOs. ;) Everyone has a different definition of a UFO but to me it is a project that has been started, it has at least been cut. At last count I had over 80. But today I have made the list below and the current count is 79!!! WooHoo! Haha I also have lots and lots of projects planned and kitted but I don't count them. For now I am going to work on reducing the stash and number of UFOs. With that goal in mind I am joining other like minded quilters over at:


Goals and Rules (with my adjustments)
GOALS:
- To use the Stash I already have!
- Finish UFOs without distraction by shifting to fun new projects.
- Stop the insanity of constantly buying fabric - just because it's on sale or I have a coupon doesn't mean I need to buy it.
- Destash the fabrics and UFOs that I realize I am never going to use/complete.

FABRIC FAST RULES:
1) No fabric purchases for 6 months beginning January 1, 2014.
2) At 6 months reevaluate status and decide whether to keep going for full year. Evaluation July 1, 2014.
3) Create a UFO list and complete 10 by July 1st!
4) No books or magazines - I have way too many of them also.
5) Exceptions

• Notions acceptable. 
• Fabrics for projects for granddaughter, Paige. I don't have a stash of those fabrics.
• Fabrics for sashing and borders (if necessary) to complete current UFOs.
• This year's Rainbow Scrap Challenge. These will not be UFOs but I will use only scrap fabric. I posted about it HERE.

Edit: As of January 23rd I have purchased no fabric.
 
Fabriholics has challenged us to list our UFOs. I will picture the projects that are at the top of the list for completing. The rest I will list.


QUILT TOPS WAITING THEIR TURN ON THE LONGARM 
1. Christmas Pineapple Blossom - from swap blocks

2. Red Four Patch

3. Batik Log Cabin - from swap blocks

4. Teal Stripes

 5. Film a Five - from swap blocks

6. Homespun Strings

7. Notre Dame

8. Black Square in Square - from swap blocks
9. Black Square in Square 2 - from swap blocks
10. Memorial Quilt
11. Chicken Feed - from swap blocks
12. Flannel Nine Patch
13. Green Bordered Four Patches
14. Nana's Garden - from swap blocks
15. Red and Stripe Flannel
16. Claudia Quilt Shop
17. Claudia Quilt Shop 2
18. Pink Square in Square - from swap blocks
19. Postage Stamp - from swap blocks
20. Wind doth Blow
21. Nineteen
22. African prints
23. Breast Cancer Sampler
24. Juvenile Crumbs
25. Mary's Green and Pink
26. Nickels
27. Purple and Teal
28. Purple Nine Patch
29. Blue Log Cabin
30. Roman Stripes


QUILT TOPS WAITING BORDERS
1.Batik Stars

BLOCKS WAITING TO BE TOPS
1.Quilt of Valor - Summer in the Park

 2. Mini Batik Log Cabin

 3. Blue Christmas

 4. Yellow and Blue Stars - swap blocks

 5. Floral Sampler - swap blocks

 6. Millennium

 7. 1930s Cobblestone - swap blocks

 8. Paganelli Lattice Fence

 9. Scrappy Pineapple Blossoms

 10. Blue and Green Jewel box

 11. Green Four Patches - Rainbow scrap challenge two years ago

 12. Crayon Box

 13. Winter Solstice - BOM

 14. Scrappy Bow Tie - swap blocks

15. Homespun Bear Tracks

16. Blue and White Checkerboard
17. Nana's Garden 2 - block swap
18. 1930 Four Patches - block swap
19. 1930 Mini Churndashes - block swap
20. 1930 Nine Patches - block swap
21. 1930 Pinwheels - block swap
22. 1930 Sampler - block swap
23. Amish Pinwheels - block swap
24. Cannondale Guild Batik Sampler - block swap
25. Chicken Feed - block swap
26. Christmas 9 patch - block swap
27. Christmas bowties - block swap
28. Christmas Sampler 2 - block swap
29. Cinderella - block swap
30. Orange
31. Flannel Nine Patch 2 - block swap
32. Homespun Bear Tracks 2 - block swap
33. Maple Leaves on Black - block swap
34. Roman Stripe - block swap
35. Scrappy Four Patches - block swap
36. Siggy Trading Patches - block swap
37. Sister's Choice - block swap
38. Square in Square - block swap
39. Twister
40. Garden Siggies - block swap


PROJECTS CUT BUT OTHERWISE NOT STARTED
1. Quilt of Valor - Stripes

 2. Bright Tumbler

3. I spy Hexagons
4. Flannel Log Cabin

5. Grandmother's Flower Garden


OTHER SEWING PROJECTS
1. Charity Pillowcases

2. Rainbow Scrap Challenge - toiletry and cosmetic bags (2 each month)

3. Dad's Memorial Quilt

If you're still reading, wish me luck with this challenge. I think it will be fun.

I'm linking up to Fabriholics Anonymous.


 

More progress

I was able to spend a couple of hours in the sewing room today. First I made more components for the Homespun Bear Paw borders. Then I tackled another section of the room that needed cleaning up.

This is my work station to the left of my sewing machine. Several bins overflowing with stuff. Lots of charms, strips, scraps, blocks, and remnants of projects to be put away, along with notions galore. At the top of the pile are my dad's shirts that I am going to make into a memory quilt for my mom. I know that will be tough to work on. I haven't even had the strength to start cutting them up yet. :(

One hour later I have my work space back. Charms, strips, etc are in their appropriate containers and the bins have all be collapsed and put away. I use collapsible bins that I picked up for $1 each at Christmas Tree Shop. They come in several sizes and I must have grabbed at least 15 of them. What a difference some breathing room makes.

My favorite part of this area is my 2 1/2" strip organizer. For a couple of years I participated in (and hosted) 2 1/2" strip swaps. I use a shoe organizer to contain and display them. It is so easy to grab whatever I need from those little cubbies. Believe it or not I have already used lots and lots of these strips.

Manufactured jelly rolls are stored elsewhere in drawers.

Homespuns on the wall

 I am only half way thru cleaning up my sewing room but it has been such a joy to find enough space to actually sew again. I have a newly invigorated mojo and I am excited to get to work on UFOs and new projects I am contemplating. Since my UFO list exceeds 80 I must focus on them - maybe two UFOs to one new project.

With that in mind, I've pulled out my Homespun Bear Paws project. The Bear Paw blocks had been from a swap from the late 90s (I think). Last year I decided on a pattern plan and made progress on pairing up four paws for a larger block and making several alternate nine patch blocks. Last week I pulled out the project again and got the main part of the top assembled. I am now working on the 14 border sections.

2 of 14 border sections

I am loving how manly this quilt will be. It will be 76 x 96 - much bigger than I had expected.

This quilt will have used up 24 of the Bear Paw blocks. I still have 46 blocks waiting their turn to become part of a quilt. I *am* happy to be getting to the bottom of my homespun bin. Of course it was helped a lot by the making of the Homespun String Quilt - another UFO waiting quilting.

Check out other walls over at Patchwork Times.

Going to Join

the Rainbow Scrap Challenge over at SoScrappy. Every month Angela will post a color and we are to use our scraps in that color for whatever project we choose. I have a set of small drawers for the tiniest of my scraps. I organized these scraps years and years ago when I was doing machine applique. I haven't accessed these drawers in as many years and most of the fabrics are from the days of SoFro Fabrics - that's a long time ago. We're talking teeny tiny calico prints on yucky griege material. So as Bonnie Hunter always says, if the fabric is still ugly you haven't cut it small enough. Therefore I am cutting these scraps into 1 1/2" squares. Along with some Kona White I'll be making these into cute little pouches - 2 sizes in each month's color.

This pouch will be the size of the red pouch below.

This one will be a couple of inches larger.

This is the trial bag I made. I just love it.

I'm using the pattern from the ThermoWeb blog. The instructions are easy and sewing the zipper is especially straight forward. I'm hoping I can keep up with this monthly challenge and then come December I'll have a nice pile of toiletry/cosmetic bag sets to give as Christmas gifts.

I'm linking up to SoScrappy's Scrap Happy Saturday.

The sewing room got some action

I actually sewed in my dungeon sewing room today. This hasn't happened in months. Lots of sewing has taken place in the kitchen or dining room but none downstairs.  Woot! I was really excited.

IRONING STATION:

Before

 

 

After

 

 

 

 

There is still a long way to go in the room but now that the main areas are cleaned up I could make a new pillowcase for Paige. Note to self, charge the battery on the camera so I can stop getting bad pictures with my phone.

Bubble Guppies pillowcase

Recipient of pillowcase