Stash Report #5

Yet again, I'm not really getting into the true spirit of using my stash instead of adding to it:) 

I couldn't decide what to do with the backing for my Dr. Seuss quilt because I ran out of the backing fabric I wanted to use.  I tried doing a really scrappy backing, but it just wasn't working for me, so I caved and bought 3 more yards of the fabric I wanted.  I ordered it from Fabric.com where if you order $35 worth of fabric shipping is free, so I HAD to order a yard and a 1/2 of some Nicey Jane pieces I was missing to avoid the shipping charges.  I refuse to feel too badly about it because I am not just blindly adding to the stash, but I bought fabric for specific projects!

Used this week: 0
Used YTD: 9 yards
Added this week: 4.5 yards
Added YTD: 14.5 yards
Net Used for 2011 -5.5 yards.

I did get some sewing done this week, but nothing that can be added to the report.  Oh well, maybe I'll have better luck this week!  To see how everyone else is doing go to Judy's blog!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Stash Report #4

I missed last week's stash report, but I promise I had a REALLY good reason.  Since I didn't add anything last week or this week I think I will just combine them.

I did a little cutting this weekend for a new, small project I have started.  I also cut out a few hexagons for my Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt, but I won't count that until all of fabric is used (2 yards).

So not a lot of sewing, but every little bit counts, especially when I'm not adding anything.

Used this week: 1 yard

Used YTD: 9 yards

Added this week: 0

Added YTD: 10 yards

Net used for 2011: -1 yard.

To see how everyone else is doing check out Judy's blog!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend everyone!

Recap of Friday Night Sew-In

I had a great time participating in my first Friday Night Sew-in!  If you can find a way to make it happen at your house I highly recommend it.

I was able to accomplish quite a bit, but I didn't finish the Dr. Seuss quilt.  I realized once I started to baste it that the back really wasn't big enough, and as much as I hated to do it, I had to fix it.  In my continuing effort to use what I have, I used the left over bigger scraps from the top to piece the back.  So far I'm not crazy about it, but I think I will wait until it is completely finished to make a final judgement.  I am always amazed at how much the quilting adds to the quilt.  I will wait until it is complete to do the big reveal.

After working a little on that I decided to start working on another small project because I really need a new project.=)  My husband and I were talking about what we could do to thank the NICU staff for everything they have done for our family.  Not only is our son Graham residing there currently, but Hurst was born at 35 weeks, so he was there for a week after he was born.  Needless to say, we have a lot to be thankful for!  I have decided that I am going to make little quilts for the babies to have in their isolets during their stay in the NICU.  Once they go home the quilts will go with them as a reminder of time there.  My goal will be to have significant number to donate on both of the boy's birthdays.  Since the quilts won't be any larger than 30x30, I think these will be a good project for me to work on whilst caring for a newborn and a toddler (God help me!)

I used a set of four fat quarters I have had in my stash for a while and cut them into 5 inch squares.  I think they will become a deconstructed nine patch quilt.  Here they are pictured with a few white hexagons I cut out for this project.

These are not my most favorite fabrics in the world, but I think once they are cut up and assembled they will make a cute quilt.

Hope everyone has a fantastic quilty weekend!

Friday Night Sew-In

I am so excited to participate in my first ever Friday Night Sew-In.  Have you heard about it?  A whole bunch of fantastic quilters get their houses together, their families feed, then spend the rest of the night sewing away on works in progress.  Sounds like just the thing for me!  After a very long break from my sewing machine I hope to get my Dr. Seuss quilt basted and quilted tonight.  If you are interested in why I need it finished sooner rather than later, check out this blog post.  I probably won't be able to stay up as late as some, so I've decided to start a little early...wish me luck.

My Latest Work in Progress

In case you've been wondering where I've been...

Trav and I had a little visitor arrive 8 weeks early:

Graham Thomas Burnett born 1/13/2011 at 8:39pm.  6 lbs, 1 oz, 18 inches long.

(If you decide to expand the above picture to get a closer look at the baby please be kind to me.  After 48 hours of trying to stop the labor and a C-section, Mama was NOT looking her best to say the least!)

The baby, on the other hand, is extremely handsome and is already making faces for the camera:

Both of us are doing really well.  Sadly, since he did come early, Graham will have to be in the NICU for 3 to 4 weeks before he can come home.  While we are disappointed by that, we can't help, but feel grateful that with all that could have gone wrong he is really doing great and is in very capable and loving hands at the hospital.  We will just have to be patient!

Needless to say things are going to be a little quiet here at My Fifteen Minute Break.  However, I really, really want to finish the Dr. Seuss quilt before he comes home!  I will let you know if that happens!



Stash Report #2

Well, I have good news and I have bad news for stash busting this week.  I'll start with the good news:

After finishing the cutting and piecing for my Christmas table runner, the backing for my Dr. Seuss quilt, and binding for both I have used 6 yards of my stash this week.  Not too shabby if I do say so myself!

The bad news (for stash busting purposes, I'm really excited)

I have joined the P.S. I Quilt Postage Stamp quilt-along, so I have already purchased new fabric:

2 jelly rolls, which I read equal 2 1/2 yards of fabric, 4 yards of backing, and 1 yard for binding.  A grand total of 10 yards. 

Used this week: 6 yards

Used YTD: 8 yards

Added this week: 10 yards

Aded YTD: 10 yards

Net Used for 2011: -2 yards.

I don't like that I'm in the hole two yards so early on, but it's only 2 yards so I won't beat myself up too much!  It might be a big enough incentive to not buy just so I don't have to do anymore math!  This week I hope to finish the projects listed above and start cutting out a scrap quilt for charity, so hopefully that will help my count next week.  To see how everyone else is doing go to Judy's blog.

My First Blog Award

I am so flattered!  I was nominated for my first ever blog award Friday by the very sweet Elizabeth at The Wandering Minstrel.  If you haven't been to her blog yet, you are truly missing out!  She has really beautiful projects in the works and a drool worthy sewing station. 

Without further ado, here is my award:



It means favorite blog and it is meant to highlight our favorite blogs that don't have a lot of "followers", not yet anyway!!  The aim is to recognize blogs with less than 300 followers.  In order to accept this award I have been asked to nominate 3-5 blogs that I love reading that fit the bill.  I am more than happy to do that:

Jenn of all Trades, this lady is one super talented artist!  I love to see not only her creations from fabric, but also her drawings.  Check out her archives to see the work she did for her church's mission trip to Swaziland. 

I Love Baby Quilts, I think what I admire most about this blog is that she does all of her work by hand! 

Canoe Ridge Creations, Megan has impressed me with her projects from the very beginning.  She has exquisite taste in fabric and her recent experiments with dresdan plates have me completely addicted.

I certainly wouldn't say any of these blogs are completely "unknown", but I think more people should be reading them!  I could list so many more, but duty calls and I have a hungry little one!

Thanks again for nominating me Elizabeth!  I'm not sure I deserve it, but I'll take it!

Postage Stamp Quilt Along Supplies

I have my fabrics for the Postage Stamp Quilt and I'm so excited!! 

From the top:

City Weekend Jelly Roll by Oliver + S for Moda

Moda Jelly Roll in White

Bistro Red and Aqua Stripe for Binding

A turquoise print from the line for the back.

Needless to say I have already broken my New Year's Resolution to not buy anymore fabric until I've used some of my stash, but whatever!!  I have been in love with this line for months and I can't wait to start on this quilt!



WIP Wednesday

Happy WIP Wednesday!  As usual I was able to accomplish quite a bit this weekend, but once Monday rolled around my productivity slowed a great deal.  That being said I have made a good deal of progress on both my Christmas table runner and my Dr. Seuss quilt.

Dr. Seuss:



The top is complete and I finished piecing the back this afternoon, so tonight after Hurst goes to bed I will baste it (yuck, I hate basting!!).  I am still trying to decide how to quilt this one.  I will keep you posted!  I can't wait for it to be finished!  I love these fabrics!

12 Days o' Christmas table runner:

This one is at the same stage as the Dr. Seuss quilt.  The top is finished, the back is cut out, I just have to baste, quilt and bind it.  I am not going to consider this project a late project from 2010, I'm going to think of it as a head start for Christmas 2011!  I absolutely love this line of fabric and it makes me so excited for her new Christmas line coming out this year!  (Check out Flurry here if you haven't all ready!)  I love that my scraps from this project will hopefully go together with the new line!

I will, of course, post better pictures once both of these projects are complete.

Thanks for stopping by to see what I've been up to in my sewing nook.  Hope everyone had productive weeks!

Postage Stamp Quilt Along

Here I go again...I'm really thinking about doing this one.  I have always wanted to make a postage stamp quilt.  I already have the jelly rolls picked out, so what's one more project right?




I'll keep you posted...

Dr. Seuss top finished

Borders were not hard to add at all.  I will admit though I wouldn't want to add them to any size larger than a baby quilt!  The rest of the week I will focus on piecing the back.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Stash Report #1

I have been lurking at Judy's site for the last few months and I have been impressed by all the progress everyone else is making, so I decided I'd give stashbusting a try this year.  I don't have as large as stash as most, but I do have plenty to keep myself busy.  I'm not going to stress myself out by assigning a number to how much I must use, I just want to try to use more than I buy.  We'll see if that happens!

The goals I would like to achieve this year:

1.  I have a long list of projects that I bought the fabric for the past couple of years and I would really like to work on those before starting something new.  Again, I won't stress myself out because I do love a new project, but I would like to complete some of the quilts I've been planning!

2.  When I was in college 15 years ago (yikes) a friend taught me to hand piece and quilt.  While I loved it, I found that I excelled at buying fabric, not necessarily finishing projects.  Needless to say, I have been moving boxes of fabric that are no longer my taste around ever since.  I really, really want to use some of that this year.  My plan is to make charity quilts from that part of my stash.

So, with all that said, my first stash report:

Used this week: 2 yards

Used YTD: 2 yards

Added this week: 0

Added YTD: 0

Net used for 2011:  2 yards.

Not off to a great start, but it's still a start.  If you are interested in seeing the Dr. Seuss top I've made using the two yards listed above, see this blog post.

To see how everyone else is doing check out Judy's site.

Happy New Year!

So far my new year has been fantastic!!  I rang in the new year doing my most favorite things: cuddling my boys and sewing!  I would love to be able to say that becoming a mommy made me so "boring", but I've never been much of a party girl.  I have always preferred staying home, safe and warm with my beloved to going out to a crowded bar or party.

Tomorrow is my husband's last day of vacation and everytime I think about I want to cry!  He has been home for two weeks and it has been wonderful!  We've spent so much time together as a family and just the two of us, I don't know how I'm going to handle going back to the routine:(  We've gone to the park everyday, visited with both sides of our family, and we even picked out and bought the crib for the new baby!

Speaking of the new baby, with an extra set of hands to help me with Hurst this past week, I have made good progress on the Dr. Seuss quilt.  I am in love!  I might have to buy more fabric to make an adult size for me!

I hoping to take advantage of my last day of "vacation" to add the borders.  I'm a little nervous because I've never made a border before, but I'm dying to cut into the fabric.  When it's this cute who could blame me?

Wish me luck!  I can't wait to see this top completed!!  I think it's my favorite yet.

I hope everyone had a happy and safe New Year!  I'm looking forward to what everyone will be up to this year and I'm hoping to spend more time updating my blog!