WIP Wednesday

I've been a little remiss in my WIP posts and I'm starting to get behind.  I'm vowing to be better about participating because I find it really helps me stay on track.  After all, it's embarrassing to not have any progress to report on WIP Wednesday right?

Current Projects:


Swoon QAL:  Unfortunately, I'm still in the cutting stage for this one.  Typically, I wouldn't bother to cut out all of the background pieces at the beginning of a project, but I've decided to cut it all out now.  The cutting phase is taking a little longer than I had hoped, but I'm hoping it will save me time in the long run.  One of the reasons it took me so long to start cutting is I couldn't make up my mind which fabric line to use.  In the end, I decided to use my French General stash instead of the Mendocino.  I would have had to buy more fabric to coordinate with the Mendocino, so I decided to stick with my original plan of using the French General.  I really want to try to find the perfect design for the Mendocino fabric.  I've loved having it out looking at it, so it definitely needs to be a quilt soon!  It's so silly to leave it on a shelf unused!  Hopefully, I'll have a finished Swoon block to show you soon!

Butterfly Quilt:  I'm still sewing on the black sashing.  I think this is going to be so pretty when it's finished, but I'm so bored with the sashing.  I really want to finish it by the end of the month for the UFO Challenge at Patchwork Times.  We'll see how I do.

Elephant Baby Quilt:  My cousin is a having her first baby in April and of course the new little one has to have a new quilt.  I'm using this tutorial from Twin Fibers and this pile of fabric:

HST QAL from In Color Order:  I still need to decide which colors I'm going to use for the QAL.  I'm running out of time to make the January block, so I think I'll pull some fabrics during naptime.

That's it for now!  Hopefully after a little more cutting later today and this evening after the boys are in bed, I'll be able to start sewing some of this fabric back together!  Thank goodness this week is Friday Night Sew In!  Looks like I'll have plenty to keep me busy!

To see what everyone else is up to this week, head over to Lee's.

Sunday Stash Report

Another week has just flown by!  Unfortunately, I still haven't been doing a lot of sewing, but I plan to change that today!  I picked my machine up Wednesday morning, so it's sitting in the basement waiting patiently for me.  My husband will be home on Monday for the holiday and I've been promised a little mommy time.  My plan is to use some of it this afternoon to sew!

I've started cutting out my first Swoon quilt block for the quilt along.  I hope to sew it together this afternoon.  I'm so excited to start this one!  I think it's going to be very pretty!

After the Swoon block, I'm going to start again on #5 of the UFO Challenge.  I'm still working on sewing the black sashing strips to the butterfly blocks.  The look is very striking, but it's so boring!  I'll be so glad when I'm finished with this step.

While I've been cutting away, I still can't count anything as out yet.  Hopefully next week.  The good news is I still haven't bought any fabric.  Staying out of the local quilt store and deleting those emails (you know which ones I'm referring to) is really helping me stay focused!  I'm really hoping I can keep this up until March when Flea Market Fancy is re-released!  If I do, I'm going to treat myself and not feel the least bit guilty!  Wish me luck!

Used this week: 0 yards
Used YTD: 0 yards
Added this week: 0 yards
Added YTD: 0 yards

Net Added/Used YTD: 0 yards.

Nothing in, nothing out.  Boring, but it's quite an accomplishment for me!  I've been fitting a little bit of time in my sewing area everyday this week, and I've been using my stash.  I'm hoping to have something to report soon!

To see how everyone else fared this week, head over  to Judy's.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Here I go again...

I'm joining another quilt-a-long!  I think this one will be very helpful with my goal of using my stash, so that's why I decided to go for it!

Have you heard about Jeni's HST Block of the Month?  I think it is such a good idea!  First, it will give me a chance to practice using triangles which still make me a little nervous.  Second, each of the blocks are very traditional in style so my collection of calico/prints will work perfectly.  Finally, it's one block a month.  Totally doable!  You should go and check it out even if it's just to see the fabrics she's chosen.  They're gorgeous!

Now I just need to go dig through the stash to see what fabrics I want to use.

What do you think?  Wanna play along?  It should be fun!

Sunday Stash Report

I can't believe another week has gone by!  So far, so good for my 2012 stash report.  Other than to drop off my machine for cleaning, I have stayed out of my local quilt stores and I've been deleting the online fabric store's emails as soon as I get them.  I figure if I need something I'll buy it, but no browsing!  It tends to just get me in trouble!

With my machine getting it's yearly check-up I haven't been sewing, but I've been a cutting fool!

I have more than enough purple tumblers cut out for a top that fits the qualifications for the Quilting Angels.  I think these will make a really pretty quilt!

I've also started cutting out triangles.  Not as many as the tumblers, but I'm sure I'll have enough for a quilt top by the end of the day.  The Go Baby cutter sure does make the cutting go fast! 

My only problem is I still have a ton of purple fabric leftover!  I had really wanted to eliminate more from my stash!  I'll have to think about what else I can do with it.

I also haven't decided how I'm going to count this fabric on the stash report.  I'm donating it, but I don't meet with the group again until later in the month.  I think I will count it out then!  See I have a rule that any fabric that comes into my house from them doesn't count.  So even if I bring one of these quilt kits home to work on later, they still technically aren't mine.  Does that make sense? 

So until I count anything out my numbers are the same as last week.

Added this week: 0 yards
Added YTD: 0 yards
Used this week: 0 yards
Used YTD: 0 yards

Net added/used YTD: 0.

It's still early, so I'm pleased.  I still have plenty of time.  To see how everyone else did this week, go to Judy's.

Swoooon

Well, I'm already starting to fall off the wagon.  I haven't finished any of my WIP's yet, but I'm joining the newly announced Swoon QAL with Katy.  I bought the pattern last year and while I've loved seeing everyone else's I've resisted the urge to start one...until now!

The reasons are twofold: 

1.  I don't need any new projects (see this list).

2.  I can't decide on the fabric.

See, I have this lovely pile of fabric which would be perfect for the pattern and my bedroom decor.

But I also have this:  (drum roll please)

That's right I've been holding out on you!  I have a HUGE stack of 1/2 yard cuts of Heather Ross's Mendocino!  I bought this almost three years ago when I was pregnant with my first son, and I've never used it.  If I had known that by this time it would be worth $40 a yard I would have bought more!

I had originally planned on using my hoarded French General fabric for Swoon (it's the reason I purchased the pattern in the first place), but ever since I saw this quilt block on Flickr, I've been dreaming about using the Mendocino.

I don't know how my husband is going to feel about mermaids on his bed, but I think I might have to go for it.

Look at those pink mermaids!  They are topless, maybe that will help convince him...


Anyone else thinking about doing this QAL?

Keeping Busy

I'm a little disappointed I can't sew this first full weekend of the new year.  On Wednesday I took my machine in for it's annual cleaning, so no sewing for me until it comes home.

While this isn't helping me to finish any of my projects already in progress, it has allowed me to start cutting out new ones!  Oh, how I love a new project!

My son and I have been playing with the Go Baby for the past couple of days and it has been great fun!  I have to been very careful when using the rotary cutter because Hurst, like most toddlers I imagine, is very curious and always eager to "help".  He hasn't hurt himself yet, but he has gotten ahold of the cutter a couple of times which makes me so nervous!  This is the best of both worlds: he gets to help and I don't have to worry about his little fingers!

I have been cutting up my stash of purple calicos/prints that I have had since I first starting quilting, but now are no longer my cup of tea.  So far I have over 300 tumblers and we are still going.  I think this weekend we will start cutting out triangles.

Once these are finished, I am going to take them to the next Quilting Angels meeting.  I thought it would be fun to have a couple of kits on hand for anyone looking for a quick and easy project.  Don't be surprised if I'm not the one working on them later this year!

I also thought I might take advantage of this down time to start cutting out some baby quilts.  I know at least 8 people who are having babies this year, so I need to get working.  Needless to say, I don't know that I will make 8 baby quilts this year, but I will be making several!

I hope everyone else has a wonderful weekend!  Anyone else have any quilty plans or are you still burnt out from Christmas?

Stash Report #1 2012

Happy New Year Everyone!  I rang the new year in the same way I do every year: in my pjs, on the couch with my husband.  I was able to fit in a little sewing which I hope will be a trend for the rest of the year!

It's the first report of the year, so I get to start over with a clean slate.  My goals for this year are simple: I want to use more than I buy.  I was able to resist the end of the year sales I've received all week in my email.  Like the New Year's sewing, I hope this will be another trend for 2011!

For ease of reporting I think I'm going to continue not counting fabric out until I have completed a step: completed top, finished backing, and finally the binding.  I find that's less confusing. 

I have a good feeling about 2012!

Used this week: 0 yards
Used YTD: 0 yards
Added this week: 0 yards
Added YTD: 0 yards

Net used for the year: 0 yards

To see how everyone else is doing head over to Judy's.