Shirting Sample Fabrics

Last week seemed especially unproductive in the quilting room, after multiple weeks of pushing to finish projects for the guild Christmas market. I spent some time cleaning up a bit and struggled to figure out what project to work on next.

My clean-up efforts revealed some treasures that inspired me to try out some new ideas. Check out all of these beautiful fabrics. (Note: click on any of the photos to get a closer look.)

The pieces shown are all shirting fabrics from a sample book purchased in an antique mall. I've had them for at least 20 years, maybe closer to 25. Unfortunately, I don't have any idea of when the fabrics were made. I'm guessing they might be from the 1950's at the latest, maybe even earlier. Can't you imagine someone in a tailor's shop choosing which fabrics to use for his new shirts?

The fabrics in the sample book shown above each measure 7.75" x 21", and there are about 60 pieces in that book. I also have three smaller sample books, with 45 - 50 pieces per book that measure about 5.25" x 15" each. By my calculations, that comes to a total of close to 15 yards of fabric!

The question is what to make with these beautiful fabrics. I decided it was time to stop debating and just give it a try. My first attempt was Uneven 9-Patch blocks, aka Puss in the Corner.

I like the simplicity of the blocks with these fabrics, but wonder if there needs to be more contrast. Everything sort of mushes together. Maybe I should add some solids? I pulled some out to audition with the blocks.

After choosing the solid options, I made a couple of star blocks with solid backgrounds. The darker blue seems much too dark with all of the softer colors, but I like the lighter blue.

I ended up making some more blue blocks, then packed everything back into the bin for now. The blocks seem okay to me, but I was hoping for something that got me really excited rather than just okay. I'll wait for some new inspiration, then try again another day.

Check out what other quilters are working on this week at Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts and at Monday Musings at Songbird Designs. 

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA 

Stash Report and Stitching Time 10/22/2023

It has been a very busy week in my sewing room. Most of the action was finishing up the last projects for the guild Christmas market, but I also spent some time on other projects. One of the others was this block, which is part of the National Quilt Museum's block of the month. This block pattern is called Spinning Stripes. Making this block used 1/2 yard of fabric.

The other project that hasn't already been featured in a blog post was a set of Christmas placemats for Meals on Wheels. There are four of them, all the same. The fronts were a panel that I was given, and I used 1-1/8 yards from my stash for the backings and bindings. If these look familiar, it's because I made another set with the same design back in August.

The total stash usage for the week came to 5.75 yards. Besides the items shown above, there was 1.75 yards used for a tablerunner, plus 1.5 yards on a set of four wallets (all shared HERE,) and 7/8 yard for two sets of blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, shared in yesterday's post. No new fabric was added to the stash.

2023 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                         5.75 yards

Used year to date:                114.125 yards

Added last week:                         0.0 yards

Added year to date:                92.375 yards

Net used in 2023:                 21.75 yards

Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch Challenge at Life in Pieces has us tracking how many days each week we get in at least 15 minutes of quilting time. I definitely got more than 15 minutes every day last week!

15 Minute Challenge for 2023: 

10/15 - 10/21            7 of 7 days

2023 Total          282 of 294 days

Check out more stash reports at quiltpaintcreate and join the 15 Minutes to Stitch Challenge at Life in Pieces. 

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Scrappy Neutral Blocks

We are nearing the end of October, and I finally have some new blocks to show for my Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects. Our assigned colors for October are light neutrals, or we can catch up on blocks from previous months. 

My set of 16-Patch Stars blocks had a total of 18 blocks already made. I decided to add one in black and grey, plus another in brown and tan to bring the total up to 20 blocks.

After finishing those, it was quick work to get all 20 blocks stitched together. This quilt top measures 48.5" x 60.5".

Once that was finished, I moved on to my Jabberwocky blocks. I decided to make a few neutral blocks for this set too. I ended up with two in black and grey, plus one in brown and tan. 

Jabberwocky, blocks finish at 10.25"

pattern by Judy Martin in The Block Book

The next step for the Jabberwocky quilt will be to choose a sashing/border fabric. The blocks will look better with a little separation between them, but it needs to be something that won't distract from the piecing. Time to see what I have in the stash!

Be sure to check out all of the wonderful scrappy projects at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge every Saturday, and at Oh Scrap! over at Quilting is more fun than Housework on Sunday. 

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Christmas Market Contributions

Thursday was the monthly meeting for the Common Threads Quilt Guild, and it was also the last meeting before the guild participates in the annual Christmas market. I finished up the rest of my projects just in time.

I made four more of the Diva Wallets, to go along with the others I'd done back in August (see the first group HERE.) My favorite part of these new wallets was using the ombre fabrics on the inside of them.

My other finish for the market was this border-stripe tablerunner. The fabric was one of the prizes I won at last month's guild auction. The finished size is 18" x 46". I also have a second runner cut out from the same fabric--maybe that will get done for next year's market.

For anyone who will be around the Atlanta area on the first weekend of November, you should check out the 2023 Christmas Arts & Crafts Market at the Coweta County Fairgrounds. There will be many wonderful treasures!

Linking up with:

Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty

Peacock Party at Wendy's Quilts and More

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Stash Report and Stitching Time 10/15/2023

Our quilt guild has a meeting next week, which will be the last chance to turn in items for the annual Christmas market. I've been working on finishing up this set of placemats made from some very old Jinny Beyer prints.

 

I repeated a couple of the same fabrics on the backs. They are quilted very simply in the ditch, and I turned the backings to the front for binding.

The placemats used 2 yards of fabric from my stash. I also used 1.5 yards for the Daytripper II purse that I shared HERE. No new fabric was added to the stash this week.

2023 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                           3.5 yards

Used year to date:                108.375 yards

Added last week:                         0.0 yards

Added year to date:                92.375 yards

Net used in 2023:                   16.0 yards

Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch Challenge at Life in Pieces has us tracking how many days each week we get in at least 15 minutes of quilting time. My push to finish up projects for the guild market meant I definitely got more than 15 minutes every day last week.

15 Minute Challenge for 2023: 

10/8 - 10/14              7 of 7 days

2023 Total          275 of 287 days

Check out more stash reports at quiltpaintcreate and join the 15 Minutes to Stitch Challenge at Life in Pieces. 

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Another Bag (This Time for Me!)

After spending much of the month of August making all sorts of bags and wallets to be sold at our guild's Christmas market (see them HERE and HERE), it was finally time to make one for myself. I had been needing a new purse, and I purchased the pattern for the Daytripper 2.0 Crossbody Case in April at the Paducah quilt show.

My first read-through of the pattern left me rather confused, but I had heard from others that the ByAnnie patterns were easy to follow. Once I started working through the pattern step by step, it all went very smoothly. I made one change, making mine a little narrower than the size in the pattern. Here is my version of the Daytripper 2.0 bag.

The front of the bag has a nice deep pocket that runs the full width of the bag.

The other side of the bag is plain and shows off the Jinny Beyer border print beautifully.

For the inside I used one of my favorite blender prints, Bedrock, in grey. There is one pocket on the inside, the perfect size for a cell phone.

I've been using my new bag almost constantly since I finished it last month, including during a recent trip, and I am very happy with it. I would definitely recommend this pattern, and I look forward to trying some of the other ByAnnie patterns in the future.

Linking up with:

Wednesday Wait Loss at Inquiring Quilter

Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty

Peacock Party at Wendy's Quilts and More

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Stash Report and Stitching Time 10/8/2023

I've been cutting and stitching every chance I get over the last week as I attempt to finish more projects for the quilt guild's upcoming Christmas market. The latest project to be finished was three more sets of Little Duffle pouches featuring nearby college teams. Making these used 3 yards from the stash.

Pattern is "A Little Duffle Do It" by Karen West

of For the Love of Fabric

There was some fabric added to the stash too. I bought a piece of wide backing fabric to use for my Blooming Onion quilt top. Since it is a wide back, I'm counting it as 5.5 yards added.

2023 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                           3.0 yards

Used year to date:                104.875 yards

Added last week:                         5.5 yards

Added year to date:                92.375 yards

Net used in 2023:                   12.5 yards

Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch Challenge at Life in Pieces has us tracking how many days each week we get in at least 15 minutes of quilting time. We are still dealing with the late stages of our kitchen renovation, but I managed to find time every day to do some cutting and/or stitching.

15 Minute Challenge for 2023: 

10/1 - 10/7               7 of 7 days

2023 Total          268 of 280 days

Check out more stash reports at quiltpaintcreate and join the 15 Minutes to Stitch Challenge at Life in Pieces. 

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA

Bonus Pinwheels

There was an afternoon over the weekend with some time for me to quilt, but I didn't have enough brainpower to deal with anything complicated. It's times like that when I am grateful to have a very simple leader and ender project, especially since all the pieces are already cut.

This most recent batch of little pinwheels look like they should be for a Packers fan with all those green and gold fabrics. I've been making the pinwheels from a bin of scrappy triangle pieces that I got at our guild auction over a year ago. You can read more about this project in an earlier blog post HERE. Each pinwheel block will finish at only 2.5"!

Check out what other quilters are working on this week at Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts and at Monday Musings at Songbird Designs. 

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA 

Stash Report and Stitching Time 10/1/2023

Happy October! I've been loving the cooler weather and lower humidity here since we got back from our trip to New England, but it will be awhile yet before we see much for fall colors. We planted an Autumn Blaze maple tree in front of our house a few years ago, but the color change won't appear on that until late October or November.

Instead I will have to focus on all the pretty colors in my sewing room. My main projects this week were catching up on my Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks. I made four A Maze Zing blocks plus one scrappy placemat, all using turquoise, teal and aqua scraps. You can see them in yesterday's post HERE. I used a total of almost 2 yards on those.

My other project for the week was finishing up a set of placemats for the guild's Christmas market. The pinwheel blocks were made using the Stack & Whack technique, and the same fabric was used for the borders and the backing. 2.5 yards used.

2023 STASH TOTALS

Used last week:                       4.375 yards

Used year to date:                101.875 yards

Added last week:                         0.0 yards

Added year to date:                86.875 yards

Net used in 2023:                   15.0 yards

I was excited to see that my yardage used for the year had passed 100 yards before the end of September. Each year my goals for the stash are to use at least 100 yards for the year and to use more than I add to the stash. Using over 100 yards in a year has been much easier since I retired, but using more than I add continues to be a struggle. Here's hoping I will be successful this year.

Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch Challenge at Life in Pieces has us tracking how many days each week we get in at least 15 minutes of quilting time. Quilting time has been somewhat limited as we have been dealing with some renovation work in our kitchen, but I did manage to get at least 15 minutes every day last week.

15 Minute Challenge for 2023: 

9/24 - 9/30               7 of 7 days

2023 Total          261 of 273 days

Check out more stash reports at quiltpaintcreate and join the 15 Minutes to Stitch Challenge at Life in Pieces. 

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA