Stash Report Sunday 5/3/15

It was totally unexpected, but somehow I managed to use 28 yards of fabric in the month of April. I'm sure some quilters go through that much on a regular basis, but it is an unusually high total for me. In the 3+ years that I have been tracking my stash additions and subtractions, the most I've used in any previous month was about 22 yards.

The reason I had such a good total was because I have been finishing quilt tops and making backs to go with them. I completed 4 tops and backs in April: 16-Patch Stars, Dutch Tiles, Bowtie Chevrons, and Easy Street. You can see a little bit of each quilt in the photo or click on any of the names to go to a post with photos and background info. 3 of those 4 projects were UFOs. It feels SO GOOD to have those tops done! The Bowtie Chevrons is completely quilted and bound, the 16-Patch Stars will go to Quilts of Valor to be quilted, and the other two are waiting to go in for longarm quilting. 

(L to R) Dutch Tiles, Easy Street, 16-Patch Stars
Bowtie Chevrons

The irony of the month was that my fabric additions were almost exactly the same amount as my usage. A large order from Hancock's of Paducah and some gifted fabric gave me a total of 27.75 yards added for the month (but none to report this week.) At least my usage this week puts me back in the black!

Used this week:

Easy Street--borders                    2.5 yards

Easy Street--back                       5.25 yards

Bowtie Chevrons--binding            .375 yards

TOTALS:
Used this week:                    8.125 yards     
Used year to date:                  59.5 yards

Stashed this week:                      0 yards

Stashed year to date:         51.625 yards 

Net year to date:             7.875 yards used

Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times. 

Julie in GA

Rainbows and UFOs

One of my plans for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge this year is to work on UFOs based on our monthly assigned color. Last week I showed my Easy Street quilt (a Bonnie Hunter mystery from 2012) which was in need of borders. I had pulled it out to work on as my purple UFO for the month of April. I am thrilled and amazed to let you know that it is now a finished quilt top! And the back has been pieced too!

The Dark Side of Easy Street
60" x 81"

Here is a closer shot of one corner of the border. I had hoped to use up the leftover parts from making the center of the quilt, but ended up making about 100 more black and grey 4-patches for the border. Those extra flying geese and such are still tucked away in a box, waiting for another chance to come out and play.

The back is a giant nine-patch, with the fabric that was the inspiration for my color choices on this quilt at the center. 

I have pulled out two UFOs that feature green, our RSC color for the month of May. Most of the time I just fantasize about finishing up UFOs, but right now it is feeling really good to be getting through some of those old projects. I hope I can keep the momentum going! I am also continuing with my 2015 RSC projects, the applique circles and bowtie blocks, but I don't have any green blocks to show yet.

Check out all of the terrific scrappy projects at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I will also be linking up on Sunday to Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework and to Scraptastic Tuesday at Mrs Sew and Sow.

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 4/27/15

The plan for the borders of my Easy Street quilt was to use up some of the leftover parts from making the center of the quilt. Here is the center before borders.

I played with all sorts of possible arrangements of my extra units, ending up with what you see below. Instead of using up those extra pieces, I had to make almost 100 more 4-patches for this border, but I think it will be worthwhile in the end. The borders for the two long sides have been made, plus part of the top. The other pieces and parts are still waiting for their turn to be useful--maybe on the back of this quilt.

"Easy Street"
2012 Mystery by Bonnie Hunter

I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times, where you can see all sorts of amazing quilting inspiration! I am also linking up with Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework and to Monday Making over at Love Laugh Quilt.

Julie in GA

Something Old, Something New(ish)

One of my goals for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2015 was to keep from starting too many new projects. There are so many wonderful ideas showing up each week, making it very difficult to stick to my plan. My new RSC projects for the year are the Rainbow Bowties which you can see HERE and the applique circles that are my current hand-stitching project. I finished my last few of the purple blocks this week.

"True Colors" by Nancy Mahoney

from the book Simple Circles and Quick Curves

As an alternative to starting new projects, I have been pulling out some of my UFOs that fit in with our monthly color. I don't have many UFOs that feature purple, but I did find my unfinished "Easy Street" top, Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt from 2012. 

"Easy Street" by Bonnie Hunter

Bonnie's original quilt was very large, around 84" square before borders. I made fewer of the units each week and ended up with the center of my quilt measuring about 42" x 63". I have lots of extra parts left over and keep trying to figure out a way to use them in a pieced border. I am playing around with several ideas for the borders, and hope to have a finished top soon.

Check out all of the terrific scrappy projects at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 1/7/13--Easy Street

There were other projects I should have been working on over the weekend, but my Easy Street blocks kept calling to me.  I gave in and finished making the rest of my blocks, plus got them all joined together yesterday.  This is planned to be the center of a throw quilt.  I have been trying out some border options in EQ7 to make it a bit bigger, but haven't decided on one yet.  Right now it measures about 43" x 64".

I will be linking up to Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday and also to Bonnie Hunter's Easy Street link-up.  I can't wait to see the many different versions of Easy Street there.

Julie

Stash Report #1--1/6/13

I had hoped to have some yardage usage to report this week, but not yet.  I have been putting together blocks for the Easy Street mystery, but I think I would like to add a border to my smaller version.  That may mean some time playing with EQ7 to come up with a way to use my leftover units.

Used this week:   0 yards   
Used year to date:  0 yards    

Added this week:   0 yards

Added year to date: 0 yards

Year to date:  0 yards used or added   

Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday 12/31/12 and 2013 Goals

This is the last Design Wall Monday post for 2012.  I started my blog at the beginning of this year, mostly because I wanted to join in the fun of Design Wall Monday.  I love seeing all the different projects people are working on.  There is so much talent out there--you all inspire me!

There's nothing up on my design wall at the moment, but I do have a box of finished units for Bonnie Hunter's Easy Street mystery.  There is another clue posting today, and I hope we will start joining all these units together.  Bonnie certainly has me stumped.  I haven't a clue what these will become, but I have enjoyed following along.  It is so much fun to see all the blog posts with everyone's progress.

This morning Bonnie posted the next clue which has us joining parts to make big triangles. Looks like we will have blocks set on the diagonal.  I don't have time to sew before work today, but I couldn't resist laying out my pieces to see how they look.

As the new year approaches, I have been trying to set some goals for my quilting in the coming year:

My quilting goals for 2013:
1. Make at least 4 charity/QOV quilts 
2. Finish at least 4 UFOs
3. Finish more projects than I begin
4. Stashbusting--use 100 yards, buy less than I use 

A few specific UFO possibilities:
1. Hidden 9-Patch--binding

2. Make 6 more paisley placemats to go with the ones made last May

3. Red/white/blue Scrap Club blocks--make more blocks, finish quilt top 

4. French Braid--make into Roman shade for door

5. Boston Fiesta--more blocks, get top together

I will be linking up to Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all and HAPPY QUILTING!

Julie

Design Wall Monday 12/17/12

There wasn't much free time for quilting this week, but I did manage to stay caught up on the Easy Street mystery.  I am only making about half the number of parts that Bonnie's instructions list, with the plan that mine will be a lap quilt.  If I end up loving the design, I have plenty of fabric to make it bigger.  I have stacks of different units all pinned together in groups of 10.  There are still some flying geese to join together to complete Part 4.

I couldn't resist playing with some design possibilities!

I will be linking up to Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday and also the Easy Street link-up to see other people's progress on the mystery.  

Julie

Design Wall Monday 12/10/12

It seemed like I would have tons of time to sew over the weekend, but things just didn't work out that way.  We had our scrap quilt group gathering on Saturday morning, the last meeting of the year.  I showed the red, white and blue scrappy blocks that I have been making throughout the year.  They are now hanging on the design wall while I try to decide how big to make this quilt.

My favorites  are the pineapple blocks.  I love the diagonal movement of them.  Here is a possible layout with more blocks.  The original plan was that this would be a Quilt of Valor, but I'm not sure I will be able to give it up.

My time to work on Bonnie Hunter's Easy Street mystery quilt has been limited, but I did manage to make 16 of the Shaded 4-patch units for Part 3.  Even though I haven't finished all the units from the previous steps, I am following Bonnie's advice to move on with each new clue so that I get some of each part made.  I am loving how my colors look together!

I will be linking up to Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday and also the Easy Street link-up to see other people's progress.  

Julie

Easy Street on Design Wall Monday 12/3/12

There were two main reasons I was resisting doing Bonnie Hunter's new mystery, Easy Street.  The first was lack of time.  This is not the best time of year to begin a new project (but that has rarely stopped me before!)  Besides, Bonnie promised that this year's quilt is less intense than the last couple.  I'm thinking maybe I can manage to make half of the units and end up with a lap quilt or wall hanging.

The other thing that slowed me down was trying to decide on my color palette.  Bonnie's colors are great, but I wanted to come up with my own combination.  It wasn't until I came across this piece in my stash that I decided what direction to take.  

Some of my colors are going to be the same as Bonnie's.  There is a grey print as a constant, and I am also using turquoise and purple in the same places she did.  Where she has lime green, I am going to use fuchsia, and instead of black-on-white prints for background, I am going with dark grey and black prints.  Here is most of the collection I am working from.  (I can see from the photo that there is a paisley print in the black prints that shows up much lighter than the rest.  I knew that one might be a problem!)

So far I have made about 100 four-patch blocks, and I am making good progress with my flying geese.  Can't wait to see what comes next!

I will be linking up to Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday and also the Easy Street link-up to see other people's progress.  

Julie