Final Stash Report for 2015

First, let me wish everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR.  I've been very quiet on the blog, but still kicking.
I took the liberty of using all the final days in 2015 to enhance my stash report.  You can get a lot done from Sunday to Thursday trying to make every minute count in the final days of the year.  The weather has been pretty crummy here with lots and lots of rain, so I made good use of staying indoors a lot. Also Christmas was very slow at our house and both my DH and I stayed in pj's all day, which allowed me lots of sewing time!

Some of my finishes include - two scrap quilt backings and bindings that were given as gifts to a friends' sons.

Another for a young lady.

The backing is the same stripped fabric as is on the binding.  I didn't have much time for staging these gifts since I was finishing them up hours before they had to be delivered!

Then I got busy and put together a couple more 9-patch baby quilt tops from the many leader/ender blocks that have been accumulating over the last couple years.  I think these make sweet little gifts with simple quilting on them.  These will get finished in 2016, but the tops are counted in 2015.

This is the smaller size of approximately 36" x 42".

This one became a bit larger so I could use up the rest of the 9-patches.

It will finish approx. 50" square.

So this brings me up to the totals for 2015 Stash

Fabric Added  in 2015-   11.5 yards

Fabric Used in 2015-    145.16

Net Used in 2015         133.66

I was a little shy of my goals, but am very pleased that I held my purchases to a minimum throughout the year.  One thing I forgot to mention earlier is that I managed to finish 11 of my UFO's this year. That is 1 short of one a month, but I'm down on my big list of 75 UFOs when the year started.  I only added 6 new ones for the new year, and 3 of those are the 9 patch baby quilts.  I hope to double my efforts in 2016 on the UFO front.

I am linking up with Patchwork Times even though it's a bit late. (Oops, she closed it so no link up).   Here's hoping everyone has a Happy New Year and that you get lots of sewing done in 2016.

Stash Report - Week 51

My posting of the stash report has been non-existent for a while, but today I am bringing it up-to-date to catch up.  Since returning from the International Quilt Show in Houston in November, I have not added to my stash, but I have finished a couple quilts that have not been counted.   I mailed 4 quilts this week as Christmas gifts, and put on a binding and hanging sleeves on two that were finished earlier in the year, so they will be ready for our guild quilt show in March, 2016. That helped my usage for the year a little bit more.  I may not reach my goal of 200 yards used in 2015, but at least my stash has not grown by leaps and bounds this year. I soon may be able to organize it better to use it more quickly--then I'll have room for more new fabric!

This was one of the small baby quilts that was sent to a friend's first granddaughter in Colorado.

Stash Report 

Fabric Used - 4.5 yds  

Fabric Added - 0 yds

YTD Used  - 119.33 yds

YTD Added -  6.5 yds   

Net Stash Used - 112.58 yds

This brings me up-to-date so far, but I hope to use a few more yards before the end of the year. I'm still working on a few small Christmas gifts.

Stop on by Judy's Patchwork Times to see what others have finished up this week.

On The Needles - Dec. 17, 2015

With all the Christmas parties and activities going on, I have not done much in the knitting arena.  I am still working on my stripped socks from way back in October. At the rate I'm gong, I'll be doing well to get them finished by the end of the year!  Where did the time go?? All those beautiful yarns in my stash are calling to me, and I do want to knit up more things before Spring comes, which will be right around the corner with the way the days fly by.  I can't believe it is almost the end of 2015.

I'm linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times.  Check there to see more wonderful knitted things.

Stash Report - November 15, 2015

It's been so long since I've posted a Stash Report and I hope you all didn't forget me. The reason was and still is-- computer issues.  But that hasn't kept me from keeping busy with quilting, knitting and retreats.  I recently attended the International Quilt Show in Houston and stopped at many cute and wonderful quilt shops along the way.  Hoping my computer issues get resolved soon, because going to the library takes more time.  Since I'm here again using the library computer,  I'll keep this short with no pictures.

I did breakdown and bought fabric while on the Houston trip, so my perfect "0" in the fabric bought column was broken.  Not by a lot, but I was trying hard to end the year with no purchases at all.  It was fabric needed to finish a quilt, so I hope to have it used before the end of the year.

Since October 4th,  I have added  6.5 yards to the stash  and used  11.58 yards

Fabric report since last posted (10/4/15)

Fabric Used - 11.58 yds

Fabric Added - 6.5 yds

YTD Used  - 114.83 yds

YTD Added -  6.5 yds - 

Net Stash Used - 108.33 yds

Here's hoping things will be fixed soon and I can use my computer from the comfort of my sewing room in my jammies!!

Linking up with Judy's Patchwork Times. 

WiFi at My Local Library - A Life Saver

What would we do without our local library and their WiFi?  I know I would be more frustrated than I am if there was not a place to check emails and blog comments.

How did we manage to go through our days and weeks without being tied so tightly to our cell phones and computers.   I believe life was more simple, carefree and easy going and we enjoyed spending more time with our friends 'in person' than on the computer and texting. Now we are afraid we will miss something - a phone call, a cute joke a friend sends through your email and of course all your blog buddies who comment on your posts, boosting your day with sweet remarks -- which I will admit is something I don't want to miss.  Please hang in there with me because one of these days I will have a working computer again.   It's always nice to see familiar friends stop by and leave a comment.  Know that I'm reading lots of your blogs, but since there is a time limit on the computers at the library, I don't have enough time to reply to all that I read.  I guess you could call me a lurker now. lol

I am going to the International Quilt Show in Houston next week, so I hope to have things to share when I return.  It would be nice to have my computer problems resolved before I leave, but there may not be time enough to find someone to fix it.   So far I have been unsuccessful in finding the problem. .

Computer Problems

I'm still fighting with trying to get my home computer working right.  I am going to see if I can do a blog post from the library with a picture or two.

I have been busy quilting and knitting, but haven't posted to either linky party for awhile.

This is one of the last quilts I did for a friend and she was excited to see it finished.  She acquired the center piece of fabric and didn't want to cut into it.  She said it reminded of a storm coming. Some people have more imagination than I do!  So she just kept adding borders to make it as big as she needed.

While my computer has been on the blink, I started a couple of knitting projects.  First another pair of socks.

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And a diagonal cowl.  

Both of these were from a new yarn company that someone suggested to me - Nordic Mart.  Shame on me, but I was weak when I saw the beautiful colors they were offering and the prices were so much less than normal.  

Hope soon, I'll be back up to blogging more regularly from home.  Hope you are having a good week, and thanks for sticking with me.

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A Finish & Fabric Report - Week 40

Another quilt is finished and crossed off my long list of UFOs.  I started Easy Street, Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt in November 2012. It is big (100" x 100") and it took forever to stitch the binding down on the back. My motivation was to finish so I could show it during Bonnie's visit when I attended her workshop last weekend here in St. Louis.  You know she does a 'Show and Share' session during her workshops, so I worked feverishly to get it done by then...well there were only a few binding clips hanging on it when they held it up to show. lol

I am renaming this  "Not So Easy Street" because it took a long time to complete.  Bonnie loves those little pieces and that give you more opportunities to mess up when it's me sewing them!  I do love the colors and the way it turned out.  The outter border is really a deep royal purple, not blue as it looks on my computer screen.

Easy Street 100" x 100"

I quilted the center with a panto and did separate designs in the inner and outer borders.

Borders

And the back--this is why it wasn't finished sooner.  I kept procrastinating about which fabrics to use for the backing.  I used almost 10 yds, but still have quite a lot left, which will go into my scraps.

Backing on Easy Street

Sorry it's a bit wavy in the picture. I used Hobbs 80/20 batting, so it's heavy and kept pleating as it was hanging.

My report only reflects what was used in the binding (1 yd), because all the other was accounted for earlier during the construction of the top and back.  But it is one less UFO and that makes me very happy.

Fabric Report - #40
Used this Week:  .1 yd for binding

Used year to Date:   103.25 yds
Added this Week:  0 yards 
Added Year to Date:  0 yards 

Net Used for 2015:  103.25 yards 

If you have time, drop by Judy's Patchwork Times to see other results for the week.

Off The Needles - Oct. 2, 2015

Finally finished my Rose City Roller footies this week.  This is a free pattern on Ravelry by Mara Catherine Bryner. I may not have many more days that I can wear them since our temperatures have taken a nose dive into the 50's and 60's.  But that's ok, I can bring out my regular wool socks that I knitted last year and start wearing them again.  I love the feeling of hand knitted socks anytime of the year really.

Rose City Rollers 

On the quilting front, I have another finished quilts  This was a sweet little pinwheel quilt for a sweet little girl, Sophie.

To see more knitting inspirations, check on over at Judy's Patchwork Times. 

Fabric Report & More - Week 38

Holy cow.  It's been 4 weeks since I've done a fabric report; and this week isn't great.

Fabric Report - Week 38

Used this Week:  .25 - block exchange blocks 

Used year to Date:   102.25 yds
Added this Week:  0 yards 
Added Year to Date:  0 yards 

Net Used for 2015:  102.25 yards 
Warning -- This post is picture heavy. 

What was I doing instead of sewing ?  Well let's see.  I have been spending a lot of time working on Quilts of Valor quilts.   As I mentioned in an earlier post, we are a large group of quilters and meet 2 or 3 times a month to hand quilt tops that have been donated.  Here are some pics of a recent gathering. 

We set up between 10 to 15 frames each time we meet.

 

This is where I was working that day. BTW, we did finish our quilt! 

Here they are working on a quilt from Kevin'the Quilter's block drive.

Another Finish !!

Our leaders take turns marking all the quilt tops that come into to us. They do a great job and give us lots of variety and sometimes a few challenges too.

As you can see, we get a lot of beautiful tops donated by generous quilters.  They come from quilters all around the area and friends and family members who have a connection to members either serving now in the military or that have served in the past.  We also receive fully finished quilts from churches and individuals.  This is really nice since they are ready to be given to a veteran as soon as the label goes on.

Here are a couple more tops that will find their way to the quilting frames soon.

I get so excited when I receive a call from a friend telling me she has another QoV top to bring me.  I love seeing what designs they come up with.  We get such a variety that the quilting is never boring. Not all of our quilts are patriotic.  We get an equal number of other colored quilts too.

Check out Judy's Fabric Report to see what others have done this week.

On the Needles - 9-18-15

Not much knitting these last couple of weeks.  I did get the second Rose City Roller sock started. I just finished the heel and heading for the toe.

The last couple of weeks I have been busy quilting - both for Quilts of Valor and others.  QOV has met twice in less than a week for all day quilting session.  Note the posting on our bulletin board of the number of quilts we have presented to our veterans since this group was started -- 1,900 quilts.  I think we will hit the 2,000 mark before the end of the year.   More pictures of our QOV quilts will be coming in a later post.

To see more knitting inspirations, go to Judy's Patchwork Gardens and enjoy what others are doing.

On The Needles - Sept. 4, 2015

I am still working on my Rose City Roller little footie socks.  I went camping a few days last week and hoped to finish the whole pair, but there were too many other fun things to keep me busy.  I did finish one and started the 2nd.

Rose City Roller pattern - free on Ravelry

We went camping at Montauk State Park in southern Missouri.  It is a beautiful park and the Current River runs right through it and is known especially for trout fishing.  Close by we found a shop called "Rootin Tootin Alpaca Yarns which sells alpaca and many other yarns plus fabric!  Well you know I had to take time out from fishing and check it out.  I resisted buying fabric, but did buy a couple skeins of yarn. Unfortunately they were very low on the alpaca hand dyed and the colors available were dark and drab, so I didn't get any of those.  I bought a variegated Serenity which is superwash merino wool and bamboo in a color called "Purple Spice"  It looks more reddish than purple to me, but since there was purple in the name, I had to buy it. lol  She had lots of patterns, fabrics and notions.

Check out more knitting projects over at Judy's Patchwork Times.

Fabric Report - Week 34

I'm posting this a bit later than usual so I can count what I've used today to piece together a backing for Easy Street.  I've procrastinated long enough. It is the largest pieced backing I've ever done--108" x 108".   To refresh your memory, here is my Easy Street (folded into quarters); it was started in 2012.

Easy Street - Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt - 2012

And here is the backing on the floor before it was totally sewn together. I couldn't get the whole back in the picture from the angle I was shooting. I'll try to get a better picture tomorrow in the daylight.

So how many yards do you think it took to make this backing with left over fabrics and some whole yardage from stash. If you guessed 10 yards, you would be right. Yes!!  I've hit the half way mark on usage this year. Now to get it quilted and bound before Bonnie comes to Missouri in September.  It was the motivation I needed to get me going. I'm cutting it close, but it's doable if I keep focused and not get sidetracked with some other 'pressing" project. lol  This will be my 9th UFO for this year. There are still too many left for any sane person to have though. 

Fabric Report - Week 34
Used this Week:  10.5 yards (10 yds for backing,  1/2 yd gifted to a friend  

Used year to Date:   102 yds
Added this Week:  0 yards 
Added Year to Date:  0 yards Still have not bought any fabric this year! Not counting donated or gifted fabric. 

Net Used for 2015:  102 yards 

I'm linking up with Patchwork Times.  To see more reports, check HERE. 

Quilts of Valor Finishes

August has been a very busy month and I haven't taken the time to post some of our wonderful quilts that we have hand quilted recently.  Here are a couple of our latest ones.  We have presented over 1,850 quilts to our veterans since our first meeting 10 years ago.  We had an anniversary party in July to celebrate the milestone.

Getting close to ringing the bell.!

FINISHED!

This is one of the many quilts that we made from Kevin's block drive last year.  We will be quilting these for quite some time.  We are quilting them all differently though, so that will make it more interesting for the hand quilters.

Since it rained almost 2 inches this morning, I don't have to spend any time today watering my garden and plants, so more time for stitching.  I need to get moving and finish up something so I will have some fabric "used" to put on my stash report. lol

On The Needles - August 21, 2015

I couldn't quite make up my mind which yarn to use next for my next pair of socks, so I picked a completely different one that I've been wanting to try.  I decided to make a pair of the short footies that someone posted recently (sorry, right now I can't remember who, but I put it on my "to do" list immediately).  They are called Rose City Rollers and it is a free pattern on Ravelry HERE.  I figured they would go quickly and I can wear them before winter in my tennis shoes, Here's how far I got this week.  I have been busy finishing a custom quilt so not much time was spent with my knitting needles. .

They are knitting up pretty quickly with a slight variation in the pattern than I'm used to.  I'm using Panda Superwash yarn which has bamboo, wool and a little nylon.  They feel very soft and cushy.

Check out Patchwork Times to see more lovely knitted items this week.

Fabric Report - Week 33

This is the last time you will have to look at these dragon pillowcases! I used all of the fabric, even the last 1/2 yard.  I made the last two for me and my DH with the small left over piece. They are the two on the front left with only the cuffs made out of dragons--black bottom for him, yellow for me.  I wanted to keep something as a reminder of what the fabric looked like (Right, like I would forget anytime soon lol) AND to remind myself NOT TO BUY any fabric at a sale that you cannot inspect first!!  I think I've made enough pillowcases this year. Delivered 53 in June to St. Louis Children's Hospital and there are 32 more here on the table. They will go to Our Ladies Inn, a safe shelter for abused women and their children. Thanks to several of my friends for making a few too so I wouldn't go crazy as quickly.

These pillowcases were helping my stash numbers each week.  Now I'm in trouble --I really will have to get going on the UFOs again if I want to hit my goal of using 200 yards for the year.

Fabric Report - Week 33
Used this Week:  7.5 yards (6 yds for pillowcases, 1 1/2 gifted to friend for baby quilt.

Used year to Date:   91.5 yds
Added this Week:  0 yards
Added Year to Date:  0 yards
Net Used for 2015:  91.5  yards  

Stop by Patchwork Times to see more stash reports for the week.

Almost a Happy Dance and Fabric Report - Week 32

It's getting real close to me doing the Happy Dance at my house. The end of the dragon fabric is getting soooo close.    I counted just 6 more to go after the nine that were finished this week.

Also this week, I finished another UFO that in inherited last year from my good friend, Barb that passed away in August. You might remember, I volunteered to finish her quilt projects that she was working on for her family.  These scrappy squares were started with her young niece, Brooke who was 9 or 10 years old.  Brooke helped pick her own fabrics and even sewed some of the blocks herself.  I quilted it with Dragon Fly by Pattern Man Designs.  She certainly won't need a quilt for a few more months since it's going to be in the high 90's tomorrow, but it's ready and waiting for her to snuggle in when winter gets here. I'm sure she will have fond memories of her time spent with her aunt Barb making her quilt top.

Back with dragon flies

Fabric Report - Week 32

Used this Week: 9 yards

Used year to Date: 84 yds
Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 0 yards
Net Used for 2015: 84 yards  

I'm linking up with Judy at Patchwork 
Gardens where you will find others who are trying to manage their stashes.  

Fabric Report - Week 31

Not much to add this week except a few more pillowcases are finished.  I'm getting closer to the end of this orange dragon fabric!  I bet you are saying, thank goodness.  We are tired of seeing the same old pillowcases.  ME TOO. 

Used this Week: 6 yards
Used year to Date: 75 yds
Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 0 yards
 Net Used for 2015: 75 yards  

Check out Judy's Patchwork Times to see how others made out this week on their sewing numbers.

Off The Needles - July 31, 2015

Off my needles this week is the Pretty Basic Shawl  a free pattern on Ravelry.  This was also my first garment to block using wires. It was a little tricky, but turned out ok. . I didn't follow the pattern exactly (well I meant to, but I made a big boo boo reading the pattern and didn't realize it until I had gone too far), so it is what it is. Wish it had turned out bigger like the original picture showed. I even added more rows thinking it would be larger.

I'm still debating what to start next.  I miss not having a sock on the needles, so I may cast on a pair of those next. Then the decision of which yarn to use--Judy's Loopy Legion on the Right or Denise's Mallard Duck on the Left - both are Lorna's Laces fingering weight yarns.
  

Come back soon to find out which one I choose.  Which one would YOU choose for socks and which for another knitted item?

I'm linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times.  Stop by there to see what other lovely things are being made this week. 

Fabric Report - Week 30

Nothing in and a few more yards out this week.  I'm working on getting those 24 pieces of dragon pillowcases done--4 finished this week.  I also gifted some fabric to a friend.

I know it's hard to beieve, but I still have not bought any new fabric this year.  Only 5 more months to go.   Maybe I should take bets on whether I'll make it through December. lol

Week 30
Fabric Added - O

Fabric Used:  5.25 yards

Fabric Added YTD - O

Fabric Used YTD - 69 yards

Net used from stash this year-  69 yards

Check out more reports at Judy's Patchwork Times.  

A surprise in the Garden

Earlier this summer as I was checking my patio tomatoes, I noticed a "weed" that had come up in one of the pots and was about to pull it out.  A friend told me she thought it was a sunflower.  Now how could she tell that with it being only 4-5 inches tall. Having never grown sunflowers before, I had no idea.

I didn't really believe her, since how it got in that tomato pot was such a mystery. I had used pre-mixed potting soil to give the plants the best chance to produce big, tasty delicious tomatoes, and I know I didn't plant anything else in that pot.  Well, I carefully dug it out and planted it in my flower/veggie garden in the yard....just to see what it really was.

This is what finally became of the "weed".   Unfortunately, it faces away from us as we look from our house.

Please excuse the weeds. This little garden has a few flowers, 4 tomato plants and 2 green pepper plants. Oh yes, and now one beautiful sunflower.  Also, lots and lots of weeds.  They are my speciality!

Notice the tiny honey bee at the top inner ring and the large black bumblebee below it?  The whole plant faces to the East, I guess to greet the morning sun.

Switching gears a bit - 

At our quilt guild last month, we had our annual Summer Salad Supper program along with a white elephant gift exchange..  We were to wrap our "white elephant" so it would be enticing and completely covered. We could bring anything, even items unrelated to quilting.

The organizers had a game plan to make getting our gifts very random. As we waited for our numbers to be called, we could hear laughing and oohs and aahs coming from various sides of the room. A friend of mine at the next table got something that caused her whole table to break out in loud laughter. I looked over to see what all the fuss was about.  She got a great white elephant. She thought it was awful and did not want it. When she said who wanted to buy it, I jumped at the chance.  I thought it was the cutest 'white elephant' in the whole room.  You wouldn't believe some of the terrible 'white elephants people came up with.

Meet my new kitty.  She is house trained, doesn't need a litter box and she doesn't wake me up too early in the morning, but I think she is the cutest kitty around town.  Don't you agree?  The flowers she is carrying are Suoerbena, a Verbena hybrid. Royale Chambray is the color. (Of course you know it HAD TO BE PURPLE).

Has anyone ever tried to winter annuals over in the house?  This would make a pretty addition to our sun room in the winter.  I know kitty would prefer to be indoors when it's cold. lol

Another UFO Bites the Dust & Fabric Report

This week will make the fabric report look better.  Surprise, surprise -- another UFO crossed off of my very long list!   This was a top that was given to me awhile back for a charity quilt.  It finally got it's turn in the quilting pile and I even found time to bind it this week. The backing and binding came from my stash, and it measured 55" x 74"; so that was 4 yards used.

Then a friend came by who needed some quilting/sewing advice.  She was working on a couple baby quilts.  After determining what colors she needed, I checked my stash and was able to find 3 yards of fabric that I gifted to her to help give more variety.  She now has plenty to complete her quilts.

Fabric Results - Week 29
Fabric Added - O

Fabric Used:  7 yds

Fabric Added YTD - O

Fabric Used YTD - 63.75 yds

Net used in 2015 -  63.75 yds

Take a minute to check out what others have been up to this week at Judy's Patchwork Times.