Stash Report Sunday - June 6, 2010

Darn This n That Patterns and Cindy Taylor Oates!

The good news is that I did not break my New Year's Resolution. I purchased fabrics only for a specific purpose and did not buy extra yardage. The bad news is that I did make some purchases last week.

After seeing my friend Cheryl from the shop make and wear so many cute shirts from this pattern, I decided I needed to have one.  Since Cheryl also teaches the class at the shop, I can use her expertise. I don't sew clothes. I've never made a sleeve or a buttonhole, so it's about time I learned!

My goal is to have my shirt finished by the time I represent the shop at a couple of quilt shows later this month.  If you're in Cincinnati for the Creative Festival the end of June, or in Columbus,Ohio for the NQA show please stop by the Best Friends Quilt Shoppe booth to say "Hi!"


Here are the fabrics I selected. Piwacket has turned away in wrath, but Maggie is quite pleased with me. Of course, Maggie is happy no matter what I do.

I have a few patterns from This n That. I decided it was time to make some cute little bags from them.  I cut out enough fabric for three Abby's Treasure Box.  This picture is from the cover of the pattern. Mine aren't complete yet.

I picked up a charm pack of Frolic by Moda and a few fat quarters as well.  Here's my first box in process.

I love these cheerful brights and think they're perfect for this pattern.

I also cut out enough for four Sweet Stuff bags.  This picture is from the pattern cover. I haven't started sewing mine yet.

Finally, I also purchased enough material to make two Brand X purses, which is an original pattern from our shop.  Visit Best Friends Quilt Shoppe online to purchase your own pattern. Take a look at our tote bag, courier bag and backpack patterns as well!

Fortunately, I did manage to get some cutting done, including 300 2.5" squares in order to participate in Karen Montgomery's 9 Patch A Day challenge.  I really like how my red, white, blue and tan blocks are coming together!


Used this Week:              5.5  yards
Used year to Date:      110.0  yards
Added this Week:         11.75  yards
Added Year to Date:    44.75   yards

 

Net Used for 2010:     65.25 yards

Judy's blog includes not only her own stashbusting efforts, but the reports from several of us playing along. Take a peek for yourself.

I wish you a week of happy creativity!

Linda/Momcat

Rotating Snowballs and Nine-Patches Quilt Along

SNOWBALLING

In January a group of us started a quilt along making 9-patches and snowballs. You can see the list of participants on the sidebar.  If you've been following along each month and making six blocks per month, by now you'll have 30 blocks with which to play!

I have 32, and will need to make four more by the end of this month.  Here's a picture of what I have so far (please keep in mind that I have not trimmed any of the blocks yet and this is not a final design).

I really like how this is turning out.


9 PATCH A DAY CHALLENGE

Nine-Patch Fever must be going around. Karen Montgomery of The Quilt Company is hosting a 9-Patch A Day Challenge that started on June 1. That means there's plenty of time for you to catch up.  Go to her blog at Karen Says Sew to learn more.  She also has created a group on Facebook for those of us participating.  It's a great project for using up scraps. I'm using 2.5" squares.

Here's the Facebook link:  

http://www.facebook.com/pages/9-Patch-Project/116885848345468?v=wall&ref=tshttp:

I decided to do a red, white, blue and tan version from my scraps.  I don't care about the motif or theme of the fabric, or whether there's a few other colors mixed in or even the value. My only goal is to use scraps and have them "read" Red, White, Blue or Tan from a distance.

These are just a few of the scraps that I'm starting with. There's even a piece of denim or two in the blue stack.  I actually cut about 200 squares total on Memorial Day.  Notice me in the corner of the table taking a much-needed break. Momcat will cut for hours, but I need a catnap every 5 minutes or so.

I sorted my cut pieces by color (putting the tans and the whites together), placing them in drawer organizers so that they'll be handy next to my sewing machine.  Any time I'm sewing anything, this can be my leader/ender project.  I picked up the tip about the drawer organizers from Judy Martin's Log Cabin Quilt Book. 

Karen's goal is for us to make just a block a day, understanding that we might really get going and make several at once. So far I've made three, one ugly on purpose to show you (really!)

Here's the two scrappy versions that I like.

And here's the ugly one. If you try to get too matchy (is that a word?) on these, they end up looking dumb. The scrappier the better. This one will be unsewn and the pieces all put back into the pile for picking.

TROUBLE'S HOME

A little over a month ago Trouble and Logan went to live with CatDaddy. Logan has adjusted really well, but Trouble never did. Momcat and CatDaddy decided it was best for her to come back to live with us. Usually when one of us has been gone, it takes everybody else awhile to reaccept them.

In this case, as soon as Trouble walked out of the cat carrier Butch and Sundance came to greet her. The three of them touched noses and apparently are going to live happily ever after together on the kitty condo. I'm going to let them stay in the crow's nest for now.  They all know that it's MY throne!

When Butch and Sundance came to live with us as babies, Trouble immediately adopted them even though she's never had kittens of her own. I think she was grieving for "her" babies and that's why she couldn't get used to her new environment. That's Trouble (with her head hanging down) and Butch up in the crow's nest, with Sunny on the shelf just beneath them.

I'm glad she's home. She's been my best student as far as quilt quality control. She's especially good about working her way into the midst of a quilt while Momcat does the binding.



PHILIP'S COSTUME.....

....won first prize at the costume party! His friends wanted to know where he purchased such a cool costume. Leanne, Philip's sweet girlfriend, came in 2nd place with her Jean Grey from the X-Men disguise.


About to reclaim my throne for awhile,
Piwacket

Mortal Kombat's Scorpion Lives in Cincinnati, Ohio

 Philip just left for the costume party so now I can share the pictures.

The subtitle of this post should be: Tall Men Are Still Little Boys

Philip and his group of friends have all known each other since they were young'uns.  Josh and Kate have birthdays very close to one another, so today they're celebrating. The theme of the costume party is:
Come As A Famous Real or Fictional Dead Person.

As I understand it, Scorpion is the character in Mortal Kombat who is known as neutral and quite dead. Philip's darling girlfriend, Leanne, is going as Jean Grey from X-Men. I'm hoping that some of them will take group shots and post them on Facebook so I can see everybody. These kids have grown into the nicest, loving group of adults you can imagine and I'm blessed to know so many of them. (I've been calling Josh Son #3 and he's referred to me as Mom 2 for about as long as I can remember.)

My job was to make the belt/vest combination and do a little work on the black sweatshirt hood.  I give Philip credit for figuring out how to make everything else work.  He used child-size shin guards painted yellow for the wrist cuffs and adult shin guards painted yellow for the leg armor. The fingerless gloves are actually men's black knit socks with holes cut in them.  Scorpion's weapon, as seen in the shot above, was made from roping material around a garden trowel.


I'm really glad that I was able to share this experience with my grown son. We had a good time, even when we were getting frustrated about how to make this work. Since he's thrilled with the end result, so am I!

Courageously yours,
Momcat/Linda

Stash Report Sunday - May 30, 2010

I made a slight dent in the stash thanks to the pieced back for Springtime Tulips. Most of the week was spent working with Philip on his costume. It's finished and he modeled it last night.  It looks just the way he envisioned it! I'll be allowed to post pictures tomorrow.


Used this Week:           1  yards
Used year to Date:   104.35  yards
Added this Week:         0  yards
Added Year to Date:   33 yards

Net Used for 2010:     71.35 yards

 

Judy's Memorial Day quilt looks fantastic. Take a look for yourself and see how everyone is doing on their stashbusting.

In the midst of a fun-filled three-day weekend for those of us in the United States, please remember all the fallen soldiers who have served our country. They gave the ultimate sacrifice for us.

Patriotically yours,

Piwacket

TheTulips Finally Bloomed

Some of you may remember that Momcat wanted to finish the Springtime Tulips top during her vacation in Virginia Beach. She did and here's the result. I really like the piano key border!

She also started working on a pieced back, using scraps left over from the top. Then she ran out of the scraps. Since we're keeping this quilt (I know, a quilter who is actually keeping one of her own creations....did the world just stop?) to use as a spring wall hanging, it really doesn't matter what the back looks like.

Today we finished sewing on some plain yellow cotton from the stash. We'll make sure that the blah yellow is the part that gets most of it cut off after the quilting process is finished.

That means we now have two projects ready for quilting: Springtime Tulips and The Poky Little Puppy.

We're behind on our Rotating Snowballs Quilt-Along, so it's back to the sewing room.

Purrs,
Piwacket

Stash Report Sunday - May 23, 2010

Judy Laquidara at Patchwork Times continues to lead the way in busting stash. Click on the link to see what how well everyone else is doing in comparison to her. (Hint:  Not too well).

My stash reports have become really boring. I plan to make a change to that this coming week. I'm piecing a back for my tulips quilt and plan on quilting my Poky Little Puppy. That means I should be able to cut some binding for it as well.


Used this Week:           0  yards
Used year to Date:   103.35  yards
Added this Week:         0  yards
Added Year to Date:   33 yards

Net Used for 2010:     70.35 yards

Have a great week and create for 15 minutes daily,

Piwacket

A Pretty Top Indeed

I've done my part with the store sample and left it in good hands, ready to be quilted to perfection with a lofty batting and scalloped borders.

The fabrics in this line are so soft and romantic. And now that you've seen the on point framing of Yellow Brick Road please give it a try yourself. It's easy to do and works so beautifully.

Look what Maggie the Mail Mutt brought in today!

It's an envelope addressed to Linda and Piwacket from our friend (and yours, I bet) Darlene at SewCalGal.

Inside is this awesome pattern by Cozy Quilt Designs which we won on one of SewCalGal's giveaways. Thanks, Darlene! I love it and love the fact that it includes not only Baby through King sizes, but a Table Runner as well. Since it's designed for fat quarters I'll be able to get into my stash quickly and start cutting.



Piwacket Crafts Online Yard Sale

New items were just posted on our yard sale page, including a finished quilt that I'll let you look at here as well.  There's also some great patterns, cross-stitch kits and leaflets plus everything left from previous listings. Come visit!

You can follow our blog on Facebook now! Just go to the right sidebar and scroll down to the picture of Linda in the Networked Blogs box. Click the Follow this Blog button and you'll automatically get the feeds as they're posted.

Enjoy your week and each moment!
Linda and Pi

The Case of the Missing Case

A Posting from Linda:

I have a label maker, so obviously, I'm very organized. Okay, I have a label maker and I actually use it, so I'm organized.  I have a label maker, I use it and I put things back where they belong or else my entire world falls apart and I get into the fetal position and start sucking my thumb; organization is more than just a life skill for me - - it's part and parcel to my survival.  My spices are alphabetized. All my hangers face in the same direction, with the clothes separated by type. My lists have lists.

So where is my thread case, I'd like to know!  Naturally, it's not my only thread case. I have at least four containers of various threads organized by 1) color, 2) use, 3) manufacturer, 4) opened. Doesn't everybody do this?

So what happened to the plastic bin with thread, that also contains a couple of great cutters and a few notions? It's SUPPOSED to be right next to it's pal, but IT'S NOT THERE!

I discovered this last night when Philip called me from Joann Fabrics (I should have known the world was ending right then).

Philip:  You'll never guess where I am.

Me:      Okay. Then I won't.

Philip:   I'm at Joann's.
 
Me:      Joann who?

Philip:   Joann Fabrics.

Me:    You're at Joann Fabrics.

Philip:  Yep, and I'm here because.....

Me:      You're getting me a gift certificate!!
(Leanne laughing in the background)

Philip:    Um, no. Let me explain what's happening.

Me:       Your car broke down and you need me to pick you and Leanne up? Don't worry - - I'll be right there.

Philip:    NO! MOM! Just listen. I just need your advice and I need to explain this to you.


Me:       You need my advice about something from Joann Fabrics?  (I'm certain delirium is setting in since I've had food poisoning for 48 hours. Ahhh, nature's cruel sense of humor. How many times have I wished for my heterosexual offspring to call me from a fabric store and ask my advice. And now I must be having auditory hallucinations.)

Philip:    Yes, I need your advice about what thread to buy.

Me:        You need my advice about what thread to buy at Joann's.

Philip:     Mom, you have to stop repeating everything.  Will you let me explain what's going on?

Me:        Sure. Who's stopping you?
(Leanne still giggling in the background.)

Philip:     Kate's birthday is coming up and she's throwing a combined party for herself, Josh and another person whose birthday falls right around that date. And Kate being Kate, she's decided on a themed costume party.

Me:        Oh boy. (Said as in the 'oh boy are we in trouble' tone of voice.)

Philip:      Yeah, and you know I hate that kind of thing but it's for Kate and Josh so if I'm going to do this I want to do it right. And I have the four yards of fabric that I need, I just need to know do I buy a large spool of thread or a small one?

Me:        (Isn't that the cutest thing. He thinks thread type depends upon what size the spool is.) Philip, I have any color and type of thread you need. Just bring your fabric home and we'll find the right thing.

Philip:     I don't know. It's a pretty strange color and there's only one thread here that comes close.

Me:        (Oh my goodness I couldn't love this precious boy any more than I do!) Honey, it's okay. Joann's is five minutes away, but I bet I have whatever you need. Besides the seams will be on the inside anyway.

Philip:    I don't even know what that means. But you can explain it to me when you teach me how to sew on your machine.

Me:       (Can you believe the nerve of this kid - - thinking he's going to touch MY friend?) You, Mr. Fidget, are not touching my $1200 sewing machine.

Philip:     Well, I didn't want to make you feel like you have to do this. It's my project.

Me:        (Dear Lord, it's the science fair all over again.)  Just bring your material home, honey.

Philip:     Mom, I know you've been sick with the food poisoning, but Leanne and I are stopping at Wendy's. Do you want me to pick anything up for you?

Me:     (What a lovely young man. So thoughtful and sweet.)  Thanks honey, but I don't feel up to eating anything yet.

Philip:    Not even a Frosty?

Me:       (What, is he Satan? Tempting me with a Frosty when I can barely visualize one without having to run to the bathroom? Whose kid is this anyway?)  No, sweetheart, but thanks.

About 15 minutes later they arrive home, finish eating, and join me upstairs for some creative input.

Philip is so excited to show off his purchases. And I can't explain it all here just on the one in 8 billion chance that one of his friends might be kidnapped and forced to read this posting. Suffice to say, he has a cool costume idea.  And as soon as I saw his fabric I knew that I had thread to match. 

We went into the sewing room and I grabbed ...WAIT! Only one of my side-by-side containers of thread? I open up the one I have, immediately produce the proper color ("Wow!" says Philip. "That's a better match than what we found at the store.") but start hyperventilating about my lost case.

I simply can't fathom where it is. I look under the bed and under other containers. Philip wonders if I took it downstairs at some point to do some mending. I start questioning whether I took it with me on vacation. All negatives. I simply do not lose things like this. I'm ready to put out an APB. Maybe Maggie could do a search and rescue. 

The only scenario that makes sense to me is that a marauding band of home invaders entered our house and couldn't find anything worthwhile to take until they got to the sewing room.

"Dude, that's Aurifil's China Beige!"

"I see some Sedona Rust, too.  And some Bottom Line."

"Man, I need me some Bottom Line, if you know what I'm saying."

And off they went. I realized if nothing else, it would make a good story for you. So I gathered some spools from my other spots to create the picture for the top of this post. What to set the spools on for a cute picture though? The little quilt I keep in the sewing room to cover my machine. Which was on the floor next to my machine.

I lifted up the quilt to find this.  Right where I'd left it. My missing case of thread, cutters and notions. Right next to it's buddy. While I was getting ready for vacation I pulled some things together at the last minute and rushed out the door. I've been using my machine faithfully, but left the quilt where it lay on the floor.

   
My world is all sorted out again. I don't even wanna know the street value of my large spools of variegated King Tut.

Obsessively yours,
Linda

Stash Report Sunday - May 16, 2010

I forgot to report last Sunday, but considering the numbers remain the same, it seems an okay mistake to make. I'll have the shop's YBR sample top finished by the end of today...my first time to do mitered borders. Woot woot!

So nothing in and nothing out.


Used this Week:           0  yards
Used year to Date:   103.35  yards
Added this Week:         0  yards
Added Year to Date:   33 yards

Net Used for 2010:     70.35 yards

 

I'd love to catch up to Judy, who has used over 135 yards so far this year (and that's with adding 148 yards!) but truthfully, I don't think I'll make it. That girl is amazing! Take a look for yourself by clicking on her name.

We're Right On Point

Momcat's been working on the Yellow Brick Road sample for the shop. Today we finished the corner and setting triangles. It's looking pretty good!

Before you say anything, yes, this was taken on Manchild's bed and yes, his room is a mess.

A tip to pass along when you don't have a design wall is to be sure to take a picture of your quilt when you have it laid out the way you want. This is especially true when you're dealing with blocks that have a specific orientation and you're setting them on point.

For instance, in a previous post I showed you the design wall picture.  When I was ready to start working on the rows and triangles, I printed out a copy on regular paper.

 You can see how I simply took a fine Sharpie and marked my blocks, drew lines to represent the outside edge of the quilt, and labeled my corner and setting triangles.  (Even with this, I confess, I sewed two setting triangles the wrong way before I caught myself.)

How do you know what size to make your setting and corner triangles when you want to create an on point design?  There's a pretty easy formula, and there's a great quilt calculator, but truthfully Bonnie Hunter has done all the work for us.

Click here for a link to Bonnie's "Math for On-Point Quilts."  Be sure to visit Quiltville's other pages as well as Bonnie's blog. She's a gem!

The next step for this particular quilt is to trim the edges, put on the inside border and then an outside border. I hope to have all of it finished to show you by this weekend.


WHAT DO THIS BEANIE BABY BEAR AND A PINCUSHION HAVE IN COMMON?

They both mysteriously disappeared from the sewing room and were discovered on top of the stove, in close proximity to one another.  And lurking nearby was none other than......

BUTCH!  You have to admit he looks pretty smug. I wonder if he had plans to demand a ransom?  Momcat foiled this caper for sure.

I think I'll Skype about it. I was going to groom, but, awww, we all know I'm always gorgeous.

Creatively yours,
Piwacket