scarf-a-rama

It started with this a couple weeks ago .... the Anna Maria Horner Figure 8 Scarf....

I decided I had to have it, and ordered the kit from her web site. It is the velveteen and the voile from Innocent crush....yum.

I loved it with my cardigan sweaters and decided I had some yarn hanging around, I would knit one, of course in grey which I love, and then in a deep red which is not showing well in the picture.

I really wanted another velveteen, but could not stomach the price since 2 yards of each the focus and backing are required. If I had a need for 4 identical scarves that would be something different, but to do the math, on a good day the AMH is $20 and $15 per yard.... yep, you see where I am going....ka-ching for a scarf. The kits are $25 but the other color combo's available did not appeal to me.

So, while at Hancock's I saw the solid cotton velveteen in a burgundy color that I matched a sweater. When I took it home I found that I did not have 2 yards of anything in my stash that matched, but this AMH Garden Party print looked great with it and I knew where I could get more... dirt cheap... so I hopped in the car drove to the seedy side of Dallas where the warehouse fabric stores are and got 2 yards for .... uhm $6.50 including tax. The velveteen was on sale, 10.99 less 40%, so that @ $14 for two yards including tax, so I got what I wanted, another scarf, and did not blow my budget, and can make 3 more scarfs if I wanted to.... maybe my Facebook Pay-it-forward buddies?

A note on the scarfs: The AMH kit is cut 18" by 72". I draped the fabric and thought it was too full and decided to cut down to 13". This worked out great because after I pre-washed the fabric the voile was barely 15". I don't know if this was all shrinkage, or if it was cut small to begin with since I didn't measure before pre-washing. Since I was using a 'normal' cotton rather than voile for the solid scarf, I was afraid it would add to the bulk and cut it 11". This turned out perfect (scarf is now done, completed since I took pictures this morning and got this post done, but am too lazy to include new picture).

edit : I am linking to Sarah Craig's new Friday linky party.

Please take a look at her post today that details how her quilt ministry was able to bless a sick little girl and my small part of this "Only God" story.

WIP 3.11

This week I have slowed down a little. It took a lot of stealth sewing to get my husbands quilt done last week and then the girls had both Friday and Monday off school and I didn't want to hole up in my sewing room. That said, I did get a new project started...

Completed:

Raider Nation quilt

New Project:

I signed up for a Pay-it-Forward handmade exchange on Facebook and decided to make bags for my 5 recipients. I am using a Keyka Lou pattern that I got at Fresh Squeezed Fabrics and this is one of the fabric combos that I am using.

Progress:

Although I am still behind on my HST, I did get some sewn together in a block. My goal this week is to get back on track with these squares. See the feather print on the right lower corner? I kept thinking I would really like to get some of it for the backing and the other day I found it a Hancock for $2 yard. Guess what I am using to back this quilt!

Sitting:

Hour Glass Pot holders , Set of 4: Pinwheel Quilt Along :Fishies 2, coins : Hope Valley QAL : Stamp QAL :Chubby Stars QAL : Snippet Pinwheels : Leaves D9P : Am Jane Squares

Stats for week:

New Projects - 1 : Completed - 1 : WIP - 11

Raider Nation!

This is my husbands birthday present! And he loves it!

I had this novelty print fabric from a football party that I went all Sanrda Lee and used it as a table runner. If you have seen her show she is all about getting lengths of fabric and draping them around on the table and chairs...

Anyhow, I kept trying to come up with ways to use it in a quilt and was coming up empty until last Sunday morning I woke up and thought 'hey, what if I used some of those grey/black solids?' I decided it was genius and started sewing in a frenzy since his birthday was now only 6 days away and I wanted it to be a surprise which meant stealth sewing.

I used 5,7,9 & 12 inch squares of the print and finished the blocks out to 12" with the solids. The 5" ones I double sashed and some of the 7" I off set so the print is not centered. There are 4 colors of grey, black and white.

I had just enough (didn't plan it) for the print to go the width of the back and combined it with black flannel. I did not pre-wash which made me a little nervous as to if the novelty print would transfer or if the flannel would over shrink, but all came out well and is about 58" x 68". I quilted it out with loopys, black on the back and grey on the front. Binding is Crazy Dots by Kaufman.

I am sharing at Sew Modern Monday with Megan at Canoe Ridge!

Strawberry Hope

This was Strawberry Fields when it was just a top. Thanks to all those who encouraged me last week to just get a back on this and call it done.... I love the way it turned out!

I knew I wanted to use this Hope Valley print for the back and searched on-line for yardage... finding it on sale at a LQS in Dallas I had not been to, City Craft, so I took a little drive and got it and a couple other Fiesta colorway prints.... I also got to see Greenfield Hill IRL which prompted an order to my favorite etsy store Fresh Squeezed Fabrics.... expect to get it by Friday!!! But I digress....

I have a habit of naming my quilts a combo of the pattern and the fabric so this became Hope Chained, Chained Hope.... didn't like the S&M thing going on there, so I stuck with Strawberry and this is Strawberry Hope. USPS currently has it in addition to Purple Squares, heading to CA to a new baby girl and her Grandmother.

And I had to include this shot of the BIG Texas snow fall we got over the weekend. To be fair this was taken the following day and since it has not gotten above 30 degrees there is still a trace on the ground, but... they interrupted football games to give weather updates on this?

WIP 2.11

Does is seem like this year has been dragging already, or do you feel like its still 2010? I have yet to write 2010 on anything yet, so I think I am firmly into the new year. Now, for the last week, this is what I have done....

Completed:

Double Hour Glass Strawberry Hope

New Project:

Progress:

HST Mania is falling a little behind my 5-a-day goal, but I have gotten some in

Pinwheel Quilt Along is up to bat next and I started the sashing. You will see more of it in the coming week.

Sitting:

Hour Glass Pot holders , Set of 4 :Fishies 2, coins : Hope Valley QAL : Stamp QAL :Chubby Stars QAL : Snippet Pinwheels : Leaves D9P : Am Jane Squares

Stats for week:

New Projects - 1

Completed - 2

WIP - 11 (down 1 from last week!)

Sunday Stash

If you have visited my blog before you have probably heard about the warehouse stores that I frequent in downtown Dallas.

I got these fabrics at one of those places. I got the large sunflowers because I saw the Kokka selvage and knew I could not pass it up at $3/yard and bought 2 yards. The other was in 'the bin' and was less. It is from Art Gallery and I have one yard.

So, if this was your fabric, what would you do with it? As you can tell from the inch markers, the sunflowers are a very large scale print.

I have this
Keyka Lou Grocery Bag pattern, but can't help but feel there is a better use for this fantastic fabric but I am at a loss what it would be. Ideas welcome!

Double Hour Glass Quilt

This quilt has been sitting around for some time. My husband told me he wanted a larger wall hanging quilt for his office so I started this in early spring of last year.

Then my sewing machine went on the fritz and had to be taken in and was AWOL for about three weeks. During that time I was able to piece on my other vintage machines but was unable to FMQ so I ended up with a stack of tops..... this one ended up at the bottom of the pile since I had no real deadline for completion.

I had the back pieced and ready, the pretty blue binding waiting, I just could not get it under my machine until this week when I got a sudden burst of energy while re-organizing my sewing space. I decided a couple of projects needed to either be completed or start paying me rent.

So now its done, headed to the office to brighten my husbands day!

I am linking to Sew & Tell Fridays. All week I was thinking about this forum and that I wanted to get this quilt done on Thursday so I could take pictures outside and have ready to post of Friday.... now click above and see what other people have been working hard on to share with you!

WIP 1.11

Its time... time to share WIP, and time to fess up to what I really have going on.

My 2010 posts I focused on Christmas projects and what I was actively working on and getting completed. In my 2011 goals I came clean on some of the WIP I really had stashed away, but sadly I missed some. So, for 2011 I am using Wednesday as the time and place to account for any projects which I have started cutting. (oops, while writing that I just remembered another)

Completed: Purple squares

Progress:

My hour glass quilt is all quilted and binding is cut and ironed and ready to be attached. I had a set back when my iron died and I had to go buy another, but we are good to go now and this should be done and ready to share on Friday!

I am also keeping to my 5-a-day for the HST Mania quilt that I re-started this week.

HELP:

I got out an old WIP and have been playing around with it and need some help. This is really old, one that I unpacked from moving so it has not seen action in at least 8 years. In my mind this has always been called Strawberry Fields.

The left picture shows the solid that I had originally paired with it as well as a darker solid and print from my stash. The right picture are the Fiesta prints from Hope Valley which continue to play in my mind for completing this project, so these are the potentials to work with.

Here is where I need help. The piece is 50" square. Should I throw a binding on it (the stripes) and call it good? I have a friend having her first grand baby that I could send it to. Or, should I work up a scrappy patchwork thing around the edges making it bigger and maybe a rectangle?

Sitting: (this is where it gets messy)

1. Hour Glass Pot holders , Set of 4
2. Fishies 2, coins
3. Pinwheels QAL
4. Hope Valley QAL
5. Stamp QAL
6. Chubby Stars QAL
7. Snippet Pinwheels
8. Leaves D9P
9. Am Jane Squares

Disclosure - I am not counting Christmas wine bags or circle pillows as both projects have been packed away with Chirstmas fabric until at least August. When they are unpacked, they will join the list.

Stats for week:

New Projects - 0

Completed - 1

WIP - 12

HST Mania

Almost a year ago I was inspired by this quilt to start my own HST quilt. I started it random, then took all the triangles apart and redid as values (light/dark). I was not thrilled and set the project aside.

This last week after looking at lots of EOY quilt collages and reviewing my quilts I realized that although I like multi print (busy) quilts by others, I prefer to both work on and have in my home quilts with generous use of solids.

Out comes the seam ripper and all the triangles got taken apart, again. I have a healthy length of Kona in a light grey (stone?) and re-started the project.

My goal is 5 squares (10 completed HST blocks) a day at least 5 days a week.

Goals are good, I even did a post on my goals for the year and of course this was not even an idea at the time unless its loosely considered an outstanding WIP. Goals are flexible in my quilting, the only absolute being working on what I like.

Sunday stash report

or, the story of how a trip to Sprinkles for cupcakes....

Blew my stash reduction numbers...

For those that may not know, Sprinkles is a well known cupcake emporium. They sell only cupcakes and they have a vast menu of flavors. My youngest daughter loves the experience of going there so as vacation dwindled we decided to make a trip downtown for this culinary delight. .... and the way my mind works, if I am headed down there, I really should stop by the stores in the warehouse district to see if they have anything new.

I was not disappointed... treasures abounded... The red mingle print on the right was the most expensive at $5 yard to the Amy Butler on the far left that was $2 yard. The others were all $3. I got a yard of each and am headed back soon to get more of the AMH Garden Party and AB Midwest Modern in the middle... at $3 I need to get it for future quilt backings.

So, here are my stash numbers to end the year ... this reflects the past two weeks.

In:

9 yards pictured above

6.5 yards Holiday Happy that I ordered when I realized I had not gotten nearly enough of the in my first order from Fresh Squeezed Fabrics. So glad I got it when I did since it is now $9+ post sale.

Out:

3.5 table cloth using grey Ikea fabric above

8.5 DD1 quilt

9 - DD2 quilt

4.5 Purple squares quilt

Total for week... Reduction of 10 yards!!!

Total for Dec/2010 ... 12.5 increase

I think that in 2011 I will continue to track my fabric, but I will record it at the end of the month. I don't think that anyone else cares how much fabric I have or use, but recording it here gives me some accountability.

This is a random picture my daughter drew on the lid of the Sprinkles box... kinda how I feel about my fabric sometimes.

Reminder: Giveaway for custom labels closes tomorrow.