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.