Stash Report #24

So my report for this past Sunday, week #24 is:

My stash report for this week is:

Used this week: 0 yards
Used Year To date: 43.25 yds

Added This week: 0 yards
Added Year To Date: 59.5 yards

YTD is a gain of 16.25 yards

Close to finishing many WIPS, but nothing totally completed. I do hope I can count 2done soon, but I guess that means I'll have to drag them out to work on them. lol They won't finish themselves. Check out Judy's blog to see how much better many of the other participants are.

We still need to get the garden done and with the forecast of rain all week, not quite sure how we'll be able to fit it in. Well I guess that will give me some sewing time. Not a bad trade off at all.

Enjoy your Sunday,

Jane

I took the process pledge

While checking out a favorite blog of mine, Crazy Mama quilts I noticed this icon and it struck a curiosity within me. So I checked it out at r0ssie's blog. I pledged, will you?

Jane

PS: My most current wallhanging is a Patch Abilities kit of Tulip Time that is ready for hand stitching the binding. Since I have to travel to Albany next week, I'm saving it for the car ride. Now which WIP to concentrate on next.
Because one of my mantras is Progress Not Perfection, I will show you how my Country Cottage Needlework - "JOY" is coming along.

With this you'll notice that many of the stitches are just half stitches. A new tip that I learned recently is to count off the stitches with a half stitch, that way while visiting with friends or traveling when it's too difficult or inconvenient to read the chart and count the threads, you can easily finish all those half stitches. Eureka! So with this, I have the leaves outlined and know I just need to fill the area with the correct thread, finish the half stitches, etc. Before I wouldn't allow myself to move around and do different portions at a time. I would have finished one area completely before jumping to the next. But it is fun. Of course I do relapse and will focus more on one section before jumping too far. Currently am focusing on the lower section first. Will continue doing the counting and reading while I can so the fill ins will be the last part finished.

Gardening.

Lupine growing where it wasn't planted but looking great where it is.



One of my poppy plants. This one had around 40+ flowers, it was spectacular!




The grapes on the grapevine are abundant this year. Those nasty schaefer beatles haven't gotten to it yet, but they have devoured my snowball bush. Seems like they love the white or very light colored flowers and tender shoots. I'll get hubs to spray and try to protect our grape clusters tomorrow.


The hurrier I go, the slower I seem to get. Despite my repeated efforts at organizing and cleaning my home there remains an unending list of areas that need attention and chores that need to get done. We had started some seeds indoors for our garden, but as yet, they need to be planted outside. A friend went to a Kripalu retreat recently and she came home with a new mantra- "HURRY SLOWLY". Makes you think doesn't it.
Perhaps I should take that mantra up as well besides already actually doing it because of my my pain conundrums. Hopefully I'll be able to report that the little bit of garden we will be putting in this year will be done by next week.

The problem that our old garden has it has a WEED from H*** in it and I can't get rid of it. I even removed all of my perenials and stripped them down to the bare bulbs sacrificing the flowers for a season to try to eliminate it before being replanted but the pervasive weed still remains and thrives. I'm leaning towards the thought that I need to place a barrier within my garden to totally stop the invasion towards the rest of my perenials, rhubarb, pear tree and such and call that area the weed garden. Hubs has started mowing paths through the lower garden to try to enjoy some of the flowers there. He even used killers in my garden which worked great on the plants but not on the weed! Go figure.

This is what it looks like:

See how the vegetation reminds you of a Chrysanthamum leaf. Sorry if I tortured the spelling.


Any ideas? I need help. I'll be stopping by the Cooperative Extension office tomorrow to see what they recommend.
So with that going on in the garden, we thought of having some raised beds with new soil and start again. GRRRRRRRR..... It's hard enough to feel well enough trying to keep up, without all that extra work, but it is worth it and there is nothing better than home grown tomatoes and freshly picked peas.

Jane

Stash Report #23

Nada, zildge, nothing to report this week. Same as last week's report.

So my report for this past Sunday, week #23 is:

My stash report for this week is:

Used this week: 0 yards
Used Year To date: 43.25 yds

Added This week: 0 yards
Added Year To Date: 59.5 yards

YTD is a gain of 16.25 yards

I did revamp a wedding party set for a friend who is getting married in July. Everything that was black had to be ripped out and changed to the soft orange. Here is the end result.

Can't claim the use of fabric though since the bride supplied it and then took the rest back with her. This has been kicking around my home for the past 3-4 weeks whilest I figured out how I'd go about it. Glad it's done and that she's tickled pink and is amazed how perfect they all came out. I am so glad she's happy. vbg

To see how others are fairing in their stash reports check out Judy Laquidera's blog Patchwork times. Mosy around her site abit. You'll be impessed, she's a very talanted and busy lady. HUmmmm, I remember when I could do so much more.......

Jane

Stash Report #22

Sorry this has been so late in the reporting. With the electrical storms passing through last week, we lost power for about 6 hours but more importantly, we lost our internet. Talk about lost!
I tried numerous things that I knew about (very limited) to get us back connected but to no avail. A neighbor and freind is great with computers, so I called for help. His schedule is so crazy and he said he'd call when he got the chance. So while visiting with a friend recently, I mentioned our disconnection with the world and she asked..."Did you call the cable company?" DUH! I thought it was a problem we had to solve ourselves since that how it used to be when we had our ISP through the phone lines, but now with the enet line through our cable for high speed, it is something they should check out and fix. Suficit to say and obviously, we're in business again. AMEN!
So my report for this past Sunday, week #22 is:

My stash report for this week is:

Used this week: 13.5 yards
Used Year To date: 43.25 yds

Added This week: 0 yards
Added Year To Date: 59.5 yards

YTD is a gain of 16.25 yards

Yippee! The numbers are getting closer, only a bit over 16 before I can actually start using up yardage. The main reason so much fabric was used was because I gave some to my Mom for a quilt she'll be making for PGS#2. She shopped my stash and has enough for it and it goes so well with the panel she brought up from Florida for the center section. I'm glad she was able to visit with us for the 4 days that she could. This trip north is a preamble to their summer sojourn. She's back in Florida now and I miss her already. It was great to see her and her manfriend. They'll be back north after their 60th class reunion. Friends set them up on a blind date knowing they were both single and they have been an item ever since.

Will catch up more later, whatever you are doing...enjoy!
Jane

It's coming along.

Wasn't able to push through any WIPs or UFOs because of reorganizing. I have all the colored fabric that was in my stash cabinets all refolded with the 6" ruler method. But I think since I have "fluffed it" with the refolding it expanded! I still have all my white and ecrus yet to do. See the stack in the plastic tote.

While doing this, it's so much easier to see all of my fabrics. Since the shelves are deep enough for a stack of fat quarters besides the stacks of folded yardages I'll be able to conveniently move a stack of fabric to check out for colors or fabric in the next stack behind it. I had thought to order 6" x 24" pexiglass to wrap my bolts of fabric on, but for 6 pieces of this I was quoted a price of $75.00, that's more than I'm willing to spend for that. So I'll just make due with what is there. We were able to fit a shelf over my pattern storage boxes that way the fabric on bolts could be stored up above.

The 2 three drawer units that were placed next to my stash cabinets were intended to store my ongoing WIPs. Drawers are so much easier that totes stacked on top of each other. DUH! That way I could conveniently put away something and grab another project and try to stay neater while creating my "art". BUT with the fabric expansion, I'll now store my white's in the lower unit and the upper one has a drawer each for:


Bags - purse stuff,
charms and layer cakes and some kits
unique textures such as ironing fabric, old nylons, tulle, denim, silk, Ultrasuede, felt, you get the idea. There's not a lot of the latter but it's amazing how quickly it filled up. This is how it looks when facing my design wall. Nice clean line, I am feeling so proud.
Notice the 58 gallon tote (55Liter) in front of the design wall. This fabric still waiting for my attention. Not sure how much of it will fit in the drawer but any excess will be stored in a tote downstairs too. I won't mention how many toes DH has already carried down there. There really is too much, how did I let this happen. Boy has this been an eye opener for me.



See the stack of artbins storing the projects. It stacks nicely behind the sewing table. I have this towards the right back side, while on the far left side are UFOs of regular sewing projects. I should make the time and just sew them up. It is so much faster than a quilt and then it will be done.


The middle section on the back underside of the sewing table hides a couple of shoe shelves with shoe size totes of projects in kits and other wips besides my plethora of storage/plastic bags.


I was able to purge and reorganize the stabilizers,papers, plastic rolls and fusibles. What it looks like now:

Lastly, this shows the view as I sit in my chair. It's the lovely thread box DH gave me for Christmas about 15 years ago. I still adore it. Though I have too many threads to be contained in here and since I've restarted my obsession with cross stitch, I'm thinking I may reorganize my threads to be able to store my "specialty" threads in this box instead of different places still through out the house. The disadvantages of living in a small house, grrrr...
One great thing about this being placed here is I can also use it to step up to reach my stabilizers if needed. I don't want the top to be all scratched up though, it's still in pristine condition so I will probably continue to use the step stool. I do like things treated correctly.
Sorry for rambling on so. Can you tell I've been inspired and am loving this orderlyness that is becoming my sewing studio.

T.T.F.N.

Jane

Stash Report #21

My stash report for this week is:

Used this week: 2.0 yards
Used Year To date: 29.75 yds

Added This week: 0 yards
Added Year To Date: 59.5 yards

YTD is a gain of 29.75 yards

Reorganization continues...

I am currently working on the JOY from Country Cottage Needleworks. Using the threads that were called for but I decided to do this 1/1 on a 19 count cloth. Sweet so far. I also recently learned that to do a 1/2 stitch while alone and looking at chart so that when you have company or can't revert to the chart, you just have to cross your stitch. SWEET! I'll be visiting with family this weekend so I'm going to try it out on them.


This next Jane Greenoff design is a UFO from last year. The pattern notes to write the words cab card on the door but I personally don't care for that. ANy ideas on what I can do instead?


As for the reorganizing saga, it continues.



But see, there is progress. This is a huge undertaking. I am hurting so bad despite taking it easy and not trying to get it done in a day or two because of my back. When doing chores like this, I wish I had my full strength and no pain like I used to live. Oh well, it is what it is. Glad I'm able to function as well as I can.

Enjoy your day,
Jane



The saga continues.....

Inunshuk and the singing quilter

Last Wednesday our guild had Cathy Miller as the guest lecturer. What a nice presentation she did and for me it was a bit unexpected. Knew she was going to sing and talk about quilts but the way she laid out her program and the frivolous to the depths of feelings were exacted. She is a good entertainer. Of course I had to take some pictures of her quilts as well.


The hexagon quilt is a 1/2" finished size she made out of silk. Each segment has a differnt maze within it.



Her quilts of the New Zealand and many other designs show casing her Mock Mola raw edge technique:




Then her color study quilt (this is not mock mola, it's based on the Bella Bella Paper piece method):


Lastly, the self portrait:


What a charming quilter, singer and song writer. This is what she actually looked like at the class. Notice her vest showing her mock mola designs.


I asked if I could take a picture of her vest and she kindly agreed. Not many woman would say yes to a rear view, but she did whole heartedly!



She also gave a class on her technique of Mock Mola, raw edge applique which I was able to attend. A very nice class and all that attended were very liberated with our bits of creativity.
This is the project another guild member was doing: I think it was Jean W, a very talented quilter.



Lastly, this is the piece I was working on. I chose to make my own highlight fabric with some of my angelina Fibers. It's my Inunshuk.



While traveling to South Dakota back in 2006, they were plenty of stone cairns made along the highways and byways of Ontario standing as witnesses to our travels. It's a human like form stating that you have traveled that way and also as a mode of welcome. It highlighted our road trip and ever since, I 've wanted to make something quilted paying tribute to them and that area.
Just for fun, I added some stitches to the "eye area" of the top rock to make it easier for many to know that it is an Inukshuk beside trying to quilt that word into the side of this little quilt. Not sure if I'll keep that eye design, but I probably will since sometimes a bit of whimsy is necessary.

Enjoy your day,
Jane

Stash Report #20 and time flies....

My stash report for this week is:

Used this week: 6.0 yards
Used Year To date: 27.75 yds

Added This week: 2.0 yards
Added Year To Date: 59.5 yards

YTD is a gain of 31.75 yards

With cleaning out all my fabric in the cupboards, you'd think I 'd realize that no more fabric needs to come in, BUT I went to the "A Quilter's Garden Quilt Show" in Malone this weekend and one of the vendors there had a beautiful batik that would be perfect for a bird of paradies wall hanging I want to do. SO of course I bought 2 yards while I saw it. Did use up a little over 2 yards on pillowcases for the Pillowcase Project and gave them to community service for Camp Takumteh (a summer camp for children with terminal onditions and cancers).
Was able to rid myself of 4 yards of fabric that I threw out. The fabric was really inferior, so I counted that as well since it's now out of my stash!

Check out Judy Laquidera's blog to see how all the other participants are doing. Many are into using yardage in the three digits already.

As for my progress on reorganization, here are a couple of photos to show where I'm at:

And what I'll be focusing on next:




I got off the phone with Mom this afternoon and she'll be staying with me next week for 4-5 days, so I best get this done so the piles around the house are contained and lassoed back in control! YIKES! I'll have to work much faster. Then to get the house cleaned.

Today I spent the day with friends of the read and bead group I belong to. What a great group of friends and talented ladies. We decided last month to all bead a similiar project. I chose the padparashka Crystals as the main color bead in the bangle bracelet with a gun metal #15 bead for the accent and a close color but not matching the red orange for the netting bead. Would you believe this represents 3 hours worth of work!

Of course that includes the ripping out and redoing too. LOL

Jane