Sunday Stash Report

I didn't get around to writing my Sunday stash report last week... and to be honest it was because I had some input and no output so I avoided having to confess my sins by not writing. Simples.

So now 2 weeks later and I confess to some more input BUT I have had a couple of finishes too so all is not lost.

Firstly lets do the finishes.

Actually I did have a few finishes that first week I avoided writing my stash report (week 11)- some little things.

Whilst in Brisbane I had finished off 2 easy cosmetics bags, a dodgey small boxy bag and then when I got home I made a large messenger bag, the size to take a lap top. Apart from the dodgey boxy bag which will probably be given to some small unsuspecting child, the other items I made are all for the Comic Con stall I am going to be having for Handmade With Love in September.

This past week (week 12) I have had 2 big finishes. I managed to finish off my En Provence quilt. I had quilted it on the long arm at our club, using a pantograph. It was my first go at doing a pantograph and I was quite pleased with how it turned out. I chose a pink checked fabric to bind it in and think that it has turned out really well. I still haven't come up with a special name for the quilt so its going to just be En Provence and I'll be done with it! 10.15m

My second finish for the week is a t'shirt quilt that I have made for my daughter aka Fangirl. Its been a long time in the coming... she's been giving me t'shirts to go in it for about 10 years. She has nothing to complain about though.... her brother aka The Beast has only ever received 2 quilts from me where as she has already been given 3. His is coming... eventually. 5.93m 
There will be no photos because whilst she knows its coming I still want it to be a surprise for her

And now to my purchases. 

Whilst in Brisbane I bought on metre of some cute spider web fabric. It was 150cm wide so was 1.5m

At home a local  shop had a big big sale on. The sad reason is that they are probably going to go out of selling fabric. Anyway, they had a 40% off sale and I succumbed... 

My first forray into the shop was quite legitimate. I needed some fabric to finish off the backing for my A to Z quilt. I found some suitable stuff (but didn't get enough and ended up having to spend ages piecing the back with lots of little bits). No photos of this yet though as it is part of the A to Z challenge which starts in 5 days (eek)


 but whilst I was there also bought some stuff that will be good for the Comic Con stall - some cute ghosty type characters plus some co-ordinating red and greys that will be great for linings. 7.57m

Then... that 40% kept ringing in my ears. I had seen some red and grey Star Wars fabric - brilliant for the stall... and also I have the Labrynth pattern. I bought it a few years ago but then forgot about it and only found it again in January. It is one that I really couldn't make from scraps at all. It has to be made from the 4 fabrics - tones of a colour in order for the illusion to work. I really want to make it ... and so ... off I went and purchased all the fabric for it in one hit. (apart from the backing). Because I had to do the conversion from yards to metres I wasn't sure that I had bought enough. The sale was ending the next day so I came home and cut it all out so as to be able to go back and get any extra the next day if I didn't have enough whilst they still had it and whilst it was still on sale (I think I told my dear readers all of this in my WIP Wednesday post... sorry) 13.88M

Anyway

Weeks 11 and 12
Fabric used          17.44
Fabric added        21.45
Net usage            -4.01m

Year to Date     
Fabric used       78.47
Fabric Added     43.05
Net Usage        35.42m

linking up with Patchwork Times

Smunday Stash Report - late again this week

My week can be divided into 2 distinct parts - productive and not so much. LOL. At the beginning of the week I was able to get stuck into a variety of projects, all for Handmade With Love, particularly for the Comic Con stall we will have. Its not till September but since I will be out of the country from the end of July and have some other travel before then I am trying to get as much as I can made before I then.

This month I have set myself a challenge to make 20 things for the stall (I managed 12 last month) but had done nothing in the first week or so.

This week I got my act into gear and I made 8 Teeny Tiny Zipper Purses, using this pattern by So Sew Easy. .41m

 I made one ear bud pouch - Tardis fabric is so cool .07m

  and I tried out this new messenger bag pattern by Crazy Little Projects. 1.87m

Its big enough to carry a full size laptop (mine pictured is 15" and there is heaps of room for a bigger one) I talked about the hassles I had with it (all stemming from me assuming I knew what to do.. hint. I didn't ) on my Wip Wednesday blog post 

No purchases this week so all profit!

Week 10
Fabric used          2.35
Fabric added        0.00
Net usage            2.35m

Year to Date     
Fabric used       61.03
Fabric Added     21.60
Net Usage        39.43m

linking up with Patchwork Times

Sunday Stash Report - a couple of finishes!

Its been a fabulous week for finishes. I managed to get the 2 quilts I had pinned quilted over a couple of days.

Sparkle Baby quilt, based on the Sparkle design from Missouri Star I did a swirl and loop pattern on all over. It has become my go to design these days. Its not all the same as I change direction periodically and its not all even. The loops change size but whatever - I like doing it and it worked.

For the backing I used a really big bright and cheerful jungle print with some strips down the side to make it bigger. As is my want it wasn't centred in the end but whatever. Its cool

The baby quilt is destined for either a niece having a baby soon or a friend. Not sure who will get this one and then who will get the next one I make.  3.27m


The second one I finished off I have finally named Chillingworth Mystery since it was the club mystery quilt from last year and the fat quarter pack that made up most of the fabric in it was Chillingworth Bicycle (or something like that) 

The backing for this one was pieced. First of all I used up the excess blocks I had made that didn't fit with the pattern on the front, plus some of the leftover fabrics from the fat quarter bundle and then lots of other strips from my scrap stash that kind of toned in with the front... sort of.

When I was putting on the binding I found I was about 18" short. I had used up all the orange tones in my scrap stash so I used a strip from the batik jelly roll I had busted open to use in it. The piece I chose was the orangiest I had but it was a bit pinky... you can see it at the bottom of the picture. But I don't sweat the small stuff and it doesn't really worry me. It might annoy you from now on looking at the photo but you get that. 4.01m

There were 4 smaller finishes earlier in the week - 4 zipper pouches in pop culture fabric, items for the Comic Con stall I am having later in the year. These ones were in TARDIS, My Little Pony and Ninja Turtle fabric. I have more cut out ready to go but am awaiting either zippers or stiffening fabric. .61m

No fabric purchases this week... so its all straight profit.

Week 8
Fabric used          9.34
Fabric added        0.00
Net usage            9.34m

Year to Date     
Fabric used       45.99
Fabric Added     11.74
Net Usage        34.25m

linking up with Patchwork Times

Sunday Stash Report

Apart from my big blow out early in January, when I purchased a heap of fabric to make things for my Comic Con stall, I hadn't purchased any fabric. I had been in the red since that purchase and last week is the first time I had been in the black all year. Finishing off Stringen' 'Em Along had finally erased all my "redness". I had been determined that I wasn't going to buy any fabric till I was back in the black.

Having achieved that goal last week this week I was prepared to make a purchase, safe in the knowledge I would not be getting a sunburnt stash again. On Tuesday a parcel arrived for me from Sandi of Quilting for the Rest of Us. I had won a prize in a draw she had on her blog - 4 fat quarters! .92m

Then on Wednesday I bought the fabric I calculated I needed to do the sashing on my A to Z Quilt. I had been holding out till I was in the black. I chose a plain grey solid. 1.7m. No photo - it wasn't that exciting.

So - two inputs this week!

But to make up for that I've had some finishes.
4 messenger bags for my Comic Con stall. They are all slightly different sizes, but used approximately the same amount of fabric. 2.86m I've now run out of the magnetic clasps I use on them and have had to order more. They are coming but in the meantime I will work on some zipper purses. Lyndi has offered to give me some clasps to tide me over if I need it. I am going to run out of zippers too so have ordered more of them.

I've also had 2 major quilt finishes. 

I was able to finish off Handwork Heritage. I am really thrilled with how it worked out, despite a few hassles along the way with the quilting. I had to unpick and redo a small section for one thing. The lace on the quilt top proved a bit troublesome at times too as the foot of the quilting machine slipped under it and was anchored to the quilt. I had to do some deft unpicking to free it. I did this no less than 3 times. Sigh. You would think I would learn!! 7.99m

My big Ta Dah is my hexagon quilt which I finally finished off. It too proved a little problematic in the quilting. The appliqued strip down the back of it as well as the pieced backing meant it had different stretch in it so needed to be carefully handled in the quilting to avoid pleats.

 I ended up with a couple of pleats in the back and along the edge, most of which I was able to unpick and ease out. It was a massive finish. It measured 200 x 252cms  (over 3000 hand pieced hexies)and with the pieced back as well it ended up using up 12.46m of fabric. 

The great thing about it is that it was all from my stash, mostly my scrap stash at that. I am so thrilled to have it finished. 12.46m.

Once I get the sashing and first border on the A to Z quilt (the plain grey) I am thinking of putting another border on. If I can find fabric with the alphabet on it in a suitable colour (and not too expensive) I think I will get that. Now that I have a cushion of credit in my stash usage I think I can be crazy and buy a bit more. 

Week 7
Fabric used        23.31
Fabric added        2.69
Net usage          20.62m

Year to Date     
Fabric used       36.65
Fabric Added     11.74
Net Usage        24.91m

linking up with Patchwork Times

Sunday Stash Report

I had a finish this week! Yay so excited. Not a little finish like I have had the other weeks of this year but a quilt measuring 60" square. Its great to get it done and I have 2 more pinned and ready to quilt and have arranged with Lyndi to put one on the quilting frame at Patchwork club after our sewing day on Wednesday. As a group we have decided that we don't want people using the machine whilst we are all there sewing. Its a bit noisy and irritating when there is a group of us up there. 

Hopefully I will get at least one big one done then and maybe 2. I have my hexagon quilt, and Handwork Heritage ready to go on the frame. Stand by for some BIG usage numbers soon.

Stringen' Em Along was made from Bonnie Hunter's String X quilt pattern. I made the blocks whilst we were on our holiday last year (late September to early November). I cut an old light sheet into the required sized rectangles to be the base of my string blocks. I was able to use lots of scraps in the blocks themselves - from my strings scraps (under 1.5") as well as lots of 1.5" and 2" strips (some of which I cut down to 1.75")

The backing for the quilt was also heavily pieced - Australian animal pictures that were framed first in 1" finished strips and then wider strips to make them up to 10" blocks. So - its more like 2 quilts. 

I did my go to all over meander when I quilted it and bound it with pieced binding. Originally I was going to use it as an outer border but when I decided to give it to my Japanese Grand daughter I decided to use it as the binding instead and I am really happy with how it turned out.

A pieced back along with a pieced front uses a lot of fabric so my wonderful Fixit Guy who is very computer literate worked out another option for me on the spread sheet which caters for pieced back and pieced front. Using this option I can now say that Stringen Em Along used 5.86m

I have done a lot of sewing this week but Stringen' 'Em Along is my only finish. I have been working away on my En Provence quilt. I have put all the blocks together and am working on the sashing. Its going to be a big quilt when done.... the blocks are 15" finished and its 4 blocks by 4 blocks plus 3" sashing between each row

And its been another week of NO fabric purchased! 

Week 6 
Fabric used        5.86
Fabric added      0.00
Net usage          5.86m

Year to Date     
Fabric used       13.34
Fabric Added       9.05
Net Usage           4.29 Whooo back in BLACK

Now that I  am back in the black I am going to go buy the fabric for the sashing and border of my A to Z quilt so next week there will be some purchases.

Linking up with Patchwork Times

Sunday Stash report on Tuesday

I started this report a few days early and saved it and then didn't get back to finish it for a couple of days. So its coming to you a few days late

Projects completed this week:

Satchel - this is for the Comic Con stall I have decided to participate it. (pattern found here) I will be selling stuff with pop culture theme and sharing a table with Gamer Girl who will be displaying and selling her art work. The fabric for this satchel features skeleton cats and fish bowls and the lining is white skulls on black background. Fangirl assures me that skulls are very "in". .65m

Zipper Pouch - bike fabric. Whilst not strictly pop culture bikes on stuff is very popular so hopefully someone will like this..24m

Fabric In - None. Again. Go me. I have done a LOT of sewing this year and apart from my blow out when in Brisbane buying pop culture fabric, I haven't purchased any fabric and almost everything that I have used has not only come from my stash but also from my scrap stash (apart from the above 2 items which came from the specially purchased fabric either this year or last) You would think that I would be noticing some more space in my scrap drawers but not so far!!

I have 3 5 quilts with backings made and batting cut already to be quilted. A couple I will definitely do on the club long arm but the other 3 are probably small enough for me to do at home. Whilst I would prefer to do them on the long arm as I loathe pinning, and whilst the hire of our club long arm is only $20 per item so very inexpensive I am madly trying to save money for our trip to Europe and Japan in August so...  

Once I get these quilts done my stash report numbers will be well and truly back in black However for the moment I am still in deficit.

How has your fabric usage gone this week?
Week 5 
Fabric used        0.80
Fabric added      0.00
Net usage          0.89m

Year to Date     
Fabric used         5.52
Fabric Added       9.05
Net Usage         -3.53m

Linking up with Patchwork Times

Sunday Stash Report

I've been busy sewing all week but not a lot of it goes into into my stash report yet as they aren't a finish. I have been working on blocks for my A to Z blogging challenge. I am up to Y now so have only got 2 to go. Whoot.

Early on in the week I did manage to get 3 small finishes when I made the batik pictures Fangirl, Fixit Guy and I made in Malaysia into wall hangings.

First we traced the pictures onto stretched silk

 Then we went over the lines with wax using a stylus

Tah dah

Then we had to paint between the lines. My "teacher" was a bit too hands on and kept on taking over which was a bit disappointing. His English wasn't as good so he probably lacked the ability to explain what I needed to do next so would show me but ended up doing too much.

 getting the mouth right helps

Fixit Guy's assistant was more hands off

 Once the picture inside the lines was all coloured we worked on filling in the back grounds.

Whilst at the batik workshop I bought some fabric to frame the pictures but that is as far as I got for 18 months. Finally earlier this week I got around to working on the pictures and got them framed.

I used the fabric I bought in Malaysia to frame Fangirl and Fixit Guy's pictures but used some batik fabric I bought else where for mine. (Note. Whilst the fabric I bought in Malaysia was genuine wax resist batik the stuff I used on mine was a batik print - ie a traditional pattern but not printed using traditional methods. I don't recall where I got it. You can tell the difference in that genuine batik prints are the same on both sides of the fabric where as the non traditional fabric has a right and wrong side and is much lighter on the back.

And then quilted and made into wall hangings. I have sent Fangirl's down to her and am still deciding where I am going to hang them.

So - 3 UFO's finished and a total fabric usage of 1.75m 

No purchases this week.

How has your fabric usage gone this week?
Week 4 
Fabric used        1.75
Fabric added      0.00
Net usage          1.75m

Year to Date     
Fabric used         4.62
Fabric Added       9.05
Net Usage         -4.42m

Linking up with Patchwork Times