Monday Musings A Linky Party and a Free Embroidery

My Sister in Law Christine who blogs at Bluebirds and Bumblebees designed a lovely set of embroidery patterns a few years ago, one for each month of the year. They were released through a local quilt shop exclusively however she has now started to release them through Craftsy. Her first pattern is free.



To check it out this is the link The patterns will be released monthly and the subsequent ones will be $2. I have made 2 quilts from these embroideries already after my mother did the embroideries. I made one for my daughter Fangirl and another for our bed.

Whilst I was catching up on reading Christine's blog I found a link to a year long linky party for Finishes. I was too late to sign up for January but am hoping to link up in future months. It is A Lovely Year of Finishes and is hosted jointly by Shanna of Fibre of All Sorts and  Melissa of Bittersweet



I need to make myself up a list of all my projects and try to work my way through them this year. I just have to make sure I remember to link up in time next month. You have sign up in the first week of each month.

Sunday Stash Report - first for 2015

I am finally getting around to doing my first stash report for the year. The first week there was nothing to report and then the next week... and the one after that... well out of routine. Its holiday time here in Australia. The boys have been home for holidays for varying lengths of time. Its been lovely and busy and totally thrown my routines out the window. I didn't get much sewing done for a bit and then I have been back into it working on some longer term projects but have also managed to get a few finishes done... all small projects but they do mount up.

The other reason I haven't reported in is that I needed to get my spreadsheet up and running. Fixit Guy worked on it over the last week and it is all ready to go for the new year. He has tweaked it a bit more at my request. He has added to the formula Pam from Hip To Be A Square podcast and blog. She had allowed for large and small piecing but I wanted to be able to include straight yardage too as needed.. for things that had little or no piecing or for blocks that are made for our Patchwork groups charity projects.

 Last year mid way through the year he tweaked things for me so that there was a running total that took into account fabric added and fabric used. I had been trying to do the maths on the side and my calculations were often askew and needing to be fixed up. Its great! I really appreciate all the nerds and geeks in my life who fix all this stuff up for me.

This week's finishes are actually from over the last few weeks... I didn't do them all in the last 7 days.

Finishes
9 kitchen towels - I made a couple for me to replace my Christmas ones that were getting very daggy. I then made 3 for my friend after she admired them on Facebook and I remembered I still owed her some from a Pay It Forward thing a couple of years ago. I have also got 4 put away for a gift for someone. Each towel used .14m of fabric so that was a total of 1.26 m. I used some Christmas scraps but also cut into yardage for the ones that weren't for Christmas. (Grr the photos wouldn't upload from iPad and once they go onto the computer blogger goes back to the way the original photo was taken so now they are all sideways)

A small banner for my sister Joy. It was made from a tiny panel that had JOY on it - a Christmas decoration. The finished banner was approx 33cm square and used .3m


Two blocks for our Patchwork Group's BOM They were 12.5" square. I added the seam allowances and then just counted it as yardage since there was no backing or binding.  Converted to cms that 39.37 cms
 

Then I got on my bag jag and made 3 little pouches. They were so much fun. Can't wait for my funky zips to arrive so I can make some more.
  

Working out how much fabric each bag used was a bit tricky and in the end I was so glad for the option 3 that Fixit Guy had added to my spreadsheet so I could just put in dimensions. There was very little piecing in the bags so I measured the outside dimensions and multiplied it by 4 to allow for front back and lining. I am not convinced that I got it right in the totals but

Purple Bag - approx 23cm square so total of .75m
Kombi Pouch - 25cm square - .93m
Fiji Bag - 32.5cm x 26cm - 1.28 m

I made a necklace hanger as well... covering a painting canvas with fabric, securing with drawing pins and screwing in cup hooks. Voila. That used a piece of fabric approx 50cm sq. I also used a piece of fabric, about the same size to make a draw string bag for my friends daughter who is off to kindy this year. (I made the sheets and pillow as well but since the fabric was supplied I didn't count that. I just needed a bit of my stash to complete the bag. (I supplied the pink) Little Miss H chose the spotty fabric

Miss H with her bag. Photo by her mum.

I made 10 serviettes to put away for Christmas. I want some green ones to fold into Christmas trees. They were approx 38cm square and used 1.35m

I had some fabric in as well. A friend who had been to Fiji bought me back some as a gift (I used some of it to make the bag) 90cm wide (36") x 165cm long. This equated to 1.365m.

I've decided to join in the 30 week POD  (Project of Doom) Harry Potter bookshelf Quilt project on Fandom in Stitches. I had to buy 3m of the background fabric for it before I could start and also got 1m of the wood pattern fabric for the shelves. That was a total of 4m

Fabric used this week                                       7.04m
Fabric acquired this week                                5.98m
Net Fabric used                                                 1.07m

Fabric used this year                                         7.04m
Fabric Acquired this year                                 5.98m
Net Fabric used this year                                  1.07m                                 

Friday Finishes - Pouches - I think I'm addicted

Last week I watched a video from the Missouri Star Quilt company on YouTube on the subject of zipper pouches. Like many sewers- people who sew not the means by which sewerage is taken away (sorry can't used the term sewist - sounds way too pretentious to me... like monetizing... not my style) Where was I... oh yes like many people who quilt I don't like zips. My proper introduction to sewing 25 years ago was through stretch sewing... no zips there. I loved it. Sewed lots of track suits, jumpers, (pullovers for my american readers) dresses, tops, skirts... not a zip in sight. I have always been a bit scared of them. I have sewn them before... in sewing classes in first year of high school and at a workshop or two... but always with a teacher close handy to direct me step by step... or take over for the tricky bits (I have a knack of my project being the one used to demonstrate the tricky parts)

This YouTube video was simple and step by step and I knew that I could do it. I didn't want to go out and buy zips... was keen to use the small stockpile I had in my sewing stuff. It worked pretty well... like many Missouri Star tutorials it glossed over a couple of t parts which novices like me needed more guidance on - it took me a while to get the joins at the top of the bag looking ok.


Once completed though I was itching to have a go at another one. A dear friend gave me some fabric when she returned from a visit to Fiji to see her family. Its a traditional Fijian pattern. I used it for the outside and the lining and it worked really well

Still having an itch to scratch I made another pouch using some funky kombi van fabric that Fangirl gave me for Christmas 2013. It worked out really well too.



My range of zips is pretty limited... I only have 2 left in my stash and the colours are not great. I am reluctant to pay LQS prices - zips singularly can be rather pricey. So I've ordered some on eBay. $4 for 20 in some great colours. That should satisfy my pouch urges for a while. I might even get adventurous and go look for some other patterns... eventually.

WIP Wednesday

I've been working on several projects this week.

I've put the first border on Vanishing Hours. It didn't go on so well... two sides were ok but two sides didn't fit properly and initially I added an extra bit to make them fit because I didn't want to unpick them but today I knew that I had to take them off and go again so I did and after a good bit of easing and squeezing and carrying on I managed to get them on. Then I started on the hourglass border. That has also taken a good bit of "managing" to get that organised. By the end of my day at Patchwork I had the 4 sides stitched together but not attached to the quilt. Next week for that I hope. Then there will only be the piano key border to attach.

I've also worked on Tardis Tree. I've put the border on it. I need to get some batting before I can finish it up. I would like to buy a roll of batting but trying to get prices on them is proving difficult. I will go into our local shops and price it there this week and try again online and see how we go.

I've completed several small projects as well.  I have a sister named Joy and I had this country coloured square featuring the word Joy. I made it into a little banner which I'll send off to her. I used the method described by Katie from Katie's quilting corner to make it into a simple hanging picture.

I also worked on 2 blocks for our Patchwork clubs block of the month. When I went away on holidays the idea had been that all the blocks would be in blue and white I thought but whilst I was away the idea was revised and they changed the colours for each month. So the blue and white one here I knew was definitely wrong. However I had already prepped the fabric for it so I made it anyway.

I had previously made the block below in blue and white but I knew that one of the blocks had to be red white and black so I made this one again accordingly.

I took them up to Patchwork today and ... yeah... they were both wrong. I should have made the above one in white and pink and the blue and white one was supposed to be the red, black and white. Oops. Never mind. They will all get used in the quilts we will make for charity at some stage, even if they go into the backs.

So at some stage I have to make these two blocks again in the correct colours. Then I might volunteer to put some of the blocks that have come in into a quilt top.

I've started to make a zipper pouch as well using this YouTube video put up by Missouri Quilt Company. 

I haven't got far with mine... but I have started

Its been a productive week.

  

Thursday Thoughts of Friday

I love Christmas. I used to go all out with the decorations. I think it was when the children were younger and we weren't going to be going to join up with either sets of family, decorating the house was my way of covering up a hole in my heart due to our not being part of the bigger family celebrations going on in either Sydney with my family or in North Queensland with Fixit Guy's family.

I used to have the aim to have something Christmassy in every room of the house. This was before I quilted. I had festive toilet roll covers - a snowman and a Christmas girl for the toilets, Christmas hand towels for the bathroom itself. I had special Christmas crockery, plates, coffee mugs, glasses as well as  hand towels, tea towels, oven mitts, placemats and table runners. There were Christmas candles, wall decorations, ornaments, a nativity scene or two. When the kids were little I had Christmas toys that they could play with - soft toys and plastic nativity set. Then there are the trees. I used to have two trees, one down near the front door which I decorated with hand mad ornaments and the things the kids made at school, sunday school, guides etc. And the big one in the loungeroom laden down with the decorations collected over the years. Oh and the lights as well.

I still like to decorate and cook but not as much as I used to. Then my children told me that to them Christmas was our family in our home and that when we were at either sets of grandparents it wasn't quite the same. That made me relax a bit and enjoy us in our home. I was also over having to pack it all up again.

One of the first things to go was tinsel. Its hot at Christmas time in Australia. When we are decorating it always seems to be hot and sweaty... or maybe this is especially when we are taking things down. Tinsel would stick and shred and it is incredibly itchy stuff. I hate it. It looks good but I am not dealing with it anymore. So we are almost a totally tinsel free house.

I rationalised lots of decorations over the last few years getting rid of things I don't really like, things which had seen better days. The softies all got the toss a few years ago when it was only the cat interested in them anymore. I weeded out lots of the handmade stuff that had seen much better days. I got rid of one of the trees. I still seem to have a heap of stuff. 

This year I have gone through the linen. Lots of the hand towels are so thin... one wipe of the hands and they were wringing wet. They had also got very discoloured (why are so many tea towels white or cream back ground) Some of the pot mitts were greasy and discoloured too. So they have gone out. Time for some new stuff. Caught the post Christmas sale - got 2 thick towelling tea towels ( full price $6.50 each) and 2 embroidered waffle towels (full price $5) for $4.50!!! I was stunned.

Came home and looked up some Youtube videos and found this one put up by the Fat Quarter Shop

I made two this afternoon from the towelling tea towels. I didn't cut them in half as the bigger one will be more absorbent. I also used velcro instead of a button. Yes I was avoiding doing a button hole. I have done very few in  my life and none at all on my new machine... not sure if it does them. Probably but yes I am a chicken. The velcro works well.


   

I put the picture on Facebook when I finished and immediately had a few friends say I should make them to sell and they would buy them. So that was flattering (but I'm not going into making towels as a sideline) I did go back to the shop where I'd got my towels and bought some more and have made them up as gifts. Again I left the toweling ones long but the ones made from cotton I doubled over and pleated them along the fold and sewed them like that. I also stuck to just one fabric for the front and back of the top piece rather than having 2 different fabrics. I liked the uniform look better.

Setting some yearly goals

At the beginning of 2014 I set some goals and I got the all done fairly quickly so I started setting monthly goals. I found this to be really helpful as they were more achievable and measurable. I have just realised that I didn't review my November goals nor set any for December. So before I start to look at what I would like to achieve in 2015 I had been review November.

\November goals

1)      Finish Jean’s Jean quilt

Done. Jean's Jeans quilt was finished early on in the month and put to use whilst we were travelling. We had some cold weather whilst we were travelling and we were glad of the extra bedding.

2)      Continue working on the teashop applique. If I get the blocks all done start to put it together if circumstances allow.

I got all the blocks that I had prepped completed but I didn't work on putting them together.

3)      Make piano keys border for Vanishing hours quilt

I completed strips of piano key borders. I haven't put them on the quilt, and not 100% sure I have made enough but I used up all the fabric I had with me and think that there is enough.

4)      Make October and November BOMs from local quilt group

I made these blocks. Found out after I had made them both blue that only the first one was supposed to be blue. The other was supposed to be pink. I didn't have any pink with me anyway so that was a mute point. 

   2015 goals

I am still working on this... .this is the list of what I am thinking of working on

1) continue to track my fabric use and purchases with an aim to having a bigger net usage this year than last 

2) purchase fabric for usage not for stashing ie having a purpose for fabric bought 

3) make mini quilts for Anzac Day, Australia Day, Easter, Mother's Day, Birthday

4) complete quilts for donation as required - aim for 25%

5)list Craftsy classes and work on watching them. Do BOM one from 2012 was it?

) continue to blog regularly WIP Wednesday, Fitness Friday, Sunday Stash Report on weekly basis and then others as I see fit

January Goals

1) tidy sewing cupboards and room.

2) locate and list all UFOs order them and make plans for finishing them 

3) complete Vanishing Hours

4) complete Tardis Christmas Tree

Final Stash Report for 2014

My final report for the year.

I haven't had a finish this last week but I do have a couple of quilts that will be finished early in the New Year. The Tardis Quilt needs a border and then to be sandwiched and quilted. Vanishing Hours needs a couple more borders on it. I will quilt Tardis Quilt myself but I am going to send Vanishing Hours to my friend Kym to get her to quilt it. 

I have used a total of 140m of fabric and made 25 quilts ranging in size from min quilts wall hangings to queen bed quilts. I have also made coasters, pot holders, my first bag, table runners, wall banners and curtains

I have bought over 96m of fabric which is more than I would have liked but I have ended the year having used 44 metres more than I bought so that is a good start.

My actual figures for the year are

Used since last report:                   0.0m

Added since last report                 3.0m

Year to Date Used                       140.53m
Year to Date added                       96.47m
Net Used                                           44.08

Looking forward to tracking again next year