Stashbusting 2009

Well, I have joined several others in taking Judy's Stashbusting Pledge. I have a serious amount of fabric and as my tastes keep changing I worry I may not like some of my fabric to even make it up. So my Pledge is

1. To bust 150 yards in 2009.

2. To finish ALL my current UFO's.

By finishing my current UFO's that will sure contribute a great deal towards the 150 yards. I have listed my UFO's on my sidebar as encouragement/motivation.

So wishing everyone a Happpy New Year and Happy Stashbusting in 2009.

Black and White Progress

Still working on the Black & White. I like the effect of the wavy fabric.

2008 was going to be my year for finishing my UFO's....well not too many got done. So I have listed what I can think of on my side bars. One list if for those that just need quilting. One list is of my projects for 2009.....don't think Dear Jane will get finished in 2009 but I will plod on with her. At least I seem to have my motivation back and even thinking about starting ANOTHER quilt. Big failing of mine - always thinking of new quilts to make without finishing the old ones. Oh, well at least I'm sewing again.

Designers Mystery Quilt

This is block 5 of the Mystery quilt. I managed to lose it for a while (that's the trouble with cleaning up - I keep losing things) Cut out Block 6 but managed to sew the wrong bits together so now have to wait for some more material. I rarely make things to instructions and when I do I just don't read the bits. I just look at the block and think "Oh yeah, just do such and such". That will teach me.

I have joined the Black & White Challange over at Canton Village. Have been collecting B & W's for a while now but managed to get a few more the other day (not sure how many I had so as I was passing a quilt shop.....................)

So started doing a couple of blocks today. No idea what I'm making but saw one done by one of the other challangers and liked hers with the pink. So the first has pink highlights. Just making whatever flows. Would dearly love to stay home tonight and sew, think I have my motivation back, but alas tis the Christmas Season and must go to a party. Maybe I can sneak out early and get back to the machine.

Some of the pinks I'll use.

Made one block and that lead to the next, which lead to the next. Just simple blocks.

Quiltathon (with Judy) 3

Today was borders, backing, binding and batting

This one I have named Pretty Nines. Used the green in the end and found a lovely soft, ferny mauve for the backing. Haven't decided which binding to use - Mrs Marsh or the green spot. So will decide that when it's quilted.

Borders done, binding made, batting and backing all ready - just need to quilt. I have one customer quilt to do and the machine is all mine. Hoping to get lots of quilting done in the next few weeks - will be a good start to m,y Stashbusting 2009.

Quiltathon (with Judy) 2

Having a wonderful time at this Quiltathon. Got my rows sewn up and now to decide about borders. I kinda like both. I have used a Mrs. Marsh antique floral for the inner border in a murky pink. Not ideal with the green and mauve.....but I like it and as that saying goes "Finished is better than perfect".

Also got my border on my Jo Morton quilt I made yonks ago. It was so hot and humid here today I dedided to go for a swim afert I did the borders. Have been back in the bay for over four years and haven't even dipped a toe in the ocean yet. It was just beautiful. On the way home a storm broke and we got some lovely rain. Unfortunately we lost our power and as everything we have depends on power that was the end of the sewing. I was in the middle of my shower and washing my hair when the power went.....so that meant no water. Managed to rinse most of the shampoo out with just a trickle that was coming through. Even had to go back into town for dinner.

Quiltathon (with Judy)

Thanks to Judy and Keryn I actually have done some sewing. Really didn't have any desire to sew but thought I would make myself do it. So I made a couple of blocks I had cut.

Then read about Judy's quiltathon and decided to do it. Read Keryn's blog and was inspired to do this. I made these blocks years ago and have been waiting for "just the right fabric". It never showed up so I decided to go with some Robyn Pandolph spots....some of my all time favourite fabrics. It may not be "just right" but it's DONE AND I'M SEWING!!!!!!!

Even sewed till 9.00 last night. Played some of The Quilt Show episodes while I sewed but will have to rewatch them as I didn't see too much. Now for the borders.

Quilting Slump

I have been in a quilting slump for moths now. I keep following lots of blogs hoping something will snap me out of it. was over reading Keryn's and like her I usually make Log Cabin blocks when I just want to sew. I have made I don't know how many Log Cabin quilts over the years so decided I should just sew something else. I knew I had two blocks from my Mystery quilt to do....but can only find one. So off I go and cut it out, so far so good....then the sewing....not so good. Made up the wrong 1/2 square triangles.....and can't find one of the packages. So much for that idea. Ah! I know. I'll sew up some blocks I cut out for Sylvia's Bridal Sampler. I had intended hand piecing this but as I'm in such a slump and done nothing on my Dear Jane for months I thought it best to machine piece it. And machine piecing is my love...so off I zoom. Managed to get five done (somehow I even managed to cut out two of the same block, but blind Freddy would be pleased to see it, so no complaints). As you can tell I love reproductions and am using lots of shirtings in this one. So lets hope I'm back into the patchwork and quilting world. Scary thought that I may not want to do it anymore -------WHAT WOULD I DO WITH ALL THAT FABRIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Judy is having a Quiltathon this weekend so think maybe I'll keep going and get this slump thing beat.

Fabric Dyeing

Haven't posted for a while - but then haven't done anything for a while either. Did some dyeing with some friends on the weekend hoping that would inspire me. We did three 24 colour runs using different mixes and them some gradations. We also had a couple of different olives and browns.

New Treasures

Well I'm finally home and almost settled back down. We had almost 6 weeks in Europe and it was just fantastic. I'll get some photos up shortly.
Meanwhile I just have to share my New Treasures. Went to the Brisbane Quilt show this week. Funny but I'm not in the quilty mood at the moment so didn't get too much fabric (wonder if that has anything to do with the amount I have in the cupboards). I thought a good trick was to take a look in the cupboards BEFORE I went to the show...........and it worked! Unfortunately I didn't look in the Cross Stitch section and so end up getting a Cross Stitch fix. Oh well, no doubt as I will live to be a hundred and ninety and I'll get to do all the projects I have planned.
Had a girly get together today at my place and I got some work done on one of my Cross Stitch UFO's..........so I have resolved to do some everyday. I keep waking up at around 5.00am so from now on I'm going to get out of bed and stitch.
Here are a couple of photos of my treasures I got at the show.

A Cross Stitch Kit with lots of bling
Bling Cross Stitch Thread
A lovely Cross Stitch and Hand Dyed Aida
Yet more fabric for my NYB
And some bargain backing fabric for a someday quilt

Designer Mystery Quilt

I just couldn't resist this Designer Mystery quilt from here. Moda fabric is always just so lovely. This is the first block which I just finished. I have block two but haven't even opened the package yet. It looks lovely already!


Last week I received my package of Civil War fabrics from an online swap. Most of the fabrics I don't have, so that was a real bonus. Now I have 30 or more new fabrics for my Civil War era quilts. What a great swap.



I decided to put my Love Letters blocks up on the design wall so I could see it grow. I keep picking out the easy ones to piece. I'll probably curse later that all I have left are too hard!

I'm breaking my neck to do some wholecloth quilts so I bought some pre-printed ones to learn on. My machine is still down and I'm hoping to have the part to repair it tomorrow so I can make a start on this one. Later I'm going to design my own, but not patient enough to do that at this stage.I went to a local quilt show on the weekend and these batiks just jumped off the table into my bag. How could I resist such yummy fabrics.


If you would like a chance at a mystery gift go to Farmyard Crafts and have a look.

Use It Or Lose It

Went to an Applique class yesterday with Dianne Johnston. After I had booked the class I decided I really didn't want to go, but now I'm really pleased I did. I'm not one for doing too much handwork even though I love Cross Stitch. I love the look of Applique but always think it's too slow for me. I'm more fast and furious and just love machine piecing. But hopefully I'll change and do some now. If the class did nothing else at least it motivated me to pick up some Redwork last night (only started it a year ago) and did about 3/4 of a block.

Applique started

Today I decided to do some more Civil War Love Letters blocks. You know, I figured out I have made around 80 quilts since I started quilting but at the moment I feel like a raw beginner. Remember the Tri Recs ruler I lost and then found? Well got that out today to do these blocks and discovered it was the wrong ruler. I needed the Companian Angel. don't I feel like a dill. It seems so long since I have done any sewing that I guess that old saying applies - Use It Or Lose It!!!

Second Term

Numerous Excuses

Infernally Ungrateful

Back Home

Another Battle

Something Old, Something New

Long time since I posted. I had cataracts removed and lenses inserted into my eyes and so haven't done too much in the last month. I did a little sewing, but will write about that later in this post. Mostly sitting around and watching TV. I acutally got around to sorting out my cupboards in the sewing room and found lots of things I didn't even know I owned. So no progress on Dear Jane or Civil War quilts. These three blocks from Love Letters were completed before the op.

Florida Has Seceded

Pretty Long March

My Greatest Trial

I know I promised myself that I was going to get stuck into my UFO's this year, but after I came back from the Sydney Show I just had to start one of the quilts from Rememberances. A friend suggested I could start one new quilt for every two UFO's I did..........well no UFO's done but a new one started. Doesn't it look gorgeous!!! Had to make what felt like thousands of 1/2 square triangles and I followed the method in the book (something I do't often do). There was an error in the instructions and I discovered I had to make twice the number of small units than in the instructions. So I thought I would use my Tri Recs rulers for that, but alas they were nowhere to be found.....until I cleaned out my cupboards. By then it was too late and I cut them out the same way. All the blocks and rows are sewn and just now need to sew the top together. I'm so organised with this one that I have enen got the backing - it arrived today.

Peaceful Time

Now in my clean up I found my Tri Recs rulers - in a box with lots of repo fabrics and lots of 1/2 square triangles and stripped fabric. I remebered that when I got the rulers I stripped lots of fabrics and made these up for future use....and forgot about them.
Also in the box was a heap of triangles and rows sewn for a Thousand Pyramid quilt. I had made one and managed to cut far too many triangles and have enough for two quilts (as you do).


So I decided to sew the 1/2 square triangles up into a Pinwheel Quilt. Now wasn't that a bad decision. In my half blind state I managed to break a couple of needles and 1/4 inch seams? 1/4 inch seams? What 1/4 inch seams! When I pressed the seams they were pretty shabby, but I wasn't unpicking. So gave up in the end and went back to the TV till my eyes got better. But the sage didn't end there - when my eyes had improved a little more I thought I would put the quilt together. So I laid out the quilt and marked the rows. The proceeded to put the quilt together. But I managed to sew row 4 to row 3, instead of row 3 to row 4. and row 7 to row 6, instead of row 6 to row 7. This quilt was never meant to be - again I refused to unpick. So I christened the quilt - My Blind Quilt. The phot below was before I sewed the rows together, so it doesn't show the mess I made of it.

My Blind Quilt

You would have thought that with this many pairs of glasses I could sew a seam wouldn't you??????

And now for my Something Old

Feeling guilt about starting more quilts I decided I had beter get some UFO's out of the way. About 18 months ago I cut wadding and started getting backings done for those quilts that just needed quilting. And they stayed in the cupboard ever since. So this week I decided to do something about them. So dragged this one out and found some backing and today loaded it onto the machine. I took part in an internet group Round Robin about 6? Or 7? Or 8 years ago?

Round Robin

So I started to load the quilt and put on a bobbin to wind - only to find my machine in this condition. Now I'm in a panic. Looks like it's it's going to blow up. So, so much for getting UFO's done.