Sunday Stash February 23, 2020

No fabric in this week. I finished the Vogue 8253 shirt for 1.25 yards out.
This was a fun garment to sew. I bought the fabric at the thrift a couple years ago. It has the feel of polyester, but it held a press, so I’m thinking there’s some rayon in it. It was a dream to sew. I thought it might “grow” as I stitched because of the texture, but it didn’t.
I added width to the back and shortened it. I probably could have gotten away without the back adjustment because the fabric had some stretch, but the pattern was meant to be oversized and I wanted to stay true to the design.
I even dug out my serger and used it on the shirt and sleeve hems.
This was my first time using a Vogue pattern, and I thought the instructions were very good. I’ll definitely buy them in the future.
Fabric In: 1.5
Fabric Out: 4 yards
Net Fabric Out: 2.5 yards
How did you do this week?

1 Julie in GA
2 Marti
3 michele
4 Chrisknits
5 Meloney
6 Quilting Gail

One In Every Crowd

There’s been a lot of life going on here.
Most of my sewing time this week went toward the Vogue shirt. I hope to finish it tomorrow. I’ve enjoyed sewing that shirt more than anything else I’ve made in a long time. It felt good to have a fun project.
I also had Needlearts Guild this week with Show and Tell of projects in process. There are some really lovely projects in the works. That group is so talented.
Today was the book sale at the library. I only picked up one quilt book, although I did buy some other art books.
I love to look at Ruth McDowell’s books because I find her approach to construction fascinating. I may even give her patterns a try one day when I’m feeling adventurous.
That’s a wrap on all the creative fun for this week. Hope everyone finds some sewing or stitching time this weekend.

Sunday Stash February 16, 2020

No fabric out this week.
I bought 1.5 yards of background fabric for the quilt I’m doing with my sister. I haven’t talked much about it here, but it’s on The Short List.

Regardless of how much fabric you own, at least one project comes around each year that needs something that isn’t in the stash. I found one candidate after a couple nights of auditioning and decided against it because I winced every time I looked at it with the other fabrics. Not the reaction I want when looking at the finished quilt.
My stash sorely lacks lights, especially light prints. I’m not a gray fan and never buy it, but it’s what this quilt wanted. I only bought enough for the project.
Fabric In: 1.5
Fabric Out: 2.75 yards
Net Fabric Out: 1.25 yards
How did you do this week?

1 Julie in GA
2 Chrisknits
3 Marti
4 Meloney
5 Quilting Gail

Challenge Finished

I finally finished the challenge quilt, which I named Destination Unknown. That quilt took me places I never thought it would go.
To recap, the challenge included an ocean theme, a shark, a starfish, something plastic and a focus fabric. The center star is the focus fabric. I painted it gold and added black dots and lines to continue the pattern.
For something plastic, I used the mesh from the viewing window in a potato bag. I painted it a pale gold, glued it to the star, trimmed very carefully and appliqued it as one with the star.
It’s hard to see the plastic in the picture, but it’s there. The paint helped the mesh blend in with the rest of the quilt and cut back on the cheap plastic vibe.
Next we’ll photograph all the quilts and enter them in the AQS Grand Rapids show. We won’t know if we’re juried in until June.
The next project up is something quick and easy.

Sunday Stash February 9, 2020

Thanks to everyone that left comments and suggestions for the quilt label. They are much appreciated.
Yesterday was a girls day out, but no fabric purchased. I did buy a couple patterns because they were on sale at Hobby Lobby for $1.99.

It was half off day at the thrift stores, and I purchased several new clothing items for $1 each. They were mostly casual items, which is good because I never shop for “play” clothes.
Fabric In: 0
Fabric Out: 2.75 yards
Net Fabric Out: 2.75 yards
How did you do this week?

1 Marti
2 Meloney
3 Chrisknits
4 Quilting Gail
5 Melva Loves Scraps

Label Decisions

Do you label your quilts?
My first quilts did not get labels. After I made a few I added labels, but I wasn’t consistent in how I did that. I know I embroidered my name on the back of one quilt. I remember muslin squares on the backs of others.
Then I realized I could program words into my sewing machine and it would stitch them out. There are several labels using that method, some with decorative stitch borders.
Later I discovered applique and started adding applique labels that matched the theme of the quilt. I remember a pine tree, a bell and a star, but I’m sure there were others.
During my painting phase, I drew pictures and shaded them with paint. Those labels also matched the theme of the quilt.
Somewhere along the line I got lazy and started writing on either the back of the quilt or the sleeve in pigma pen. It’s so much faster than adding a label.
Now I’m entering a quilt in a show that REQUIRES a label and I’m sorely out of practice. They actually look at the label and perhaps consider it as part of the judging? Not only do I need to make a label, but it needs to look nice. I don’t think writing on a square of muslin will do it.
I’ve narrowed it down to drawing and painting the label or stitching it out on my machine. I just have to decide which. Thoughts?

Sunday Stash February 2, 2020

One month out of twelve done already! How are you doing on stash usage?
I’m in the home stretch on the challenge quilt, which I have named Destination Unknown. The facing is attached and partially stitched, the sleeve made and the starfish painted to match the other neutral fabrics in the quilt.
The focus fabric had some white space in it, which looked all wrong on the starfish. I used black Pigma pen to color in the dot pattern where there wasn’t any. I mixed brown and white paint for the background. I’m very happy with how it turned out.
I usually wait until the quilt is complete to count my fabric out. Since all the fabric is sewn and “committed” to the quilt I’m counting it out today. I expect to get the hand stitching done this week.
I’ll post a final picture once the quilt is finished.
Fabric In: 0
Fabric Out: 2.75 yards
Net Fabric Out: 2.75 yards
How did you do this week?

1 Life in Pieces Kate
2 Julie in GA
3 Chrisknits
4 Meloney
5 Marti
6 maggie f
7 Gail
8 Jennifer in Indy
9 Melva Loves Scraps
10 michele