Finish #2 for December; another start and Stash Report 11/29-12/5

I was able to finish up Brown Paisley today {{{Okay, that name really doesn't fit---I guess it's going to stay as "Angie's Quilt"}}}; quilting and binding finished. I don't always wash up quilts that I give away, but this one I did because I wanted to soften it up. Mmmmm.......i really like the results!!! So soft; nice fabric :0) And I just realized that I didn't measure the final quilt; it was 70"x88" before washing.


The quilting isn't that easy to see form the front; and the back isn't much better. I decided to use a more "romantic" pantograph since this is going to a female. Feather Me is the pantograph; a bit more time consuming than some of the other pantographs I have; a bit more intricate but well worth the results.

I wasn't about to start loading another quilt on the frame; mainly because I need to prep and piece the backing for my next handful of quilts needing quilting. And besides, I needed to spend a bit of time on my Statistics prepping {{{bleh!!!}}}.

So when I headed back downstairs after dinner/baths/bedtime, I pulled out the fabrics and whipped out 10 more 10-minute blocks for Jen's Diamonds. I started cutting and piecing the planned sashing as well; eh......I think it'll grow on me. The fabrics look much better in person than on the picture. And that one "crazy brown" fabric; it looks very cool in person, but in the picture...WOW...it sure stands out!

And I just needed to share this picture of the area next to my sewing machine. To some; disaster area! To me; it reminds me of growing up when I mom ALWAYS made me clean my room "because it's a mess!"....but.....this truly is organized chaos! I have my Bonnie Hunter RRCB step 2 rectangles on the right ready for cutting; If you look closely, you'll see that I have a handful of step #2's already pieced and pressed (upper left). I'm cutting rectangle sets as I piece, and I have a small stack next to my machine that are ready for pressing (very left). So, yeah... they are my current leader-enders. In the center of the picture are my Fall Buckeye Beauty block swap units that I HAD been using as my L/E project until Bonnie's took presidence.

And now....the moment I was dreading, but.....I actually am okay with these numbers!

Stash Report: November 29 - December 5
Used/week: 15.222 yards
Purchased/week: 12.333 yards
(backing for Twilight and some sales I COULDN"T pass up at ConnectingThreads.com)

Used/year: 220.021 yards
Purchased/year: 221.736 yards

Net used: -1.715 yards

I DEFINITELY will finish the year off in the black. I made up some ground even though I had that purchase. And with the list of quilts I have yet to finish before the year-end, ..... yeah..... I'll finish in the black :0)

Happy Sunday!

December quilt #1 done; Many to go...

Twilight was finished up this evening; the last stitches going in at 9:45 p.m.

This is for a customer and will be heading towards Virginia tomorrow, ahead of deadline :0)

The customer chose a black backing; I guess I could maybe see why--it hides dirt easier :0) However, since I have loose threads ALLLL over the place downstairs, I needed to take a lint roller to the back before I packaged it up for shipping ;0)

The quilting pattern is a pantograph: Chinese Crescents.

Twilight (71" x 71")

Off to a good start for December :0)

Tomorrow's goals:
Quilt Kayla's Morning Run
Quilt Angie's Brown Paisley

Angie's top; RRCB part 2; Cass's birthday; Stash Report Nov. 22-28

Angie's (70" x 88") -- yeah, it's sideways...
Well, the top is as big as it's going to get. I've used just about ALL the fabric I purchased for the top and I'll have JUST enough backing to fit it. (5 yards worth; washed & dried, but not pressed or cut yet.) SO---NAME IDEAS?!?!?!?

And I attempted to kill two birds today...I spent about 45 minutes cutting and prepping for Bonnie Hunter's RRCB mystery part 2 this morning and used the units as my leaders-enders today. I have 9 of the 30 completed from the leaders-enders today. I'll keep them as l/e as I start working on In Flight again.

On a family note: Today Cassie turned 10 years old. As her birthday present, yesterday she and I went to Claire's boutique for her to have her ears pierced.



And finally, Stash Report November 22 - 28
Used/week: 8.75 yards
Purchased/week: 18.125 yards
{{It was a NEEDED purchase that will be gone by the end of next week!!! 5 yards backing for Angie's quilt, 6.625 yards for Angie's top; 4.5 yards backing for Twilight quilt; 2 yards camo for Travis}}

Used/year: 204.799 yards
Purchased/year: 209.403 yards

Net used: -4.604 yards
{{Yeah, in the red again, but not for long. AND I surpassed the 200 yard USED mark}}

Morning Run top done; Angie's started

Arrived back home around 4:00 today...had to unload, feed animals (and us!) ;0)
Started laundry---you know....all the blah-ey stuff that needs to be done after being gone for a few days.

I EVEN brought up all the Christmas decorations and set the tree up. The girls then decorated it while I took care of some house tidying and other Christmas decoration stuff....

And it was only 8:00, so....rather than waste the time, I headed downstairs.

The first load of laundry I threw in was of the fabrics for Angie's quilt---no name in mind yet, so for now, it's being called Angie's teals...
BUT...
First things first; I needed to finish up the final borders on Morning Run before I would allow myself to dive into the lovely lovely fabrics....


Morning Run (72" x 92")

No intention of quilting it quite yet; that'll come soon enough though.

And then....

the new fabrics.....oooohhh......there IS something about pressing neatly and cutting into a new set of fabrics. I really really reallllllly like these!!!!! I don't have anything like them in my stash, but the "family" of these fabrics were on sale 40% off.....it was meant to be!!!

You can probably tell, I'm making a very simple disappearing nine-patch with them. Each larger focal square is cut 8", (7.5" finished.) I had COMPLETE intentions of having them finish at 8", but after washing them, I ONLY had 40.5 working inches of WOF....it really shrunk down a bit from washing, having started at 43"!!! GOOD THING I pre-washed! That's a lot of shrinkage; just maybe too much to have waited until the end. Hmm...maybe a lesson being learned here. Anyway, I needed 5 squares from each WOF strip in order for my pattern to work out nicely, so I needed to reduce the 8.5" planned cuts to 8". Psht...minor.

Anyway...tomorrow, I hope to spend much of the day quilting, and just MAYBE be able to get Angie's quilt top finished???

Ummmm.....WHEN is Christmas???

7:44 PM texting conversation between myself and my BIL on Thanksgiving evening....

BIL: How long does it take you to make a quilt?
Me: Depends on a few things...what you have in mind?
BIL: I need two of them. Make them simple. Just want them warm and big. Like queen size. I will pay you up front.
Me: By Xmas I'm assuming?
BIL: Is that not good?
Me: Just being honest...I can't promise anything, BUT may be doable. Who for? girl? boy? woman?? ;0) color preference?
BIL: For me and Angie (girlfriend). Camo for me; pinks? for Ang
Me: k. I'm shopping at Hancock's tomorrow...I'll keep you guys in mind.
BIL: Thanks!

So much for having some laid back quilting weeks preceding Christmas!!! ;0)
A simple disappearing nine-patch is being planned for Angie, his girlfriend. For his??? golly! Looked around for Camo today and bought some.....he wants it heavy, so I went heavy! Denim-type camo and denim-type black fabric; I'm thinking of simple 8-10" squares with black sashings like lattice strips....

SO...

Went shopping with mother today; took our time; no crazy business; hit the road around 8:00 am and arrived back home around 4:30 pm. Stops along the way: Walmart, Target, Bath-n-Body, a little brunch, Younkers, Menards, Dunham's Sports, and we ended at Hancock Fabrics. Purchased a lot off my lists; THAT feels good! Sorry no pics...my parents don't have wireless and I'm not about to figure out how to upload on their machines....

Yeah...LOTS of fabric purchased, BUT most will be cut up in the next couple of weeks, so...I'm okay with that. I ONLY purchased what I needed for the two new quilts. REALLLLLLY like the colors I chose for BIL's girlfriend! Bluey-teals with a slight bit of orange and splattered with browns.

Anyway....off to peek at Bonnie's part 2!!! :0)

Heading home tomorrow around noonish; should arrive home around 3:00. Unpack, start laundry (news fabs first, of course!!!)...maybe put up the Christmas tree????