Cleaning Out

 I gave myself 30 minutes today to start the cleanout of the office closet.

Here's the before picture:

Seriously, it was so bad I couldn't walk into it or find anything.

Still can't walk in there, but the left side is cleaned out (I threw out a lot of stuff like cords to who knows what phone/computer/whatever).

Left side after (not including the floor under the shelves!

And now I'm off to wind yarn onto cones so I can crank some socks this afternoon.

Til next time....blessings.

Happy New Year!

 Change of plans today. Instead of loading and quilting another homeless quilt, I put away the little amount of Christmas stuff I had put out - which was mostly my tiny angels collection on the mantel.

I also put different quilts up for the seasons, but most of them are winter themed this year, so I left them up!

I like the change back to everyday things after Christmas:

The rest of the day will be spent tidying up in the office and gathering trash to be put to the curb tomorrow evening.  I already loaded the back of the car with a load of stuff to donate.  I'll start another box next week as I start doing my yearly cleanout.   

I do believe less is more, so I don't know why I have so much stuff to give away every year.  Hopefully this next year will see an end to the accumulation and the beginning of paring everything down to only what I need and use (including fabric and yarn!)

Until next time....blessings.

Monday, Dec. 30

Steadily working at prepping for homeless quilts, after chores and running errands of course:

 These are 3" hst papers that I have pinned to a light and dark/medium fabric.  Eventually I'll stitch these up (I still have to find more lights to add to the dark scraps) and then I'll decide what to do with all those 3" half square triangles!  I've been cutting some leftover scraps into 3-1/2" squares in case I need them for fillers!

Tomorrow I have a haircut in the morning, but hope to load a quilt on the machine and get it started while I cut more lights and hopefully use up the rest of the triangles on a roll - I've made quite a dent in the roll already, so it won't take much to finish it off.  

Then I have 2-1/2" triangles to play with!

Until next time...blessings. 

Making Progress

 Today I managed to finish cleaning out and emptying the bin of scraps.  I pressed them all and then started cutting.  I now have piles of 2" strips. 5" squares, a stack of fabrics to run thru the Go Big cutter for pinwheels, and a stack of fabrics to make 3" hst's and 2-1/2" hst's. 

I put the squares in the bin with the other 5" squares I have cut, the 2-1/2" strips into that bin, and I put the triangle papers that I found while cleaning out stuff a couple of weeks ago with the stacks of fabric cut for that purpose all back into the big bin -- but now it is all sorted and stacked so I can just pick up a stack and start sewing.  Then I pulled out the Go Big cutter and fed fabric thru for the rest of the afternoon!

And I have most of the pinwheel fabrics cut except I might need a few more lights that I will pull from stash.  Then I'll clip each block together so I can just pick up a set of fabrics as I go and stitch them together.

All in all it was a busy, but productive day and I'm tired!

Until next time...blessings.
 

Day after Christmas!

 Pictures of my family on Christmas day.  We celebrated at my step-son's house.  He made a fabulous brunch spread!

And then there is today!  I had some chores to attend to this morning, so I got a late start in the studio, but I managed to trim and bind the homeless quilt I quilted the other day.  That makes two done for next year:

Then I spent more time pressing scraps from the big bin.  Some of these scraps were given to me and I am surprised to find some yardage pieces - some are 2 and 3 yards.  So now I have to sort yardage and set it aside for something else.  Like I needed more large pieces of fabric --NOT!

Until next time.....blessings.

Christmas Eve

 Besides a few chores today, I had nothing on my schedule so I went to the studio. I had big plans, but of course I always overestimate what I can get done in a day.  But I managed to make and put the borders on the mystery quilt I started at my guild's retreat in November:

It needs to be pressed, but I also pieced and labeled the backing and made the binding for it - so another homeless quilt is ready for quilting.  I still need to trim and bind the one I quilted yesterday (sigh).

I was running out of steam, but I did pull some of the scrap fabrics and pressed them ready to be cut.

Until next time....blessings and Merry Christmas!

New Year Plans

 Yes, Christmas is still two days away, but I've been thinking about what I want to accomplish next year.   I make quilts for the homeless during the year and give them away in October every year.  A friend makes a couple and I quilt them and add them to the pile.  I think this year we donated 15 quilts.  

Today I quilted one on the longarm, although I still need to trim and bind it, so it is not finished.  But while I was working on piecing another, I was thinking about what I want to do next year.  My goal in the next 4 years is to use up my stash of fabrics!  With that in mind, I pulled a bin of scraps from under my big table and decided I would start with them:

I have two of these bins filled with scraps so I want to use them up before I start working on the fabric stash (although I will be using fabric stash to finish blocks I'm sure.)  I also have a Go! Big! fabric cutting system and I pulled the pinwheel templates to start with.  It makes an 8" finished block  - so two colors and 4 wheels.  I usually make the quilts about 60"x 80", so it will take quite a lot of fabric.  The plan is to get the entire quilt cut on the Go Big in the next couple of weeks while using up as much fabric as I can.  I am not adverse to buying coordinating fabric, but I make scrappy quilts, so hopefully can use up a lot of lights to go with the mostly medium/dark scraps.

I already have a quilt cut out of tumbler blocks - all clipped together so I only have to start stitching.  My friends and I get together at our favorite quilt store 5 or 6 times a month, so I will be doing the piecing there usually.

I also have a couple of bins of 2-1/2" strips I want to use up this year.  I've made plenty of 16 patch blocks with sashing for homeless quilts too, so I use my 2-1/2" strips and squares and add to the bins with leftover fabrics from other quilts.  But mostly 2025 will be homeless quilts only - I don't need anymore large quilts!

I'm not going to set a number that I want to finish for the year, but I just want to keep moving forward!

Until next time....blessings.

Merry Christmas!

                                 Blessings

Wednesday

 I worked in the studio for more than 5 hours today.  I placed all the blocks for the next tumbler quilt on the design wall and then took them down and clipped each row together for the next time I start piecing on the machine again.  These are the blocks I have leftover - at least enough for probably 3 more quilts:

Then I prepped a couple of applique blocks -- which is what I usually work on at Sunshine Stitches.  And finally I pulled out the Quiltworx quilt I started a year or two ago and prepped the applique for it.  This is the second section of the quilt called Valley Blossoms.  I forgot to take a picture, but hope to get a bit farther on that part tomorrow and will take a picture then.

Until next time....blessings and prayers for those dealing with Helene and now Milton and the tornadoes that are also accompanying the hurricane.

The rest of Saturday

 After working in the sewing studio yesterday, I came upstairs and decided to finish two pairs of socks that I had cranked on the machine at least 3 weeks ago, if not more than a month.  The toes needed to be grafted  (or Kitchenered).  I managed to finish both pairs:

And that was the extent of my work yesterday!

Today is a day of rest!

Until next time ...blessings.

Saturday

 Today I managed to piece the backing and label it for the tumbler quilt and made the binding,  I folded them together and will load them on the longarm at a later date.  

I started another tumbler using black alternate blocks which I like better:

The black sets off the other colors better I think.  Either way, I'm using up fabric stash!

I have another addiction:  yarn - specifically sock yarn and I received two skeins in the mail yesterday, so I put them on cones this morning.  I need to get cranking!

Until next time...blessings.

Working my way thru

 Today I managed to finish piecing the first top of record of using up stash!

I pulled the tumblers and managed to get the top done today and will piece the backing tomorrow:

All told I think about 4 yards of fabric covers the top.  The backing takes four yards and there's usually enough to bind it too.  

We donated 12 quilts to the homeless on Tuesday, so this is the first for next year - and I hope to do more than 12 this year.

I also cut about two yards of black fabric to start another tumbler top - so that's another two yards out of the stash.

Until next time...blessings.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

 Today I officially started my Operation Cleanout!  I loaded a dozen quilts into my car to be delivered tomorrow to Carpenter's Place for the homeless.

Then I pulled out a bag of tumblers that I've had stashed for at least a year and started a new homeless quilt:

I try to make them about 60" x 80".  This is just what I had pulled from the bag.  I had to iron the rest:

Doesn't look like much, but there is at least 2 quilts in there and maybe more.  I also cut some black fabrics to add to the pile.  

Tomorrow we're delivering the quilts, so Wednesday I'll be spending more time in the studio working on using up stash!

Until next time...blessings.
 

Tuesday

 So, yesterday was quilting at the shop, so I got nothing done on my list!

This whole week I have something scheduled every day, so I won't be doing anything on my list.

I have, however, finished a pair of socks for my daughter:

These were done on my circular sock machine in the evenings!

That's it for today!

Until next time...blessings

It's Fall Y'all

 Fall has arrived and with it the rain is falling. That's ok since it's been a bit dry around here for awhile.

It has been a long time since I last wrote, but now I'm trying again to keep up.  

This is what my studio looked like a few months ago (it changes daily):

I'm starting to make plans for finishing projects since I have come to the conclusion that I am not going to live forever!

• Anyway, my first goal is to use up all my fabric in the next four years! (and I have fabric everywhere in this picture!) This does not mean that I won't be buying fabric - but I will be concentrating on using up the stash.  Mostly I'll be making quilts for the homeless with the stash fabrics and will need to add fabrics to do that.

• Second goal is to finish some projects: 

1.  My Judy Neimeyer that is already in progress called Valley Blossoms.
2. I have 3 Dream Big quilts to be quilted that I want to start and finish.

So that is where I will start.

I also have a circular sock knitting machine, so I have a few things I need to do on it - but nothing that has to be finished by a certain date.

Grandsons update:  AJ is a junior at Aurora University, Will is a senior in HS and Mike is a freshman at the same HS.  Homecoming was this weekend so anxiously awaiting pictures of them all!

Gratitudes:  Grandsons 

My Daughter who helps me navigate my health problems - namely getting shots in my eye for Macular Degeneration.

Until next time....blessings.

 

A very productive day

I managed to get up at 6:15 this morning and was out weeding and feeding my yard by 6:30.  It took me about an hour, because I had to keep taking breaks - my back tells me I'm too old for this stuff, so I will hire it done in the fall.

Then took a shower with my new water heater and real hot water!  I am grateful.

Then two loads of laundry and breakfast.  

Then I headed to the basement and put the binding on the homeless quilt I finished yesterday:

That's the front and part of the back.  I am in the process of using my stash as much as possible -- it may take a couple of years, but you gotta start somewhere.  I have fabric from 1993!  Yes, the backs are probably going to be ugly, but the quilt will keep someone warm.

Then I finished piecing the next quilt using the same color/white blocks and I still have more of them leftover, so there will be at least part of a third quilt like that!

 

 

 

And while I'm using up fabric, I'm also using up thread:

Most of this is 50 wt thread - I think I used to use it for applique, but now use 60 wt.  So this whole thread holder is full of thread that is just getting old and collecting dust, so I am now using it to piece quilts - both in the top and in the bobbin.  

I need to get organized enough to start selling things too.  I have lots of pantographs I don't use and things like this thread rack will be empty eventually and I just don't need all the stuff I have!

 

Until next time... blessings.
 

Finished Top

 Today I managed to piece the top together.  I need to piece the backing and get it quilted preferably this week.

I worked in the yard for two days and now I am sore!  So, not a lot getting done besides easy piecing!

Until next time....blessings.

A Scrappy top

 Today I managed to do some yard work (it is 80 degrees out right now!).  Then came in and started stitching one of the scrappy tops together.  I probably  have at least one more of the same type tops with white plain squares and charm packs and at least two with darker charm packs and tan alternating squares.  

I haven't made a dent in the stash, but hopefully it is a start.  I'm going to piece the backings for these quilts too so I can use up more stash.  This is the first one (couldn't get all the strips on the wall!)

Starting to use up stash, but have a long way to go!

Until next time....blessings.

SCRAPS

 I've been playing with scraps lately - working on more than 1 homeless quilt and deciding to clean out my scraps.

This is just 1 shelf of fabric that I pulled to start cutting.  I'm cutting 5" squares and 2-1/2" strips.  Any piece that is larger - 1/2 yard or more, I didn't cut, but set aside.  I think I will use the larger pieces to piece backings for the homeless quilts.  My goal for the next couple of years (yes, it will take some time), is to use up as much stash fabric as I can.  

The bin on the ironing board is full to overflowing with 5" squares and charm packs.  I spent most of the morning cutting 5" squares from tan/beige colored fabrics.  I plan on making at least two and probably more checkerboard quilts using these squares.  

You can see the trash basket is full to overflowing with scraps that didn't fit! Wondering why I saved every little leftover piece of fabric.  And some of the fabrics had pieces cut out that I'm sure went into one of my applique quilts!  

Whatever....I'm tired of dealing with stash fabrics and scraps so I'm going to try to use up as much as I can -- and making homeless quilts is a great way to do that.

Until next time...blessings.

Another finish

 So, I finished the homeless quilt I had on the design wall for a few weeks.  I decided to use up as much of the leftover fabric from it on the back.  And then I used some stash fabrics to finish off the backing:

I'm happy to use up fabric from my stash.  I also have a couple of bags of fabric from a friend that is moving and she wanted to get rid of fabric she doesn't want to pack.  I am now in the process of cutting up and using all of her fabric - either in 2-1//2" strips or cutting on my Go Big cutter into tumblers.  Eventually I will be doing that to my own stash fabrics also.

Until next time....blessings.