May Stash Report and Goals Update

Some behind-the-scenes activity this month but not much to blog about....

The most photo-worthy accomplishments were finishing the Amber & Aubergine flimsy and quilting the pastel 16 patch baby quilt. The A&A quilt will go on the long arm this week so I've already prepped the backing. The baby quilt had fabric from PCQ's stash on the back, so I can't count it out in my stash report. 

Another accomplishment: I was able to get all the cutting done for the Christmas Tree hanging I need to make for my son. I made him a door size one several years ago and now he wants a shorter one he can hang in his office cubicle. It's cut and kitted up to sew at retreat. 

At a recent Long Arm Users Group meeting we discussed using water soluble basting thread, and the long arm committee leaders were willing to let me try it. I successfully basted a UFO from several years ago so I can SID on my domestic machine. Here's an old photo of the top in progress. I'm quilting along all the lattice seams with invisible thread and it's slow going. 

May Stash Report:

IN this month: 9-5/8 yards (5-3/4 yards wide backs from Backside fabrics. 2-1/4 yards from estate sale. 1-5/8 yards remnants from Backside Fabrics.)
OUT this month: 11-1/2 yards (Amber & Aubergine top, estimated 6 yards. A & A backing and binding, 4-1/4 yards. X and Plus teaching samples and step-outs, 1-1/4 yards.)

IN YTD: 62-1/8 yards

OUT YTD: 54-7/8

YTD Net Change: 7-1/4 yards added. 

Some of the acquisitions were for my second Diabolical Jane. I'm still playing with the palette and the layout. 

Goals Update: 

May Recap: 

1. Prep for teaching X and Plus class; teach on May 30. Done. 

I had to scramble and change the lesson plan at the beginning of class. I had planned to start by using the club's projector to show examples from Pinterest of the many, many X and Plus colorations. The person who was supposed to bring the projector forgot and had their phone turned off. Two hours later they delivered it so we ended the class by looking at examples and color. 

2. Square up the confidential quilt and prep binding. Progress; discussed issues with my collaborator and determined next steps. Prepped binding and sleeve. 

3. Start planning and cutting for Eric's Christmas tree project to work on at retreat in July. Done - pieces are cut, labeled and kitted up. 

4. Quilt and bind the white and pastel 16 patch baby quilt. Done. I even expanded my FMQ repertoire beyond meandering and included teddy bears, hearts, flowers and spirals. 

5. Prep backing for purple Diabolical Jane top. Yes - Changed plan from the dark magenta I originally had in mind and ordered a pink & purple print wide back which is MUCH better. (The dark magenta backing will be used for A&A since that print is in the quilt top.) 

6. Finish assembling the Amber and Aubergine top. Done. Backing is prepped and batting is ready for quilting on June 4th. 

Other: Basted and started quilting the Kaffe Gradient quilt. 

June Goals: 

1. Finish prepping the collaborative project to hand off for my partner to do the hand stitching.

2. Quilt Amber & Aubergine. 

3. Finish designing DJ2 to take to retreat in July.

4. Plan and prep an extra project for retreat. 

5. Make progress on the walking foot quilting on the Kaffe Gradient project. 

6. Make progress on Mary's Triangles social sewing project.

7. Piece a simple charity quilt top using purple print.

I should probably also make it a goal to blog more in June, if I have anything interesting to show. We'll see. 

We've had a pleasant spring, a cooler than average May, but it's starting to get hot here in the desert. Summer is our indoor season - time to stay inside and quilt! 

Amber and Aubergine Flimsy, Teddy Bear Quilting, and New Storage

It's been a couple weeks since I last posted. No worries, everything's fine here. I've just been working on non-picture-worthy stuff and confidential stuff. 

But I did take time very early this morning before the sun got too bright and harsh for photos, to take some pics of this month's finishes. 

At my most recent long arm quilting session, I quilted the 16 Patch baby quilt. This was made from leftovers from the opal project plus a few more strips, with white sashing added. The flimsy was completed at April retreat.

Since then PCQ's quilt club has been having some Long Arm Users Group training. We spent a day learning and practicing free motion. I feel liberated, no longer limited to my standard meander.  After much practice with a dry erase marker and a plastic page protector, I was able to quilt a few teddy bears, hearts, and flowers in this quilt. The teddy bears may be a bit wonky, but I gave it a try! 

Amber and Aubergine is now a finished flimsy. For such a simple pattern - just nine patches and Plus blocks with sashing - it turned out well. The palette is rather sophisticated and I like it. I have backing for it, one of the purple prints used in it, and I'll quilt it soon. It will be a donation quilt. 

In other quilty news, I've been cleaning up and updating my sewing room. Someone offered two small drawer cabinets on our PCQ e-group, and the size was right for me so I snapped them up. They replaced my vintage 1990s plastic drawer stacks that lived under the open leaf of my cutting table. Now I have more and nicer storage. I posted the old plastic drawers on the e-group for free, and now they're going to a new home. 

I still have some non-picture-worthy stuff to do so other than my monthly recap I don't know how soon I'll post again, but I'm still here and all is well. 

Linking up with Small Quilts and Doll Quilts 5/25 and Alycia Quilts 5/29

I Couldn't Resist

I made myself work on Must-Do projects before allowing myself to start another Diabolical Jane, but the DJ design process is calling me. So after I checked off a Must-Do item and made progress on three others, I pulled fabrics and started playing again. 

Here's my first layout attempt. Meh, kind of dull. 

After a few tries, I swapped out the camel and amber accent colors for coral and pushed the greens more teal. Not happy with this yet, still too dull and not enough value contrast. 

Some fabric purchases, much tweaking, many layout revisions, and I think I've made progress. Building out the sides and cropping the photo is helping. 

I've gotten smarter about visualizing the layout. With the photo cropped, I can pop it into a document, copy and rotate it, and see a mockup of the top. My table isn't wide enough to go all the way to the edges on the sides, but this gives the general idea. Here's the current layout:

As always, I look at the photos in greyscale to see if I'm happy with the contrast. 

Maybe. Comments and suggestions? 

And now I have to get back to those Must-Do items....

Link up: Small Quilts and Doll Quilts 5/11, Alycia Quilts 5/15

April Stash Report and Goals Update

April was a fun and productive month! I got a lot done at retreat, had a wonderful time with friends, and replenished my stash of white-on-whites, low volumes, and blenders. The big accomplishment this month was getting my Diabolical Jane top pieced. There was a minor hiccup due to all the bias, and I've learned a few things I'll do differently with my next one, but it was so satisfying that there will definitely be a next one. 

Also at retreat I was able to assemble a pastel and white16 patch baby quilt. Many of the colors were leftover strips from my Opal-Inspired baby quilt. The blocks were already made; I just had to add sashing and cornerstones. 

With tops finished and fabric purchased there were certainly some changes to my stash report this month. 

April Stash Report: 

IN this month: 17 yards (4 yards from Edna for DJ back. 9-1/2 yards from Ritter, includes FQs won. 1/2 yard from Hobby Lobby. 3 yards from Prickly Pearadise.)
OUT this month: 8-5/8 yards (Diabolical Jane top, est. 5-1/4 yards; does not include unused cut pieces. Pastel/white baby quilt top, 3-3/8 yards.)

IN YTD: 52-1/2 yards
OUT YTD: 43-3/8 yards

YTD Net Change: 9-1/8 yards IN

That's okay, there's still a lot of time left in the year to use up more than I add. My yearly goal is always to reduce stash or break even. 

Goals Update: 

April Recap: 

1. Participate in long arm learning and playtime event on Apr 4th. Yes, FUN! Got over my fear of deviating from my go-to meander. 

2. Attend retreat Apr 9-13 and have a good time. YES!!!

3. Assemble Diabolical Jane at retreat. Yes, completely finished the top.

4. Prep the confidential project for quilting: pick paper bits out of the back, wash and iron the backing fabric, get batting.  Done. 

5. Quilt the confidential project on April 17. Done. 

6. If time permits, assemble the other pastel and white baby quilt. Yes, completed the top at retreat. Also found backing fabric in the club's stash and prepped the backing. 

7. If time permits, assemble the purple Nine Patch and Plus project, now called Amber and Aubergine. Progress, worked on it at retreat and at home, top almost complete.  

8. Work on the Mary's Triangles project at social sewing. Yes; only one day of social sewing this month.

Other: started pulling fabrics for another Diabolical Jane.

May Goals: 

1. Prep for teaching X and Plus class; teach on May 30. 

2. Square up the confidential quilt and prep binding. 

3. Start planning and cutting for Eric's Christmas tree project to work on at retreat in July. 

4. Quilt and bind white and pastel 16 patch baby quilt. 

5. Prep backing for purple Diabolical Jane top. 

6. Finish assembling the Amber and Aubergine top.

While it looks like just a few simple goals for May, there's actually quite a bit of time and work involved in some of them so I'm limiting the list to just these. 

Amber and Aubergine

The extra project I took to retreat featured leftover purple strips from my DJ project, additional purples, and soft gold/orange/camel tones. I chose warm ivory and cream shades for the background. Here's the photo from retreat: 

The blocks were already made. When retreat ended I had added the vertical sashing to the rows. Since then I've put the rows up on my wall, and placed the cornerstones and horizontal sashing. Careful arrangement assured that the same fabric is never next to itself.

With the cornerstones in place, you can see the chain effect. I've started sewing the sashing rows to the block rows. The bottom row is not shown because it's at the sewing machine. I hope to get this top finished this week. 

So why Amber and Aubergine? Because purple and gold sound like sports team colors, and amber and aubergine (eggplant) are more poetic. I spent several years of my career naming colors, so why not? 

Link up: Small Quilts and Doll Quilts 4/27

Eye Candy: Design Walls and More from Retreat

I had a wonderful time at retreat last week with seven friends old and new. We all accomplished so much! Here in no particular order, some photos:

Debbie's Snowball quilt

The blocks were already made and she was determined to finish the top!

Paula's Fabric Weaving, successfully completed 

under Eleanor's tutelage

Judy's Burp Cloths for Great-grandbabies

After cranking out numerous king-sized wedding quilts for her grandchildren,

she was glad for smaller projects. 

Edna's Disappearing Nine Patch with a Slant veteran's quilt.

She's been working on blocks at social sewing

and she has enjoyed this pattern.

Eleanor's complicated and challenging project 

She nailed it!

Linda's charity quilt featuring fabrics donated by Julie 

(Thanks, Julie!)

Paula's finish, binding and all

Jeri's veteran's quilt from a panel

Eleanor's top featuring her treasured floral print fabric

Jeri's 3 yard charity quilt, embellished with daisies

because she thought it was boring and needed something

Edna's quilt for a soon-to-be Air Force Academy graduate.

Blocks from patterns, but layout is her own design.

Paula's small improv project, from a class on a recent quilt cruise

Debbie's first improv project, with coaching from Paula and Linda

My second baby quilt in opal-inspired colors, because I had leftover strips from the first.

Blocks were already made, just needed sashing and rows assembled. 

My extra project in case I ran out of projects, glad I brought it. 

Blocks were already made; here the vertical sashing has been added. 

My finished Diabolical Jane top

A great time was had by all and we're already looking forward to the next trip in July!

Link up: Small Quilts and Doll Quilts 4/20, Alycia Quilts 4/24

Opal-Inspired Baby Quilt Finish

Before I left to go on retreat, I was able to quilt and bind the Opal-Inspired baby quilt. I's a finish, and it's intended to be donated. But I will hold onto it and submit it for PCQ's display window in the creative arts building in October, when the opal birthstone will be the featured color theme. It will be donated afterward. 

Because of the small size, I was able to pin baste on my tabletop and quilt on my domestic machine using a serpentine stitch along the seam lines. 

The backing, from the club's stash, is peach flannel. Couldn't be more perfect!!! And to top it off, I had a matching peach geometric print, used elsewhere in the quilt, for the binding. 

One sweet and cuddly little finish.

Link up:  Alycia Quilts