March Stash Report and Goals Update

Not much blogging happened this month; some non-quilting events occurred. My final color class was rescheduled due to a family thing, and I ended up teaching that lesson twice so all my students could make up the missed day. Prep for April retreat has been taking place, but I didn't take any pics, so nothing to show yet. PC Quilters went as a group to the AZ Quilt Guild show in Mesa, and that was a very enjoyable field trip. 

My friends and I finished the blocks for the Cool Colorway of Scrappy Batiks. I've been making a few blocks here and there for the Warm Colorway version, but again, no new pics. We should be able to get the top finished in April. 

One of the items on my to-do list for March was to make a new robe from some drapey rayon batik I got from a quilter's estate sale a while ago. I wanted it ready in time for retreat in early April. 

At the quilt show and otherwise, some fabric shopping happened this month, so my stash has grown. No problem since I was down so much for the  year last year. 

March Stash Report

IN this month: 16 yards (1-1/2 yards light pink for CSQ Ruby Jubilee baby quilt. 4-1/4 yards for sea turtle project. 5 yards at AQG show. 4-1/4 yards at 35th & Mulqueen's.)
OUT this month: 2 yards (1/3 of fabrics used for Scrappy Batiks Cool, estimated at 2 yards per EQ.)

IN YTD: 20-1/2 yards
OUT YTD: 9-1/4 yards

YTD Net Change: 11-1/4 yards added

Goals Update: 

March Recap: 

1. Make new rayon batik bathrobe. Done

2. Prep for and teach final color class. Done - taught twice because I had to reschedule and teach a make-up class. 

3. Prep project for April retreat. Done, prepped two, Ruby Jubilee challenge and Sea Turtle toddler quilt. 

4. Continue making warm color blocks for SC5. Yes, made several. 

5. Find sea turtle panel and start baby quilt for Emily. Yes, ordered panel, planned layout, and cut pieces to sew at retreat. 

6. Finish Kaffe gradient flimsy. No, not finished.

7. Work on revised layout to salvage Road Trip. Slight progress; rearranged blocks on wall but no decisions made. Purchased a mid-value background to replace the palest ground color. 

April Goals: 

1. Finish prepping projects for retreat. Go, and have a good time! 

2. Make and quilt Ruby Jubilee challenge/baby quilt, due May 1. 

3. Make and quilt Sea Turtle toddler Quilt. Finished quilt is due May 15. Long arm is booked for April 18 to quilt it. 

4. Continue making warm color blocks for SC5.

5. If time permits, finish piecing Kaffe Gradient top. 

6. If time permits, work on Road Trip.

So what is the Ruby Jubilee challenge all about? 

The guild I still belong to in Missouri is celebrating its 40th anniversary in May. 40 years is the Ruby Jubilee. The challenge is to make something featuring the color Ruby and/or containing 40 of some element, such as 40 blocks, 40 fabrics, etc. 

Makers have the option of making a baby quilt or anything else they'd like to make. Baby quilts will be donated to Operation Shower, the organization that gives baby showers to military families stationed away from home. 

I opted to make a baby quilt featuring Ruby and several pink, amethyst, and opal batiks. My first thought was to make it like a Kool Kaleidoscope, so I started making strata. But I didn't have enough of several of the fabrics, so from my partially started strata I cut triangles to make hexies. 

To test the plan, I made test blocks from some scrap strips in my stash: 

I think this will work using the Ruby, etc., strips that I have. Wouldn't it be cool if it turns out to be exactly 40 hexies! I didn't plan for that.  Actually I think it might end up being more than 40 hexies to be a suitable size for a baby quilt. 

I have a lot on my plate in April! I know I can get the deadline projects done but anything more than that, I don't know. We'll see. 

Scrappy Batiks, Cool

 A Friday Finish, for the first time in ages! 

The girls in the Hive have been busy. We previously made the original Scrappy Celebration, then the second version in brighter colors, then the patriotic version. We weren't tired of making blocks yet, so we moved on to black and black-alternative blocks with bright batiks. We made too many blocks for one quilt so we split them up into Cool colors and Warm colors. 

The top with the cool colors is finished. Several of us worked on the layout on the design wall in PCQ's quilting room, with lots of input from our friends. Here's the finished version of the top, assembled by Linda:

Wherever the original pattern called for a white or a white-based low volume fabric, we used black or a very dark print. 

Here are some of the blocks I sewed in February. We ended up not using one of them because it stood out too much. 

The warm colors version is still in work; we need to make about 20 more blocks. 

Link Up: Alycia Quilts,  Confessions of a Fabric Addict,  Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

February Stash Report and Goals Update

Life happens, teaching has kept me busy, and I haven't posted in awhile, so I'm late with my monthly recap. Here's a quick catch-up post. 

February Stash Report:

IN this month: 4-1/2 yards from a quilter's estate sale.
OUT this month: 0

IN YTD: 4-1/2 yards
OUT YTD: 7-1/4 yards 
YTD Net Change: 2-3/4 yards out

Warm Scrappy Batik Blocks made in February

Goals: 

February Recap: 

1. Continue prepping for and teaching weekly color classes. Yes, February classes went well, one more left for March.

2. Continue making blocks for SC4. Yes, we have enough blocks in cool colors for a twin size quilt. Need a few more in warm colors for a second quilt. 

3. Finish Kaffe gradient flimsy. Progress, only one more row to add. 

4. Figure out a plan for how to salvage Road Trip. Slight progress, I labeled the blocks and took them off the wall.  

Cool Scrappy Batik Blocks made in February

March Goals:

1. Make new rayon batik bathrobe. 

2. Prep for and teach final color class.

3. Prep projects for April retreat.

4. Continue making warm color blocks for SC5.

5. Find sea turtle panel and start baby quilt for Emily.

6. Finish Kaffe gradient flimsy.

7. Work on revised layout to salvage Road Trip.

That's a lot for this month and I don't know if I'll get to it all. Some of it is deadline-driven so those are the priorities, and Road Trip may have to be postponed for awhile.