Tuesday, September 1, 2026

August Stash Report and Goals Update

I spent a lot of time in my sewing room this month. It's been over 100 degrees, often over 110 degrees, all month, too hot to do anything except stay inside in the air conditioning. We're actually having a bit of a cool-down this week, but next week it'll be back up in the 110s again. And no, it's not a dry heat; the humidity is up during our monsoon season. 

PC's Creative Arts building has been closed most of the month for maintenance, so no social sewing. The fitness center has been closed for refurbishing all month and won't reopen until October. I went out to lunch with friends a couple of times, but other than that, it's the season for cabin fever here.

DH and I did take a little weekend trip up to a cooler area and I visited a very nice quilt shop, Pine Top Star. So of course, some fabric had to come home with me. 

Since I spent so much time on quilting-related things, what did I accomplish? 

I pieced the back and the batting for the floral X and Plus quilt which goes on the long arm tomorrow morning. I quilted and donated the second Mary's Triangles quilt. I finished the Christmas Tree for my son, which involved a lot of quilting on my domestic machine. I started a new scrappy project involving triangles and stacked coins. I pulled a palette for another project that I'm thinking about called Checkered Garden.
The 2nd Mary's Triangles quilt

With all the fabric ins and outs, let's see how my stash report looks. 

August Stash Report

IN this month: 10 yards (5-1/2 yards from Bob's Variety. 4-1/2 yards from Pinetop Star QS. )
OUT this month: 9-1/2 yards (Backing for second Mary's Triangles quilt, 1-1/2 yards; Binding, 1/2 yard. Christmas Tree back and sleeves, 2 yards; Binding, 1/2 yard; Case with pockets, 1 yard. Backing for Floral X and Plus, 4 yards.)

IN YTD: 83-1/4 yards
OUT YTD: 86-3/4 yards
YTD Net Change: 3-1/2 yards OUT. 

Moving in the right direction! 

Since I knew I'd have a lot of sewing time, I had a lot on my goals list. I made a lot of progress, and as usual I started something new....
New triangles and stacked coins project

August Goals Update

July Recap: 

1. Bind and donate the two purple wheelchair quilts. DONE

2. Make backing for the second Mary's Triangles project and find or piece batting.  DONE, also quilted, finished and donated.

3. Make progress on the walking foot quilting on the Kaffe Gradient project.  No. I did a lot of other walking foot and FMQ on my domestic machine this month, but didn't touch this. 

4. Get Christmas print fabric for backing, sleeves and storage bag for the tree project. Talk to Gary about dowels. Yes, tree quilt is quilted and finished except for the final few hanging loops. Gary made the dowels and hooks for hanging it. I made the presentation case/storage bag. Gary is making a pottery star for the top which needs to be glazed and fired when the CAC reopens. 

5. Add borders to DJ2. DONE.

6. Pull "Found" UFO and determine next steps. DONE. It just needed borders, which were cut and included in the project box. It's now a finished flimsy. Also found/pieced backing for it. 

7. Piece batting together for X and Plus quilt. DONE.

Other: 
 - Started new scrappy Broken Dishes and Coins quilt. 
 - Added coping strips to Edna's veterans quilt that needs to have bad quilting removed and go back on the long arm. 

Eric's Christmas Tree

September Goals: 

1. Work with Edna to remove bad quilting and re-quilt the veteran's quilt. 

2. Quilt and finish the floral X and Plus quilt. 

3. Quilt and finish the found UFO quilt. 

4. Make backing for the teal Diabolical Jane quilt. 

5. Work on the Triangles and Coins project. 

6. Work on the other new scrappy piecing project, Checkered Garden inspired by Linda of Kokaquilts.

7. Plan a long term and complicated project for future sewing. 

8. Make progress on the walking foot quilting on the Kaffe Gradient quilt. 

I should probably add Write Blog Posts as another goal. I have a couple projects that need to be photographed so I can post about them. It's hard to get good photos with the intense sun and the wind here now. 

2nd Diabolical Jane top

Hopefully all that will keep me busy during another hot month! 

6 comments:

  1. We had mostly 100 plus days in August, which continue this week and into next. I get that the only thing fun to do is quilt. I'm definitely ready for autumn to make an appearance here. You had a very productive month. Enjoy your stitching projects this month.

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  2. Ugh the heat/humidity but yay for all your progress! The teal DJ looks great and I’m sure it’s even better in person. You might need to see about an alternate photo location……maybe under a shade sail at the pool area or a clothes line on your patio?

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  3. Sounds like you made the most of your time this month! The cooler weather this week is a lovely reprieve here, too, and I hope you have a great September working on your new goals.

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  4. Seeing your Mary's Triangles has inapired me to start a new one!

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  5. We're hving a hot spell here, too, but only up to 90. Seeing your Mary's Triangles has inspired me to start another one!

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  6. You did get a lot done - thats funny to thing of having cabin fever in the summer - but with 100 and over... I agree - best place to be!! Hope it cools down some for you

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