Stash report - 31 Jan

Gee, where did the week go this week?  Not much sewing going on here this week.  I have just about finished a second set of blocks for the snowglobe swap while sitting at the women's basketball game this afternoon.  Since this all came out of stash (at least it was stash as of 1 January), I'm counting this fabric this week, since everything is cut and I've just got a couple more applique stitches to make for the second set.

Used this week:     1.22 yds
Used YTD:            7.63 yds

In this week:                0 yds
In YTD:                21.45 yds.

NET YTD:           13.82 yds (gain)

I'm whittling away at it for the year.

Check out Judy L's blog to see how everyone else is doing on stashbusting for 2010.

UFO Finish #2 for 2010

I've finished another UFO.  This is my Pounded Flowers tablerunner.   In (summer 2008?) our guild did a demo of the pounded flowers technique - we were each to bring in at least one block to the next meeting.  I think I made 3.  They were all turned in, and they drew names for groups of blocks.  I won a set of 6 blocks.  I had this tablerunner top put together by the next month's meeting, and it has been sitting in my "box o'tops" waiting for its turn to be quilted ever since.  I'm pleased with how this turned out.  I quilted random leaves in the setting triangles, sashes and borders.

Sunday stash report - week 4

I've been sewing this week, and expect to use more stash today as well, but here's my report as it stands right now.

Added this week:        7.95 yds
Added YTD:             21.45 yds

Used this week:          5.81 yds
Used YTD:                6.41 yds

Net this year:            15.04 yds in

Hmm - need to get back up to the sewing room.  I was sure I had used more than I added this week, but I haven't yet put one of the quilts on the frame that I bought backing for.  Maybe that should be today's project.

Check out Judy's blog for how everyone else is doing.

A Finish

This morning I finished my NYE 2009 mystery quilt.   This was offered by Ann Smith on several Yahoo quilt groups.   I think this makes a cute baby quilt.   Ann does marvelous mystery quilts.  The instructions are always clear, with great pictures or diagrams.   The finished quilt is usually pretty traditional. 

I also made a pillowcase of out leftovers.  I've got several kids' pillowcases finished now.   One of the quilt inspectors likes to try to help with the pictures.

I'm also working on snowglobes for a swap.  This is the first one.  It still needs to be trimmed to size.

Vacation week

I've been on vacation this week, and have spent part of the week quilting.  On Tuesday, I finished putting together the top to my New Year's Eve Mystery from this NYE.  Yesterday it got borders and I quilted it last night.  The binding is sewn on now, waiting to be turned to the back and stitched down.  That will be an evening exercise.  I cut out and prepped the pieces for 2 sets of applique snow globes for a swap on The Quilting Post.  They're due to be mailed by 15 Feb, so will be some evening stitching for the next couple of weeks - or maybe lunch-time stitching at work.  We're allowed to swap up to 5 sets, but I doubt I'll get that many finished.  They should make a cute wallhanging.

I also pulled out another UFO that was a mystery last year - it's bigger than I remembered - 60 x 60 without borders.  I got some red fabric yesterday for borders and backing - that may be the next thing on the machine.  DH is home today but will be gone for the weekend, so I'll sew most of the weekend, as well.

Knitting is also progressing.  I finished the blue socks I was knitting last week, and started this week on the pink pair that is the last hank of yarn I got in Hillsborough - beautiful variegated dark pinks to burgundy from Cherry Hill Farms.  I had lost one of my size 1 double pointed needles, so went to the yarn shop in town to get another pair.  I decided to get a long cable needle to try to magic loop method of knitting in the round.  I also bought a neat book - Sensational Knitted Socks, that gives formulas for making socks with all kinds of gauge yarn, sizes and patterns.  I decided that since this pair of socks is for trying new things, I'd try the pattern for toe-up socks, with short-row toes and heels.  On the needle this sock looks like it would be too small, but when I try it on it fits beautifully.  I'm really going to like these, I think.

Wednesday I spent the day with my parents.  It was really enjoyable to sit and talk (and knit).   My mom belongs to a knitting group that makes afghans for wounded soldiers.  They make 6 x 9 rectangles that are put together to make the afghans.  She had several that were ready to be delivered.  They're nice and soft and cozy.  They send these to the VA in Richmond.  I may have to make a set of rectangles and put them in the mail to her for that project.

We also went to check out a new knitting shop that had opened near her.  It's called Knit 2 Unwind.  I found some different sock yarn there - some bamboo yarn, and some that was wool/bamboo/nylon blend.  I bought 3 skeins, and my mom bought me 2 skeins.  So my yarn stash is building, too.  I haven't done the self-patterning yarn before (other than stripes).  One of the skeins makes a pattern - that should be interesting.

It's been a busy week, and there are still 3 days left of vacation. 

Sunday stash report

I did actually do  a little bit of sewing this week.  I made some blocks for a friend.  Since these were all from stash (used up some bright nickles and some Kona black), I'll count the yardage out now that the blocks are done.   The week coming up is a vacation week, and I plan to make some swap blocks, and put a top on the machine to quilt, so that should use up some yardage.

In this week:                0     yds
In YTD:                     13.5 yds

Out this week:               .6 yds
Out YTD:                      .6 yds

Net for 2010:             12.9 yds in

Home from Manhattan

We competed in the Manhattan Amateur Classic yesterday.  The MAC is the third largest all-amateur competition in the US. We competed in three heats - Sr. I and Sr. II Bronze Standard, and Sr. I and Sr. II Silver Standard.  I didn't dance as well as I had hoped - didn't feel solid on my feet.  Out of all we had 2 x  5th place finishes and one 6th place finish.  The one bright note is that in one heat, we were scored FIRST by one judge in Quickstep!  Yay!  Of course, it all depends on what each judge sees you do, but I'm very happy with that.   I think the competition was as strong as we have ever seen it.

I had been feeling pretty good, and we got warmed up well, but our first dance of the first heat just didn't feel good - too many nerves, a little unsteady.  It didn't set a good tone for me for the whole day.

I've also gotten out of the way the thing no one wants to do - I fell at the very end of the quickstep in our first heat - either turned my ankle or stepped on my dress, or both.  Down to the floor I went without any warning, pulling DH over with me.  Yikes!  Unfortunately, I tweaked my ankle when I fell - and it continued to get worse throughout the rest of the dancing - I was barely able to finish the last heat - luckily that one was a bronze, so only had 2 dances.  I had to coast the last half of the last quickstep.  The ankle is still sore today, so I'll try to be good to it and rest it, which means no practicing today, probably. 

One thing we did was go out and push the limits - we were dancing big, but we pushed to the point that we weren't altogether under control.  I think we had flashes of staying in our new dance frame, but it wasn't consistent enough.  We need to spend more time in the studio than we have done for the last couple of months.  It needs to be back to every morning.  And gym time in the evenings when we don't have dance lessons.  Stamina was a problem.  Because or routines don't fit into the studio, we don't dance for a whole song without breaking.  We have to figure out some way to dance continuously for a complete song and still dance big. 

Next up, Mid-Atlantic Dancesport Championships in Bethesda at the end of February.  So we have 6 weeks to get ready for that one.

Sock pictures

I finally pulled the pictures off the camera.  Here are the socks I finished a week ago.

They're a little looser than the first pair, but so far don't tend to fall down, so I'm enjoying them.

Design Wall Monday

I don't actually have my design wall up at the moment.  But I have blocks laid out on the ironing board, so I'll use that.  These are blocks for a friend.  I have one made and two ready to make the final seams to put the block together.  I'll try to make a few more, as well.

Go over to Judy's blog to see what everyone else is doing this week.

Stash report - week 2

Well, I haven't posted since my last stash report.  Not much sewing going on here.  I have started piecing a few swap blocks, but won't count that as out of the stash until they're done.  Plans had been to sew all weekend, but we ended up babysitting the grandchildren yesterday morning, and that took most of the day before we got home.  It was great to see the kids, so it's worth giving up a day of sewing. 

Today I went by Michaels and bought some supplies to make cards.  I think I need some pretty papers to go with these, but I'll start with what I got.  This looks like fun.

So my stashbusting numbers:

Used this week:    0 yards
Used YTD:           0 yds

In this week:         0 yds
In YTD:           13.5 yds

Net this year :  13.4 yds gained

Stop by Judy L's blog to see what everyone else has gotten accomplished this week.

Stash report

I decided I will track my quilting stash use this year along with Judy L. 
I started as of January 1, rather than a full week.  I've added 13.5 yards of 90" wide fabric this week - this is a Christmas gift from my mother.  Nothing used since Jan 1.  I started my NYE mystery quilt, but I'm going to wait to have the top put together to count that yardage.

Added this week:  13.5 yds
Added YTD:         13.5 yds

Used this week:       0
Used YTD:              0

NET for 2010:     +13.5 yds

First finish of the year

Is my second pair of socks.  I need to figure out where I put the camera so I can post a picture.

A day trip to Philadelphia provided time to knit. 

I think I'll wear these tomorrow!

Happy New Year

Plus one.
It has been a hectic couple of days. Thursday was spent finishing the Christmas shopping - Christmas with my family is today. Then we actually went to a New Year's Eve party - I think it's about the first time we've done that since high school. We even stayed until after midnight (sleepy, sleepy). It was fun spending time and dancing with all of our friends.

Yesterday we met Meaghan and her family for lunch and to bring them their Christmas gifts (we usually spread Christmas over a couple of weeks). Mason is just getting so big!

And Paige is as adorable as she can be. (of course, I'm the grandma)!










I've got to start taking some of the pictures so that I have David with the grandchildren!


Today is Christmas at my mother's, and my sister and her husband and brother and his wife will be there, along with my niece. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone.