Sunday, January 30, 2011

Stash report - week 5, 30 jan 2011

Not much sewing here this week.  I did get in some stitching time today.  Fabric used was for a block to contribute to a love quilt for a friend undergoing cancer treatment.  While I stopped by the LQS on my way home from work Friday, with the full intent of buying something bright and cheerful, I went home empty-handed.  I didn't see anything that had to come home with me.  And today, I decided not to take a trip across the mountain to the shop in Charlottesville - instead, I stayed home and sewed down the binding on the quilt I've been trying to get finished, while listening to the basketball game. 

Used this week:  0.25 yds
In this week:        0 yds

Used YTD:         7.76 yds
In YTD:              9.00 yds

Net for 2011:   1.24 yds IN

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Ready for spring

OK, so I'm a wimp.  We had anywhere from 4 - 10 inches of snow in our area yesterday.  I was prepared to stay at work, but wasn't needed there last night, so decided to come home.  Unfortunately, I waited until almost 5:00 to leave, right at the height of the storm.  Luckily, I was in the truck with 4 wheel drive.  I never would have tried it in my Miata.  The roads had been plowed and treated with chemicals at some point, but were in terrible shape.  I drove at around 25 mph into town - a trip that usually takes 20 minutes, took closer to an hour.  The road had one vague track to it.  With one of the main thoroughfares that bad, I decided not to even try the smaller country road coming out to our house.  Deciding that discretion is the better part of valor, I checked into a hotel in town, then called DH to tell him that I was staying in town.

I did have my quilt that just needs the binding stitched on the back with me, and managed to finish one side last night.  So that was a good outcome.   The roads were drivable this morning, and it warmed up enough to have mostly bare pavement by tonight.  We're supposed to have snow again next week - I'm ready for spring!

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Stash report - week 4, 23 Jan 2011

My stash report was going to be nothing in/nothing out, but I went to the LQS yesterday to get fabric to bind the Quilt Bug mystery.   This was my first actual fabric purchase for the year (my other "add" was fabric gifted to me for Christmas). I got the binding cut and sewn on by machine, now that will be my hand-stitching project in the evenings for a while.

This week's report:
In this week:            1 yd
Used this week:       0.5 yd

In YTD:                   9 yd
Out YTD:                7.51 yd
Net for 2011:           1.49 yd IN

My numbers are still on the acquiring side, but I'm pleased with the amount I'm actually using.
Go by Judy's blog, to see how everyone else is doing this week.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Stash Report - Week 3, 16 January 2011

It was a really busy week this week, so not much sewing. In spite of that, I did manage to use some fabric. I finally found where I had stashed my appliqué project case, and have been using my little 6" heart blocks as take-along handwork. I cut ore neutral background squares for hearts to bring for the trip to New York. Unfortunately, I only managed to stitch one heart on the way up here Friday. The roads were too bumpy to do nice stitching easily.

This week's report:

In this week: 0 yds
Used this week: 0.77 yds
In YTD: 8 yds
Used YTD: 7 yds
Net for 2011: 1 yd added

Go see Judy L. To see how everyone else is doing this week.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Dancing in New York

This weekend is the Manhattan Amateur Classic in New York. We danced Senior 1 and Senior 2 Silver and Gold Standard. We didn't get to the ballroom as far ahead of our first heat as we usually do - and they were running 20 minutes ahead of schedule. We were there in plenty of time to dance, but we didn't get as much warm-up as we normally do. I think it threw us off a bit mentally. And it was a crowded floor, so we did not dance as well in our first heat as we would have liked (Sr 1 Silver). We danced better in Sr 2 Silver- even though that floor was even more crowded. We advanced from the quarter-final to the semi-final, but did not make the final. There were a lot of good dancers. Our gold heats were both full seven-couple finals. We did our best dancing of the day. We finished sixth in both gold heats. I'm happy with those finishes. We definitely danced better than at last year's MAC. So that's progress. We did not translate all of the technique we've been working on onto the competition floor, but we did make some improvements.

Last night's Sr Championship level Standard rounds were very enjoyable. And Adult Championship Latin and Youth Championship Standard were awesome as usual. Tonight is the Adult Championship Standard and the Youth Championship Latin- more awesome dancing to watch!

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Stash report - 9 Jan - wk 2

It's Week 2 of the new year for stash reporting.  It's been a good week for me.  I went to the LQS to buy thread, and saw the cutest print with the "Spot's Colors" group that would make a backing for the NYE mystery, but decided not to get that since I have enough left-overs from the front to piece a back.  I finished quilting my Quilt Bug New Years (2008?) mystery.  And I quilted and have the binding applied to my TQP Challenge quilt.  Today's sewing will be hand stitching the binding on the TQP Challenge quilt, and some applique hearts that are also on the UFO list - nice handwork for in the car.

So this week's report:
Purchased this week:                   0 yds
Used this week:                           1.79 yds
Purchased (gift in)YTD:               8 yds
Used YTD:                                   6.23 yds
Net for 2011:                                1.79 yds in


Go check with Judy L at Patchwork Times to see how everyone else is doing this week.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

UFO #6

I pulled out UFO #6 this week - it's my challenge quilt from The Quilting Post from several years ago.  I couldn't find the leftover challenge fabric I had intended to use for the backing, so I pulled something else from the stash.  This isn't a very large quilt - about 28 x 43.  The quilting is finished, and it's unloaded.  Now it needs trimming and binding.  If I can get the binding on, it might be a good project for in the car on the way to the basketball game tomorrow. 

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Stash Report - 2 Jan 2011 - wk 1

The first week of 2011, and I have some stashbusting to report.  Used yardage is for the backing for the Quilt Bug New Year's Mystery from 2008.  I finally got that loaded on the longarm.  Quilting is not quite done yet, but I count my yardage as I use it. 
Editing my original post - I forgot to add in the backing fabric my mom gave me for  Christmas yesterday.

In this week:           0 yds
Out this week:      4.4 yds
In YTD:                  8 yds
Out YTD:             4.4 yds
Net for 2011:        3.6 yds

I don't plan to NOT buy fabric this year, but I am going to make an effort to use the fabric I already have - I liked it when I bought it, so I ought to use it!

Saturday, January 1, 2011

A new year, a new (old) project

Well, it's the first of the month, so Judy at Patchwork Times has picked this month's number out of the bag:  the first UFO focus project for the year is #6 - for me, that's my TQP Challenge project.  This is ready to be quilted, and the quilting will be used to secure the fusible applique.

Before I get to that one, I need to finish the quilting for the project that's currently on the longarm - that one is actually #9 on my list - the QuiltBug mystery from New Year's Day, 2008.  I'm almost finished with the quilting - I have 3 sides left of the inner border, then the outer border, and the quilting will be done.  I plan to get lots of things quilted this year!