Stash Report - 11 July

It's been a long time since I've done a stash report - or since I've posted at all.

I've been sewing this week, so have used up some fabric, but I did some buying as part of that.
On Monday, I bought 30's fabrics to be able to sash some swap blocks into a baby quilt top.  That got sashing and borders on Monday, then I used the rest of 2 of the fabrics to piece a backing and binding, so those are ready to quilt.

 Yesterday I also worked on my Shakespeare in the Park, and have finished the last few blocks and cut all of the setting triangles, so that was a little more stash used.

So the numbers stand here:
Added this week:  14.03 yds (a jelly roll plus several 30's cuts, and yardage for borders for a king-size quilt)
Added YTD:  58.51 yds

Used this week:  5.09 yds
Used YTD:  17.41 yds

YTD net:  41.10 yds ADDED

Since I haven't made any new tops, the only significant uses are for backs, and I need to do more of those....

Shakespeare in the Park

I've pieced all that I can for now. As I laid this out, I realized I also have not cut the "K" triangles, so that will also wait until we get home.

DH says, " I really like the colors. I don't really notice the pattern." Hmm, maybe it needs a little more contrast in places? I did not take time to rearrange the blocks to get the best play of colors, so I am sure I can improve that. Or it might be that it's just not perfectly lined up, so it loses something that way, too. But I like it.

Vacation - Day 6

Yesterday had sewing and knitting and reading....

This morning we tried a new restaurant for breakfast, Surfers, in Southport. It was very good.

I've done some reading - I'd like to finish this book to leave it for DS when we go.

We took a long walk on the beach after breakfast. It was right at low tide, and we found some pretty shells.

Today I plan to finish putting the large star blocks together for Shakespeare in the Park. I ran out of the smallest light triangles, so finishing the small stars will have to wait until we get home. I may decide to make this larger than twin-size, in which case I'll have to do more cutting and piecing before I can put it together. As soon as I get the large star blocks pieced, I plan to lay it out on the bed to get an idea of what it is going to look like. The other thing I want to try to accomplish today is to finish the first sock. I have about another inch or so before I start the toe.

Vacation - Day 4

I'm posting yesterday's progress a little late. I finished the large dark squares for Shakespeare in the Park.

I also made a lot of progress on my first sock. I've finished turning the heel, and am getting ready to do the straight part of the foot.

Most of the day yesterday was spent on a trip to Wilmington. We took the ferry to Fort Fisher and went to the North Carolina Aquarium. What a neat place! The exhibits were centered on the types of aquatic life in the coastal regions of North Carolina. The albino alligator looked more like a plaster cast than a real alligator. If we get a chance to bring the grandchildren down for a visit, this will be a good activity for them. Lots of up-close-and-personal views of the fish.

Vacation is winding down now. Only two more days at the beach, then the drive home.

Vacation - Day 3

It rained last night. The waves have been bigger all day today. This morning, there was foam all over the beach.

It was another sewing day for me. I finished all of the dark star/light background evening star blocks for my Shakespeare in the Park. Eighteen of them are part of the border, and the other 6 are the centers for the larger stars. I realized that I did not cut enough dark small squares to make up all of the light center/dark background stars, so went to the local quilt shop for some more darks.

Angelwing Needle Arts is in Southport, NC. They carry supplies for quilting, knitting, needlepoint and cross stitch. Lots of beautiful hand-dyed threads, and yarn of all types.
And beautiful hand-painted needlepoint canvases. In addition to getting several dark neutrals to be able to finish my piecing, I decided I really want to knit a pair of socks, so I bought a set of DP needles, a couple of sock patterns, and this beautiful yarn:

I've knit socks before, but don't tend to wear them very often. I'll have to get a pair of clogs to show off my hand-knit socks. I plan to start these tonight watching the baseball game with DH.

Tomorrow, we're going to take the ferry to Kure Beach, then in to Wilmington for some shopping with DS. I'll try to get a little more sewing done tomorrow evening.

Vacation is being just what we needed it to be - a time to relax and recharge.

Shakespeare in the Park

I've gotten the piecing started on my Shakespeare in the Park (SITP). I'm pleased with how the blocks are going together - everything fits beautifully. I'm using light and dark neutrals. There are a few places where the contrast is not as strong as it could be, but I want subtle, so I think it's OK.

Secret Santa shopping

This weekend is Tour de Quilt in central Virginia. My local quilt shop (Patchwork Plus, in Dayton) is participating. Because the end of the week at work was crazy, and this weekend is not really any different, I haven't been able to do the shop hop. But because it is shop hop, the LQS is open late (and on Sunday). I stopped by after leaving the football game and started collecting little things for the two different Secret Santa exchanges I'm in this year. Each one has different requirements, and I didn't have the rules with me, but I'll be creative in making the things I found fit the rules, LOL. In one, we are to put all of our gifties in a 6" to 8" decorative tin; for the other one, everything has to fit in a flat-rate envelope from the Post Office. So I was looking for flat things. I found a few to get me started. The items do not have to be quilt related, so I'll do most of my shopping just around and about. I'll probably finish while we're on vacation at the beach. (one more week - YAY)

The only quilting I've managed to do this week is cutting for the Shakespeare in the Park quilt I'm making along with a Yahoo group ( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sitp/ ). Well, I'm sort of making this along with the group. I'm not following the weekly "assignments" but am enjoying seeing the different color combinations that are being worked on. Mine is in neutrals. I'm almost finished the cutting for a twin size. I just have to cut the squares in half for the smallest triangles and trim the corners. Then I can start stitching together. All of the pieces are in their Ziploc bags. I plan to take this project with me to the beach and do some sewing while I am there.