Step 6...Finished!

These are the two blocks created in Step 6. I will work on Step 7 tomorrow.

Sunday Stashbusting Report

Haven't too much to report...no buys, but I have finished step 5 of my mystery quilt and it is all from stash. Now I get to start putting them all together!

Sunday Report

Well...let's see...I didn't really bust any stash this week...just what I'm using for Bonnie's mystery quilt, also used a small cut for the quilt sandwich for my grandaughter's quiltlet. That is what Step 4 is sitting on...bright, huh! I'm still working on her dog painting...today is Kayden's birthday...HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETIE!!! I haven't put a picture up of the quiltlet yet...don't want Kayden to see it. I bought no fabric, so that in itself is stashbusting...lol.

Another Whoo Hoo!!

Step 4 is done! Such tiny, tiny triangles...wow. My Companion Angle ruler is on its way, so will wait for its arrival before starting on Step 5, which is a good thing...I need a few days off...lol. I need to finish a wall hanging/painting of my grandaughter's dog, Cami...the piece is her 11th birthday present.

Whoo Hoo! Step 3 completed!

Finally...step 3 of Bonnie's mystery is finished. Couldn't sleep last night so got busy. Whew...am I tired of tiny, tiny nine patches. Step 4 is cut and ready to sew...talk about tiny...those triangles are almost a figment of my tiny imagination.

Sudoko Sunday

I actually finished the Sudoko New Years quilt top. Well, not finished, but the top is done to the sashing point. I will put the border on tomorrow...I can't decide if I want to quilt it myself (really simple xxxxxs or something like that) or take it to the longarmer...decisions, decisions! This is all from stash! When it is finished it will go to DD #1...she is a Sudoko puzzle fan and truly has a math brain!




Ok...after looking at this picture several times...IT IS WRONG! I swear I checked each block before sewing so it would be perfect...now I just need to decide if I can live with it as it is...DRAT!!!

Sunday Report

Hi! My name is Cheri and I am a fabricolic...and I am happy with that. But reason wins out and I know it is time to use my stash. I am with you Judy...2008 will be known as the 'Year of Using The Stash'! Actually, it is rather exciting to think about using the beautiful fabrics I have accumulated over the years. Good luck to us all.

I didn't buy any fabric this week, nor did I use any. All the kids left yesterday, so now I have my sewing room back...sure is quiet tho...I will work on my mystery quilt, step 3 today. Oh...my white elephant box came last week and I finally opened it yesterday...took out all the christmas fabrics and added them to my stash, but filled it up with hand dyes...so I guess it comes out about even lol.

Sunday Stashbusting post

I bought NO fabric this week...but, boy did I want to!! Didn't really bust any stash to speak of, but have finished Step 2 on Bonnie's Mystery quilt. I ran out of the pink/yellow prints so had to find others in my stash. Should look ok...I hope. lol Here are 100 nine patches!



Oh...I did start and finish this wall hanging for my son-in-law...it is a painting of their yellow lab, Sadie...hope he likes it.

Coffee cup sleeve tutorial

Ok...this is my first tutorial...here goes!

The sleeves shown here are made from 2 fat quarters.



Step 1:

Place the backing fabric face down. Put the batting on top, then add the focus fabric, face up. Sometimes I use a spray baste to keep it all together. I added red and green tinzel to the Christmas set...you can also add pretty yarns, ribbons, angelina and/or threads. To this set, I added angelina cut up with a wavy rotary cutter. This set was made with 2 fat eighths.



Step 2:

Over the top of all of this I put a piece of tulle in whatever color looks pretty. Pin in place and quilt the piece. I use a wavy line, back and forth, up and down.




Step 3:

Now cut the sleeves out using a pattern piece (paper sleeve from a coffee shop). I turn the piece to the back and draw around the template using a chaco marker.




Step 4:

Stitch (zigzag) around the outside edges of the sleeve, I go around twice. After stitching the edges, I use a matching Sharpie to fill in where you can see the batting. Stitch the two end pieces together using a zigzag stitch.




Depending on what the fabrics look like, I sometimes add beads or other pretties.

Presto! You have several coffee cup sleeves.




Sometimes I make my own fabric. I take several different strips of fancy fabrics and place them on top of a piece of misty fuse, the batting and backing fabric. After fusing them down, I use pretty stitches and fancy threads to hold them in place. Once I used pieces of fused angelina and stitched them down (on top of the fabrics) with pretty stitching. You can pretty much do anything you want with these.

Coffee cup sleeves

A couple of people have asked how I make my coffee cup sleeves, so I will make some, take pictures and post it all. Check back in a few days, and hopefully I will have finished! They really are great for little gifties to special people. Blogger won't let me post a picture right now...so will try later.

Stash Sunday Report

Well, I made it through another week without buying fabric...plus I made the Christmas tablerunner (below) from stash. It is kinda homely, but my DD loves it! Also made 10 coffee cup sleeves from stash...2 fat quarters plus tinzel and tulle...or maybe that was last week...the weeks are starting to run together...hah!

Christmas Tablerunner

Just finished this tablerunner...sure is busy! Don't think I like it, but my DD Sandy has dibbs on this one.

Mystery Quilt

Well, I finally finished my 100 rail fence blocks for Bonnie's Mystery Quilt. Sure took me long enough! Also finished cutting the 3 1/2 inch blocks. I've just started on the 100 9 patch blocks.

Stashbuster Weekly Update

I didn't buy any fabric! Went to the Fat Quarter Shop (online) and filled up my basket, but then closed everything out and didn't buy!! This week I finished 3 Sewing Machine Thingees, did 50 units (so far) for the 1st installment on Bonnie's Mystery quilt, cut more 1 1/2 inch strips for a second quilt with the same pattern, made a small Christmas quiltlet with an Angelina Christmas tree for my Old Auntie and did 2 fat quarters of Christmas fabric layered with tinzel and tulle (think Bonnie McCaffrey) for coffee cup sleeves...all from stash. Whoo Hoo!! Also put the binding and a label on Jim & Cath's Kimono Quilt. I'll post a picture as soon as we get batteries. Don't know if I will have time to sew today...we have to go Christmas shopping. Would really love to finish up the last 50 rail fence units today so can start on step number 2 tomorrow.

Placemats

I finished a set of placemats for my DD Sandy. They were all from stash! I'm working on 3 Sewing Machine Thingees...will be done today...again, from stash!

Monday Stashbusting Report

Ok...it is time for a stashbusting report. I finished the 4 placemats and 2 hot pads that I bought the cherry fabric for. They came out great and I used all but a few small pieces! Nor have I bought anymore fabric this week. The post below shows how much I've accomplished in November...and all but the placemats and hot pads came from stash! Last night I started another set of 4 placemats (from stash) for my DD#1...I had some sunflower fabric that will look great in her kitchen.

Again, thank you Judy L for this extra moral support.

Blog Challenge

On my Stashbuster's list Nancy-Rose issued a Challenge:

I challenge you to post a similar entry on YOUR blog for November. List the projects you completed (with photos if you want to!), and the things you learned. If you want to write about your future plans or goals, by all means - add those too.

So...here goes!

I finished my little landscape quiltlet, Charlie & Daisy painted quilt, Tree of Life quiltlet, Small Flowers, 4 Tea Cup postcards, 4 In the Pink postcards, Bird of Paradise quiltlet, Francie's quilt and Old Auntie's Knitting Bag. I learned several different processes in these quilts and had a great time doing them!

Things I've learned:
1. The painting technique for the dogs quilt.
2. I don't like working with felt (tree of live quilt)
3. How much I enjoy working with embellishments.
4. How much I LOVE quilting!!

Christmas Presents

I finished this Quilted Bag for my Old Auntie (she is called this to differentiate her from Auntie Francie, who is younger) for Christmas...it is for her knitting projects. I got the pattern from the new Quilting Arts Gifts...Holiday Issue Winter 2008. I changed the way it was sewn together to make it a little larger. I used some vintage lace pieces on it...soooo pretty! Also finished the Kimono top for DS Jim and DIL Cathy...it is now at the quilter's. It will be back in time to send it with DS Doug and DIL Teresa to Hawaii where they are meeting up with Jim and Cath for Christmas. It was far from perfect...but I think they will like it. I will post a picture when I get it bound.

Weekly Summary of No Buy

Well...I did buy fabric this week, but only exactly what I need to make placemats and pot holders for a friend for Christmas. Her last name is Cherry so I bought fabric with cherries on it. But this was the only buy in 3 weeks. I also have made (and finished) several quiltlets (see below) made only from stash! I'm determined to make this stashbusting/no buy work. I have extended my no buy over to my artsy stash which includes yarns, fancy fabrics, ribbons, laces, paints, foils, beads, etc, etc, etc! Thank you Judy L for the extra shoulder to lean on!

I'm a Genius!?

According to this website my blog reads genius...Hah!! Little does this site know, but I have a mind like a steel sieve and the attention span of a gnat! How funny.