A place for baby Abigail...

I have spent the last few months since the baby was born reorganizing my craft room to make room for baby Abigail. I know it sounds like I thing I should have done before she was born but it never happened. She has been enjoying life in bassinets, swings, and rock n plays. A baby with no bed of her own!! So sad. As she has been getting bigger it's become apparent that we could not keep her in a bassinet much longer. Last week my mom was visiting so I utilized the time to get things done so we could get the baby in her crib. 

My ironing board used to be here and my rod to hang my quilts.

I also moved around my craft table/desk and sewing table. So now this is what it looks like. Sooo clean and organized at the moment. I figured photographic evidence was necessary.

oooooooooooooh

aaaaaaaaaah

I have also been working on a string quilt to slash through my scraps. I have finished up all the string blocks and just have to trim up about half. I scored some new blades for my rotary cutter at a black friday sale at Joann fabrics. So I should have them trimmed up shortly. It turns out one quilt is not going to make a dent in my scrap stash.

I have been debating on the layout of the blocks. The star layout would have low volume blocks in the corners. The quilt would have 4 stars. 

It would be similar to the quilt I made for Mirabelle about a year ago. Although the individual blocks were only 5" and the current quilt has an 8" block.

I also looked at a zig zag pattern or a string block diamonds

 I'm not sure of the final layout. At present I have enough blocks for the 4 star layout.

Last but not least I wanted to remind everyone about the Santa Stash Swap.

I haven't had a chance to spread the word too much. You can still sign up until 11/28!!!

Linking up to crazy mom quilts

Santa's Stash Swap

 I know I personally end up with extra fabric at the end of most of my quilting projects. In some cases I see something I love or that is on sale and grab it up but haven't found a project for it and it's sitting in my stash. Other times I buy a fabric and think it's the right one and get home and change my mind. Some quilts get more than one backing before I decide which way to go. I don't think I'm the only one with this problem. In any event this is a swap for people with extra stash that they would like to shake up.

I am hoping that this one will turn out well and will be a lot of fun!! For this swap you can choose what you would like to send, and what you would like to receive. The options are 4 fat quarters or an 8 oz bag of scraps. 

This is a Secret Santa style swap. Meaning that the person you send to is not necessarily the person who will send a package to you. The guidelines are as follows.

• The swap is open to participants in the USA only to keep shipping costs low.
• You will send your package by a method that includes a tracking number.(USPS first class parcel includes tracking if mailed from the post office I believe.)
• All fabric should be quilt shop quality fabric. 
• Send good quality fabric that you would want to receive. 
• If choosing the scrap option make sure pieces are at least 2.5" in every direction and no larger than a fat quarter (18" x 22")
• If choosing the fat quarter option make sure they are 18" x 22" each.
• If you would like to participate please send the following information to SecretSantaSwap2016@gmail.com by 11/26/2016.
• What you will send (4 fat quarters or 8 oz of scraps)
• What you would like to receive (4 fat quarters or 8 oz of scraps)
• What types of fabrics you like, be as specific as possible to help your partner.
• Example: I like red and blue fabrics, I am working on an eye spy quilt right now and could use some more fabrics. My favorite fabrics are Robert Kaufmann and Riley Blake. I don't like yellows and gold. I don't like floral fabrics or 1930's reproductions.
• And finally include your name and mailing address.
• I will send your Secret Santa information to you and their wish list by 11/28/2016.
• Pick, package and mail to your Secret Santa by 12/17/2016 to hopefully receive by Christmas.
• Make sure that you do your best to follow the wish list of who you are sending to. The idea is to swap from within your stash so get as close as you can to their wishes. You can shop for fabric if you would like to, or if you need a reason to go to a quilt shop.
• Post the goodies you receive at the Santa Stash Swap Flickr page.

***The bag in the picture weighs 8.57 oz and fills a quart size ziploc bag pretty snuggly. This quart size ziploc bag empty weights 1/4 oz. Make sure to check your weight on a kitchen scale or at the post office. Quilting cotton weighs about 5-6 oz per yard, and batiks are about 4 oz per yard. So know that batik heavy scrap bags will take a little more to get to 8 oz.***

Can't wait to get to swapping!

Feb Blocks for do.good.stitches

This block was a fun one this month. The post is here if you want to follow along. It was a good way to use up some scraps from the bin. I think this will make a nice quilt once it comes together. Next month will be my month to lead the group. Stay tuned for the fun and exciting block!

Linking up to Finish it Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts

The creature from scrap lagoooooon

I can't decide if I love this project or hate it. I have been cutting my scraps into 2.5" squares and using them as leaders and enders on my machine. I had no business starting another project with several still needing to be finished up. There are some old favorites in these blocks and some really ugly questionable fabric choices. A find walk down fabric memory lane. I am trying to make something useful out of all the scraps I have horded over the years. Maybe I should have picked a color scheme, but maybe the lack of structure is what makes it fun. The blocks patchwork blocks are 49 2.5" squares with no duplicate fabrics in each. The white blocks have 12 2.5" squares along with the white pieces. I am going to have to find a source for the large white squares outside of my scrap bin. Finished blocks are pretty chunky at 14.5" We will see how it ends up.

Linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

The stars at night are big and bright....

Revisiting a long time WIP that I made some headway on this week. In cleaning and sorting fabrics I found a piece to finish a star that I was short on. I could not for the life of me remember where or when I bought the fabric and I was one tiny piece short. I had about given up when I found an old orphan block that had the missing fabric. Happy as a clam!!!! I started running out of quilt Pati's pieces so I had to start joining some stars.

 On the completed front I finished up the quilt for my step daughter Michelle. I have been trying to get a decent picture of the quilt but the weather has not been cooperating. My husband and I rigged up an interior quilt hanging rod for pictures. 

This quilt goes with this pillow case. One more WIP scratched off the list!

Linking it up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

Crazy Mom Quilts , Confessions of a fabric Addict and My Quilt Infatuation

Showing my stash who's boss.....

          When we moved back to Ohio and bought our new house I was able to snag one of the bedrooms for a craft room. Over the past year I have painted, decorated and selected furniture. I am now kicking my fabric organization into high gear. My husband said he is putting down his foot and I can't buy any more fabric until I get all my fabric unpacked and put away. The nerve!!!!

           In malicious compliance I spent most of the weekend folding fabric, adding to my scrap pile and putting it all away. My fabric addiction will not be stopped. I still have a long way to go but at least I am making progress. During my fabric folding fiesta I was taking breaks and cutting my scraps into a few specific size pieces. I've decided to fold fabric to 6.5" x 11" pieces. The only exception is large multi yard pieces that are too large to cooperate. Anything smaller than 6.5" x 11" goes to the scrap bin.

            From the scrap bin I have been cutting down 5" squares if the piece will allow, anything smaller than that I cut into 2.5" squares. So I have two growing piles of squares that will be easier to use for scrap projects. Anything that is smaller than 2.5" and larger than 1" goes into the bin I will be using for small scraps and strings. I figure this way I am more likely to produce projects if the squares are already cut.

     I am not sure what the 5" squares are going to be used for

These are headed toward a leader-ender project, eventually ending in a triple irish chain quilt. Some fabrics I love, some are so ugly I wonder how they ended up in my stash.

 The 2.5" squares get paired up and are used as leader enders

These squares will end up 7 squares by 7 squares. I am trying to use all different fabrics in each block. 

Other than sorting and cutting squares I have been working on the February block for my Do.Good.Stitches circle. This is a wonky block which is turning out pretty good. I am not so comfortable with the wonky process but I am trying to enjoy it more. The request was for solids but my stash is lacking in that area so I tried to pick prints that were tone on tone or at very least read as one color.

In the end the block should look like the picture below. The instructions for the block are here if you wish to make this block at home. 

Another project I accomplished while I sifting through my fabric this weekend was my first completed pillowcase. I am making these to package the quilts I made for my stepdaughters. I learned the technique on my last trip to My Very Own Blanket workshop. I still haven't put a pillow inside. I guess I should before I count this a success,

 Here is a detail shot of the cuff of the pillowcase. I find I have a shameful number of colors of this same fabric pattern. I love this Art Gallery fabric print!

 I am linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced and Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts