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Tuesday, November 19, 2013

A MYSTERY QUILT FOR YOU: CLUE #1

                   “A MYSTERY IN THE MAKING”
PIECEMAKERS GUILD 2013/2014 MYSTERY QUILT
A mystery quilt in 5-6 installments
(6 if you do the larger quilt)
Finished small Quilt 57” sq. with borders
Small quilt without borders 45 ½” sq.
Larger quilt, 64 ½” sq. without borders)
 
Thank you for participating in this mystery. I hope it will be fun, easy, and educational.  Beginners with intermediate abilities  (knowing how to use the machine and 1/4 inch abilities.) should be comfortable working on it.  Newbie’s to the world of quilting may need a little help.  If you understand how to sew a quarter inch, and a scant quarter inch you should do fine. 
If you have just found this clue and need the introduction to this mystery you can find it here:


CLUE # ONE FOR
“ A MYSTERY IN THE MAKING”
The mystery will be composed of Units. 
 
The construction techniques will be listed with each step.  Each clue in the making of this quilt is not stressful.  Even if you are a slow quilter this clue should not take more than 3 hours of your time to construct.

CONSTRUCTING A SQUARE IN A SQUARE
(Also half square triangles)
 
From Focus fabric “A” cut:
(3)   9.5” X WOF strips; cut into (9) 9.5” squares.  If you have a lot of fabric you can fussy cut these.  Just make sure you have enough left for the rest of the cuts.
 
(6)   5” x WOF strips for the outer border, Label and set aside. (If you are unsure you will like the suggested border do not cut these at this time.)

(2)   5” X WOF strips: cut into (12) 5” Sq., label “Clue 2 & 4”, set aside


From Fabric “B” cut:
(5) 5” X WOF strips; cut into (36) 5” squares

 CONSTRUCTION CLUE #1
1.  On the back of the (36) 5” Sq. Fabric “B”, draw a line diagonally, corner to corner, with pencil (don’t use pen or marker it may bleed through to the front).  If your fabric is very dark use a light colored pencil.
HINT:
The diagonal distance is 7 inches.  It’s important to stitch in a straight line across the diagonal.  I don’t recommend skipping the marking of the line and eyeing it.
HINT: 
 Fine grit sand paper glued on cardboard makes a great board to use in the marking fabric.  It keeps the fabric from stretching and slipping.
 
2.  Use a 9.5“sq of Fabric “A”; place a marked 5” Sq of Fabric “B” in the upper left corner, Right sides together.  Stitch on the seam side of the Diagonal line, a scant enth off the line.  Repeat this on all 9 squares.
 
 
 
 
HINT: When stitching an enth off the line I use the inside edge of the toe of my presser foot as a guide to run along the drawn line. It places my needle one stitch width away from the line.  Check your foot and see what helps you eye it.
 
3.  Press the triangle to the corner of the square.   Trim ¼" away from the seam.  (Do not trim if you would like a bonus unit).  When you fold back the triangle, line it up with the corner of the 9.5 inch fabric "A" square.  By sewing an enth off the line you allow the fabric to be folded back easily.  Also if you have made a mistake in stitching, matching the corner of the larger square keeps your triangle exact. 
 BONUS, HALF-SQUARE TRIANGLES:
If you have elected to make the bonus unit and have not done Step three, you proceed with this step.
With a little extra stitching, and time, you’ll have a pieced unit to use in another project, salvaging fabric which would normally be wasted. 
Stitch 1/2” away from your previously stitched seam: then press the triangle back to the “point” of the larger square.  Pressing back to the corner is very important to do before you trim between the two seam lines.  Stitching ½” away results in a bonus ½ Square triangle.  Be careful when you trim the half square triangle off that you don't cut your triangle off the front of your unit.
 
 Press your HALF SQUARE TRIANGLE open to the dark fabric.  Voila,  a bonus unit to use in another project,  Fabric rescued before it be comes trash.
4.  Repeat Steps 2 & 3 for the other three corners.  Begin with the opposite corner, diagonally across from the corner you just completed.
NOTE:  You complete opposite corners, instead of going clockwise around the square, if there is a reason I don’t know it (I know there probably is a construction reason).  I do it because it looks better in the finished unit. 
 
Left, is the unit with two corners added.  The right hand corner has been stitched to allow the harvesting of a HALF SQUARE TRIANGLE.   Remember to press the triangle back to the corner before trimming so your  "Square in a Square" will be square.  If you have chosen to do the extra step you will have (36) Half square triangles, place them in a plastic bag for another Project.  Don’t square them up at this time.
 
 
 
 
When finished with all four corners you will have (9) 9.5” Square in a Square Blocks,  place these in a plastic bag and label “Clue One”. 
 
As you can see by this finished unit, fussy cutting is an option.
Need further clarification on construction of a "Square in a Square",  here is a tutorial: 
There is also a link on this blog for making additional bonus half square triangles
Check back for Clue #2
November 20, 2013
 
The following public yahoo group is set up for the discussion
and displaying your mysterious journey. 
 
Other blog sites by me:
 
Where I have stories of my cats and other pets
a blog about my courtship with my husband,
and a blog about my most embarrassing moment.
A "Soap box" blog where I do air my opinions.
 
blogs about the wildflowers on our farm
Organic methods we use, some cooking and some poetry,
blogs about Seed sprouting, insects, and garden pictures
Blog about an endangered beneficial beetle
 
My Original quilting blog.
 
All recipes, pictures, and writings are my own.
I give credit for items which belong to other people in my blogs .
Please do not copy without permission
 

Thursday, August 22, 2013

A MYSTERY QUILT FOR YOU

This has become a real stashbuster for me.  In the planning of this quilt I have made four of the large version of this quilt.   There will be a fifth one made as I have 5 grand children.
 
INTRODUCTION TO:
"A MYSTERY IN THE MAKING"

When you belong to a guild, you participate, sometimes as the chairperson of a project.  This is how I became chairperson of "the guild Mystery quilt".  Yikes, did I really sign up for this.  I do have a partner in crime.  She signed up because she thought it would be fun.  At our first sit down she admitted she had never even done a mystery quilt.  Uth oh, I need help.  I will say she is hiding her talents under a basket.  She is like the pianist who plays by ear.  She looks at a pattern and is able to execute it without even doing the math.
 
We tussled with patterns.  We found out, ones which are free for personal use, are not necessarily free for guild use.  Thus began our quest for a pattern we could use.  The perimeters:  We needed something that would appeal to a variety of quilters.  Our last mystery quilt was a scrap quilt, we thought the group would enjoy a change with a planned color scheme.  We looked for something to use stash yardages (maybe that focus fabric we bought and didn't know what we'd ever do with it). 
 
We found a pattern with one of the fabric manufactures.  We asked permission to convert it to a mystery quilt.  In the conversion it turns out the pattern was only an inspiration.  We now have a quilt which our guild can call their own.  When the mystery comes to a close we will publicly thank the manufacturer and the designer for their inspiration, (we don't want to spoil the end)
 
Here is the introduction to get you ready to follow the clues, first clue will be revealed October 16:
 
“A MYSTERY IN THE MAKING”
PIECEMAKERS GUILD 2013/2014 MYSTERY QUILT

A mystery quilt in 5-6 installments
(6 if you do the larger quilt)
Finished Quilt 57” sq with borders
Small quilt without borders 45 ½” sq
Larger quilt, 64 ½” sq without borders)
 
Thank you for participating in this mystery. We hope it will be fun, easy, and educational.  Beginners with intermediate abilities  (knowing how to use the machine and 1/4 inch abilities.) should be comfortable working on it.  Newbie’s to the world of quilting may need a little help.  If you understand how to sew a quarter inch, and a scant quarter inch you should do fine. 

During the Holiday Season there will not be an installment in December.  This quilt is designed to be done by beginners but it is not a “simple” quilt.  Each step includes hints and construction techniques.  Fabric cutting instructions may contain cuts which might not be used in that part.
Label them and set them aside.

This should not be a stressful quilt; each of the installments should only take 2 hours of your time to complete (unless you choose to do the larger quilt, that installment will take, maybe 3-4 hours).  The First installment may take a little more time, 3 hours at the most.

Abbreviations used in the mystery:  WOF=Width of Fabric, SQ= Square

FABRIC CHOICES:  Six fabrics are required.   The quilt is not conducive to scraps, but it is stash friendly. Our stashes tend to lean towards one color family more than the others.  In my stash the hardest fabric to find is the focus fabric.  The focus fabric background needs to be light in color with multiple colors in it (they can be bright or dark).

   My stash is very limited in light background fabrics.  A large designed focus fabric works well. This fabric will have at least 5+ inches of design showing in the blocks.  It is also used for the larger border.  You will choose the other fabrics from the colors in the focus fabric.  Pick colors from the fabric you want to emphasize.  I.E., your fabric has a white background, which maybe you don’t really like, but it has another light color in it, you could use your light color for background fabric; minimizing the effect of the white. 

You should make a chart with a swatch of each fabric by its letter name, this helps keep confusion out of each step (I use a 2 ½ X 4 ½” rectangle.  When the  project is done I have usable pieces of fabric to use.)  I will refer to each fabric in the construction of the quilt, with letters.
 
FABRIC DESCRIPTIONS AND FABRIC REQUIREMENTS OF THE QUILT: 

There is always a worry when you participate with an unknown.  The biggest one I always have is, “Did they give a generous estimate of the fabric needed?”  When I cut these fabrics there was more than I needed.  When I cut the strips into sub units I had even more “left over’s”.  If you have fabric you would like to use, but think you’ll run short, email.  I have the left over amounts recorded and will be able to tell you where you can scrimp. 

























FABRIC CHART ABOVE:  You will notice that the "B" and the "F" Fabrics are close in color.  The pattern is different but the colors and value are the same.  This will result in a different looking quilt, (not drastically different). 

This is the only chart I have a "C" fabric featured in.  The fabric was there when I was picking fabrics and looked great.  But I am one who changes her mind on borders and know I will probably change my mind again.  lol

At the bottom of the blog, there are 5  more fabric charts of quilts which are in progress (testing out the pattern to make sure the instructions are on point).  They are there to show you different interpretations.  I have used only fabrics in my stash.  My cohort used her stash too.

FABRIC REQUIREMENTS IN BOLD PRINT.
(LARGER QUILT REQUIREMENTS IN PARENTHESIS) 

FABRIC A:  This is your focus fabric.  It should have a light background with a couple of colors in the designs.   2 1/4 YD (3 yd) is the minimum.  Remember the adage “Measure twice, and cut once.”   Fabrics “A”, “B”, and “E” touch each other.  (This fabric could a fussy cut type.  If you fussy cut you will need more fabric).  The quilt lends itself to theme prints.   

FABRIC B:  Choose a color on the medium to the dark.  This would be a good place for a solid to semi solid (blenders, tone on tones, batiks). 1 yd.(larger quilt needs the same).   

FABRIC C:  Something with pizazz. This is your inner border.  Pick something in the focus fabric which will stand out but not domineer.  You can also go wild with a bright version of one of the colors in your focus fabric. It is a border you can wait till you have assembled your top to make the decision on this fabric.  3/8 yd (No measurement available for larger quilt, 1 yd should be more than enough)                                                                                                                           

FABRIC D:  Medium to medium dark.   Do not make it medium dark if the “B” and “F” fabrics are medium dark.  You want good contrast with the “B” and “F” fabrics, but do not go light.  ¾ yd. (same for the larger quilt).

FABRIC E:  Light to medium light. (“D” and “E” are in the same Unit together) 1 yd (2½ yd.).  If your “D” is on the medium dark side do not go too light.  Medium would work better. This is the "background" fabric.

FABRIC F: This is the place your darkest choice of color would work best. This fabric touches “B” and “E” 1 yd (2 yd.)

ESSENTIAL TOOLS:

If you are a quilter, you have them at your finger tips.  I am listing the ones I am using. 
This is my “MISE EN PLACE”* for this recipe.
 
*Mise en place is a French term that translates as “everything in place,” and refers to the organization of equipment, ingredients, and thought processes employed by the cook. Planning and anticipating the needs of a recipe from beginning to end for the successful completion of the recipe, while maintaining order in the kitchen. They do all they can ahead of time without spoiling the results.

Organizational tools: 
A container: large enough to hold your finished units and your fabrics.  Not necessary, but very helpful.  You will be working on this for at least 6 months.  It will help keep it handy in one place between installments.

A 3 ring folder to keep the installments (some installments refer you back to others). 
If you are doing the quilt on the internet the installments are right here you don't need the note book.
(I always print out the instructions from the internet so I will have them in front of me.)

BASIC QUILTING TOOLS:
Rotary cutter, rulers, mat, scissors, Sewing machine, needles, thread, loaded bobbins, straight pins. (Things you normally use)  Have them ready.

RULERS:
The ruler I use when squaring up units, is the small 5” EASY SQUARE JR.  It is a handy size for squaring up smaller units.

A Large 12” sq. is handy for the corner block squaring.

HINT:  Use some tiny bits of self adhesive medium grit sand paper on the back of your ruler.  It will keep the ruler from sliding out of position on the fabric. (This hint originally came from a work shop with “Pat Spathe of Nickel quilts”).
 
While working on this quilt I have used a long ruler for cutting strips and a medium length ruler for cutting sub units and marking pieces.

Homemade "marking board":  A piece of cardboard larger than an 8"X10" sheet of very fine grit sand paper.  Use a glue stick and mount the sand paper on the cardboard.  The sand paper keeps the fabric from slipping and stretching out of shape.  (My sand paper is mounted on the flip top of the box I use to keep my notebook and “this quilt” related items.)

This quilt pattern is very good for featuring theme prints or even fussy cutting fabric with larger designs.   If you are fussy cutting you will need to figure for extra yardage.

The larger version of this quilt will not have border instructions supplied.  It will be up to your discretion on how to border it.  I did include the approximate (but not accurate amounts for the larger borders if you want to do it the same as the smaller version).

MORE FABRIC CHARTS:

Periwinkle roses fabric: This fabric presented a challenge to me because my stash is very shy in "blues" which would work.  I wanted to use the "yellow" in the quilt but alas among the yellows they were either too light or too yellow. 

The selvage strip is to help you if you have trouble deciding what colors work, refer to the selvage. 

The "B" fabric I used in one of the other sample quilts.  I was calling it very close on the amounts.  It turned out too close.  I mentioned measure twice and cut once, I should have listened to my own lessons.  Also do not watch baseball at the same time!  I had exactly what I needed for the "D" fabric.  I cut one  strip one inch shy.  I ended up having to piece the pieces I needed.  It was a good lesson in frugality.  A hint:  When you have to piece pieces, Iron the seams open so the fabric lies flatter. If you are 3 feet away you can't see the extra seams.


Gray Oriental fabric: When I saw this fabric in the stash I really wanted to feature the blues in it.  I didn't have a single blue which would work.  I did have the wonderful black with the blue in it ("F" fabric).  My "B" fabric was very dark and I worried about the relationship between the two fabrics.  Yes they did blend together when they touched but they made a pleasant design feature. 
 
The fabrics which, to me, didn't work as well in the quilt were the "E" and "D" fabrics. The "E" was too light and the D too dark to play together. (They will be in the same unit in the quilt.)  When I added the final rows and made the larger version they did look nice.  You'll notice I haven't picked a "C" fabric yet.
 
 
Pink and Blue Fruit fabric:  I'm scrapping the bottom of my stash closet for fabrics with light background.  You will notice these fabric selections have two fabrics repeated which I used in another quilt.  In this quilt the only fabric I would change is the pink fabric, even though it is a perfect match, Is too light to be touching the "F" fabric.  It looks good but it makes that unit's design feature very prominent.  What would I choose instead?  Probably a medium dark green, but if I choose that green then I would probably have to change D and E too.  
 
The above quilts are the ones I have started.  I will make one more as I make this journey with you.  My Cohort in this mystery is also checking the instructions out.  She has made two quilts so far.  Hers are mostly from stash.  I believe she said she had to purchase one fabric in each quilt. 
 
These are her fabric charts:
 
 
This is a "Zany" Quilt. The choices are very happy and exciting together.  Her fabric choices work.  The "B" does stand out, but doesn't dominate. 
 


This is my cohorts second quilt.  The fabrics have a very "English cottage garden" look.  I haven't seen her quilt yet.  If I were making  it I would have used the "F" fabric for "B" and the B fabric for the "F" position.   I can't wait to see if there is definition in the pattern where it butts up against the "E" fabric.  I spoke with her today at guild.  She said the design element does not disappear in the "F" fabric, it just becomes a muted design.

The following public group is set up for the discussion and display of your discovery journey.  Looking forward to meeting you.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mysterymaking/

mysterymaking-subscribe@yahoogroups.com



Other blog sites by me:
 
Where I have stories of my cats and other pets
a blog about my courtship with my husband,
and a blog about my most embarrassing moment.
A "Soap box" blog where I do air my opinions.
 
blogs about the wildflowers on our farm
Organic methods we use, some cooking and some poetry,
blogs about Seed sprouting, insects, and garden pictures
Blog about an endangered beneficial beetle
 
My Original quilting blog.
 
All recipes, pictures, and writings are my own.
I give credit for items which belong to other people in my blogs .
Please do not copy without permission

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

USING HALF SQUARE TRIANGLES

 The First of monthly projects to
relieve the urge to hoard and to manage the stash.
(Hopefully share a couple of tips I have figured out on my own)

Everyone loves "two for the price of one" sales. This is exactly what a Half Square Triangle is. With just a little more time and thread invested you get two of the units from two squares of fabric.
This blog is a Tutorial for Half Square Triangles and instructions for making these place mats.
This project is designed for beginners.

Half Square Triangles can be used to achieve lots of different looks. The place mat on the left is a light bulb moment when I found these 4 inch squares of fabric which I had been holding onto forever. I always knew I would never have a use for them. I participated in a swap and was the recipient of them. I thought what can I do with these and immediately thought turn them into Half square units and throw them in my bin of 3 1/2 inch units. Yes a 4 inch square yields a 3 1/2 inch Unit. 3 1/2 inch units of any kind are very usable in our quilt making.

.I am always looking for quick and easy projects to rid the stash of unwanted fabric. "Kitchen quilts" have been on my mind lately, mainly because I don't have any nice sets for myself. I make them for others. This time is no exception. The fabrics themes were Cats and Dogs. I haven't sent the grands anything for a while so I decided to make so place mats for them integrating the half square triangles in them. I went shopping in the stash for the front/back of the mats. Found this brown plaid which I knew I didn't have enough for a large quilt and stacked with it was a light version. Sure was an easy trip. I had just enough of the dark fabric to do the mats.

I had enough left over to make Mom a place mat too. The units I used are exactly the same as the above place mats. It is a different arrangement. It feels really good to get the fabric out of the stash...albeit just a small amount. The fourth place mat will be used for the tutorial.



PATTERN: INSTRUCTIONS FOR PLACE MAT
WITH HALF SQUARE TUTORIAL

They are a very simple pattern. Finished size of place mat (after binding) 12 1/2 X 18 1/2.

These instructions are for one place mat.

PLAID: ( a fat quarter works for the large and small squares)
1 (12 1/2 inch) square for the center,
4 (4 inch) squares for the half squares
2 (2 1/2 inch ) WOF strips for binding (you don't have to use matching binding, grab some color
co-ordinated 2 1/2 inch left over strips)

4 (4 1/2 inch) squares of FOCUS FABRIC

1 (11-17 INCH X 22-24) BACKING FABRIC

1 (" " ") BATTING ( I recommend 100% cotton. You can use poly or poly blends but they don't insulate as well).

THREAD: This is a good time to use all those threads which you are unsure the content of and thread which is off color. The only color you need to match is when you are quilting the front of the place mat. After all these are meant to be used everyday and not to be collectors items. (I also use bobbins that are questionable in the top and the bottom.)
After cutting your fabrics the first thing you do is take the charm which is lighter in color and draw a line diagonally across it. you can use a pencil, ball point, marker....anything to draw it. It won't make any difference if it is permanent. You will be cutting this line away. Now layer your focus fabric charms on your background charms, right sides together. Take them to your machine and stitch to the left of the line. As you can see I have my even feed foot on the machine. I didn't want to switch back to the 1/4 inch edge foot for the demo. The right edge of my foot is exactly 1/4 inch from the needle. You can see in the picture the toe is riding the line. If you don't have a quarter inch edge foot and are unsure the width of your foot. You can measure (this is a good idea in any case to do even for you 1/4 inch foot to find out its accuracy). Sew the one side of all charms and then sew the other side.
Cut your triangles apart. I use scissors, you can use a rotary cutter if you prefer. Take your units to the ironing board and press them open. Note I said press not iron. The ironing motion stretches the fabric. I press to the darkest fabric. The most important thing is to press to the same fabric each time. (When you do the second version of the place mats the half squares will nest properly.). Head to the cutting mat and trim you half squares up to 3 1/2 inches. I use an Easy Square Jr. It has lines which are very easy for me to see and not confuse and cut in the wrong place. (I have seen people use painters blue tape to remind them which lines are the correct ones.)

BTW if you are very sure of your 14 inch and your abilities you can sew with the 1/4 inch and you won't have to trim down. My suggestion would be to make a test couple of half squares and see if you should have used the scant 1/4 inch or if you are good to go without squaring up.

If you come up short on your samples, just trim them down to the next usable size, saving them for another project. For me that size is 2 1/2 inches. I use a lot of 2 1/2 inch units, whether it is in squares or rectangles it seams the 2 1/2" measurement pops up in lots of my projects. (go back to using the the scant quarter inch and squaring up if you need to).

Decide which place mat you are going to make and join your half squares.


When you are joining your half-square units press your seams open. Normally you press to the side, but I found pressing open when making the place mat gives less bulk in the seams and the mat lies flatter. When you are joining the half-squares together, when you slide them under the presser foot start with the corner that is the flat corner...that way when you stitch down the seam and come to the corner with the seam in it you will be able to pull the fabric under the needle smoothly so it doesn't hang up on the multiple seams crossing.


The other place mat arrangement is a pinwheel version. If you need to, pin the intersection where the seams meet. If you used the stitch the quarter inch and don't trim method, now is the time to cut off the dog ears. When pressing your half squares for doing the pinwheel mat be sure to press your seams to the dark. Do not press them open as in the other sets. The reason why is when you have all those seams meeting in the center you need to nest them to get a fairly even join. (When you press them after they are joined, use lots of steam..at least I do). Another trick to get the centers to match perfect; when I nest the seams in each unit I nest them all the way down and make sure the seam corner is flush. When you have four units stitched together to form the pinwheel you can pop the center couple of stitch and spread out the seams. like I did in the four patch tutorial here:
Scroll down in the blog till you view the finished four patch.
When I stitch the side seam of the unit I start with the corner that doesn't have the multible seams. That way it doesn't hang up in the beginning. The 8 half squares you made will make two pinwheels.


As you can see in this picture all the seams are pressed open. Both pieced set have been attached to each end. This picture also shows the added 12 1/2 inch square is presse away from the strips. If you pressed the other direction then the seams would be double thick in the seam area and cause a bump in the mat (Possibly causing a little ones glas of milk to take a tumble).

My mat is ready to be sandwiched and marked.
As you can see here the mat is marked. I used a plain old hard lead pencil (will it washout I have no idea). I chose to use the seam lines of the pieces for my starting and ending points. I marked the center for diagonal stitching and sgtitched in a ditch for the pieced units. I am not a very good machine quilter, mainly because I haven't practiced enough. I use my short arm Gammill for my big projects. These small things are perfect for getting your confidence up.

If you don't have an even feed foot then it is a must buy on your wish list. They come "generic" and will fit most machines like kenmores/Brothers. They can be purchased in short shank of high shank. Mine was reasonable. It was 13.00, 10 years ago and when it had a fatique problem this year, it was still 13.00.

If you look at the picture of the pinwheel mat above you may notice a puffiness in the pinwheels. I decided I didn't want to go to the trouble of putting on the even feed foot for such a small amount of quilting. I also assumed I could control the fabric being I was stitching in the ditch. I figured I would pin real close and hold the fabric tight underneath. It worked for the underneath...not a wrinkle to be found......but the top became puffy. For the remainder of the Mat I put on the even feed foot, That is why you see the foot in a couple of the piecing unit pictures. I didn't want to have to take it off and on again.
Another thing the foot helps me with is attaching binding. I find it seems to go on smoother and when I turn the binding it doesn't feel as tight to the mat. Hope this makes sense. This is a picture of the binding attached (after the quilting was finsished).

For those who are new to piecing and Quilting here is a very good PDF link for binding.


There are also tutes about attaching the binding from the back and bringing around to the front and top stitching by machine. I usually save these for hand work in front of the TV when a favorite program is on.

These are fun to do, and get rid of those pieces of fabric that are not large enough to make a quilt with. It helps use that fat quarter you bought that was so intriging at the LQS...or so gorgeous you could not do with out it, and you will never use it. Use it today to make something for yourself. Possibly a Mat to have a cup of coffee on while you are dreaming of projects you want to do.
Other blogs by me:

Where I have stories of my cats and other pets
a blog about my courtship with my husband,
and a blog about my most embarrassing moment.
A "Soap box" blog where I do air my opinions.
blogs about the wildflowers on our farm
Organic methods we use, some cooking and some poetry
blogs Seeds sprouting, insects, and garden pictures
Blog about an endangered beneficial beetle
All recipes, pictures, and writings are my own.
I give credit for items which belong to other people in my blogs .
Please do not copy without permission


http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/03/square-in-sqaure-table-runner-for-you.html

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/03/square-in-square-bonus-block-tutorial.html

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/03/square-in-square-tutorial.html
Other blogs by me:

Where I have stories of my cats and other pets
a blog about my courtship with my husband,
and a blog about my most embarrassing moment.
A "Soap box" blog where I do air my opinions.
blogs about the wildflowers on our farm
Organic methods we use, some cooking and some poetry
blogs Seeds sprouting, insects, and garden pictures
Blog about an endangered beneficial beetle
All recipes, pictures, and writings are my own.
I give credit for items which belong to other people in my blogs .
Please do not copy without permission

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

DECREASING THE STASH

Once we begin Quilting, Sewing, Crafting of any kind, we all tend to be hoarders.  Squirreling away all sorts of items to be used in our projects. Sometimes the storage of these items overflows into the rest of our house hold.  I am hoping to help you attack the stash and get rid of that feeling your hobby is over running your life.
 
To achieve that feeling, finishing a project is the best.  It does two things, It clears out some of the stash and then it gives you a feeling of accomplishment.  Remember when you are getting started not to let the size of your stash overwhelm you.  Pick a project that is small, do it and step back and clean up the mess and breathe deep with satisfaction! 
 
This year, as a stash buster, I have not purchased fabric or anything to add to my stash since January 2010.  That year I made a resolution not to purchase anything unless I had no more of that item or color.  My only purchase in the last 3 years has been a king size batting and a yard of Navy Blue fabric.  The fabric was purchased because I was in Denver without my stash and was working on a quilt and I didn't have the fabric to bind it.
 
 I decided to do a project I have always said I didn't ever want to do.  That is a Block Of the Month.  I have never liked the ones I have seen in the quilt shops, either it was the colors or the patterns..and they always show you the completed top so you can decide if you want to do it.  The other thing I haven't liked about them is you are predestined to have a top like everyone elses.  Then there is the fact you are paying to play and if you don't like the outcome and you don't enjoy the trip..you are out the money (and don't have anything but orphaned blocks to show for it). Thus the incidence of failure in the project is high. 
 
   I was introduced to a Yahoo group about mysteries several years ago. Mysteries is another quilt project I don't get pleasure from but the owner was a friend and I wanted to see what she was doing.  BTW mysteries are another way to tackle the stash.  The owner of this group has started a BOM for 2013 and it will be running for 2+years.  It sounded like something scheduled for disaster.  Something if you start it, you might let life get in the way and not finish.
 
The appeal of this BOM for me was I could choose my own fabrics.  There was only one block a month.  I could handle that.  The excitement of not knowing what was to come increased the anticipation of the next months block.  The one thing that worried me was how was I going to keep up my end.  I didn't need another UFO.  I have a friend who came to the rescue when I told her what I was doing.  She said why don't we swap.  Why don't you make another block for me and I will make another block for you.  We live a couple thousand miles apart, she used to live within 200 miles of me.  We met through a yahoo group.   This suggestion was the best thing for me.  Not only did it relieve the stash of fabric but it gave me someone who was depending on me for her block.  I have to do the project each month.
 
This BOM would be very easy for anyone to catch up with if you need a quicky monthly project.  April First will be the forth installment.  I have included my blog sites for the first three installments below.  On the blogs is the address, if you are interested, to join the BOM group.
 
On the blogs I explain why I chose the fabrics I did.  I have the stacks of fabrics set aside for my blocks and for my friends blocks.  I have a box where I am storing them so they don't get used for any other project and they are handy to pull out the first of every month.
 
Join us in this 2 year journey. There are several hundred friends taking the tripThe following, are the blogs written each month on my journey through the alphabet.
 

Email a friend, get together and make a block a month.  You can make her a block just for her in her colors or make two blocks alike and mail one to her (either way she will have a quilt when done that you made for her). 

To clear a stash, you can not be tempted to purchase anything unless you do not have it in the stash.  You can make excuses anytime saying it doesn't match close enough.  BTW doing a scrappy quilt can help you over that hurdle.  Bonnie Hunter has lots of free quilt patterns and suggestions to using and organizing your stash. (Actually to me she is "hoarding effectively").
http://www.quiltville.com/
Scroll down and on the left is a list of all the wonderful suggestions and quilt patterns .

Thanks for reading
Other blog sites by me:
 
Where I have stories of my cats and other pets
a blog about my courtship with my husband,
and a blog about my most embarrassing moment.
A "Soap box" blog where I do air my opinions.
 
blogs about the wildflowers on our farm
Organic methods we use, some cooking and some poetry,
blogs about Seed sprouting, insects, and garden pictures
Blog about an endangered beneficial beetle
 
My Original quilting blog.
 
All recipes, pictures, and writings are my own.
I give credit for items which belong to other people in my blogs .
Please do not copy without permission