Wednesday, June 27, 2017

The last two evenings these five Pillowcase Dresses were made.  Mom and I were smiling as we created different embellishments to make them "girly".  The one that gave us the most fuss is in the middle.  It started out with only the multi-color print for the entire dress.  Without some sort of embellishment to pull from it was decided to change out the bodice portion.  You know black and white...it can be a good neutral!  It turned out really cute in the end.  Did you notice the one on the right has a very cute flower pinned to the satin trim at the hem?  I happen to be quite resourceful.  The flower and satin ribbon are recycled from a gift I received some time back.  You did notice the pony beads...

These dresses and three others that we will work on tonight will be donated to a charity that the Retreat Center supports.  Including the 22 we already donated, a total of 30 adorable Pillowcase Dresses will come from the hands of the Sunshine Quilt Guild 2017 Retreaters.

Design Wall Monday, June 26, 2017

This project is a long forgotten one that my Mom started for a friend.  Sadly, that friend is no longer with us, but I'm sure she is smiling down at us for the progress made.  This was the retreat project for me.  With no pattern and just a little bit sewn...this layout has emerged. Nearly all the pieces were cut and lots of yardage available for allowing me to figure out just how to put something together.

Here is another angle...it is a quilt that will finish as a large queen.  Mom intends to use this for her bed.  We need to find the right yellow for an inner border.  What yellow fabric that remained from the UFO bag wasn't enough for the inner border.  The inner border is important to make the quilt fit right on the bed.  We tried a solid yellow, but discovered it was a bit too dark.  Another trip to a local fabric store is in the planning.

For now this UFO rests on my design wall.  Enjoy your week!

Sunday Stash Report, June 25, 2017

Kilimanjaro
2017 June UFO

June 2017 UFO complete!  This is Kilimanjaro.  It is a Bonnie Hunter design called Scrappy Mountain Majesties.  The actual pattern calls for a much larger block, but I had all sorts of HSTs in a smaller size from a swap read to use.  It is a bit wild but all those HSTs made it in to this project except two.  They won't go to waste thou as I will use them in the sleeve for sure.

Thanks for the free pattern and the participants of the HST Swap!  I'll be adjusting my stash statistics when I can figure out just how much fabric was used.

Used this week:  0 yards
Used YTD: 82.75 yards
Purchased this week:  0 yards
Purchased YTD:  19.5 yards
Net used in 2017:  63.25 yards

Sunday Stash Report, June 18, 2017

Retreats are so much fun!  These are trinkets that all of the participants pass out to each other.  My trinket was handmade greeting cards.  No my other hobby is not crafting greeting cards.  Karen, my sister is an excellent crafter of making these.  She keeps me in my "cat" theme card supply.  Sending greeting cards is phasing out, but not during my time =^.^=.  Everyone loved their trinket.  Next up Door Prizes!

I was one of the first of 22 to have my name called to select from the offerings.  The Retreat Coordinator, Candi puts a lot of effort into making us happy and I certainly was to receive this cute holiday wall hanging, sticky notes, and baggage tag.

Mom was called out just after me (door prizes are two after each meal).  Her surprise bag included several items.  The bottom were part of them.  Mom went on to gift me two of the items, the button coaster and mini charm pack.  There will be something fun stitched up with these.

One of the Retreaters, Jo, sure came to my rescue for evening sewing.  Upon set up of my Janome it was evident that the bulb was burnt out.  Although there was plenty of light during the day...this occasion had us sewing way into the evening.

This year's project had Retreaters making pillow case dresses for needy girls.  There were 30 packages put together by a team of Sheri and Candi (I think these were the only two).  Fabrics, bias tape, and embellishments came from several for making the dresses.  

24 were completed in total.  I took the remaining packages to finish.  The Retreat Center will sponsor the dresses going to the girls.

Used this week:  0 yards
Used YTD: 82.75 yards
Purchased this week:  0 yards
Purchased YTD:  19.5 yards
Net used in 2017:  63.25 yards

As always it was a very fun filled 4-day annual event.  I look forward already to next year.  

I will leave you with a photo of Mom and I in our PJ Night clothing.  Nothing changed my fabric stash statistics this week.  I worked on a long overdue UFO.  Come back and see it in a next post.  Happy Fathers Day.

Design Wall Monday, June 12, 2017

Kilimanjaro is on my Design Wall.  I have decided this won't come with me to the quilting retreat this weekend.  It is just too difficult to arrange it if I take it all down to transport.  So here is where it will stand until my return.  Kilimanjaro is my June 2017 UFO.  There should not be a problem finishing it during the month.

Tuesday night there is Sunshine Quilt Guild monthly meeting.  It is an auction and potluck night affair.  I will be working until the afternoon then run home for Mom.  These are fun nights and sometimes you can come home with a real bargain!

I'll be showing my progress on retreat quilting projects next time.  Enjoy this week!

Sunday Stash Report, June 11,2017

 There are two birthday men in my family on June 11th.  I've been away to Virginia to SURPRISE my brother, Mike.  He turned 60 and there was a party for him.  I gave my first ROAST!  I was kind...  My nephew, Austin celebrated 20 on June 11th too.  It was awesome to be a part of both of their special days.  I can't say when that has happened in a very long time.

I left with Mom on an extremely early flight back to the West Coast on Sunday.  Mom will be with us for three weeks.  I don't often get three weeks each year, usually two, so this is great.  We start off with a time adjustment couple of days then it is off to Pechanga Indian Casino for a day of gambling and a good night's sleep in their awesome rooms.

Next up will be a quilting retreat in Temecula just a few short miles from the casino.  Guaranteed there will be less money spent here!  I plan on working on Konstitution.  Now that I have Kanton Kull done and Kilimanjaro laid out on my Design Wall.  This charm pack came from my Mom as a gift so there is no add to my stash this week.  I hope to get far along on Konstitution over the four day retreat.  No change to stash this time.

Used this week:  0 yards
Used YTD: 82.75 yards
Purchased this week:  0 yards
Purchased YTD:  19.5 yards
Net used in 2017:  63.25 yards

Design Wall Monday, June 5, 2017

Here is where I start with Kiliminjaro that is #7 to do for the 2017 UFO Challenge with Patchwork Times.  I stitched the rest of the HST Swap blocks from a swap I coordinated in 2013.  Bonnie Hunter was in my area to teach a workshop to make her FREE pattern Scrappy Mountain Majesties and these swap blocks fit just right for the project.  Mine are 5" blocks to start with; her pattern calls for 8 1/2".  The math was calculated for the difference in size and away I went.  During the workshop Bonnie showed a different layout than what is on her website for my miniaturized blocks.  Excited with the way it will look.  I plan to use up the swap blocks for whatever size that ends up.

Saturday had me at Kerry's for some "quilt sister sewing".  Love these times!  I brought home with me Kissin Korner 2 (FREE Bonnie Hunter design Kissin in the Corner) and Knickknack (Janelle Noack design Hopscotch).  The quilting design on Kissin Korner 2 is really cute.  I'll share it once the binding is in place.

In the meantime though I will be figuring out how to make a sleeve with leftover fabrics along with deciding what fabric should be used for the binding.

Never idle time in my sewing room =^.^=

Sunday Stash Report, June 4, 2017

Chapter 12 is finished and so is this project!  Kanton Kull is so large that I turned it on its side to photograph.  88 x 100 and loved every stitch =^.^=  This gets me one ahead in my 2017 UFO Challenge as well.

Chapter 12 had me assembling Friendship and Ohio Star blocks and start to finish of the Signature blocks.  These three block styles were put together into borders for the top and bottom.  Finally, a 5 1/2" solid border was added as the finish.  This same solid border fabric will be used for the binding.  According to Pam Buda, her project A Prairie Gathering, required 22.5 yards of fabric.

The additional eight yards used is what will be needed for the back.  It is real nice seeing my status change finally.

Used this week:  30.5 yards
Used YTD: 82.75 yards
Purchased this week:  0 yards
Purchased YTD:  19.5 yards
Net used in 2017:  63.25 yards

Saturday, June 3, 2017

These were the last of the pieces of Chapter 11.  I didn't even put them in their little baggie since I was on to Chapter 12 the final chapter where they were to be used.

You have already seen the quilt at the end of Chapter 11.  Next you will see the conclusion of this project.  I will be disappointed when it finishes...like a good book!  Pam Buda and A Prairie Gathering has been a joy to piece.  Of course you definitely need to enjoy making HSTs.

Return tomorrow to see Kanton Kull finished.