still ironing

i am not only still ironing...i am still working on the stuff that is in heaps...it would be nice
to get this chore down to the totes and boxes that i can stack neatly. i would like to get
the basement studio area to where it is pleasent to work in.

i did get i think all my stash weighed...i ended up with aproximentally 950 lbs...figuring that
most fabric that i use weighs 3 to 4 lbs per yard, i went with 3.5 yds per pound. that means
i have aprox 3325 yds to work my way thru. a huge percentage if the stash is scraps so
many have been given to me...acually i really am grateful, it just takes me time to get them
all trimmed and stripped to usuable sizes. i am cutting them a little just about every day to
keep up with my peicing. once i get the ironing caught up, scrap management gets to be
serious stuff.

I finished quilting vickies quilt this morning...soon as i get her address its in the mail.
no picture she gets to see it first.

tme to get started for the day

a.

just rambleing

i am gaining on vickies X and O quilt, i got it turned this morning before larry got up
so its ready to finish quilting. i almost didnt turn it on auntie gracie but its big enough
that if i dont, even meandering, my sewing is not consistant. i just wish i had more
basement time.

every time i run downstairs for something, i now take the time to weigh one or two
containers of fabric...i should have the weight total by th first of the week. i am going to figure the yardage
at 3.5 yards per pound...i am not unloading the boxes and bins so i figure that should
cover my weight of containers...any way this is approxi ment weight.

however, i do have a baby quilt that only needs 2 more border strips and the top will
be done. ofcoarse, i still have to make the backing. i should have a good start on my
UFO's by the first of the year and i am making good progress on my WIPs...just wish
i would stop starting so much stuff and get more done. Maybe in 2009.

well its daylight now so i am going to try to get the water thawed.

ann

so much stash!

things here are crazy this week...so haven't gotten much done. larry has had dr appt,s
and some more tests. he has been eating good and is loosing weight, dr's are trying to find
out why.

i have been too restless to sit down and sew...so i decided to find out just how much
stash is hanging out around here. i have been re-arrangeing my storage and weighing
my stash...oh gee, i am way out of bounds down right excessive. i still have many boxes of
scraps and a large mountain of ironing to weigh! i guess i had better get sewing.
at least as i do the ironing i am getting fabric put away in some semblence of order.

i figure ther is enough material to keep me quilting for about 50 years. since i am already
67 that is not going to happen. oh well, this might be why i joined a no buy challenge!!

ann

a quilty week end

i have had a good weekend!! it all started friday when frannie and margaret came to
visit for several hours! we ofcoarse had lunch out and then went to mrs millers dry goods
store.

i bought 2 pkgs of needles, a peice of oil cloth to cover a kitchen stand and shashing and
border material for my box of chocolate quilt that i am cutting. with the double nine patch blocks i decided to do the shasing in one fabric. i think the quilt is going to be busy enough
without a multitude of neutrals in the sashing

when we returned to the house frannie volunteered to take a set of borders off a quilt for
me...never turn down a friend! thankyou frannie!! maragaret helped me bust some stash,
she needed scraps for a quilt she has planned. i don't think she mad a dent.

while they were busy and we talked i ironed, and ironed and i ironed yesterday and
today...i brought the ironing board up here for the week end.

it was great having frannie and margaret here for a fun day...and they got me started
on the mountain of ironing! it is going to take forever but i have started now if i just keep
going. it would be nice to have the fabrics ready to use. i have a huge stack to put away.

i kinda popped in on the stashbusters online retreat...ironing may not have been what
they had in mind but it sure is what was needed done here.

now i think i will put on a border!

ann

Blue challenge blocks-DONE!

not a real good picture...but here are my 4 all blue challenge blocks! they were made from
stash...i made these using 14 different blues and
yes, i still have four 28 quart totes stuffed with blue and a bunch that still needs ironed. oh yeah
there is blue on the backing shelves too.
maybe,
this is why i joined a no buy challenge!!! i can buy
b word fabric(batting, backing, border, background and binding) i can spend gift certificates, and gifts do not count against me

i am going to do my best next year to bust
at least 100 yards of stash... then if i am on a no
buy i should be able to see a bit more of my sewing room. right now it is kinda overwhelming
there is material every where. wish me luck

ann
i hope to get my stash weighed by the first of the year so i can at least estimate just how much
material is hanging out down there

baby quilt-center done

and borders picked. if there is enough of the striped

fabric it will be the binding. this was the first time i tried the

disappearing 9 patch with yardage, i like it! i still have to finish

my blue challenge blocks. i will probably do that tonight unless

larry falls asleep watching tv...if he does i will work in the basement. i have a bunch of mile a minute blocks to trim before i can put on the next strip and i got vickies quilt on the frame so there is lots to do down there to keep me busy.

ann

im gaining!!!

well, yesterday was good!! i accually got the things done that i planned!

i put le last border on a kids quilt....now i have to make some backing.

i also got this quilt laid out on the floor...the blocks are set 8X10

and 8" each. i started it either late 1999 or early 2000 as I was

pressing the blocks i found 1 that the pinwheel was a poly blend...GASP. it still is. this is a

quilt for a granddaughter, not the quilt police, and at the time i made the block many books. said blends are ok

any way it looks good in there. now to figure out the border

ann

still more blue

i can't believe i signed up for a blue challenge. i thought i had seen the end of the blues.
now i have to make 4 blue blocks...2 are done, 2 are cut and started. i have to get them
finished and mailed by the end of next week...unless we have a crisis here they will be
done in a timely manor. all the blocks must have at least 3 blues in them.

also decided to get some baby quilts done. i have 3 to make. 2 are for great grands
born this year, one for a grand due in 2009. i have started one, gotta pull fabric for
the other 2. always busy.

i have 2 more border strips to put on a kids quilt for church, i have one top done that need a back too. these 2 are ufo's...so i should be able to gain in that area.

time to get back to cutting scraps

ann

a ufo done DONE!

finely, the quilt on the right is for my grandsons HS graduation 5 years ago is done! he wanted a just blue quilt. the quilt is done with 86 different blues in the blocks...the back is also all blue, picture on left.

yes even the label.

not quite sure what i will bring up from the ufo stack to work

on next. i work on several quilts at a time because my pressing, cutting and quilting are all done in basement...so

i sew to pressing point on a quilt, then do the same to the

next quilt. i have found if i stop to press i get distracted and

never seem to get back to the sewing. i press each days piecing first thing the next morning.

tomarrow i will be putting a quilt on auntie grace...an X and O quilt for a friend. i don't have a

lot of "basement" time but i should get the quilt on with in the next few days.

ann