Sunday, June 19, 2011

Stash report weeks 24-25

Wellllll...I went to a "quilters yard sale" on Friday evening. One of our guild members is planning a move to Florida in the not-so-distant future and is downsizing in advance of trying to sell her house. My "added" is a gross estimate - I bought a 6-yard piece (backing!) and a 1.5-yard piece (green and white!) and the rest are all FQ or less (mostly less). Probably another 7.5 yards, just based on volume. Some are already taking their place in TMOTH's string quilt.

Just think of it as helping a friend move and not mindless stash accumulation.

I've estimated the yardage for the Halloween scarecrow at about 2 yards, and the challenge piece at about 0.25 yards.

Used this Week: 2.25 yards
Used year to Date: 60.35 yards
Added this Week: 15 yards
Added Year to Date: 39.9 yards
Net Used for 2011: 20.45 yards

Quilts finished

I finished a UFO!
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I started this before Halloween last year, but never finished it - it needed some timtex around the head to keep it from being all floppy, and a couple of pockets and a dowel to make it hang straight. AND a little finishing quilting, BUT it's all done!

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I also finished my May hiaku/fiber piece, "Soft"
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June's piece is nearly done, and I've been working on the string quilt for TMOTH.

Catching up

Yay! My IT guy (TMOTH)fixed the netbook, so I'm all connected again.

Toffee is doing great and growing like a weed.
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And a happy Fathers' Day to TMOTH:
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A trip to Lowe's later in the day for a firepit for a present!

More posts on quilty stuff to come.

Monday, June 06, 2011

Stash Report Week 23

Used this Week: 1 yards
Used year to Date: 58.1 yards
Added this Week: 2.75 yards
Added Year to Date: 24.9 yards
Net Used for 2011: 33.2 yards

IN: Margaret brought a bunch of "sorta" FQ free for the taking to the Nimble Fingers meeting on Wednesday. I was almost good - nearly all of the ones that came home with me have a specific use in mind.

OUT: I made a tote bag! My netbook toasted itself last week, so no photo uploads - you'll just have to take my word about how cute it is. I used three upholstery sample panels that came home from my MIL's house.

Saturday, June 04, 2011

Victory over "The Man"

Another reason for less productivity - my "quilting" machine, a bottom-of-the-line Brother CS6000i, decided to stop sewing a couple of weeks ago.

Now, I mostly have "old" machines. As in, older than I am. These machines were made for the owners to do regular maintenance on them. Not so the newer machines.

Since this "new" machine was over a year old, so out of warranty anyway, I decided to go ahead and hack into it. To compare: My featherweight has a single thumbscrew on the bottom plate which allows you to access 90% of what needs to be done. All the screws are accessible. The Brother: Five or screws later, I can crack the back of the machine open maybe an inch. I jam my checkbook box into the opening so I can work in there. MAN, was it full of fluff. Including one big bunch of fluff which was snagging up the gears. So I clean out all the fluff and clean off the gears.

This necessitates another adventure: Hardware stores to get lubricant for the [plastic] gears. The Home Depot guys treat me like a "girl" and clearly have no idea what I'm talking about when I tell them I want silicone grease. Don't have it. Strosnider's Hardware didn't have it either, but at least the guy there knew what I was talking about. I found PTFE lube at the local hobby shop on the way home from work and greased up the gears.

Taking off the stitch plate was another adventure, requiring an offset screwdriver (!). More fluff pulled out, then everything put back together.

AND IT WORKS!!

Still, I think what I really need is a Singer 301 or 201 for quilting.

Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Stash Report Week 22

Lots went out, but in a donation bag for the Vietnam Vets.

Used this Week: 10 yards
Used year to Date: 57.1 yards
Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 22.15 yards
Net Used for 2011: 34.95 yards