Project Quilting 14.6:

 The last challenge of this season's Project Quilting is "Conquer a Fear" - projects must involve conquering something that scares you.

Well. I really don't have a lot of what I would consider fear- anxiety, uncertainty, trauma, caution, sure. But I have trouble thinking of something that I personally fear for myself.

For my kids, though- oof. SO MUCH fear, SO MANY fears. And really, all I can do is trust that I've prepared them as well as I can to navigate the world, and advocate/work for a BETTER world so that I have less to fear, especially for the LGBTQ kids.

The quilt is my heart, which feels as if it's out of my chest and frayed around the edges when thinking of my kids' future.

Project Quilting 14.5 - Sew Not a Square

 Our rule for challenge 5 in Project quilting was to avoid squares at all cost.

I used scrap binding and some gold accent fabric and made a cushion cover for a footstool.

It has velcro to attach to the footstool, so I left a gap in the back.

All in all, a worthwhile project.

Project Quilting Challenge 4

 Challenge 4 of Project Quilting is "A Novel Project."

The challenge is to be inspired by a book I've read.

One of the examples shown was an e-reader sleeve, which ALSO inspired me - I decided to make a pouch for the Kindle Paperwhite I got for Christmas.

For the novel: I chose to do Marcellus from Remarkably Bright Creatures.

For a pattern, coloring pages from the Monterey Bay Aquarium came in handy.

A bit of Wonder-Under and fusing, and it was time to quilt.

Through pure dumb luck, there was a part of the pattern in the octopus batik that looks like an eye!

Lightly quilted, then sewn into a pouch and lined with terry cloth.

My lovely older daughter suggested adding a key- and she was highly amused when I added an ACTUAL key.

At any rate- it's done, and the Kindle actually fits in it very well!

Project Quilting Challenge 3

 It was a last-minute project to keep my streak going for Project Quilting! The third challenge this year is 54-40 or Fight!

I had some little squares gifted from a friend I wanted to start to use, and some scraps from mini-group, and plenty of stash to find something to go with them.

Such fun colors!

 I decided on the polka dot for the accent, and the green for the background.

Starting to come together!

I had a piece that I'd found last week that had some practice quilting I could use for the back.

I wanted to add an extra layer of batting, because two felt too thin.

Sewn together, with more quilting, and done!

You can never have too many potholders :) 

Project Quilting Challenge 2

 I actually finished this last weekend, but neglected to post/link before now! See them all at  Persimon Dreams:Challenge 2

Started at our quilt retreat, I'm calling it Crazy for Pink - a journal cover.

Just starting with a big rectangle. 

Quilted in wavy lines:

Standard composition book to cover:

Folding over and binding the edges

Insert the journal, and done!

Project Quilting Challenge 1

 It's the fourteenth season of Project Quilting!

The theme of the first challenge this year is "one."

My entry is "One World."

This little manatee is here to remind you that we have ONE planet, and it's up to all of us to take care of it.

The conservation theme continues on the backing.

Hop on over to Persimon Dreams to join in the fun next time around!

Spending is a wild, wild guess. We went to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival yesterday- first festival in three years!!! I made up for my lack of the previous years' spending. I'm guessing $200 (which may or may not include yarn purchased for my youngest kid).

I went to a quilt show in Berryville, VA a couple of weeks ago. All that came home with me was a fat quarter!

I did bring scraps home from one of my last minigroup meetings.

Spending since last post: $200

Total spending this year: $325.29

Fabric in since last post: 3.5 yards

Fabric in this year: 13.48 yards

Fabric out since last post:  0 yards 

Fabric out this year: 22.12 yards

Net: 8.64 yards OUT

Sunday Stash Report, April 10

No report last week; nothing in or out.

The only fabric out this week was 9-patches made for our guild's service projects, since I'm not in the mood to weigh the trash this week. 12 12.5 inch blocks = 1.3 yards.

I also picked up a kit for this year's Service Projects challenge, for a medallion quilt. That's already started, but it added 3.5 yards to the stash.

This week's thrift shop yielded a few finds. First, a crochet book.

Some bags of floss, a couple of strings of beads, and straight pins.

A milk glass creamer and sugar (no lid unfortunately). Totally goes in the craft budget since I use the milk glass pieces to hold sewing stuff.

Spending this week: $9.25

Total spending this year: $125.29

Fabric in this week: 3.5 yards

Fabric in this year: 13.48 yards

Fabric out this week:  1.3 yards 

Fabric out this year: 22.12 yards

Net: 8.64 yards OUT

Sunday Stash Report- on Monday 3/28

 There was a finish this week!

This was a UFO started in...2021? It's a Service Projects challenge; the theme was "Rainbow". Size is 54 x 67. By my calculations, it's 3.4 yards busted - I'm not counting the fleece on the back.

Also the bag of trimmings and trash went out this week - 5.4 oz = 1.18 yards

Spending this week was $4.24 for two books.

Spending this week: $4.24

Total spending this year: $116.04

Fabric in this week: 0 yards

Fabric in this year: 9.98 yards

Fabric out this week:  4.58 yards 

Fabric out this year: 20.82 yards

Net: 10.84 yards OUT

Stash report for 3/20/22, Late as usual

Some finishes, some additions over the past couple of weeks. There were a couple of thrift store finds. 

The tiny thrift store in Poolesville gave me this string of beads. $2.00.

The Project Quilting challenge wound up as a placemat, 14 x 18. 0.4 yards used.

This was $13 - beads, jewelry to cannibalize, some cross stitches and a Baltimore block kit, a couple of pieces of flannel for backs. 1.85 yards.

The next-to-last project quilting challenge - 28 inches square, 1.2 yards.

 Spending this week: $15.00

Total spending this year: $111.80

Fabric in this week: 1.85 yards

Fabric in this year: 9.98 yards

Fabric out this week:  1.6 yards 

Fabric out this year: 16.24 yards

Net: 6.26 yards OUT

Project Quilting 13.6 - Flying Geese

 The last PQ challenge of this season from Kim Lapacek at Persimon Dreams is Flying Geese.

The requirement was to have at least five flying geese blocks.

I made a placemat to donate to our Service Projects. It's 14 x 18, the preferred size for the placemats.

Project Quilting 13.5 - Rhythm & Repetition

 Finished yesterday! In response to the latest PQ challenge: https://kimlapacek.com/2022/02/rhythmandrepetition.html

I didn't intend for this to be the colors of the Ukranian flag, but it worked out that way. Hoping someone will take it off my hands for the price of a donation to a food bank or World Central Kitchen. If no takers, it will be donated to our Service Projects for a preemie quilt. It's small- 28 inches square.

Sunday Stash (a day late)

I wound up taking the youngest to JoAnn for assorted supplies this weekend, and also bought some flannel to finish a baby quilt - that just needs borders.

A thrift store stop yielded a square of flannel big enough for a small baby quilt- maybe 30 x 30. It'll go for this week's Project Quilting challenge. 

6.2 oz of trimmings and awful fabric tossed - 1.36 yards

Spending this week: $6.76

Total spending this year: $96.80

Fabric in this week: 2.13 yards

Fabric in this year: 8.13 yards

Fabric out this week:  1.36 yards 

Fabric out this year: 14.64 yards

Net: 6.52 yards OUT

Sunday Stash February 20, 2022

 A boring week - lots of sewing but no finishes. One trip to the thrift store, no photos - yarn, crochet hooks, a quilt book, some beads.

I'm continuing to work on 9-patch blocks for the guild, but I won't count those as out until they're actually donated.

Spending this week: $21.73

Total spending this year: $92.04

Fabric in this week: 0.0 yards

Fabric in this year: 6.0 yards

Fabric out this week:  0.0 yards 

Fabric out this year: 13.28 yards

Net: 7.28 yards OUT

Project Quilting Season 13 Challenge 4- Mining For Diamonds

 https://kimlapacek.com/2022/02/miningfordiamonds.html

The goal this week was to see if I could use the theme to make a pillow cover- we bought the kids a new loveseat for the playroom last year and they don't like the cushions for some reason.

I used some leftover strips of teal and pink.

I mostly sewed them together and did crosscuts.

I have an orphan block in pink and turquoise I plan on using for the other cover.

Sunday Stash February 13, 2022

 No fabric purchases this week!

I finished a pillow for the kids' computer couch, which ticked all the Project Quilting boxes!

It's 18 x 19 inches, with an overlapping back. 0.98 yard, I'll call it a little bigger since I used a bigger outside seam.

Trash of 2.22 oz, so 0.49 yards. Total 1.5 yards out.

I did have some $$ out as well. A trip to the thrift store at 10.50, and a drastically reduced small cutting mat and rulers at Michaels, for 5.30. More buttons! (Skittles approves)

Spending this week: $10.80

Total spending this year: $70.31

Fabric in this week: 0.0 yards

Fabric in this year: 6.0 yards

Fabric out this week: 1.5 yards 

Fabric out this year: 13.28 yards

Net: 7.28 yards OUT

Sunday Stash- February 6, 2022

 One small finish - the oven mitt for the PQ challenge. Total used is 0.33 yd.

I did a lot of sewing prepping this week, with lots of trimmings and tossing of questionable fabric. 5.71 oz = 1.67 yd

This week, I ordered new rotary blades as a deal from Missouri Star (12.58), and took a trip to the thrift store (7.25). The buttons are vintage - a few of them were deteriorated celluloid and had to be trashed.

Spending this week: $19.83

Total spending this year: $59.51

Fabric in this week: 0.0 yards

Fabric in this year: 6.0 yards

Fabric out this week: 2.0 yards 

Fabric out this year: 11.78 yards

Net: 5.78 yards OUT

Project Quilting Season 13 Challenge 3= Kitchen Influence

 https://kimlapacek.com/2022/01/13-3-kitchen-influence-challenge-3-of-project-quilting-season-13.html

My oven mitts are getting shabby, so this challenge came at a great time! See that stuffing peeking out of the thumb of my source for the pattern?

Some questionable fabric purchased at least 10 years ago at the now-defunct Hancock's for the base.

Strip piecing directly on the first layer of batting.

Ready for quilting, with a wild paisley for the lining. It's on the heavier side for quilting cotton.

Set up the quilting machine this morning, wavy lines in the opposite direction of the piecing.

I did french seams so they'd be stronger, but didn't manage to catch all of the raw edges when I made the second seam. Still- they'll be used, not displayed!

Not even binding- just turned under the raw edge at the bottom and stitched.