Sunday, March 9, 2008

Sunday Stash Report

This week was a wash as far as trying to accomplish anything in the sewing room. When I have late shifts at work, I vege when I get home; and three nights in a row this week I got home from work just before 7:30. By the time supper is over and the dishes are done, there's not much left of the evening anyway. It is beginning to grate on me to have three unfinished projects lying around the sewing room, and they could quite possibly turn into UFOs before very long.

Saturday I asked my husband to take me down to New Hampshire to Keepsake Quilting. A friend and I are collaborating on some quilts this year, most of which have planned color schemes. I usually don't have the yardage available for something like this, so a shopping trip was in order. First the trip was off because freezing rain was predicted; then the trip was back on because it was too warm for anything to freeze, so we got a late start.

It was a two and a half hour drive to the quilt shop, and I spent about two hours in the shop playing with fabric to my heart's content. I found a set of six fabrics that I like for one of the quilts. I'm still not quite sure about the large floral and may wind up switching that out with something else, but I really like this combination otherwise.

I also bought a set of 50 fat quarters with a 30's reproduction theme. I've always disliked 30s repros, but they've grown on me in recent years, and I'm finding more patterns that use them. I'll be able to get two quilts easily out of the bundle. All three of these quilts will get made up later on this year, so all the fabric will be back out of the stash.

I also bought 4 yards of a fabric that will make a beautiful background in some other quilt. I buy yardage of good backgrounds when I see them, because I'm fussy about them, and I got tired of tan and white backgrounds for everything.

That brings the total added to the stash this week to a whopping 28 yards. It doesn't particularly bother me, but it does make me question how dedicated I really am to reducing the size of my stash. On the other hand, it's fun to keep to track of how much I'm actually using, so I'll keep doing it.

I showed this pattern to my husband because I thought he might like it, and we took this home with us too. I guess seeing a moose is part of the Maine experience, and we have seen them once, along the highway. This is an accurate representation of what a moose really looks like. It's all done in raw edge applique, and I think it'll be fun to do. My husband has already claimed this.

The Log Cabin Fever book arrived this week too, and this is the quilt I liked so much and wanted to make.

6 comments:

Marla said...

Don't fret too much!! I too am having a tough time not buying anything. One week at a time and if you just curb buying it's good. On the other hand, after you spent soooo much time in the car you had to reward yourself AND have sustinance for the looonnnggg ride home. Dreaming of and then fonndling fabric on that long drive makes it all worth it!

Donna said...

You bought some beautiful fabric! If you enjoy it, it's worth adding to the stash. You'll use it eventually. Lucky you living close enough to shop at Keepsake.

Pat at Bell Creek Quilts said...

Beautiful fabric! and you have a plan for it all...that's the great part. You are simple buying for that 2:00 am urge to create when only the web is open! That moose is tooo cool. I love to do raw edge applique as it is all good. and a brown and cream log cabin quilt...we may be pioneers in this color scheme, Sue! Hope you have some sewing time this week :)

Randi said...

Oh I love those fabrics! I think that was a good purchase :-)

Anonymous said...

Nice choices...I really like the floral...great to always have a plan......Margo

Evelyn aka Starfishy said...

A bundle of 50 fat quarters! Wow!! How fun to have such a huge variety. As far as stash reduction... I AM trying to use up some of my older pieces, but like to combine it with newer pieces. Also, I sometimes will buy all new fabrics for a "special" quilt. My goal really isn't to use up my stash, but rather make sure it is used at a fast enough pace to replace is with newer fabrics as I go along.

Cheers!
Evelyn