My State of the Stash

I belong to Stashbusters - a Yahoo quilting group.  We're a feisty bunch and the messages can be very entertaining.  During your birthday month you write a "State of the Stash" message.  I'm a Leo!!

My DH is 5 weeks younger than me - and we've been married 47 years.  And I listened to the same bad ‘older woman’ jokes for decades!! So, a few years back, I decided if I celebrate until his birthday I don't mind the jokes!!!  It's great fun!!

I've been quilting for 46+ years!  I figured out I've never gone two weeks without quilting!  And includes cross-country moves; vacations (I used to be able to do handwork in the car!) or busy times.

I don’t buy much fabric or books anymore.  (I refuse to define “much”!!)  But I am always on the lookout for reds and blues for Quilts of Valor.  I’m chair of our group and usually make 2-3 QOVs a year.  It's not so much buying more - it's replenishing the fabric.  But it does look like I bought a bunch this year!!

Otherwise, my stash was doing so-o well, I discovered Color Block method by Stash-Lab so even the scraps were kind-of-sorta under control!  But then a friend and I joined Jen Kingwell's BOM Marshal.  We don't have JK fabric out here.  We were going to stick to stash but ... a July trip to NE for a wedding.  My favorite NE store - Quilted Moose, a Gretna NE store, carries Jen's whole line.  Oh my!!!  Let’s just say I had a “Lollie-good-time”!!

I bought a bunch, enough that the owner gave me a hug when I left the store!!!  But she usually does that, it just felt longer!!!   I did split every piece with my friend.

THEN a NE friend was having a de-stashing fabric sale on  Instagram ... Gretna is her favorite store too!  And she had a giant bundle of JK fabric.  So, we bought and split that too! Friday, I brought out the JK fabric for show and tell at my small group.  Oh my!!

Meanwhile, the sewing space has exploded!  My DH has about 3" x 6" space on the single bed to sit and tie his shoes before walks!!! And not always that much!!  Our DGS was just here - it was perfectly clean then!!!  I guess it all started when I had to "find" something!

This is just one pile of a dozen(?) on the bed!

I finally gave up on fixing my DD's wedding quilt.  15 years and it's shattered!  The bad dog ate a giant hole in it 2 years back.  Discussing it with DD and offering 3 choices, she decided she'd like a redo of the pattern using the original quilt inside for the batting.  That should make future quilt historians scratch their heads!!  Tee-hee! 

I love this pattern from the Simple Joys of Quilting.  I want to try to make a QOV with blue patchwork inside and red patchwork borders!  Or is this more madness?

Each 3 1/2" square pile is 100 squares!  I'm using all the same neutral which I am in the process of cutting.  Soon I'll be ready to sew like the wind.  

I’ve discovered several things:  Most of the blues I cut for it yesterday were the same fabrics!!

Positives

I’m a good conservator – my fabric from 90’s still viable!

I’m fairly consistent in taste!  Not buying willy-nilly!

Boy, can I pack it into the space!!

The IG (Instant gratification) monkeys are alive and well in Oregon!!

Negatives

Boy, can I pack it into the space!

Squirrel Syndrome rules!!

Small condo – what space??

Am I growing in my craft or just stagnate?

Am I a hoarder??

Only one way to help this - Must Quilt Faster!!  Please don't let Marie Condo anywhere near here!!

August - my birthday MONTH!

We had a great time at Newport Oregon for the quilt show.  It was just beautiful.  No ribbons for me this year.  :<  Must try harder.  Looking back, I didn't get much done this year.  I entered my QOV quilt and Laurie Heine Bumble Bee wall quilt in the Brookings Show, and Bumble Bee and the crib "Color block"at Newport.

I have a new 'go to' dinner dish.  Hillshire Meats have the Veggie Sausage Dish on their website.  I generally add every veggie that looks good at the store!  We love asparagus, brussel sprouts, green beans, red and green peppers ...  And I don't do the lemon juice.  I think it comes out awesome no matter what you add or leave out.  We love it.  AND after it's been baked, the leftovers are good cold too. Win, Win!

Our ModSquad group's assignment this month was self-portrait.  Man, are they hard!  First you have to look at pictures of you.  That's my smile???  My top lip disappears!!  Then the project is 15" square - that's bigger than real life!!  BUT we had 14 self portraits turned in today!  That's our biggest participation ever!
Thanks, Ladies for all your hard work!

 

We, of course, thought it was going to be easy to guess who was who!  NOT!  So many techniques, so many memories, it was fun! Mine is not quite finished, I chickened out with the facial details you draw or stitch in.  Someday soon???

Next weekend is a small retreat - but I have big plans for what I will accomplish while I'm there!  (Of course!)  I have a list and several deadlines zooming up!  I'll give you a progress report next time.

Bye-bye summer, it was nice while it lasted!