Design Wall Monday - 4/30/12

I'm back!!! Today I have a hexie update for you. The end is near and it's exciting!! I took some hexie "kits" with me last week to my conference, expecting to work on them after evening activities, but not expecting to get a lot done because we have a lot of activities. :)  Come Monday morning I decided I might as well work on them during some of the classes/meetings - there was space to work and I can listen while I sew. Sadly, I finished everything I brought with me by early Monday afternoon and that left Tuesday and Wednesday with out any hand work. Acckckckck. And, no, I wasn't able to concentrate as well in my hexie-less classes. Weird, huh?!

I have just started a full size diamond this morning, I'll have another full hexie and then 7 half hexies to do. I don't have any kits cut yet because I need to see what colors need to be augmented. Any suggestions? Then I'll finish playing with color placement of the finished pieces - I already moved two after taking this next photo. Then the sashing and the top is done. I am pretty confident that can be accomplished in May. I may eat my words come the end of May but that's my goal and I'm sticking to it.

On the way to and from my conference in Saratoga Springs, I stopped at 2 quilt stores in Syracuse. I picked up a few FQs for more hexie variety but I am most excited to have found the following 5/8" hexie fabric to use for the backing!!! There was also a black version but I didn't want to mix this design with the black batik I have been using on the front. I love how the color varies from lighter to darker shades of the teal color.

Feline Friday - 4/20/12

I don’t know about you but when I want to make sure to take something with me, it’s either clipped to my keys or dropped in front of the door.

Wednesday I dropped my folder for class and the garbage-bound pizza box at the door. Not 10 minutes later I found this:

LOL!

There are sew many quilty linky parties around lately...would anyone be interested in having a kitty party here every Friday? Leave me a comment if you want to participate or even just read and after I get back from my trip I'll see what the consensus is...

Spring Cleaning

I have wanted to do this for quite some time now but never made the time to do it...

Back when I still lived in Miami, our quilt store did a monthly mystery quilt. There was always three color ways to choose from and the kit fee included the directions and class. The class was based on a passport of sorts and there were prizes, food and games. We spent a year on international countries and in the second year we were doing US States. I enjoyed the classes and the quilts were pretty simple so when I moved back to NY I made arrangements to have the kits and directions sent to me up here. I eventually stopped purchasing the kits and I don't think a single one has been touched since their arrival nor have some of the UFOs been finished. They just weren't as much fun without my classmates :(

After reading an organizational series at http://fabrictherapy.blogspot.com/ I finally *MADE* myself spend 10 minutes before EMT class last night to go thru a box where some kits were stored.

This stack shows the 5 kits that I decided to dismantle. I have actually thrown out the directions, not because I didn't like those quilts but they just aren't high on my bucket list and I already have too many quilts I want to make.

People, I discovered that each kit has at least 3 yards of fabric. That's a lot of "new" fabric!

The batik bundle on the top was a starter kit for one of my fav authors who worked at our store. The pattern does nothing for me anymore so I thought about using another pattern in my stash but again, I have UFOs to finish and the batiks will probably just be separated into my batik FQ box (even tho these are 1/3 cuts).

I have already started using the "new" fabrics!! Erin said that I needed more yellow in my hexie quilt so I cut a hexie "kit" with the yellow and black fabrics in the bottom kit. (Only 3 more full diamonds to do after I finish the already cut "kits") One of the peach kits has been cut to make a Kindle case for the bazaar this weekend. There is still a lot of fabric left to add to the stash but I'm happy to actually be using it, even if just one little piece at a time...

Of course...you know what new fabrics means? More selvages! I also received a bundle of selvages at this week's guild meeting too :) Val thinks I am going to be overwhelmed with selvages but I just don't think it's possible and that's even with knowing that Julie has a growing pile for me :)

How many kits can you purge from your boxes into usable stash this week??

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I’ve decided to take a short blogging break next week. I am already behind with chores to get ready for the bazaar on Saturday and leaving for a work related conference on Sunday. I just can’t imagine having time to schedule some posts and get the laundry done and the house clean for the kitty sitter (aka kitty grandma!). I know you’ll have fun without me and I’ll check back in soon…