stella update

This week I was going SO. GOOD.

Famous last words.

I did manage to finish all of the blue and white geese for the large stars and get them in a proposed layout on the design wall.

I’m a few little square short on the right side…as you can see…but overall not too bad, right?

On Monday night I jump right into organizing the rest of the fabric that I precut…and I set aside the squares for the 88 blue and white border geese (the reverse of the geese I’ve already made).  Easy peasy.

I then start pulling the fabric for the red and white geese (small inner stars) and realize that I’ve cut THE WRONG SIZE for the white!  Between re-interpreting the directions for the pattern into the directions for my ruler…I cut square way too big…and now I’m going to have to cut them down…and that leaves me way short on the fabric that I’ll need to make all 196 geese!  SO, I guess I’m going to be shopping for some more Minick & Simpson creams very soon!  My LQS actually stocks a lot of their fabrics, so hopefully they’ll have something that will work and I’ll be back on track soon.

And not to be detered, I did sew together that one lone start that you see up there…and made a 4 patch for the middle of another.

I love where it’s going…just wish it was a bit faster!

Be sure to check in with Heather over at Quilt or Stitch? How about both?  I bet she beats me in this little Stella venture!

crafting A.D.D.

I don’t use that term lightly.

The A.D.D. term.  I really think that I might have it for crafting.  Or at least startitis…and believe me…it is VERY contageous!

I started a new cross-stitching project last week…called Summer Alphabet by Lizzie Kate.

I’m using the called for threads and stitching on an overdyed 35ct. fabric by Vikki Clayton of Hand-Dyed Fibers.

I originally saw the design {here} at Nicole’s Needlework.  She’s definitely an amazing source for inspiration!

On the sewing front…other than Stella…there have been some hand work projects.  Both of these will be lifetime projects…i.e. it will take a lifetime for me to finish them…but that’s OK by me!

I’m working on some hexagons using Lily & Will and Hushabye charm packs.

I fussy cut that bunny hexy…and it turned out so cute!

The next project is a yo yo quilt.  I, like so many of you I’m sure, fell in love with the quilt on the cover of American Patchwork & Quilting.  Well, I’ve started it using some leftover Plume charm squares, and I’ve got about 20 or so done.  Only 389 to go!

The pattern called for using 5.5 inch squares, but I tried it with the 5” squares and it’s working so far!

I’ve been playing with/learning more about my camera (really trying to get it off complete auto setting) and today I worked a bit with the aperture priority setting.  Look at this picture:

I love it when it works!

Happy sewing/stitching to you all!

Sunday Stash Report, Week 20

Nothing in, Nothing out this week.  Pretty boring…but at least we’re not getting MORE negative!

Used this Week:        0 yards
Used year to Date:    26.25 yards
Added this Week:      0.00 yards 
Added Year to Date:  43.69 yards
Net Used for 2011:   -17.44 yards

Linked up {here} with Judy.

Sunday Stash Report, Week 19

Back off the wagon again peeps, but I’m not sad about it at all.

In over the last few weeks:

1 yard of the Denyse Schmidt collection from JoAnn Fabrics (1/4 yard cuts)

2 yards (1/2 yard cuts) of Henna Garden…almost done with the whole line of colors for this one

Fat Quarter Bundle of Parisville by Tula Pink

Parisville and Henna Garden fabric purchased from Hawthorne Threads.

I also received that Sunkissed fabric in a giveaway a few weeks ago, and it hasn’t made it into the tally yet…so…

All of that leaves the report looking like this:

Used this Week:        0 yards
Used year to Date:    26.25 yards
Added this Week:      10.75 yards 
Added Year to Date:  43.69 yards
Net Used for 2011:   -17.44 yards

Linked up {here} with Judy.

Stella Blue Update

Every once in a while…you work on a quilt that wows you from the beginning.

The cutting and “prep” of this quilt is SO much more intense than I am used to…leaving my room looking like this:

And also if you remember, I had one block up on the design wall that looked like this:

Let’s call it the matchy matchy block.

As I looked at the pattern this week, I realized that I can’t really do the matching blocks…because the top geese of one row of stars sits next to the bottom geese of the next star?  See?

So…it was going to have to be random layout.  But I’d already made two stars worth of matchy matchies…and they’re not coming out.  I’ll think of something clever by the end of the quilt to say the “reason” for the two matched stars is…but for now…you know the truth.  It’s really because I was too lazy to unsew those geese!

Here’s what I’ve got up on the design wall so far…and please excuse the lighting.  I took the picture late last night so that I could get a post up today for you guys!

I. LOVE. IT.  See what I mean?!  I think that it definitely has the WOW factor…even now!

I know this will be amazing when it’s all done…and today’s sewing has SO motivated me to keep working on this bad boy!

As always…make sure you check in with Heather and see how she’s doing.  I hear she’s got TONS of geese done!

we interrupt this blog with a brief announcement…

I know that if I’ve read it…you’ve read it.

All of the blogs out there talking about Pat Sloan’s radio show with American Patchwork & Quilting.

Well, yesterday I just happened to figure out how to listen live on my iPhone…while waiting in the carpool line thank you very much.

It was GREAT!

It’s every at 3:00 CT (my time) and perfect for my drive home with the boys.  I got to hear Edyta Sitar, Carrie Nelson, and then I missed the last segment, but never fear!  I’ll be able to download it on iTunes today!

You should check it out!

Images used on this post found {here}.  Even though I’ve said only positive things, I feel compelled to let you know that I was not paid to write this.  All opinions are 100% my own.  I just really enjoyed the show and thought that some of you might too.