projects for vacation

I’m leaving for vacation tomorrow, and I’d love to take some projects with me.  I was thinking either the hexagons or the yo yo project.  Any thoughts on what would be better to work on while at the beach?  I’m leaning toward yo yos so I don’t have to worry about my paper hexagon templates getting wet.

I saw this project on Purl Soho’s blog yesterday, and I’m having a really hard time not running out to get felt and jump right in!  It would be a GREAT travel project, don’t you think?!!!

{photo credit}

Of course I’m bringing books to read…that is…if my Barnes & Noble shipment comes in today!

If you were going to beach what would you take?

stella blue update…

Well…if you’re still actually reading this blog looking for Stella updates…you might be disappointed today.

I have a few new pictures…but they’re less than impressive

I’ve been sewing, ironing, cutting and trimming brown geese

and working on the red geese

and I have two more stars up on the design board

I won’t be on the blog for the next week or two.  I’ll be on vacation at the beach!

Sunday Stash Report, Week 25

Nothing in, Nothing out.  Numbers still the same.

Used this Week:        0 yards
Used year to Date:    28.50 yards
Added this Week:      0 yards 
Added Year to Date:  57.44 yards
Net Used for 2011:   -28.94 yards

Summer Alphabet update

I worked quite a bit on my Summer Alphabet cross stitching project last weekend, and here’s where she stands now:

I just love that little fishie!

Sunday Stash Report, Week 24

I’ve missed a few of these, so there will be a bit of catch-up here.

Since we spoke last about stash I’ve gotten the last 2 block of the months from FQS (about 1 yard total).

I’ve received the first month and finishing kit for the 2011 BOM (about 9.5 yards).

I purchased fabric at my LQS to correct my silly mistakes in Stella Blue cutting (1.75 yards).

I also bought 1.5 yards online at The Quilt Shoppe’s closing doors sale.

In the USED column, I’ve used up 1.5 yards of that fabric for Stella, and I also used 0.75 yards for my Double Fat Jack.

Here’s the final tally:

Used this Week:        2.25 yards
Used year to Date:    28.50 yards
Added this Week:      13.75 yards 
Added Year to Date:  57.44 yards
Net Used for 2011:   -28.94 yards

I’m definitely further away from 0…but I have ABSOLUTELY no regrets!  Love it all!

Double Fat Jack

Like everyone else at the end of April I was enjoying the buzz of activity involving the Royal Wedding and all things Brit.  There was certainly a TON of Union Jacks being made in the quilting world, and I wanted in!

Lily’s Quilts posted a tutorial entitled Double Fat Jack, and that’s exactly what it is!  A Union Jack flag block made from 2 fat quarters.  Her tutorial was fabulous and I will be using it again to make at least 3 more of these.  I’d love to have a 9x9 quilt from them…but that may be a bit ambitious for now.

Stella Blue Friday

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve posted a progress pic.

Work is CAH. RAY. ZEE. right now…hence the LACK of blogging!

Last time we met I told you of my fabric debacle…cutting the wrong size and then having to purchase new fabric to make everything work.  I purchased 0.5 yards each of 3 different Minick & Simpson creams (2 new patterns and 1 repeat) and cut them.  I did a bit of swapping with some of the other creams that were already laid out so that I would have a more “evenly scattered” look.  Then I set out to sewing together most of the 4 patches that I’ll be using and placing the middle blocks to get an idea of how they’ll look.

Here’s Stella as of today:

I love the secondary pattern that’s popping out right now!  I think that I’d love to do a version of Stella similar to this…with boxes in the middle and just the big geese stars.  I love the look of the of the modern-ish white box combined with the very traditional star.

Any way…I digress.

I started on the red geese for the small stars, and AGAIN I had cut the creams wrong!  So, I cut all of the pieces down AGAIN and finally had everything ready to sew.  The Open Gate ruler that I’m using makes PERFECT geese but there are quite a few steps involved…particularly when you’re making hundreds of geese…actually I think it’s 384…is that right, Heather?

but I definitely have many hours of work ahead of me for those!  196 red geese…and I’ve done 4!

All I can say is THANK GOODNESS that Heather and I are doing a sew along for this one…cause otherwise it would have been filed away as a WIP forever!  Even though the time have to work on it is sporadic (at best) I’m enjoying the journey.

Check out Heather’s update today.  I’m LOVING hers so far!  We’re both using reds, blues and creams, but it’s amazing how they will have very different looks in the end!  Heather’s is has a beautiful french country soft feel to it, and mine is very patriotic/americana.