Finished it!

My friend's secret scrap quilt is completed and on it's way to her...it's a surprise so don't tell.

Here is a photo of the lap quilt I made.

Very colorful for me, wouldn't you say? 

I used an assortment of Batik strips cut from my (growing) stash of Batiks.

I too was amazed at just how many different fabrics I have collected.

What I started to do was to purchase 1/3 yard of some Batiks I thought were pretty and that I liked.

The 1/3 yard cut (for me) works better than a FQ or a 1/4 yard.  I have found that with collecting certain fabric lines getting that size offers me a good amount of fabric to work with in quilts or toppers that I want to make.

This quilt was quilted using a variegated Sulky #12wt. thread.  The thread colors were a perfect compliment to the fabrics.  I simple quilted through every other strip in a straight line.  Easy as can be!

Made with 1 1/2" strips.  Finished size 41" X 50".

The other thing I did was to put a label on the back.  Yes, I know that we should always do this but I must confess that this is the first time I have done this!  Shock throughout the nation!

Usually I simple stitch my initials and the date on a corner in the back but this time I actually made and attached a simple label.

When I started to stitch down the fourth side of this label a strong feeling of pride and accomplishment came over me.  I cannot explain it and it wasn't a sappy kind of a feeling...just felt good.

This isn't a prize winning quilt or anything. It is really cute and very cheery.  The label thing was about the label.  So perhaps there is more to adding a label to a quilt than just identifying the maker and date and some other things like perhaps the recipient and the occasion for which the quilt was made.

I don't know what it was - it just felt good!
So now, I will need to label my quilts from this point on.

I think my friend will like this little quilt!

Happy Spring!  Take time to watch the flowers grow!
Take time to sit and sew!
Colleen

OH HAPPY DAY!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

Yes, I am Irish...everyday!

BUT...I HAVE TO ALSO SAY...

OH HAPPY DAY...

HAPPY NATIONAL QUILTING DAY!

CELEBRATE WITH FABRIC

SHOP FOR IT...

DESIGN WITH IT...

PREPARE IT...

SEW IT!

Uh Oh...look what I found...

So, remember the last post with the fabric that I am going to use this month (even if it kills me - which it won't).

Well, when I was 'shopping' through my stash for fabric for a project I came across another piece of the green.

Now I have two 3/4 yard pieces.  I will add this to my March obligation and see what becomes of it.  How in the world do I have two pieces of this fabric I will never know!

In between sewing some projects (no pics yet) I did a little more organizing.  My Civil War fabric shelf was in need of a clean-up since I have been using a lot of this fabric in projects lately.

Here she is...

The blue box holds all my small scraps of Civil War and the little book has a snippet of each piece I own so I can take it along on shopping trips and not duplicate.  It doesn't always work!

I keep my Civil War FQ's in a plastic box along with some CW panels and a piece I don't want to cut up because I am saving it for a backing.

Maybe if I organize and clean a little section of my sewing room every day I will reach the point of having a wonderfully user friendly sewing room!  Just maybe!  All I know is that you will not see the before pictures!  LOL

Off to work on some samples for classes!

Colleen

Finally ~ a goal for 2012...

Well, a goal that relates to sewing that is!

Last year I had planned to "mash my stash".  I did use a lot of my stash fabrics but I also realized that if I made a purchase say last week and used it this week I called it using my stash.  LOL!
All I can say is...my game ~ my rules!

Upon giving this deep some thought I decided that this year I would choose three (or so) fabrics from my stash each month, take a photo of them and try to use each of them in a project by month's end.

Again...my game ~ my rules!  

My Rules

1.  I can use some or all of the fabric

2.  They can all be used in the same project or they can be used individually

3.  I can use them in any project any way I want

4.  If I don't use them that month I will put them into a 'special box' and if they haven't been used by the end of the year I should donate or give them away (maybe ~ remember, these are my rules for me!)

5.  I will try really hard do my best to use a wide range of the fabrics in my stash; from ugly fabrics to my most coveted favorites

6.  This does not mean that I cannot buy more fabric for my stash

Now that the rules are in place (and subject to change) here is a photo of the fabrics I have picked for March.

Pink fabric = 1 yard

Green fabric = 3/4 yard

Large floral fabric = 1 yard

Stay tuned to see where any one of these may show up!

On another note, today I did a little Spring decorating.  My 'secret sister' sent me this wonderful runner and I just had to put it out with my bunnies and chicks!

And then, I organized a drawer in the office for my ribbons.

That felt good!

Tonight I have some hand sewing to do and some paperwork to finish for my husband's business...it's Tax Season madness I tell you!

Happy Sewing!
Colleen