Fabric Fast Update

Last week I was in Paducah and I knew when I signed up for the fast that I would be going.  I did have a provisions in there that it was allowed but it still felt like "cheating".  I really wanted to be strong but.....

It was when we went to Handcocks of Paducah.  Have you been there?  That place was crazy big!

The first night we were there we went late that night around 7:15 and it was not very crowded.  Looking at the pictures again it looks crowded but it really wasn't bad.  This is not even the whole space, they have a clearance room or more like a warehouse that I didn't get to until we went the 2nd time.  They have a lot of fabric. It is all divided up by manufacturer.  Collections are not necessarily together either nor are they grouped by color.  I did manage to find some things.  The two red ones on the top are from the rotary show and are fat quarters.  They are getting cut up and put in my DS#2's quilt.  He hasn't seen them but that monkey one was too cute not to get.

Then everything else is from Handcocks.  I love that Kaffe print and I have used that print all up so I "needed" more.  The grey linen will make a great background (2.5 yards) and I have had that before and loved it.  I love the Botanics line and then a little Color me Happy.  Not sure what the light grey one was put it was pretty!  Half yard cuts on the rest.  Yikes 7 yards of fabric!

So what else did I get - a great deal on batting so I bought 3 queens and then the sample pack on lunch hour from class.  We definitely had a lot more to carry out of class than in, a new ironing board cover (all six of us got that one).  I bought some clearance thread in some pretty colors, 2 new Creative Grid rulers and then my big purchase.....

I bought this!  I ended up getting it on Friday afternoon.  I stood waiting to try to it out but the lady before me was giving it a test drive and she bought one too!  I was able to sew on it.  It sewed amazing well.  Most of that doodling was me.  It sews fast, smooth, even and stops on a dime.  I also got the table with it in the deal which worked out great for me since I was trying to figure out what I might sew on upstairs so I am not stuck in the basement by myself all the time away from everyone.  It included shipping good thing since there was not one once of space in my car on the way home.

My friend had been trying out mid-arm machines as well and then tried FMQ on this one and thought why spend so much so yep she bought one too!  

Needless to say we were done shopping then!  I am super excited to get it - it can't get here fast enough 10-12 days.  

Well if you read through all of that - thanks.  I have more pictures and things to post but that will be for another day!

My wonderful #! Son told me since I bought the machine I really should be on the fast for another 6 months!  I don't think I can argue with that but boy that is a long time.  Let's see how I do till July 1!  Linking up with Making Rebecca Lynne and Molli Sparkles.  

Sunday Stash

It has been slow on the sewing front all month.  But what I did do this weekend is pull fabric for a class that I am taking. Tuesday I leave for a road trip to the Paducah Quilt Show.  There are six of us going and I am super excited.

We are signed up for Jacquie Gering's Stitch and Flip Class on Thursday.  I tried to go outside the comfort zone with the colors and I wanted to make something for my 12 year old niece in purple so hopefully this all works out.  I decided to bring a long the green.  I have a lot of fabric with me since I wasn't sure what I would like and I love options.

My son was giving me some photography lessons with the pictures today too so this one I took all on manual with a little help from the kiddo.  Love that!  He is really quite the budding photographer too.

So I am linking up too Sunday Stash over at Molli Sparkles.  I love to see what others have pulled and of course recent purchases.  I am still on the fabric diet and did put a provision in for Paducah but really I pulled all this beautiful fabric and it hasn't made a dent.  So I am hoping to stay strong but one never knows!  We'll have to see.  I do have a limited budget and I really want to try a couple of new machines so that should make it easier to pass up the fabric.  I am not sure I am going to buy one but I thought great place to try them out!  Can't wait!  Now to finish packing!

We celebrated Easter today with my crazy bunch and had a wonderfully blessed day.  A fun outtake picture to share.

Finish Along Q2 Goals and WIP's

I am going to limit my list this time in hopes I can stay focused and finish them all!

First one up is the new one I started for my youngest.  I have it cut out and am starting this as a leader and ender for now and then once my other quilts are done it will be full force ahead.  The pattern I am using is from a quilt calendar that I received as a gift and it is "Best of Both Worlds" by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr from the Magazine Modern Quilts Illustrated.

I actually did something on the X and + Quilt too!  I pulled out scraps and have sewn a few more up.  I think I have 10 more to make and then put it together.  Progress!  I am going to try and finish this quilt this week!  My ALYOF goal is this one!  I want it done.  It is the oldest active quilt I have right now.

I have not made any progress on my 2013 Moda quilt but really want to finish this one up.  It is so big and I have to lay it all out again and make the set in triangles. Not my most favorite part but it would feel good to get this one done.

I have another charity quilt cut out and ready to go.  I picked up that map panel two years ago.  I am using the left over strips for the other kids quilts I made.  I am not sure how there is still so much left after making up one quilt already.

I am stopping here at four even though I have others started and I want to work on them.  It doesn't seem possible to get anymore than this done this quarter.

So I am linking up A Lovely Year of Finishes and Q2 Finish Along over at The Littlest Thistle.

Recap Q1

Recap of the first quarter what was on the list for goals and what was accomplished.  The list was a big one!

1.  Tula Pink City Sampler-  Finished off another section but still just under half to finish up.

2.  Moda Friendship - made progress but picked it up off the floor and haven't gotten back to that one.

3.  Badger Graduation Quilt went from this

To this - see the full post here.

4.  The Riley Blake Challenge Complete see full post here.

5.  Left Over HST Quilt - post here.

6.  X and Plus Quilt- Progress but didn't finish.  I have 10 blocks to do.  I was really trying to get it done this week but work just got in the way of that.  I have momentum so I want to finish in April/May.

I also finished this one that wasn't on the list.  Plus another small one I haven't taken pictures of yet.  Maybe this weekend.

Didn't quite get everything done that I had hoped but there was a lot on my list and I am thrilled with how much I have sewn so now what will be on the list for Q2.

Linking up to Fresh Sewing Day, Crazy Mom Quilts and NTT, Can I Get a Whoo Whoo!

Busy weekend ahead with lots of fun things planned so hoping I can fit in a little sewing!

Badger Finish

Happy to have this one done prior to when I need it!  This quilt is a graduation gift for our godson in June.  He is planning on going to UW Madison as well.  It just happens I finished this up prior to them winning the game on Saturday night!  First time for the Badger to make it the Final Four so exciting stuff for college basketball fans!  Which we are here in this house!  Well at least for me it makes it more exciting if the Badgers are playing.

This quilt was made all from stash.  I originally saw this quilt while looking through The Blogger's Quilt Festival over on Indigo Threads Blog and thought it would work well with my Badger fabric and scraps.  I started this quilt in November mainly as a leader and ender quilt.  I put it together at a sew day and quilted it up over two separate nights in just a meandering pattern.  It is pretty busy!  I thought the black binding finished it off nicely.  

I pieced the back with most of these prints that I had.  I have a few pieces left yet!

Today was a really beautiful day and when I could get pictures the only place that had shade was the front porch but the colors look good in this photo.

Now that that one is done I pulled fabric for the next one.  Badgers are popular here!  This one is for my youngest.  His room is painted red, black and white so this will look perfect on his bed.  We bought a full size mattress in November and he doesn't have a quilt that fits the bed.  I thought I should stop putting his off.  So I have picked the pattern and pulled the fabric and started cutting it up.  The only thing I needed and not pictured was the black.  I am hoping for a little less busy with this one.

Linking up to:

The Badger quilt is my finish for a Lovely Year of Finishes and was on my Q1 goals for finishing as well and will link up to The Littlest Thistle for the finishing party!  I am linking up over at Molli Sparkles for Sunday Stash and linking for the first time over at My Go-Go Life for SewJo Saturday ( I know it is Sunday night but it is open all weekend!)

Never enough hours in a weekend.  Hope yours was a good one and I am hoping for a very non busy work week with lots of evening sewing!

Fabric Diet

I really don't like to diet but feel better when I do but boy it isn't always easy!  So March I did buy two things but they were solids for two quilts that I am starting.  I even checked to make sure I didn't still have some hidden away that I had forgotten about normally I wouldn't look because you can always use more solids at some point?!

I bought the black for a quilt for my son who I have been putting off for several months. I have a pattern and a plan and needed something not so busy so I think the black will work really well.  I am hoping to put this one together quickly!

Then I bought white to use on kids charity quilt. My last two finishes have been pretty busy so I wanted something with brights and the white.  I have this one partial cut out too.

Buying black solid and a white really not too exciting in my book when there are so many pretty things in my LQS and I see on line.  What I really want is this Color Me Happy!

April is the month that a group of us are going to Paducah for quilt week and I did give myself an exception but feeling a little guilty too.  We'll see if there is anything I must have.  I keep telling myself I haven't even gotten to the Botanics stack or the Simply Color/Style yet so not sure why I need any other new line!  I love those but not sure yet what I am going to make.

I have been working too much and traveling for work so been a little slow on the sewing and blogging part but I should have a finish to link up this weekend!  Yeah!  Both stash quilts so happy with that.

Everyone enjoy your weekend and hope you get time to sew!

Linking up over at Making Rebecca Lynne - have to see how others are doing.
 

March Goal–A Lovely Year of Finishes

I have been trying to stay focused so I can finish a few things before I start anything else.  So I have been working on a June graduation gift.  I had a few blocks done last year but this project really filled in nicely for some easy sewing and it came from the scrap bins.

I used all 2.5 inch strips of Badger fabric which I had, red, black, grey and white with black.  I used up almost off the strips that I had cut for it.  I have basted this one and ready to start quilting it this week.

I am linking this up at Sew Bittersweet Designs for Lovely Month of Finishes. I have done well so far this year with finishing both of my previous goals. 

I have also made this charity quilt with some fabric that was in a kit.  Not sure at this point it should have been kitted together.  The yellow in this one is bright it really didn't seem this loud when I started but now not so sure.   I used the new free pattern by Fat Quarter Shop, Charm Pack Cherry Quilt. I just cut my fabric in 5" squares.

I basted both of them last night while watching some "House of Cards"(loving this 2nd season). That made it go better since basting is really my least favorite part of the process.

Other things I would like to get done this month:

1.  Finish Set in Triangles for the Moda Friendship quilt

2.  Get another section cut for the City Sampler Quilt

3. Make some more X & + Blocks

I know I think that is a little much but we can dream right?  Linking up to WIP Wednesday, Let's Bee Social, NTT.