What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

January went mostly as planned.

My OMG was to finish the challenge quilt, Winter Tree.  I posted details about it here and here.

That project was also on my PhD list.

I’ve now moved on to another project on that list, although I don’t expect to finish it in February.

I’m linking to Stories from the Sewing Room, where you can see what everyone else is creating.

No fabric in this week.

I finished Winter Tree, my art quilt group’s January challenge.

I talked about the idea and the construction in the last two posts.  From there, I added beads to suggest snowflakes and used a dark binding as a frame.  I also added a fence made from railroad yarn that I painted white and then gray.  The original yarn was too bright and didn’t fit the color scheme.  The yarn is so delicate I hand stitched it down.  The quilt is about 11″ x 13”.

This quilt was my January OMG and the first ...

In my last post, I shared the AI generated Art Prompt that was the basis for my challenge quilt.  I used some suggestions and ignored others, and put my own spin on what I used.

I kept the suggested color palette, but didn’t use solid fabric.  No surprise there- I never use solids.  Instead of a pine tree, I took a picture of a tree in the backyard and used the photo as a reference.

The suggestion of texture surprised me.  I wouldn’t have thought to go there.  I limited the texture to the ground.  I tried using ...

No change in the numbers.

Work continues on the Challenge Quilt, which I ended up naming Winter Tree.

This is a challenge for my Art Quilt Group.  Throughout last year, members took turns presenting short programs on different techniques.  We covered a variety of topics, including trading cards, junk journals, using AI for idea generation, dimensional fabric sculpture, creating portrait quilts from photos, free motion applique, and others.  The challenge for January is to make a small quilt using one of the program techniques.

I chose AI for idea generation.  I started with a prompt that generated a picture, but ...

After reading my January OMG post, a reader suggested I join the PhD Challenge at Mrs. P’s Designs.  My focus for 2026 basically mirrors the challenge.  After reading the details here, I have to agree.

I’m not one to pick a list of projects for the entire year and stick to it.  I have eclectic interests.  Some creative methods appeal more than others, depending on my mood and how much life is happening.  That said, everything after #7 is questionable.  If I get six things on the list done this year, it’s a good year.

1. Fairy Tales ...

Welcome to the first Stash Report of 2026!

Everyone gets to start over with nice shiny zero balances.  Did you hit your usage goal last year?  Do you have stash goals for this year?

My goal for 2026 is to use more than I buy.  I expect to add fabric this year as I am out of light yardage in multiple colors.  Scraps will get me by on smaller projects but less so on larger ones.  We’ll see how the year plays out.

I’m still working on the challenge project.  There was a lot of trial and error ...

Happy New Year!  Wishing you health and happiness in the new year.

I’m not one to recap the prior year, but I did finish more projects than I expected.  Now I’m ready to look forward. 

For my own benefit, I’m taking stock of what is in process and what has been neglected.  If you don’t know where you’ve been, how do you know where you’re going?  That, and a year from now I won’t remember where I started.

In have two stitch pieces in progress, Fairy Tales Live on Roofs (RTO kit)

and ...

Time for the last Stashbusters check in, the final count of how much came in and went out for December and the 2025 year.

I did OK for the year, finishing with more out than in. December ended with more in than out. I bought with half a yard of this fabric, so I could get this motif along with the one I used in a project.

The mystery box had just over 1 yard of fabric. The little piece is 10-inches square, hardly enough to count.

A friend gifted me with these two cute prints, total in 2-1/2 ...

We’re fast approaching the end of 2025, and it’s time to think about 2026.

The past two years I’ve focused on completing a few projects in several categories.  This worked well for me, but the one category that hasn’t seen any finishes is UFOs.  No way am I making that my focus for 2026.  That, for me, would be an inspiration killer.

Instead, I decided to focus on kits, and I use that term loosely.  A pattern with all or some of the supplies fits my definition of a kit.

These are your standard kits.

This ...

With the holidays upon us, it should be a great time for fabric out. Did you finish some projects last month? Perhaps gave some fabric away? Anything that left your sewing room for good counts.

For Fabric Out, I finished the Garden Panel Quilt and delivered it to the committee at the November meeting. Total fabric out for top, backing and binding = 6-1/2 yards

Knowing that I needed a bit more out, I pulled some fabrics from the stash, including a couple of pieces I just brought home in October. the bright floral print is one yard, the blue ...

It’s check in time! Can you believe that another month has gone by? Only two more check-ins left before the end of the year for our Stashbuster challenge! Once again, there is no judgement when the sale table calls, an adorable print shows up in the quilt shop, a vendor’s offerings at the quilt show are uniquely appealing, or retail therapy is needed. There is only one rule, report as ‘out’ only what is completely finished, quilted and bound. For small items like purses or totes, they have to be finished and ready for use or gifting. The ...

As we come into fall, it seems like it will be easier to have projects finished and fabric out. Do you have more time to sew in the fall? It seems like I do, or maybe it is only because it is my favorite season and I am more inspired. With Fall Fortnight coming, I’ll have a great fabric out total next month, but this month was not so great.

For new readers, Stashbusters is easy and you can join in anytime. Just report what you have brought in and sent out over the past month, keeping a year ...

It is September, and time to check in for our monthly Stashbusters report! To play, just keep track of what comes in and what goes out each month. There is only one rule, report as ‘out’ only what is completely finished, quilted and bound. For small items like purses or totes up to full size quilts, they have to be finished and ready for use. The challenge is to complete things for gifts, to donate, or to use, and wrap up the projects in progress, not to create more UFOs. Yes, you can give away fabric and UFOs! Anything that ...

Another month has gone by, time to check in with our efforts to use up the fabric in our stashes. To play, just keep track of what comes in and what goes out each month. There is no judgement when the sale table calls, an adorable print shows up in the quilt shop, a vendor’s offerings at the quilt show are uniquely appealing, or retail therapy is needed. We all have to buy fabric now and then, and keep our quilt shops in business. There is only one rule, report as ‘out’ only what is completely finished, quilted and ...

Time for our monthly check in for Stashbusters. For newer readers, just report what you have brought in and sent out over the past month, keeping a year to date total. No, you don’t have to inventory your stash, just keep track of what comes in and what goes out each month. Join anytime. There is no judgement when the sale table calls, an adorable print shows up in the quilt shop, a vendor’s offerings at the quilt show are uniquely appealing, or retail therapy is needed. There is only one rule, report as ‘out’ only what is ...

Are you keeping up with your Stashbusting efforts? I must admit, having some free days to sew has produced a lot of little things for the upcoming sales, but not a lot of fabric out.

This past month I have 1/2-yard in from the last guild meeting. I was lucky to be standing in the right place when another member was unloading her entire collection of serger thread. I nabbed four white and four ecru, the colors I use the most. The fabric was also on the freebie table and I couldn’t resist the cute print. Fabric in ...

After four+ solid months of this I've decided to give it a rest.  The USA is not my country, and I cannot do anything to effect any kind of change ...

Can you believe that another month has gone by? Time to check in for our Stashbuster challenge. Once again, there is no judgement when the sale table calls, an adorable print shows up in the quilt shop, a vendor’s offerings at the quilt show is uniquely appealing, or retail therapy is needed. There is only one rule, report as ‘out’ only what is completely finished, quilted and bound. For small items like purses or totes, they have to be finished and ready for use or gifting. The challenge is to complete things for gifts, to donate, or to use ...

It has been an up and down week. The beginning of the week we still had wildfires out of control, with the air full of smoke for a couple of days. Rain brought some relief, thank goodness. The clear blue sky with a few clouds was a welcome sight after a night of rain. At this point, the fires are under control, 79-100% contained, the evacuation zones have been canceled, and the burn ban is lifted.

The redbud is blooming in full now. Usually I spend some time out on the veranda with my good camera to once again try ...

It’s time to report our monthly progress on our fabric in and out. The idea is awareness, and no judgement when the sale table calls, an adorable print shows up in the quilt shop, or retail therapy is needed. For new readers this is easy to do, just report what you have brought in and sent out over the past month, keeping a year to date total. No, you don’t have to inventory your stash, just keep track of what comes in and what goes out each month. There is only one rule, report as ‘out’ only what ...