What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

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 ...

Tomorrow is our Worldwide Quilting Day challenge exhibit, so I can show you my entry now. It took me several weeks to get this done as there is a lot of detail in it. When we got the challenge fabric, I had an idea of what I wanted to do. Now, understand that I am on the committee and had a say in the challenge fabric. I thought the print of hats, presents and balloons would go great with the challenge of “It’s My Birthday!” The first person to get in line made a big stink out of the ...

It’s that time again! On this post, report your fabric in and out for February. Every month we’ll check in on the first Friday of the month. The goal is to have more out than in at the end of the year. Remember that it is fine to buy fabric now and then, and our local quilt shops depend on this. As Murphy’s Law of Quilting tells us, for every project you’ll probably need to buy something. It might be another print, or some blender or background neutrals, or backing. Fabric out can also be given ...

Today begins a new year of reporting on our Stashbusting efforts. On this post, report your fabric in and out for January. Every month we’ll check in on the first Friday of the month. The goal is to have more out than in at the end of the year. 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 ...

On Sunday I showed you the two precut packs of Japanese fabrics I have had for some months. My idea was to use them in some way to embellish this green sweatshirt into a jacket. It is the one where I removed a patchwork and lace applique on both sides that was just too much.

When I opened the squares pack, the fabrics were just gorgeous. But they are primarily a black background, which I thought would go better on a black jacket.

I just happened to have one. I purchased a well fitting, petite sized, fleece jacket and sewed ...

Seems like this week got away from me in a hurry. Cleaning out my closet took a couple of hours on Monday, then I was able to have a day of fun on Tuesday with Virtual Retreat. Thank goodness for that! Wednesday was full of appointments and meetings, as was yesterday. With the snow storm set to arrive overnight tonight, a trip to the store was in order as well. The good part of the two board meetings was both were accompanied by a sushi meal – one lunch and one dinner. Yum!

Colder days mean hot soup for lunch at ...

Every January, I change the cluttered holiday decor over to a cleaner, simpler theme. It almost always puts me in the mood to clean out, clear out, and reduce. Most years, I’ll pick just one or two areas in the house for close inspection and brutal reductions. This year will be more so than ever as we are looking to downsize in the next year or two. This means lots of things need to begin moving out. Although we love the view from our veranda and the wildlife, the acreages of land and this old house are getting to ...

Today we report final totals for December and the year 2024. Beginning tomorrow, we’ll start over for 2025. 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. 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, or to use, and wrap up the projects in progress, not ...

Time again for our Stashbuster reporting. It is the last one of the year, but the final year end report will be in January, so your sewing in December counts for this year. Then we will start over again. As the challenge is to complete things for gifts, or to use, this is a great time to finish those UFOs and wrap up the projects in progress.

I finished the Quilt of Valor, so that is a bunch of yardage out. Fabric out = 8-1/2 yards for fabric top (with a bit of waste in the flying geese), backing and ...

When was the last time you walked into your sewing room and thought, Wow, this is an amazing sewing space? If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably stepped into a pile of fabric or spent a good amount of time hunting for your seam ripper. I get it—our creative spaces tend to look more like tornado zones when we’re knee-deep in current projects. Let’s change that!

Whether you’re working in a guest room, the dining room, or your dedicated sewing studio, I’ve got practical tips and great ideas to transform your space into ...

Believe it or not, it is time again for Stashbusters! How’d you do last month? 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 finish projects, have them in use, ready to give as a gift, or out the door, not to create new UFOs for the closet. Fabric out can also be given away, or donated somewhere.

Remember, it is fine to buy fabric now and then. As Murphy ...