January sewing plan

Alright ... So my room was clean, my needle and bobbin area replaced and cleaned out ... I spent the last 2 weeks working on my January stash class ...

How cute is this?  I really had a lot of fun making this quilt.  It went together pretty fast.  It was a challenge matching all those intersections, but one I enjoyed for sure!  The strips are cut 1 1/2" wide in this block, so precision in your piecing is really key with smaller pieces.

Last year I made a Christmas in January quilt, so I decided to echo that idea and do it again .  I bought a few Christmas pieces in November and they worked well with other fabrics I had.

I love this gray fabric with the snowmen on it ... You lose some of it because the pieces are narrow, but I think it still worked.

The fabric in this top block is a new one, but the fabric in the bottom block is an old Whimsicals fabric ... It was a challenge to use because it was directional and had a fairly big print, but I like the way it came out.

My stash is now at the point that I am struggling at times to find enough of something when I need larger pieces.  When I got to the sashing I couldn't find anything that worked ... I was thinking black, then red, then gray ... Nothing looked right.  I got frustrated ... But I figured I could raid my friend's stash!  She went right to it and pulled out  this brown and said what do you think!?  I loved it!  You know how when you look at something too long it stumps you ... Sometimes all you need is a fresh eye!!  I spied a very small piece of red with bright green dots on it and knew that was my cornerstones.  I just loved how it brightened the sashing and made everything come together!!  My first finish of 2016 ... Yay!!

Now to make a back and make some binding for when it's ready for the quilter to quilt it -- haha -- me!!!!  I really didn't want to add it to the stack of what needs to be quilted, but I had to get it into the store to hang for my sample ... Only 2 weeks til class, so the quilting will have to wait!

Now that my project is done, it's time to make some plans for 2016 ... I have a big pile of scraps that need to be cut and sorted so I can get that off my desk/floor.

I'll be back later to walk you through how I do that.  In the meantime, go through your fabric and find those scraps ... Anything smaller than a fat quarter or 1/4 yard gets cut up and goes into scrap bins.  Get that pile together and press everything so it's ready to cut.  I know this is not a fun project ... But you're going to feel so much better when it's done!!

Stash Report - Weeks 2 and 3

Somehow last week slipped by without my stash report ... So here you go for the last 2 weeks:

Used this Week: 3 yards

Used year to Date: 3 yards

Added this Week:  0 yards

Added Year to Date: 0 yards

Net Used for 2016:  3 yards 

Getting started ... Motivation!

Do you find it hard to get back into your sewing routine in January?  As much as I live quilting, I have a hard time switching gears in January and getting going.

When you teach classes and need to have your sample done, motivation gets a big nudge!!  I have some ideas to help you get going ... First thing I do is clear my work space.  I was smart enough and neatened my sewing room after I was finished with my last longarm project in December.  It felt so great to go into my room and see it nice and neat.  That is a welcoming sight for sure ... I have a bin next to my work table that holds scrap fabric.  Put all your tools where they need to be.  Make sure there is a sharp blade in your rotary.  If your area is cluttered and you can't find what you're looking for, you are not going to be motivated to sew.  Make your area happy ... You love to quilt, let your space reflect your personality!

If you're like me you can't remember when you cleaned out your bobbin race. So take your bobbin out of your machine, take the whole assembly out and using a small brush, dust it all out.  Take off your presser plate and get all that dust out too.  I am very familiar with my machine, so this isn't a problem for me.  If you are not familiar with your machine, check your manual.  Put a drop of oil in the bobbin area, put everything back together.  Change your needle ... And you're ready to sew!  I always put a piece of scrap fabric in after I've oiled my bobbin area ... Just to make sure any residual oil gets on the scrap fabric, and not my good fabric.

Your area's clean, your sewing machine is ready!  I'll be back later with a few more ideas to help you get started!  Here's a peek at my stash project for January ...

Stash Report 2016 - Week 1

I stopped reporting on my stash in June ... I vowed to myself I would get back to it because I love the accountability ... I did some figuring, so here are my final numbers for the year:

Used this Week: 0 yards

Used year to Date: 99 yards

Added this Week:  0 yards

Added Year to Date: 38 yards

Net Used for 2015: 61 yards

I am so proud of myself!  Those are some awesome numbers for the year ... The most productive I've ever been.

So here it for the first week of the new year ...

Used this Week: 0 yards

Used year to Date: 0 yards

Added this Week:  0 yards

Added Year to Date: 0 yards

Net Used for 2016:  0 yards 

This number will definitely change next week as I am working on my January stash project for the end of the month class ... It is so cute!  Stay tuned!

Here's the two most important girls in my life ... My sweet daughter and my adorable granddaughter!

Happy 2016 ... It's gonna be a great year ... I can feel it!!!