Farewell Grace

Farewell my dear friend Grace

'We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned
so as to have the life that is waiting for us'

...you are already sorely missed...

It's still a New Year

We're still in January, and already some fellow stash busters (who shall remain nameless) have faltered. I know it seems hard, but what better way to focus on creativity, and design, and resourcefulness than using what we already have? I'm commited to staying on track with this! In fact I've already started designing another stash busting quilt

It may be economy, shelf space or guilt, but whatever the motivation for stash busting, remember - hoarding fabric does not help quilts (even future quilts!) get made - I can vouch for this.

Just this week I caught my daughters wondering out loud about what they would do with all my fabric if I suddenly wasn't around...which motivated me to stop looking through my latest quilt catalogue ( I was just looking)

Now really, it's not that hard...and every month on the 15th its going to be just that little bit easier - with a new Red Delicious block and a new reason to use up whats already sitting on the shelf waiting to be used....

Welcome 2009

New Year's Resolution

My NYR is to use all (ok, most of) my quilting fabric stash. I already had a lot of fabric before I even started quilting....and it's just kept growing. I have yards and yards of fabric I ordered online that looked perfect in the catalogue or on screen -but was out just a tone or two when it arrived, so it couldnt be used to plan....and then I have stashes from when I find stunning prints that I know I will need 'one day' ...and then I have fat quarters from shows and shops and markets that compliment already existing stashes...and of course I've been given a fair share of prints too.

But just recently, I went looking for some suitably inspiring fabric and I opened a stash box (I have them arranged in colours, prints, themes, etc) and the box was so jam packed (and looked so pretty) that I had second thoughts about rummaging through it. I had arranged it so well that it could have stayed like that undisturbed until one day I went out and bought exactly the same print and shade...forgetting I already had it.

Now this surely isnt impossible, because as I kept looking through my boxes I found fabric I didnt recognise, had forgotten was there and never even knew I had (a fat quarter wheel of chrismas prints comes to mind - perfect for a new December tablecloth that I need, and that I wasn't even thinking of, for instance)...

So, when is enough fabric, finally enough? On the one hand, nothing in my stash is inspiring me right now, its good for 'other ideas' but none that I'm currently entertaining. I have lots of plans for quilts I want to make and I don't want to be constrained my existing stash. Also, when you have an idea and you need a certain tone...its hard to match your colour theme from an existing batch, you usually have to go out and buy some more. Or, you buy a backing fabric and then by sheer coincidence you find a great 'zinger' for a quilt you're working on...and it has several prints in the range that you need to compliment the look. Then of course, there's always lovely new fabric coming out which is fresh and exciting and I have to stop myself buying it all up and just storing it for when I 'get around to it'....

On the other hand, my shelves are groaning. They are so tightly stuffed that it can take me 30 minutes to expertly remove a 'layer' without disturbing the fabric surrounding it. I have run out of boxes (which are a nuisance to wheel out and un-stack and then re-stack) everytime I want to start something. And then of course, I'm bored of looking at the same fabric all the time, knowing that something should be done with it, rather than have it just sitting there. I could easily buy fabric almost constantly, infact, everytime I go out I could probably pick up a few more fat quarters or metres of something really special....but when am I going to get around to sorting out all this fabric? There is always going to be something new and interesting coming out, but I've decided to devote more time to my numerous pending ideas....and commit myself to creating new projects, patterns and ideas that use up existing fabric only.

This year, I'm going to be stash busting.

Baking!

A few years ago (after exhausting all the flavours and types at the local patisseries, cake shops and bakeries), we wanted to enjoy some new cakes, so my daughter's took up the challenge of beginning to bake all our cakes - for every occassion.

I think this was the best cake decision we've made, it's really enjoyable to watch my girls bake and realise again and again just how much work goes into a good cake. This was a first attempt at croquenbouche, and it tasted delicious. The only thing missing was the spun sugar nest - which just didnt come together (she lost patience with the candy thermometre and decided to glue the stack together with chocolate instead!).

It's so nice to finally be able to delegate some cooking!

Block placements, take 2

I know, I know, you're all eager to see the block placements. I'm STILL having trouble with my EQ6 so I've handed it over to someone who doesn't mind the software...and hopefully it will be up either before or with the next block....thank your for your patience and emails...it's coming....soon

Seasonal Sewing

What's Christmas without some last minute sewing?


We grew tired of our usual festive tablecloth, so I decided to quickly make one at the last minute. Actually, it wasn't a real UFO, it was just a hemming project. I had this wonderful apple print fabric that I bought a few years ago to be a quilt backing...but I really didn't want to see it languish at the back of a quilt, its so pretty and festive, it was definitely calling for some attention. I love the apples, and of course the red. I zipped up the red edging in just a few minutes. I love stumbling across great print fabric that just 'tells you' what it wants to be!


And then I found another packed away stash of fabric and I decided that it too was destined to be a tablecloth. We have a birthday just following Christmas in our family, so I like to have a change for the table.


This one took a little longer as I had to join it all up (it was cut in large squares and rectangles). I added some trim, and that's that! Who said Christmas was too busy a time for some home sewing?

Christmas 2008

Merry Christmas Everyone