ckcowl

I found a wide backing fabric on my shelves that was enough to back 3 quilts! (108” x 154”)
so u cut it as needed, have 2 of the 3 finished and the third one loaded to be quilted. Only have a few 6” wide strips left over. I also used more scraps on project blocks- slowly making more space on my shelves.
we get to see my son and daughter-in-law the end of this month ( yea! It’s been 2 years since we’ve been able to get together) so I will probably pack Ben up another box of fabric to give him in person.
I think I still have 3-4/wide backings on the shelf to use, I’m starting to run out of batting though- will probably have to spend money on that before needing any fabric.
ive gone through a 40 yard bolt of 90” batting and numerous packaged battings in the past couple years of practicing the moratorium.

Iceblossom

Thanks, Jmoore and way to go CKcowl.

This year I'm going to be working in bright! The yellow in the currently named Debbie Bleeds Blue certainly fits that... although I'll be ordering more yardage most of it will be used as foundation for Fan Blocks (because Debbie is a Fan!). I'll be alternating those with dark blue background star blocks, using the yellow as points and probably the fat quarters as centers, FQs also in the fan blades along with some of my own fabric. The large M floral (darn it directional) will be used as full block background to the star and fan blocks. I'll be twisting and turning the fan and star blocks to make a center medallion and frame and if you really, really look hard, you can pretend the arcs from the fan blocks form M shapes. Sure they do, once the idea is planted.

It will work and it will be happy to work on. Good stuffs even if purchase was required

I've got a few little blocks to make for my Tuesday ladies, all stash of course, and I did get my Bonnie Hunter top done (all stash, but lots of gray fabrics begged!). One other project planned for this year so far, another bright one -- all from scrap and using the white solid yardage I bought last year.

While sewing will be going on, the major push this year is on home improvements and reducing 30 years accumulation of stuff. The rest of the house is almost as packed as the sewing room. Not buying fabric shouldn't be very hard, but darn it right now the modern quilt back fabric is so fabulous. It's a good thing I am as cheap as I am or I could get in serious trouble.

Iceblossom

Probably better in the UFO section, but I haven't joined that!

Today at Tuesday group one of the ladies has started helping a friend clear out the friend's mom's sewing stuff. From that I was tossed a bag as "you are most likely to finish this", it is a completely pieced Judy Niemeyer "Feathered Star" top. All it needs is the 1/8th segments put together and (maybe the biggie) the paper taken off.

That's 2 of the 1/8ths to make a quarter in the picture... I plan to press it, peel it, put it together and toss it back at the lady next week to make sure she doesn't want it back!

retiredteacher09

Iceblossom: Great colors! Yuck to home improvements needed. My house is overdue for inside painting and some new flooring. I just keep putting it off because of the cost. Good luck with going through other things in your house. I’m slowly working through my house too. Bless you for finishing the top and checking if the lady wants it back.

happylab: You are making great progress on using your stash fabric.

Unicorn Quilts: Welcome to this thread. We like pictures of projects using your stash.

ckcowl: What a great find of wide backings! Enjoy your visit with your son and daughter-in-law.

Last week at church quilting, I asked one of the gals if she needed backings for the baby quilts she makes for donation. She said she is always looking for more fabrics. Well, today I overwhelmed her with almost 30 yards of mostly children’s fabrics. One or 2 of the fabrics may have been from the church quilter’s years ago that I never used but the rest was from my stash. There were 1.5 yards, 2 yards, and 3 yards of mostly cottons. She gave me a hard time because she said she just cleaned things up in her sewing area and now she has a bagful more. ❤️ She took it all, however. I’m sure glad I could pass some of the children’s prints on to someone that will use them for donation quilts rather than sitting longer in my shelves.

Iceblossom

I generally find there are reasons for UFOs, sometimes it is outside circumstances but quite often there are workmanship or other errors.

In the Feathered Star, the maker did pretty good work! Not excellent but good and a nice hidden repair. I think however, they learned some things about paper piecing and tape that I was able to learn on less costly materials. That and apparently taking off paper was not their favorite part. What I can say about taking off paper is that my house and deck now look like a snowstorm happened.

The instructions/worksheet is there and it is clear by hand pencil she put in an additional subtle color and wanted the center star to alternate dark/light. Unfortunately she made the wrong decision in dealing with mirror images nasty tricksters they can be. I can just see the poor thing with her sections all made and running to lay it out to see the wonderful outcome of her hard work! And then the desperate scrabbling and rearranging and realizing that after all that time, effort, expense, there was a goof and she wasn't going to end up with what she wanted. And there was still a ton of paper to take off! Grumble grumble. And so the project was sent to sit in the corner in time out.

It could have been fixed fairly easily by I think just taking out and repositioning two of the centers. I decided that I or whoever could live with the "mistake" of alternating matched sets. Should have a picture tomorrow if I go back into the sewing room now.

juliasb

Well, I broke my good record. I purchased some fabric that I really didn't need. The first time since before COVID. QIAD had some mask panels on sale at 90% off and I couldn't help myself. I can see holiday mask and handbags out of these panels. I paid as much for shipping as I did for the fabric. DH even questioned why I did this. But the price of $.82-.$.86 a panel was just to much for me. Now to just wait for it to get here and get back on track. A first in over a year, closer to 2 years. I can do this.

Iceblossom

It's a pretty thing and I'm growing attached, but have the Judy Niemeyer top ready to be be tossed back.

Picture one is completed top. It all looked so good and perfect in the sections, but I just couldn't achieve making the corners, connecting the inner border and making the inner section alternate. I think that plus the paper are what made this into a UFO. You could tell paper removal was not the happy point. Most sections looked about like this one.

thepolyparrot

You did a great job of putting that together and the top is just beautiful! You've put a lot of work into this UFO and did much better at getting it sewn and flat than I could have done.

Is that just regular printer paper? Tough to tear off. I'll bet you are right that it's the reason it became a UFO.

Iceblossom

Thank you polyparrot! The coming together flat is all due to the original quilter. She did very good work, but probably did not take the seminar/classes that were offered. I consider paper piecing to be "not my strong skill set" stuff and can see and understand the issues faced very well.

It was an actual Judy Neimeyer kit and was more on the newsprint side, but she had used full pieces of tape which had been sewn through and pressed and sticky spots. Just as I thought I got all the paper off, I realized there was still some left in pressed down seams. Fortunately, her seams were nice and strong and survived the tugging.

If the top is indeed mine, I'll spend more time picking off some of the chads and spots on the back. I'm wondering with some of it, maybe she used White Out (typewriter correcting fluid) for positioning dots and paper stuck to them? Right now I can still give it back with a smile and having had the fun of putting it together, but I am in danger of a failed foster. That's what my dog friend says when one comes to be fostered but ends up adopted instead.

I might have missed something in my rotating stuff back and forth, but I think two of the points needed to be switched. I can't explain it well, but I think with all the mirror imaging going on with the 8ths, when it came time for the center star, that was done in 4ths and wasn't really mirror imaging in the same way the triangles were, but rather the square quarters should have been the same with a 1/4 turn.

thepolyparrot

Tape, too? Yikes!

If I had something come out as nice as this, it would be a "failed foster," too! And you're thinking of re-doing it - that definitively makes it yours, IMHO.