Cozy Quilt Designs "Sewquester" Mystery Quilt Along:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a50dFy9DNHM
https://cozyquilt.com/Newsletters/Cu...SewQuester.htm

Laundry Basket Quiilts/ Quilting Window Mystery Quilt Along
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BieIyWjDu68
https://www.laundrybasketquilts.com/blog/page/2/

My sentiments exactly! I made a purchase today from my LQS and plan to take a quilt to them for quilting services. Whatever helps, within reason, I plan on doing. My purchase today was not willy nilly and will be kitted up and used quickly for a pattern I've been wanting to make awaiting the perfect fabric. Not going crazy but not restraining myself either.

RFF1010: Thanks for the links. I don’t need to start another project but I will follow along and save the blocks. I want to finish my current WIP and then another one before I get too involved with something else, but who knows? Lol!

Rff1010, yes thank you for the links. I am finally done with my Arkansas Crossroads and will get it in the mail tomorrow (after I get the label on) to a girlfriend in California who was diagnosed with breast cancer just before Christmas.
and now that WMU Teach has given me perfect instructions to load a photo...here it is on the longarm.

I've liked this pattern for a long time, jmoore. Well done!

Gorgeous, jmoore! I'm putting this one on my list.

Nice finish jmoore!

Rob

There are pros and cons to using only existing stash....

Pros include that because I haven’t been at this for long I remember the reasoning behind every single impulse purchase made over the past few years which hopefully will translate into lessons learned for the future.

Cons include creating tops that take you back to 1990......and not in a good way. What was I thinking?

This top for me represents the mother of all impulse buys.....and I mean buys in the plural form. First a fat quarter bundle. Then 5.75 more yards because well a FQ bundle isn’t enough and even though I don’t like a lot of fabrics in the bundle if I buy more of the ones I do like it will be OK. Then another 4 yards because ooh I finally found the focus fabric and it will make a nice border and oh they have a few other remnant pieces for a good deal so I might as well get those too as I am already paying for freight to Canada. You think I am done don’t you? Wrong! Hello clearance! $4 a yard? Backing! 5 yards will do it. Oh and maybe one more yard of this one as it is such a deal. But wait....I have so much fabric now I can probably make two tops, I should order enough for another backing, 5 more yards! (Mercifully they ran out and I had to cancel the last five yards).

End result: out of the approximately 15 yds + backing about 8 went into the top, 3 went into my blender stash and 3 went to the thrift shop. If I find anyone who likes it I will be able to use the 5 yds for the backing. I used another 2.5m from stash for the neutral.

Apologies for the long, rambling post but confessing my insane behavior makes me less likely to repeat it!

Now see, this is what happens to us. The rest of us are all standing back and thinking that's rather lovely, Cattitude!

Maybe not so great a job on collecting/stash growing, but lovely work in finishing.

But it is unfortunate how often it is true that all I need is just this little amount more to make something perfect and we get that and a bit more too... It's like cable tv with now 100s of channels and still nothing much to watch.

jmoore and Cattitude: Very nice finishes.

I am still working on my WIP! The top should be finished soon. Keeping my fingers crossed.

I've been on a fabric moratorium for years but still buy things that I absolutely love and know I will use. After moving a couple of years ago I had the opportunity to really look at my stash. I've been quilting for over 40 years so it's a doozy!

What I decided to do is go through all of the fabric I own and make some hard decisions. Some I need to donate because I will never use them. Others I have rediscovered, (who knew fabric from 1995 looks so up-to-date). My goal is to swatch all of my fabric, use different color tags for each fabric location, and store them on rings by color in my studio. The plan is to have easy access without having to dig through bins and shelves. I can't wait to design a quilt using swatches and then transfer them to a "project ring." It's ambitious but will be worth it for the saved time, and I'll finally have that dreaded fabric count so I can either say, "that's not too bad" or "yikes!"
​​​​​

Jmoore.....your quilt is beautiful.....I'm quite positive that this will lift your friends spirits and a great comfort to her, as well. Hoping things improve for her soon and she kicks BC to the curb!!

cattitude....hilarious!!! I had to read that twice...what a journey...but so worth it. Your finish is just beautiful..

This quite a goal...a daunting task if I would attempt it. Good luck. I know I can spend a lot of time trying to pull fabrics and then be dismayed because there wasn't enough for my plan and most go to plan B.

Cool idea Gillyyo.

Rob

Wonderful quilt Cattitude, it looks like a good use of your stash.

Gillyo, I bet you have an extensive stash of fabric...very ambitious goals but I’m sure in the end having it all organized will make it easier to complete projects. I Go through my stash each January to purge and rein in loose scraps that I’ve accumulated in the previous year. Good luck!

gillyo: Wow! I would love to see a picture of your finished project. Even a progress picture.

I finished a WIP that I started last year. It was a BOM that ran for 9 months. There were 2 blocks each month. The name was Songs of Faith and there were hymns listed for each block.

The top finished at 70” by 80” and will be finished by my church group once we can start meeting again.

Cattitude, that was so fun to read and so typical of myself, too. But you ended up with a beautiful quilt!

gillyo, that sounds like an ambitious and worthwhile project. I'd love to hear updates on how it is going.

How appropriate for these times, Connie...well done.

I've had a cleaning crew in the mornings...aka Grands...and we have the family room cleaned...toys put away, sorted, etc. Now to work on my sewing room over spill. Then do some farm book work...that doesn't stop.

retiredteacher, that is beautiful! I looked up and found a listing of the hymns, but not which block represented which hymn.

Clever and interesting layout of the odd number of blocks.

I love the unique layout for your sampler, retiredteach..... Beautiful colorway, too. What a great project.

RetiredTeach- in these troubled times our faith is an anchor. I think I might be tempted to make some extra to fill in the negative space. I *love* the colors. Beautiful finish.

RetiredTeacher, I love the look that the non-traditional layout and negative space give your piece.

Today I finally finished assembling the blocks for this one. I am sure there is a name for the pattern but I don’t know what it is. When I took up the hobby a few years ago I signed up for a program where you received .5m of four different solids every month for a year. Each month was a different colour family. It seemed like a good idea but other than the neutrals I found that the colours I received never seemed to be what I was looking for. I managed to use some in quilts, others to line tote bags and pouches and also to practice FMQ. Decided to make this scrappy to use what I had left. I would guess about 8m from stash (including the solid black) plus two of those ‘New Colours’ charm packs that I picked up on clearance.

I don’t know where this one is going when I finish it but I like it, all of the bright colours make me happy!

I really like it. You used the fabric wisely.

Shop At Home
 

Count me in! I have a lot of fabric, but did need to buy black for a recent BOM with my guild, and some solids to make Matrushka doll aprons for my granddaughters. But this year it is definitely “shop at home” or my mom’s.

Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a50dFy9DNHM
I won't be doing it because I have too many projects using regular stash fabric, not digging into scraps at this time, too busy making more. LOL

I guess I am really behind on reading up on the threads. I apologize for the lateness of my post. I have been busy trying to get some sewing done, and not hanging on the computer too much.

Welcome back to the thread, I clicked on the link and it is the video for the Sewquester. Here's the link to the steps:
https://cozyquilt.com/Newsletters/Cu...SewQuester.htm

But good for you, Grann, that you are sewing. I've been distracted by the lock down situation in Seattle.

I finally got some pieced borders made and am just not happy. Making the decision now whether to go as is or correct to make me happy. I know already I'm going to make me happy and it means I'm going to have to rip and trim and stuff and I debated which way to go for a long time just to know ultimately I made the wrong choice :p so I'm procrastinating a bit by being on the boards instead.

Iceblossom: when I can't decide what to do, I put the project aside and take a break. A walk sounds good.

I had it laid out on the bed most of the day and went to look at it and muttered to myself. Sort of like Hattie MacDaniel in Gone with the Win (Mammy) it ain't fittin' it just ain't fittin'.

Ultimately I have decided that although I would like the proportions better with a narrower center strip in my border, the reasons I went with the larger block sized border is it makes it a more useful quilt size. I'm going to go ahead with it as is and be glad that it isn't for anyone in particular.

There is always next time for a chance at some sort of perfection.

Thanks for the compliments on my quilt top, Songs of Faith. I used the basic layout design in the pattern but I shortened it by one row because my church group wants them about 80” long. I also switched a few blocks around but the negative space was in the pattern. I used the colors suggested in the pattern but with my own stash. So if the pattern said blue, I went with a blue of my choice, etc.

joe’smom: The longer strip of flying geese was Onward Christian Soldiers. I didn’t save the hymns when I finished with them. I think she has the patterns for sale on her website for the blocks so you could see which hymns went with which block. Also, her Facebook group is Quilters of Faith.

Cattitude: Very pretty top.

christinelf: Cute aprons.

Cattitude.....your quilt is outstanding...

christineif....such adorable doll aprons. Welcome and good luck with your goals..

Finally some action from me! Got the last border on the Cherry Goose Project. This was a "quick little project, one-two weeks max" I thought several months ago.

Some of the story was in last year's Moratorium, some in this thread
https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f...n-t307587.html

So I ran out of the red polka dot fabric, had a little left but was completely out of the fabric used in the rest of the Goose unit. The trim around those corners is a different one, the binding is already made from that red/white dot. The outer borders as designed have some goose units in them and are that width, I've gone with the wider full block width.

There is one of my hidden messages in here, the way the geese point and turn makes infinity symbols, or basically a hug from me. The top is for donation and I don't know who will receive it but I felt making it queen blanket sized was the better option than being a short twin.

My recent finished Showering Stars quilt was all stash fabric- including many scraps. The pattern called for 1 jelly roll ( I used scraps and cut my own strips when I had enough- came to about 3 yards worth of scraps) plus 4 3/4 yards of background, 3/4 yard binding and 3 yards of 108” backing.) So 8 1/2 yards for the top plus the wide back all from my stash. Then, I decided I really enjoyed making that one ( I never make the same quilt twice) I went ahead and cut out another one- this one with a dark blue for the background instead of purple. So I’m clearing out another 3 yards of scraps and while digging through shelves I came across 5 yards of the blue- perfect. I will have to figure out binding later and choose backing but since I’m staying secluded and working from my shelves I will choose something when the time comes. Today it’s all cutout- tomorrow I will start sewing it together.
I am enjoying being creative/ productive again. And, I’m starting to see some dents in the stash.
after this one I probably should really start working on a string quilt- I have an awful lot of strings to put to use.
here is the Showering Stars quilt with purple- maybe next week I will have a blue one to show you. 🤗

I am tired of quilting. I am not sure I have another quilt in me. I have given away a lot of fabrics, but I still have so much. I guess I need a break. So, anyway, I won't have a issue buying anymore fabric. lol

ckcowl….I really like your showering stars quilt. I have been saving my batik scraps to make one of these for a while. Will decide on background colour when I see what goes best with those scraps. I hope mine turns out half as nice as yours!

Love your quilt, ckcowl....rainbow colors...nummy!

Wow, purple! I assumed it was black. None the less, It is lovely. Seeing it with blue background will be a treat. Good for you on seeing change in your stash. Hooray for stash busting!

Cool quilt Iceblossom- it took me a second to get the hidden message, but then I traced the direction of the geese with my finger on the screen and there it was!

ckcowle- love the purple and looking forward to seeing this in the blue.

T-Anne- that’s one way to stick to the moratorium! Maybe after taking a break you’ll decide to quilt again, or maybe not.

Has anyone checked out the Cozyquilts free strip tube quilt along? I’m thinking it sounds like a great stash buster, but not sure I’m wanting to (or have any business) starting a new project right now since I’ve still got 22 UFOs and a WIP to work on. But then again, you can do it with fat quarters and I have tons of those in my stash LOL...I also have a strip tube ruler that I bought years ago and only used once...

Rob

I like this..and kudos for using your scraps...it's charming.
Cattitude--you have given me an idea using batk scraps, thanks.