So I didn't fall off the wagon after all. I got an email from Joanns saying my order was cancelled. I called them yesterday & they were way behind in filling "pick up in store" orders, getting 400+ just yesterday. So I think an earlier order than mine captured the jelly rolls I thought I was buying. So... still no fabric.

Rob: I’m in the same place as you are with being overwhelmed with choices for patterns and, for me, fabric choices too. I know my younger son (37) wished he knew how to sew so he could design some masks. I told him I had a machine and fabric he could use because learning to use the machine would be easy for him. Making the pattern probably wouldn’t be easy. He hasn’t asked me for my machine yet, however. :)

Krisb: Good video. I wished there was a translation button.

Conchalea: That’s a lot of orders. I’m sorry you didn’t get the fabric you wanted.

No pictures today, just the comment that the extra row is using up any extra fabric I had nicely and really was my best option for getting this to a finished size. After some thought and consideration of the fabric I had left, I did cut a consistent piece of Minion background for the centers of the Candy Kiss Unit, each row across the quilt will have 1 each of the 5 different centers.

I had about 8" WoF of the Minion fabric left and needed (6) 4" square repeats and a couple of triangles -- I had gotten most of the triangles left from the "Swiss Cheese" left from the previous fussy cuts. Unfortunately, the fabric was designed with only 5 repeats per strip (and only 3 good Minion motifs at that, which is why I previously got out the Submarine piece)! I had a scrap left that gave me "close enough to the same" for the 6th square and chopped the remaining piece to bits.

I have a piece roughly 6.5 x 10.5" left from the grey fabric for my strip box, that yardage was small to begin with and I knew I didn't have many options left with it, otherwise used entirely up. I'll have less than half an 8.5" wof of the yellow and a 2-3" trim for my crumb quilter. About to go cut the black triangles, figure as I try to avoid the yellow flowers I'll just have some yellow crumb trimmings left from that... Anyway, basically zero fabric left over, all from stash and that's really the point.

I have the fabrics washed for the Horse with No Name/Simplish project. I've been looking at selvedges more lately because I've started trimming them off to send to people. It was interesting to me, the desert background fabric has huge (like 1" wide) thick woven selvedges (just the sort you do especially want to cut off), but the printing goes edge to edge with no maker information. The horse fabrics have the usual variations from the inch-wide white with advertising to my personal favorites -- the ones that feel nice and are printed to the edges.

I've typically kept my selvedges on and sometimes will write a note with a sharpie like the date or price or something pertinent like rough size (you cut off from the end you put the size on...). Now I'm cutting off the one long printed info edge to send away and still keeping the other side intact as I slice my rows off.

Well all, I hit the jackpot today. I was put in contact with a fashion design student from my university department. (Yes, many of them look like Elle Woods from Legally Blond.) I e-mailed the student, she called me back and this afternoon I gave her a 55 gallon tote about 3/4 full of fabric for masks. She has used up most of her stash. (Poor dear!) She and two other fashion design students have made 200 plus masks and who knows how many more they can make with my donation. They got batiks, civil war prints, scraps from wide backs, fat quarters, odd pieces from layer cakes and a few cuts of yardage that I just know I would not use. The masks they have made to date were given to local hospitals, nursing homes and veterinary clinics.

I have been blessed with so much fabric and boy, oh, boy does it feel good to be able to pass on my abundance to some enthusiastic students who are using their skills to help the community we live in.

That's a cool story, WMUteach. I love to hear stuff like this. This experience will stay with them for the rest of their lives. And, so super neat that you are contributing to their commitment. Win win...

that is just delightful to hear

Great story WMUteach!

Great story WMU! I actually checked my Craig's List wanted section yesterday to see if any one was looking for face mask fabrics. No one looking there, but I know many of my fellow quilters are out there sewing away supporting hospitals, meal and other delivery workers, food banks, vets and various others organizations that have put out calls for help. Earlier this year before the outbreak I sent Osewme a box of scraps suitable for children's mask for her on-going project.

When I went through my first purge of my fabric, textile students got most of the non-quilting stuff all the wools and rayons and pieces of non-cotton yardage, a cosplayer got a bunch of the fancy/costuming stuff (silks and satins and shiny stuff) and was also super excited for the collection of cheater cloth type fabrics I had, it was her entrance into quilting to put that together.

WMUTeach, that's wonderful! (Trying to imagine what a 55 gallon tote looks like, lol.)

I donated two large bags of bags of fabric yesterday to a friend of my daughter's who ran out of fabric and is turning out quick masks. She will make good use of it. My problem was she requested solids and small prints, which I don't have a lot of. I told my daughter to let me know when she wants something more exciting. Porch pick up - my oldest daughters have me on lockdown.
I don't like patterns with pleats open to the top to catch and store droplets. My first one was like that - a nurse sent me the pattern.
The pattern I'm using the most was developed by local (almost) nurses with a quilt shop in Interlochen, MI. Interquilten. It's not as speedy as some, but it has the opening away from the center and is a decent size. With the wire, it fits well. I've gone to a casing for the ties on the sides instead of the binding. When I had mine, it felt like it pulled up more for a even better fit. I gave mine away, so I'm back on my own list. I need to do another drop off today.
https://media.rainpos.com/2483/mask_...nd_ties_iq.pdf

Kudos to the fabric give aways...what's great about this is the fabric will be used and not end up in some one else's stash...win win.

I replied to an ad on Craig's List today from a vet tech looking to buy a cheap sewing machine to make masks for her location and other pet response people. I let her know that I was willing to loan her one of my machines (the 301) and even give her fabric to use. Haven't heard back yet, but also let her know she could buy one of those cheap low end Brothers from Walmart for what she was willing to spend (and I was still willing to give fabric).

I have the Minions top laid out and the computer grabbed me while I was grabbing a piece of paper to make the block labels.

Looks like I'm going to have to modify my Simplish/Horse with No Name project -- I really could have used 2 yards of the desert fabric and only have about a badly cut yard and a half, and that wide selvedge means it is just under 42" usable width, currently I think I'm designed at about 46" across and without more yardage that isn't going to happen. But better to know it sooner rather than later! I ran out of fabric in the Here Kitty Kitty version. Still going ahead, have cut the first 8 horse blocks and have cut the desert fabric.

Here's the Kitty version, I posted it last year along with a lot of thanks for the poster who hooked me on this concept! In many ways I deal with "collections of fabrics" instead of "scrap fabrics". Before I joined the Moratorium here, I had already banned myself from quilt shops and have missed a lot of the current trends, but I really like this simple putting together of mixed fabrics together. I had given away a collection of Angel fabrics from my swapping days because I just couldn't figure out any way to put those together (I had used individual squares here and there), then I saw this and realized that simple black sashing was the answer all along! It would have looked like stained glass, but they have passed out of my hands and into the care of another quilter.

And here's a link to the Simplish pattern -- of course, I always change things... so my blocks and dimensions aren't quite the same.
https://www.shabbyfabrics.com/Assets...orDownload.pdf

Great job of reducing stash by sharing,

Thanks for the pattern, Iceblossom, Pretty quilt too.

The past few days, I haven’t been very productive at my sewing machine but I have been cleaning/sorting in the area. Tomorrow I really need to try sewing a couple of different styles of masks for my younger son to try on.

Stay safe.

Connie...I'm using the Fat Quarter shop mask pattern and they work great for kids. Pattern has 4 or 5 sizes based on age. I started with having to make ties but have since received my order of elastic from a month ago and now use that. Quick pattern once I switched from ties to elastic. I got the pattern via email but I think it's on their blog. If not, I can make scan and email to you..

I will check that out and let you know if I can’t find it, Teen. Thanks. My son works in an essential job and has been trying to figure out some mask solutions.

It looks as if I have also joined the wagon of using up stash to make face masks. However, the limited supply of gum (for ears) turned out to be the problem. It looks as if the craft shops in Poland are sold out of this particular commodity. I have placed an order that will be delivered hopefully on Tuesday. In the meantime, I will be sewing masks with straps to tie behind the ears. Or maybe there is a more creative solution to the problem that you know of?

I laid out the Minion top so that each across row has 1 each of the 5 motifs, and each down row has one repeat block. I was also looking at those big recognizable bird figures in the black floral, didn't want them touching beak.

It took me basically every inch of the fabric I had -- 2 yards each "large" florals, 1 yard each, grey, black, and Minons to get this 70x84" top. If I had one yard extra of each of them I could have done other things like add one more row across and bottom, or a border around all four sides.

I have one more variation on this in me I think -- but probably not for a year or so. Last year I did the Scrap Metal project using QST of all metallic embellished fabrics. I can see this concept done in those same scrap metals. That center "goose unit" would be scaled down smaller (Cherry Goose was 4", Minions was 5", Oasis as designed was 6") to 3" for the goose/6 inch for the blocks. Done I think as alternating squares of QST and Goose Units. That means I'm likely to have a K9 designation so time for one of my jokes and I will make sure I have a dog (canine) fabric for that block position.

I did cut the Horse with No Name project yesterday. It will definitely be a lap/crib size instead of the twin I had hoped for. Just don't have the fabric.

Soft T shirt or tights cut 1 1/2" wide and pulled to roll it. Works like a charm. My first shirt was too heavy and wouldn't roll, but the next two have a little spandex and they are rolling nicely.

Iceblossom: Very pretty.

Irishrose2: I have a t shirt that I’m thinking of using for ties too as the mask I made is too loose for me. Good to know width to cut it. Maybe tomorrow’s project.

Thanks for the t-shirt hint. I will try it out. In the meantime, I got a hint to use hair elastic/gums/whatever they are called in English. I have trouble attaching an image from mobile, but I assure you they turned out ok.

So another top done... Simplish/Horse with No Name. Had the CD full of America's Greatest Hits, plus 60s and 70s gold to dance and sing along with. The piece of desert background was so badly cut, I should have theoretically been able to get two more strips out of it which would have helped me a lot and if I had two full yards it would be quite different.

Originally designed with 24 blocks (8 across, 3 sets down), this is 12 blocks, 6 across, 2 down, plus the top and bottom "border" blocks. The border fabric and the border blocks are the same fabric as the backing, which was one of my $1/yard Walmart buys from last year. I originally cut 8 of the red/white horse fabric before I found I was so short on the background and decided to use 6. The other 6 are dark backgrounds. Even with such a simple design and so few blocks I played with them and amused myself for quite awhile before arriving at this layout, with the dark fabrics along the outer edge.

Always a decision on how to work with directional fabrics... I decided that even though I was working with very directional fabric I didn't want it to end up as directional, so would construct all my blocks the same way so that half would be upside down. The border blocks I decided to face the same way with the outer border the same orientation. The sides I could have more easily cut along the long edge but then I was faced with the directional issues again, so decided to cut across the width. I actually put the first side on upside down... wanted the feet on the inside and the heads out, but it's amazing how when faced with a long seam to take out that I can change my mind on such things!

I have another little project that isn't quite kitted out but all the fabrics are collected. Thinking that's next...

Very interesting quilt, Iceblossom. I like your half and half solution for directional fabrics!

Iceblossom: Wow! Another quilt top done. Way to go!

I have started the "next" project, have pictures in the Virtual Sewing Weekend thread.
https://www.quiltingboard.com/8376798-post26.html

Related to that I was having fun with my stash, went into my solid box looking for a light purple (not light enough), a "butter" solid (couldn't find), the green that was my "parakeet" from the Bonnie Hunter project (not right), and I stumbled into a great option which turns out to be blue and shiny! It's in the wash now so it's coffee break/board time for a bit.

I tried a couple of other things like different off whites as well and generally just had an hour or so fun with fabric and it is slightly more straightened out than it was before. I had a lot of things I had pulled for my Tuesday group, some of us were going to do the Canadian Row by Row and I was trying to temp others in with fabric. Have to put them back in the appropriate color boxes instead of traveling bags of fabric...

Iceblossom that is lovely. Beautiful colors and you matched so well.
My quilt room is a disaster between all the quilt projects and masks but it's a productive disaster at least. It is starting to bother me so I will need to do some cleaning this afternoon.
Doing the Unity quilt along that Bonnie Hunter is hosting and there's as many pieces as it looks like in her quilts (my first one to do). Of course there's worse things than being surrounded by fabric pieces. Used 6 2/3 yards of fabrics on masks so far.

elly66: What a great way to use up your stash by making masks. I need to make a few for my sons and myself but wasn't too thrilled with the first 2 I made. Back to the drawing board.

Iceblossom: I like the bunny fabric.

Retiredteacher09, have you seen the Jordan Fabrics video for masks? It takes a little more time, but the masks fit the face better.
Give a look, the extra features would only add a couple of minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3igudjup3g

Well, sometimes a great plan doesn't work so well. It's a good thing I always do a test block or two and I immediately found out that my star blades were much too wide! I'm using a ruler I've had for 20 or so years and the width of strip I thought I needed and markings it had matched -- but it turned out it wasn't the measurement I wanted! That's the problem with some of the specialty rulers is when you still need the book to use it well, or maybe I just need to do a few more projects with it. I do have my lonestar sampler coming up so part of deciding on the Lemoyne star was to gain some skills before that one.

Had to make yet another one of my taped ruler tools. Turns out that even when I try to sew precisely, I'm still ending up with cutting large and trimming down.

It's all good though, I'm having zero issues with the set in squares. I'm zipping up the diagonal seam and then placing the square using that little mark I made to help line it up. Then I'm actually sewing from the other side, using the existing seam as my starting point. Fold and twirl and sew the next seam.

If at first you don' succeed, try, try again, Iceblossom. And you did!

WMUTeach: I did watch the Jordan video a few days ago but my youngest sent me a few patterns he was interested in. Thanks for the link though.

Today my youngest (37) asked what machine I had and said he didn’t know if he would remember how to sew. I told him I could have my machine ready in 10 minutes because I basically needed to put it in my sewing rolling tote since the tote still had things I would take to classes in it. I added material to the tote. I also sent him a video of how to turn it on and which buttons to push to start sewing. So he now has the machine and we will see if he tries some masks. I did make another one for him today and he will get that tomorrow to try on for size and fit. Maybe he will take an interest in sewing and try to sew for his baby. That would be so awesome! Wishful thinking.

Leftovers
 

I made a Arkansas Crossroads for my MIL last year with a jelly roll I had picked up. I wasn’t happy with the size and so when I saw a quilt kit on clearance that contained the otherwise unavailable focus fabric I of course picked it up so I could add a border. She was thrilled....but what to do with the leftovers? I found this pattern called Simply Woven on the Moda Bake Shop.

I like it better than the original. Another top for the pile, another approx 8m used from stash.....Yeah!

Would be great if a son followed in you stitching foot prints, Connie!
Nice woven scrap quilt, Cattitude...getting fabric used up...yeah...
I just used 4 yards in the borders on a flimsy. Did not count yardage in the many scraps I used . Now to find stash fabric for backing for a 85 x 95 flimsy.

Cattitude: Great way to use up those scraps. Very pretty.

oksewglad: It was pretty funny today when he FaceTimed me because he wasn’t sure if the bobbin thread was coming out of the hole. Lol! So he turned on the machine and I told him he could slow it down as much as he wanted. Whoa! I could actually see the needle going up and down in slow motion with each stitch. I told him he could speed it up and he said it was fine. But I am proud because he tried to make a surgical type of mask. He will try again on his next days off. He used the rotary cutter but didn’t know there was a mat in the tote. He used cardboard for the cutting mat. Oh, boy! Good thing I sent extra blades with because he will need to change the blade soon. That was only some of the head shaking going on by me today for his adventure.

Retiredteacher09, isn't it amazing how we never stop using those teaching skills!. Keep it up. It is wonderful that he is interested. My son does not sew but he did catch the cooking bug from me. Passing on generational knowledge is always a pleasure.

Speaking of sons, I got to see mine today and he brought the grandbaby along for the ride. I went to Costco early this morning and had supplies for them and they had some packages delivered to my house to pick up. Didn't get to hold him or anything but first time I've seen him since Christmas! He still is looking a lot like his mama, but I'm seeing more of his daddy in him now. Mostly more in the expressions than the features. Was just what we call a "loot and scoot" visit, but I think it was good for dad and son to let mom have some time to herself, they are all in a tiny little 1 bedroom apt. Son is working from home and Ikea where DDiL works has been shut down for three?? weeks now.

Didn't get much sewing done but did a tiny bit on those stars.

The trip to Costco was quite the adventure. I got there just at 8:00 which is the open early time for seniors. The line was all the way around the parking log. I mean -- all the way around! But that was because the store hadn't opened yet and we were spaced 6 feet apart even without prompting. It started moving pretty well but I was still in line for probably at least a quarter mile and 20-30 minutes. 5 years or so ago I was having a lot of health issues and couldn't have done it. Just driving to/through/home from Costco was usually more than my ability, not to mention bringing stuff in. It felt good that it was no problem and I was capable of not only doing the standing/walking/shopping and even putting away and then had to go to Safeway because Costco had no toilet paper (and that was one of the things the kids were hoping to get). Safeway only had a couple packs of the largest most expensive Charmin but I got one of those and split it with the son.

Beautiful, Cattitude! I love the woven patterns. I think they look so cool.

Retiredteach....comical story of son behind the needle. Kudo's to him for knowing his speed limits! I still haven't mastered that and sew too fast. Lol..

I have one applique border to complete on my 1 1/2 year old kitted project. As I mentioned previously, it took me over a year to kit that project following the pattern yardage requirements for each shade of color and, in the end, I'm going to have a ton of fabric leftover. Can't figure that out because I did not buy extra yardage. I could, literally, make another quilt of this pattern. No way will I do that....but seriously.. The quilt will be for my sunroom so I'll be making pillows, too. Then, balance goes to stash. All excellent blenders so all ok but still...ugh!

In the past week I’ve used another 10 yards of stash fabric making masks for family and friends who have requested them- I ( thought) yesterday when I mailed out the last 18 that I was done making them and could get back to the quilt I was working on....then our post master said....( you are making masks? We really need masks...we ordered them but who knows if they will ever get here) 🥴
so, guess another day of masks-
then I’m getting back to that quilt....
😉

Service for the community is its own reward. I wondered the same thing when I went to the PO to mail masks to my out of state daughter. All the PO folks were working behind plastic sheeting with just a tiny flap at the bottom to pass through stamps etc. The card reader was outside the sheeting but Yuck, what kind of germs or virus would be living on that? Isn't it strange that we would not even thing about the surface of a card reader before now. New world I guess.
Sew on, ckcowl, resting assured that you are protecting many. Take a break now and again and look at the snow. Yup, southwestern Michigan has to now also. Grass covered but should be in the 50's this week-end. Whoo Hoo spring will return.

A local woman posted that she had fabric to donate for masks. She dropped some off here, & I eagerly dug through it. All are samples of designer fabric, seemingly for upholstery or drapes, or the like. I've made 4 masks, 1 which was less successful than the others. Three turned out fine, & I used ribbon from my scrapbooking days as ties. The masks are stiff since I used the brightly patterned upholstery fabric, but they work ok. I had no wire or pipe cleaners for the nose area, so they are simply fabric. I lined them with an old sheet I had in some things not in storage. I had to scrounge thread to sew these, but did find some. My old Singer doesn't wind bobbins any more, so that will be an issue when this one runs out. But at least I got to sew for a while!

Cattitude, that's so beautiful; it looks like it would take forever to make.

Iceblossom, so glad you got to see the grandbaby (and that your health has improved so much from 5 hears ago!).

Teen, I can't wait to see that project once you get the last border on. Your fabric must have multiplied when you weren't looking, lol.