Hey there Moratoriumers old and new. I'm trying to catch up on what people have been doing in the last couple of months. I'm sort of dipping my toes into the internet tide at this point.

I remain in Fabric Moratorium mode and have done very well overall. Recently I won a local auction of So Fine thread and some fabric came along "free" with the thread. I did a rough sort of it when I brought it home and about half went to my Tuesday group where homes were found for about 90% of it. I'll have to bring more this week but yes, I am keeping some.

And I bought some fabric too -- but it is for a project that I hope to have completely done (quilted and everything) before the end of the year. The quilt is for the Hubby's Aunt Debbie and requires University of Michigan fabric. My hubby is not a subtle man and everything blue and gold I suggest is too subtle if logos and words are not spelled out.

I have not been a very productive quilter in my absence, usually I sew every day but that has not been the case. It's actually a good thing this time to buy fabric because it's the first creative quilting idea I've had in a long time. Lol, and it's not all that created but a quilt for a particular person that will be fun and relatively quick and easy. I still need that :)

E, are you going to cut some and then sew some? Or cut and then sew? Because we are dealing with sooooo many pieces, I keep tally as I cut, grouping in sets of 10; i.e. you need 4 2" plain squares in the 9P block so count that as one set and pin 10 sets together. Using a postanote make a mark for every set of ten. It's helpful to know how many sets you will need for each cut piece. I usually make a couple extra just in case I have miscounted! I generally keep my groups of ten in big clear jars (glass or plastic pickle, mayo or snack will do)

Good to see you back IceB

I'll probably cut and sew - I figure if I run out of steam before the king size is done, I'll at least have a twin. Or a throw. Or a table runner? :D

That's an EXCELLENT idea! https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images...es/thumbup.pngThat is sweet just as a decoration! https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/heart.gif

Thank you!

Yes, it is a good thing! And if it's going to be quick and easy for you, that's even better. Get you back into sewing mode whatever way works for you. :)

I have my fingers in a lot of pies right now (all with the goal of reducing stash). There was this year's BH mystery, which was all stash for the first time (other than sashing and borders), the two BOMs going on here (Old School and A Quilting Life), in which I am using 3 FQ/8 bundles, Harriet's Journey sampler (so excited about that one, pressing fabric now), and my continuing kit-it-up project for planned FQ quilts. I discovered during the BH mystery that using the prep quilts as leader/enders works great.

Unfortunately, I seem to be slowing down in what I can accomplish in a day, rather than speeding up.

Welcome back, Iceblossom. We missed you!

oksewglad: Such a cute way to hold your small pieced blocks.

joe’smom: You have a great plan to use up stash.

Welcome back, Iceblossom! I wondered if you were still working on your stash.
I've been absent for a couple of weeks, but K & I have been busy sewing wheelchair lap quilts. So far we've completed & delivered 9. Another 2 are done & waiting to be delivered, with 2 more we'll bind tomorrow. All fabric for them is from stash, either mine or K's. Several are string quilts in different patterns. Others are from patterned fabrics, or just experimental blocks I wanted to make & use in small quilts. K & I agree that these quilts are fast & easy! So as of tomorrow, 13 will be done, meaning 22 are still to be made. Each uses the equivalent of 1 yard for the top & another for the back, so we'll have at least 70 yards of stash fabric out of our houses, being put to great use. We've had a lot of fun designing them & finishing them.

Conchalea: Way to go! That is definitely a lot of fabric that will be going out of your houses. The recipients will thoroughly enjoy having the wheelchair quilts.

Iceblossom- welcome back!

Conchalea- so much fun to read about all the quilts you and K are making from stash!

I finished my Debby Brown Color Block top. Oh, my! I have never had so much trouble with it curling up from seams being pulled too tight/biased prob stretched. I think my major problem was I switched machines and forgot to check my 1/4” seam compared to the other machine. The top 5 rows were fine but when I added the section with the last 4 rows, I could have sat down and cried because of how it curled up. I took each of those rows apart and added some new setting triangles to the end of a couple rows. It helped dramatically. When I take it off of the design wall, I will decide if I will let the church quilters finish it or if I will use it to practice some basic walking foot quilting and then give it to the quilters to donate.

Thanks for reading my tale of woes. 🙂. I usually don’t have any problems with on point settings so I’m blaming my machine which just came back from the shop. 🤷‍♀️

P.S. Sorry for the 2 pictures. The editing feature won’t let me delete them today.

I'm sorry you had such trouble with it - every now and then, it feels like quilting is pure torture. https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/wave.gif

There isn't any sign of trouble in the results, though - you did a great job of overcoming the challenges and the quilt is just charming. You might forgive it when you've got it quilted. ;)

Yes quilting often "hides" or "camouflages" problems...but you persevered and can call it done. ret teach.

I cut the long strips for the scrap 9P from a 3 yard piece of stash and hope I have enough of the best match stash fabric for the 2 side borders. I have enough in the first piece for binding...yeah. Just figured and I should have plenty of the side border fabric choice!

Now on the Flying Geese quilt I miscalculated and am short just a half yard. I will need to get fabric for the borders now...what I used from stash in the first quilt I need to have new for the second one. At least they cancel out and!

Funny thing about the quilt top: When I took it off my design wall this morning and folded it up, I was surprised it folded nicely and even matched corners quite well. Go figure. Lol!

Makes it even better!

Yay! Sometimes it all just works out.

I just finished cutting my triangles, will sew them together later this afternoon. I want to get the top finished by mid week so I can take my time deciding how I want to quilt it. I ended up using some of the WOW fabric I just bought and also some of one of the blacks. So my recent fall off the wagon has been nearly atoned for https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images...es/biggrin.png.

Rob

Grats on the corners! I was going through my pictures of the round robin last year and was wondering why on earth did I take so many of the same shot. And then I realized I was just so thrilled with how nice the corners matched one round I took all possible pictures of it folded together.

My Michigan fabrics for Aunt Debbie's quilt from three different sellers have arrived, along with the fourth package with the back for the Bonnie Hunter quilt. So much fabric in a week!! I was always confident in my ability to pick blue and gold. The hubby less so. Now that it is clearly spelled out he has more faith or at least more willing to believe I have a chance...

I'll have to order more yellow -- those are basically the same colors by two different makers, I'll be getting more of the wide across one. Will also double check the dark blue to make sure I have enough but I'm pretty much ready to go. Or will be once the fabric gets out of the wash and into the drier. And no, I don't like the ironing any better than I did last year. The iron is on its last legs, one more fall will probably do it in.

Love seeing the finishes everyone.

I went on my shop hop. I found fabric for $8.50 per yard, so I bought several yards. No definite projects, but fabric will work well with some of my future projects. The good new, I didn’t buy the amount I usually do. It was a nice relaxing day.

I’m currently working on the (was free & now is a pattern called California), 100 block/15 day challenge QAL from last year. I should be ready to quilt later this week. All the fabrics in this project is 100% from stash. Now I just have more smaller pieces of scraps. LOL . I’m getting excited about this project getting done. I will post pic when done. I completed a top from pat Sloan’s Christmas in July 2020, jolly jelly roll snowflake. I did a few changes to the pattern. I used a different colors FQ bundle I bought several years ago, was looking for the right project. I’m pretty happy so far with the top. Again another project completely from stash. Pics will come after its quilted and bind. My beginner and ender project is from Missouri star quilt pattern. I missed placed the pattern, but took pic and can still figure out the project. That’s all for now.

I resisted buying a daily deal off MSQC a couple days ago. It was a layer cake of that beautiful Coral Canyon line from Robert Kaufman. I loaded my cart with the layer cake and some yardage for a border, was about to submit my order...then I thought, what good is it to spend this money for something that will go straight to my closet and sit for a couple years? Every time I buy things for a new project, I'm pushing back using all that other beautiful fabric I've already got.

I did go a little crazy last month buying stuff on sales, but I already completed a lap-sized string quilt out of some of it and I've got all the blocks completed for another top made from my stash. Learning to do pool-noodle basting makes it easier for me to complete my quilts, since that used to be my most dreaded part of the process other than piecing and pressing those long seams to join all my rows into a top. I tell myself: you only have to do this part once, might as well get it done!

Welcome to the board, Unicorn Quilts! Glad to hear you’ve discovered something that makes the basting easier for you! And good job in resisting that layer cake!

Rob

Conchalea, way to use up your stash.
Iceblossom, it is nice to see you back. We have missed your posts and projects. Fun Michigan fabric...I look forward to seeing what your quilt looks like with all of those bright colors.
Retiredteacher, I’m glad your Color Block came out out well in the end...even though you had struggles.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

You did a great job of putting that together and the top is just beautiful! https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/heart.gif 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.

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.

Tape, too? Yikes! https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/shock.png

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. ;)

juliasb: That was an awesome buy!

Iceblossom: You did a great job of putting the parts together. Yuck to all of the papers and tape.

juiasb - great buy.

Iceblossom, you did a fantastic job on the inherited UFO project. Such lovely colors.

Yes, I went shopping. Working on the Harriet's Journey quilt and using only Civil War prints. I needed more variety for my quilt. The spare fabric from HJ will join another CW quilt or two or three. It sure felt good to shop for a specific quilting project and to dive into some new choices. I did not have any CW fabric in my stash and yearned for something new and challenging.

Hey there, WMU, wish we were closer. As I say... I have a box of civil war fabrics and I don't particularly like or use them, that's why I still have them! Many are just gorgeous though, a lot of what I have are my 10" Y2K era swapping squares, right when Civil War fabrics were first popular -- and Thimbleberries, similar toned but more modern prints.

I usually make about 5-6 tops per year and I generally know a couple of years in advance on what I'm working on. Last year was supposed to be the year of the Civil War quilts and I had two planned, and one fairly well thought out and probably enough fabric for at least one more... Right now, the subject matter is still too fresh and close for me. The colors too gray. The productivity is just not there.

The projects are good, they will probably feel soothing after the year of bright I see ahead of me! Maybe next year...

But if there is anything I can help you with fabric-wise let me know :) Otherwise, it does indeed feel good to go shopping with a purpose and keep to that!

Iceblossom- it's like watching a serial and you can't wait for the next episode. Keep up the good work and no matter whether the Original Owner takes it back or it becomes a "Failed Foster"...you are bringing BEAUTY into the world. It's a blessing.

my biggest challenge today is what to drink instead of coffee with my cocoa. Strong tea? Maybe? We're also out of milk, eggs, ham, sausage. There was bacon in the freezer. Breakfast was a challange. Neither of us really like cereal. Need to visit the grocery. Hubby said tomorrow for the 1/2 day trip. Sunday will be good because there's less stores open to call my name. Joannes doesn't interest me and LQS's are closed. But the nursery will be open and it's Spring. What can I say.
Last night on news was a story on Covid Online Shopaholics. There's always a way for a "fix".

I buy my WOW fabrics in a volume of 15 yards or more. This way it last longer for the amount that I use. I went to cut a 2 yrd piece the other day and behold there was some faint blue writing on it. I was thrilled when fabric.com offered to replace or refund the money. I may be able to get some use out of it and just lose that large area. I am hoping . So now fabric will be coming in the mail, a squishy, for me to play with and I didn't have to buy this piece , or so it seems. Trying to stay on track and not doing to badly.

Juliab- you'll be able to use it for something!

In today's chapter of The Feathered Star Turns -- turns out that yes, the quilt is mine. Mine mine mine!

But there is a cautionary tale attached, and it is the reason some of us are trying to use and not acquire stash. The friend my Tuesday Lady is helping lives out of state and is dealing with an estate clearing. Her father recently passed and with him gone, her mother is in memory care. There is an entire house of beautiful things to deal with. The good news is that the fabric and assorted equipment was never a financial issue, the family already has many beautiful pieces, and they do not need to get cash -- they want it to be appreciated and used preferably in charitable donations but appreciation is enough and mostly they want it gone. LOL they agree with my initial assessment of why it was never finished sounds like mom.

I have offered to help with the sorting and such, as well as finding organizations/people that will use the fabric in many ways -- some of which probably will be home crafters trying to make something for income, but 501c organizations preferred.

Sometimes it helps the family feeling overwhelmed that Mom (or whoever) had fun buying the fabric and playing with it, even if it didn't get used, a smile was usually involved with each purchase.

We know the Quilter's Wills, this is a case where maybe I get to help with the sorting and I have a good idea of whether a vintage machine is valuable or not. Whether that is "just" a table, or a Koala sewing cabinet... things like that. There is going to be stuff left for others to do when I go -- but it won't be a full basement! Maybe only because I don't have a basement but that's another story :p

I'm in grave danger of making a ridiculous purchase. I received the regular email from Vintage and Vogue this week, and they were featuring the Hillensberg pattern by Michelle Yeo (which looks like it would be no end of trouble to make) and I've been fascinated with it ever since. They have pattern, templates and kits. You all know the story -- I'll be lucky if I live long enough to get through the patterns and fabric I already have, etc., etc. Also, I've never bought any fabric or kit that, given enough time, I didn't realize I could have lived without. I have some moments of lucidity reviewing all this, and then somehow, I am back to thinking about the quilt.

https://www.vintageandvogue.com/Hill...g-tp-cream.htm