Fabric Moratorium 2024
05-09-2024, 01:55 PM
#131
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,098
Felt I should check in somewhere... have had a few weeks of not getting much done in general but no fabric buying to report!
I got my my "Eye Protection" blocks done and laid out, also got the border cut. Maybe can't quite balance the colors very much but I don't think it matters. This will be for the porch and picnics and car trips and dog feet...
I do want to make some calmer examples and take some pictures for a "how to".
Been having a lot of problems with both my eyes and my contacts, I am past due on a vision appointment. Signs I know I could read easily when we moved here (10 months or so now) are now unreadable... recently have had quite the loss of near vision as well. My vision has been pretty stable for maybe 5 years but requires a tweak every year -- or just to mess with me can have a rapid change period. Think I'm in a rapid change right now. We do have a vision appointment made for me for once the insurance at hubby's new job is active. Will be closer to July than June, but at least appointment is made.
I got my my "Eye Protection" blocks done and laid out, also got the border cut. Maybe can't quite balance the colors very much but I don't think it matters. This will be for the porch and picnics and car trips and dog feet...
I do want to make some calmer examples and take some pictures for a "how to".
Been having a lot of problems with both my eyes and my contacts, I am past due on a vision appointment. Signs I know I could read easily when we moved here (10 months or so now) are now unreadable... recently have had quite the loss of near vision as well. My vision has been pretty stable for maybe 5 years but requires a tweak every year -- or just to mess with me can have a rapid change period. Think I'm in a rapid change right now. We do have a vision appointment made for me for once the insurance at hubby's new job is active. Will be closer to July than June, but at least appointment is made.
05-10-2024, 01:57 PM
#132
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 839
Tomorrow is Project Linus and I have my bag of materials to go BACK on the table. As well as 3 finished donation projects.
Bad news is we went on a family weekend to Lancaster PA and I hit the fabric shops. Got some great bargains - not that I needed the fabric but "it followed me home"
I am noticing a pattern to my purchasing - it's something I "allow" when I'm away from home. Don't know what the solution is because it's part of my souvenir shopping. And it's just so lovely to use and remember where I was, the people I chatted with....
But lately I've need doing donation quilts that are Fabric Forward - simple pieces.and it gets done fast
Bad news is we went on a family weekend to Lancaster PA and I hit the fabric shops. Got some great bargains - not that I needed the fabric but "it followed me home"
I am noticing a pattern to my purchasing - it's something I "allow" when I'm away from home. Don't know what the solution is because it's part of my souvenir shopping. And it's just so lovely to use and remember where I was, the people I chatted with....
But lately I've need doing donation quilts that are Fabric Forward - simple pieces.and it gets done fast
05-10-2024, 04:02 PM
#133
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Portage, Michigan
Posts: 7,440
For those of you who are struggling and need quick ideas for using up the stash on hand, I have been following Hailey Stitches on YouTube. She does simple often patterns that often are charm packs (we can all cut 5" squares) that are easy and fast. Good for donation or a quick baby or throw sized quilt. Her patterns are free and arrive as PDF's that have good directions and that are nicely illustrated. Her videos are clear and would be perfect for a new quilter to follow. Give her a Google - Hailey Stitches. Just a way for getting excess stash out the door constructively. 
05-10-2024, 04:24 PM
#134
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Portage, Michigan
Posts: 7,440
Here is another one that could be used to "eat up" some stash quickly and easily. They just keep popping up in my mailbox. Wish I had more time to use them myself. After July 2, I will be nose to the needle and creating donation quilts again. (Teaching two online classes May and June.)
https://carriedawayquilting.com/wp-c...ayQuilting.pdf
https://carriedawayquilting.com/wp-c...ayQuilting.pdf
05-13-2024, 03:27 PM
#137
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,098
I put myself in temptation at my favorite shop but succeeded in buying some gift fabric and not keeping/getting any for myself! It is packaged and taped shut and beyond my temptation, but I sure did like the little bird track fabrics in one bundle...
Likewise, I went to Joann and bought some thread (which I needed) on sale and didn't pick up even a single fat quarter.
Rawr, I tell you -- Rawr!!
Likewise, I went to Joann and bought some thread (which I needed) on sale and didn't pick up even a single fat quarter.
Rawr, I tell you -- Rawr!!
05-14-2024, 08:07 PM
#139
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2021
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 593
Hi Fabric Moratorium Friends!
So a few months ago I mentioned this challenge quilt I was doing. It has definitely been a challenge but I have learned so much from the process and I'm really glad I made it. Unhappily, it didn't make it into the quilt show because of one of the lessons I learned so this is my personal show for this quilt. I think I'm going to call it "The One That Got Away From Me."
I tried all sorts of things that I either discovered through YouTube or just random experimentation. Some worked really well - some were a bit less successful but still managed to make the cut. A few trials ended up in the trash. What has resulted is something I really like and it will be gracing our wall as soon as I get a dowel that will work. :-)
Important lessons I've learned:
1) Remember to check your measurements regularly!!! I self-disqualified my quilt by slowly expanding its width by 3" over the allowed limit thanks to my endless creative experiments (finished quilts were to be 16" x 24" - this ended up as 19" wide). I did seriously try to figure out a way of cutting it down but just didn't like the options I tried and I realized I was happier keeping it as it was than changing it just to have it on display at the show. I was affirmed when I went to the show and saw the other challenge quilts - while there were some spectacularly lovely and exquisitely-crafted ones, I think it would have looked like it belonged there. :-)
2) My stash might be pretty small but it is awesome! I stuck to my guns and bought only one thing for this quilt, which was a dollar-store glue stick to help me with the placement of some elements. Absolutely everything else came from my stash - I made frankenbatting and and made a _huge_ mess digging through all of my boxes of fabric to find things that "might work". I think I am most pleased with the three small butterflies that came from tiny pieces I got in a scrap bag at the thrift store a couple of years ago. They were meant to be among the little wedges of a double wedding ring quilt as far as I can tell and were about 1-1/2"x2". There were only four wedges of this fabric and three of the wedges featured these adorable butterflies. I also found I had saved a piece of Wonder Under from the early 90s and that was hugely helpful for some of my ideas. Of course, learning that even tiny pieces of fabric can be useful isn't going to help me destash but we'll cross that bridge later. :-)
3) Stop being scared of trying new things in quilting! To quote the Quilting Marine, "It's only fabric and it's only thread." Maybe I'll make mistakes - so what? I've played around with landscapes, applique, free motion quilting, trapunto, and have gained so much confidence and willingness to take risks through the process.
4) Parchment paper is awesome when you're working with fusible stuff... and when you forget to use the parchment paper, the trick of using a Bounce dryer sheet to rub the goop off your iron works pretty well. :-P
I've quoted my original post below for reference. :-)
So a few months ago I mentioned this challenge quilt I was doing. It has definitely been a challenge but I have learned so much from the process and I'm really glad I made it. Unhappily, it didn't make it into the quilt show because of one of the lessons I learned so this is my personal show for this quilt. I think I'm going to call it "The One That Got Away From Me."
I tried all sorts of things that I either discovered through YouTube or just random experimentation. Some worked really well - some were a bit less successful but still managed to make the cut. A few trials ended up in the trash. What has resulted is something I really like and it will be gracing our wall as soon as I get a dowel that will work. :-)
Important lessons I've learned:
1) Remember to check your measurements regularly!!! I self-disqualified my quilt by slowly expanding its width by 3" over the allowed limit thanks to my endless creative experiments (finished quilts were to be 16" x 24" - this ended up as 19" wide). I did seriously try to figure out a way of cutting it down but just didn't like the options I tried and I realized I was happier keeping it as it was than changing it just to have it on display at the show. I was affirmed when I went to the show and saw the other challenge quilts - while there were some spectacularly lovely and exquisitely-crafted ones, I think it would have looked like it belonged there. :-)
2) My stash might be pretty small but it is awesome! I stuck to my guns and bought only one thing for this quilt, which was a dollar-store glue stick to help me with the placement of some elements. Absolutely everything else came from my stash - I made frankenbatting and and made a _huge_ mess digging through all of my boxes of fabric to find things that "might work". I think I am most pleased with the three small butterflies that came from tiny pieces I got in a scrap bag at the thrift store a couple of years ago. They were meant to be among the little wedges of a double wedding ring quilt as far as I can tell and were about 1-1/2"x2". There were only four wedges of this fabric and three of the wedges featured these adorable butterflies. I also found I had saved a piece of Wonder Under from the early 90s and that was hugely helpful for some of my ideas. Of course, learning that even tiny pieces of fabric can be useful isn't going to help me destash but we'll cross that bridge later. :-)
3) Stop being scared of trying new things in quilting! To quote the Quilting Marine, "It's only fabric and it's only thread." Maybe I'll make mistakes - so what? I've played around with landscapes, applique, free motion quilting, trapunto, and have gained so much confidence and willingness to take risks through the process.
4) Parchment paper is awesome when you're working with fusible stuff... and when you forget to use the parchment paper, the trick of using a Bounce dryer sheet to rub the goop off your iron works pretty well. :-P
I've quoted my original post below for reference. :-)
Originally Posted by Gemm
In terms of projects underway, I do have one to talk about. :-) I have almost entirely decided to participate in my guild's challenge quilt (wall hanging size) for the upcoming show in May. It's way out of my skill set and comfort level but I gave myself personal goals of trying something new, using what I have and having fun with it. I hope I feel happy enough with the final product to actually submit it to the show!
So far I've really enjoyed the process of learning about and trying out new techniques. It's also been a lot of fun to juggle fabric scraps and look at what I have and come up with ideas that I couldn't possibly execute and then look again and come up with a totally different idea that is (so far) looking pretty good!
I'm not ready to share any pictures but I have been taking some for when it's done. Looking forward to hearing more about what you are doing with your stashes, too! Happy first of the month!
So far I've really enjoyed the process of learning about and trying out new techniques. It's also been a lot of fun to juggle fabric scraps and look at what I have and come up with ideas that I couldn't possibly execute and then look again and come up with a totally different idea that is (so far) looking pretty good!
I'm not ready to share any pictures but I have been taking some for when it's done. Looking forward to hearing more about what you are doing with your stashes, too! Happy first of the month!
Last edited by Gemm; 05-14-2024 at 08:08 PM. Reason: added dimensions
05-15-2024, 03:40 AM
#140
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Portage, Michigan
Posts: 7,440
You should be very proud of your finished product, Gemm. I am particularly impressed with your sky. We may say the sky is blue and well it is but it is rarely just flat blue. It is all shades and variations of blue and gray and white and sometimes other colors too. The wavy quilting creates an easy movement that is perfect. Quilt on, my dear, and keep taking on new challenges for us to enjoy.
