Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Something new for the New Year

I thought that since I had so much fabric in my stash, I should use it up. During this year, I came across the quilting book club (which no longer does anything) and they started a quilt along using a couple of books. These were mainly geared to beginners but anyone could participate. The first book they used this one.

I purchased the book because I wanted to see what all was in it. There are 13 different quilts and all of them are in different sizes. Some have a multi-size materials list in case you want to make a baby quilt size or a lap quilt instead of a bigger, single bed size. I decided that I would work through the book using only the fabrics in my stash. Hopefully I can get most of them done without having to purchase anything - including the backings, but that remains to be seen.

 This is the first pattern in the book. Easy peasy and basically a lap size.
 Since I needed a diversion from what I was doing, I went ahead and pulled some fabrics from my stash.

These are the fabrics I chose (light, medium and dark) - mainly because I had enough to make a lap size quilt out of them. We'll see how far I get. This will be an ongoing project for next year. I really don't think that I will be hand quilting these. Two of the patterns are done in solids and those ones I really like. I know all of the quilts can be done in solids but I did want to use up the printed fabrics that I have accumulated over the years and this seemed like a neat idea to do just that.

I hope you are all keeping well and not stressing over the holidays. You can only do what you can do and believe it or not, you really have no influence over how quickly or slowly the mail is being delivered if you have sent something and it has not yet arrived or you ordered something that has not yet come.
Relax. It will all turn out OK in the end.

14 comments:

  1. What a great idea Dolores, I'm going to be doing this too...maybe. I'm not making any promises for next year, lol, but I do want to try! I like the fabrics you chose for that quilt.

    By the way, I did add your name when I saw your email - I'm having a great deal of trouble today with yahoo mail, I can't seem to reply to anyone without waiting 15 minutes between emails. I even upgraded to their REALLY stupid new design, and I'm still having trouble. ARGH.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have that middle fabric, the green one with tufts of grass!

    I have found that the older I get the simpler my quilts become. I'm still hand-quilting the one made from old checked shirts and it is hard going. I used some very tough fabric and it is so hard to get the needle through i'm having to use a darning needle and some of the stitches are toe-catchers!, but better finished than perfect. It'll probably never wear out!
    Blessings of the Season to you and yours. Lynda x

    ReplyDelete
  3. I like your idea! I'm trying to use up my fabrics all the time. Your fabrics look very pretty together.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm a beginner :-) :-) :-) x x x
    Have a very merry Christmas :-) SEASONS GREETINGS X X X

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your idea of using all of your stash sounds like something I should do...LOL Have a very Merry Christmas!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for visiting my blog. And what you said about getting older and creating simpler quilts holds true for me too. The trouble with the stash seems to be is that the more we try to resist the more we seem to add items to those baskets and stacks of fabrics! I do not want to die with fabric on my shelves but I need fabric as long as I am alive so co-ordinating those two events may be quite difficult to accomplish!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I find that stash busting is great at first but then you run out of certain colours of types of fabrics and then finding ones you want to combine gets more difficult. Ditto what Susan said too. Mind you, when you go to thrift stores and see fabric, that's likely someone's fabric that was left on their shelves. Now it's a fun find for you!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great idea... I don't have a great stash of quilting fabrics, but do try and work from there first!

    The fabrics you pulled will work well on that quilt

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love the idea of going through a book doing the projects AND using up your stash while doing it.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm one of those that gave fabric to the thrift shop after I realized my tastes have changed. So working within my leftover stash is much more fun now. Now I'm trying to work through my book stash and that is my hope for the new year! lol

    ReplyDelete
  11. Here we are back again Dolores! Merry Christmas and a Happy, Creative New Year to you!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Sounds like a nice idea to start off the new year, Dolores. Can't wait to go through my stash...Merry Christmas

    ReplyDelete
  13. My Christmas wish for you, my friend
    Is not a simple one
    For I wish you hope and joy and peace
    Days filled with warmth and sun

    I wish you love and friendship too
    Throughout the coming year
    Lots of laughter and happiness
    To fill your world with cheer

    May you count your blessings, one by one
    And when totaled by the lot
    May you find all you've been given
    To be more than what you sought

    May your journeys be short, your burdens light
    May your spirit never grow old
    May all your clouds have silver linings
    And your rainbows pots of gold

    I wish this all and so much more
    May all your dreams come true
    May you have a Merry Christmas friend
    And a happy New Year, too .. xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh, Dolores, my admiration for your project for 2012 - I find that one can't much reduce one's stash with a quilt or two. But it is so good to have every kind of colour and design and just pull it out like in those much beloved shops where we all like to go to.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for commenting. I appreciate your thoughts.