Stash Report July 31, 2011

I would have been so Good this week...but I had to spend my Gift Certificates and the one from the Fat Quarter Shop came in the mail already. 5 half yards of the "Sew Cherry" Fabrics from Lori Holt of Bee in my Bonnet, made for Riley Blake. Aren't they cute!  No cost - except for the shipping.

I played with my UFO #2 and added two of the 3 borders, took a class with the Word Play blocks and used some in the McCall's Quilt Design Star Contest Challenge #2 also.

Used this week: 3 yards 

Used year to Date: 106.5 yards 

Added this week: .25 yards purchased
                            (2.5 Yards Gift Certificate)
Added Year to date: 126 2/3 yards 

Net used to Date: -20.16 yards


Click HERE to see more Stash Reports at Patchworktimes.

UFO #2 Progress Report

On the last sewing day of the month I got two more borders sewn on the "Big Star"  This is how it looks as of Saturday night.  Paul helped me take a picture outside just before sundown. It's getting bigger!

All I have to add is one more background border and the pieced border shown HERE and it's ready to quilt.

I feel good about getting it out of the tote before the month is over.  With all of the other challenge work I've been very busy and not been able to quilt at Lynn's much at all. She's been busy doing customer quilts that can be seen on her Thread and Bolts BLOG. I posted new pictures there Saturday night.  

Word Play

I signed up for a "Word Play" Class at STASH with Eddie.  It got cancelled last Wednesday, but this week it was a go.  Paul's work got tickets for eating in the Sweets Spot at the Walla Walla Sweets Baseball game tonight also. I had to crunch and try to get as many letters made as I could in limited time so I could join him at the game...before they quit serving food.  We are using this fun book by Tonya.
  I'm using the leftover Shadow Play fabrics I had laying around.  I counted the letter I needed for my Favorite Phrase; "To Quilt or not to Quilt, DUH", it was the letter  "T".  So I made a bunch of them then thought I'd try an "L' and a couple "O's.  The long strip will be a dotted letter "I"  for the word "Quilt".  It was fun to just make free-form letters and play with them.  I can see using as the top and bottom border  in a  fun quilt I have a panel that I've been wanting to use.  Purple is my Favorite color so Pink and Purple came out of the stack of fabrics.  I'll post a picture of the letters I make next week.

 It's time for me to work on my Applique for the "McCall's Quilt Design Star Challenge. I'm liking it! Only 3 weeks left before Voting starts again.

BUST MY STASH!

Accuquilt is having a Bust My Stash contest.  You can click the link and see my Picture to "like" it and Vote.
The Picture of my stash is on the page 6, 5th row, 3rd one over from the left. It looks like this-

 You have to give your e-mail and do the Capcha code thingy, but I sure would appreciate votes.  My children say I need to use this up before I leave this realm... My magnet on the fridge that says "She who dies with the most fabric has happy relatives"  LIES...according to my #2 son. This Closet is only a part of my total STASH!
I'm doing the best I can reporting my Stash every week with Judy L... but it keeps sneaking in the door!

Design Wall Monday, July 25, 2011

This is a closer-up picture of the 3-D block I made to go in the New Year's Reflection Swap Quilt.

Same Quilt as last week on the old Design Wall today.  I got distracted and didn't get much farther. I got 5 of the Square in a Square blocks done that go in the center section all sewn.  I ran out of the lighter green and Lynn only had the darker Green shown below. I will use it in the outside blocks for a contrast and framing effect.  That is the "better Idea she had when we found that I couldn't get anymore of the lighter green Nancy Halvorsen fabric. I had to piece the last of the strips for the five blocks to get this far.

 This is the Ruler set I won from the Weekly Quilting Gallery Contest that I put the BOUQUET of FRIENDSHIP into.  I had a $20 credit and when I saw the "NO MATH, NO FRACTIONS"  I knew this was a good addition to my collection of rulers and fun quilting tools.  I used it to make the squares to go around the 3" Muslin siggy squares that go with the SWAP blocks.  I put the "Guidelines" ruler addition on my 6"x12" ruler and lined the fabric up on the 3" line because I was using the center square that was 3", then sub-cut the squares twice diagonally and it WORKED! The picture below is the center as it looks now.  I will either make bigger Square in a square blocks and cut them to make the side parts or have to do the Paper-piecing.  I'll have this a flimsy either way soon.  I need the wall for my McCall's Quilt Design Star Challenge #2 quilt.

I have several ideas for the challenge floating around since I took the 'road trip' with my sister on Friday. Yea!
Click HERE to go see other Design Wall Mondays.

Stash Report July 24, 2011

Used this week: 1.5 yard 

Used year to Date: 103.5 yards 

Added this week: O yards purchased
                            (12.78 Yards Gifted to me)
Added Year to date: 123.91 yards 

Net used to Date: -20.41 yards

Another Question... How many Yards in a Jelly Roll??  Click HERE to read what each type of pre-cut contains.  I multiplied 40 x 2.5 to get 2.77777 yards. I hope that is correct.  Thanks to the Sponsors of the McCall's Contest I've added more to my bounteous STASH.  I'm listing is as Gifted to me. I don't know how else to count it.  Pictured is the Box of Goodies I got.   I really didn't BUY ANY Fabrics this week!


Click HERE to check out how other Stash Reporters are doing in the second half of the year 2011.

Long ride to see a Movie...

This past Friday My sister, Roma and I drove 240 Miles to Idaho to see "17 Miracles"  It is a film produced by EXCEL and directed by T.C Christensen.  It was so inspiring and well done!  I call it a 4 hankie film.  I knew I'd have a hard time keeping my composure after seeing the "trailer".  Roma offered me tissues but I just wiped my tears with my hand.  I'm so grateful for my Pioneer Heritage.  I get to Speak in my Ward at Church tomorrow about Pioneers. I felt I needed a little extra inspiration.  I have been waiting since it came out back in June for the  theaters locally or in Tri-cities to get it.  It didn't, so the "Road Trip" became an obsession/ need. Something told me I needed to see this before I talked. I wasn't sure why, but since I wanted to see it anyway , driving to Nampa wasn't' going to inhibit me from seeing it. By the WAY, I got the Inspiration I wanted and a bit of extra affirmation of how much the Pioneers in my Family suffered coming across the plains back in 1847 and 1856.  I even recognized a distant relative's name as the final credits ran.  A plural wife of Anson Call, not direct to my family, but the Mother to my Great-Grandmother's Sister.

 I invited my Sister to go with me and luckily she is off during the Summer and was available to go!  My DH had to stay home and work.  It's been a LONG while since we took a road trip (just us two) and not for a FUNERAL.   We made the most of the trip stopping at a few Quilt shops and we stopped to see our Aunt and Uncle in Caldwell and two cousins who were home in Nampa.  I got to talk to a couple of my other cousins on the phone,  but we they weren't available to make a connection with us this time.  We spent the night in a Holiday Inn Express and I got some inspiration for my McCall's Quilt Design Star Project.  I know I need practice taking Pictures of us in a Mirror. We didn't mean to color coordinate...really!

The BIG BOX

McCall's Quilt Design Star Sponsors donated a bunch of fabric FQ's, bundles, etc for the 20 Design Star Finalists.  We got word the package was coming Monday after the announcement of the 15 Finalists.

  It has been a long week, waiting. Today, The man in the Brown shorts brought the box to me.  I'd been hoping   I'd get it early in the day, so my FB Friends had to put up with my posting teasers all day.

I had opened the Blog of another of the 20 Finalists and she had all of her stuff out of the box.  It spoiled the surprise a little. You never know if we all got the same things.

The UPS Guy

Picture taken by the UPS guy

The Editors at McCall's wanted us to have someone take pictures of us opening the box of goodies, so I had to take my box down to Paul's work and he took some pictures...

 I was headed out to show Lynn, my Quilting buddy, but the car turned off to Americold instead. They have 'tools' for opening boxes...LOL.  I was so happy to see the purple bag!  It was FULL of fabrics and things any quilter would love!  Like Christmas in JULY!

Goodie Bag

Purple, My Favorite color!

         

Showing Lynn the Music fabrics

I had to get a better look so I went on out to show Lynn.  She is one of my best cheerleaders in this process. The ribbon tied around this Fat Quarter bundle was extra hard to un-tie.

A better peek into the box. The items are too many to list them all here.

But I can say Thanks to McCall's Quilting, Handi Quilter, MODA, Olfa, Studio E, Clothworks, P & B  Textiles, Red Rooster, Quilting Treasures, Blank Quilting, Windham Fabrics, Timeless Treasures, Marcus Fabrics, Warm & Natural, Sulky, C & T Publishing, Clover, Stitchin' Heaven, Fat Quarter Shop.

BOW-TIE Leader/Ender Challenge

Here's a Leader/ender project from Bonnie Hunter. Click the link to get the full instructions.   Lori and Randy, her Sisters Retreat buddies are making these too.  I'm giving in and will start the cutting in-between my Challenge Project.  Kathy  blogged it Thursday morning that I commented on, then she sent me an e-mail suggesting that I use "shirtings" since I don't have "Cheddar" in my Stash scraps.  That means a 'road trip' to go Thrifting to me... DH needs some new shirts anyway.  I found these three at the local Goodwill. How many 2" sqs will these make?   I think they look like Bow-ties!

Not Cheddar, but these might work

I mentioned it to my Quilt Buddy, Lynn on Wednesday, but she is so busy with customer Quilts she hasn't got to sew for FUN for a month or more.  These would be easy to take along on our Fall "Road Trip". (hint, hint)

New Year's Reflection Swap Quilt

I should be designing my McCall's challenge #2 and I really am on the EQ program...I can only sit a the computer for so long. Right now I'm still in the stage of questioning what I really want to do. After 4-6 trial EQ quilts- I think I've found the block I want to do- had to draw it myself.  The border is figured out too, so it's time to cut some fabric soon. You can read the details at the link above and see all the Bios again.  They are adding the Challenge #1 quilts to those pages soon. YEA!

Meanwhile... I had the quilt pictured on the Design Wall Monday. I have planned to make alternating blocks to mimic the Paper pieced additions to make the faux Mother's Favorite blocks. It eliminates extra seams also.  I even tried to do the partial faux blocks.  Had to take a break tonight and take a picture. I'm running out of the green I used, and hope they still have some at Stash or Lynn has some I think because it was her big border fabric for her Sylvia's Bridal Sampler. That gives me time to ask for opinions on this one, so Comment if you think this is going to work.  If not, I'll be making at least 8 Paper pieced corner blocks, and 20 for the top, bottom and sides. This doesn't include the Border paper pieced blocks that are needed. UGG! I also had to make the MINI 4.5" True Lover's Knot block, (it's the one in the lower right corner) I made it 3-D.  That was a '3rd times the charm' block.  Note to self---1.5" pieces aren't fun to sew into 3-D blocks. I'm making progress and am glad I have something else to work on that can be shown right now.  The Challenge quilt has a deadline and I have a couple swaps to break it up also.
UPDATE: Lynn didn't have the exact same fabric in her stash of Nancy Halvorsen fabrics but she did have a Better Idea.  Watch for MONDAY's Design Wall to see what she helped me figure out.  I love "Quilting by committee"

McCall's Quilt Design Star Contest- the Challenge continues.

THANKS!!!


I'm so honored to still be in the running for this Quilt Contest. I know I couldn't have done it without my Facebook and Blogging friends. THANK YOU seems a bit trite when I think of all those who helped me and linked their Facebook page to My Quilt and voted on every devise they could.

Now on to 'dream up" the quilt for the next round. The process will take place behind the scenes and not on the BLOG as the rules tell me to keep it a secret until the Voting starts.
The winner of Challenge #1 is Linda Anderson Dalton of TEXAS. Click Here to see who else moved on.
I am in the 15 of the 20 Finalists and very happy about that!

Voting will begin August 17th @ 10PM and go through September 9th @1 AM

Quilter's Hall of FAME

Here's another place that is on my BUCKET list of places to visit someday. The Quilter's Hall of Fame.
It's found in Marion, Indiana. This year's Inductee to the Quilter's Hall of Fame; Ardis Butler James passed away before the celebration of her Induction this past week-end. Ardis and her husband helped establish the International Quilt Study Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.   

My Quilt Retreat Buddy, Marilee shared a Book she got while she was visiting the museum this past Spring.
I love to know the stories behind the Quilts.  I am trying to keep a book of the quilts I make so it will be there when I'm long gone and I put a label on my quilts I give to the family with my name and at least the Recipient and Date the quilt was made on it.
That is part of the reason I joined the Alliance of American Quilts group and made the quilt, dedicated to my Mother, to be auctioned off this fall. It was blogged about HERE and HERE.  It was first shown and the winner's announced at the Quilt Show in Paducah, Kentucky this spring. I wish I could have been there. Only Quilter's know what is PADUCAH, Kentucky.  Being the name dropper that I am when I see that next year they will induct my original Quilt Mentor; Eleanor Burns from PBS into the Quilter's Hall of Fame I have even more reason to want to visit this place. And HOUSTON Quilt Market is another dream vacation location for me.

Design Wall Monday, July 18, 2011

I have a question for all my Quilting Bloggers friends.  How many yards in a Charm Pack? I had hoped to have a Twister quilt on the WALL today made from a very cool Charm Pack!  I've hidden my Twister ruler from myself with all my cleaning and shuffling.  I think the charm pack will end up in a D9P instead.  I haven't made one of those for a long time. It's called  "Hometown" by Sweetwater for Moda.  WALLA WALLA is printed on a few of the squares. I had to go and get it as soon as STASH posted it on Facebook. Thanks Kristen!

Since I won't know until later today if I'm still in the McCall's Quilt Design Star contest...Back on the wall are my New Years Reflection's SWAP blocks.  I remembered I had purchased the Ivory fabric to go in this quilt last year from an On-line source.  That made the decision easy of what to sew for the Design Wall Monday Saturday Night. The dark blue is the fabric I found that is from the original quilt made by Jennifer Chiaverini. I hope to have this made into a "flimsy" at least in time to meet her when she signs her next book. THE WEDDING QUILT.  I think it comes out in October or November.

Click on over HERE to see more Design Walls...
edited: I'm still a FINALIST in the McCalls Quilt Design Star... Thanks to all who clicked.

Stash Report July 17, 2011

Used this week: 1.25 yard

Used year to Date: 102 yards

Added this week: 11 yards

Added Year to date: 111.125 yards

Net used to Date: -9.125 yard

I have ventured out of the basement this week and in the process acquired a bit more fabric. I went to Tri-cites to exchange Paul's suit coat that I got in the same size as last time, that needed to be one size bigger. I went to see if Quiltmania had any of the SIMPLE STITCHES fabric by Pat Sloan.  They didn't that I could see, but I saw some INDIGO by Moda Marbles and a very nice Jennifer Chiaverini fabric from her New Year's  Quilt collection.  It should work well in my New Years Quilt that I have been looking to finish a bit different than the pattern. I will test it out and maybe show it tomorrow on the DWM.  I was sooooo excited to find fabric from that line to use in this SWAP quilt!  Some fabrics came in the mail too... from Kathy and the McCall's Contest Sponsors.  I will count it and hope that I get to use it for Challenge #2. It's all up to the Judges after 1AM MDT on the 18th of July!

Click HERE to go to Judy Laquidara's Blog and see more Stash Reports.

Ward Campout

 The Walla Walla 3rd Ward had a Campout last night at Teancum Timbers. Paul and I didn't know until late Friday if we would even be able to go, he's so busy at work right now.  Harvest is late but the trucks are scheduled and coming in by the dozens. I'd considered inviting our Tri-city children and Grandchildren to join us  We didn't get to sleep in a tent last night but enjoyed those who were able to come for Dinner of Hamburgers and Hotdogs cooked in the NEW Kitchen. Thanks to Fredrickson's for volunteering to do the cooking. I should have taken pictures of the Kitchen and more of the people there.  Guess we'll have to go again with our family sometime...It is really nice! I took the rest of the fresh Ranier Cherries Jeff brought home from his visit to Aunt Anne's in Mesa and some Rice Krispie treats to add to the meal.

 Wendy took this picture of us just before we left to come home.  The pictures below are from our little walk.

  Down stream from one of the camps by the Creek.  Called- The River Sidon.      
Upstream from the Bridge.
Going up there brings back memories of my 9 years as a Girl's Camp Leader and Assistant Leader.  The camps, all named for Book of Mormon people, back then they didn't all have water, fire pits and tables.  Most have been cleared of brush and setting up tents is much easier. There are trails between the camps and down to the creek. Even the Bridge was re-built recently. Many Eagle Scout Projects are done in the Camp and it's improving from very Primitive to a nice place to spend some time with Nature. I saw a doe with two fawns in the clearing near the meadow, named The Promised Land, but they ran off before I could catch them on my camera. My digital camera doesn't have a good ZOOM in feature.

Giveaway INFO and a few Challenges...

Click HERE to go to a Giveaway of fabric that goes with my WILD fabric on the Design Wall Monday. It's a Sposored GIVEAWAY at Amy's Creative Side. This is the same AMY who does the Spring and Fall Blogger's Quilt Festival.   Check out their blogs and LIKE them on Facebook,  you can comment and get a chance to win some of this fabric...

Jackie @ Canton Village Quilt Works put together this fat quarter bundle... 17 Fabrics to play with.

Dan Bennett's Wild Garden Collection 

        Maybe it would work for the Polka Dot Challenge too...that  PAT SLOAN talked about HERE.

I know it would help me with the SHOP HOP Challenge for Sew-n-Vac.  It's still hanging up there on the WALL.  Waiting for some INSPIRATION to make for the Challenge. It doesn't look as wild or crazy when you see what goes with it...

Maybe the Guidelines that I WON from the Weekly Contest over at Quilting Gallery will give me some Help. I got an e-mail saying they shipped my order!

                                     

Design Wall Monday, July 11, 2011

Today is 7-11-11 and my design walls are still the same.  I've had time to celebrate our Freedom in this land of America and will prepare to CELEBRATE the Pioneer Heritage I hold so dear later this Month.  My Army son has been home and the sewing has not been on the agenda, I did pick up the Sew n Vac Challenge fabric  for the Shop Hop so that is pictured above.  It's by a fabric designer I hadn't heard of and it's pretty wild for my taste. My Army Boy laughed when I showed it to him.  I will let it marinate on the wall for a while with the New years Reflection 4.5"  blocks that I still need to decide what color of fabric to frame them with.   They were on last week's Design Wall Monday, click HERE to go see them again and you can give me your opinion also. I have a few swaps to work on too. Tomorrow is my Monthly Guild Meeting and I should make a LOTTO Block for that. Thanks to everyone who has been voting on my McCall's Quilt Design Star Challenge quilt. The voting ends next week at 1am MDT July 18th.
I'll announce the results on the Blog of whether I get to do the next challenge when they tell us if we are still in the running for the Contest.  Two challenges left and I hope to still be in it thanks to my FB friends and Blog followers.

Check out the Design walls of some of my Quilt Blogging friends HERE.

Stash Report - July 10, 2011

Used this week: 0 yard

Used year to Date: 100.75 yards

Added this week: .5 yard

Added Year to date: 100.125 yards

Net used to Date: .625 yard

Status almost QUO!  I got the fabric for the Shop Hop Challenge this week.  It's due in September when the Hop the Blue's Shop Hop happens.  It's wild fabric again this year. Definaltely a Challenge to use.  My mind is racing and trying to think of something to make this fabric the focus and interesting part of a Quilt...  I like doing the Challenges.  I hope to still be in the running with the McCall's Quilt Design Star so I can do another two challenges there.  Saturday was the Sister's Quilt show in Oregon. I got to go there in 2007 and would love to go again someday. Hope everyone is having a great Sunday.  I only have a couple more days with Sgt Crowther home.  It's been real nice to have him home!

Click HERE to see more Stash Reports.

5 K for a Great Cause...

This Morning was the day for the 5K Run/Walk for Clara! Jeffery and I drove to be there, he walked and I cheered everybody on...

Jeffery, Andy, NaDell, Abigail, Elizabeth
Vincent & Olivia

Kori, Joe and the boys

  I saw many of our friends from our Burbank Days.  The Carrolls- Jerry and Anne.

Elizabeth & Uncle Jeff

Almost there Colby with Jeff

Jeffery went back a few times to walk with the family still on their way to the finish line.

Andy & Vincent

Jose made good time

Olivia runs across the Pink Line

Clara's Aunt Chelsea

Here comes Chelsea 6 mos pregnant.  Her sister, Candace is not far behind.  Their Mother and Uncle Ben ran by too fast for my camera. You can read more about Clara and her cancer fight at Her mom's BLOG.

G-ma and the girls

I had Jeff take a picture of me with NaDell and two of her girls before we left Richland to go home.

Weekly Contest @ Quilting Gallery

My favorite Quilt is up for votes in the Quilting Gallery Weekly Contest again. I love this Quilt. The pattern is the "Friendship Quilt" block, but Lynn and I designed the Original Layout with blocks made by guild members.  I loved making it for the Guild Raffle Quilt in 2009 and re-making it after that in my own selected realistic FLOWER fabrics.   I quilted this on Lynn's APQS Longarm machine, turning it diagonally to quilt some pretty feathers in the white space.  Mine is shown here at the Tri-cities Quilt Show this past March.  HERE is the link to Vote just until Sunday evening.  I know my Blogging and FB friends are probably getting tired of voting for the McCall's Quilt Design Contest.  There's only 10 days left to vote this round.   I'm so grateful for each vote and comment!

When the Crowther Family Gets Together...

Jeff says, "There's a lot of Kids here"  Yes, we have a large and ever-growing family.  These are the Great-grandchildren who came to the Mesa Park for the Celebration Monday.  Pictured with Great-Grandma Zora and Great-Grandpa Gordon Crowther.

We missed having everyone there.  We have much of our extended family who no longer live within a days driving distance.  It makes it hard to get them all in one place.  The five living original Crowther's were there.

 And we wanted to take a picture of our "Army Boy" Sgt Jeffery Crowther home on leave, with his Paternal Grandparents...

 Daniel brought his old pick-up truck and took Grandpa for a drive.  A few jumped in the back for fun.

 Even my silly Hubby tried to scare us pretending to fall out on the second turn around the road. This is a 1939 Ford, built before they perfected the making of gears.  Pete said the gears are square.

 Tina and Kari painted stars, fireworks, flags and a few other things on the kids cheeks and foreheads to celebrate and do a little "Parade" for all of us. They are holding water bottles filled with beans and glitter with a Flag stuck in the lid to shake as they paraded around the covered picnic ares.  They threw gum and candy at the grown-ups, then were sad they didn't get some...

This is the cake I made for Jeffery's Birthday.  There were many other desserts,we didn't even cut into it.

 Brant and Tina and their 3 boys at Pioneer Park.  We went for a walk to see all the people who were in the Park for the 4th of July. Grandpa likes to take us to the park and see the ducks and birds there.

Brant and Jeff got some fireworks to set off here at the house.  Some were duds and some made a lot of noise and we had to cover the babys' ears.  Even Christopher covered his ears...

We watched the fireworks from the parking lot at Americold sitting in the back of Jeffery's big truck.  It was a good ending of  the the celebration of our Grand old Country and the Freedom we enjoy!  The neighbors kept their fireworks going and we heard the pop, pop, pop well into the night.

Design Wall Monday- July 4, 2011

These are the Swap 4.5" blocks I have received from the one on one swap with the SBS Yahoo group.  They are ready for the rest of the block to make them a "Mother's Favorites" that make a New Year's Reflections quilt like the one from Jennifer Chiaverini's More Elm Creek Quilts book. I have two duplicate blocks and am missing the True Lover's knot block.  I'll have to make one when I get done celebrating the 4th of July with the family and Having my Army Son home for a while.  The other walls are the same as the past two weeks. 

Check out the other Design Walls HERE