Category Archives: Month by Month

Stash Report – Week 12, 2015

Again nothing used and nothing in.

Used this week: 0 yards
Used year to Date: -26.25 yards
Added this week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 29.75 yards
Net Added for 2015: 3.5 yards

I haven’t been doing much in the quilty department.  We had a big party for my baby boy yesterday – he’s officially 10!  And most of the week was spent prepping for that.

Next week is my cousin’s baby shower in Northern California.  I do not need to do much for it because I’ve already done everything I was supposed to do.  The girl has to finish the props for one of the baby shower games but that’s her job.  I mention it because we’re heading up Thursday evening and will not be back until Monday evening.  That means no quilting until I return… other than my hand projects, of course.  I’ll bring them along like I usually do but I usually do not get much done on them.  I still have Moon Glow on my sewing table and I’m slowly working through Month 12.  Scrapitude’s clue #3 was released and two weekends have passed without me doing anything with it.  I still stand behind my decision to finish Moon Glow while I still know where I’m at in the project.  However, I’m getting antsy because I don’t want to fall behind with it.  Which may happen over the next few weeks anyway.  After we get back from NorCal, we’re heading to Vegas to finish up Spring Break.  Which means another weekend with no sewing!  I am happy to be going even if I will miss quilting.  I think I’m going to take advantage of the travel and visit quilt shops on the way.  I’m going to drop by a shop in Berkeley and maybe in Santa Cruz and then in Vegas when we’re there.  So I’ll be doing some adding to the stash over the next couple of weeks.  🙂

I’ll try to keep posting even if it’s just a line to say hi and post a pic!

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see more stash reports at  Patchwork Times

~Have a quilty week!

Melanie

WIP Wednesday – 3/18/2015

Moon Glow Month 12 ready for the next sew time

Moon Glow
Month 12
ready for the next sew time

I’m still where I left off over the weekend… working on Moon Glow. I haven’t had chance to play with my sewing machine at all.  My son’s birthday party is this Saturday so we’ve been doing all the loose ends.  Tonight I’ve got a meeting at my daughter’s school to talk about next year’s class selection.  If I do find time to sew I’m probably going to have to clean up my area because of the party.  I’ll have to figure out a way to keep things as organized as possible…

See more WIPs at … WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

~Wish I was quilting…

Melanie

 

Manic Monday – 3/16/2015

I wasn’t able to do any quilting yesterday.  Hopefully that changes this week.  I have Moon Glow laid out on my cutting table ready to piece together.  I hope I can find a few minutes here and there this week and piece a bit at a time.

 

Moon Glow Month 12 ready for tomorrow's sew time 3/14/15

Moon Glow
Month 12
ready for tomorrow’s sew time
3/14/15

 

Check out more finished BOMs at 

For Design Wall Monday…

Tell It To The Stars Designing the back 3/5/15

Tell It To The Stars
Designing the back
3/5/15

My design wall is still the back of Tell It To The Stars.

See more design walls at Patchworktimes.com

Have a great week!

~Melanie

Stash Report – Week 11, 2015

First the stash report – nothing used and nothing in.

Used this week: 0 yards
Used year to Date: -26.25 yards
Added this week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 29.75 yards
Net Added for 2015: 3.5 yards

But I played with fabric this week.  It’s just been really slow.  I’ve been working on Moon Glow and Month 12 has 20 different fabric.  the first 6 steps were cut, cut, piece a little bit, and cut a lot more.

Moon Glow Month #12 3/12/2015

Moon Glow
Month #12
3/12/2015 

This was step 3 and the next step was to cut 12 strips of 1-3/4″ for each set.

Step 5 was a whole ‘nother 8 pieces of fabric that I needed to cut 12 strips of 1-3/4″ each again.  I didn’t take a picture of it.  During the week, I would do 1 or 2 as I was able to.

Moon Glow Month 12 Step 6 Block Area 4 3/14/15

Moon Glow
Month 12
Step 7
Block Area 4
3/14/15

Step 6, 7, 8  was to put together Block Area 4, 5, and 2/3

Moon Glow Month 12 Step 6 Block Area 5 3/14/15

Moon Glow
Month 12
Step 7
Block Area 5
3/14/15

Moon Glow Month 12 Step 6 Block Area 2&3 3/14/15

Moon Glow
Month 12
Step 8
Block Area 2&3
3/14/15

Then I had more cutting to do…

IMG_6065

Moon Glow Month 12 Step 9 Cut More!!! 3/14/15

 

yup – another 12 strips of 1-3/4″ for each of those pieces… 🙁

I figured I would be happy yesterday if I got it all cut and ready for me to put together.

I did a lot more..

I cut everything…

Moon Glow Month 12 Step 9 Cut! 3/14/15

Moon Glow
Month 12
Step 9
Cut!
3/14/15

and then I was able to start sewing… I put the two different 9 patches together.

Moon Glow Month 12 Step 10 Center 3/14/15

Moon Glow
Month 12
Step 10
Center
3/14/15

Now it’s smooth sailing!  Everything is all cut so all I need to do is put together all the pieces…

I prepped my table for the next step..

Moon Glow Month 12 ready for tomorrow's sew time 3/14/15

Moon Glow
Month 12
ready for tomorrow’s sew time
3/14/15

Organization is key for Moon Glow in general but most especially for month 12.  I placed a lot of numbers for the fabric # and then the block area #.  I have clue #3 for Scrapitude but I’m afraid if I put Moon Glow away I’ll forget what I was doing and have to re-organize myself.  I think I’ll just power through and get these 12 alternating blocks done before I move on to the next thing.

see more stash reports at  Patchwork Times

~Have a quilty week!

Melanie

Stash Report – Week 10, 2015

 

 

I’m sorry, I’ve got no pictures to show.  All I finished this week was the bucket bags from earlier this week for a total of 3 yards.  That’s bringing me closer to actually using more than adding.  I don’t think that’s ever happened except maybe the first week of the year.  Maybe… It’s a new place for me and kind of exciting. 🙂  I am planning on purchasing things at the guild’s quilt show in May and our SoCal Quilt Run in June so I’m hoping to get my numbers in a good place before then.

Martidiy asked me what I do with the bucket bags and I gave the girl hers and I’ve been using mine to tote my yoga stuff in the car.  It’s not big enough for the yoga mat but I put my yoga clothes and face towel in it.  It sits in my car so that whenever I’m able to go to a class after work, I don’t have the excuse that I don’t have my things.  That’s what I did with the bags this time.  If I get the mojo to make these again, I am thinking about saving them for emergency gifts.  I never feel like making anything when I do have to give a gift so it is a good idea for me to have a gift closet that I can go to.  A long time ago, I used to get things on sale and put them in a closet.  These things were usually anywhere from $1 – $10 each but whenever I had a party to go to I always had something to give without worrying about spending money at that moment or taking the time to go to the store.  Over the years I let the practice go for one reason or another – space, money, just not going shopping as much as I used to so not seeing the sales like I used to…  But I think I can do a similar thing but with things I make.

I spent yesterday morning quilting on Bailey and I’m prepping a whole post about that.  It’s not ready yet and I do not have the energy to finish it. But Month by Month is half quilted and would have been done yesterday if the needle hadn’t broken.  I do not have an extra one so I will not be able to finish it until I’ve got that.  I have to run errands today so I’m hoping to stop by Joann’s to get that and some other things that’s been on my list.

I spent the rest of yesterday’s afternoon getting “month 12” of Moon Glow started.  I finished step 3 and will be working on step 4 today.

I’m running a little slow today, we had too much fun with friends and stayed up way too late last night.  Now I’m suffering  – but it was fun! 🙂

Used this week: 3 yards
Used year to Date: -26.25 yards
Added this week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 29.75 yards
Net Added for 2015: 3.5 yards

see more stash reports at  Patchwork Times

~Have a quilty week!

Melanie

WIP Wednesday – 3/4/2015

Month by Month on the mid arm 2/28/2015

Month by Month on the mid arm
2/28/2015

For WIP Wednesday, I’ve got Month by Month still on the quilt frame.  I haven’t had a chance to do anything.  Well, I could have done it on Sunday but as I said previously I didn’t do it.  So now its Wednesday and no progress on that front.  I did go to the Los Angeles Modern Quilt Guild meeting Monday night and I won a super door prize!  Here’s what I got:

QuiltCon 2015 goodie bag

QuiltCon 2015
goodie bag

And all this loot!

And all this loot!

I love all my goodies!  I don’t know what I’m going to do with everything but I’ll figure it out.  What’s nice is that but I’m not even a member yet.  I was just checking it out.  The drive wasn’t too bad but the parking was horrible!  I almost parked in a no parking spot because it was just too confusing and I wasn’t sure whether I could park there or not.  I’m still not sure but I went somewhere else just to be on the safe side.  There also wasn’t enough places to sit so I had to stand for almost 3 hours.  Despite all of that I think I’ll join and really give it a try for a year.  ;0

 

See more WIPs at … WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

~Wish I was quilting…

Melanie

 

Manic Monday – 3/2/2015

I must have done too much on Saturday because I woke up Sunday morning with the worse back pain.  It was cold (for LA at least) and overcast.  Later in the afternoon it started raining.  I whine because I didn’t quilt on Bailey.  The new mid arm is set up in the garage and it’s ready for me to quilt on with Month by Month actually in the frame.  But my quilt mojo was not with me today.  I wanted to do something.  But my top three projects were in various degrees of “I can’t do anything right now”.. Scrapitude is waiting on the next clue. Tell It To The Stars is done and is in queue for quilting.  Month by Month is in the quilt frame.  So – I was in a mood.  I could go to the next WIP – Moon Glow – but I’m not ready to do that.  I think I want Month by Month to actually be finished before I put a new project on my Work on NOW list. So I worked on the Bucket Bag for the Basic Bag Making Class on Craftsy that has been on my list for the last couple of months.  I convinced my daughter to work on it with me and she actually did .. until she got tired and I finished it up for her.  But she got to pick her fabric.  Cut (she’s 13 so she can cut), press, and sew.  But now I’ve got two bags to show for it.  And at 1.5 yards each, that’s 3 yards used! woohoo!  I’m getting closer and closer to the black.

Melanie's Bucket Bag 3/1/15

Melanie’s Bucket Bag
3/1/15

Kayla's Bucket Bag 3/1/2015

Kayla’s Bucket Bag
3/1/2015

 

Can I still post on BOMs Away?  I don’t know but here’s another pic of Month by Month on the quilt frame.  And that can be an update on my BOM project –

Month by Month on the mid arm 2/28/2015

Month by Month on the mid arm
2/28/2015

 

Check out more finished BOMs at 

For Design Wall Monday…

Design Wall 3/2/2015

Design Wall
3/2/2015

My design wall is empty.  That’s what happens after  two tops are finished.  I am thinking of piecing the left over fabric from Tell It To The Stars and using it as a back.  I plan to watch Creative Quilt Backs on Craftsy for inspiration.  That will probably go up on the design wall next.  Afterwards, the plan is to take Moon Glow out of hiding and put the finished blocks on the design wall.

See more design walls at Patchworktimes.com

Have a great week!

~Melanie

Stash Report – Week 9, 2015

IMG_5993

IMG_6002

I got the quilt frame put together and Bailey up on it.  I also got Month by Month on it.  It took me all afternoon yesterday to get it going and by the time I was done putting everything together, I was too tired to tackle the machine and actually quilting.  That’s my plan for tomorrow.  I’m really excited and I hope things go smoothly.

Finally finishes to count!  The secret project is done and I’m counting the top for Tell It To The Stars now.  I could count Month by Month now too but I’ll do that when it is off the quilt frame and bounded.  That’s a total of 9 yards used this week.  But I had to add fabric for the backing of Month by Month.  I bought 5.25 yards.  I wanted 6 to be safe but I bought the end of the bolt so 5.25 it was.  And I stuck to my intentions and got clearance fabric.

Used this week: 9 yards
Used year to Date: -23.25 yards
Added this week: 5 yards
Added Year to Date: 29.75 yards
Net Added for 2015: 6.5 yards

see more stash reports at  Patchwork Times

~Have a quilty week!

Melanie

WIP Wednesday – 2/25/2015

Month by Month with side borders 2/25/15

Month by Month
with side borders
2/25/15

For WIP Wednesday I’m working on the border for Month by Month.  I picked fabric from stash so I’m happy about that.  Since this is my practice quilt – both being my first machine pieced project began in 2007 but never finished… The project may have called for a border but I don’t think so.  Looking at it I felt that it needed something to border it.  Since I used what I had in stash I basically took the piece I liked and just determined how much I needed for each side and then used math to figure out how wide the borders should be.  My goal is to get the border done by this weekend so I can go to the quilt shop and get backing.  I do not have enough fabric in my stash for backing.  I’m planning to stick to the sale section for the backing of this quilt.

My goal is to start working with the MidArm this weekend.

See more WIPs at … WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

~Wish I was quilting…

Melanie

 

Manic Monday – 2/23/2015

Tell It To The Stars Top Finished 2/22/2015

Tell It To The Stars
Top Finished
2/22/2015

I got the secret project done over the weekend and was in such a roll that I finished the final border for Tell It To The Stars.  I had a difficult time getting the full quilt in one shot so here are a couple more with the sides…

Tell It To The Stars Top Finished 2/22/2015

Tell It To The Stars
Top Finished
2/22/2015

 

Tell It To The Stars Top Finished 2/22/2015

Tell It To The Stars
Top Finished
2/22/2015

It helped that it rained all day.  That’s the thing with Southern CA.  One day it’s cold, the next it’s in the 80’s.  Well today it was raining off and on all day.  And I hate to drive or do anything in the rain.  There are too many crazy drivers who do not know how to drive in the rain.  🙁  So I didn’t run any of the errands that was on my to do list – they will just have to wait another day.  Instead I stayed home, quilted the secret project and pieced the final border.  It was a nice day today.

Check out more finished BOMs at 

For Design Wall Monday…

Design Wall 2/16/15

Design Wall
2/16/15

Next up – put together borders on Month by Month, currently on the design wall.  I’ll be going through stash for those and hopefully I find something that works.  This is primarily a practice quilt so I do not want to spend money on fabric when I just want to add a border.  I may need to buy backing fabric though as I do not want to go through the hassle of piecing together a back.  Once that is done, I’m going to put together the mid-arm and start learning how to use it with this quilt.  

See more design walls at Patchworktimes.com

Have a great week!

~Melanie