ALYOF - April Goal

I'm getting in on the skin of my teeth again... life is crazy busy here and to be honest I was thinking of skipping ALYOF again this month. But that does nothing to keep me on track, so I decided that I'm going to work on my Harry Potter Bookshelf quilt again.

I started this over a year ago and haven't made much progress, and while I don't think I could possibly finish it this month, I'm sure I can make some progress.

This is where I was at:

This pattern is from Fandom in Stitches, and is available for easy and free complete download at Craftsy. Awesome!!

Linking up to ALYOF... now I'd better get to work!! 

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Sunday Stashing

I am doing okay on the fabric/craft supply fast... at least I was until I started to use the birthday excuse, but that's the topic of another post.

Meanwhile, this is the purchasing from February and March (most of it). Not perfect, but not too terrible.

A bunch of scrapbooking cuteness from a local cheapy (dollar) store and KMart. Because I seemed to have a momentary lapse that I was fasting. Yes, that's a fruit bowl, but I am using it to hold Washi tape, as you can put it in the bowl and on the spikes. I also bought a plastic storage container for my English Paper Piecing.

A metre of fabric from Spotllight that will be used for something for the Purple Princess, no doubt. It was $5 a metre, then I used my 40% off voucher so it was $3. The lady at the counter looked at me like I was nuts for using such a valuable coupon on this, but that was because I didn't need anything else. SEE, I AM LEARNING!! I actually stood in Spotlight and filled my cart with a bunch of $4m clearance prints and $8m designer prints and then got guilty enough to put them all back. It wasn't easy, but I did it.

My mother-in-law dropped in and asked me how much quilting fabric was, as she was pricing some for the op shop (thrift store) she volunteers at. After I got over the shock of her asking such a dangerous question in front of my husband, when my beloved stash was right in the next roorm in all its hundreds-of-metres-right-here glory, I took a quick look at what she had. Below is $3 worth of fabric - blenders that might come in handy and some hand-dyed fabric that seems to be a heavier weight but would be useful for the art quilts I might get around to doing one day.

I bought these books because I had a gift certificate from returning a few books I bought but realised I didn't really want. One is quite interesting, the other not so much. My motivation here is to extend my creative skills and try new things - I'm currently at the stage of amassing supplies and references rather than actually doing anything new and innovative... oops!

I also bought the digital back issue collection of  Quilting Arts magazine as it was 40% off. See above comments about art quilts and extending creativity.... I have looked at it briefly but it's all a little overwhelming right now.

Not pictured: A frixion eraseable pen as it's useful, and a bunch of glue sticks as they were on deep discount after back to school sales and I use them constantly.

Oh, and when I was in the office supply store I caved on the set of Stabilo fineliners I'd been eyeing off. Whoops. But they are beautiful and they were good value and I'm already using them all the time.

I was also gifted some selvedges from the lovely Kristy and some Project Life cards from a member of a Project Life Facebook group I'm on.

Despite some little lapses, I'm still calling this a successful fast so far. I did torture myself a few times by going to Spotlight for other things - there seems to be some weird magnetic force that pulls me into the quilting and scrapbooking sections when I go there.

I think staying away from temptation is the biggest tool for successful fabric fasting. I need to avoid Spotlight at all costs. I am doing a good job of avoiding fabric store websites and I'm getting very good at sticking my fingers in my ears and singing La La La every time someone mentions a fabric sale.

I am also shopping my stash to remind me I really don't need anything else! I was tempted to shop for a future project until I did a fabric pull at home and discovered I didn't need another thing.

In addition to linking up with Molli Sparkles' Sunday Stash, I'm linking up with Fabriholics Anonymous's March linky party. I'll confess on my birthday haul in another post, but now the fast is officially BACK ON!

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Keeping It Real

In the interest of honesty in blogging, I decided that today I'd share some of my craft room photos with you.
I have been feeling very unproductive lately - though that's not really true, as I've nearly finished quilting another quilt and I have started a sweet little English paper piecing project after many years of thinking about doing some EPP.

But in the last few days I've been really tired and somewhat overwhelmed, and I suspect it has a little something to do with this hot mess....

Seiously, is it any wonder I couldn't get my head around any thing? There is everything under the sun in here, from a school bag to about leftovers from the last three projects... and all beautifully organised on the floor. Aaargh!

So even though there is plenty I need to be doing, I decided to spend this evening tidying up. And now it looks like this...

Thank God, Is all I can say. I feel better already, and I am about to write a little to do list for the week (which will include getting my act together on the blogging front).

The desk is still a little insane, but that is a task for another day.

Please reassure me that I'm not the only one who feels like a bomb has sometimes gone off in their creative space! Can you work when it reaches a certain level of crazy, or does your productivity slide too?

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Friday Finish

I'm struggling big time with the whole "February is Over" concept... seriously, where did it go? My February's are always manic, between back to school, back to work and all my kids having birthdays this time of year. I am quite glad to be seeing the back end of this month, to be honest.

I have one measly finish for the month, which I finished a few weeks ago, then never got as far as taking photos of (did I mention February is also a rainy month here?). This is a long standing UFO that I never really felt the love on. I am not really a shabby chic person AT ALL but I got what I suspect is part of a layer cake in a scrap pack and decided to put them together into a lap quilt. I paired them with cream for a very simple block. I quilted in a simple stipple that took only about an hour from start to finish.... gotta love that!

I do really like the finished product, it's turned into a sweet little lap quilt.

Because I am trying very hard to not buy fabric I decided to back it in the cream homespun as well. And I had *just* enough of this dusty pink solid to make the binding so that was meant to be.

This little quilt will be gifted a bit later in the year. Considering I started it with no intentions, I am pleased to have found a good home for it.

I have been working hard at my low volume rainbow quilt for ALYOF, but I'm just not going to get there in February, sadly. I have almost all the quilting done but I have had a headache and been very under the weather this week so I didn't quite get it finished. But I am pleased with the progress I've made and hope to get it wrapped up very soon. I am loving how ALYOF is keeping me focused on finishing particular projects, it really is what I need!

Excitedly, I am starting to feel a bit more like a finisher. As I am getting through the piecing side of things I am making a concerted effort to baste and quilt straight away. In the past I've very often put finished tops aside for a while, and we all know how that turns out... (a bit like the nap I took yesterday afternoon after work lasted until 7pm).

Linking up with TGIFF over at Mila and Cuatro, Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts and Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation.

Hope you all have a productive, fabric filled weekend.

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WIP Wednesday - Low in the Rainbow

Once upon a time, about a year ago, before I'd even heard the term 'low volume', I hit upon the idea of using up lots of bright scraps and lots of that pesky-multicoloured-fabric-with-white-backgrounds-that-is-pretty-hard-to-use (yes, that is the technical term) to make another rainbow quilt.

I worked at it for a while, then in typical fashion, shoved it aside, all but done, rendering a whole stack of fabric out of action for any other project and adding to my WIP list. My goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes in February is to get this top, which I absolutely love love love, finished and quilted. I have plans for the quilting, once I get over the hurdle of how to back it.

I love that this is low volume, but kinda not... a bit low vol at the carnival, perhaps. But overall, it reads as low volume. And since I reorganised my stash (more on that another day), I am itching to play with my low volumes a bit more.

I love the whole hot mess that is the improv piecing process too... perfect for this time of year when I am super tired from having lots of newbies at work (oh, the crying!) and just want some mindless sewing at the end of the day.

Linking up to WIP Wednesday, Sew Cute Tuesday and A Lovely Year of Finishes too!

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ALYOF - January Update

January has been a productive month for me, creativity wise. Conclusion: if I didn't have a day job the rest of the year, I could be super productive. Sadly, I do, so I expect productivity to drop somewhat from now on.

I'm linking up (by the skin of my teeth!) to the A Lovely Year of Finishes linky party. My January goal was to bind the four quilts I had sitting round that only needed binding.

I did finish three of them, and balked at the fourth. But I did also baste three more quilt tops, and finished quilting and binding one of them. So I finished four quilts! I'm calling that a successful stitching month.

And I also made three paper piecing blocks for cushions, and made serious progress on a secret quilt project.

The mending and Girl Guide badges are patiently waiting for their time in the sun . I did what I had to on the school uniforms, but that was it for now.

First up was my Mary Engelbreit picnic quilt, which I finished piecing about 18 months ago, finished quilting about three months ago and bound this month. This used my serious stash of Mary Engelbreit fabrics that I started collecting years ago. To be honest, my heart wasn't really in this project, I'm pretty over these fabrics. 

My mum came to visit and oohed and aahed over how wonderful the quilt was and how it was far too good for a picnic quilt. You know what comes next... it went home with her. I am thrilled it has gone to a good home where it will be loved. 

Mary Engelbreit quilt front

Mary Engelbreit quilt back

My second finish was my Kaleidoscope Under the Sea quilt. I made this quilt to play around with the stack and whack technique. I love the hexagons, I love the variegated thread I used to quilt it (but my machine hated it!), but I am not happy with how it won't really sit flat. Which is probably why it took me two years to bind it...

Kaleidoscope Under the Sea

Kaleidoscope Under the Sea detail

This is my favourite finish - I finally, finally got the binding on my Polaroid Rainbows quilt. I adore this quilt and I'm so glad it's finally done. I did have a few tension issues with the FMQ but that's all on the back, which is now against a wall in my daughter's bedroom, so no peeking, okay?

Polaroid Rainbows

Polaroid Rainbows FMQ detail

The last quilt I finished basting, quilting and binding is still in secret squirrel mode, so I can't share pics just yet. But I can say it was made from my bee blocks from 2012 so I'm glad to get a long standing WIP out of the way!

I am planning for February already, but before then, I'm linking up to A Lovely Year of Finishes, TGIFF and Finish It Up Friday. Yay for finishes!!

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Sunday Stash - January 2014

Because I am on a fabric and craft supply buying freeze, along with lots of other members of Fabricholics Anonymous, it seems a little weird to be writing a Sunday Stash post.

But I have decided that as part of my fabric fasting accountability, and as a personal record of how much I spend on craft supplies (even when I'm not meant to be spending on craft supplies), that I will be writing a monthly Sunday Stash update. Plus, if I'm very lucky, sometimes gifty bits of crafty goodness might come my way.

As far as my fabric fasting with the Fabriholics Anonymous girls, it's early days but it's going pretty good. I even survived the Great Aussie Destash on Instagram! I have realised that some of my craft buying is automatic, which is disturbing. I picked up some awesome pens I didn't need at Office Works and then had to remind myself I wasn't buying! I survived a trip to Spotlight, coming out empty handed, but I know I need to avoid places like that!

I am focusing on finishing things and on using my stash so the temptation to buy isn't strong yet.

Here's my legal craft spending for January:

This month, I started by spending on photos. This is completely within the boundaries of the fast, as I have said I will be printing monthly to keep up to date. Because I was catching up on the end of last year I printed quite a few photos, so this cost $25 this month. Interested Australians, I print my photos at OfficeWorks for 9c a print, because I like their quality, price and convenience. It's so easy to pop in with a USB once in a while.

A friend bought me a pack of adhesives on clearance at Spotlight for $5 - absolute bargain! They are on my allowed list but I'm not going to need anything for a while.

I purchased essential sewing supplies - two packs of needles and four reels of cotton. I have discovered that Isacord thread agrees with my sewing machine when FMQing and makes for a much more pleasant sewing experience. It is also readily available at my local sewing shop for only $6.95 a reel in a range of colours. This makes me a happy quilter. These reels are for quilting a number of upcoming quilts and I will be adding to my Isocord collection as I go. Total spend: $41. I did come home and found I had more needles than I thought, but at least I'm good for a while.

I have also decided that adding the occasional book to my craft library is also acceptable spending. After contemplating Mimi Dietrich's Craftsy class, Finishing School, a number of times, I decided to purchase the book the class is based on instead. For around $A10 for the Kindle version, this is a worthwhile investment that will hopefully push me to finish my quilts in more interesting ways.

I have also been super spoilt with crafty gifts this month.

A friend was getting rid of this quilter's carry all - I am not sure if I'll make use of it yet, but if I don't, I'll pass it on.

My mum came to visit and brought with her some Christmas scrapbooking paper she got on clearance after Christmas (I'm passing half on to a friend), and also some beautiful cotton teatowels she bought me in Ireland with a view to making something from them. I'm sure they'll be great for a home decor item.

My lovely adhesive-buying friend also bought me some scrapbooking paper and a paper pad. Lucky me.

And when you'r fabric fasting, the best kind of friend to have is the one who brings you scraps in one of the fabric lines you covet the most. It's like the friend who gives you chocolate when you're PMSing. Lovely Kristy dropped in yesterday and brought me some scraps of Alison Glass. Be still my heart.... Bike Path is one of my most favouritest prints ever.

I was also gifted a lovely bag of selvedges from a lady on the QCA group. Anyone who know me knows that my feelings for my selvedge collection is a little like Gollum's feelings for the Ring so I was very excited to receive this bag of goodness. It's all been sorted into my selvedge collection - doing something with these is high on my priority list this year!

So even while on a fabric and craft supply buying freeze, I still spent about $80 on crafty things... but I don't anticipate I'll spend anything like that most months.

I'm linking up with Molli Sparkles' Sunday Stash over at Sarah Quilts, and updating on Fabriholics Anonymous too.

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