Special?

I set out the challenge for the stashalong this month to use your special item. The one that you are saving because, well... it's special.

But as I went through my stash, I realized I don't feel like I really have any special fabric that I'm saving. Same with yarn. So I plodded on and started using up some scraps for the 9-patch a day challenge ( check my Instagram to see them!).

As I finished up with scraps I dug out some jelly roll strips. I gazed at them a moment, and placed them back. Then I realized it. Those jelly roll strips are my Special. Not because I treasure them, but they needed the perfect project and 9-patch just wasn't going to cut it.

So I set out on a quest to use those jelly roll strips. I found two projects that I felt were executable, and went ahead with the first one.

The key here was I didn't hesitate. I didn't give myself a couple of days to decide if it really was the perfect project for them because that's what got them languishing in the stash in the first place. I picked the pattern and started cutting away. I don't even know if I have enough of the base fabric that I need to actually complete the project, but that's not important.

What's important is that I am using my stash.

How's it going with your stashalong projects? I'd love to hear what everyone is working on!

#sewmystash2015 Precuts Party!

The time has come for the second #sewmystash2015 challenge. The Precuts Party! This one made me super excited and I'm really glad that Leasa did this one so early on in the year. I have a couple of pre-cut bundles that I've been meaning to use up.

Like, I actually had planned projects for them when I got them and I just never got around to using them because I have so many other things to do/that I'd rather be doing.

So, officially for this challenge I used a jelly roll and a charm pack. Just one of each. (For a primer on pre-cuts sew4home has a great one.) So I had 20 pieces of fabric to work with, in two basic colors: pink and brown. I decided on a log cabin inspired quilt top.

I had hopes to do two layers of strips around each charm square, but there wasn't enough jelly roll to go around. Sigh. I have a few scraps left over of jelly roll fabric that will go into the scrap pile for a future scrap quilt. 

It's about crib size and I am on the fence currently about finishing it into a complete quilt or just listing it as a top... I also am on the fence with if I should sell it or not. There's a lot of babies coming in my neck of the woods and I need baby shower presents! 

I had so much fun doing the Pre-cuts Party that I decided to continue it. I have another jelly roll, a pin from Pinterest, and a designated sewing room. I am ready to rock and roll! 

This summer was a summer of marriages for my family. I had two cousins get married, I got married, and my little brother got married.

When I called my mum and sister to ask if my idea for a wedding gift for my brother and sister was a good idea, they both said the same thing.

"Yeah, she's like you she's always cold. It would be perfect."

So, I went and stash dove into my fabrics. I asked Sarah what her favorite colors were. Thinking I might luck out since I had a red and white quilt partially done, and I could just finish that one off for them. Sarah told me her least favorite color was red... dangit.

Thankfully I had some blues, grays, and purples on hand. (Blues and grays are my go to colors, I love them.) Armed with my quilting book, I chose a quilt I liked and embarked on my first quilting for someone else without their input adventure.

I lucked out and found a local quilter who said she
could get it quilted in time for the wedding for me. She even made a label for me to put on it.  Unfortunately, I had to pick it up during my honeymoon. I called my friend who was kind enough to go pick it up for me. I then worked like a crazy lady to get the binding done.

I could hardly wait to give it to them. At this point my brother knew what the gift was, he just hadn't seen it, and it made me nervous because he was acting excited about it but you never really know...


So, here they are with their new quilt. It's only throw size because I didn't have the fabric (or time) to do a bigger one. They seem to like it ;)

Maybe I can keep up this stash dive quilt for a special person/purpose/occasion up.

At the very least I can keep up the stash diving part. That stash is getting out of control...