Week 4 Stash Buster

Fabric in this week: 3.333 yards
Fabric in this year: 7.083 yards

Fabric Busted this week: 2.165 yards
Fabric Busted this year: 17.489 yards

Total Busted: 10.403 yards

Okay not much got done this week. I made a few glam bags and some other small stuff. Unfortunately I bought more than I busted. BUT 1.333 yards of the purchase is the backing for Liz and my's heart quilt which will be basted on Tuesday night so that will get busted this week. One yard is binding for my President's challenge quilt that will get busted in the next 5 weeks. The last yard was just too cute to pass up, Sushi fabric, I am going to make Laney a summer outfit maybe.

This week I am aiming for 10 yards busted! I know I can do 5 yards so I am going to double and reach for the stars. I will even include photos of projects that used up some of the 10 yard goal next week. Just so you know I already have busted .5 yard today and am hoping to do more before bed.

Who's joining me? Leave a comment with your goal of busted yards this week.

Week 3 Stash Buster Report

Fabric in this week: 0 yards
Fabric in this year: 3.375 yards

Fabric Busted this week: 4.207 yards
Fabric Busted this year: 15.324 yards

Total Busted: 11.051 yards

This week has been spent sewing prizes for my other blog's Blog-A-Versary Celebration. What fun I had! I finished 5 Glam Bags, 2 placemats and napkin rings, 1 purse, and a Men's Apron. I have also managed to keep current on my Calendar Quilt. I have also managed to get the blocks set together for my President's Challenge. I feel like I am making progress despite the chaos in my life right now.

I am hoping to be able to have the borders on my President's Challenge by tomorrow night and have the back pieces on Tuesday. After that I will marking the top for quilting. Today I need to finish up 2 placemats and post some stuff on Kumquat Kewtie, my Etsy site. I am waiting for the sun to make an appearance so I can take my photos. I think this week I will also work on my Color Swap Quilt Blocks. I have one done and eight to go. I think that might be enough to do since I need to help Scott too.

Week 2 Stash Buster Report

Welcome to Week 2 Stash Busting Report

Fabric in this week: 1.375 yards
Fabric in this year: 3.375 yards

Fabric Busted this week: 4.692 yards
Fabric Busted this year: 11.117 yards

Total Busted: 7.742 yards

This week I have worked on a few projects. I am still making progress on my guild's president's challenge project. I also cut the fabric to my Ribbon Quilt. It all came from my stash and it will be black, white and blue. I will be working on it this week. I am also working on prizes for my other blog this week which is celebrating it's 2nd blog-a-versary. All of the prizes are being made by me and I am making a second set of the prizes to put on my Etsy shop Kumquat Kewtie.

I have to admit I am not counting all the yardage I bought this week. First let me explain before you comment that I am cheating. I went to a quilter's estate sale this past week, which is where I did buy 1.375 cut yardage. I also bought a few of her UFO's. So I decided instead of trying to figure out how much yardage is in each kit now, then how much of it I use and how much I am adding to the project I will count at the end. So when I add fabric from my stash to the UFO I will count it as busted. Then when I finish the UFO and if I put any of the left overs in my stash I will count it as purchase.

For those of you who don't read my other blog, we are having so major life changes at our house. I have decided not to change my goal of busted yardage BUT I know the reality is I most likely will not make it. My sewing time will be minimal for the next year. Please don't think I have given up, I am just slowing down.

Sorry I have no pictures of what I am working on. My main focus is the president's challenge and it has to remain Top Secret.

Week 1 Stash Report

Welcome to Week 1 Stash Busting Report

Fabric in this week: 2 yards
Fabric in this year: 2 yards

Fabric Busted this week: 6.425 yards
Fabric Busted this year: 6.425 yards

Total Busted: 4.425 yards

I am very excited about this years Stash Busting. My goal is to use 104 yards more than I purchase AND to get a few "wish projects" done. A wish project is just that, I have ALL the fabrics and pattern sitting their ready to go and I WISH I had time to make it.

This week I was able to start two Wish Projects and one is finished. The first project is my President's Challenge, it is something I have wanted to make for about 5 years and haven't done. I counted the yardage in my busted since all my blocks are cut, sewing started and more than half my blocks are finished. My second project was a quilted journal cover from American Patchwork & Quilting. I am using this notebook to keep track of my Stash Busting numbers.

Did You Miss Me???

Okay I didn't forget about you. I have just been delayed with holiday sewing. I will be posting pictures form my Scrap Swap next week.

Today I am taking Judy's Stash Buster's Pledge. I Pledge to bust 104 yards of fabric from my stash in 2009. Now when you break it down I have to use 2 yards of fabric each week of the year from my stash. If I buy or am given fabric I have to bust that yardage too. Every Sunday in 2009 I will post what I took in and used for that week along with year to date purchased and used. I can only count the used if the project is 100% finished.

I know some of my readers don't have a blog if you would like to make the pledge yourself leave a comment here. Each week you can post a comment on how you are doing.

Some how I think busting 104 yards of fabric with Judy will be easier than loosing 30lbs with Weight Watchers.

Scrap Swaps

I don't think I will ever use all of my scraps. So while linking around Blog Land I found SwapDex. SwapDex is a list of swaps happening around Blog Land. It gives you a little information about a swap and a link to go to the blog post about the swap. They have swaps for everything.

So on my first night of checking out SwapDex what did I find? a SCRAP SWAP!!! All things considering this is right up my alley. I am participating in {tidbits} Scrappy Fabric Swap. For this swap I am sending 3 people each 10 - 15 scraps from my stash. They will make something for me out of those scraps and send it back to me. In return each of those 3 people will send me 10 - 15 scraps from their stash and I will make something and send it back to them.

Today I am getting my scraps ready to mail tomorrow. I am excited to see what I get and what I can create with it. I should be receiving my scraps sometime before Halloween and I have to mail them back around Thanksgiving. I will post pictures as I go.

When Life Gives You Scraps...

Make something! Another great way to use up some of your little scraps is to make art quilts, post cards, gift cards or ATC's. ( Artist Trading Cards)

There are books out on how to make fabric postcards. They can be mailed just like a regular postcard or in a clear envie. They do need to be hand cancelled though. It is pretty easy to make one. Here are a few basics. The size is usually around 4" x 5", measure a post card you already have or if using a clear envie make it to fit the envie. The back should be white, cream or muslin, easier to write on. The front mini art quilt whatever you like. A piece of thin batting in the middle and zigzag stitch the edges. Lightly quilt if desired.

To make a gift card is way easy. First you need a piece of card stock 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", fold card stock in half so the card is now 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". Make a small patch work to fit the card front. I have seen everything from small paper pieced works to a theme print boarded out. Them secure it to your card front, either sew it directly to the card with your machine or hand stitch it on.

An ATC is the size of a baseball card, a small art quilt, usually embellished, and has some batting in the middle. You can also frame them if you like. I have seen swaps where they have a theme, you create your ATC based on that, one for everyone in the group and the hostess trades them out. Some store them in baseball card binders or mini albums out for display.