Showing posts with label stash. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stash. Show all posts

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Warm-Fuzzy Quilted Gifts and Stash Acquistions


How lucky we are to have talented friends.
That says, "mmm! quilts 'hearts' Pink Doxies."
Awwww...

Saturday, December 5, 2015

Day 5: Quilt Squad Christmas Outing


Bargain Basement flat folds: Most $6/ yard. I surprised everyone by shopping outside my comfort zone. It started with the second print from the left, and the other two blues. Then the border print below was $5 a yard, and I knew what I was making. Does fabric ever speak to you? I need earplugs.

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Are You Ready for the Farmer's Wife 1930s Version?


Penny's Dollhouse (left) & Walk in the Park (right)


Today is the big day many of us have been waiting. The first block for Farmer's Wife 1930's Sample Quilt Sew-along was announced last night. Angie at Gnome Angel is leading over 4,000 of us through the year with help from Marti Michell, and many other bloggers. The only commitment is to purchase your own copy of The Farmer's Wife 1930's Sampler Quilt which comes with its own cd to print instructions, templates, or paper piecing templates for each block. I would like to compliment how well it's gone so far, and the lack of technical problems. Emails are on time and accurate, the Facebook page is very active, and people are kind! There's no deadline, so join in if you wish. The back posts will be hosted on Gnome Angel's blog page if you need to catch up.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Vintage Stash: What's It Worth to You?




Vintage 1930's Depression Era Fabric Baby Quilt

A friend of mine--the same one in the wooden quilt post-- was offered 5 boxes of fabric for sale, and had no way of digging through it before she decided. By only looking at the fabric on the top, she called me to say it was 'old', and looked like 'stuff I would like'. She lives hours away, so I took a chance and said, "Buy it." 

Thursday, August 20, 2015

How Real Are Online Relationships? Pink Doxies Meets Musings of a Menopausal Melon




"Pink Doxies" Meets "Musings of a Menopausal Melon"


What happens when two quilting bloggers strike up a long running conversation online, and it blossoms into a warm friendship? They decide they must meet in person, of course.



Saturday, August 15, 2015

Pet Project Show #33: Adding to the Stash



A sale from Fabricworm was too good to pass up. The joy about buying online is the selection seems limitless, but that also makes it harder to choose. Depending on whether you're buying fabric to use personally or to manufacture goods makes a difference. Just because we like it doesn't mean someone else will. I try to keep to the 'middle of the road' on some fabrics, but others are just indulgences.

Sunday, June 7, 2015

Sunday Stash



I unabashedly added to my stash.
The Cottage Garden by the Quilted Fish
for Riley Blake Design

This is the fabric line that Riley Blake is using for it's Modern Quilt Guild 2015 Fabric Challenge. I one was one of the lucky members to get a free fat quarter bundle of 6 prints, but the project I have in mind is going to require more fabric. I also have a few of these prints already, and love them. (Okay, I love the pink, and the others are nice, too. Did I say the colorway that came is all grey and teal?) The full line surpassed my expectations, and I can't believe I was waffling.

I'm giving a call out to this Etsy shop for amazingly quick service and attention. I ordered this on June 4th, and it was here on the 6th. Woohoo! Simply Love Fabrics Rocks!

It was so fun when I opened it! Bonus goodies--a Riley Blake package of buttons, and wintergreen mints that made the whole package smell wonderful! (I already ate one.)



Check out this mother/daughter duo!


So what am I doing with the lovely fabric, you ask? A challenge for me. This book has been in my hands for weeks, and I've designed my own medallion for the Riley Blake contest. I'm waiting on a few other fabrics to get started, but I'm excited now that the fat quarter bundle arrived so quickly. I'll try to keep it all under wraps for a few weeks, but you know how excited I get to share with you! Soon! I promise.


The Modern Medallion Workbook


If you're thinking about a Craftsy class, there's a sale this weekend. Thank you for clicking through my links, and supporting Pink Doxies.

 Craftsy Sale

The Pet Project Show #23 is still open for you to link up. Everyone loves to see what you're doing with your creative time.

Until next time...
Come on, Doxie girls.
Let's go sew.

Sunday, May 31, 2015

Anna Marie Horner Mini Quilt Swap & Slow Stiching Sunday




Earlier this year, I signed up for the Anna Marie Horner Mini Quilt Swap on Instagram. Kate Basti is hostessing, and past members had such nice things to say about her swaps. I'd never been in one of any kind, but AMH! I had to! She was one of the first designers whose style attracted me back to quilting. The past minis from other swaps were gorgeous. Wow! These were some talented sewists, and I was worried I wouldn't measure up.

I ordered a fat quarter package of 'Folk Song',
and pulled out my high tech design tools--a pencil and some paper. This was the original drawing I started with, and I kept true to it. I integrated a few Missouri Star Quilt Co. templates I had purchased, but never used. I have to tell you these weren't made to be used together, and I had to do some tweaking at the corner diamonds.


I have one last line of hand quilting to stitch with my Aurifil 50#, and I feel like the teal corners need a bit of the coral and pink pearl cottons. Then it's time for binding, and I have a print in mind already.




#annamariehornerminiquiltswap 
#teamhonorroll 
#katebasti
#pinkdoxies


You might remember my cell phone and camera sling bag was made with the same fabric line, and another AMH I had in my stash.

I brought my mini home to work on thinking some slow stitching would be a nice change. It's been a busy week, and there's something theraputic about working with your project on your lap instead of zipping it through a machine. You see your work differently.

I've also wanted to link up to the Slow Sunday Stitching for some time. Kathy is a Canadian quilter after my own heart. She is also a scrapaholic, and is involved in quilting for Mennonite Central Committee



I haven't made any quilts for the auction like she has, but the women at First Mennonite Church in Sugarcreek do. They are an inspiring group. They meet every week to hand quilt on frames, while others ladies make utility quilts. These are gathered together in one location, packed, and sent to areas of the world where there is need. I machine bound two for them, and they will soon be on their way to a family in need. The scrappy ladies make sure they are colorful, cheery, and warm.




Thunderstorm pounded our area today, and I unplugged all my machines to make sure they weren't hit. We've lost small appliances before, and I've started unplugging my multi-strips when I leave for the day. It only takes a moment.

I spent the time cleaning up, and finishing some Moda Modern Building Blocks. You can see I filled the center of the largest block here, but I'm not satisfied with the inside grey. I think I'll replace it with the hanging print. 

By all rights, I should have thought through the whole project before starting blocks, but I was so excited to just make something! Now I'm hitting a wall, and have second thoughts about the palette. I'm not sure I like the colors I'm using, but I've been trying to follow the recommended solids as closely as possible. I may need to tweak it.



The last picture to share is the new/old stash on my floor. I went to a friend's house last week for a little fabric swap. Oo-la-la!
I know these don't look like my typical picks, but there are some projects in the Quilt Lovely book that beg for some vintage fabric. 

I'm interested obsessed in blending my vintage and modern stashes, and need to prove to myself it will work in projects. Jen Kingwell does it, and I am looking forward to learning how. 'Mrs. Bannister's Stars' pillow project starts today.


What's your plan for the month of June? Are you having a holiday weekend now, and enjoying some well earned family time? Do you have an idea for a project to be ready for July 4th? Are you working on your finishes for A Lovely Year of Finishes? Or, perhaps, Q2 Finish-Along for On the Windy Side?

Leave a comment to inspire your fellow sewists to get active in their creative space, and Be Makers this month! I applaud you all.

Link up with the Pink Doxies' Pet Project Show until Monday at midnight, and show off your latest make.


Come on, Doxie girls.
Let's go sew.




Linking up with~
Cooking Up Quilts
Hug-a-Bit Quilts
Show and Tell Monday
Molli Sparkles
Slow Stitching Sunday

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Stash, Cash, and Quilter Blogger


I want to show you a few different stash
additions I scored this week. Lucky me, I paid
almost 1/2 of list price for my finds. I shop
often, early in the morning when I might find
new sale things just put out, and when the store
is emptiest. It saves standing in lines, and adds
to my time sewing in the studio.



Of course, every Secret Garden 
needs a hidden key. I already
have ideas for making just a simple
quilt with large blocks as a 
summer throw.



I shy away from individual fat quarters most
of the time. They are usually priced $2.50 and 
up around here, and unless it's special, I don't
want to pay $10 a yard for fabric. The same
goes for most pre-cuts like jelly rolls, charms,
etc. You can read my post where I break 
down the actually cost of those enticing bits.

Stripping the Charm from Pre-Cuts

Upsides and Downfalls of Pre-Cuts

Winter Sunshine HST Top Finish 
and Pre-Cut Wrap Up

Like all 'rules', this isn't hard and fast. There
are times when convenience wins out, and 
I need a specific pre-cut. I just want to buy
it aware of the price per yard.

There is a bin where my LQS wraps one yard

pieces for $6 a yard. I have found some
prizes like Art Gallery fabrics in there, and
ocassionally something odd I was looking for.
Pay attention to where in the store things
are displayed. It's no different than grocery
shopping. Usually the less expensive items
are in least accessible areas, like downstairs
or in the back corner.

I have been talking with other quilting 

bloggers about the price of fabric. Here in
the US we seem to have it easiest on our
billfold, and maybe a better selection of
quilt stores, depending on where you live.
I can think of about 10 within an hour--
many I've never even been to yet.
Prices where I have shopped are in the 
$7-$8 for solids, and $10-$11 for brand name
quilting prints. Sale prices for close-out 
fabrics run $5-8 here.

Can We Talk? 

Please Leave Me a Comment

I'd love to know what you're paying where

you live, and how you buy your different
fabrics, whether at you local quilt store
or online. Do you have tricks to manage your
shipping or import tax add-on's if you buy 
out of country? Cost management is 
essential whether we quilt as a hobby or 
profession. Many people have found
the recent US economy to be a tough place
to sell product, and this all impacts
our bottom lines.

Even when we can buy our fabric cheaply,

how do we know what to charge for our quilts?

Craftsy--Tips for Pricing Your Handmade Goods

Hunter's Design Studio--What's It Worth?
The Quilting Edge--Pricing One's Work...
SewMamaSew--Placing a Value on Your Quilts
by Molli Sparkles
And please read yesterday's post on 
Molli Sparkles, too!

I've had cost analysis on the brain lately while
I try to figure out if I can afford a long arm.
Yes, I've been bitten badly. Summers are 
generally slower for quilters while we spend
more of our time outdoors, and it's a great 
time to think about how you're spending your
resources. Of course, it's also a weekend
where many online stores are having sales,
and my Inbox is flooded with flyers.

*************
QuilterBlogs

Have you seen my new button to the right?

I came across a resource on another blogger's
page a few weeks back, and followed up on it.
I discovered the QuilterBlogs.com network,
and was pleased they accepted Pink Doxies
into their listings. It's not only a great, FREE 
place to list your blog, but I've found it's a
remarkable place to FIND blogs I was
missing out on. Today they have listed just 
under 1700 quilter's blogs! If you are a 
quilting blogger, this is an easy decision.
Get over there, and get it listed.

The Doxie girls and I are looking forward
to hearing from you today. In the meantime...

Come on, Doxie girls.
The garden is planted, so...
let's go sew.

Linking up with~
Molli Sparkles