I plan on using as many of the white background HST's as I can in the Depression blocks I've started making. The HST's with cream backgrounds I plan on using in a scrappy Lady of the Lake quilt. The pink HST's with the busy backgrounds I think I'll make a star baby quilt out of, and the odd ones I'm not sure about. The few I have with black backgrounds, I will be able to use after one of my upcoming projects. After that project is done I'll have a LOT more with black backgrounds, so I'll simply draw my second line at 1.75" so my bonus HST's will start out this size, and play nicely with what I've already got. I have no idea what size any of these quilts will end up, I'm just using up these HST's and what will be, will be.
I was working on Miss A's girly quilt, and I found out the hard way, that I shouldn't have used a scant 1/4 seam on the pieced sashing. I should have used a full 1/4". I should have measured after the first one was done, but I have been using a scant 1/4" seam so long, it never really occurred I'd have a problem. My sashing pieces are a bit too big for the blocks, and I don't have time to re-sew them all with larger seams, so I'm easing them in, and hoping for the best. I think adding the borders will be the hardest part, and I plan to tackle that tomorrow. I'll have to carefully measure my borders to go with that center measurement so I ease the edging sashing in the correct amount, or it will never lie flat. I've had pretty good luck fudging quilts in the past, so I'm hoping that after it's quilted, it won't be too noticeable. Good thing I was planning on using poly batting for this one anyway, I need the puffiness to disguise the easing.
That wedding in my backyard in 10 days? Yeah, still haven't done the sewing for that. I'll get it done, but likely next week, nothing like waiting until the last minute. I really want to get Miss A's quilt in the mail, as I bought her a few outfits too, and I need them to get to South Africa before she outgrows them. DH is going to a scooter rally this weekend, so I should have quality sewing time. DD#3 has been around so she's watching the twins herself, so I've gotten a lot more done than usual.
I've been working on Christmas shopping, which always brings the new year to mind. I haven't met all my goals for this year yet, but they are doable. I want to finish 4 more quilts this year, one of which I'm assembling, one is pin-basted, two have completed tops (one of those even has a backing pieced for it). Still a lot of work to do, but I think I can get it done before Christmas.
Let's see, for next year, I already have on my list two queen/king quilts, one throw, one twin sized quilt, and one baby quilt. The rate everyone I know is getting married and having babies, I'm sure those numbers will go up, it's just what I already know about.
DH and I are hoping to take a BIG road trip next June, and towards that end, I'm thinking of making 2015 a no-buy year for quilting stuff. I'm pretty stocked up on batting, I just made a big thread order, and I could go a few years without buying fabric most likely. I'm not sure I can stick with NO buy, but I need something stricter than LOW buy. In the Stashbusters yahoo group, no buy allows you to buy the 5 B's- batting, backing, borders, binding, background. That's too much leeway for me. Unless I'm REALLY productive, I shouldn't need batting next year. Backings are a great way to clear out stash, so I definitely don't want to buying that. If I don't have a suitable fabric for a border, then I have learned I can usually piece a nice border from stash. Binding doesn't take that much fabric, I should be able to improvise something, so that just leaves backgrounds. Most of my quilts have multi-fabric backgrounds, but sometimes I like playing with solids as a background. I also like making scrap quilts that have a solid as a constant. I have some solids in stash, but I'm not sure I have enough for the quilts I'd like to make next year. Of course, there are a lot of variables, and I'm not sure how much quilting time I'll have, nor which quilts I will actually make next year. I think I'm going to give myself two loopholes in my no buy.
No Buy Loophole #1- I can buy solids IF I do not have enough of the right color in stash.
No Buy Loophole #2- I can use a gift card if one is given to me. That will hopefully be enough to get me through any situations where I need something other than a solid.
I think it will be hard to go no buy on quilting stuff, especially the remnant bin! Still, I should be able to happily quilt with what I've got on hand. I have made some dents in stash this year, and if I can stick to my no buy plan for next year, there should be even bigger dents. I'd like to get back to dealing with my scrap baskets next year, and that will create a huge mess, and remind me I have plenty to work with! If I break a ruler or something, I wouldn't hesitate to replace it, but keeping my quilting expenses very low next year will help us go on that trip!
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