What to do with all of this?

I wrote earlier this year that changes were coming in 2013.  Over the last couple of months I have found myself going back and forth on what I want do with my business and blog.  In ~seven weeks I will be wearing so many hats, good thing I can take challenge on head first.

Mom, health educator, and small business owner will be a lot to handle.  So I decided to let you guys in on a secret.  I cheat!  There I said it.  I cheat when sewing.  Over the last few years I have been using Moda precuts to create many of my projects.  Even making some of my own with varying lines.  These quilts are made with just 5″ squares.

nautical baby boy quilt

neutral boys quilt

Mostly the same fabrics but very different looks.

Precuts are a great way to sample an entire fabric line with minimal investment.  My favorites are charm packs, jelly rolls, and fat quarters.  I may have a few in my stash currently.

Many charm packs
Many charm packs
jelly rolls, fat quarter bundles, and a variety of other goodies.
jelly rolls, fat quarter bundles, and a variety of other goodies.

Last week I posted about my scrap management project.  Oddly, this blog post was in my inbox the same week as well.  4 Easy Steps to De-Clutter and Get Healthy.  Good timing.  Maybe this project won’t help me get healthy physically but can affect my mental health, knowing I have checked something off my list.  Plus organization feels great.

Throughout the next couple of months I want to showcase projects to really use up my scrap bins and what I have. After this weekend’s adventure of packing up all my fabric into 5 large totes, one thing is clear.  There is ALOT of fabric in my stash.

If you follow me on Pinterest you may have noticed an influx of ideas on the boards.  Can’t wait to share the projects completed from just the stash.

Solids & Stripes Part 1

Indianapolis Modern Quilt Guild was apart of the Robert Kaufman Charm Pack Challenge.  Our theme was “Spring”.  Only stipulation, the charm pack fabrics had to be the focus and you can do whatever.  I had my idea in mine the minute I got my hands on my charm pack.

My brother in law was looking for a baby quilt for a friend that is having a girl later this month.  They are not doing traditional girly colors, they did go with purple and orange.  I looked around before the challenge for fabric that I wanted to use and didn’t really find anything that inspired me.  With the brights charm pack I instantly thought rainbow.  I wanted to sort the colors from dark to lightest and showcase them that way.  Sewing a rainbow wasn’t exactly what I wanted to do either.

I started cutting the charm pack into 1.5″ strips of each square.  Each color was sorted darkest to lightest and sewn in that order.  Finding a gray that would brighten the colors and still look springy was key.  I chose a Kona solid, can’t remember the exact color.  Piecing was easy with 3.5″ gray strips.  Here is what was left.

left over charm pack

This is the finished product.

Close up of the quilt
quilt back

This quilt was a lot of fun and I LOVE the final result.  Bring on more solids!!

 

 

Found Time to SEW!!!

Last night was the first time in two months I have found time to sew.  It was AWESOME.  Can you tell I’m excited? 

I worked on more potholders for my Etsy shop.  Hopefully I can get those up today on the site.  The offer still stands for anyone that reads the blog and makes a purchase from my Etsy shop…Free Shipping.

After helping my old neighbor’s daughter with making a Moda Birdie inspired tote bag, I had some left over squares.  Not enough to make a big project on their own, but I did score some more Birdie fabric this weekend at a guild meeting.  I am turning it into a circle applique quilt.  Might as well use what I have.  I had the circles pre-cut from making fabric flowers and just used the left over charm squares to help make the border.  This is only my second applique quilt.  Better get some practice since my girlfriend’s baby quilt is the same design.  EEK!!

Off to be productive at work and hopefully will find at least a 1/2 hour this evening to sew.

Charm Pack of the Month…Gobble Gobble

After a long day of work I arrived home to check my mailbox.  Inside was my monthly present to myself from FatQuarterWorld.  A new charm pack from Moda. 

I started this last month and received Birdie.  Still haven’t decided what I’m going to do with it, but I’m considering vintage looking potholders.  Hmmm…any ideas??  You can see most of the fabrics on FQW. 

birdie

This month though is Gobble Gobble.  I was pleasantly surprised that there are ZERO turkeys in this collection.  Instead, it is full of great fall colors and patterns.  I have some great accents already in my stash for this collection.  Potholders…here we come.  Or I might attempt my first table runner.  The ideas are running rampant. 

gobble gobble 

Anything that I make for the holidays tends to not be very traditional.  Something you can sit out in your house that will allow it to blend in, but still stay “It’s Holiday Time.”  My goal with the Charm Pack of the Month is to use it only, no additionally purchased fabric unless it is already in my stash. 

Let the creativity begin.  I’m anticipating what next month will bring.  Will I have a project completed with something from this month??

 

side note:  i used the photos from FQW, but if you click on the links, you will be taken to their page where you can purchase the charm pack.