OK, this time it's serious!

By most quilters' standards, my stash is not big. But considering how slowly I move through it, it's too big for me. So I need to get serious about paring it down and doing some destashing. I know, I've said that before, but this time I mean business! There's just too much new stuff I want. Speaking of which, you know how hard it is to find yardage of the latest Paris map fabric from Moda? I waited so long to get any it's practically sold out everywhere I looked, even on eBay and Etsy. I'm glad I found a couple of yards online, but let that be a lesson to me -- if I really know I want something, there's no point in waiting!

So that's where my renewed determination to destash comes in. I decided to try doing some precuts to sell through my little Etsy shop, and I have more in mind. In addition to the baby quilt and I Spy-friendly items shown below, I still have some Moda and FreeSpirit fat quarter bundles for sale. And there will probably be more of those to come, too. Like I said, it's time to be honest with myself about what I think I'll use vs. what I like to collect (not always the same thing)!

Flitter Flannel 12" squares

Zoo Menagerie fat 1/8s

Food & Drink novelty 6" charm squares

Baby quilt completed

A few days ago I wrote about my frustration starting a new machine quilting project. I think it wouldn't be so frustrating if I hadn't had reasonable success quilting the baby quilt for my friend. Again, I had to alter my settings once I got started from what I'd settled on with my test sandwich, but not nearly to the same extent as I'm having to do with this other quilt, which I'm making for my sister. I guess that's where the extra bulk and weight of my sister's quilt makes a difference -- it's about 55" x 80" whereas the baby quilt is about 43" x 55". Each quilt is its own learning experience is the moral to this story.

But as far as the baby quilt goes, it turned out well. Nothing fancy, just simple borders and cornerstones and minimal quilting. I tried a new technique for the binding -- I attached it first to the back, then used a zigzag stitch to finish it on the front. You can see the zigzag on the back, but I'm OK with that. As I've told my friend, this is a quilt that's meant to be used and washed and used some more.

Once it was finished and washed and dried, I was so happy I'd stuck with using quilt shop-quality fabric. It's just so soft. I have a scrap quilt I made a few years ago from fabric I'd purchased from a variety of places, and despite having been washed multiple times it's nowhere near as soft as the baby quilt was after just one time through the washer. If I wasn't a convert to good fabric before, I sure am now.

What's your fave machine quilting thread?

I did not manage to finish the baby quilt before my friend's shower last weekend. Being pregnant myself, the effects of work, home, husband and toddler meant that I tend to be fairly wiped out by 9:00 pm, pretty much the only time during the week I can sew. Instead I tried to focus on preparing my minimal contributions to the shower itself, including a bunting banner I wanted to make. Make it I did with hours to spare, and it turned out pretty nicely I think.

But back to the quilt. I pieced the backing from my stash yesterday, and fused/topstitched the label just a little bit ago during the toddler's* nap. Forgetting that basting a quilt takes a certain amount of time and effort, I was getting ready to run to my local quilt shop for machine quilting thread and possibly some material for the binding. As I was brushing my hair, I thought, What's the rush? You're not going to start quilting it today, you might as well put some research into this. I have some experienced machine quilters I can consult, and I have this blog floating around on the interwebs.

So if there's anyone out there reading this who cares to chime in, I'd love to hear what your favorite machine quilting thread is. This is just a utilitarian baby quilt that I'll probably quilt with straight lines. I've done some machine quilting in the past with little attention paid to the type of thread I used. In fact, I'm embarrassed to admit how much thread has made its way into my collection because I wasn't paying attention. Seriously, how did I end up with so much cotton/poly Coats & Clark? Actually, I know why -- it's cause I was shopping the sales at the big box stores. To be fair, I do have a good amount of Mettler in my collection, too. I'll tell you what though, once you go Presencia you'll never go back. That stuff just glides through my old machine like buttah.

So even though this isn't an heirloom quality quilt, I do want the materials to be of quality. The fabric I'm using is all good quality, I got 100% cotton batting, I've used good thread for piecing. I'd hate to undermine it all with crap quilting thread. I mean, the quilting might be crap, but at least the thread will be good.

And speaking of the fabric, a few weeks ago I found just the right stuff for the sashes/borders and cornerstones. When I got a look at the selvages, I was not surprised -- Moda and more Moda. I picked a sunny yellow gingham printed on the bias from Sweetwater's Sunkissed collection for the sashes/borders, and may just have to grab another yard or two for my stash. I love that it's on the bias.

For the cornerstones, I bought a fat quarter of what turned out to be from Fig Tree & Co., which I didn't know till I got it home. Absolutely no surprise there -- I love her palette. I just can't figure out exactly which collection it's from, Fig & Plum or Strawberry Fields, because the selvage isn't long enough. I'm thinking of using it for the binding, so I really need it to match what I've already got. Again, if anyone out there knows based on the photo...



*I really need to come up with a cute pseudonym for her. One more thing for the To Do List.

I have to brag somewhere...

... and I can't do it on Facebook since the intended recipient (or rather, mother of the intended recipient) would see my status update and the surprise would be ruined. So I have to do it here. The baby quilt top is pieced. Of course, as I referred to it before, it is super-simple and any quilter worth her salt should have been able to put it together within a few hours. So I guess I shouldn't brag too much. Besides, now comes the hard part -- the quilting! Which I'm not sure I'll be able to finish before the baby shower this weekend, although I suppose I should try. Ah, for an entire, uninterrupted day of sewing!

First things first

I've gotten by with just one big and one small acrylic ruler for years now. Recently I've found myself wanting a 12 1/2" square ruler, so I took a glance at the price tag when visiting my local quilt shop recently. Over $20! Eek. I love supporting my LQS but I just may have to locate a 40% JoAnn coupon and get a ruler there.

But first, I've got a super simple baby quilt I want to make in the next 12 days. Seems like it should be do-able, but nothing goes as quickly as it should when you work full-time and come home to a husband and toddler. A toddler who apparently refuses to nap longer than 90 minutes on the weekends. Which brings today's blog post to an end.