Plodding Along, and Purging A Lot

Nothing new to share--just slow progress on some WIPs. I finally got this runner quilted and bound. It isn't perfect, but I am pleased with how it turned out. Come and get it, Chris! Really, I'll bring it to you, but  I don't have your new address, so please email it to me. : )

Next I quilted this.

I started the quilting on both of these table runners on my DSM to do some stitch-in-the-ditch quilting first. Then I switched over to my Sweet 16 (still nameless) to do the FMQ. I admit--I am a perfectionist and I want my quilting to be flawless, which it isn't. So I am always a little disappointed in my work, but when I look at what I could do (or maybe "couldn't do" would be more appropriate) 8 months ago, I am surprised I can do as much as I can now. I never thought I would get the hang of this, but it is coming.

This one had more blue pen markings so I wet it down and now have it pinned to my sewing room floor to hold its shape while it dries. Do you ever do that? I am concerned that I hadn't thought to get all of the chalk pencil markings off first, so I hope they are still easy to remove when it dries

Then I am also plodding along doing some hand quilting to finish this.

I haven't done any hand quilting in about 4 years. I had forgotten how pleasant it can be. But, as with most hand work, I am very slow and even this little thing could take me forever. Then I get impatient and it takes the joy out of it.

On to the purging--I think this was spawned by a hunt for my strings to send to Julie K. As I corralled them into one place I realized how much fabric I had tucked in nooks and crannies that I had completely forgotten. Some of it was cheap (okay for crafts, but not quilts), some of it was ugly, and some of it just isn't my style.
From what I've seen on other blogs, my stash is not large by any means. Well, now it is even less large. : )  I filled an orange box and three grocery bags and later I dropped it all off at a local thrift store.
I did get all of my small cuts of reproduction prints organized by color in this little set of drawers.

All of the repro yardage is in a larger drawer. The shelves hold my generic stash. Wow, those shelves look empty to me now, but I feel really good about the "purge". There is another, narrower shelf unit for my neutrals, and backing pieces. I still have a chest of drawers full of seasonal fabrics, batiks, novelties, and a few "collections". Then there is the cabinet crammed with containers that house WIPs.

I went to three of the shops on a local shop hop this past week. One of them had all of their FQ for $2. This wasn't one of those times when you can get a good deal on FQs, but they just don't happen to have many on their shelves. They were well-stocked, and would even cut one for you if they didn't have a pre-cut. I walked out with 20 of them. It was a good thing that I wasn't going to any more shops!

Well, that should do it--nothing more to share, except maybe this photo I took from my kitchen window this evening. Our valley is surrounded by mountains on three sides, but to the north the mountains fade into the landscape. This is taken looking almost due north.

Until next time,
Janet O.