Monday, December 30, 2013

Design Wall, Celtic Solstice Link-up, and Year End Stash totals

The end of the year is a busy time for bloggers.  Everyone is compiling retrospectives on the year and setting goals for the next one.  But to be honest, I'm just here to have fun.  And right now, the organizing bug has not struck me.  I used to believe "cleanliness is next to godliness," and then I had kids, so it was adjusted to "organization is next to godliness... a little exposure to dirt will help build up the immunities."  Well, at the current stage of the family and the school year (remember I have to go back to teaching middle schoolers a dead language on January 6) I have a more resigned attitude of "lack of chaos is next to godliness.  Or at least, that's all I can hope for."  All of this to say, I may or may not publish an official "New Years' Eve" post retrospective/forcast like I've done in the past.  I can do this much, though:
 Here's the 4th block of the APQ quiltalong.  I made it this weekend.  I'm making it truly scrappy, and it's fun now that I've figured out a system for piecing each block and cut a bunch of the low-volume backgrounds.  If I keep averaging one or two a week, I'll be able to make this top about the same time as finishing up Celtic Solstice.  And maybe, just maybe, I'll tame the scrap pile a bit.
And speaking of Celtic Solstice: here is how much I have done of clue 5.  I was sick/organizing Christmas most of last week so I didn't have much time to sew; just finished up the very easy 4-patches from clue 4 yesterday.  I'm getting the assembly line for step 5 going today.  I am so tickled that Bonnie designed a quilt for us that was inspired by those cathedral floors from her trip to Ireland... it was what I was hoping for.  I am sure this quilt is going to be stunning.  Steve and I have fond memories of singing at both Christchurch Cathedral and St. Patrick's in Dublin on the GCC alumni Touring Choir tour in 2005.  It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  Every bit of those cathedrals is a work of loving art by skilled craftsmen.  I love the idea of paying homage to that in scrappy fabric.  I also love that scrappy quilts can use things like the safety cone scraps and the bugs fabric and the Halloween fabric that I would otherwise not have found a home for.
Last week's photo of my design wall with a sampling of my (too many) current projects.
And the final results of this year's stash report:

Fabric:
I used 61 yards total in finished projects
I purchased 49 yards (plus an unspecified quantity of scraps that were either passed along to me and I do not care to estimate, and the contents of that 12-gallon bin I picked up for $5 at the epic estate sale, which I also do not care to estimate).
Net used for 2013: 12 yards.

Knitting yarn:
I used an estimated 10,900 yards in finished projects.
I purchased, spun, unraveled or otherwise acquired 5800 yards.
Net total used for 2013: 5100 yards.


4 comments:

Andee said...

I used to be a neat freak too and adjusted my expectations after three kids (two boys!)! Your Celtic Solstice is coming along, glad you are feeling better!

Anonymous said...

Since I've only made 5 units of clue #5, you're one ahead of me. Thanks for posting your progress, and look forward to seeing your finished top (it's going to be beautiful!).

Anonymous said...

Love the progression of what is "next to godliness." :-) It resembles mine, and I don't have little ones as an excuse, only sewing spread all over the apartment.

Scrapatches said...

Lovely work on your design wall! I have never keep a count of fabric used and fabric acquired. Maybe I should see if I can track this. It might be an eye opener ... ;) Pat