Thursday 13 January 2011

Use your stash again this year

I spent a long time making a new button for my own little challenge for 2011. Blogger and Picnik both work in curious ways, and so my pile of farbics is upside down and the picture is rotated to the right to make it look like this:



Edit: if you want to copy and paste this button, please use the smaller one on my right sidebar!

I'm pretty pleased with my self with the new motto: Use your stash to make space for new fabrics in 2011 sounds so positive! You are welcome to copy the button to your own blog, if you share the stash problem with me and want to try to make something about it. There are no rules, just try, like I'm doing, to use more fabric than you buy. Use the ones you have first. Check what you have before you buy a new fabric for a need. Nobody can avoid sudden urges if they see a lovely fabric they must have. Then you just need to use more of the old ones! I have a couple of good suggestions: Join Anne Marie's Nine-Patch Challenge (button also on my right sidebar) to make yourself a lovely new quilt, join Jackie's call for pillowcases (tutorial here) for the Hole in the Wall Gang, or use your strips to make some 10.5" blocks for Oz Comfort Quilts (tutorial here) . This is my lot photographed on the floor before I packed them tightly in a light shopping bag I had made earlier, and sent for Jan to Australia. I took care to keep it just within the weight limit, sending the maximum amount with the minimum cost. Jan will join these with other donated blocks or ones she made herself to make a quilt 5 x 7 blocks, and later they will be brought to the Queensland flood survivors. The bags will be used to pack each quilt in, and the people will get a nice bag instead of plastic ones for their things.


From small scraps and orphan blocks you could make boobs for Mrs. Moen's therapeutic art project for breast cancer patients (instructions here), or you can send her treasured boobs, or even adorned ones. One her blog you will also find the shipping instructions, and she hopes to get them before the end of March. The Make a Boob blog homepage is here. You will find answers to all your questions there.

This week I finished my sixth block of the Raggedy & Friends BOM quilt by Kaaren at The Painted Quilt. Next week she will give us three new blocks, smaller than this and each with only one stitchery. All the previous blocks' instructions are still available for free, so you can start your own Raggedy Ann and Andy quilt now if you like.


My Raggedy Ann has posed for many pictures like in the stitchery drawn by Kaaren, but we both found this one a little too tricky for her. She doesn't have wings, and the position was too demanding for her. Let's hope there will be easier ones coming, as we both enjoy our little photo shoots so much.

The days are visibly longer here already, but the sun keeps still very low, hardly over the treetops, and most days have been cloudy, so there are no nice new photos. It is best to keep indoors and cut fabric, drink hot tea and keep warm.

15 comments:

  1. I love your blog button! I think I'll put it on my side bar as a reminder. I won't be counting fabric incoming or what's being used but I will make every effort to shop my stash first. :o)

    I really looking forward to seeing the Raggedy quilt completed.

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  2. Hello Ulla! Lovely to hear from you and happy new year!
    I love the idea of making quilts fir those poor Queenslanders. Weve never seen anything like it.
    I'll send some off as well.
    Much love from over here!
    lesley
    X

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  3. This year I am starting as I mean to go on and make a log of what older stuff I use approximately as well as the younger stuff. I am still making a note in an old book of what I have used what charms or fq sets for from fabric bought last year. Like you I hope to make a yearly total.

    Lovely Anne block and such a cheerful and generous addition to the Queenland project.

    I have the new button up with a link to this post. :-)

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  4. I do like your new button, especially since I don't know how to do them! I think you are very clever!
    I like your diagonal stripes too, very cheerful!
    I think I'll join you on your stash- bustin' this year before the fabric takes over the house! I'm not very good at estimating measurements, but at least I can try!

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  5. I really like your new blog button, Ulla! I will add it to my sidebar along with last years! You have given us all some wonderful stash busting ideas - thanks very much! Raggedy Ann's quilt is really coming along - she must be so excited! Glad to hear you have a little more daylight!
    Cheers!

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  6. Oh, Ulla, we are in the 9 patch challenge together. Can't wait to see yours. Lots of your comments are from bloggers I follow. I'm starting to feel like I fit in.
    Terri

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  7. hi Ulla, such lovely bright blocks for Queensland, how generous you are. your new button looks good also, well done. k.

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  8. Hi Ulla
    I want to join your stash challenge for 2011.
    I need something to keep me on track without buying too much fabrics and your challenge is perfect!!

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  9. I will absolutely join in. Have already put your button on my sidebar!
    Greetings Anna-G

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  10. Hallo Ulla, das ist jedes Jahr ein guter Vorsatz von mir, aber den ich dann meistens doch nicht ganz einhalten kann. Nun werde ich deinen "button" nehmen und der wird mich daran erinnern, dass ich wirklich meinen Stoffvorrat brauche :-) ! Also, ich mache bei deinem challenge auch gerne mit!
    Liebe Grüsse,
    Barbara

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  11. I want to join your stash challenge for 2011. Have already put your button on my sidebar!

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  12. It's just wonderful how Mr Blogger brings people together.
    Your blocks are very cheerful and will make someone very happy. You've used some Stash and encouraged others to help. A win all around.
    Oh and You found me too. I'll be back.

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  13. Ulla, I will DEFINITELY join you for my own good! I have WAY too much fabric.

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  14. I have not bought a cm of fabric yet this year and I am planning to keep it that way. Only some basics, if I need it to finish a quilt.

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  15. PS: thank you for linking to Mrs. Moen's therapeutic art project. I will try to make som boobs!

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