The first month is behind us and it is time for me to look at my stash. Much of it looks like this:
I seem to collect all the nice shirts from the family and charity shops. If I buy a shirt for quilting, I count is as bought fabric, not for the "full value", but maybe for 1.3 m if it is a good big one. So much goes to waste when I cut them to squares for my quilts. When I calculate how much fabric I have used, I try to think how many of those squares I would get from the width of a normal fabric, and I don't think about the waste bits at all. They will be counted when I use them for smaller things like scrappy stars. So, according to my careful measuring and calculations, I used 3.5 m plaids for this nine-patch top, plus 1.5 m denim, and 1.3 m solid red for the sashings. I'm thinking of our normal, 1.5 m wide fabrics. Naturally, sometimes my fabric is only 112 cm, so there will be less squares for the width of the fabric.
The QAYG blocks and bindings and my other sewing projects added, my total fabric use was 14.2 m. No matter how hard I think, I can't remember having bought more than 1 m of black T-shirt material, and 3 m of children's prints for the pillowcase appeal. That makes 4 m, so the stash was reduced by 10.2 m in January. I think it is a very good start! The most of the fabrics were recycled or leftover bits from making clothes.
On Thursday in my class I will be working on the backing for the nine-patch quilt, and I'm thinking of a nine-patch surprise for it.
It is a bit chilly today, so I'm going to make a big cup of tea and take some quilting magazines for inspiration with it. What happened to your stash in January?
I love all the cozy plaids. I did buy some fabric this month but I have used some too. Can't wait to see your surprise back. Tea and magazines sound like a relaxing treat. Enjoy! Happy February.
ReplyDeleteNo fabric was purchased although I was soooo tempted. I am in the process of finishing some small quilts and so all of the backing and binding is from my stash. I made a bread cloth out of some linen I purchased from a church Christmas sale. I really am trying to use up what I have.
ReplyDeleteYour 9 patches in blue look so good! I had a nice and productive time in January, and although I had to buy some fabric, they have all already been used (borders and backing). I like to flip through magazines too, it's a nice thing to do on a chilly day.
ReplyDeleteWow, you did a good job! It seems like quite some calculations, trying to figure out how much you used.
ReplyDeleteLove the 9-patch top. Looks very cozy and warm.
What a fabulous start to your stashbusting. So far I have been using scraps -mainly felt.
ReplyDeleteI think it is great that you are upcycling shirts. The cuffs and collars go much more quickly than the main fabric.
Let's see - I finished two large quilts and one small plus made 2 pillowcases. I didn't "purchase" any new fabric but did use two gift certificates for fabric, and since we don't have to count gifts, then I will say without actual measuring, that I reduced my stash by about 15 yards, counting the backings which aren't yet on. And I did all this without even thinking about it! This is great, Ulla!
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Du bist wirklich brav, Ulla! Sooo viele Meter Stoff aus deinem Vorrat hast du bereits gebraucht und wir sind ja erst anfangs Jahr :-) ! Ich habe zwei Tops genäht, d.h. ein Babyquilt und ein Lapquilt. Bei beiden kommt jetzt noch die Rückseite, alles auch aus dem Vorrat. Aber morgen im Nähkurs "muss" ich "leider" einen grauen Stoff (für ein weiteres Quilttop) dazukaufen, da diese Farbe in meinem Stoffvorrat nicht vorhanden ist. Habe zwar alles Verwendete nicht in m umgerechnet, aber so über den Daumen gepeilt, darf ich auch zufrieden sein.
ReplyDeleteLiebe Grüsse nach Finnland!
Barbara
I love the effect using these shirts has on the patching, they also look so soft and warm. I haven't been here for a long time and you have been so busy!! I hope you are well x
ReplyDeleteWow! That is really a bid dent you made in your Stash! A LOT better than I did! And your shirts look good quilted!
ReplyDeleteI'll have to be more careful in February, or by the end of the year I will have more fabric than I started with, which would be quite funny, but not really very helpful!!