Time to check in! I almost delayed this a week as today is April Fools, but it is the first Friday, so here we go. This month, my totals went in the right direction again, but not a lot out. But, remember, it is the total at the end of the year that counts. After all, we still need to keep our local quilt shops in business. I realized that for last month, I should have reported the totals as February. So, today, I’ll call these March numbers, even though we are posting in April. The actual fabric in and out occurred last month.
Last month, my year to date total was +3-1/4 yards. The only fabric I can count out for today is the three yards in the raffle basket I donated. Yes, you can give it away and count it out. This raffle basket will be at our local guild’s show on May 20-21. If you are within a day’s drive of Flat Rock, NC, make plans to come to the show. If you stay overnight, show your hotel key to the front desk for a goodie bag! Follow our Garden of Quilts Facebook Page for lots more info on the vendors and more. And check out the Western NC Quilters Guild website if you’d like to enter a quilt.
Whether you’ve been with us from January’s post, or you are just starting today, all are welcome. We’ll post our totals for the previous month or weeks on the first Friday of each month. You can use a calendar month, or count from first Friday to first Friday no matter how many days that turns out to be. Whatever works best for you. Every comment with a Stashbuster report will be entered into the monthly drawing, and in the final grand prize drawing at the end of the year. Congratulations to Kathy W who won last month’s drawing! If you can’t remember what you posted, just use the Challenge category on the sidebar to find the previous posts, and scroll down to find your comment.
So, my totals for the past four weeks –
March In = +0 yards
March Out = -3 yards
March Total = -3 yards
Year to Date = +1/4
Remember, the idea is to encourage you to complete your quilts, use up yardage as backing and binding, and finish the projects. We have enough UFOs. For everyone who participates, I’ll draw a name at random to receive this wonderful collection of 6 spools of 30 wt threads from Sulky Threads called Luck of the Irish Poly Sparkle in metallic and sparkly greens! These shades of green are great for embellishing spring projects.
Enter every month for the monthly drawings, and all participant reports (from one month to all twelve) will be entered into the grand prize drawing. Yes, they are giving away a collection every month of the challenge, PLUS a large Cotton and Steel collection as a grand prize at the end of the challenge next January!! Do check out Sulky Threads for their fabulous quilting threads, rayon embroidery threads, and new sales each month.
To review for those just joining, you do not have to do an inventory of what you have, only report what came in during the past month and what went out in yards. Estimates are fine, whatever makes sense to you works for me. Totals ‘in’ should be reported at + (plus), and totals ‘out’ as – (minus). The goal is to have a high minus number at the end. Count precuts as yardage. Here’s how I would do it. Take a layer cake, 10 inch squares mean you could get 4 from 10-inches of fabric. So to get 40 squares, you’d need 10-inches x 10 = 100 inches. There are 42 in most layer cakes, so I’d count a whole layer cake as 3 yards. Is it precise? No, but it is close enough. Same thing for jelly rolls – 42 strips x 2.5 inches = 105 inches of standard width fabric. Close enough to 3 yards, or count it as 2-7/8 if you wanted to be more precise. I’ll let you do the math for the other precuts.
Now it is your turn. Leave a comment with your amounts in and out, and a running balance anytime before Sunday evening. I’ll draw a winner from the participants Sunday after 5 pm, and send an email to the winner. You’ll have 24 hours to claim the thread prize.
How’d you do this month?
March Fabric IN =
March Fabric OUT =
March Total =
Year to Date =
From My Carolina Home 
Good grief, I lost my running total tally! It will turn up by Sunday. I hate it when I put something in a safe place & forget where that is. It’s a good thing I have a small house, there aren’t that many places to look. Only one quilt out in March & only 3 yds in so I’m still heading I the right direction. If we were counting finished instead of out it would look better, so many quilts haven’t found their forever homes just yet.
Found it hiding a project box that is now back in its place!
March IN 3 yds
March OUT 6.75 yds
YTD IN 24 yds
YTD OUT 30.55 yds
I bought some of that Sulky thread for my sister who has an embroidery machine, she said it’s fabulous. Good fortune to this month’s winner.
A slower month but still in the right direction
March In = +1 yard – – I bought a panel to use with other fabrics I bought last year
March Out = – 82 1/4 yards – – Two class samples, 8 comfort quilts donated, scrap bags given away
March Total = – 81 1/4 yards
Year to Date = – 188 3/4 yards
Made a big dent this month by donating a lot of fabric. 15 yards went to my church quilting group. A little over 7 yards of flannel went to a friend who is teaching her daughter and friend to make a raggedy edge flannel quilt. I also made some table runners and table toppers to move some fabrics out.
In: 19.75 yards
Out: -32.75 yards
Diff for month: -13
Diff for year: -11
fabric added: 5 yards
fabric added year to date: 26.75 yards
fabric used: 22 yards – 10 yards to goodwill – 12 yards shine finish
fabric used year to date: 116 yards
89.25 yards used more than bought.
It has been a slow month. The only things finished were donation blocks for my guild. And I succumbed to the sale table at our meeting. All in all though, I am still ahead for the year.
In: 2.5 yds
Out: 1.5 yds
YTD: 4.5 yds in 6 yds out
Carole, it has been a good month.
In: .5 yds
Out: 34.25 yds
YTD: 120.25
Thank you for this fun tracking adventure! It encouraged me to get two more quilt tops quilted and bound by the end of the month. Yay! Thanks, jan
March fabric in: 0 March fabric out: 1/4 March total: -1/4 Year to date: -10.25 yds.
Also finished the client’s quilt repair you forwarded to me and he loved it. I will send you before and after pics. Michele
In: +1 yard
Out: – 4 yards (includes fabric donated)
Total for March: -3 yards
Net: -12 yards
Two donated quilts, the monthly color challenge block at Patterns by Jen and 18 scrap blocks entered in the quilt guild’s Sew to Win program went out the door in March.
In; 0
Out: -6.75 yards
Yr. Total: – 16.3 yards
Another happy month!
P.S. I incorrectly reported last month’s total with the plus sign instead of the minus sign.
In: 3 yards
Out: 12.5 yards
Net out for March: 9.5 yards
Out YTD: 23.7
All in all, a pretty good month of stash busting!!!!
I just finished two small things this month, but bought fat quarters to increase my choices for the RSC. In 2.5 yards, out 2 yards. Thanks for this challenge, Carole!
March In: 4 yards
March out: 0
YTD March in: 10.5
YTD March out: 18
I have some charity quilt to mail out, but didn’t get to the post office yet.
March:
0 in
0 out
Still doing renovations and almost everything has landed in the craft room.
It is not looking good for quilting this year.
Stashbusters report
April 1,2022
Situation hopeless. I just ordered a half-yard bundle bundle of Kaffe. It was on sale and I REALLY need it.
Sigh
MJ
Worked on some finishes so 2 yd went out the door……and nothing came in but buttons and they went onto a sweater they were purchased for.
We can count quilts given away even it if was a finish a long time ago but still no recipients?? Well then, I need to amend my Feb report. I gave away 5 quilts to nieces who picked them out in Nov. but finally received them this Feb. Along with 3 more quilts to a step son and brother in law and a very good friend. I am figuring about 5 yards per quilt so 40 yards of fabric. Some were a bit smaller and some larger.
March in = 0
March Out= 40
YTD in 7
YTD Out=48.5
My pile got a lot smaller!!
II donated several yards to my guild’s yearly sale to benefit our guild so my year to date went up. It felt good to donate. I keep totals by week rather than by month.
Used this Week: 0 yards
Used year to Date: 60.75 yards
Added this Week: 3 yards
Added Year to Date: 31.5 yards
Net Used for 2022: 29.25 yards
March In = +6 yards
March Out = –12 yds
March Total – 6 yds
Looks like I missed my February amounts as I didn’t report on first Friday of March. Can I add them in now or next month?
Forgot running total -10 yds
Hi,
My count for March:
March: Output: 2.5 yards curtains, 5 ¼ yards hygiene bags for homeless shelter
Input: 5 yards curtains, 5 ½ yards (Fat Quarters) hygiene bags for homeless shelter, 4 ½ yards Sew Along, 4 yards Laundry bags for detention center, 3yards for Honor Flight quilt, 2 yards for Covid quilt, 3 yards for Hoffman challenge
Total: 7 ¾ out, 18 ½ yds. in
Year to date: out 8 yds. out 181/2 yards in.
I am doing so good! Thanks for doing this and giving me the incentive I needed.
March in = 0 yards
March out = -18.20 yards (two tops with bindings and backings for donation plus 6.75 yards donated)
YTD in = 0 yards
YTD out = -42.45 yards
How did I do this month — not good at all this year so far. But there is hope. 🙂
March Fabric In: 26.5 yards
March Fabric Out: 7.75 yards
March Total: +18.75 yards
Year Total: +57.5 yards
There are two king sized quilts that are to be finished soon-one of these months I might catch up!
March
added: 24 yds (area5 sale table). $4/ yard
Out 4.25 yds. Backing on Ukraine quilt
February: (-5.83)
24 -10 = 14 yards ytd
Tracking what fabric is coming and going out is making me more mindful to keep focused on current projects and more disciplined at the quilt store!
March in: 21.75
March out: 30.5
March total: (8.75)
YTD (71.5)
Thank you for a super idea and administering the challenge!
March Fabric IN = +6.875
March Fabric OUT = -9
March Total = -2.125
Year to Date = +1.25 – 2.125= -.875
Of course, a retreat and quick shop at a show may tip the scale the other way, but there should be at least one or two finishes
March In = +17.5 yards
March Out = -80 yards
March Total = -62.5 yards
Year to Date = 53-113 = -60 yards!
March In = 1.5
March Out = 1.75
March Total = -.25
Year to Date= +53 yds.
I have a LONG way to go, with many projects in the line-up.
March in+ 11 yards
March out. Zero
Ytd +6.5 yards
I finished a quilt top in march and intended to finish it by today. I hit a snag. I used one of my quilting stitches, found out I didn’t like it after the first pass. My machine didn’t make the stitches or motifs even. So a half hour of stitching led to 3 hours with jack, so far. Found out at noon today that I was hosting 5 guests for dinner tonight. No quilting for me today. Next month should be better
Feb/March IN: 10..25
Feb/March OUT: 1.5
Feb/March Total: +8.75
YTD: +13.75
Man, am I moving in the wrong direction. I’m confident that will change in the next few months. I combined Feb & March since I forgot to report last month. Need to stay current and accountable! Thanks for hosting this challenge.
March in 7
March out 0
March total +7
Year total +304yd
(I’m away from my numbers so the year is a close guess this month)
Well done, Carole!
Like several others, I lost track and actually had to go BACK over my blog posts this year and re-tally. I think I am straight now!! I used 4 yards in my TO THE NINES finish, (3/13) , 2 yards in my UKRAINE project (3/18) and 2 yards in my Tulips project (3/31). So, for the APRIL 1st count I can report the following
Yards In – 1 yard (bought the cutest map fabric to make a pillowcase for a foreign exchange student—-still pending)
Yards Out during March – 8
for a NET of 7 yards reduced this month from the stash.
Cumulative yardage reduced 14 yards in 2022.
Now to keep myself straight….I had to make a spread sheet, but am thankful that I am counting on each blog post too!
March in 32
March out 30.5
March total plus .5
Year to date 49 out
March In: 20 yards…but it’s mostly for clothes
March Out: 6.75 yards
YTD IN: 37 yards
YTD OUT: 25.25 yards
March Fabric IN = 0
March Fabric OUT = 13 yards
March Total = -13 yards
Year to Date = Minus 29 yards
Biggest chunk out was because our daughter requested curtains for her camping trailer’s 4 windows.
I’ve been very careful not to buy any fabric, but did purchase some notions & pillow forms. I did break down & ordered a jelly roll & 2 charm packs when I got an email about free shipping from Missouri Star, but since it’s not arrived yet, I’ll count it in April.
Just starting g thanks!!!
March in = 0
March out = 8
Ytd= 8
I have managed to not buy any fabric this past month and have used 12 and 3/4 yards in March. My cumulative total is minus 14.75 yards.
Well, 13-1/2 out and 10 in so still ahead of the game. didn’t do a YTD total., Sorry.
Got all the NICU quilts finished-21 of them. Now on to G-sons wedding quilt.
March In: 4 yards
March Out: 3 yards
March total: +1
YTD: +1
March in : 5.5 m in
March Out : 0
ytd: -5.5
I made 8 quilts during March…all lap throws with backs for Quilts of Valor. No fabric in and used 80 yards. Total yardage used so far this year 280! (hasn’t made a dent) Even donated about 20 yards or so that I knew i wouldn’t use!
Stepping Stones (a magic 9 patch) was a UFO in black, purple, blue, green
Olde Glory panel framed with blocks
Daybreak used a Navy branch panel in center
Jelly Roll Sizzle- Patriotic (from Fat Quarter Shop)
Exploding Heart (red center surrounded by 9 patches, then blue outer)
QOV mystery Stop Tossing by Alycia Carmen
Tuscan Vintage (patriotic jelly rolls with snowballs)
Fence Rail Star (patriotic jelly rolls with white snowball 8 point stars)
I have already done two quilts this month! DUH, I’m on a roll……(one will be for my new great granddaughter)
I picked up some background fabric on sale for a couple of quilts, I received my “Quilt Box” from Primitive Gatherings that contained fabric for about 4 projects, bought fabric for pillowcases I was asked to make for the son of a friend, purchased backing for a quilt top I finished sewing during the month, purchased fabric for the next round of a Round Robin quilt I am participating in, and made one impulse buy of a quilt kit so my “in” ended up high again this month. I was able to gift a QOV quilt and a quilt to a cousin of mine that is battling ALS. I completed the pillowcases for my friend’s son, donated some fat quarters to my local quilt guild, and made a quilt to display in my front door to support quilters in Ukraine.
March totals:
March Fabric IN = +43.25
March Fabric OUT = -21.25
March Total = +22
Year to Date = +42
March in. . 21 1/4
March out. 46 1/2
March total 25 1/4 out
Year total ..out 73 1/4