It is September, and time to check in for our monthly Stashbusters report! To play, just keep track of what comes in and what goes out each month. There is only one rule, report as ‘out’ only what is completely finished, quilted and bound. For small items like purses or totes up to full size quilts, they have to be finished and ready for use. The challenge is to complete things for gifts, to donate, or to use, and wrap up the projects in progress, not to create more UFOs. Yes, you can give away fabric and UFOs! Anything that leaves your sewing room never to return counts as fabric “out”.
The re-home table at the guild Area meeting had much to nab. I picked up 2 yards of a gorgeous black and gold print, 1 yard blue Stonehenge, and a total of 2 yards Christmas prints. Total 5 yards in from this meeting.
When I opened up the Stonehenge to measure it, I was happily surprised to see it was an ombre. It looks somewhat like the Blue Ridge mountains against a clear blue sky.
More fabric in came from a visit to Foust Textiles. I had to go because I needed to show it to another guild member. Yes, that’s my story and I am sticking to it. I came home with 26 yards total with four short bolts of background whites, and also some fun fabrics by the pound of coffee prints, fall prints, egg / chicken prints and a red and cream toile. I found another Kyoto Garden layer cake, so I got that, too. From one bolt, 4 yards went immediately out to a friend who wanted some of the white and grey from the bolt on the bottom of the stack. Net from the Foust trip = 22 yards. Remember, there is no judgement when the sale table calls, an adorable print shows up in the quilt shop, a vendor’s offerings at the quilt show are uniquely appealing, or retail therapy is needed. Some of these will be put to use right away with Fall Fortnight and Fiber Fair projects.
From my quilter friend, Dave, 3-1/4 yards of Christmas prints for more stars.
On the Fabric Out side, Lemon Twist is finished and hanging at the Mountain State Fair now. It counts as 6 yards out.
I’m working on folding fabric stars while watching preseason football games. Then I take them to the sewing room for finishing. I finished 15 stars for 3 yards fabric out. I do not have a tutorial for these, but if you are interested, just do an internet search for Folded Fabric Stars. I cut my strips 4-inches x 14-1/2-inches. I’ve found this reduces waste, and I can get an extra strip from a WOF cut.
A few days later, I had 10 more stars are complete for 2 more yards out. Some of Dave’s fabrics are in this group.
I made two of these mug mats for a total of 1/4 yard for front, backing and binding. I found another mug to go with one. These will sell for $10 without the mug if you are interested. I have enough of the navy snowflake print to make a couple more. I plan to offer them for sale with the coffee mugs. They will be hopefully sold for $18 for one mug and mat set.
I had been doing so well up to now! My starting point from last month was -19-3/4 yards, so I was nervous to total up the yardage after the Foust trip.
August Fabric IN = +30-1/4 yards (yikes!)
August Fabric OUT = –11-1/4 yards
August Net Total = + 19 yards
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = -3/4 yard
Wow, I barely managed to stay on the Out side! It’s a miracle!
Your turn! Copy the chart below into the comment form, and fill in your numbers, If you need to find your year to date totals from last month, click on Stashbusters August.
August Fabric IN = +
August Fabric OUT = –
August Net Total =
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) =
How’d you do last month?
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New Fat Quarter Shop September specials – Get 20% off the Basic of the Month – Confetti Cottons by Riley Blake, 30% Off the Notions of the Month– from Gypsy Quilter, 30% off Patterns of the Month by Jelly Roll Paper and PDF Patterns, and see the Book of the Month selection Spelling Bee Book by Lori Holt. Then, check out Today’s Flash Sale and see the Precuts of the Week.
From My Carolina Home 
Absolutely nothing out this month, worked on several things but nothing finished. In was another story…3.5 yards of schooner print fabric that just had to come home with me. Six yards of various whites for an upcoming block of the month. Bits of other fabrics, so a total of 12 yards in. Still on balance I’m 11yards more out than in. I’ll take it!
Absolutely nothing out this month! On the other hand I did acquire some…3.5 yards of schooner fabric that I didn’t know I needed but apparently did. Also purchased a variety of whites for an upcoming background an upcoming project…6 yards. Along with a few other smaller pieces, so 12 yards in. On balance I’m still 11 yards more out than in for the year.
new fabric.. let the fun begin. can’t wait to see what you make from the coffee themed fabrics !!
August Fabric IN = + 8 yds
August Fabric OUT = – 3 yds
August Net Total = + 5 yds
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = -73 yds
Purchased fabric for a new quilt which I rarely do but this one is special so I allowed myself the splurge. Haven’t had much in finishes but I do have 3 WIPs I’ve been working on. Hope to get at least one quilt finished this month.
Yikes! Lots in! But a quilter’s gotta do what a quilter’s gotta do!
What a score with that Stonehenge. I finished absolutely nothing in August – or there was one quilt I finished after July 31st that I was keeping for this month’s reporting. Regardless, I accepted donated fabrics that amount to more than the last completed quilt so I’m on the plus side now. I’ve been in a piecing mood. There are 36 quilt blocks decorating the design wall awaiting final assembly, another 48 quilt-as-you-go blocks ready to go, a completed 3 Yd+ quilt ready to pin baste, 1 quilt pin basted, & one at the machine, 2/3ds finished. School is back in session = quilt time for me. Today I’m using your tips & techniques from the quilt repair class to fix a quilt. Somebody’s naughty dog chewed up a section. It’s 23 years old so no perfect fabric matches on hand, but some scraps are working out nicely.
I made a dent in my previous retail therapy and got a good bit of the yardage added into my sewing room. I’ve been finishing two king size quilts with blocks my aunt embroidered. She can no longer sew and asked if I could finish them for her granddaughters. The quilts have been a bit time consuming and I still need to label and bind them but I’m close. Unfortunately those finishes won’t count as anything out for me but I’m really happy to have been able to do this for my aunt.
I cut a lot of retreat kits and got several tops finished at the last retreat. I need to cut more for the upcoming week long retreat. I finished 4 lap quilts and 2 little bags this month.
August Fabric IN = +26
August Fabric OUT = –32
August Net Total = -6
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = -60.25
You are doing great!!
Hi Carole! Just letting you know I mailed 3 case sets Tuesday.
Bonnie C.
Started going through a friend’s mother’s stash this month. Trying to be a good girl, but I’ve only gone through the fat quarters and scraps and I’ve already stuffed my fat quarter bins! They were pretty full to start with, so no more! Haven’t even started on the yardage yet. But, this was a ‘no buy’ year, so I guess this was a way to get some new fabric into my stash without spending any money. So, the tally so far is….
August Fabric IN = + 7.5 yds
August Fabric OUT = – 0
August Net Total = + 7.5 yds
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = – 66.25 yds
Still no finishes. There is a backlog at the longarm while I’m doing all this sorting. Hoping to get the last 3 tubs done this week. It’s mostly lace and thread…nothing I need or want. Then, I’m thinking it will be a couple of weeks before we get another load. Maybe I’ll get a couple of tops quilted during that time.
Congratulations on staying in the negative Carole! I was so busy canning that many things didn’t get finished this month…I think September will be better.
August In 3.625 yards
August Out 2.75 yards
August Net Total +.85 yards
Year to Date – 21 yards
August is the outdoors month for me. As a summer baby, the high temperatures and humidity are my time of year. That translates into fewer finishes.
August In: 0 yds.;
August Out: 4.6 yds.;
August Net Total: -4.6 yds.;
Year-To-Date Total: -69.10 yds.
Connie W.
Carole, those were some nice additions to your stash this month. The Stonehenge ombre was a great find. I’m sure you will put all those lovely fabrics to good use.
I *finally* finished a quilt! My first this year, except for a small wall hanging last winter. I hope to have a few more finishes this year, but it’s looking like I will still end up on the + side.
August Fabric IN = +4 yds
August Fabric OUT = – 12.75 yards
August Net Total =-8.75 yards
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = +57.75 yards
Been incredibly busy and heads down. Trying to catch up.
Love that Stonehenge gradation that has so many possibilities!
August Fabric IN + 18 A quilt store offered our guild free quilt frames that display quilts. How could I leave the shop without shopping? Took one for the team e.g. the guild. August Fabric OUT – 20.5 Finished a quilt using fabric my daughter designed and gave away fabric. August Net Total = -2.5 Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = -89.75
Thanks for keeping us on track to make intentional choices for our “ins” and celebrating the finishes!
Jo Anne
Oh, boy am I late at posting my totals for August. It is already September 7, Yikes!
August Fabric IN = + 0 Yes, indeed a big zip, zero, nada
August Fabric OUT = –11.5 Just one UFO out but fabric out is….fabric out!
August Net Total = -11.5
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = -62.75 yards out the door.
I am happy to say that in the process of cleaning and rearranging my sewing room, found some additional UFOs that can be finished this month of September. I also prepped some fabric for donation. The stuff the I KNOW will never go into one of my quilts. This month’s number should show a nice jump as I head into fall and winter quilting.
Lemon Twist is so pretty and I love the star ornaments!