Saturday, February 18, 2006

I'VE BEEN BUSTING STASH!
I have a three day weekend this weekend. So I've worked steadily in my sewing room all day. Between naps that is. I'm sick. AGAIN! But I work a bit and nap a bit and HOPEFULLY I'll have everything all cleaned up and ready to move boxes back in by Monday.

So if I've been sleeping and cleaning, how have I been busting stash? Well I've packed a BIG box almost full to give to my guilds charity program. So far I've put 133 yds in the box and I know there will be more when I start unpacking boxes from the shop. Some of this is stuff I bought over the years that just doesn't apeal to me any longer. Colors I've outgrown, maybe not quite the quality I like. But no really thin, sleazy stuff. I tossed all that without a bit of guilt!. And much of it came from Mama's stash. Just before she went into a nursing home a few years ago she sent all her quilting stash home with me. it had been stored in drawers in a really musty room so I washed and ironed all of it and measured as I ironed. Quit counting when I hit 400 yds and there was still a big tub left to be ironed! Lots of it I like and will use but much of this is 80s calicos. Have I mentioned I'm not a calico kinda girl? Some I like the colors and kept those but there's lots of dusty blues/pinks/greens in that bunch that just don't apeal to me at all. I've kept it thinking I'd use it to make charity quilts or to piece backs with. But I have this thing where I really like my backs to kinda match the front so I just never seem to do the pieced back thing. BTW, I did cut a hunk off each piece to strip up into my strip/squares/brick drawers. So I'll still have a bit of each of these fabrics for my scrap quilts but won't have to deal with 2 to 3 yd cuts of a fabric that doesn't appeal to me.

So I could make charity quilts. And I have made a lot of them in the past. But right now my quilting time is at a premium. And it occurs to me that I have 2 brothers and a sister and except for the wall hanging I gave my sister a number of years ago they have never received a quilt from me. And I have 11 nieces and nephews. 5 have never received a quilt from me and the others it's been many years. And I have 3 great nephews/nieces and none of them have received a quilt from me. And I have several really close friends who have also never received a quilt from me. It's kinda sad to think that many strangers to me have received my quilts but so many people that I love have not. So no more charity quilts from me for a while as I work to make sure that those I love have at least one of my quilts to wrap my love around them with.

8 comments:

Finn said...

Oh Nancy, what a good job you are doing!!! I think that is great that you have boxed up some to give away. Sounds like you'll still have plenty left..*G* I like your idea of cutting a strip off those that are departing...you are one smart cookie!!
And the same with all those people who haven't gotten a quilt from you. I'm in a similar situation. Maybe it's been easier to NOT give some of our family members a quilt...but we should. Thanks for reminding me of that...Hugs, Finn

Cher said...

wow Nancy...what a terrific job you have done to box up and send on it's way stash you do not love-hurray for you! I came to that conclusion after losing my mom-make all my close family members a quilt who did not already have one-like the nephews. It feels great to give them Nancy! My nephews are all happy with their quilts and now my brother is whining he wants a real quilt too,not just the wall hanging he asked for LOL...I think you will find so much joy in working on those quilts...I am excited for you to get going on this-so I hope you feel well real soon...hugs

Evelyn aka Starfishy said...

Nancy - that sure is some stashbusting you are doing!

I too am on a mission to make everyone I love a quilt. That would be... 6 brothers and sisters (but 1 brother already got 2 quilts from me), 15 nieces and nephews and 6 grand nieces and nephews and a few dear friends. Some of these are all done - 1 just needs the binding, 1 is at the long armers, some are mostly pieced - but there is still a long ways to go!!! Yup, I am the youngest of a BIG family!!!

It is very fun to work on making quilts to those near and dear to me.

Cheers!

Evelyn

Patti said...

Nancy, I sure hope you are feeling better soon. Sounds like you've gotten a huge amount done for someone who isn't feeling good! Doesn't that cleaning out and giving away make you feel like a weight has lifted off your shoulders? I know it sure felt that way to me when I gave yards and yards and yards of little calicos to the guild charity committee.

Granny said...

Nancy: Hope you're feeling better soon. What a waste . . to feel bad on a long weekend!

I'm not much of a calico person either. When we moved here in 97, I cleaned out all my fabric and what I thought I wouldn't use, I gave to the guild for their projects. It is a good feeling to purge the stash every now and then.

Judy L.

Cathi said...

Nancy-

I have always envied those that were able to make quilts for charity. But I seem to always be making baby quilts to give away. I have only made one quilt for myself, my first ever one back in the 80s, and then one for my first DD. I've made my immediate family all quilts, but I want to be selfish and make more quilts for our own house and home!! I've got several underway. Maybe after the kids grow up and I get more productive (I hope!) I'll be able to do some charity quilts as well.

Passionate Quilter said...

Nancy--first of all, I sure hope you feel better soon. I'm amazed you can still go through all your fabrics, wash them and then iron them and then box them to give away! You are amazing! Second, you make a very good point to make sure the ones you love are surrounded by quilts filled with your love. I'm sure that you will get back to charity quilts once your goal is reached. You are a generous person and that doesn't stop. So don't feel guilty and go ahead and make those other quilts!

The Calico Cat said...

Here here on the family/friend front... (Think globally, act locally)