My Messy Stash

I have seen some quilters' stash photos and am puzzled at how they keep it so neat. (Diva? Can you explain?) Maybe they only take pictures after a huge cleaning episode.

Well, here is my stash on a normal day. This is most of it; I also have some big pieces and WIPs in bins and some piled disrespectfully on my cutting board.

In fact, I will bare it all here and show you the current state of my cutting mat, too.

This is the look of creativity!

Sunshiney Sunday

Hello, and happy Sunday! The sunshine today is beautiful. We've had a lot of rain, so sunshine is a treat.

You might have noticed I didn't post a Friday Books review. I am still reading a good book, and am about halfway through. I was going to read this afternoon, and instead I fell asleep and took a long nap. Wow, I didn't know I was that tired.

I did another 3-day sewing retreat with friends. I got a lot done. This is a quilt I bound. The setting idea came from an on-line friend, Claire, who made a much larger one.

I finished a few other miscellaneous projects, and I *almost* got a big top completely assembled. Just a few more rows to get together, and that one will be ready for quilting. I can't wait to see it all put together.

One of our friends offered to give a massage to someone who was sore, and she ended up treating four of us with a free ten-minute massage. Turns out she is professionally trained, and she is GOOD!

I was planning not only to read (which I didn't yet accomplish) but also to sew. Instead, I started sorting through fabrics. This is a fraction of them. I really need to cull my stash and then make a real effort to use up some of this gorgeous stuff. I don't mind maintaining a stash, but when it gets too big that it starts exploding out the sewing room, it's time to take care of the mess. This process will probably take several days.

The Traveling Stash Goes to...

Rudi, aka Nancy Z! You will get the traveling stash box. Please e-mail your snail mail address to me so we can get the box sent on to you.

Have fun, and thanks to everyone who left comments, whether or not you wanted a chance at the box.

Traveling Stash -- Interested?

A while ago I started a traveling stash box. It has been making its rounds and needs a new home. Could yours be the right one?

This stash box has a focus. We are asking that you use what you pull from the box for charity quilting. The definition of that is up to you, and you don't need to report in. There are no Stash Box Police who will be hunting you down if you happen to use some of the contents of the box for your own purposes. Just generally, if you are interested in using the box contents for charity, at least in part, and interested in sending it on to another like-minded person, then leave a comment here.

Comments received by Friday morning, Feb. 28, will be put in a pot, and I'll draw a name (to be announced on Saturday, March 1). USA only, please. The winner gets the box next. The box actually will come to you from Sally, who does not have a blog. I offered to find the next Stash Box recipient here on my blog. She'll send it on to you.

So go ahead and leave a comment, and we'll see who gets the box next! The box contains fabric, patterns, books, thread and miscellaneous goodies.. I'm not even sure exactly what. I don't have a picture of the stash, but I will show you this quilt top. I used some of what I pulled out of the box in this quilt which will be making its way to Quilts Beyond Borders very soon.

one of the little goodies I pulled out of the box to keep.. isn't it cute?