So Excited!!

Well, I didn't win the grand prize drawing for Sheree's big ol' box of scraps, but Sheree decided to draw five more winners for smaller boxes of scraps - and I was one of those winners!! I'm so thrilled - it's the first blog give-away that I've won. I'm so excited to get my hands on those scraps... Of course, it is more fabric! And such pretty stuff too... THANK YOU, SHEREE!

The quilt top for Amandajean's quilt-along is done. I had thought that I wanted to add a total of three borders. After getting these two rows of scrappy squares on, the quilt top screamed "Finished!" to me and I left it alone. Any more futzing with it and I would be unhappy with it, I think. I love the scrappy simplicity of this top.

Tomorrow, a trip to Joann's is in order to pick up more of that Kona white cotton. I have a strip of extra large nine patches done to go down the center of the backing, but I need white to flank those patches. I've pieced just enough batting together from the pieces I had left from previous quilts. Thank goodness too... Money is a little tight this week. Paying rent is really putting a cramp in my quilting style!!

And now I have to wax eloquent (or not so much) about my newest stash addition...

Thanks to another blog give-away, I was introduced to the King's Road line of fabric called Belle. In particular, the stunning ruby red colorway of large tone-on-tone flowers. After nearly a month of searching for an online store that still carried this fabric, I found some! It's not the large flowers, which is the print I actually wanted. Much to my chagrin, when I saw the ruby red, I simply hit buy without really looking at the photo. But, I don't care! It's still pretty, and I'll just have to console myself by purchasing the large flowers in the gray colorway. Mwahahaha!

See? I don't need much of an excuse to add to my stash.

Speaking of the stash...

It's getting a little out of control. I have a single Rubbermaid plastic closet to keep my fabric in.

It's full.

To bursting.

So, in an effort to really, truly start using my stash, I've done a couple of things: I've joined the Good Ol' Summertime Mini Quilt Swap sponsored by the Quilt Gallery. If interested in joining, click on the button in my sidebar. The second thing is that I'm taking a good hard look at the fabrics in my stash - definitely not a hardship, mind you. I have (more than) a couple of prints that I've just hung on to because I didn't have enough to make a full-size top. They're gorgeous, but they need to be used, or go. So, they'll be used.

I've got the beginnings of a 3' X 3' wall hanging cut out. The center panel is going to be appliquéd - a wreath I think. I'm a little intimidated. It's been years since I did any applique, and since I don't like fusible, it's all going to be traditional, needle turned appliqué. *gulp* But I want to do this. I need to do this. Appliqué isn't really all that scary, just a little more time consuming. And the results will be so worth it!

While I will never be the type of quilter who keeps a tally of fabric purchased vs. fabric used, I will move a little faster, and try to stay ahead of the acquisitions. Really, I think I just need to set a goal to finish at least one quilt per month. And completely finish it, from piecing to binding. I think 12 quilts a year is pretty good, especially since I've moved on from crib and lap quilts to bed quilts.

*sigh* I'm biting off more than I can chew, most likely. I just can't help but give into my creative urges lately. I really am happy pouring myself and my energy into quilting. It's such a satisfying "hobby". Yes, "hobby" in quotes. I think most quilters, myself included, should really call it a "vocation".

Anywho... It's late, like 2:00 AM on what is now the Fourth of July. So, with that, I bid all fellow Americans "Happy Independence Day" and head for bed. Sleep is calling.