Meet Stash Dasher Ginger Ott...

If you've been following us you know that each month we feature one of our Stash Dasher's and this month it's Ginger Ott. Ginger is a wonder!! Each month for our Block of the Month she brings in SEVERAL FINISHED quilts and never fails to impress. For someone who works full-time, has a home business and children I find her amazing!! Here is what Ginger has chosen to share with us this month...

For years I had several co-workers trying to get me into to quilting and I just never got the bug. We would make a quilt and raffle it off for Relay for Life, I would do the embroidery parts and make the labels.

For my first attempt at quilting I picked something hard, but I fell in love with the pattern after my first trip to the sewing expo.

I was busy making embroidery designs and didn’t realize how I could merge the two together. It started with me playing around with some blocks a friend of mine cut wrong for her project and I have been hooked since. Quilting is a great way for me to use up my test sews from the embroidery designs I make before any designs are placed on the website.

Of all my quilts I think this is one of my favorites, it was my first attempt at following a pattern I saw in a magazine.

Last year I started teaching my friends 7 year old daughter how to sew and she is hooked, we have sewing play dates and she is even a “Shop Hopper” for the last 2 years now. Mallory has made 2 rag quilt and 1 lap quilt and is now working on making a quilt with the disappearing 4 patch block.

Of all the projects and quilts I have donated this is the one, that had the biggest impact on me. In 2012 a co-worker was stuck by a car and later passed from her injuries. We had over 20 people at my house working on a quilt for her, which we gave to her husband. Quilting truly does make people come together regardless if they are crafty or not. We had people pressing seams, cutting fabric, sewing blocks together and keeping us all fed.

Stash Dash is a program that we are running to help our community of ladies use up their 'stash' and finish their projects. We began in February of this year and will be ending in December. If you'd like to join us, just contact us at the shop or by email at parklandparish@gmail.com and we can get you signed up! Also, if you're a Stash Dasher and would like to be featured, send me your story and some photos and we will share it in our upcoming posts. Happy stitching and may your bobbins always be full!

Meet Stash Dasher Dolly Hale...

 

Each month we feature one of our wonderful "Stash Dashers" and this month it's Stash Dasher Dolly Hale. Dolly is a wonder! We all joke that she must quilt 23 hours of the day! She's a little like the 'energizer bunny' of quilters. Each month Dolly brings in a load of quilts that she has quilted, she's amazing!!


Dolly has been quilting, 'seriously' she says, for a little over three years. Dolly was more able to focus on her quilting after she retired from teaching. Dolly was a teacher for 43 years! During her last several years of teaching Dolly made approximately 25 rag quilts of her students hand prints. I can imagine how wonderful it would have been to be one of Dolly's students and to receive such a charming gift! Dolly shared with us how fun it is to run into the parents of those students now.

Dolly's generosity knows no bounds! Since she's always quilting, she has loads of projects to share. She has made several quilts for soldiers at Christmas, made several quilts for auctions and makes many, many baby quilts for Hugs, a quilting group that collects quilts for children.

Dolly's oldest quilt that she has yet to finish is about 45 years old.  It is a king size cross stitch. She recently found it and hopes to finish it some day. 

If Dolly doesn't have a sewing machine near her, she always has her embroidery handy. She's always working on something. To say she truly enjoys quilting is an understatement! As I said before, Dolly is a wonder and we are blessed to have her as part of our community of quilters!!

Here are some of Dolly's favorite works...

 

 

 

Doesn't she do lovely work! We hope that you are inspired by our Stash Dash ladies, we are!! Happy stitching and may your bobbin always be full!

Stash Dash Party!!

Last week I shared with you another blogger and a wonderful quilted tea set because I was under the weather and thought I had the flu. Well, this week hasn't gone much better! Now I have pneumonia!! So I thought I'd share with you some more inspiration! One of the best thing about my job is seeing all of the talented ladies and wonderful projects they bring in. Our group of Stash Dashers are no exception! They are not only talented, but they so inspire me that I had to share with all of you!

Not only did the ladies come in and sew with us for the day and finish projects from their stash, they passed on some wonderful projects. Many of them were donated to groups that pass it on to charity. At this quarters event the ladies donated projects to Hugs, Wounded Warriors, and Quilts of Valor just to name a few! So not only did these ladies use up some stash, they passed it on to wonderful causes! What a great and generous use of stash!! Here are some photos of our day!

If you missed this quarter's event, watch Facebook, email, etc. for our next one! If you're not a Stash Dasher and would like to be, you can join at any time.

Happy stitching and may your bobbin always be full!

Meet Stash Dasher Carol Oshiro...

The first Friday of each month we hope to feature a new Stash Dasher. This month's Dasher is Carol, she has been quilting for three years! Her friend Ginger, inspires her by taking her projects to work to share what's she's been working on. This inspiration lead her to enthusiastically get quilting!! She began with a new machine and dove in. She shares that she hasn't followed Norma Jean's rule; "Only have three projects going a time", but she plans to to after she empties a few containers. Carol has taken Norma Jean's class and shares that it has really helped her grow as a quilter. When she began taking photos, she realized that she had 17 containers of projects cut waiting to be sewed along with all kinds of other fabrics. As Carol has looked at her projects, she's not sure why she wanted to make them. However, she is determined to follow through and get them done! She's gone through 16.75 yards so far in our challenge! Go Carol! Go!

Most of Carol's quilts have gone to family, but her goal is to finish projects with this Stash Dash Challenge and have quilts to give her neighbors for Christmas this year!

We wish Carol best of luck on her endeavor!! Like to share your Stash Dash story, email me at parklandparish@gmail.com and you could be featured here!!

Here are some photos of Carol's sewing space and stash... Look familiar? Get sewing and share with us!

It's not to late to become a Stash Dasher! Join in the fun and get those projects done! Call the shop to join (253) 531-4309. Interested in taking Norma Jean's class to help you learn skills to finish up your quilts? Click here to register for next upcoming class.

Happy sewing and may your bobbin always be full!

Stash Dash Kick Off...

February begins our dash to use at least 100 yards of our stash this year! We have several ladies taking our challenge and should be a year of great fun and lots of finished UFO's! It's not to late to join in and if you live out of area you can still participate! Contact me at parklandparish@gmail.com and we can get you up to speed!!

Our first featured Stash Dasher is our very own Tracey from the shop! She has graciously shared photos of her stash and UFO's that she's working on.

 

This is Tracey's sewing area. She's not yet blessed with a wonderful craft/sewing room. I think many of us fit in that category, so we do what we can!

 

Tracey's been quilting for 6 years and loves to volunteer her quilting for Quilts of Valor and other military supporting groups! She has generously made quilts to be donated and shared her talents with many. However, to get on top of her stash this year has adopted our Norma Jean's project rule; "Only have 3 projects going at a time". Norma Jean is a Grand Champion quilter and teaches Free Motion and Machine Quilting here at the Parish. If you're interested in catching up with Norma Jean you can read her featured post here... 2013 is the year to get things done and to that end Tracey came up with this fabulous idea to help us ALL get our UFO's done!

 

Here's a photo of Tracey's first quilt. Now looking at this quilt, she has shared that she can see how far she's come. It's so fun to see how we grow as quilters.

 

 

Here are few other of Tracey's quilts that are very close to being finished! Some of our dashers are well on their way to a 100 yards! How about you? Won't you join in on the fun!!

 

 

Like I said it's not to late to join us, come in the shop and talk with Tracey and she can take of you or live out of town, email Diane and I can help you! Lets make 2013 the year of getting those UFO's done!!

 

Happy sewing and may your bobbin always be full!

100 Yard Stash Dash...

It's a new year and new projects to work on. Or maybe it's a new year to tackle those UFO's!! Here at the Parish we are offering a new program to help you get those UFO's that are laying about your sewing room done! Let's all get reacquainted with our stash and get some projects done!

To that end I'm kicking off our 100 yard Stash Dash with a newly embroidered pillow! This year I have set a goal to learn a new skill and my first one is embroidery. Here's what I did...

I inherited this partially done with a quick lesson on the basics. I then finished the project and went through my stash an found a pillow form and fabric to make this pillow.

 To make this pillow I just bordered the embroidery fabric. If you're not sure how to add a border you can click here for my past post on borders.

Once I bordered my image I made a pocket in the back to create the sham.

I sewed everything right sides together and the turned it out.

Kicking Off the 100 yard Stash Dash Challenge!

How well do you know your stash?  How many unfinished projects do you have?  Well, if you are like most of us, you have way too many UFO’s and that stash is just begging to be put to use!  So we have just the best, most fun program to help you get through all those projects and into your stash:  The 100 Yard Stash Dash Challenge!  

Here is how it works:

Purpose:  To finish projects, use our stash and just have some good stitching fun!

The Dash officially begins February 3, 2013 and runs through December 31, 2013.

Register for the Dash January 1-28, 2013.  To participate you can either use 2 fat quarters from your stash and pay $3.75 or pay just $10 and we will purchase your fat quarters for you!  You then become a Stash Dasher and are eligible to play!

Rules:

1.       Fabric used must be part of your stash by January 28^th (honor system here).

2.       You may purchase fabric for backgrounds, bindings, backings and borders - that will count too if purchased at The Parish Quilt Shoppe.

3.       All projects completed this year will count towards the 100 yards.  This includes table toppers, bags, wall hangings, and, of course, quilts.

4.       Projects must be completed – the goal is to use our stash and complete UFO’s – not make more UFO’s!!

5.       How to calculate how much fabric you used in your project? The easiest way is to take the width times the length and divide by 40 to get how many inches and then divide that by 36 to get your yardage.  If you use yardage from your stash for the backing, then you would double this amount for the project.  Don’t stress on this part – we will help you!

6.       If at the end of each month you're not able to finish a project from your stash. Your penalty will be one fat quarter for the kitty. You can bring it in or send it to the Parish.

7.       Quarterly winners!!  Each quarter we will draw a name from all our participants and they will win a prize in addition to being featured on our facebook page, or blog or blast so we can see what everyone is working on!

8.       As the 100 yards is completed, each participant will win a fat quarter bundle, beautifully coordinated and bundled from all entry the fat quarters!  What fun!

9.       Be on the watch throughout the year for Stash Dash Sew Days and specials for everyone participating and playing!

This will be sew much fun and inspiring – we will encourage each other with just a bit of competing! I am excited to see who can use 100 yards from their stash and complete those UFO’s this year.

May your bobbin always be full!