Saturday, September 29, 2012

Saturday Stash: shopping online

I think etsy shops are one of the greatest inventions of the 21st century.  If you love modern fabrics, but your local quilt shop tends toward the traditional, this post is for you! In my experience, the independent owners of online "etsy" shops are quick to respond to inquiries, and fast to ship purchases.  Plus, they often have fabrics that just are not available at your LQS.

I like to support the etsy shop owners who belong to my guild, the Front Range Modern Quilt Guild.  If I can't find a fabric line in town, I always go to my etsy "favorites" first.  Buying on etsy is easy, and safe -- here is a link on "How to purchase an item on etsy" if you haven't shopped etsy before. 

Today's "Saturday Stash" reflects some of my purchases during September.  The owners of each of these shops belong to FRMQG -- but by no means are the only shops I frequent!

First up is a shop which, sadly, is closing soon.  The owner has decided running an online shop and being a Mama and facing a possible move is just too much, something has to give.  I guess she isn't willing to give away her child, so her etsy shop is closing.

I have a "thing" for Heather Bailey's "Nicey Jane" line, and buy any of these charming fabrics whenever I see them.   Imagine my delight when I found all these Nicey Jane prints ON SALE!



I particularly like shops that have fabrics I can't find anywhere else.  A new shop that holds a lot of promise is "AmbrozAndCo."

 
I have an "orange" project in mind for this collection of Valori Wells, Erin McMorris, Annette Tatus, and Jeanean Morrison lovelies. 






Karen at KarensStash ordered these Moda Bella Solids Jelly Rolls just because I want to make the V & Co. "Houndstooth" quilt.  Now that's service!



  • KarensStash has expanded its selection -- I may have to go shopping when I finish this blog post!


No blog about etsy shops would be complete without talking about FreshSqueezedFabrics!

Randi is one of the more experienced etsy shop owners, having been in business since April of 2008.  The first time I purchased fabric from FreshSqueezedFabrics, I actually drove to her town (about one hour away from my home).  Randi wasn't available, but she invited me to visit anyway, and and her daughter helped me pick a lovely (read:  large) stack of fabrics. I'm pretty sure if she tracked her best customers, I would be near the top of the list!

My most recent score at FreshSqueezedFabrics is the complete collection of Denyse Schmidt's "Chickopee" in fat quarters.  Twelve of them are designated for my October Schnibbles project:





In conclusion (I learned to say that in 4-H), I highly recommend shopping on etsy -- especially if you live in a geographically isolated area, or if your LQS doesn't stock "modern" fabrics.  I've always found the service to be excellent and the selection amazing.

Tomorrow:  Sunday is for Scraps -- an I Spy quilt!











From the desk of your auntmartisignature

Friday, September 28, 2012

Friday Finish -- Strip Club

Quite possibly the most fun quilt group I've ever joined is the High Country Strippers.

 
Whenever I wear this t-shirt, I get questions!



Esmerelda is modeling my High Country Strippers in front of the "I Spy" quilt I am making for Granddaughter 2.  I started it when niece Faith was 2 -- she's in Middle School now.  Hope I get it finished before Anya is ready for school!

I'll be teaching Strip Club at High Country Quilts in November.  Because I'll be at Quilting in the Pines when the October Strip Club is held, I'll be sharing the November quilt at September Strip Club.

November's Strip Club quilt is "Classic Rendition 1 & 2" from Antler Quilt Designs.  



My version is made with the "Autumn Breeze" Jelly Roll by Sentimental Studios for Moda.

One unusual thing about this pattern is that the HST cut-offs are used to make a second, small quilt.  Great use of scraps!




My quilt holder stood across the street from our neighbor's lovely fall trees.  Doesn't it look beautiful?

Linking up to the newly reinstated "Finish It Up Friday" at Crazy Mom Quilts.


Come back tomorrow for a review of some of my favorite etsy shops!



From the desk of your auntmartisignature

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

September Schnibbles

Have you seen Moda's new "candy?"  Candies are little bites of Moda fabrics, just 2 1/2" square.  Click here to see Moda's blog post announcing this cute new pre-cut. 

The best thing about Moda candy is, Carrie of La Vie en Rosie has created some new patterns specially designed for 2 1/2" squares -- candy!  Go to Miss Rosie's Quilt Co. and click on "Little Bites" to see all the new patterns.

Sherri of A Quilting Life and Sinta of Pink Pincushion selected "Speck" for the September "Another Year of Schnibbles" quilt.  Go here to buy your copy of this cutie -- you know you want it.  And it's available as a PDF download, so you don't even have to wait for Mr. Postman! (Photo from Miss Rosie's Quilt Co. website.)




The Fat Quarter Shop's 2012 Designer Mystery BOM is made from Bonnie and Camille's
Vintage Modern, and as a gift when quilters signed up for the BOM, we received a Vintage Modern "Candy" pack.

So I used mine, along with scraps from the blocks I've completed, to make my "Speck."



For the background, I used the Vintage Modern Cream Dots (they're really a light grey, not cream-colored).



The cornerstones are Kona Cotton solids "Caribbean."  The don't look quite as dark on the quilt as they do in this photo.  I used this color because I thought it matched the darker blue on the "Sky Hopscotch" yardage. 


I haven't quilt decided whether or not to add a print border -- I really like the look of the Sky Vintage, but I don't have enough -- just the fat quarter from my score at Quilt-a-Fair.





 What do you think?


Oh!  I think I need to link up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced!




And thank you to Karen for reminding me to link up to Fabric Tuesday!

Fresh Poppy Design

From the desk of your auntmartisignature