Saturday Stash Report

It's been over a month since I've reported on Stash Enhancement. So it looks as though I've gone wild in the quilt shops! But really, this is a month's worth of FARTs (that's Fabric Acquisition Road Trips if you didn't know).

In no particular order, here are my "scores" for 2014. First, a few more Low Volume prints. I love "text" prints, and Nana's Quilt Cottage has some cute ones. Plus, she does "Groovy Girls" each month! Look for a report on the clever notions bag we made this month.

Before I go on, I have to tell you a funny story about DH and Low Volume fabrics. You know how January is depressing, right? Especially when the wind blows constantly! So it's easy to do some serious online fabric shopping, just to take the edge off.

So I bought a lot of Low Volume fabrics in January.  I was receiving a package in the mail about twice a week. Near the end of the month, when the last (I think) package arrived, DH was standing beside me when I opened it. He commented, "Oh, that's some more of that Low Volume fabric."  Then, "Aren't you proud that I recognize that?"

Well, actually, I'm embarrassed that I bought so much LV fabric that he knew what it was!

Here is my "biggest and best" score for the month.  Just look at this stack of bolt ends and scraps! I should sort it out and store the fabrics with their "mates," but I get such a kick out of seeing what a steal it was!

Trelotta Modern Crafting and Quilting in Denver had a great sale in January. This is "Wish" by Valori Wells:

And here is the complete collection of Denyse Schmidt's "Florence."

I bought the rest of the bolt of DS's "Cactus Calico," because I'll need a backing for my "Florence" quilt! Half price!

I wonder if DH has figured out that I offer to drive him to meetings in Denver not out of the goodness of my heart, but because there are so many great quilt shops up there?

Have you seen Free Spirit's "True Colors" in person yet? YUMmy! Here is Anna Maria Horner's collection:

And here is Heather Bailey's:

I think I'll use Heather's to make this modern quilt, Sur le Bord from Metropolitan Quilt:

The most fun acquisition was a Mini Cooper Clubman, named "Black Jack," for DH's birthday-ending-in-a-zero. Photo to follow!


From the desk of your

Finally it's Finished!

At Front Range Modern Quilt Guild last Saturday, I met a woman who said she had made not one, but five Dr. Who scarves. I didn't think the appropriate response was why? But why?

The DH and I never really watched Dr. Who regularly, but somehow we got hooked on it during a (bitterly) cold spell in December. Rumor has it that whoever is "The Doctor" when you start watching the show will forever be "The Doctor" for you. DH watched Dr. Who back when Tom Baker was The Doctor, hence . . .

I started this scarf for the DH's birthday before Christmas. It's only 50 stitches across, all in garter stitch. That is, knit every stitch. For twelve feet! That's 366 cm for you clever people who use metric!

I haven't added the fringe, and don't know if I will. It's not really a practical garment, being so long it has to be wrapped twice around the neck. I can just see this thing getting caught in an elevator door and making me a young widow!

I used the pattern from Witty Little Knitter, here. The yarn is Cascade 220 Superwash -- my thinking being that if there was yarn left over, I could use it for Hats for Sailors. 

(Image lifted from http://thewertzone.blogspot.com/2013/09/doctor-who-at-50-fourth-doctor-1974-81.html)

Except for the beard, don't you think DH looks a lot like The Doctor?

From the desk of your

Tuesday Tool: Pin Your Quilt

Today's "Tuesday Tool" is compliments of Marly, who won the "Grow Your Blog" giveaway last  Friday.

Whenever I send a giveaway prize out of the country, I ask the recipient if there is something she can't get in her country that she'd like me to send. I know not everyone is lucky enough to have four great quilt shops in her town!

Marly lives in the Netherlands, and I had no idea what "fiber shopping" is like there. Marly reported that she has a pretty good quilt shop within reach, but hadn't been able to find a particular notion. She asked for pin covers, which I thought was this:

(Image lifted from Nancy's Notions, which is where I bought mine!)

No, she said, the kind that go on straight pins. Marly included a link to the blog where she first saw them. I'm always happy to have something new to shop for, so I went on a mission.

And here they are:

Would you believe I found them right over the hill at Ruth's Stitchery? I'd seen them before, but didn't realize that they were for.

If you use long straight pins to baste your quilts (and I do, for table runners and mug rugs), your fingers will thank you for buying this product! Pinmoors are a kind of soft, rubbery pellet that covers the sharp end of your straight pins. Then you won't stab yourself when shifting the quilt to machine quilt it!

What a brilliant idea!  

PS, I've received two compliments on my fingernails this week. It makes me laugh, because I've been painting my nails since 6th grade -- umm, well over 40 years! I decided that when I post a photo with my fingernails in it, I should tell you the polish color! The bright pink in the photo above is a new brand to me, Sephora. This color is "no need for a bikini!"   

Thank you, Marly, your patterns and Pinmoors are on their way!

From the desk of your

She's a Winner!

I love it when someone from a "new" country comments on the blog --- and this time, my first Dutch commenter won the whole shebang!

The 52 Quilts "Grow Your Blog" post received more than 150 comments, and the trusty Random Number Generator selected:

Which turns out to be Marly, who said:

I did a little research, and it turns out Marly is from Rijswijk, in the Netherlands. Rijswijk is a suburb of the Hague, and according to Wikipedia, it covers an area of 14.49 km² (5.59 sq mi) of which 0.44 km² (0.17 sq mi) is covered by water. Look at this gorgeous photo, doesn't it make you want to visit?

Marly blogs at MarlysQuilts, so if you get a chance, go look at her fun quilts and great photos of life in Rijswijk!

Marly will receive one each of Sassafras Lane's 12 patterns.  Thank you, Kristy, for donating the patterns!

I hear Kristy and Shayla are busy with some new designs, so if you didn't win, go visit Sassafras Lane to buy some for yourself. 

Congratulations, Marly, your patterns will be in the mail as soon as I receive your postal address!

From the desk of your

Last Chance! Only a few hours . . .

To enter my Grow Your Blog giveaway. You may win all 12 of Sassafras Lane's patterns!

Go to this post to comment before noon Mountain Standard Time today to comment!



From the desk of your

WIP Wednesday: Cast Your Vote

Only one more day to comment for a chance to win all 12 of Sassafras Lane's patterns in the Grow Your Blog giveaway. Go here to comment.

I shared a photo of this quilt on Monday's design wall. I was short a few blocks, so had to run by Ruth's Stitchery and buy three more fat quarters to finish it up.

I'm still not sure which layout I like best. Would you like to vote?

Should I sew Yummy 1:

Yummy 2?

or Yummy 3?

Linking up to Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts.

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As well as WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

Tell me what you think!

From the desk of your

Design Wall Monday

Only four more days to comment for a chance to win all 12 of Sassafras Lane's patterns in the Grow Your Blog giveaway. Go here to comment.

Something new on the design wall today! It's the March Jelly Roll Party sample. The pattern is "Yummy" from Jaybird Quilts, the fabric is "daydream" from Moda.

Um. yeah. When the pattern calls for 42 strips, sometimes you really need 42 strips. Lucky for me, Ruth's Stitchery has yardage of this fabric line, so I can supplement my jelly roll!

I can't decide if I like the color-progression layout best, or if I should go random. Here is what the pattern cover looks like, with random arrangement of the fabrics:

So happy to find a new Monday link-up! It's Anything Goes Mondays at Stitch by Stitch.

Since I have to run over to Ruth's to buy a bit more fabric, that gives me time to mull over the layout. What do you think?

From the desk of your