Saturday Stash Report: Wyoming Road Trip

You didn't really think I would drive straight up I-25 to Cheyenne, did you? When Ft. Collins and Laramie are only one hour out of my way?

First stop, The Loopy Ewe in Ft. Collins. Primarily a yarn shop (report to follow on Thursday!), they have also expanded into fabrics. I didn't buy any fabric, but lots of washable wool for Hats for Sailors, and this great bag. It reads "Boss Lady," and I thought the cowgirl theme was perfect to carry my knitting to Wyoming!

The most fun shop in Ft. Collins is "Mama Said Sew" and they have a new location. I love a shop that carries fabric I can't get at Ruth's Stitchery, and MSS always scores. Look at this great Japanese cotton! I'm thinking something for My Little Sailor.

Since "they" keep telling me it's Sping, I also found this lovely voile (on sale!) for a summer infinity scarf.

And this from Alexander Henry "just because it's pretty!"

 

Here's another "just because it's pretty" that I thought I might work on as a "slow quilting" project. Michelle at Factotum of Arts is sponsoring a Gypsy Wife Quilt Along, I recommend going to take a look!

OK, these books aren't from my road trip, but they're new! Pam & Nicky Lintott are some favorite strip quilt pattern designers. So of course, I had to buy their new book! Look for quilts from this lovely sometime later this year.

Thomas Knauer is one of the few male quilters who don't make me feel they "joined the movement" just to make money. I love this "traditional quilts the modern way" designs.

I could totally see this quilt resulting from my huge collection of 2.5" squares! (Susan, the nail polish is China glaze "Spontaneous." It was for Epilepsy Awareness Day.)

I really went to Laramie to buy shoes at Dodd's Shoe Co., (man, is it a good thing I don't live closer!) but there are two excellent shops in Laramie, also.

Both Snowy River Quilts and Quilt Essentials are good places for Civil War Reproduction fabrics. I know, it doesn't look like me, but I have an anniversary quilt due this summer and this is the perfect fabric for it!

On the way home, I stopped off at the newest, cutest shop in Lovland -- Cotton Candy Quilt Shoppe. At the Front Range Modern Quilt Guild's February retreat, Chrystal was making a pillow with this fabric. Had to have it!

Here's a closeup of the dark blue that Chrystal used for the anchor motif on her pillow. Christmas prezzie for My Little Sailor (maybe)!

I'm already starting to collect patterns for Jelly Roll Party 2015. This is by the same designer who wrote the pattern we'll be making in June.

Darn me, I forgot to ask about the vintage-style ironing board her husband made. I want one for my birthday! Wouldn't it be cute stained pink? Or maybe aqua?

Again, not from the road trip, but how cute are these? I found them for 99 cents at Marshall's. I asked DH if he knew what they were for, and he instantly replied "your colored twine?" Smart guy, huh?

And last, but not least, a lovely gift from a dear friend. I love the "candies" precuts, and I love bags, what could be better? Thanks, Lori!

I'm sworn to finish TWO quilt tops today, so I'd better turn off the computer and get to work! The next UFO Parade is Tuesday, I hope you'll come back to see the goodies challengers finished this month!

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This is never gonna happen: April UFO Challenge

So I have this blog follower who always asks about the next month's challenge a few days early. And I'm happy to draw the number and announce it on the 52 Quilts Facebook page.

I remembered this morning that I had agreed to do this, and here is the project that is assigned to April:

All the print squares are cut, not a stitch is sewn. And just look at that applique' border! This one is clearly from my "30s reproduction fabrics" period.

Oh yeah. Ruth's Stitchery puts the date an item enters the store on the price sticker. March of 1999! This kit is 15 years old!

It will never be made, I'm sure. I should offer it up to someone who might actually sew it!

If that's you, comment on this post and I'll ship it off. If more than one person wants it, I'll let the Random Number Generator choose a "winner." (Notice I put "winner" in quote marks?) Comment before the April 1st UFO Parade and I'll announce it then.

The March UFO Finish photos are arriving -- how is your's coming along?

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WIP Wednesday: BOMs Away

Only a few more days until the March UFO Parade! I decided to go with a BOM Finish in order to meet the deadline.

I am a total sucker for Blocks of the Month. "It's only one block per month," I tell myself. Then I wind up with 12 projects wherein the blocks are all finished, but not put together!

This is the 2010 Patchwork Party BOM. The fabric and design is by my fav, Marti Michell.

I'm using Eleanor Burns' "Road to Stardom" from "Still Stripping After 25 Years" for the layout.

As an aside -- the patterns in this book have resulted in multiple 4-H projects and at least three quilts by me. If you can't find it at your LQS, here is the link to Eleanor's site.

Here is a closeup of my favorite block:

Notice there are two missing setting triangles? I ran out of the background fabric! Lucky for me, the Fat Quarter Shop used the same fabric as a backing kit for one of their BOMs. I hope they really have it and it's not just a leftover item in their online shop! Kimberly, don't fail me now!

Here is the fabric for the two borders. I don't know if I really like the pink now (after all, it's four years old!) but I decided to go with what I have rather than try to find something else. Hear that, DH? I'm NOT buying more border fabric!

Linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

Keep your fingers crossed for me that the last bit of background fabric gets here before April 1st!

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Downton Abbey Retreat Report

It's no secret I love quilt retreats. And I love Downton Abbey. What could be better than to combine the two?

Around the Block Quilt Shop in Cheyenne sponsored a weekend retreat with a "Downton Abbey" theme. The retreat was held at the Nagle Warren Mansion in downtown Cheyenne, now a Bed and Breakfast. Barbara planned fun "trivia quizzes" complete with prizes, a pop-up shop of the entire line of Downton Abbey fabrics from Andover, and delightful entertainment at our Saturday afternoon "tea."

[PS If your Downton Abbey fabric collection isn't complete, click here to contact the shop!]

Breakfast was served in the c. 1880s dining room.

My favorite quilters, Grandma and Granddaughter, enjoyed working on the Around the Block Downton Abbey quilt.

Look! my nails match the DA fabric! The polish is "Molly Coddled" by butter London.

Susan Vincenzes is making a film about Downton Abbey quilts. Luana interviewed me about my quilting experience. I'm glad I had just written this post, so I had most answers to her questions already thought out.

We had a special guest speaker, Cindy Brick, AQS-certified quilt appraiser. Sharing a personal trunk show, she taught us so much about dating and restoring antique quilts.

This is my favorite. The setting blocks are a yummy bubblegum pink print.

This quilt looks just like the one my Great-Grandmother made in the 1890s!

Who knew there are several shades of this green -- I've always called it "Poison Green." The specific shade dates the fabric to a particular era.

Cindy also shared several "crazy quilts" and silk quilts. Watch for another "crazy quilts" exhibit coming at the Denver Art Museum.

These prints are from the "Edith" collection. The colors are so much more to my liking than the duller blues and purples.

I only completed four blocks, the "Titanic" block from Ebony Love's Downton Abbey Mystery QAL. Susan found the labels on the UK fabric website and printed one for each of us to label our quilt. Thanks, Susan! And also thank you, Betty, for sharing your photos!

I hope Barbara will host another retreat -- I'll be there!

How is your March UFO coming along? Only one week 'til the next UFO Parade!

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Saturday Stash -- the Newest Fabrics!

I'm at a quilt retreat this weekend in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Details to follow in a few days! But just to give you something to look at, here are some new fabrics that came in the mail this week.

First, "Citrus," by Another Point of View for Windham Fabrics.

 I'm thinking this will be perfect for the August Jelly Roll Party quilt, "Kissing Booth."

I picked up a few half-yard cuts of Denyse Schmidt's "Bakersfield and Union Station" at JoAnn's. 'cuz you know, a large bin of DS fabric just isn't enough!

Lori Holt is going to be at my hometown quilt shop, Quilt Barn Idaho, in May. I thought I would run up for her retreat, but then realized that is Jelly Roll Party day! So to make myself feel better, I ordered a FQ bundle of her new line, "Vintage Happy" from their Etsy shop. Yes. I feel better.

My abso-posi-lutely favorite solid fabric is Michael Miller's "Cotton Couture." Chrystal, who owns Cotton Candy Sewing Shop in Loveland, Colorado, just happened to be attending my Guild's retreat last month. So she hand-delivered this sweet bundle. (Hey, it's a gift! It doesn't count!)

My "big" score this week is the kit for Tula Pink's April Mystery QAL on Craftsy. "Fox Field" is so great, I may have to buy more to stash!

You know I've routed my trip to Cheyenne to take advantage of as many quilt shops as possible! Come back next Saturday for the full report!

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My Quilt Journey: Then and Now

At Front Range Modern Quilt Guild last Saturday, members shared their "first" and "most recent" quilts. I forgot mine in the back of the Tardis (that's another story) when it got a flat tire on the way to Guild. So here is my story!

My very first quilt was started the summer I was 8 years old. We had just moved from the family farm into town, and I didn't have any friends or any way to make friends with school out for the summer. So my mother set me to cutting out squares of calico fabric to piece a 9-patch quilt. Each square was the width of the cardboard that held bias tape -- about 3" square. She patiently taught me to use her Singer 401 Slant Needle machine (which I inherited when she died). After a few days of having to change the thread back to the color she wanted following my use of the machine, we went downtown to Hendrickson's Sewing Shop. She bought me an old Singer portable that only did straight stitch, but a beautiful straight stitch! I finished piecing that quilt only a few years ago, but I don't know what I've done with it -- I don't think I gave it away, but I can't find it!

My next foray into quilting was in January of 1976. I had graduated High School in December, and was waiting for my fiance' to return from Air Force technical training school so we could get married. Mother helped me tear  strips and piece a log cabin quilt a la "the Eleanor Burns method." It was blue and mauve, very popular colors in the 70s! I gave that quilt to the Goodwill when we moved to Virginia in the 90s. It never occurred to me I would want a photo of "my first quilt!"

The earliest quilts I still have were made for my two boys when we lived in Virginia from 1992-1996. The patterns were in a book by Sharon Hultgren, the inventor of the EZ Angle. I have to admit, her directions were a little "spare" for a beginner!

Here is the "Jacob's Ladder" I pieced for My Little Sailor, Jacob:

The dark blue is faded, and the single-fold binding is worn through. But I still love this quilt!

I (foolishly) allowed Elder Brother to choose his own fabrics for his quilt. This is what you get when a 4-year old chooses fabrics:

For several years when I substitute taught Art classes in Hampton, I used this quilt as an example of "Complementary Colors." Complementary Colors are opposite each other on the color wheel, and when placed next to each other, appear to vibrate. I'll say!

When we evacuated for Hurricane  Emily, I took this quilt and my sewing machine. It was half-pieced. I knew from meeting people who had evacuated for Hurricane Andrew the year before that there might be nothing left when we returned to Langley AFB. And I wasn't going to piece those spinning spools again! Luckily, Emily dodged the Tidewater Region and we had an enjoyable evacuation at a "hotel with an indoor pool!"

You've seen my most recent finish, "Main Street." I still like bright colors and precision piecing! And I still use the EZ Angle to make half-square triangles.

From 9-patch calicos to batik flying geese -- I'd say my journey of nearly 50 years' quilting has been a good one!

I hope you've started your "Block a Day." Go here to see the turorial on the Bethlehem Star block we're making for the Spring challenge.

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