Sunday Stash :: Distraction, Long Over Due

Nearing the end of a long few weeks, I'll be heading home soon.  It was nice to be with family and very much needed.  Today I was able to take a brain break from all that has been going on the past few weeks.  

Today I was out and about!  The perfect distraction at the perfect time.  My daughter's 'bestie' from first grade Anne, picked me up for a fabric diversion and lunch!  This was needed for so many reasons...I don't even know the last time I was in an actual fabric shop! Rather sad, I think!

Don't judge!  I can't take selfies...ever!  This is me and Anne at our first stop on our excursion.

So, Annie was a trooper!  I promised Britt I would be on my best behavior and try not to embarrass her too bad!  I don't think I did.  We had a lot of fun, laughs, shopping and food!   

Cool Cottons is a quilters paradise!  So many amazing fabrics!  From prints to solids...I was in heaven!  If you come to Portland, come here! 

After walking into the shop, Anne fell into conversation with the owner who she knows very well. When she asked if I was Jayne, I thought she was psychic!  How did she know my name?  Anne was just as surprised as I was!  Turns our Anne's mother, Bev left me a gift certificate!  Surprise and shock...Bev is the sweetest lady you will ever meet.  Thank you so much Bev!

I scoped the entire shop before I started grabbing bolts of fabric!  I was grabbing with reckless abandon!

I wish I could tell you the details of each fabric.  But alas, I cannot!  I am not current on any thing and tend to grab what I like regardless of who designed it or manufacturer.  

I saw this little print and about wet myself!  It was too adorable to pass up!  Carousel Unicorns!  I don't usually go for 'cute', but this is cute with a capital 'C'!

Naturally I wandered by the bolts of solids.  Bolts and bolts of Kona...which I did not buy, but drooled a little when I saw them!

Instead I hit the Studio E Peppered Cottons and Kaffe Fasset Shot Cottons.  The colors!!  I yoinked some colors I knew I didn't have in my stash.  Each one will properly petted and admired now and once I get home...I assure you of that!

Before heading to the second and last shop, we stopped for lunch and an adult beverage! Albacore Tuna Melt!  A short break to recharge ourselves.

Our last stop was Bolt.  Another fun shop full of fabric pleasures!

The neon pink caught my attention, thank you Cotton + Steel!  I couldn't resist and frankly, didn't even try!

Well, what can I say here?  Perhaps my favorite print ever!  Anna Maria Horner's Echinacea. This was a good find and rather unexpected!

The other two were impulse buys.  In actuality, all fabric from today was all about impulse! 

A few more solids made it in the stack because they were pretty...because I needed them...because, because, because...

The last piece and probably the biggest curve ball for me was this fat eight.  It's my first Liberty of London purchase EVER!  I was powerless when I saw it.  I could...not...resist...it!

The house, the colors and all those tiny details!  I may just stick it on the wall and stare at it! 

That's my story!  I don't often splurge like this, like a mad women!  But it had to be.  It was so much fun to touch, feel and ogle the hundreds of bolts from both shops.  I should get out more often! 

My day with Anne was wonderful and a day I won't soon forget.  This day I needed for many different reasons.  Moving forward isn't always easy, but a necessary step in the grieving process.  

Thank you Anne, Bev and all of you who sent prayers, thoughts and sympathy to me and my family.  I am forever grateful. 

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Sunday Stash

Home Again :: And A Little Fabric Too!

I'm home again!!  I rarely travel, so a week a way from all my creature comforts took more of a toll on me than I ever would have thought!  I love my pillow...my bed...my shower!  That being said, I had a fabulous time in Minnesota with family.  I was able to see my sisters, aunt & uncle, nieces & nephews and cousins, but most importantly I was able to see my mom and help her pack up for the big move back to Oregon.  I know she was worried about flying and the toll it would take on her.  Happily she had my two sisters to help her every step of the way and she made it in one piece!  She is doing well and has nearly recovered from all the chaos that is accompanied with a big move like she did.

The hardest part of the trip was not having Wi-Fi for my laptop!  Another creature comfort we take for granted!  After a couple days of being without, I actually enjoyed having that pressure removed.  Taking time away from social media and computer access is something I recommend even if you are not on vacation!  We all know how easy it is to get sucked in to the electronic black hole.  Time consuming is an understatement!  

Maybe it's time to set some limits for myself.  Imagine what I could accomplish if I could cut the electrical umbilical cord once in a while!!



When I got home I was greeted with this love bunch of precuts!  I was lucky enough to win a random drawing for entering my quilt 'Revitalized' in the Pantone 2017 Quilt Challenge.  The challenge was hosted by  No Hats In The House and Bryan House Quilts.  I've admired Me + You Indah Batiks for a long time and I'm thrilled that I get to see, touch and use them!  I love the modern take on batiks with the geometric designs.



Once I figure out what I'm going to make, I'll take detailed photos of the prints.  I'm that way...I like to look and touch the bundles for a while!



The Hexagons are 8" and the triangles are 4".  I'm not sure if I'll keep the hexagons intact or cut them into triangles.



This one is full of rainbow colors and naturally has me salivating with ideas!  



Before I left for Minnesota, I had to see if there were any quilt shops near.  And happily there was! 

I loved this colorful quilt block mural painted on the side!  Like a magnet it drew me in! 



Quilterati is in Cambridge Minnesota.  A cute little shop that had fabric in three rooms. Prints...lots of prints!  It wasn't until the third room that my heart skipped a beat, the room with solids!

I ended up buying only three colors because frankly, I didn't need more fabric!  However I wanted to support the shop and I knew I didn't have these three in my stash.

The print was actually on clearance which is the only reason I bought it!  It'll come in handy one day!



Because I like to write the color on the selvage of each solid, I figured the best way to remember the names of the colors was to take a photo.  Very helpful especially if the receipt doesn't include that information.

That's that!  A little vacation, a little fabric, a little fun!  I am so ready to get to work on something!!  A week without my machine is torture!  

I'm slowly easing back in the swing of things by trying to finish my Glam Clam quilt!  I keep worrying that if too much time goes by I'll forget how to piece it together!  Only a couple more rows to go!

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March Madness :: Are You With Me?!

Here we go again!  March Madness Mad For Solids 2017  begins on Monday!  I'll tell you right now the competition is stiff, everyone brought their 'A' game and are ready to fight for a spot in the finals! 

Mad For Solids 2017

Sixteen (16) quilters were asked curate a bundle of eight (8) from the Painter's Palette Solids.   When faced with 168 colors you can imagine how hard it would be to narrow it down to just eight! But it was done, and done very well!  Check out the bundles on the Inspired By Fabric blog and you'll see just what I'm talking about!

There are a lot of heavy hitters in the game!  I'm pretty sure I'll not make it to the next round after seeing all the bright, bold and beautiful bundles I'm up against!  I'm just thankful I got to play along!

Here's the Voting Schedule:

Monday, 3/27: voting in games 1 and 2

Tuesday, 3/28: voting in games 3 and 4

Wednesday, 3/29: voting in games 5 and 6

Thursday, 3/30: voting in games 7 and 8

Friday, 3/31: announce Elite Eight

Monday, 4/3: voting in games 9 and 10

Tuesday, 4/4: voting in games 11 and 12

Wednesday, 4/5: announce Final Four and voting for games 13 and 14

Thursday, 4/6: announce championship game and voting

Friday, 4/7: announce winner

You are the deciding factor in these games!!  Each game you can vote for your favorite bundle. The bundle with the most votes moves on the the next round.  Until we are left with the one bundle...who took it all!

Voting will take place on the Inspired by Fabric blog and Instagram and you can vote one time each in both places per game.

The winning bundle’s creator will receive an additional 6 yards of solids.  Two randomly drawn voters from the championship game will receive 1/4 yard cuts of the winning bundle.   

Make sense?  Worth playing along?  Now that all the 'rules' are stated, I'd like to show you my bundle!

'SPRING LICHEN'

"Bye Bye Winter…Hello Spring! One of the first signs of Spring is the soft, delicate lichen that grows around the big tree in my backyard. If you look closely you can see an array of colors that only nature has to offer. That is until I picked this bundle of fabric! The different shades of green are most prominent in Lichen, yet there is are subtle shades of blue and teal. My bundle is all about Nature…Natural ombre colors!"
  

After a fresh rain the colors pop!  I was mesmerized when I looked closer and never would have thought there were so many different colors in this seemingly boring Lichen.  I was inspired and carefully tried to recreate the colors in my bundle.  Nature is amazing, don't you think?



The beginning of Spring seems to bring a desire for color.  After a long winter of drab and cold were all ready for that!  I enjoy seeing how Spring slowly appears with the budding of trees, the first hint of that fresh growth, the tiny little sprouts popping up everywhere.  It's like quilting!  You start of slowly by cutting the fabric, it picks of steam for the piecing and then just like that...the explosion of color happens!

I hope you go and vote for your favorite bundle!  I would love your vote on my bundle...but pick your favorite...your going to have a hard time deciding!

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Needle & Foot Blog Hop Celebration + GIVEAWAY!

I was thrilled and honored when asked if I would join this Blog Hop in celebration of Needle & Foot Fine Fabrics Grand Opening!  Bernie has been feverishly filling her Etsy shop with all kinds of beauties for you and me!  And to celebrate there will be a funtastic giveaway!!

Needle & Foot Fine Fabrics on Etsy

But first, let's get down to business!  Bernie provided me with a beautiful bundle of Alison Glass' newest line of fabric 'Seventy Six'.  It's rich in color and design, 

  

Numbered in Grasshopper, Stitched in Violet, Rising in Snow, Sunshine in
Lichen, Numbered in Peacock and Renewal in Opal.  Gorgeous right?!

Wanta Fanta 40" x 40"

I have wanted to make the 'Wanta Fanta' paper pieced block for a long time. (click the link for the free pattern)  This seemed like the perfect opportunity to do just that and showcase this gorgeous bundle.  



The 'Wanta Fanta' block is perfect for a scrappy quilt.  However since I wanted to highlight the prints, I switched it up to do just that. 

I used Kona Celestial for the background and backing on this little quilt.  It is almost a perfect match to the 'Numbered Peacock' blue.



The blue used to 'connect' the blocks and for the binding is Kona Capri.  Not only was it used to connect of the blocks, but it allowed me to pull another color from the prints.   

 

Once it was all pieced together, the real fun began.  With the blocks and the fabric, I knew it was going to be quilted with geometric designs.  It turned out exactly as I had hoped it would with very little frustration!  

 

I agree, it's a bit hard to see even on the back!  If you slightly turn your head to the left, squint with one eye and close the other...you can see it better!



I had to use 'Stitched in Violet' for the center because of its electric neon color.  It's a standout and I don't think it would have fit anywhere else!  



Thank you for indulging me with my pictorial!  Now let's talk about that Giveaway!  Bernie is providing the a fabulous giveaway for one of my lucky readers!

How would you like to win Six (6) Fat Quarters or Three (3) Half Yard cuts of your choosing? I would too!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!  Thank you!

To enter this giveaway, please do one of the following.  Once you have picked an option, let me know in a comment which one you picked.  

Follow Needle & Foot on Instagram:   Instagram

- or -

Follow Needle & Foot on Facebook:   Facebook

That's not all!!  Bernie is also 15% off purchases over $5 using Coupon Code: NANDFREADERS15 

to everyone for her Grand Opening Celebration!

*coupon code good through March 26th only*

Giveaway open until 7:00 PM on Sunday March 26th.  At which time I will choose a winner using Random Number Generator.  If you are a no-reply blogger, please leave your email address in order to contact you. 

And there's even more!! 

Check out the rest of the blogs on this Celebration Hop to see what they created using fabric from Needle & Foot.  They also are having fabric giveaways!

Monday: Cheryl @ Meadow Mist Designs
Tuesday: Cynthia @ Quilting is More Fun Than Housework
Wednesday: Jayne @ Twiggy and Opal (ME!)
                     Kitty @ Night Quilter
Thursday: Mari @ Academic Quilter
Friday: Yvonne @ Quilting Jetgirl

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Fabric Frenzy

Sunday Stash :: Impulse Nonessentials

Oops, I did it again!  I was certain I was cured from impulse shopping.  I had it under control for a long time, yet here I am...I fell off the wagon!  Yes, we all have setbacks and moments of weakness.  The difference this time is I don't feel guilty or bad about it...not even one little bit!

My fabric purchases have become more strategic and more thoughtful.  They seem to better suit me and my print stash is slowly coming together.  

When I saw  Pile O' Fabric was no longer going to be carrying prints and was having a big sale, well you know I had to take a look!    



This fat quarter bundle was a deal I couldn't pass up!  I feel like I was lucky to get it.  Fabric was going fast!  



I don't often buy half yards of prints...what is happening to me?!  Still no regrets, no 'what the heck did I just do' moments.

Cotton + Steel, Alison Glass, Art Gallery...you can't regret that!  I'm really pretty much in love with each of these prints!

This one really caught my eye.  All those little windows, doors and staircases!  It should cut up very nicely!  

  

And I couldn't resist this minty green mummy fabric!  If I never use it...it'll just be fun to look at it's so darn adorable!  



As for impulse shopping, most of the time it results in guilt for not being level headed about it. Then there are times like this when it just felt good!  

These may be nonessential, not absolutely necessary, but it's gotta happen once in a while!  

Are you an impulse shopper of fabric?  Do sales tip you over the edge?

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Sunday Stash 

Stuffed & Stashed

I haven't bought fabric in a long time!  This time I couldn't resist or refuse or hold back. 

I was shocked and excited when my quilt "Raw I" was picked for Viewer's Choice during The Blogger's Quilt Festival at Amy's Creative Side.  And then I was gobsmacked when it came in second!  So, let me thank all who voted during the festival and especially thank you for voting for my quilt!  It was so unexpected!  

Which brings me to the reason I bought fabric.  I was lucky enough to receive a gift certificate from Quilt Kit Market.  When I was finally able to sit and shop, I was naturally drawn to the solids.  It seemed like Christmas when I discovered there was an October Sale going on!  How could I pass up solids and a sale?!  Couldn't and wouldn't and didn't happen!



I've missed getting mail, missed the excitement of tracking my package, watching for the mailman and then ripping open the package as soon as I get my hot little hands on it! 



All the solids at the Quilt Kit Market are Moda Bella Solids.  At $3.99 per yard, my only regret is I didn't get more!!  But 22 yards was probably much more than I needed!

These three are the only substantial yardage of the batch.  Weighing in at 3 yards apiece and the perfect neutrals for me, I landed an upper cut with Bella Zen Grey, Porcelain and Bleached White.



How about some color?!  It was time to round out my stash, fill in around the edges.  The only sadness I feel about seeing this array...I didn't get purple anything!  That might be the one color I sorely am lacking in my fabric.  Do you have a color that never seems to make it in your stash?

These one yard cuts are: Amelia's Pink, Christmas Red, Amelia's Apricot, Peach, Saffron, Sunflower, Citrine, Pond, Mist, Horizon and Seafoam.  Welcome fabric!



The last two pieces are Grunge Basics.  I've had an idea brewing for a while and think these two pieces might be just the ticket!  Grunge Vanilla and Cream.  Sounds good enough to eat!  

The other frivolous, fantastic and fun purchase was from Mass Drop.  Not my normal place to shop, but sometimes there is something that peaks my interest.  Like this!



I don't know about you, but my thread can be a hot mess.  I have a couple racks hanging in my closet full of thread and bobbins.  Most of the time when I'm looking for something a spool will fall off or a bobbin with go flying.  Then there are times when I can't remember which spool a bobbin belongs with.  Confusion, frustration and dismay!

  

Alas, I've found my solution!  Bobbinis!  Now I can be organized and secure!  The neon colors are a bonus in my opinion.  



The soft rubber easily slides in to the top of spools and each bobbin pops on to the 'post'. It was worth the investment to stop the flying bobbins!  With shipping each bobbini ended up being .60 cents, which isn't too bad.

This ends my shopping spree.  My irresponsible, self indulging, splurge of happiness!  

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It's Been A Week! Sunday Stash

The past week has been full issues with my forever nemesis...computers!  I have been saving, scrimping and dreaming about having my very first laptop for a long, long time.  It finally happened!  I have my MacBook Pro!  Easy, right?  Don't I wish!  



Anyone who has Mac anything knows you can have all your Apple devices synced up. Well, only if you have updated operating systems!  We decided to update the desktop with the same operating system as the laptop and boy oh boy!  Everything works.  But there are things that don't work the way I want or am use to!  It'll be fine, I know it will!

After computer chaos, I was certainly in the mood for surprises and goodness!  The stars must have aligned when I popped in to Instagram a few days ago, just at the right time.  The Fat Quarter Shop posted a flash sale on Aurifil thread boxes.  

     
The deal was too good to pass up and after trying half a dozen times, I was able to get my screaming deal!

Could you resist?!  Me either!  The colors are bright and beautiful!  I mean, rainbow heaven!



I also received my Cloud 9 Organic Cirrus Solids for the 2016 New Block Blog Hop.  This will be my third year participating and as always, I look forward to creating a new block showcasing the sponsored fabric.  Along with a block, there is a tutorial that goes with it.  

There will be 60-ish blogs participating, each with a new block and tutorial.  It's so much fun seeing all the creativity!  The hosts are: Yvonne @Quilting Jet Girl, Cheryl @Meadow Mist Designs and Stephanie @Late Night Quilter and, as always they put on a great event!  And let me just say, the Cloud9 fabric is amazing! 

Another fun surprise I received was 12 fat eights of Art Gallery Round Elements.  Gorgeous, right?!

Afton @Quilting Mod threw down a challenge!  Create a finished project using any or all of the fabric and blog about it.  I couldn't resist the challenge and I've got ideas...lots of ideas!  

 

It's been really nice getting new fabric!  If it isn't for backing, I don't buy.  (not usually!)  I'm working on using what I have.  It isn't easy, it isn't fun.  But it has to be done!  

Lastly, I was thrilled when I received an email with a picture of a quilt using my tutorial for Wonky Blocks.   Usually I squeal like a school girl when I see that one of my patterns or tutorials has been used!  This was no exception!



Sue who blogs @ Quilt Times, was kind enough to share her quilt with me.  I love the colors! The quilting made it even more spectacular!  She shared with me that this quilt will be making its way to South Africa soon!  A charity quilt for the Zoe Project!  I think this quilt will be forever loved and appreciated when it arrives to its new home!  Thank you for sharing this with me Sue!

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