Sunday Stash: Some Solids

The best thing about my job at Ruth's Stitchery is, when I "ooh and aah" over a new fabric line, my boss orders it!

Such was the case when our fabric rep showed us this new group of solid batiks from Hoffman. Indah Solids by Me + You.

Although they look like any other solid fabric, the grey goods (the fabric before dyeing or printing) is the same as that used for batiks. So it doesn't fray, and it has a nice "hand." I snatched up the FQ bundles of both colorways before they even hit the shop floor.

Because I want to make this quilt from Beyond the Reef.

This simple block relies on the clever placement of accent fabrics to make the quilt look complicated -- but it's not!

The Indah collection also includes a printed batik line.

 I can't bear to open the bundle just yet, so here is a peek at all the colors:

I can't wait to cut into these pretties! But first, it's graduation time, and I have three graduation quilts to finish. Come back tomorrow to see the most recent graduation quilt on Design Wall Monday.

Halfway through May? How did that happen?

From the desk of your

Sunday Stash: My Newest Squee!

It's a little late in the day, but my computer crashed this morning and would not respond to any commands. Including the (colorful) verbal kind!

Thanks to the DH, we're back up and running -- and I can show you the photos of the latest quilt kit at Ruth's Stitchery. It's "Fancy Forest" by Elizabeth Hartman and Robert Kaufman Fabrics.

I am just so excited about this collection, I arranged all 40 fat quarters on my cutting table so I could admire and photograph them. I love that EH designed the prints to complement Kona Cotton solids.

Here's the background fabric , Robert Kaufman's Essex yarn-dyed linen blend.

I love that texture for the background!

Here is a photo of the completed quilt:

I can't wait to start on this lovely! Maybe if it snows enough tomorrow, the schools (and hence, the shop!) will be closed!

Come back tomorrow for the February 1 UFO parade. See challengers' "Favorite UFOs!"

From the desk of your

Sunday Stash

I'm learning what my co-workers mean about spending one's paycheck before it is earned! Seeing the new stuff come into the shop every day makes it hard to resist!

Although this post will look like I've done nothing but shop this month, most of the "stash enhancement" is from Christmas.

I have so many photos to share, I think I'll only show the fabric this week. Next Sunday, I'll show off the patterns.

One of my Christmas-prezzies-to-myself was this fat quarter bundle from Minnick & Simpson, "Crazy for Red." I bought it thinking I would use some of it for my "A Quilt Block a Day" challenge. But it's so pretty, I can't bear to untie the ribbon!

Remember how I added the Tula Pink mystery to my 2016 UFO list? I was thrilled to find this Tula wide back in coral and pink. I love it so much, I've left it on the cutting table to admire!

My family home is in Melba, Idaho. Emma Jean Jansen designed the "Melba" collection for ella blue.

Emma Jean is an Australian designer, but we have these black-and-white Magpies in Idaho, too!

On my return from the last post-holiday airport run, I stopped off at Sew-Ciety in Castle Rock. It was hard, but I limited myself to this "Canyon" by Kate Spain charm pack:

and Amy Ellis's "Chic Neutrals" layer cake. Dona at Ruth's Stitchery made a sample quilt this month using the "City Blocks" pattern. I think it will be perfect for this layer cake!

Included in my Andover fabric for Lovebug Studios' "Dear Laura" mystery, I scored this "Fresh Cut" charm pack from BasicGrey. My favorite line of blenders! Westwood Acres Fabric offered a "mystery charm pack," so I didn't resist!

Today is "Staff Sew-in Day" at the shop. I'm determined to finish my January UFO! What are you sewing today?


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Sunday Stash: Project Dog Run

You knew working at Ruth's Stitchery was going to be dangerous, didn't you? 

But seriously, who could resist this cute line of fabric from Blank Quilting?

It's Project Dog Run -- and it even includes a white Standard Poodle, just like Jax! Jax is my friend's poodle. We got to be buddies when I spent time in Texas this summer. 

Blank Quilting even has a free project sheet that goes with this fabric line. I think I'll pick out just the dogs that Holly has owned, and make her a lap quilt.

 

Cute, huh? She doesn't follow the blog, so I'm safe sharing this with you!

One week until Winter Begins. How are you doing with your "A Quilt Block a Day" blocks?


From the desk of your

Sunday Stash:That's Not All

I told you! Three Sunday Stashes in a row? Wow!

My idea of a really great shop is one that has fabric I can't find at my LQS. Around the Block in Cheyenne, Wyoming is a really great shop!

Here is the last of my stash enhancement from the Downton Abbey Retreat trip:

"Branching Out" from  Hoffman Fabrics. Designated for drawstring bags.

"Paw Prints" by Kathy Davis for Free Spirit. Because it looks just like Samosa!

Alexander Henry Fabric Collection, Westminster Fibers, "Sanibel" by Gina Martin for Moda. 

More drawstring bags.

"bisou dot: by De Leon Design group for Alexander Henry, "vie en rose" by Alexander Henry. 

You guessed it -- more bags!

I'm a major "Wizard of Oz" fan, and when I found out Around the Block is doing a WoO BOM, well. These darling little half-pint milk cartons each contain a block that will finish at 8" X 9" and make up onto a perfect wall hanging size quilt. They are designed by Happy Hollow Designs. And ohmigoodness, they have WoO ornaments, too!

So far, I have "Funky Monkey," "Tin Can Man," "City Folk," and "Farm Fresh Eggs."

Another really great quilt shop is Cotton Candy Sewing Shop in Loveland, Colorado. Chrystal's shop specializes in modern fabrics and fun project samples.

Since I'm no longer driving to Ohio twice a year, with a little detour to Stewartsville and the shop of Tula Pink's mama, I missed this collection completely!

Moon Shine by Tula Pink for Free Spirit

Ever since Carolyn Friedlander came to speak at the Front Range Modern Quilt Guild last month:

Carolyn Friedlander for Robert Kaufman. My new obsession.

Peter Jorjus for Blend; Bartholo-meow's Reef by timandbeck

 I know! I won the entire fat quarter collection of Valori Well's "Cocoon" when it first came out. But this print is on linen! Won't it make a wonderful drawstring bag?

"Cocoon" by Valori Wells for Westminster

I usually shop for yarn at Loopy Ewe in Ft. Collins. They have really stepped up their fabric selection since my last visit!

"Doe" by Carolyn Friedlander for Robert Kaufman

If you're a "Sweetwater" fan, you may have heard of Fort Morgan, Colorado. Not only is it the home of the Sweetwater girls, it's home to Inspirations Quilt Shop. It was my first stop on my Retreat Road Trip, so I only bought two patterns. (I know! Gasp!) Good ones, though!

The staff at Inspirations has this design made up in Downton Abbey fabrics. Since I have the entire Downton Abbey FQ collection, I had to have this pattern!

Abbey Lane Quilts is the designer of the clever "Beatle Bag." Friend Mary will be teaching the class on this bag at Ruth's Stitchery later this month. "Meter Maid" is a 15 fat quarter quilt -- perfect for some of those FQ bundles I can't seem to resist!

And "just one more" low volume bundle. I so appreciate Pile O'Fabric, because they label each FQ with the fabric name, manufacturer, designer and collection. They even include the SKU, so if you need more of a specific print, it's so easy to order!

 

 "Maker" Low Volume Bundle

Guess what? They have quilt shops in Texas! 
More Sunday Stash Reports to follow!


From the desk of your

Sunday Stash

I shared the yarn I collected while on my trip to Cheyenne last month. And here is some of the fabric new to the stash.

All of these save the low-volume club come from Ruth's Stitchery. They are getting more and more great new "modern" fabrics in the shop!

First, some pillowcase fabric for my niece who just joined the US Navy. She is an engineer, so I think this fabric is perfect for her.

Passport by 3 Sisters for Moda

And of course, for My Little Sailor:

"Tokyo Map" Passport by 3 Sisters for Moda

I don't know how I missed these Alison Glass prints at Ruth's!

Alison Glass Sun Print "Mercury" for Hawthorne Threads

A few more low volume FQs. You know, just in case they stop printing them!

And here is my March "Low Volume Club" bundle from  Sew Lux Fabrics.

As Dr. Seuss would say, "That's not all!"  
Come back next Sunday for another Stash Report!



From the desk of your

Sunday Stash

I scheduled some posts to publish while I am away from home. While writing them, I found this "old" draft that had never been published. 

Good thing fabric doesn't spoil, isn't it?

I can't wait until Ruth's Stitchery gets their order of Jen Kingwell's fabrics. Because I have this pattern, "Stardust" to make with it!

One of my nieces saw a quilt similar to this on Pinterest. This one will take some concentration!

I hate it when I don't get the printed selvage on fat quarters. I don't remember where I bought these fabrics, but I think they are from Free Spirit.

I know I got these purple deco weight beauties at Fringe in Salida. They had the cutest laundry bag made with these fabrics, and I'm adding them to my "bags" stash.

A few "candies" for giveaways for the monthly UFO Parade.

Did you know April is National Poetry Month? This is my favorite poem (I'm pretty sure I've shared it before!) by Mary Oliver, The Summer Day.

Who made the world?Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

I have enough new goodies to have a "Sunday Stash" every week for the next month! So I'll close now and write another post.


From the desk of your

Stash Report: All Low Volume, All the Time

Interestingly, my "low volume" addiction isn't lessening at all. Even though I have a pretty good stash of low volume fabrics, every time I see a lv bundle, I just have to buy it!

I guess I could have worse addictions.

This bundle is from The Intrepid Thread. They're all Art Gallery, whose fabrics I think have the smoothest hand in the quilt fabric world.

Two of the prints are so fun, I had to pull them out for an individual photo. First, Belles Parisiennes from the Cherie collection by Frances Newcombe.

 And Jungle Avenue by Sara Lawson.

This is my "personally curated" bundle from Bobbie Lou's Fabric Factory.

Here is "Word Up" from Pink Castle Fabrics.

My 2015 "treat" is the Low Volume Club from Sew Lux Fabric. A sweet little bundle like this, every month? Yes, please!

Looks like I'm going to have to plan another low volume quilt!


From the desk of your