Shopping Before the Storm

I apologize for no new photos today. For the past few days we've been warned that a big winter storm was coming. Because of that I've been running around getting things done before the storm. Well, this morning we had maybe 2 inches of snow and no storm! But...I wasn't upset because I was actually stressing out hoping for good weather because I had planned a shop hop today, taking advantage of several sales. I had told my husband I didn't want flowers for Valentines...I wanted fabric!

I went to one LQS that had an open house today and it was a madhouse! There was quite a line by the time I had my fabrics picked out. I don't think I made the ladies behind me too happy with my stack of 16 bolts (20% off)! It was a trick moving them around, believe me! I stocked up on lots more Kona solids (1/2 yd lengths), this time buying a lot of light colors. I also picked up a couple of yards of various fabrics for some current and future projects.

The second store I stopped by was also having a sale that ended on Monday and I have been thinking about this sale for quite some time. This shop has a huge selection of Kaffe Fassett along with many other designers you don't regularly see in other shops. I've been wanting to add to my meager stash of Kaffe so I bought a number of 1/2 yd lengths. Fortunately no one was waiting for me to be done!

My last stop was at our local Ben Franklin store. I had been in there yesterday buying some Riley Blake fabric (coupon for 40% off) for a baby quilt I'm about to start. I saw the new book Scrap Basket Sensations so I had to go back there today with my coupon (couldn't use 2 coupons on the same day). Hey, saving 40% is a big deal on a book!

By the time I wake up in the morning we're supposed to have up to 8" of new snow. It's snowing quite a big now so I won't be surprised if we get that much. Now that I've done all my shopping I can spend the day sewing! After I clean up my mess there first! Hope to post some photos next time around!

Wishing for Spring

It's near the end of February but I'm already thinking Spring. That's usually not a good idea here in northern Utah but I can't help myself. It's hard when friends across the country post their great weather on Facebook and talk about mowing the lawn. We had about 10 inches of snow Saturday/Sunday and more could be on the way. If not in the next several days, certainly sometime in the next month or dare I say two? So, instead of thinking Spring outside, I decided to bring it on in.

This small wall hanging was made I think 6 years ago. My quilting interest which had sat dormant for 8-9 years had just been revived. Who knew it would turn into a full blown passion! Anyway, I was living in eastern Washington state and feeling the need for Spring when I made this. I had spent a good number of years in Japan and Spring there was always cherry blossom time. (Looking at this I can see it needs quilting and that just might happen soon!) It's definitely time to hang this in my sewing room and remind myself that Spring will eventually get here too!

Hexagons

I've been talking about doing something with hexagons for quite awhile now. I got an Accuquilt GO! before Christmas and it's taken me this long to get to it. What a breeze it was to cut out the hexagons in fabric, but in the end I cut out the paper pieces by hand. Couldn't find the paper pieces locally in the size I wanted. This is the smallest hexagon on the cutter so it's pretty small, I think maybe 3/4 inch finished. Anyway....I enjoyed doing the one flower. Have a couple of more cut out and ready to sew. I think I'll keep doing this from time to time. No plans for the flowers, just putting them together for kicks.

Hope Kids Charity Quilt

Here's the quilt I'm currently working on for the next Hope Kids auction in April. I saw this quilt on another blog and have requested the name of the pattern so I can give credit to the designer. I've made mine different in that I have a solid border. The other quilt had a nice pieced border made with strips and cornerstones of pieced blocks.

I was going to put the blue border on without an inner border but I really like a little black and white there. However, I am not happy with what photo shows so I think I will go out and get a nice black and white stripe. I think that will set it off nicely. Anyway, if I can't find a good stripe I may just leave that inner border off.

Not so sure I like the check...it reminds me of auto racing...lol Not that there is anything wrong with that but I don't want this to read as a "boy" quilt. I don't know why I didn't take that check down before I took the photo! Also, unfortunately the photo doesn't quite show the brightness of the fabrics.

Kona Solids

About a month ago (I can't believe it's been that long!) I decided to take the plunge and go get some Kona Solids. I've never worked with them before, other than to use the black for one thing or another. I've seen some beautiful works of art with solids so I treated myself to some fabric. I don't have a plan yet as I'm in the middle of making a charity quilt but I'm thinking of doing some kind of liberated log cabin, strips, or maybe I'll just cut pieces and see what develops!

I bought this selection (the fabrics are actually a deeper richer color than what the photo shows) at one of my favorite LQSs, Gardiners Sew and Quilt. They weren't on sale at the time but the prices for solids weren't bad, around $7/yd if I remember correctly. Lo and behold I received a flyer in the mail a couple of days ago and they're having an open house at the end of the month and just about everything is 20% off! I feel so lucky! I bought 1/2 yd pieces of only a few of what they had. Now I can go back and add to my stash! I'm so happy I hadn't started on my project! This is one time that delaying was a good thing! Now all I need to do is cut squares off the pieces and take them with me so I don't buy the same fabrics!

Project blocks

Just wanted to include a couple of photos of some projects I've been working on.

These blocks are my contribution for February's Scrapbee on the 15 minute blog. We were to make 5 or 6 blocks, 6.5" square, using just 5 fabrics. These went together very easily and were fun to make.

I also made a couple of word blocks....my very first two!! You can see various blocks people are making on the Unruly Quilting blog.