Quilt Shop Day...

Brynwood Needleworks - Primitive Gatherings "Somewhere In Time" (On my To Do List)

Yesterday was the day that my girlfriend, Kathy D. and I went quilt shop hopping. We do this every year, and this year we headed back up to the Fox River Valley. This will be the fourth or fifth year we've done this, and I'm hoping it's a tradition we'll be able to continue for a long time to come.

Of course, our first stop was to Primitive Gatherings in Menasha. With all the construction up there, I guarantee I could not have driven to the shop this time on my own. Kathy was my "pathfinder", and after much detouring, we arrived.

(Here's the link for the pattern for the gorgeous quilt shown above. It's now on my To Do List.)

Brynwood Needleworks - Primitive Gatherings Serious Road Construction

This is just a small glimpse of the road condition all the way around the corner where the shop is located. I actually took this photo on our way out of their parking lot. One thing I can tell you is, even though it makes for difficult travel, it hasn't harmed their business. Cars were leaving when we arrived - and cars were arriving as we left! Lisa Bongean has some seriously devoted clients, including us!

Brynwood Needleworks - The Weather Vane - Lunch Stop

We had lunch at the Weather Vane in Menasha. I knew I was back in Wisconsin when I saw the portion sizes. I ordered a southwest chicken wrap and it was HUGE! There was no way I could eat more than half.

Two of these mugs came home with me for our coffee station in Florida. Nice, heavy, diner-style cups filled with hot coffee and conversation is always how Handsome and I start our day together.

Brynwood Needleworks - Primitive Gatherings Purchases

I purchased most of the wools I needed at Lisa's shop. I had to order my overdyed black wool because they were out of stock in the shop, but that will likely be waiting for me when I get back to Florida.

Now I have the oranges I need for my Wooly Critter "Crow and Pumpkin" block, as well as the other colors I needed to complete the other three blocks. It won't be long before I have all of them finished.

Brynwood Needleworks - More Purchases

I bought a few patterns, as well as two kits (only one shown). I'll share them in detail later. I also picked up the Row by Row fabric license plates from two of the shops. I wasn't keen on the one offered by the third shop, so I left it behind.

We also went to two other quilt shops, Piece by Piece and Going To Pieces again, but I'll share those purchases another day.

Brynwood Needleworks - Kathy...My Partner In Crime

I dropped Kathy back at home in Fond du Lac before heading to our campsite. We drove through a little weather (and we had more thunderstorm-y weather in camp during the night), but we're both home - safe and sound - having had a great day of shopping and friendship.

Thanks again, Kathy. It's was just perfect.

Booty Call...

Primitive Gathers "Booty"

As I took photographs of the wonderful things I found while shopping with Kathy in Wisconsin, my mind kept coming up with references to "pirate booty" and "pillaging" rather than shopping! We did have a grand time, to be sure. (You thought my title referred to something else didn't you? hee hee)

A Little More from Primitive Gatherings

So, please don't think I'm bragging. I only want to show you some of the fabulous items that are available in each of these stores.

I'm thinking you can get a real feel for the types of things that you might find in Primitive Gatherings. Hand-dyed wools, homespun fabrics, antiquing spray to give your fabric that "perfectly aged" look, and lots and lots of patterns. I found a quilting magazine called "Primitive Quilting" and purchased two issues of that, too. They are full of inspiration to help with ideas to use up my new fabrics.

Collection for a Cause - Faith Box from Going To Pieces

Going to Pieces carried a lot of interesting fabrics and patterns as well. There were a number of empty "Collection for a Cause - Faith" lunch boxes from Moda. That will be great to snacks to a quilt class or two!

Also From Going To Pieces

I fell in love with the patterns I purchased there, and added a yard of fabric that I can use in some of those Farmer's Wife quilt blocks. (Can you see I'm getting a little more frugal here, too?)

Goodies From Keep Me In Stitches

Last stop was Keep Me In Stitches. I purchased some great fabrics to make more napkins. The green fabric in the middle will be the backing on the "chairs" fabric as well as an appropriate coordinate for the "numbers" fabric on the bottom. Both will be fun to use at home or in the Flying Cloud!

I also found a pattern for a travel iron caddy that opens into its own pressing surface (also to use for classes!), a zippered bag for carrying tools (or anything you choose), and a pattern for a small wallet.

By the time we were finished, we only had one more purchase in mind. Kathy and I headed over to Great Harvest Bakery to purchase a few "distractions" for our husbands. I chose monster cookies for Handsome, and Kathy chose a special bread.

Nothing like basking in the afterglow of a great shopping trip. It's fun to go through my purchases with you, just as though you were sitting at my kitchen table when I got home. Thanks!

Inspiration Overload - and Friendship...

"Graceful Baltimore" by A Graceful Stitch

On Friday, I went shopping with my friend, Kathy D. in Wisconsin. She picked me up and together we traveled to Menasha and Appleton to check out three quilt shops I'd never visited before.

I tried to take photographs of the interiors of the shops, but my images just didn't do them justice, so I'm going to share a few pictures of some of my favorites of their shop samples. I'll tell you that each shop was just exploding with inspiration!

"Noah's Arc" in Wool Applique'

The first shop Kathy took me to was one of her personal favorites, and I can certainly see why. It's called Primitive Gatherings and it's on Racine Street in Menasha. (Here's a link to their website to whet your appetite!)

It's a one story converted home with additional inspiration in the basement. I took more than a few laps around the shop (up and down) before I could even begin to decide what I had to purchase from them! I told Kathy that if she had trouble finding me, I'd probably be sitting in a corner crying in confusion over all the fabulous things they had to offer. I'll show you my purchases later in the week. I can tell you, I had a ball in their shop.

The Noah's Arc hanging (above) is just one of the gorgeous wool pieces they had on display. In the end, I did join one of the monthly block of the month groups, too. It's the Jacqueline's Album Quilt BOM (here). I know. Like I need another project, but this one was just too cool to pass up!

Nick and Lisa Bongean (the owners) have created a gorgeous shop, and Lisa designs many of the pieces that adorn the walls. I'll visit their again in the future (online and in person!).

"Spoolin' Around" by Gingham Girls

Next, we went to Going To Pieces Quilt Company on Northland Avenue in Appleton, WI. Owned by Mary Klein and Joanne Mjos, this shop had a completely different feel and lines and designs different from the primitives, wools and reproduction fabrics at the first shop.

Remember, I told you I was going to start making nine-patch blocks from my project scraps? Well, I know how I'm going to assemble them after seeing this pattern called "Spoolin' Around"! Isn't it great? Alas, they have no website that I can steer you to.

"Provence Flannel" by Marcus Brothers @ Going To Pieces Quilt Shop

I went back to the table more than once, but resisted the temptation to pick up this flannel fabric kit called "Provence Flannel". The pattern is free from Marcus Brothers and I love the fabrics that were used to create this quilt. It's soft, colorful and it really spoke to me. (Even though I kept trying to put my hands over my ears!) I may yet call the shop and have them ship the kit to Florida.

Quilted Clock @ Going To Pieces Quilt Company

How's this for a perfect way to tell the time in your studio? I saw it on the wall at Going To Pieces and just had to share it with you! The numbers are machine embroidered and the rest is pieced, quilted and bound. It has enough substance to stay rigid as a clock. So cool!

"Hot Cross Buns" by Schnibbles @ Primitive Gatherings

The third shop was Keep Me In Stitches on Richmond Street in Appleton. It's just around the corner from Going To Pieces, but their shop had yet another completely different atmosphere! They don't have a website either, so I can't steer you to a site so you can see more.

Kathy and I had a ball shopping, ate a great lunch near the river in Menasha, and thoroughly enjoyed catching up with each other. (Congratulations to her newly-graduated son who just got a new job in the computer field in Appleton!)

We're already looking forward to the next time I visit Wisconsin so we can get together for another day of shopping! Thanks for driving, Kathy...and for your ongoing friendship. You're a true inspiration, my friend.