A Preview Of Things To Come...

Selections from Primitive Gatherings Japanese Fabric Section

I thought you might enjoy seeing a few more goodies that I purchased when I was

out with Kathy last week. I can't tell you how I'm itching to bust into this new stash!

This assortment is from Primitive Gatherings. I'm completely taken with Yoko

Saito's gorgeous designs, so I planned to raid Lisa Bongean's selection of Japanese

fabrics at her shop. She certainly didn't fail to deliver, and I'm already planning just how

I'm going to utilize these (and other) stunning fabrics when we get back to Florida!

Primitive Gatherings Wool Charm Packs

I also needed specific fabrics from their wool assortments, and again, I wasn't disappointed. Pam W. asked me to see if I could find some "greens" for her. The hardest part was deciding which greens to take back. There were so many choices!

Yup. More Primitive Gatherings Fabrics.

I'm a firm believer that one can never have enough charm packs. Two new ones will be returning with me to Florida. I simply couldn't leave them behind!   Carol G.: I checked out the "How Does Your Garden Grow BOM" as requested. It's beautiful, and I think you'd love to do it. (I'm still contemplating adding it to my list!) The colors are beautiful and I like that the blocks are a triangular shape.

Fabrics from Keep Me In Stitches, Appleton, WI

On occasion, quilters purchase fabrics simply because they walk past them on the shelf and get the proverbial tap on the shoulder. We hear those time-worn words, "Please  take me home with you". Even when spoken slightly above a whisper, we find that we must comply. While I'm sharing three such fabrics, here, believe me, there. were. more.
I feel I should tell you at this point, that every year that Kathy and I have taken  a day to "hop the shops",  I have a special tote that I take with me. I'm usually  finished shopping when it is full. (This year, the Japanese fabrics put me over  my limit...but only slightly. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!)    FYI: My "tote" is a genuine Nantucket Diddy Bagg™. It's the same style and fabric weight that the sailors use, not the lighter canvas version they now market to  needleworkers, quilters, et al. Mine is the original Rigger™ model in natural canvas. I purchased it when Handsome and I were visiting his brother who lives on the island. I love the darn thing and it always travels with me whenever I know I'll be shopping. Click on the name above and check 'em out. (I don't get paid for the endorsement.)
Anyway, let me finish telling you about the fabrics in this picture...

Image Courtesy of Quiltsmart

I saw this little "Gadget Cushion" on the shelf at Piece By Piece Quilt Shop  in Appleton. I asked Kathy about it and she directed me to these fusible panels.

Gadget Cushion Panel

 They were "a buck twenty" each and in clever Quiltsmart™ fashion (they  designed the "Mondo Bag") all you do it fuse fabric to the panel, sew a few seams and presto change-o  you've got this groovy little place to rest a gadget. (Yes. I did say "groovy". It's ok. Granddaughter #2 says, "I'm authorized.")

Quiltsmart™ Gadget Cushion Panel

 So, I chose a few special fabrics to make a Gadget Cushion for Handsome. I'm sure I'll be making more as gifts, and, stuff you purchase for your spouse never counts against the bottom line, does it? Right. I didn't think so either!

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.