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.

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!