A Colorful Port In A Storm...

It's that time of year again...Time for the Row By Row Experience for quilters all over the United States and Canada. Last year was the first year and it was a resounding success for quilt shops. It's no surprise that they all got on board again this year.

Between June 21st and September 8th, 2015, quilters can go into participating shops, pick up a free pattern designed by the shopowner or an employee, and some even choose to compete their completed quilts to win fabrics.

I was in Sarasota yesterday for my monthly haircut, and was only about a block away from Cotton Patch Quilt Shop in Cooper Creek (an area of Sarasota). Of course, I stopped in to pick up the pattern, fabric kit and...

their fabric "license plate" (participating shops also order these for their customers). This year, shops also ordered their license plate in a custom pin. I added those to my shopping cart.

I also found a cute pattern for a quilted, stuffed turtle that begged to follow me home. Who could resist?

If you're interested in participating (even by just collecting patterns) in the Row By Row Experience, click HERE for a list of shops in each state that are joining in the fun.

Shortly after returning home, the weather turned (again). There was thunder and lightning and our Tuesday night monsoon was under way. This was my view out the back window of the studio.

This is my view of the courtyard from my other studio window. It was raining buckets - or as Handsome refers to it - a "toad strangler". I found myself reconsidering whether or not to go to Paneras for my usual Tuesday night with the girls.

I took this picture as the storm was (thankfully) beginning to let up. The pool was full and I was happy to see that the trees weren't swaying back and forth in the wind anymore. Then I looked out the left toward the courtyard.

I was officially sick to my stomach. My archway and one of the lush star jasmine bushes had been toppled by the winds. I ran out into the rain and managed to pull the arch upright, but I could see that the jasmine was going to take two people.

I'll ask Handsome to help me this morning. We'll assess the damage and decide whether or not we can lift the bush back onto the arch...or whether or not we have to cut the top half off it and trust that the bottom half will fill out again.

I'm really hoping we can salvage it with a minimum of trimming because whatever happens to the bush on the right, will also have to be mirrored on the left side bush. I have to consider that we're in hurricane season, too. We're likely to have winds like this again and I want to avoid this happening a second time. Decisions will have to be made.

A Beautiful Day With A Beautiful Friend...

 Rather than head north from our camping location this year, Kathy chose to

introduce me to two fabulous shops in the south-central part of Wisconsin.

She pointed our chariot toward the Madison area and we we off!

First in our two-stop trip was "J.J. Stitches" in Sun Prairie.

(I've made the shop names a link, so you can visit their websites, too!)

My intrepid quilt shopping partner, Kathy.

 When we walked in, we were greeted by high ceilings, mountains of fabric, walls

 covered with delightful fabrics and a warm and friendly face behind the counter.

She was more than happy to answer our questions and help during our shop stop.

 Kathy told me that the shop owner's specialty is to purchase antique

quilts and then create patterns in current fabrics to sell to other quilters.

I think that's a really great idea to keep those old quilts alive. This one is a 

version of her "Martha Washington's Star" quilt. The large quilt was not 

set on point, but all the colors were the same scrumptious blues and whites.

I was especially taken with the "writing on the wall" above it. It reads,

"ONCE UPON A TIME, THERE WAS ENOUGH TIME."

-

 This is one in a series of woolworked Blocks of the Month. When completed, 

the pieces are just moved in and out of the frame. The calendar page below was 

simply a page from a scrapbook shop. It's mounted into one of two standard

12" (or was it 14"?) square frames that are joined with two hinges. By placing the 

blank calendar behind glass, the dates can be written in with a dry erase marker

and changed as needed month-to-month. Isn't that a clever idea? We both agreed,

and Kathy signed up on the spot for their twelve-month (only $20/mo.) kit program!

 Another clever idea was to take a quilt/applique' piece and frame it.

The piece was not finished and bound. Rather it was mounted on acid-free

stock with reproduced pages from old quilt magazines. I really liked this

idea, and I think it would look especially nice to hang in a studio (like mine!).

 For those of us who do woolwork, this is another way to display postcard-

sized pieces. They were stitched onto a larger wool fabric piece and then 

mounted into an open (and fancy) frame. Its quite a contrast between the

simplicity of the woolwork and the ornateness of the frame. What do you think?

 After visiting JJ Stitches (and leaving a few $$$ with their friendly clerk), we 

walked down the street to the Market Street Diner. The place was hopping and

the food was great. We chatted over our meals and then left to head further west.

 Our second and final stop of the day was at the "Country Sampler" in Spring Green. 

I mentioned how quaint their little downtown area was, and Kathy told me that 

there are only about 1400 regular inhabitants in town, but the tourist trade and 

traveling Wisconsinites, such as herself, help support their commerce.

This shop is a wonderful mix of cross stitch and quilting, all with a prim flair.

 Everywhere I looked, the soft muted colors caught my attention. I found myself 

pondering just how I might purchase the gift of "more time" mentioned in the first

shop, so I'd be assured of completing each and every lovely quilt. Each finished piece 

had nearby piles of bound kits patiently awaiting the quilt shopper's eager hands.

 I also loved how each quilt was thoughtfully displayed in this shop. I could just 

imagine these quilts lying across our own beds and keeping us warm on 

(all-too-infrequent) cool Florida nights. I must find out the name of the light-colored 

quilt pattern. The kits for it are right behind the wool pillow, and although I didn't 

purchase one of the kits, this one continues to call my name. Perhaps "mail order"?

 I adored the antique, wrought iron crib in the front window...and the 

quilts that made up the bed. Again, the kits were part of the display.

 I told Kathy that I have been wanting to make a patriotic quilt of my own,

so when I saw this lap quilt in soft, muted colors - with kits in the basket next

to the bed, I snapped one up to add to my purchases. The flags are pieced and sewn

using a red and white ticking fabric and a blue and white star fabric. Then they're

sashed and bordered with the linen colored cotton to complete the quilt top. This

will make a fabulous quilt that will be finished in no time! You'll see this one soon.

I have to again thank Kathy for being my chauffeur and tour guide to two more

wonderful shops. As always, we had a great time together and we'll do it again

next year. Our most difficult decision will be whether or not to just rotate our trips 

between shops in the south or shops in the north - or to seek out new shops to explore.

We won't worry about that now. We have a years' worth of quilting to accomplish

before then. In the meantime, I'll smile when I remember the day we spent together.

A beautiful day, with a beautiful, creative friend making brand, new memories.

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.