IT'S OFFICIAL, FALL IS HERE!

 I found a couple more photos from my antique shopping last week, that I just had to share.  Just look at those faces!  Hand made with love, friends till the end!  Looking at them now, I can't believe I left them there!  All 3 smiling, saying 'pick me' but don't leave my BFF behind!

 This is something else I did not buy.  A partially finished table cloth. Still in the hoop, the needle rusted in place.  You have to wonder what happened.  She had already done so much work.  A story should come with unfinished projects!  I should attach notes to the UFO's I have.  There is a reason, a story, really!



If you live in the North West, you know that fall has arrived.  It's raining.  It's been windy.  There have been power outages.  The farmer's markets are about to come to an end.  I have not been looking forward to the change of seasons.  Summer came so late this year.  I enjoyed every minute of the sunshine.  Today, I am wearing shoes.  I refuse to wear socks.  But, it was just to wet to wear sandals.  We may get a few nice days again.  But, today, it is fall.

So, what makes me happy about fall?  FLANNEL!  Yep, and do we have the most beautiful flannel EVER!  When I was at Spring Quilt Market, it was between 80 and 90 degrees out.  All of the major fabric companies had big flannel collections.  I wasn't thinking about fall, no, I was thinking about Iced Tea and Flip Flops.   But, I went along with the game.  I bought flannel.  I knew it was beautiful.  There were darling things made out of it.  But, I was hoping that Spring, with Summer close behind were coming.

 Today, I was straightening flannel, and loving every minute of it.  It is outstanding!  Just look at these designs.

 Quilt backs, little girls jumpers, quilts. Super cozy flannel.

 Pj pants, boxer shorts.

 High quality, beautifully printed.

 Flannel.  Yes, I said it.  It is time to start the Fall/Winter sewing.  We have beautiful flannel for those projects you will want to have finished near the end of December.  Can't make me say that word!  Not in September!

This is the perfect fabric for petting, by the way!  J

Antique Shopping

Yesterday I took myself on a little date.  I used to spend a lot of time in Antique Stores.  I am not sure why I don't go as often any more.  Maybe, it's because my house is full of wonderful stuff.  But, yesterday, I felt the need to get an 'antique fix'.  I look for lots of vintage things.  Anything with a 'cute' factor is fair game. Fabric, patterns, quilt blocks, sewing notions, embroidery, cookie jars, baby planters, cool stuff in general.

Here are some of the things I saw on my date!

 I am in love with vintage tinted linens.  I have stacks of them.  This one is adorable.  It makes 3 pot holders.  I often think I should make them up, but, I just don't want to cut them.  Cute just the way they are!!

 Stacks of vintage tea towels.  Both appliqued and embroidered.  Little works of art.  I wonder if they were made as gifts, I have a set someone made my mom.  They were "too nice to use".  So, I don't use them either.  I love to look at them.

 This was a really cool handmade basket.  It had 14 spindles to hold your spools of thread.  Super cool.  My cats would love it!!

 From a distance this red and white quilt made my heart skip a beat.  However, when I got closer, it is made with 90's fabric.  A little floral pansy, with metallic gold on it.  Not a vintage find.

 How about this cutie.  I don't think the box had ever been opened.  And the girl is sewing from the wrong side of the machine.  Clever, don't you think?

This was what I was hunting for!!!  A sweet, little toy sewing machine.  Battery operated.  It is metal, except for the red wheel, and the yellow on/off button.  Oh, and the tiny foot pedal.  The dial is a decal.  It is happily living right behind the counter, in the shop.  There is something about a child's sewing machine that makes me super happy.  I know the customers enjoy seeing them also.  At least that was what I was telling myself as I was carefully carrying it to the front desk!  J

A little trip to Idaho

Last week I went to Idaho for a couple of days.  I wanted to visit the Quilt Crossing in Boise.  Several designers work in that shop, and I had heard they had many samples of their work. 

 

I also wanted to see a trunk show that was hanging at Huckleberry Patches in McCall.

I had bad Camera Karma. So I have borrowed a few photos from the World Wide Web, to share some of the great things I was able to see.

First of all, The Quilt Crossing is HUGE!  They have hundreds of samples.  It was pretty amazing. There are 6 or 8 areas just like the one pictured.  Lots of ideas all in one location.  Wool and embroidery are everywhere.

Waltzing With Bears must have 50 samples throughout the shop.  These wool pumpkins were wonderful.

And the sweet wool pincushions. I want to make them all!

If you are ever in the Boise area, it's a great place to visit.  There is a lot of inspiration around every corner.


I have loved visiting  Huckleberry Stitches for years.  They expanded last winter, it's nice to know they are doing well.  It's a small town, I think they have everybody stitching!

I knew they were going to have a trunk show from Old Green Cupboard Designs.  It wasn't hanging.  It was draped over tables. So you could really get an up close look at the quilts.  They were beautiful.  Classic ideas, with a little twist.  This red and white quilt was so pretty.  I love a scrappy red and white quilt.  And the setting was so unique!

Many of the quilts had wool applique.  This one had giant rick-rack, and 3 dimensional applique.  Really wonderful.  And the scrappy 9 patches.  Be still my heart.  I really want to make this!

Sometimes, I need to get away, clear my head, and take a look at how other quilt shop owners display projects in their shops.  It refreshes me.  I must admit,  'There's no place like home' J

Look What UPS Rob Dropped Off

It's always fun to see what UPS Rob drops off.  This week was no exception. There was the much needed box of notions.  Thread.  Everyone knows how much I love thread.  I did make a little mistake when I ordered last week.  Instead of 1 box of Aurifil color 2325, I ordered 14 boxes.  That's a lot of color #2325.  It's a very nice color.  A medium brown.  It goes with everything.  I will probably never have to order it again.  That's me, looking at the bright side.

There were beautiful flannels from Primitive Gatherings.  It's 80 degrees, and people are buying them.  Just because they are so beautiful.

And there was a box of Moda Pre Cuts.  Layer Cakes, Charm Squares and Jelly Rolls.

These are Cosmo Cricket's new collection~Circa 1934.  I love the Typewriter keys. Does anyone use a typewriter anymore? 

 This is Aneela Hoey's new collection.  Little Apples.  This little girl in the pink coat makes me happy!  I think I want to try to Hula Hoop. Especially if I have a pink coat on!

And, French General.  This is the most beautiful collection, ever.  The blues are amazing.  I can't wait until the bolts of fabric arrive.  The name of the group is Panier de Fluers.  Basket of Flowers.  Luckily for me, Patty was working yesterday. She is our resident language expert. (She was a french teacher in a former life.)  ( She also speaks German and Spanish.)  Ok, I was thinking Panier, is like Mt. Rainer.  No.  Panier is pronounced Pon E A. 

So, it was a good UPS week, but then isn't every week a good UPS week around here?  I think so!  J

It's The Most Wonderful Month Of The Year!

Sweet September.  I love this month.  The smell of a new box of crayons.  Wool skirts and sweaters on an 80 degree day. New friends.  And Ronald Regan gave us National Sewing Month!  You have to sew, you must sew.  It is a National Holiday for goodness sake!

What will you sew?  I will be working on a few last minute things for my son and his fiance, class samples and a wedding quilt.  And really, anything that comes to the top of the pile. 

Today I was looking in cyberspace to see what others were working on, and Tula Pink is hosting a sew along on the Burda website.  http://www.westminsterfibers.com/sewalong/  she is one of the most creative designers out there.  I have been wanting to use her Prince Charming fabric.  It never occured to me that I could make a dress.  However, maybe this would be perfect!

What ever you decide to sew, I hope you do it with a light heart.  Have a fun time. It is a National Holiday, after all!!