Sister's Choice Quilts

New Blog to Check Out: GIVEAWAY!

I want to tell all you blogging friends about a great new quilting blog and a fabulous Give Away!

My favorite quilt shop, Prairie Queens, in San Jose, California is always on the cutting edge (no pun intended) of all things Quilty.  Their fabric selection is unparalled, the staff is helpful and friendly, their quilting services are awesome, and their projects and classes the best anywhere.  Interested in applique, wool work, or maybe embroidery?  They offer classes and supplies for those interests too. They have on hand over 7000 bolts of fabrics!  They get new things in all the time, and have great sales to make room for the latest fabric collections for many different companies, including Moda, Andover, Michael Miller, Maywood, and Lecien.  They also offer many kits for sale, and sometimes you have to act fast when those come up on their website---they sell out fast! 

Prairie Queens does a lot of things very very well, and now they have entered into the world of blogging!  Be sure to link up to their new blog Prairie Queen's Press.  Their blog will have posts on quilting, techniques, featured designers, new fabric lines, recipes, and more.

Now, if I haven't gotten you all excited about checking out the Prairie Queen's website and the Prairie Queens Press blog, here is an incentive you will not be able to resist:

 

This entire new fabric collection, Georgia Lou (Lecien), designed by the amazing Brenda Riddle of Acorn Quilt and Gift Co will be given away by Prairie Queens if you go to their new blog and leave a comment!  What are you waiting for?  Click on this link to go right there!

 

New Fabric from Illinois and Wisconsin

Of course I did a bit of shopping while on the trip to Illinois!  I will be starting up some new projects over the next few months, some in conjunction with Thelma and Lisa.  We ended up buying the same kits!

I am so excited about my new fabrics.  I seem to have focused on the Civil War reproductions that we don't see a lot of in our shops here in California.  When I got home, I was inspired to reorganize my stash closet in my sewing room, in order to place the newly acquired things front and center.  Before I did that though, I forced myself out into the garage where I keep my bins of excess fabric stored.  Glory be, if I didn't have an entire tub marked Civil War Fabrics.  I tell you, I felt like I had discovered buried treasure.  Shop at home Friends.  You just never know what you might already have on hand.

Look at all these rusts, golds, greens and browns! I think they are left overs from my Birdseye quilt.

And Holy Moly, check out the pinks and greens.  I know I had a project in mind for these once upon a time, but I guess I will have to go back to the drawing board.

I spent two entire days ironing, folding and organizing these fabrics.

Now for the new stuff!  Just an aside regarding the fabric we bought.  You know we all worship anything by Moda, but I think it is very important to keep in mind that there are scads of fabulous fabrics coming out by designers who work for other companies.  Marcus Brothers, Andover, Windham, Free Spirit, and Henry Glass, just to name a few.  So, don't have such a narrow focus that all these other lovely lines pass under your radar.

Lisa, Thelma and I all bought the fabrics on the left.  Be on the lookout for a blue, cream and brown quilt from each of us in the not so distant future!  I must have felt that blues and browns were under represented in my stash, because the stack on the right found its way home with me.  See the pattern on the left?  That is my plan for those fabrics.  The pattern on the right is just one I had on hand that seems to fit right in with all these great fabrics.

Thelma and I flipped over these Renee Nannemann fabrics from the Home to Roost collection for Andover.  We got to see the quilt in person too!  The greens show up better in the picture below.  Just the right amount of applique to keep things interesting, don't you think?  The book is a companion to the fabric collection and is called Home to Roost by Renee Nannemann.

Thelma and I agreed that it just isn't possible to have too many reds on hand.  We found ourselves picking out fabulous reds and then searching for fabrics to go with them.

 

I will be at home sewing for the foreseeable future.

Purple

I am so in the mood to make a purple quilt.  I think every five to ten years a person needs to explore the purple side of their personality.  I have made several purple quilts in my life, and I love them all dearly.  If you haven't embraced purple, you surely must consider it.  Here is one of my purple quilts.

So, this is what I am thinking of doing.  I have a pattern by Miss Rosie's Quilt Company called Ashcombe.

So, here are two questions--Assuming that I go with doing an all purple quilt, which version is best?  The larger squares that show off the individual fabrics, or the pieced block version?  Would the blocks with more piecing be interesting, or distracting from the fabric?

Shopping!

 

(Fabric shown in bag is by Renee Nanneman for Andover Fabrics.)

Sara and I got to hang out together for almost three full days over the weekend, and determined to make the most of things, we did some shopping.  Saturday was the bridal shower for Cousin Lizz, and on Sunday, we headed off to the Stanford Shopping Center for some serious browsing.  Banana Republic is having a terrific end of season sale, and I picked up some new khakis and Sara got a cute tank top.  Then off to Nordstrom, where I discovered Tom's shoes.  For every pair of Tom's shoes that are purchased, the Tom's company donates a pair of shoes to a child in need.

You know me and shoes.  Oh yes, I had to have these.

We pretty much exhausted ourselves trying on clothes, playing at the make up counters, and eating lunch out.  But we were up for  more the next day. 

On Monday, we turned our sights towards fabric shopping, and drove up to Livermore, to one of the nicest quilt shops in the Bay Area, In Between Stitches.  This shop was featured in the Spring issue of Quilt Sampler magazine, and is well worth a visit if you are anywhere in the vicinity.  The selection of fabric is fabulous, and the shop is arranged just adorably, with dozens of gorgeous quilts up on display for your inspiration.  We had fun visiting with Melissa (owner) and Lynn (part time employee who drives all the way down from Arnold), who both read my blog.  (Hi girls!!!)  As you can see from my shopping bag, I picked up some outstanding background fabrics.  In addition, I got these patterns to try out one of these days.

I miss my Sara, and it was such a treat to spend some time just with her.  Keep your fingers crossed that by the end of the summer we will be able to see each other every day if we want to!

Two Kinds of Therapy

Thanks for the advice yesterday on my Seasonal Affective Disorder.  I got lots of tips on how to help with it, and if you read the comments, you did too!

The first order of therapy I undertook was fabric immersion.  I have already mentioned Kim Brackett's book Scrap Basket Surprises a gazillion times, but another inspiration came to me when I was browsing through it for the umpteenth time.  (I am going to wear that book out before I even get to use it).

 
So here is the pattern I have been drooling over.  I even started collecting blue, green and yellow batiks, with the idea that I would use those.  Then I got an idea.  Something radically different in terms of fabric, but right on in terms of contrast.

 
Oh yes, that is what I am talking about.  Nature's Notebook by April Cornell for Moda.  In stores now.  Won't this be pretty for summer?  I definitely am on the hunt for some grassy greens though.  It needs greens for sure.  Just a few, but something would be missing with out them.

I sure am full of ideas lately and not so much productive work, wouldn't you agree? Oh well, chalk it up to SAD.  Tomorrow I will go to the drugstore for the vitamin D many of you suggested, but in the mean time, I went shopping.

When I am blue, new lingerie perks me right up.  Yes it does.  Never mind that my sleeping companion five nights out of seven is my dog Sophie.  I am sure she appreciates it when I make an effort to look nice, even when I am unconscious.  Side note:  it was kind of embarrassing, but last weekend I woke up and sat up in the bed and said to my husband "Who's there?"  Needless to say he said "Who the hell do you THINK it is?"  He really hates it when I do that.

How cute is this?  I stopped at Soma (owned by Chico's) on my way home from work and picked up this adorable pajama set.  I love it, and it perked up my mood considerably.  Sophie really wanted one too, but they didn't have her size.  Some things about being a dog are a real bummer.

The Girls Had Fun

My daughter Sara is going on vacation to Hawaii in a few weeks.  The purpose of the trip is for her and her husband to attend the wedding of some very dear friends, but if anyone I know needs a vacation, it is Sara.  I won't go into all the details, but suffice to say, a relaxing trip to a tropical destination is just the Rx that girl should be prescribed.

The challenge is, she needs vacation clothes, and is on a budget.  I still had some Talbots bucks leftover from my stint there, and went shopping for some fun basic bottoms for her---black capris, white capris, roll up cuff jeans, a denim skirt.  Then we shopped my closet, which often leads to interesting finds--a cute blouse, a couple of light weight cardigans, a perfect little black and white cotton jacket.  I am so good at basics.

Sara arrived Saturday night, and we had a mini shopping spree/try on in my bedroom.  Everything I had purchased worked!  However, the pizzazz factor was missing.  The next day, Sunday, we headed off to the mall in Monterey for pops of color to make these basic pieces come alive.  All the young, fun pieces a girl her age needs.

The top shown below goes with the black or the white capris, can be topped with a black or aqua cardigan, and worn with either the black or silver flats.  Love it.  Basics give you options girls.  Add in a fun trendy piece to your basics and you are good to go.

 

We had SO much fun shopping.  She got a few tops and a couple of pairs of flats, and now has her vacation/Spring/Summer wardrobe.  She will be starting a new job next week and since the environment is casual, she will be all set for work as well.  I missed my calling.  I want to be a personal shopping consultant.

My schedule is back to normal this week, so I should be able to venture into my messy sewing room and show you a few things I have been working on.  Hope you all had a great weekend!

Some Shopping, Some Sewing

It would be so wrong not to mention the Shop Hop we girls went on while we were up at the retreat.  We have gotten into the habit of going off to explore quilt shops in the general vicinity on the way up to or on the way home from the monastery.  This time we left for shopping right in the middle of our prime sewing day, Saturday!  Sometimes you just have to throw in the towel and SHOP.

The red batiks above I didn't even have to shop for.  Isabel gave them to me as sort of a thank you gift at the end of the retreat.  Gorgeous aren't they?  Look how cool they look with the black and white batik I had at home! 

On Friday Sara and I went to In Between Stitches in Livermore.  If you live in Northern California, you have got to make an effort to drive over there to see that store.  They recently moved to a new location at 2190 First Street in downtown Livermore.  This shop is so appealing, with its large windows, high ceilings, old oak flooring and cheerful pale yellow walls.  I love the look of this place and know you will as well.  The lighting is fantastic and they have all their merchandize displayed in the most tantalizing manner.  And the staff?  They don't come much friendlier or more helpful than Melissa and her ladies. There are loads of restaurants on the street where you can rest up after spending loads of money on fabric. 

In Between Stitches carries lots of new Moda groups (and might have what you need of some older collections), but they also have batiks, Civil War fabrics, and fabrics by other companies.  Look at these purple Civil War prints I picked up there.  Purple!!!!  Wait till you see what I am going to do with these.  Lisa and I are planning a Challenge with Purple sometime this year, and these will figure in as major players in my project.

The closest shop to the monastery is Quilter's Inn in downtown Danville.  This place is small, but jammed with gorgeous fabrics and quilts on display.  The owner, Jane Lewis, is just lovely, and generously gave all of us retreaters discounts on our purchases.  The shop was featured in last summer's American Patchwork and Quilting magazine.  The shop is easy to get to, just off 680 on the way to Sacramento.  And talk about nearby good shopping and restaurants!   Lordy lordy.  You could make a day of a trip to Danville.

I was going to share more about the projects I actually sewed on while on the retreat, but I am out of time for today.  Gotta go to work so I can buy more fabric!

A Bit of Sewing, A Bit of Shopping

It was a perfect weekend, with time for sewing, time for shopping, and time socializing with the family.  I worked on the blocks for the quilt I am making out of the Patisserie jelly roll.  I would have finished them I think, but I made a discovery that bummed me out, so I quit.  Remember me saying that when I was cutting out the fabric it was after work and after half a glass of chardonnay?  And how I cut all my 2 1/2 inch squares instead of leaving them in strips so I could strip piece them?  I discovered that I also cut some of my green block surrounds a quarter inch too short.  I had to order fat quarters of the three that I had ruined so I would have enough green in the quilt top.  Honestly.

Remember in high school in Drivers Ed how they would show movies of people who had had just a teensy bit of alcohol and how it affected their driving?  They would give these poor schmucks one beer and see how they did on an obstacle course.  Even with a minimum of alcohol their coordination and judgment was impaired and they all knocked down the obstacle course cones.  So you think you are just fine after a tiny bit of beer or wine?  Hah. 

It is the same with sewing friends, don't drink and drive your Bernina.  Or even worse, don't drink and use your rotary cutter.  That is a disaster waiting to happen.  I didn't cut myself, but I sure did make a lot more mistakes that I normally do when I am cutting out fabric.  Lesson learned.

I ordered a bit of something from Fatquartershop.com a week ago.  I just couldn't resist these green batiks.  They are the prettiest sagey color with darker brown contrast.  No clue what to do with them, but they are getting a lot of petting while I mull it over.

Hope you will check in tomorrow for my third Tuesday Sale.  I will post at 8:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time.  There might be something there for you!

Now, That's What I'm Talkin' About

 

Packaging is everything. 

I ordered this piece of fabric from an online shop I had never heard of, Z & S Fabrics, in Denver, Pennsylvania.  My selection criteria was pretty basic.  I wanted this particular fabric and they were the first shop I found online who had it.  Simple as that.

Here is where things started getting personal.  My order was placed on Monday, was mailed on Monday (USPS Priority), was received by me on Wednesday, and was packaged as you see above.

Will I remember Z & S Fabrics the next time I want to make an online order?  Definitely.  You betcha.

Check them out.  They offer outstanding service, have a good inventory and seem like real nice people!