Machine Power, Hand Power....and a Bit of Both!

This is what greets me when I go to work...don't you wish that was your stash?:)

Sewing has been happening...even more than what's below....high temps have kept me from finishing big things but slowly I'm scratching WIPs off my list! 

In the meantime...

 Bitty Block Bee June theme was Wine so from field to table these 3.5" were made for Julie.

July's theme Denise picked mushrooms!

For the Sew Fun Bee June is a Bottled Rainbow block for Amber.

July brings hexagon flowers for Wendi.

 I'm jumping ahead with Dena's choice for August....a Scrapbuster block!

 These were the things I made at the Fat Quarterly Retreat in London...the start of my love of English Paper Piecing!

(Both aprons have a top piece but it can be worn up or down...and reversed!)

 A couple of aprons made for some special young ladies who love to surprise their parents with baked goods and tasty dinners....and they clean up!:)  Gotta encourage that to continue!

An international Sunbonnet Sue made for a project my coworker Penny is working on....I chose the Eskimo since I was born in Alaska!

A little baby quilt for a pal of the girl.

Love this little quilt made for Lynz...or rather really for her spouse!:) It's his car, Stink Eric, love that moniker!  It was so much fun to make...once I figured out how to do it!

 But while I am trying to get through the 13 quilt tops waiting to be quilted this is my latest obsession....hexagons....546 of them basted to be made into 78 flowers.  So far 14 of them are finished.  Guess I should get off the computer and get on with it!

~d

We Came, We Saw, We Shopped!!

Morning….early morning….5:30 AM early morning…I was out on the road to meet up with Dena and then head up to Lancaster, PA for the AQS show and our first meeting with Heidi and Tracy…new pals from the ORBC.

Sending out our love and appreciation for Dana and the whole Old Red Barn Co. Quilt-Along community because without ORBC we wouldn't have been here together enjoying some extraordinary stitching and of course...fabric shopping!

It was amazing...just like when I met Dena for the first time, meeting H and T was like meeting up with old friends, no awkwardness or embarrassed babbling...just four old pals getting together to see some amazing quilts and hopefully get some new ideas.

Tracy and I showed the proper tummy rubbing technique on Little "E" and whizzed through the convention room OOooooing and Ahhhaaaing all over the place....then onto the real reason we were here....fabric shopping!

After the quilt show we went to Intercourse, PA to continue the fabric shopping mania but first we needed to refuel so we went to Stolzfus Meats Deli for some fortification and then off to Zook's Fabric, The Old Country Store and several other shops.

A Quilter's favorite word "SALE"!!;)

Tracy and Heidi doing their best Vanna White impression!

My haul.... Flat folds $2.29 per yard+ off the bolt $3.49 per yard+ Kona solids $3.59 per yard= 38 yards of fabric for less than $3.oo per yard and Happiness!!

Dena, Tracy and Heidi....thanks for a fantastic day of fun, friendship and fabric! <3 :)

I still think Dena's idea of a ORBC retreat is an idea that needs to be cultivated!! Who agrees with me?:)

And to top it all off...Dena and I arrived back in time for me to see the West Virgiania Mountaineers beat Kentucky to make it into the Final 4 for the first time in 51 years....since Jerry West was on the team...and would you believe his son Jonnie is a member of the team!:) Sounds like a good luck charm to me!:)

~d

Look what you can get at Urban Outfitters!

Isn't that a lovely pile of fabric!! Our son works one day a week at Urban Outfitters (for the great discount) in Richmond. I don't think any of the clothes would fit me but the linens sure do!

As a parent of an employee we get 25% off, he gets 40%!! But last week I was checking out Urban's website and looking at the sale items in the bedding department and came across some tapestries, duvet covers and fabric and just couldn't resist some of them!! And I think I received 40% off all of them!

The birdcage fabric is just that...fabric that you can buy....so I did...two packs...6.4 yds total for $12!

The tapestry is the rose fabric with blue background...huge lovely piece....about 6 yds worth for $6!!

The multi-colored floral is a duvet so twice the fabric....9.2 yds for $15.00!!

And the modern print with the dove is also a duvet. The print is by Alexander Girard, he worked for Herman Miller's textile division in the 50s and that lovely piece is about 6.3 yds of fabric for $12!!!

All told I got about 28yds of fabric for $45 which translates to $1.60 per yd or even if you count the shipping and handling...which wouldn't have been what it was if I hadn't purchased some other items...it still came to $2.32 per yd!

Now I know you all can't get the discount but they have really great sales and you should check them out about once a month to look or if you are lucky enough to have an Urban Outfitters near your home even better, stop in and give it all a feel...just make sure no one is looking!;)

~d