Thursday, March 08, 2012

This and That

Last week was the biggest thing in this area for quilting and sewing - Sew Expo.  I went with my friend C. on the first day.  We didn't do any of the classes or see anything other than some of the vendors.  I really didn't "need" anything, and she was just looking for a baby quilt pattern.  So we just kind of wandered around seeing all the sights.


At the Just Imagination booth, filled with wonderful, luscious hand-dyed fabrics, there was a small quilt top on display that C. really liked.  It was made with only 2 fabrics, but because of the nature of the hand-dyed fabric, it had lots of variations and interest.  It was done in intense blues and rusts. We got to talking to Judy Robertson, who makes all those wonderful hand-dyed fabrics, and found out what pattern she had used to make the sample.


Then we wandered over to a booth selling quilt books and got the last copy of the book (40 Fabulous Quick-Cut Quilts by Evelyn Sloppy) that the pattern for that quilt was in!  


I brought it home to make a sample block of the pattern.  I didn't get any of the hand-dyed fabrics ($26/yard!), so I used some batiks.  I just picked some with strong contrast.  And green and purple are always good together to me.  It was a very simple block to make, and there were great directions in the book.  It's all done with 2 1/2 inch strips.  By the way, I recommend this book!  Lots of great patterns in here, and they're all pretty simple and straightforward to make.

It looks like this will be the quilt my guild will be making for the raffle quilt to raise money for the local arts group/gallery.  I don't know what colors we'll be using, but I'll show you when I know!


I also found some things that I couldn't live without!  I got some zippers (2 for $1), a texture stamp, a stamp pad cleaner, foil, some metallic paints, a new seam ripper (wore out the other one making the Halloween Trips) and a cute pattern for a chicken or pig or bunny stuffy.  I think they'll make cute pincushions.  Maybe a little voodoo doll-ish to stick pins in them, but still cute.


Here is the final layout of the Halloween Trip blocks.  DH and The Kid did the final arrangement for me.  They wanted those bands of color to kind of match up.  I like it, so I left it.  I have 3 rows sewn together and the last two will get done tonight. And I even have an idea for the border now.  Just have to pull fabrics for it!  I'm relieved excited that this one is almost together.  I'm ready to do something else now.  Short-attention-span quilting!



Last, but not least, here are the fabrics I received from Nifty over at Nifty Quilts.  We did a little vintage fabric swap.  Go visit her blog and see all the great fabrics she's got to work with now!  These fill out my selection nicely.  I was short on the grey/pink combo, and I'm always in love with dots.  Dots on dots are even better!

Happy quilting!

13 comments:

  1. Love your Halloween trips layout! So much that I would love to make one myself... Have fun working on it!
    And those vintage fabrics are so pretty, little treasures.

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  2. I so wanted to come out and go to the Expo. It looked like such a cool event. I might have headed to the vendor part first. It's fun to look at what's new. Your Halloween quilt is turning out really nice!

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  3. I love the Expo - it comes here in September, can't wait! LOVE that quilt from the book, I'll have to look for it...good price on the zippers, girl! Your Halloween Trip is looking wonderful!

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  4. Lots of quilty happenings! I really like the way they set the halloween quilt. I know that feeling when a top is almost finished. So often it seems like I have to put them aside - either another project becomes a priority or life happens - it's always good to get back to it and finish. Love those vintage fabrics - wish I'd done the exchange, too.

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  5. Looks like you had some fun times and a great purchase. I have 3 Evelyn Sloppy books and love them. Halloween Trip looks wonderful.

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  6. I made that quilt in light and dark blue batiks and a variety of white on whites, I absolutely love it. Made more blocks to enlarge it to queen sized for my bed.

    Heidi

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  7. I love that block pattern! And it looks great in green and purple. i also love your bargello. They came up with a good arrangement. it shines!

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  8. I have a quilt top ready to quilt, made with that pattern. It took some planning, but I used three colors, red, blue, and cream, chosen to match decor in our grandson's room. Blocks are shown on my design wall in my Jan. 22 post.
    That Evelyn Sloppy book is one of my favorites, and I agree with you. It's filled with wonderful projects to make.

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  9. The Halloween quilt is looking really really great.

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  10. I know that book! it is amazing what you can do just with strips ;-))

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  11. I made my nephew the Checkerboard Plaids quilt for HS graduation. Love that book -- just try to say the title three times fast! :)

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  12. I miss being able to go to things like Sew Expo. Probably better for the budget but nowhere near as much fun.

    Have you seen the badge Attention Quilting Deficit Disorder? Quiltdivajulie.blogspot.com has one on her sidebar. I'm tempted to lift it and add it to mine!

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  13. Love the Halloween quilt. What fun to go to a sewing expo. It is difficult not to find great stuff at those places. It is fun to see vendors from far away, too.

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