Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Stitching and Shopping

My mom came down from Michigan to visit for a few days, so I took Thursday and Friday off of work and we did some mini-shop hopping in my area and attempted to visit 5 quilt shops in over the course of three days. Attempted being the operative word. Google Maps sent us to the completely wrong place for one and we gave up on it (but we'll get there the next time!) and one shop had closed completely but it still had it's old address up on its Facebook page and no clear "hey we're closed!" message on the page.

In any case, I did my first fabric shopping in nearly a year! I got backing for my Stash Bee Star quilt from Traditions at the White Swan, I bought the rest of a bolt of an amazing bold floral print that I'm going to have to design a quilt around from Patches Quilting, and I got a few coordinating fabrics from Capital Quilts to start a new project.


I also got the satin stitching on my May wall hanging done -- at least for the flowers. I'm still not sure if this should have decorations in the border or not. Thoughts? Part of me thinks that maybe it should have a little something to break up all of the green, but not sure what exactly to do!


I also finally got some more Kona Champagne to get the top of my QCQAL quilt from last year together! Here are all 25 of my blocks laid out:


And here are all of my blocks sashed together!



I put sashing fabric on two sides of each block and alternated which two sides had the sashing to make it look like the blocks are floating semi-randomly and not just perfectly aligned with one another in columns and rows. I am SO happy with how this turned out. I need to add one border of the Kona Champage all the way around the quilt and then it will be ready to be quilted! I haven't decided if I want to quilt this one or if I want to have it done elsewhere. I think the quilting should be simple but not sure the best way to go about doing that.

Linking up with all of the normal Tuesday/Wednesday places!
Sew Cute Tuesday
Linky Tuesday
Fabric Tuesday
WIP Wednesday

Don't forget to check out my Burlap Brights blog hop post and to enter to win a rainbow fat quarter bundle of Burlap Brights! And stop back by for the QCQAL 2 tutorials!

16 comments:

  1. Hi Alison!
    Your sampler is Gorgeous! That method of doing the sashing creates a super cool effect. It sure helps all the different blocks look very well balanced too. After looking more closely, I can see what you meant about alternating which two sides. And I love your May wall hanging too.

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  2. Love you sampler, the champagne gives it such a soft soothing effect. Great job.

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  3. Your sampler is beautiful. I like the way you've sashed two sides of the blocks. I feel it gives the colours the perfect amount of space around them. Your flower wall hanging also looks lovely :)

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  4. The design of you May wall hanging may be complete, but I can't help but picture a bumblebee in the top right! Also, the Kona Champagne really brings all of the colors of the blocks together and makes them pop! So glad you could have some fun quilt shop time with your mom! Sometimes the adventure of finding (or not finding) the shops is part of the fun. Next time you'll be able to say - "Remember last time when...?" :)

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  5. What a beautiful selection of sampler blocks! :)

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  6. Such a nice sampler! I know exactly what you mean about not being sure what to do for the quilting. I struggle with this, too. It always comes to me if I wait, and I'm sure you'll figure out just the right thing you're looking for.


    Julie @ Pink Doxies

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  7. What about a ladybug or two on the May wall hanging?

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  8. What a wonderful sampler! I love the way the sashing is done, much nicer than the usual regimented arrangement.

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  9. LOVE your sampler! I want to make one so bad, but don't even know where to start. Do you have a pattern? Did you find blocks on the internet and then just decide which ones to do? lol. I am such a newbie. :(

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  10. Wow, a whole year without buying any fabric... now that is discipline! Crushing on the fabrics on the right!

    Your sampler quilt look amazing. I have one quilt in the works, that I have been debating on whether I will try to quilt it or have it done. Either way, enjoy the rest of your sewing!

    Greetings from Germany!

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  11. Such a lovely sampler quilt... I really like how you ended up doing the sashing!

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  12. Beautiful quilt! I have been working on a sampler too! You can check it out if you would like. http://myuglyducklingprojects.weebly.com/see-my-projects/finished-sampler-quilt-blocks-with-links

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  13. Love your sampler quilt!! And your wall hanging is so cheery :-)
    I think it's lovely that you and your mom shop-hopped together! It's not something my mom would care to do, but hopefully, my girls would someday :-)
    Happy sewing ~ Tracy

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  14. The sampler quilt turned out beautifully!

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  15. That's going to be a beautiful sampler. So sorry your shopping trips didn't turned out as planned. That sort of thing happens to me often - either the store has moved or is closed, or they never bothered to update their hours of operation and I arrive when they are closed.

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