Random Patchwork

This is what I worked on today. Do you ever feel like the day is over and what did you accomplish? Well, this is show and tell for me! I am making XXL patchwork and minky throws for the sweetest person! This is number one. It is flowers & fairies in peaches, corals, greens and a little purple. When I started putting it together on my (just cleaned) floor, it looked blah, so I ran upstairs and pulled out the new Amy Butler line that has corals and greens in it as well as the melon background with white flowers (don't know the designer). It added the pop I wanted and balanced the colors. I am really happy with it now and am excited to sew it up! This is one of the many times that having a HUGE fabric stash "pays off"!! You can see my notebook in the corner. Its my low-tech way of figuring out a pattern. Every blanket seems to be a different size, so I sit down with my graph paper and map it out. This way if I get off track, I can check the arrangement after seams are sewn and pressed. I often sew a little, do laundry, sew a little, help with homework, etc. I would go batty trying to keep myself on track each time. I do think after 40 its harder to do that! :)

Pumpkin Patch Break

Okay, I'm still trying to figure out the photo thing on blogger, so sorry

scattered! I am always inspired by a trip to the pumpkin patch with the kids. When they were in preschool and kindergarten the class went every year and I got bored of it all. Now I look forward to it and appreciate it because I can venture on my own and so can the kids. I can catch some pics of them posing and natural. The colors are always beautiful- greens, oranges, yellows, browns. Even the Cheapy camera- didn't get one yet- takes great photos there. It was a nice break from the busy-ness of life.

New Amy Butler Fabric Combos

I just got the new Love fabric from Amy Butler a few days ago and had so much fun seeing what other fabrics I already had that would match. The first picture is a beautiful fabric called Momento with a dark plum background. It looked great with Anna Maria Horner's Dance Floor & Patty Young's Gothic Arch. #4 is called Sunspots and is similar to her older Full Moon Dots, but more playful. In the pic on the right, I love the Periwinkle Paradise (large middle floral) paired with Momento again in midnight above and Cypress Paisley below. It looks great with Jennifer Paganelli's Kat Stripe in blue and Sally in Orange as well as Anna Maria Horner's Mingling Rose in ice- and there's those Sunspots in tangerine. It's so fun to add a new fabric line to the mix. I was glued to Twitter over the weekend looking at all the quilt market tweets and pics. New fabrics that are amazing from Heather Bailey, Paula Prass, Anna Maria Horner and more!

I Need a New Camera!

Behold one of the most beautiful & vibrant quilts I've made and notice how it doesn't look vibrant!! I broke my cheapy camera- which worked pretty well- I dropped it! :( This is my daughter's cheapy and it is cheapy! So, I've started shopping for a new camera and want to know if you like yours! I have been partial to Canon. I owned a SureShot in my college years and bought a Rebel just before I really used digital. I am thinking a digital Rebel or PowerShot. What's your opinion??

Can You Have Too Much Fabric??

Here is my fabric closet. Here is about 1/3 of what I have. Most people would say I have enough- and I have been told that! The problem is that Amy Butler, Sandi Henderson and Heather Bailey have new fabric lines coming out- as well as other amazing designers, and I just have to have it! I just placed a preorder for Amy Butler's Love fabric line due to arrive next week and I am so excited. I ordered it from http://MaterialGal.etsy.com. I ordered it all! Where am I going to put it??Don't know. If you like any of the fabrics and want something made from it let me know! It's going to be fun to play with it! Here is the Amy Butler link to see all the amazing new fabric: http://http://www.amybutlerdesign.com/products/fabrics_love.php

New Feature in My Shop

I have decided to add over 150 photos that are numbered under "palettes" to hopefully make choosing fabric easier in my shop. You purchase the fabric grouping (you can't list free on etsy- 20 cents is cost) with your custom item and can tell me you don't want # 7 included or what ever you like! I plan to do a few each day as it will take a long time. I think its easier than going back and forth between flickr and the shop. The above fabrics I just got in called "Apple" from Timeless Treasures. I posted 20 different fabrics to mix and match. So much from my "stash" coordinated so well- especially Sandi Henderson's Farmers Market line. Hope its easier! Thanks to all of you who have purchased from me before. Everyone is so amazingly nice. I tell you I have a dream job!! I am at sale #99, I can't believe it. I started last August. This business is such a blessing!!

Fall

I am definately ready to sew some fall colors! I have been washing and drying my newest purchases. I have figured out that hanging the fabrics on a clothesline gets most of the wrinkles out because ironing IS NOT FUN. At least not for me. I am planning on making some Christmas colored throws to sell, but not sure about fall. If you are reading this blog, I would love your opinion. Do you think people buy seasonal colored throws or just match their decor? My house has fall colors, so I tend to buy more things then because they match what I already have. I have dark red, olive green and wheat colors so Christmas colors look great. What about Christmas throws with non traditional colors- in other words- they would match YOUR decor, but look like Christmas?? I would love to hear from you!