The Adventure of the start of my fabric stash.

A long time ago.

(Have you noticed that I seem to like things that happened a long time ago. Maybe that is because I remember them more, or better... or seem to remember only the good parts. Anyway... Where was I? Oh, yes... A long time ago)

This was during a time when Mr was laid off after working for a company for 28 years. We were having yard sales, going to shows, listing on craig'slist. All to keep off unemployment.

The LORD provided for us then and HE continues to provide for us today, praise Him.

Mr and I were attending a storage auction. It was at a moving company and the storage containers were large wooden boxes, like a small shed. They were probably 6 feet wide, 8 feet long and 8 feet tall. A forklift brought several of them out to be auctioned off.

Another couple that we had met during our times here and there were there also to bid. The lock was cut on the first one and the doors opened. Bidding started. One had furniture, not what we wanted. Another had sundry items. Bidding was brisk and we were not anywhere near the top on any of them. Then the lock was cut on the last one. Inside were stacks and stacks of plastic containers. See through, sorta. And, it was fabric. Lots and lots of fabric.

Most of the other bidders had already spent their wad, or were just not interested. I said to Mr, in my most quiet, out of the side of my mouth voice, "I can sell that fabric".

He says back. "Let's set a limit, not over $100". Done.

Bidding starts. We put in a bid or two and then it was at $100, not our bid. Oh well. The other couple that we knew had it. SOLD for $100.

I overheard the woman say, "Well, all I wanted was the containers. My daughter is moving and we need those". Must have been twenty or twenty-five of them. So, I said, I wanted the fabric. So a deal was struck,
we would pay them half - $50 and they would get their containers and we got the fabric.

Mr backed up our small pick-up that had a canopy over the bed. The couple started unloading the boxes and throwing the contents in through the door of the canopy. More and more boxes were unloaded. Boxes we didn't see from the front. All fabric. I heard the lady mutter, "Well, a deal's a deal". Then a box appeared that did not have fabric. They quickly put it aside to go through later.

There was fabric, cutting mats, specialty rulers, fleece, quilt batting, markers, did I say flannel? Just about everything you could think of in a fabric store. The truck kept getting more and more full. Finally the storage shed was empty. We closed the door of the canopy, thanked the couple and headed home. There was a LOT of fabric there. This was from a serious fabricholic.

At home, I started sorting. Fat quarters of groups of fabric collections. Velvet, plastic table covers, leopard prints, all you could think of right there. I had some containers and they were quickly filled. Bags came out next. They filled up.

I took the fabric to sales and sold it for $1 each piece. Just the other day, I "found" a container that had fleece. It went to a sale. I have made quilt after quilt for family and friends from this find. I have decided that I will never get to the bottom.

Needless to say, we made our money back... and then some.

Only a few of the quilts that were made from the famous fabric find.

Cowboys

Fishing, hunting

Pinks

Fun pinwheels

Blues and pinks

Black and White and Red

Tiny squares

Birthday Quilt in "Royal Colors"

My friend "L" is having a birthday, so...

I asked her husband what was her favorite color.

He suddenly had that "deer in the headlight" look. He absently looked off, and then he said, oh, she likes them all.
So, I pressed him a little - does she like pastels, or strong colors, is she partial to one if you think about it? "Hmm", he said as he glanced over to her, "Oh, she likes purple, yeah, purple". When I looked across the room where his wife was visiting, I couldn't help but notice that she was wearing a purple top, so- Maybe she will like this lap quilt I am making for her, and maybe not.
I get the feeling that if she had worn red that night, that would have been her favorite color.

It made me wonder what would my husband say if someone asked him about my favorite color.

She suffers from MS, but you never, ever hear her complain about being chilly, or how her bones ache. I hope this little quilt will be just comfy enough to ward off the floor chills or she can take it with her in the car for a quick throw over her legs type of thing. Or, perhaps she will wrap her favorite little dog in it so they can snuggle together, whatever makes her happy.

Linking up to

Quilt Story: Fabric Tuesday

JAQS Studio: Made By ME party

The Vintage Farmhouse: Creative Things
French Country Cottage Feathered Nest Friday

Sprucing Up An Old Friend

Have you ever 'saved' something and then realized it was too late to use?

Well, a long, long time ago, when I was a child, yes, boys and girls, I was once a child.

I was given a doll. It had a wardrobe, a bed, a little nightstand and a chest for the end of the bed. I think the original gift had a chair also, but I don't have it now. This is what I think would be called "vintage".
It still has the original dress, although the shoes are long gone.

Well, when my children were small, I got it out for the girls to play with.

I thought they were too 'rough' with it, though, after all, it was mine when I was a child. I guess I still claimed ownership, even though I was way too old to use it again.

When I discovered that one of the boys had performed orthopedic surgery on one of the girl's dolls. (he cut off the toes - I think to see if it would bleed - at least he didn't operate on one of the girls...)

Anyway, I put my doll up in the cupboard, away from destructive hands...

Well, the other day I discovered it again. My girls are too old (all in their 30's, almost a 40 year old)

The grandchildren that are girls, well, most are approaching their teens, running full steam ahead and the only one left to play with the set will be 8 soon.

Where, oh where, did all the time go?

So, I decided that this doll was doing no good to me. I don't even have the grandchildren over to play with the doll. So,the youngest grand -girl would get it.

(my name sake)

It has seen a lot of wear and tear through the years.

I made a small quilt to go on the bed, and a nightgown for the doll, a little pillow and mattress, and I plan on sending it soon to Texas. 

You can see the size of the quilt by the coffee mug next to it.

I don't want to wait any longer, this grandchild may be getting married before I realize that the time has flown by. Sorry to the other grand - girls. You will just have to play with the doll when you visit "M".

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Linking up to

JAQS Studio - Made By Me # 41
Quilt Story: Fabric Tuesday
Shabby Creek Cottage Transformation Thursday
French Country Cottage -Feathered Nest Friday
The Vintage Farmhouse Creative Things Thursday

Revamping a Design, WIP

Awhile back, here...

I wanted to make a jelly roll, quick fix quilt...

Well, after it was all sewed together with the fabric

I didn't like it.

I tried to like it.

I turned it this way

I turned it that way.

I folded it up and hid it from view.

It just grated against some nerve or something.

I decided to make it up and sell it.

I couldn't even do that.

So, I got it out again and looked it over.

I decided that if I took out some prints I could live with it.

(why do I have that gene that won't let me just throw stuff away?)

I didn't pay full price for the fabric, I probably got it at a yard sale...

This is what I ended up with.

I kinda like it now, I know fickle women...

I still need to find some kind of backing and I think I may put on a border if it suits me.

But, that is what is going on around here.

How is your day going?

Jelly Roll Quilt Top WIP

I just found out what "WIP" means-- Work In Progress

I have seen this on other blogs, but never could figure it out. Well, someone had it and in parenthesis had provided the translation, thank you, thank you.

Now, back to this attempt. I saw a post about Jelly Roll Races here and I was intrigued. I had a jelly roll of reproduction vintage prints that was screaming to be used. I first thought this would be a baby quilt, but I am not sure at this point. I may just have to stay home. I make quilts for a lot of others -- and well, always a bridesmaid and never a bride, if you know what I mean.

This was probably the fastest quilt top I have ever pieced.
I started out with 20 different fabrics, they are pre-cut across the width of the fabric, and there were two of each print.

I sewed them together, end to end and had 1600 inches of strip.

That's a long, long, long strip.

You join the two ends and sew them side by side and then cut the ends. Now you have 800 inches of strip, still a long one.

You do this again, and now you have 400 inches and 4 strips side by side.

Continue, and with a few more seams (and each one is half as long as the previous one) you have you finished top.

It needs to be squared up and I think I will put borders on this. A light solid color.

What do you think? Pretty big and bright for a baby?  I do have other pink fabric that I can cut into 2.5 inch strips and do this again, only on a smaller scale.

What's the verdict?

Fabric Exchange - My Project and a Gift for a Friend

I think I mentioned a while back that I had participated in a fabric exchange with a few ladies in May.

Well, one of the ladies made up her quilt and it was so beautiful, 

that I decided I had to start working on my fabrics.

We were to all bring 6 different fabrics, cut into 6 inch squares

and enough for all the participants.

We had some that were not able to participate, so we each ended up

with about 70 squares.

I took mine and tried to sort them according to color.

I also had to chose a background color and had the choices of

black, tan, or cream. I went with the cream.

I cut them into 5 1/2" squares (to make them all the same size)

And then I sewed them into half-square triangles.

I thought of a zig-zag pattern,

but, it was way too crazy, then I paired them to look like chevrons

It still wasn't right

then I thought, maybe just squares

I took several pictures and emailed them all to my design team

aka: my daughters.

After hearing their suggestions on color placement,

I came up with this

I also decided to add a border and them more smaller half chevrons.

This is how it turned out with the borders and binding.

A smaller chevron strip on the back with the label.

Then on to the quilting. I echoed the chevron pattern in the print areas and

did a vine in the cream areas. 

It was my first time using a method that a friend told me about. (Thanks Nancy)

You can read about it here.

It is a way that you don't drop the feed dogs... but read up on it.

I need to practice like crazy to be able to do it really good. But I couldn't resist trying it out.

I hope my friend likes it as much as I do.

Happy Birthday (late as usual) G.

Now I need to finish a rug for another friend's Jan birthday. 

Nothing like being late to the party, huh?

1st Project of this year

OK

I'm slow,

like really slow

Compared to others, who are well on their way to completing their third, even fourth project

I am way behind.

But, I am me

So, here is a quilt project that I cut out and started before the New Year rang in.

I knew that the couple/young lady was decorating with browns, maroon, tans, etc.

I chose most of the above fabrics to use.

This is called a "disappearing nine" pattern.

You cut squares, join them in a nine patch, then cut those squares

 into quarters.

I joined them randomly and this is the finished quilt.

 It is about 41" square. I have liked making these smaller lap sized quilts.

They are easy to manage under the machine and quicker.

Mr really likes the colors on this one and so do I.

The back after being washed and dried looks so comfy and crinkly.

 I did some random or meandering quilting.

Hidden words in the quilting. SHH!

I just had to play around with the settings on the camera

I will be sending it along with a friend when she visits in a few weeks.

Hopefully the young couple will forgive me for being late on their wedding gift.

Linking to:

http://www.jaqsstudio.com/2012/01/made-by-me-13-linky-party-and-features.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+JAQSStudio+%28JAQS+Studio%29

over at JAQS Studio: Made by me

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Now, onto some other quilt projects.

I want to try a zig-zag pattern for a gift to a friend. (it is mostly cut)

I have several friends who are having babies in the next few months, like 6 or 7!

I want to make myself a quilt sometime, but I can wait.

Another Quilt Finished

I am quite excited about finishing this quilt.  It has been a long time in the making, just because I couldn't decide where it was going. I asked advice from you all and took it all in. My design consultant... aka daughter helped me make the final decision and then it flew to the finish. Sometimes I have no idea where a design or fabric will take me when I start a project.

I purchased the printed panel on a trip to a quilt store in Grandbury, Texas last fall with a dear friend and it (the fabric, not the friend) has been hanging around waiting for me to do something with it. It had the four squares and the larger panel and I cut them apart and added more fabric to make it larger. As it stands now, it is just a little larger than lap size, unless, of course, you have a large lap, then it is just right. Or, if you wanted to have two laps under it, then it will do. After I washed and dried it, it is as soft as a baby blanket.

The backing border print fabric I purchased with the same friend at a different time when we took a trip to southern California a few years back. Somehow these fabrics needed to be paired.

I am so glad that this is finished. Do you have projects that take up "space" in your mind??? Or, maybe I'm the only one... Anyway, I plan of giving this to a couple for a wedding gift -- they have been married for a while now... is it still OK to gift them? I hope so.

Now, I have fabric that is waiting for me for another quilt, for another couple...

Marathon Month

October 2 was the start of a marathon month of shows.

Well, actually 4 this month. We did the Alameda show last Sunday and this Friday we will travel to the Roses and Rust Vintage Home and Garden Market, in Anderson, California, leave there Saturday evening and come on down nearer home to the Sacramento Antique Faire for Sunday. On the 22nd we will again travel a little north and do a show in Willows called "Gathering Better Junque". This link doesn't really tell you about the show, but rather the wonderful ladies that sponsor it and they do an incredible job at that.

For quite a while we have been gathering special items for these shows. For this weekend, we will be featuring "I wanna be a cowboy" theme. I have tin dishes, cowboy hats, boots, bandanas, deer horns, horseshoes, and old cast-iron griddle, etc. I wish I had taken a picture (vingette?) of it before it got packed into our cargo trailer. We also have another theme we have been working on: children's things. We have a small oak table with two chairs, a child's rocking chair, two dolls, a cradle, complete with the padded mattress and quilt, Winne the pooh clock and other "stuff". Sometimes in our gathering of things we just seem to run across items that go together. We have been saving them for a theme and we will see how this all works out.

Last Sunday we took many similar items to Alameda, here is a taste. And where, oh where, did my "watermarks" go? hmm
Okay, looking into the space, and traveling left side around the back to the front - does that even make sense?

a metal hutch top from a parts store on a metal topped bottom, with casters

Locking red nightstand on a small desk with a chair

A variety of nightstands, they seem to be the "butter on the bread" for us

A queen size quilt that I made - yes, it is the "block of the month" one. They are not my colors, but perhaps someone else will enjoy it.

A hutch/bookcase with glass doors

This is a 3 piece set, chest, mounted mirror on the chest and a small bedside table

A red island, work station that got so much attention (and sold)

A vintage grey rocking chair on a stained wood farm table and under that is a coffee table with stained parque wood top and shelf. There are vaious small benches and plant tables also here. The table and coffee table sold to a couple that are opening up a gathering/business place on Filmore Street in San Francisco and they wanted the dark stained wood furniture to decorate it with.

Here are two hutches, one with a metal top and the other wood. The all wood one sold.

I have some ironstone dishes and silverware in the basket on this red farm table with red legs. Under the table you get a peek of bed springs that were rather popular. Yes, bed springs! Decorators use them for candle holders, funny vases, grouped in threes - who would of thought? old rusty bed springs!

It is hard to describe the beautiful day that accompied our sale that day. Lovely clouds, the skyline of a huge city in the backdrop and temperatures that would leave those in those hot states drooling.

It is getting ready to rain, so we have packed all we can into the trailer and we are pretty much ready to hit the road on Friday. It will be around 3 hours up to Anderson, a quaint town with a rural feel. In the spring when we went there, we really enjoyed the laid back attitude and the friendliness of the shoppers, for a reminder of our time see here. It will be a different venue (or place that they are having the sale), but I am confident that we will have a good time, even if we don't make tons of sales.