Alaska Shop Hop!

If you are going to fall OFF the wagon, as far as stashing fabrics goes, Alaska is a great place to do it!

I was condensing plastic shopping bags full of fabric, and I didn’t realize just WHAT I had accumulated!

I’ve hit FIVE shops so far! FIVE. Oh. Man. And it all started with the Alaskan themed fabrics…I just needed some! I don’t have a whole lot of batiks, but I’d like to do an Alaska themed quilt to capture this great trip, and if I buy the themed batiks..then I have to have the go-withs, right? I mean, once I set my foot in that sinking ship, it was all over!

I had PLENTY of encouragement though, so maybe I can blame it on my friend Kathe! Kathe and I have known each other “online” since about 1996, and have met in person a couple times. She lives up here outside of Fairbanks, and I got a message from her on my phone ((When we finally got back to where we could GET a signal—)) that she wanted to see me if I was still in town.

We had just pulled into Denny’s in Fairbanks for breakfast, and I called her back as soon as I found her message. She was on her way to work, but said she would turn around right there and come meet us! How cool is that?

We had a great visit, and it was wonderful to see her. And can you tell from the picture, that we were at the world’s NORTHERN most Denny’s? LOL!!

Kathe directed me to a couple of Fairbanks quilt shops that were close by, making up shops 3 and 4 on my wild Alaska tour! More bags, more added to the collection of Alaskan treasures!

Upon reaching Delta Junction, we hit the Calico Cow too, bringing the quilt shop total to 5. in 3 days. That might not be a lot to you, but I’m not a big shopper ((or so I’m lying to myself!!)) But it is great to find stuff that I just can’t find in North Carolina!

So what is coming home with me? A variety!

Some 1/3 yard and 1/2 yard cuts to add to my black and whites! ((Yes, they look pink, but they are not! It's the lighting!)) I’d rather buy a 1/3 yard cut for a piece that measures 12” X 44” than a Fat Quarter that measures 18” X 22”. It’s just a better use of the fabric for me, and usually costs about the same as a Fat Quarter anyway.

5 .5 yards of a very cool brown I’m going to use for a backing right away ((Does this count toward stash accumulation if it’s going right on a quilt??!)) This was on the 50% off rack, and it feels SO nice.

A couple of half yard cuts of some shirtings that were also on the 50% off rack. Backgrounds are always ALWAYS legal, right? Okay..I don’t have to count these in the total either then, right?

Scrap bags of batiks!! These were from “Seams Like Home” in Anchorage….these are 1lb bags, and there has to be close to 2 yards in each. It’s helping me build a variety because I don’t have much of a batik stash, and these will round out the Alaskan ones I’ve picked up ((Yes, and the rationalization continues!))

THESE are the alaskan fabrics. Aren’t they cool?! 1/3 yard cuts again…I’ve got whales and moose and otters and more orcas and all kinds of feet and a bigger piece that has puffins on it….it was on a sale rack for 20% off if you took what was left on the bolt.

I found these three 1 yard pieces at the Calico Cow on the $5.99 rack……awesome, blossom!!

And it doesn’t stop here! Though I’ve had to reign it all in…our bags were already at limits and I can only replace the weight of the books that have been sold..using the fabric as “packing material” around those that are left….and trying to keep the bags from going over their weight limits! It’s a tough juggling job I tell ya!

These were the scraps available for Friday’s Bricks in the Barnyard workshop….and I wished I could take it all home! Good thing there is no room in my bags….but I WAS told that I could ship the overweight stuff home in priority flat rate mail boxes…hmmm…I’ll have to think about it!