I tried to get some good pictures of us….when I went to look at these, we all have stripes across us due to the light coming in through the window blinds! How FUNNY!! But we had a wonderful space to sew in, lined with shelves and shelves of gorgeous batik fabrics ---the walls were rainbows of inspiration….just yummy!
The thing that cracked me up the most ---- Everyone brought LOADS of scraps to sew with…but you and I ALL know that it is more fun to sew with someone else’s scraps than your own….and even better than that, it is more fun to sew with scraps you BOUGHT instead of what you BROUGHT!!
I should have gotten pictures of these bins, but imagine if you will, bins as big as foot lockers FULL of batik hunks and chunks and scraps --- and I am using the term SCRAP lightly --- it was told to me that “Anything smaller than a Fat Quarter” is a Scrap at Fabric Fanatics!!
And then the ULTIMATE “Throwing down of the gauntlet” to me ---fill a brown paper lunch sack with as much “scrap fabric” as you can…..for $6.00 a bag.
HOLY. MOLY!! I filled 3 bags…..and when I say filled, I mean FILLED! We have ways to pack it in…..so when I get back home to North Carolina…I’m going to take these scraps out of their bags and show you just what I fit in here.
And yes, I know --- didn’t I just SAY don’t let me bring home more fabric? Well I needed this. Because I’m coming back NEXT New Years! We are doing 3 days of workshops again over New Years and I want to make my sample quilt in batiks…so…..it’s not just stashing, it already has a purpose, and therfore it is legal, right? RIGHT???! I just hope my suitcase doesn’t go beyond the 50lb limit! LOL!
Class was great ---check the photo album below to see how busy we got!
New Years dinner was enjoyed at Babe’s Chicken Dinner House in Garland ----and here I am in front of the “Attack Chicken Assault Vehicle….” Too funny!
9 of us gathered for a family New Years Eve dinner ---and I’m already looking forward to a repeat Next New Years Eve!
The Crumbs workshop looks like a lot of fun. When are you coming to Australia????
ReplyDeleteO' boy do I love shops that give you a bag to fill for x amount of dollars. I pick out the pieces (and some are rather chunks) of fabric, and my wife carefully folds them - and we get plenty of fabric in that bag. Sometimes it's embarrassing to take it to the counter to pay. One shop the clerk could not find the zip lock bags and gave me a grocery bag, but I only filled it half full, it would have wiped out the whole bin. Other shops just look at you and say why do you want scraps? That's when I get out my hand project or photos. (Right now cutting out mini dresden plate petals from 2 1/2 inch scraps - 1 or 2 but no more than 5 or 6 of a fabric.) Wish you were coming back to Iowa this year. Stay warm.
ReplyDeleteI've opened my own bag of crumbs for my new quilt - but the bag is pretty meagre compared to what you are talking about. It is fun mixing your own fabrics with other people's - takes you out of your own square, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteSeeing that store and the fun group of women makes me want to move to Texas.
ReplyDeleteOooo - I found Fabric Fanatics on the web ages ago and just looked at the map of TX. Next year we will be in McKinney at my SIL's, looks close to Plano to me! I'm gonna start saving now - for batiks and your workshop!
ReplyDeleteoh that looks like so much fun! Too bad you can't come to Canada!
ReplyDeleteBonnie,
ReplyDeleteStill doing Orca Bay (which I love) and loved the strings so much that I was inspired to try crumbs too. I am thinking of a whole quilt of crumb blocks as they are "FUN" which I need more of .......Thanks for the inspirations. G
Oh, I'm drooling over those shelves and shelves of batiks! And to be able to fill a scrap bag to boot--that is my favorite fabric shopping activity and the LQS that used to do that is closed now. I, too, can really pack it in those bags, and to be able to do it in batik heaven--what more could you want? I know you didn't want to bring home more fabric, but under the circumstances I wouldn't blame you if you had given away clothing in order to pack more bags of batik scraps! : )
ReplyDeleteIt's so nice to see pictures of the workshops. I know you have enjoyed your time off with family, but I sure have missed the pix.
ReplyDeleteYou could/should have packed it in DH's bag, I bet he had room! I Loved the LQS that has a Bassinet full of scraps and a gallon Zip bag to fill for $5 on a shop hop a few years a go. My Quilt Buddy calls quilts made from these scraps her garbage quilts.
ReplyDeleteWell I'd suggest that if there's no room in the checked luggage that you stuff your brazier, since they're no metal, you should be able to get through security just fine... There are a lot of ladies your age getting bigger boobs....but you bought 3 bags instead of 2 and we all know that, that just wouldn't look right! hahahaha :P
ReplyDeleteI think it's awesome they have already rebooked you for NY's again and that you want to make up your class quilt using only batiks! :)
Love from Indiana! ~bonnie
Lolve the slide show. The workshop looks like great fun.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see what you got stuffed into those bags.
Plano is not too far from me, I'd love to attend next years event!
ReplyDelete