Where does one go when one’s car goes on autopilot down I-85 from Wallburg, NC to Georgia?
IKEA! MARY JO’s!
Definitely!
I was a girl on a mission.
We love our IKEA lamps so ---both the clip on variety ((For travel)) and the weighted base variety ((for home use)) and I needed a couple more. I have ONE at the house that I keep on having to move depending on which machine I’m sitting at. So I picked up another for there, and one more for the cabin for next week’s retreat fun coming up, and one for Mona because she has been borrowing one of my others.
For $10.00 you just can’t beat these:
Hello, my pretties!
They even come in a metallic burgundy and a metallic gold/bronze now as well as the standard black or white. I guess I am a traditional girl, I got the white ones.
No, the bulbs are not replaceable, but they should last you a good ten years. I look at it this way….the entire LAMP is cheaper than one ott light bulb, and I like that I can position the light pool where I want it, where on an ott light all you can do is open it and hope it is good enough. I am a happy IKEA light user. These are named Jansjo.
RUG LOVE!
I really would love a couple of these button rugs….but neither studio space has room for it and they just aren’t practical for me. BUT I want one! Maybe it needs to be a bathroom floor rug? So cute! No, none came home with me, I’m still thinking on it!
Can you see that sunshine and Carolina Blue sky??
It was a happy day at MJ’s!
Very busy inside for a Monday, too!
While walking around I met up with some ladies who stopped to ask if I was who they thought I was. Ha! That still always shocks me! I met three very nice gals from the guild in Ashe County, NC.
Ashe County includes West Jefferson, not too far from where the cabin is. They told me about their guild – they have weekly sit n sew activities! Can I retire now? I just want to go sew with them and be involved on things on a local level. I know it’s not time for that yet, but I sure would love to have a group of quilting buddies that I could just sew with once a week, every week.
Ashe County includes West Jefferson, not too far from where the cabin is. They told me about their guild – they have weekly sit n sew activities! Can I retire now? I just want to go sew with them and be involved on things on a local level. I know it’s not time for that yet, but I sure would love to have a group of quilting buddies that I could just sew with once a week, every week.
The next best thing? To get MONA involved with them. If I am around on a Thursday when the guild meeting is, I am going to drag her butt with me and get her busy with some other quilters. She needs more than just me to enable her newly formed quilting addiction. She needs fabric mentors! We’ve got this handled!
Ok, Ashe County Girls…please send me an email with your contact information so that we can make this happen! And thanks for making my Mary Jo’s trip such a fun one!
Yummy row of citrus color!
Miles of deliciousness!
Oh this reminds me of spirograph!
Lost in the vast dottiness!
Oceans of batiks!
And I chose neutrals!
Having them cut!
As a “Fabric Conservationist” ((Meaning I adopt fabric and keep it safe for decades before use! Ha!)) the one thing that really pulls all of the random scraps together for me and helps me use the other things I have are the neutrals I love to put them with. So while my goal is to use stash as much as possible, sometimes you have to purchase the glue that holds it all together. I enhanced my neutrals a bit yesterday!
It’s a good thing I don’t get down to Gastonia on a regular basis. Frankly, it’s not the “discount” shopping experience it used to be when I first walked through the doors after moving to South Carolina in 2003. Prices are right where everyone else’s prices are now. Things were running $9.99 per yard. I consider this average. So don’t go because you think you are going to get fabric on the cheap. What you will get is more variety in one location than you may ever have thought possible. Everything from juvenile to novelty to civil war to modern and everywhere in between. It’s there. It’s not cheap, but it’s there.
I also stocked up on things like sewing machine needles for home and the cabin. I like a 12 sharp for regular patchwork piecing. a 14 if I am doing paper piecing. I got some of both. I bought more machine oil, some for home and for the cabin, and two tubes of singer gear lube for the vintage babies. One for home, one for the cabin so I will have it where I need it.
More APQ Quilt-Along 2015 info!
You will want to pick up a copy of the April issue of American Patchwork & Quilting Magazine, due out February 3rd! The issue contains everything you need for participation in this fun event! In the magazine is also a list of the designers that are participating, like me, along with their blog links so you can follow our progress!
There are 3 patterns in the magazine to choose from, shown in the badge above. Patterns will be IN the Magazine. Have a different idea for using your 4 patches? That’s just great too! Just focus on the four patch!
If you haven’t started a Leader & Ender project yet for 2015, maybe making the 4 patches as your L & E’s is the perfect way to DO BOTH!
Folllow us on Instagram and use the hashtag #apqquiltalong to see what all of the other participants are doing with their projects! I have been saving 1.5 inch scrap squares for years, and am happy to have the push to sew them up!
I have also added an APQ Quilt-Along badge to my right hand side bar that you can grab and add to your own blog page if you are participating.
It’s going to be FUN! ((And yes, I’m getting a bit of a head start because I can!!))
This morning I’m giving a lecture to the Mountain Laurel Quilters of Clarkesville, GA! Can’t wait to meet you, ladies!
Have a great Tuesday, everyone!
21 comments:
You'll have to tell them you spent time with the London, KY Mountain Laurel Quilters last March. Have a good time Bonnie. Paula in KY
Ha ha, I WISH fabric was $9.99 in all stores! Mary Jo'is prices have risen in the last few years but she still beats prices in most quilt stores. i just wish they would start selling Moda.
I would be broke at those prices. We pay 14-16 per metre. Am saving for my next adventure south. Enjoy today!
" Fabric Conservationist" ..that's me to a T. I never heard that phrase before...and I LoVe it! If it's ok with you,mom going to run with it. Oh, that fabric made me think of "sew" many sundresses. The pillow cases I could make for ChildCan would be awesome. My group of 9 sewing friends make sure we keep the Children's ' Hospital with a steady supply of pillowcases. The kids just LoVe all our creations And we LoVe making them too. " Sew" it's a win win! Have a great day!
Hugs Marg.
That's ......I'm going to " run with it" if that's ok with you!
I don't know what happens with my lap top ...sometimes it has a mind of it's own :)
Hugs Marg.
You'd think an "old lady" would think about making a carpet bag. Just a thought.
I have a textile museum. Wish I had known about Mary Jo's when my daughter lived in SC. I have been making 4 patches as leaders/enders for the last few months. I have quite a stack but they are with 2.5 squares. I will have to adapt the APQ patterns to my size but probably have enough 4 patches for 2 of the quilts.
Barb in SD. barbjek(at)bmtc.net
Try the #12 with the microtex points on the needles for machining. I just LOVE how they act in a machine. Great results.
Me I still quilt ON THE CHEAP.
Is there a recommended size for the apq 4-patches?
Thanks for everything you do for us Bonnie!!!
OH HAPPY DAY! Ikea and Mary Jo's in one day would almost be more than my mind could take....love them both so much.
John's eyes about popped out when we went in to MJ's for the first time... he asked where he could SIT!!!
Seems I should be making plans to visit MJ...not THAT far from my place. "Thanks for the memories" lol
Smiles, JuieinTN
Mary Jo's looks like a Disneyland for quilters! The price still sounds good to me...it's $12/yard here in California. That may slow us down... but it still doesn't stop us from buying it :-)
My husband and I are heading to IKEA on thursday and now I have to get one of those lamps! i need more light over my sewing machine.
The first time I went to Mary Jo's I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. My husband and I were vacationing in Asheville (I'm from the Boston area) and while we were shopping at a local quilt shop a gentleman approached my husband to chat while he was waiting for his wife. He asked my husband if we had been to Mary Jo's yet. We had not ever heard of Mary Jo's so the gentleman filled my hubby in and next thing I new we were headed on a road trip to a great fabric store. My husband often scouts out Quilt shops for me (what a guy)..it looks like someone else is as lucky as I am. Who would have guessed that the husbands had such great sources for fabric stores.
I would have thought I'd died and gone to heaven down that row of polka dots - a girl can never have too many
Those prices are good, you should try buying in Australia at $20/metre and sometimes more! Love to read your blog and travel with you.
Sounds like fun. I was glad to hear you use singer lube as I see there is a site online that sells their own made for esp for singer vintage machines. But I went with singer oil and lube. So glad it was confirmed by you! IKEA is in my future for that lamp.
I love Mary Jo's! When I go to visit my brother in Fort Mill SC. We have to make a trip to Mary Jo's. One time between my mom and I we had to buy another suitcase for the fabric.
Jansjo light here in England is the equivalent of $40 on Amazon.uk.co
I will pass on that idea I am afraid.
Thank you for all your blogs, so interesting - your life. And full of interesting snippets :)
That is a great price. Regular prices in Oregon are 12.99 and up. I always wait for a 30% off sale at Fabric Depot to find fabric but on those days it is so crowded it is often overwhelming and hard to find what you want. Notice I did not say need.
Ooh, I adore that rug. I saw it on your post and immediately looked it up! There's no Ikea anywhere near me, but I can get it online! Shipping isn't exorbitant either... yes, I think I'll be getting a button rug soon!
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