While Quilters Go Shop Hoppin'!

Yesterday was a wash-out for me.

The meds took the headache away, but also left me feeling a bit fuzzy around the edges and my tummy not quite right.

If you get these kinds of headaches, you know just what I mean.

I was about an hour later than usual showing up at the Inn - Tula chastising me for being late with her breakfast.  LOL!  First smile of the day! She really is a peach.

9 out of 12 ladies were gone for shopping and lunch out - which I love for them.  Thank you thank you thank you for enjoying our local scenery (Gorgeous time of the year for color and beautiful country roads) and supporting our local economy!

I visited a bit and then set into doing something I knew was going to be brain numbingly monotonous - but was about the only thing I could handle in my foggy state.

I have another tile floor quilt on the brain. This time in holiday red.

I want a red/neutral and I want it warm - so the neutrals are more of the creamy variety you see in the top photo of this post.

I've mentioned this before - that I can in no way endorse sewing for Christmas in Spring or Summer - I tend to sew WITH the seasons.

But since November starts next week (!!!) I'm feeling the pull of warm and cozy.

This is also going to help with fixing that messy red shelf.

Yes, I generally hit up the strip stash first - and I did.  But there wasn't enough variety, and not in the size that I needed.

So here is where I am on my quilting journey.

I am turning 63 in 2 months (!!!) and much of my stash is now reaching the 20 year mark if not older.

I need to start using up my YARDAGE, not just working from FQs and strips.

So to increase my variety, I went to the yardage shelves and began cutting off 11" hunks from selvage to selvage to rul through the Accuquilt Studio into the sizes of strips I need.

This would lighten the burden on my over full red shelves and restock the strips in the sizes I need.

I unearthed this gem!

A 2 yard piece at 50 cents per yard.

Those were the days, my friends!

And this is where everything has been laid to rest -

The take up bar on my long arm table.

And I have made a start.

I'll be sewing something for the holidays through the holidays. 

As I think more about this - let me ask you.

Do you have a plan for digging into your "deeper" stash and working it into future projects? I know my fabric is aging. Styles change.  But much of my stash is blenders or tone on tones or geometrics that always can work in.

String/strip quilts are great for the stuff that just doesn't seem to work any other way.

I'm to the point where "You can't take it with you" and "No one is going to want this" is at a crossroads.

That's one of the reasons that our Quiltville Winter Mysteries are such great scrap busters, and I want to encourage everyone to hit up their stashes first before they supplement with a quilt shop run.

I fight with the whole idea that there are shops out there waiting for me to drop the colors for this year - and then they dig in to offer "KITS FOR SALE" for hundreds of dollars when they have no idea what the quilt looks like or how much variety is really needed.  It boggles my mind.

Please consider pulling in some of your deep stash in this year's quilt. Give your shelves and bins a bit of breathing room.

And you might find there are fabrics you do love and still love after all - and they are much better used in the quilt, instead of staying on the shelf - no matter their age.

Okay.  Off soap box.

Things I saw in an empty sewing room!

Melinda has this going!

Smith Mountain Morning from Scraps & Shirttails II is making progress!

I love quilting "still life!"

Portable design wall in the dining room -

Ladder Star blocks are happening in recycled shirts!

Remaining color in my yard as I returned home.

Lola helping to bind. Sort of.
And this is where we are this morning.  Headache is gone.  I slept all the way through the night and woke up at 8am which is late for me.  But I think I was making up for loss of sleep the night before.
Today?  Hanging with the quilters, perhaps cutting some more neutral/red and easing on in to a nice weekend.
How about you?

I want to thank everyone for the response to yesterday's Ladder Star Gift-Away!

I am thrilled with the response and can't wait to see what you make!
Entries are coming in on the gift-away post.  Did you get yours in?
We'll be drawing for our winners on Monday, October 28th.

I'll be drawing for two winners who will each receive a Ladder Star PDF pattern from me, and a Crème de la crème neutrals roll from  Cotton to Quilts.

These beautiful ivory shades will blend wonderfully with your plaids and scrap fabrics to make Ladder Star your own.

And check out the other fabric rolls they have in stock as well - there are 20 fabrics in each roll, each piece measures approximately 8 1/2'' X 22''. Great for building variety.

Introductory Pricing: I have placed Ladder Star at 25% off.  No coupon code needed. Price is good through 10/31/24. 

Stars and Scraps were meant for each other! Create this stunning star quilt in scrappy plaids from recycled shirts or with your own stash yardage. Piecing options, full color photos and graphics and many tips for easy piecing pleasure included.

Quilt Size: 84’’ X 84’’

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Rain or shine, winter, spring, summer or fall - ⁣

⁣

There are at least four quilts at the ready for quick grab in my living room.⁣

⁣

We like TV watching time to be snuggly with quilts! ⁣

⁣

You, too?

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!