Shop Hop with Friends

My awesome quilty friends C and A and I had the idea that we should do a self-designed shop hop this summer. They were very accommodating because I am the only one with children and since my husband would need to take the day off to watch the kids it worked best for us to do a Friday to Saturday, and for one of them to drive. "No problem!" they said, and so plans were hatched. A arranged the entire schedule and C and I just went with the flow.

We went to a lot of stores, all in Ontario (since the dollar in the United States is so terrible right now). Some of the stores I had been to before and some I had not. I didn't end up taking a picture at every store, but a lot of them!

We started the day at Len's Mill in Guelph. It is a bizarre low-scale K-mart at the front and then there are rows and rows and rows of fabric in the back.

It is in a shifty looking sort of plaza, too.

 Len's Mill is a great place to find very strange fabric. Like this charming Hawaiian cat print. It made me laugh.

 What I actually bought was this:

This Lecien fabric from Japan, with a slightly rougher feel than normal quilting cotton, is perfect for fussy cutting.

We then went to Triangle Sewing, also in Guelph, for some notions. C bought a new 6" square ruler since she always manages to cut the edges of hers. Does anyone else have this issue? I've done it to one of mine, too!

 We also made our way to Quilter's Nine Patch which is a lovely store that sometimes has lots of gems and sometimes has very little.

They had some 40% off fabric and I scooped up these two prints:

When we hit up Creative Sisters it had been awhile since I had last been there, but C and A told me the selection had improved and they were right.

I did find some fabrics here as well, including a fat quarter of this Elizabeth Hartman fabric that I had used up for another quilt and was missing already:

Those pink fat quarters are from Pond which is a line I ordered a fat eighth bundle of and have since used up all the pale pink. Nice pale pinks are hard to find.

A found Spool & Spindle online and we weren't sure what we were going to get. It was tiny, and up a flight of stairs, but some awesome modern stuff and lots of different substrates for garment sewing. Their prices were very high, though, and so none of us bought anything here. I ended up regretting that since there was one print I wanted that I thought I could get at a later store but they didn't actually have it.

Our next stop was Quilting By Design. I had encountered them at Quilt Canada last year and since then C has had quilts quilted by them for a really excellent price. I was delighted by the set up and the selection in this store and bought a few things. I would definitely go out of my way to come back here.

Here is what I bought at Quilting by Design:

That navy C+S print may be is use sooner rather than later for a friend who is expecting this November.

Interestingly, A really racked up a huge bill at this store because she had called ahead and had them make her some quarter kits of Ocean, the new pattern by Elizabeth Hartman. 

We also went to this store, E&E's Fabrics, which was in a charming (and tiny!!) town. The quilt store is also the post office! Hah! The fabrics, however, were more representative of the conservative Mennonite locals than anything we would be interested in.

You had to walk past the post office counter and some rows of shelves with basic groceries to get to the fabric at the back.

C and I did have some success here, though, because they had the new Olfa blades that are supposed to last a long time and they were a good price!

We each bought one to try.

We made our way to Waterford for this quilt store, which is right next to the river. The wind was blowing gently and the sun was shining and if we had stopped and just sat on the porch for an hour I would have been perfectly happy!

I did actually buy some fabrics from here though the selection generally leans towards the more traditional:

I walked past that bundle of five Jingle fabrics at least three times before I gave into temptation. I think I will use them for reusable bags for Christmas gifts. I think the chicks in skates sold me in the end!

We spent the night in Stratford, Ontario, in a nice hotel that was on the edge of town. We had a great walk around town, visiting book stores, toy stores and the Indigenous Art store down there, as well as picking up some chocolate. We went out to dinner at a Thai place which was exciting because A had NEVER had Thai food before. What? She had her first ever pad thai and said she liked it and would have it again!

The next day we started with the quilt store in Stratford, Ye Olde Fabric Shoppe, which is terribly ugly from the outside and next to a 7-11 gas station. Inside it is PACKED with fabrics of all sorts, and it was here that I did the most damage of the shop hop:

Those whimsical children's prints were just too sweet.

It was here I picked up 8 yards of backing for my goddaughter's quilt (paid for by her mother). That is the print on the bottom, which is by Lewis and Irene. 

We planned to head down to Bee Modern Quilts in Niagara on the Lake next but the traffic on the highway was absolutely ridiculous. We decided to back out of that and headed to Needlework in Hamilton instead. This ended up working out beautifully because we had more time, got to eat at a favourite restaurant of ours (The Burnt Tongue) and spent less time overall driving.

Crappy picture because I was rushing. Oops.

Here was what I snagged at Needlework:

Those owls! I couldn't resist.

The embroidery kit and cross stitch kit were not actually for me but for my husband. He has decided he would like to try both of them to see which one appeals to him more so as to pick up a new "in front of the TV" hobby. So far he has started the cross stitch and is enjoying it but made a major mistake and has to start from scratch. He isn't deterred, though!

We also went to a place called European Textiles. Obviously my memory was starting to go with all the stores because I didn't take pictures there either. C bought quite a lot here (including some of their incredibly well priced and high quality pillow forms) and I did find some gems:

The Rifle Paper Co. Alice in Wonderland stuff is for fussy cutting. That Ann Kelle print will be a starting print for some baby quilt one day!

As we were about to head home, C suggested we round out our trip with a visit to Len's Mill Hamilton. Start and finish at a Len's Mill! A was pretty tired at this point but she is always easy going and a good sport, and I am always up for another fabric store, so we were in!

And, of course, as a result of peer pressure mostly, I ended up with fabric from here as well!

They still had FIVE BOLTS of Caste Peeps by Lizzy House. That is INSANE. I was tempted to buy all five bolts in their entirety and resell it as fat quarters on Etsy! I also loved this Riley Blake arrow print.

In total I picked up a LOT of fabric. Here was my collection laid out on the floor when I got home:

(You may notice some C+S and Tula in the middle- that was purchased from Quilt Canada by A for me and she gave it to me the day we left on the trip so I threw it in to the picture)

And the stack photo is pretty impressive:

It was a great trip. Travelling with A and C is a breeze because everyone is easy going. We are always willing to accommodate the others (such as A being amazing and letting me sit in the front seat the entire time in the car since I get very car sick). We laughed a lot and encouraged each other to buy lots of fabric and had a great trip overall. And, for maybe the first time ever in the history of shop hops with these two ladies, A was actually the winner of the most money spent! She is usually the most cautious and the least likely to buy something "just because." Hooray for A!

Jack's Universe: A Finished Quilt

I work with a wonderful woman who recently became a grandmother for the first time. She is quick to pull out photos of her beautiful little grandson and frequently tells everyone that Jack is the centre of her universe now that he has arrived.

If that doesn't sound like a motivation to create a quilt, I don't know what does!

I have had two charm packs of Riley Blake Rocket Age for quite some time and this sounded to me like they were destined for this little boy!

My original plan did not work out as I hated the burnt orange and cream colours in the layout. I paired it down to blues and reds and alternated white squares and it came together beautifully!

Here is Jack's Universe:

I did a simple patchwork pattern with 5" squares but alternated with Kona White squares to create this checkerboard effect.

Most of the prints are from Riley Blake but there are few others thrown in. The stars/universe theme is throughout.

I did straight line quilting on the diagonal using my walking foot to create this "X" effect which I think works well for this quilt.

The back is actually a flannelette that I have had in my stash for ages and just looked so sweet. Plus a win for shopping my stash!

This is a close up of the backing. It is so soft.

The grandmother was over the moon (pardon the pun) about the quilt. She declared that she loves me forever and insisted on photographing it like crazy right there on the spot and sending it to her daughter to show Jack. I love when people appreciate the depth of love in a gift like a quilt!

Pink Castle Fabrics

My husband is absolutely amazing. So amazing that when we discussed going away for a weekend, just the two of us, he was the one that suggested Ann Arbour, MI because he knows that my absolute favourite online source of fabrics is Pink Castle Fabrics.

What, was I going to say no?

So, along with trips to multiple breweries, the downtown core and one of the best restaurants I have EVER eaten in (Frita Batidos), I got to make a trip to Pink Castle in person!

It looks deceptively unassuming on the outside.

So much goodness on the inside!

Fabric everywhere you look! And all modern and to my taste!

Molly worked with me at first getting together orders for quilty friends A and C.

And then I started roaming the store and making stacks. These are both my stacks. I gave myself a very healthy $300 budget and still managed to stay significantly under that, despite finishing 5 bolts (and receiving a 20% discount for doing so!).

I just grabbed everything my heart desired and got her to start cutting!

And after close to two hours in the shop, here is my final haul (noting that the Finding Nemo fabric, lion flannel and the 505 Spray are actually from Jo Ann's. I also got an Ott light! It was on super discount and at least $30 cheaper than the equivalent in Canada!)

Not too shabby. Of course I have NOWHERE to put them, I've found. Oops! Better start sewing! Those Halloween prints are for treat bags for Halloween for my daughters. The mini pearl bracelets in the dark blue are the backing for an upcoming quilt. The rest? I just wanted them!

Here is quilt friend C's haul:

Everyone needs a Kona colour card! Plus a bundle of Abacus by Allison Glass.

And A wanted some of this sweet Christmas fabric for her nieces to make pillowcases...and some for herself too!

A was delighted with this bundle. I love when she geeks out on fabric like C and I do ALL. THE. TIME.

It was such a positive experience. There was so much goodness in one place and I shopped without reservation knowing it is unlikely I will be there in person again for many years.

Which of my goodies are your favourites?

Eclectic Ark: A Finished Quilt

When our (now former) neighbours told us they were expecting their fifth son I immediately did a fabric pull and was thrilled with it. I couldn't wait to get started!

Then mom dropped on me that the baby's name was going to be Noah, and that his nursery was green and blue and animal themed. I was torn. Stick with what I had picked or go with her colours and theme?

Ultimately I decided to put her wishes first and made this quilt, Eclectic Ark. The animals are for Noah's ark, of course. But there is a strange mix of creatures in there! I ended up using a precious Laurie Wisbrun print with lions, an Ed Emberly sheep print, and some Ann Keele turtles and owls. The backing is flannel and covered in giraffes. 

The blues and greens do go well with Noah's nursery. 

 I opted to use several Kona solids. I wanted to highlight the animal fabrics by leaving them big, and then I framed out each one with a different colour. For those who want to know (ahem, Jenn), I used: Stratosphere, Nautical, Spring, Leprechaun, Forest, Kiwi, Lake and Water. 

Well, giraffes were on the ark, weren't they?

 I did straight line quilting, adding an "X" on the corners of all the solids. It took a long time because of all buried threads but I liked how it looked overall. This is a quilt that probably could have used an all-over long arming treatment but I don't have the money for that. I'm still counting on quilty friend C getting herself a long arm and teaching me how to use it!

Xs all over the quilt...in Aurafil White.

I used a yellowy-greeny Art Gallery Squared Elements print for the binding which I think tied in well with some of the accent colours in the prints. I was very pleased with this choice.

I got to snuggle three-day-old Noah when I gifted the quilt and mom was super happy with the gift. She immediately took me to show me how perfectly it goes with the sweet baby nursery she had decorated. I told her I hope he uses the quilt and wears in right out, and that I promise I'll make him a new one if he does wear it out!!

I still don't think I love this one as much as I would have my earlier pull, but I'm happy that Noah has a quilt made with love and that I put mom's wishes over my own taste/inspiration. I also used only fabrics from my stash which felt great!

Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts and her Finish It Up Friday!

Ella Blue: A Finished Quilt

I have been very quiet on my blog. Part of it was the business of work and life. Then a tragedy struck a close friend of mine and I have been navigating through my grief. I will blog about it briefly in another post, but for now I wanted to share this finished quilt, Ella Blue.

This is not a baby quilt. It was never my intention to make a huge quilt amongst all the other quilts on my list, but when I heard about a co-worker's 11-year-old daughter, Ella, being stricken with cancer and fighting for her life, I couldn't stop thinking about it. So I dropped everything and made a quilt for this brave little girl, using blue as the main colour because that is Ella's absolute favourite colour.

I used Jeni Baker's Giant Star tutorial not realizing just how giant it was going to be. My 6'1" husband is holding this quilt over his head and it is almost touching the ground.

 The star itself is made of Elizabeth Olwen's Wildwood line for Cloud 9, a line I have been drawn to and finally purchased while on a recent shop hop. I find it sweet and feminine without being too "little girl." The background is Kona Lake .

I did a free motion meander all over the quilt in a light blue Aurafil. Honestly, I had a need for speed and knew I could fly through the quilting. It was a BEAST, though, and so my meandering is not as smooth as I would have liked.

For the backing I used a blue flannelette that I had in my stash. The blue worked well with the front and I had lots of it, and again, since speed was of utmost importance, I pre-shrunk it and went for it.

The binding is a scrappy mix but mostly Alison Glass in this gorgeous blue.

 I also made my first ever quilt label. I used this special ink and some tiny stampers and some more Kona Lake, pressed over. I didn't really want to hand sew it so I machine sewed it but I really need a better way. The quilt is bunched up here so it looks wavy but it is actually pretty straight. This is definitely something I need to practice.

"Made for Ella. Because she is strong."

The quilt will be delivered, along with other gifts, to the mother at Sick Kids hospital in Toronto. It is one of the best children's hospitals in the world and though Ella has a long fight ahead of her I feel like there is every reason for optimism. I hope she loves it, or that it at least can provide some comfort to a family member who is sleeping by her side in the hospital.

Lynn

My Daughter, the Quilter

My daughter, who turns six in October, has generally been completely disinterested in sewing and quilting. She showed a bit of interest when putting together an improv mini quilt for one of her dolls about a year ago and she was excited when Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus fabric arrived. That is about the extent of her engagement (she also frequently reminds me that I have too much fabric. Nonsense. No such thing).

Then when we were picking summer camps for this summer she latched on to a Lalaloopsy Camp where the (day) campers would be using sewing machines and hand sewing their own Lalaloopsy dolls. A week at camp and she made a doll, a pet for her doll and a pillow (sewing wise- they did tons of other activities too).

This was her Lalaloopsy:

She sewed this herself. The stitches are very rough and the teacher had to help at a few points but for a five year old? Come on!

This sewing adventure led to new found interest in my sewing machine and in quilting. She announced on my birthday that she wanted to make a quilt for her sister. I was quick to oblige. I pulled out the stack of charm squares I have been amassing (with my scraps I try to cut a few 5" squares and put them aside since they are so easy to use) and she hand picked which squares she liked. She made a 6x8 quilt top on the floor and then got to sewing.

Very focused.

She was very focused and did an amazing job at keeping the fabric moving without pushing or pulling at all. She didn't exactly ace the perfect 1/4" seam but even I'm still not 100% with that one!

I thought she would lose interest. Not a chance. I did all the pressing (hot iron + five-year-old=burns?) and then she helped baste her quilt. She wanted a pieced backing. Girl after my own heart! I used a scrap of batting and I did an enclosed seam as if it were going to be a pillow cover instead of a quilt. This eliminated any need for binding.

She got right on the quilting. My Janome has about a zillion decorative stitches, 99% of which I have never tried. Not my brave quilter! She chose various stitches and then got to work sewing a line down the centre of each row.

Little hands guiding her quilt.

Finished! She was very proud.

This is the end result. A quilt for her baby sister, designed, pieced and quilted by her.

I may not love all her choices but she was thrilled! And she insisted I take pictures of it in the backyard "just like you do for your quilts, Mommy."

Some flannel she pulled from my stash for the backing. Great choices, I think. Yes, she pieced the back as well.

My favourite decorate stitch that I will have to steal for myself. Mode 3, Stitch 11, a curve that looks amazing.

And here is her baby sister enjoying the quilt:

Baby and quilt awesomeness.

She is already talking about making another quilt! She wanted to start one the same day. I think she might be hooked.

And when her little friend who is the same age came over for a sleepover, the friend, B, asked it she could make a quilt, too. She was not nearly as focused as my daughter was but she did announce that she wished she had a sewing machine at her house!

The friend's quilt. She insisted on putting those oranges together, and keeping all those similar pieces together. I let her have creative license!

The back of the friend's quilt.

Two five-year-olds hooked on sewing. I think I deserve a fabric shopping trip. And maybe a little sewing time for my own projects? My daughter is now eager to "help" now that she knows how to sew. :)

Lynn