Flower Fantasy

Shades of lavender and blue floral prints were the perfect choice for this quilt, and the vintage block is one of my favorites that I requested from Blue Wren.

In this color palette, they look more like flower blossoms than fans. The little yellow center is a bit tricky to stitch, but I took it slow and steady. The larger curve is a breeze. Even the y-seam at the bottom went together nicely.

I added a narrow 2” border in lilac before pinning and quilting. I used light gray thread and a quilting ruler (Which Way border) to quilt the allover design. Flower Fantasy is 53” square. 

There's a story behind the backing/binding. The blocks were finished and on my design wall. My sweetie and I went out to run errands last Wednesday morning. When we grabbed a quick coffee & biscuit at McDonald's, I spied a pop-up $10 per bolt fabric sale on Facebook. At his urging, we made the 30 mile detour to Smart Art in Nashville to check it out. Yes, he is a wonderful enabler and I know how lucky I am to have him.

Oh my, bolts and bolts stacked on shelves. I ended up with 30 bolts of excellent quality quilting cotton, each ranging from 5 to 25 yards. It worked out to be about $1 per yard. I also snagged 15 large cones of thread for a dollar each. We left quite a bit behind, because I am running out of storage space! It's a great store, the inventory is all donated and changes often. I will definitely go there again.

Anyway, one of the fabrics was the exact color match for these blocks so I used some of it for the backing/binding. 

The moral of the story is: 
Always make time for detours and adventures!

Dies used:
Blue Wren 6981 Abaniko 12” finished block
Accuquilt 55017 Strip 2½”

Pieced on Singer 404 Elizabeth
Quilted on Janome 9450 Janelle

Smithereens

Smithereens

Today's quilt is the second one that I pieced at the campground. I love designs created with remnants. Four large colorful medallions are made up of triangles cut with the Morningstar die.

When we got home, I added corner triangles to the octagon shaped pieces. Since I added rows, I didn't have the perfect size, so I cut larger ones and trimmed down when I squared up the blocks.

Smithereens is 48” square. I quilted with beige thread, following the outline of each quarter section in a bullseye design, then diagonally across each block. I added a decorative stitch along the main seam lines.

Dies used:
Accuquilt 
55556 Morning Star 12”
55017 Strip 2 ½”

Blue Wren

6522 Half Square Triangle 8 ½” (trimmed to size)

FABRIC UPDATE: Well, I got a phone call from Mrs. Mary. She didn't sell all the fabric at her yard sale, so she offered me the opportunity to shop some more. You have to know that I couldn't resist! 

Nine bankers boxes came home with me this time, just over 400 yards of quilting cotton for $200.  There are baggies of precuts and remnants, plus fabric up to 15 yard lengths.  I worked on it all week.  It's neatly folded and stacked in the closet now, and I've already cut my next quilt.

I promise I won't be looking for fabric sales for a while. I may never leave the sewing room.

Keys To Imagination

Keys To Imagination

Another week, another quilt! This beauty is a medallion quilt made with the Morning Star die, one of my Christmas gifts. I love that the block can look completely different depending on color choices and placement.

Keys To Imagination seemed a fitting name for this design. I worked it out in EQ8 software before cutting.  Lots of pieces in this project, so I kept a color printout by my Janome while I sewed to keep everything in order.

Fabric in my favorite purple and lilac hues contrasts perfectly with the sweet print, stripe, and creamy tan.

This 36” square is hanging in my sewing room. I quilted with light tan thread around the curvy areas, then added straight lines both ways across each block center.

Accuquilt dies used:
55556 Morning Star 12”
55017 Strip 2 ½”

Estate Sale Update: It took two days to measure and inventory my unbelievable $80 acquisition from last week. A total of 161 pieces of fabric added 333 yards to my ever-growing stash. I now have over 1400 yards of quilting cotton. 

Yes, I am an addict. And, before you ask, my sweet husband is an enabler. He knows the total, and still always encourages me to grab up these bargains.  I'm a lucky woman and I love him dearly.  

Another Fabric JACKPOT!

I hit an unbelievable jackpot last week. Fabric for one dollar a yard!  It all started with an innocent trip to the grocery. As we walked in, I noticed a flyer on the bulletin board: Fabric for sale, $1 a yard. WHAT? I pulled off one of the phone number tags and tucked it in my pocket. Probably too good to be true, I thought.

After we got home, I called and went to check it out, wearing my COVID mask. Oh, yeah there was fabric. A whole room full of good quality, beautiful material in a rainbow of colors, folded and labeled. All priced at $1 per yard. Miss Betty, in her 80's, has arthritis and just can't sew any more.

I focused on the quilting cotton, and quickly gathered up bundles from ¼ yard remnants to 12 yard bolts of 108” backing. It's a good thing I keep a large bin in my Escape, because I filled it up, along with several tote bags. I spent $200 and hardly made a dent in her inventory.

Of course, my sweet husband told me I should go back for more. His reasoning was simple: get all you can since it's good stuff and insanely priced. He'd rather I spent $1 per yard now instead of $5 to $15 later. And he was right. The next morning I headed back over there, armed with large laundry baskets.

So, in less than 24 hours, I added 500 yards of quilting cotton in a variety of prints and solids to my already huge collection of fabric. Five hundred dollars is definitely a lot to spend, but I'm pretty sure I won't need to buy anything except batting for several years.

I had to clear out some things to make space. It took me nearly three days to sort, fold onto mini-bolts, and enter all of it into my inventory spreadsheet.

I am over the moon. Thanks, Miss Betty!

They say money can't buy happiness,

but it CAN buy fabric,

and that makes me more than happy!

Singer Slant-O-Matic 500 Rocketeer

Singer Slant-O-Matic 500
Rocketeer

Do you know what sometimes happens when you're just browsing around, not intending to buy anything? Yep, that item catches your eye and you are hooked.

I've been bad. I certainly didn't need another sewing machine, especially a vintage one from the early 1960's. But this Singer Slant-O-Matic 500 is so cool looking, so space age and interesting that it is commonly known as the Rocketeer. Price was only $49, including the original manual and accessory box, so I figured why not.

My sweet husband and I cleaned, degunked lint and grease out of the gears, replaced a worn bobbin winder tire, broken spring, and a few other parts. We polished this well built gem to a shine. I love working on projects with my guy.

She sewed beautifully, even before we cleaned her up. But now, what lovely stitches! I had attachments from my Athena 2000 that fit, but ordered some cams and bobbins. My investment is around $100 so far; I call that a bargain!

Rockette won't be my primary machine, but I will use her often enough to keep everything running smoothly. I tested her out by quilting and binding a small project and she sewed a dream.

Rockette at work

I've got to stay away from antique malls, thrift stores, yard sales, and online marketplaces. I'm too easily tempted! I don't have space or funds to go crazy collecting sewing machines. But, if I win the lottery...

Bright And Sassy

Bright and Sassy

I needed sunglasses to work on this one! Bright orange and hot pink prints paired with black and white small and mini dots make a striking quilt. The 8” shoo fly blocks went together quickly. 

Larger white and pink dots on black for the backing and long rows of narrow serpentine stitching are a sassy modern take on this vintage block. Bright and Sassy finished out at 32” x 40” size.

 

Although it may seem like I haven't left the sewing room, I did go on a quick bargain hunt last week. These cute pottery plates were only a quarter each at a local thrift store. They remind me of a diner. 

A bit of research found that they were made during the 1930's and 40's in Brazil. I bought four small plates and four shallow salad bowls. The $1 glassware came from Dollar Tree.  These are perfect for a quick meal in our bay window breakfast nook.  

A bargain is something

you don't need

at a price

you can't resist.