Indigo Blues

I got the blues......the Indigo blues!

Went to the guild show today and stumbled upon authentic South African Indigo. Oh-mi-God. Right up my alley. I was so taken that I really didn't care what it cost, I had to have it.

Bought 8 pieces which are 1/4 yards (18x18). They cost $4.50 each. I had a hard time picking out only 8, but I figured I'm volunteering at the show Saturday and Sunday so I can always pick up a few more.

But then......I decided to research this fabric and found the actual South African textile mill where it is made, and they sell it online for a fraction of what I paid at the show, so I placed an order for 1/2 meter pieces, which, pardon my metric abilities, I believe is going to be something like 18x36 inch pieces. It costs the same to ship as it does to buy, but it's still less than the show price.

I'm excited. I love it's history, I love the prints, I love the color, I love the way it feels after it has been washed (in a washer full of blue jeans). This fabric screams for something special to be made from it. I'm so loving my Timeless Treasures (imitation--but I still adore it) Indigo fat quarter purchase I blogged about last week, but this new authentic Indigo is now the star of the stash.

Look it over and tell me how you think I should use it.

Bloggers Quilt Festival - A Notable Quilt, Though Not a Favorite

Here's my entry in the Spring 2009 Bloggers Quilt Festival being held this week over at Park City Girl blog.


It's the HGTV Strolling the Block quilt from years ago. I didn't start it until well into the monthly postings of the patterns. And I wasn't a quilter at the time. It just seemed like a fun project to do. I learned a lot of about fusible applique (i.e., don't cut out the pattern pieces from the fabric and then cut out pattern pieces from the fusible web and attempt to attach the two together LOL!).

Many summer days were spent sitting by my friend Anna's pool with our daughters' high school friends asking if they too could help with the blanket stitching around each piece....I almost felt like Huck Finn whitewashing the fence, but it certainly knocked a lot of hand-sewing out of my court for me.

To this day, the quilt is sandwiched, stitched in the ditch, and awaiting some free motion in the sky of each block when it can finally be bound and then who knows what will happen to it. There's a lot of embellishment on each block...buttons, seashells in a net, beads, yarn...not exactly conducive to being a quilt to snuggle under. It's definitely a display piece, and I don't really have anywhere it fits in.

My once teenage, eager to blanket-stitch daughter is now 25 and moving out into her own home next week. I'll be turning her bedroom into my new quilting studio, so maybe this quilt will finally have a place to hang. It is, after all, the project that led me to quilting, not to mention a catalyst for the memories of getting here.

I think that this will be the 'inaugural' project for my new space. Finishing up something old in something new sounds like a good plan.

My Favorite Quilt Shops - Homespun Hearth

I discovered this shop last Friday when I got an email from one of the hundreds of quilting and fabric sites I get emails from. This particular email caught my eye because it was for a special 50% off promotion.

I checked it out and they were offering a fat quarter bundle of Moda's Zippity Doo Dah line...40 fqs, and 2 panels, for the ridiculously unpass-up-able price of $55. While I never would have paid $109.95 for this in a shop, I couldn't resist at half price.

It shipped the same day I ordered it, and it arrived on Wednesday. What fun. It was wrapped in paper, tied with a ribbon, and hanging from the ribbon was a little 'fabric pocket'. In the pocket was a teabag, a tiny envelope full of marigold seeds, and a business card stating "Wish we could join you for some tea!" thanking me for my order. Too cute. (Apparently somehow this fabric pocket is going to come into play for some other promotion coming up).

The fqs were packaged by the shop (and tied with a strip of fabric), but no matter, it's the Moda fabric. (And seroiusly, how many printed Moda tapes does one need). It was also short one fq (only 39), but while I sent the shop owner an email to let her know, I didn't ask her to send a replacement, as at $55.00 for 39 fat quarters and 2 panels of Moda fabric, I couldn't, in good conscience, ask for one (I already feel like I 'stole' the bundle with the deal I got).

They also included a cheery little one page newsletter, which was nice, and a 5% discount on my next order coupon printed out with my online receipt.

The shop has weekly specials, as well as a good selection of sale merchandise, and their prices are slightly less than our local shops charge for yardage.

I'll be eagerly anticipating their Friday 50% off sales each week. At those prices, I've graduated from jelly rolls and charm squares to fat quarter bundles. Though, I do feel like I need to purchase regular priced merchandise as well, to show my appreciation for the deep discounts they offer.