Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Squirrels Abound OMG

I went to Expert Sewing in Port Charlotte on Saturday, as I found out by a fluke that they had been running a sale for a good chunk of the week to make room for new stock, and it was ending on Saturday.  A girl's gotta help them out, right?  I scored these lovelies, in my favourite combo of blue and green, in the clearance section, where they were $1 extra off per yard, so $4.99!  The white with grey x's is by Zen Chic, Modern Background Essentials.  Regular priced fabric was 30% off.  I could see bags.

Three yards of this Northcott came home with me too, from the clearance section.  I thought it might work as the backing of my mystery quilt, which I hadn't meant to be Christmassy.  I like it.

Then my sweet friend Tish and I have been having lovely (that's the word for this post apparently) iMessage convos about all things quilty, and some things not, and anyhow, one thing that came up was that she has wanted for some time to do a Swoon as well.  I'd mentioned it in my Sunday Stash post that my first fabric club shipment would work nicely for a big one.  Thus, an idea was born, where each of us is doing a Swoon quilt (we're starting with the mini) in February.  And, we've decided that we are joining in with Red Letter Quilts' OMG: One Monthly Goal (I just love intelligent acronyms like that!) to get this done.  Somehow our private little quilt along grew two more friends, Cindy of Stitchin' At Home and Julie of Pink Doxies. Fun! Fun!
http://thimbleblossoms.bigcartel.com/

The pattern is available at thimble blossoms. The four of us would not say no if you are wanting to pick up the pattern and join in.

This is how Dayna's quilt and Brady's movie do NOT get done...

And how fabric bought with no particular pattern in mind has now become some for my mini Swoon!
Sidenote: I was listening to a podcast on the weekend on Crafty Planner, episode 34, where Tula Pink said she finds there are two camps of quilt fabric buyers: those who buy fabric for a specific pattern and those who buy fabric and then later figure out what they want to do with it. I'm in the latter camp for the most part. 

So the blue and green Michael Miller fabric I bought has now decided it is going in the Mini Swoon.  I think the stripe will be binding, not sure.  I need 8 fat eighths, so taking out the stripe means I have four here.  This morning I spent some lovely time pulling some other fabrics, fabrics that will "go" but contrast at the same time.  I liked the little hits of light blue in the navy/green fabrics, so I started there.  Thought pink as a contrast to the cooler colours here, but it felt too soft.  In my Tula Pink's City Sampler stack of fabrics, I had some leftover red from Parisville Weave, and I liked it! Here is the final combo:
The Kaufman light blue with red hits in it was yet another score at the sale, and the daisies is one of my 10 yards in the Craftsy 10-yard bundle I bought a while back.
 Something new, something old, something borrowed (the reds from Parisville Weave as well as The City Sampler), something blue!

This will be so much fun.

Speaking of fun, you may want to stay tuned to this blog, as well as to Julie's Pink Doxies, as we have come up with something pretty sweet and fun for next week leading up to Valentine's Day!  Did I mention there will be prizes?  Love stirring up the waters, creating intrigue...

Finally a "feels like Florida" Red-Letter Day yesterday!  At the halfway point of our Bradenton Riverwalk dogwalk, Rocco found a walk-in spot to the Manatee River and in he went and promptly laid down!
Unfortunately, I couldn't get my phone out fast enough to capture that hilarious moment.  He was like, "I'm done you guys; I need to cool off before we head back; the water's lovely!"  Then Brandy and Naala decided to join him but they didn't lie down.   Our private little joke when people ask, "Just what kind of dog is that?" about either Rocco or Brandy, both pibbles, aka pitties, aka Pitbulls, is, "Oh that's an Oklahoma Water Dog," which doesn't exist but helps in avoiding the prejudice these sweet dogs face all the time.  Well, Rocco, unlike Brandy, who dislikes water, definitely IS the second half of that made-up dog breed!

Linking up with Red Letter Quilts for OMG for February!


15 comments:

  1. Yes! Yes! Yes! I love the colors. I like that bright pop of red with the greens and blues. I'm hoping to pull my fabrics tonight. "Oklahoma Water Dog" I am so going to borrow that one. Usually, I just say I don't know, their dad was a beagle and the mom was a bernese mountain dog. It changes...usually two random dogs that have nothing to do with anything. Why not be crazy?

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  2. Swoon quilts are so gorgeous. Your color combos are terrific. I would love to do one someday but this will NOT be my personal squirrel today. I've found the perfect backing for the quilt I'm working on and am encouraged to finish it off while I'm able. It was really hard to walk out of the store without a lot of other fabric that I really did not need. I already have an OMG list of 12 and could easily double it. Pocketfull of Sunshine is the only squirrel I'm allowing into my space. :D Love the Oklahoma Water Dog designation. PBs are sweet dogs; the fact of the matter is more people probably fall victim to the yappers and ankle biters than to PBs.

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  3. I love that you are all going to work this month on a mini swoon block and encourage each other along the way. And what a great use for your new fabrics. I like the reds you are going to bring into it, too.

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  4. I have been wanting to make a Swoon for like Forever. Just can not cut into my DS Hope Valley fat quarter bundle for some odd reason?? I purchased the mini pattern after Thanksgiving and planned on making a Christmasy Swoon. I have a stack of red and green prints. I have some 6 colored stacks cut out all ready but did not sew any blocks before Christmas. I found the most awesome wintery horse print for fabric clearanced out at 70% off after the first of year that will likely be backing. Mine may be more than 4 blocks? I would love to quilt along.

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  5. It will be fun to see what you all do with your swoon quilts - Love the fabric combo you lined up Sandra! Hope you gather in a few more friends to quilt along too.
    I wonder what Rocco would think if he saw a manatee. Our dogs would be out of that water faster than you can blink, but I bet Rocco would try to make friends. Really cute story!

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  6. Oh I love your fabric pull! Of course how can a girl not help out a store in need of room for more pretties. This is going to be soooo much fun.

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  7. Beautiful fabrics=beautiful quilt ;-) I am sure they were glad you helped them out! I love swoon quilts, haven't made one but I just can't take on anything more. I just got another order for another valentine quilt but she won't get it for a month, she was OK with that.

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  8. This should be a great quilt. Have fun Swooning along with the others.

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  9. Love that Ohlahoma Water dog! Had to smile - we had a mostly black Basset and lots of people were wary of him too!

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  10. What a fun quilt along, the swoon pattern is great. I like the backing fabric for the mystery quilt!

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  11. I am a "buy it if I like it and figure it out later...maybe..." kind of gal. My husband insists I should have a plan in order to buy it but I think that ruins the creative vibe so if he's along I have to think fast but I reserve the right to change my mind. We just got out of another cold few days here in AZ so hopefully things will warm up. Oh, I enjoyed reading about your stash in your second home. I had to leave half of what I packed behind...I had a choice...either all the fabric goes or I go so I compromised. But I have had to make several trips to the local quilt shop to buy colors that were left behind. Serves him right!

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  12. Yummy fabrics! They are going to look gereat in Swoon.

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  13. I love your stash additions. And I'm chuckling that you bought a Christmas fabric for the backing.

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  14. I love the fabrics! :)
    Greetings from Finland!
    Hugs, Ulla

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