I've not had new magazines for a while it seems,
but look what came recently!!!!!
I love when I get a squishy envelope!

I like to shop locally, but when the local book store stopped carrying the Quilt Mania magazine, I got online and found a quilt shop that not only carried it, but would ship to me. I talked to the very nice ladies there and asked if they would add four reproduction fabric fat-quarters with each shipment, and they were happy to do so.  Because it's a bimonthly magazine, I receive a new shipment of fabrics every two months, also.  Win/Win!!!
Thank you Homestead Hearth!!! 

Also, I had a magazine on my want-to-read list - which I usually just wait and borrow from the library.  But since I was meeting a friend at the book store, I decided to look for that magazine while there.
I found it! -  the BHG American Patchwork & Quilting magazine and it came packaged WITH the Editors Favorites - Christmas Quilts issue, too.

Jackpot!!
I love the inspiration from Lisa of Primitive Gatherings Quilt Shop, so it was nice to see the Holiday Project magazine bundled together.

So, reading material for the evenings this week,
and great mourning purples and grays to add to my stash!!

Do you receive subscription magazines or pick them up while out shopping? 

Summertime fun

 Somehow, I've gotten myself into another stitch-along.
Does that statement ring a bell with you, too?

Memorial Day has passed,
and though not officially Summertime yet,
I've found some Summertime fun to get into!
Another quilt to start...
yes, I said START!

Just like you,
I have all this extra time, you know,

so I'm joining in on 

Lisa's  10th anniversary stitch along.

(click on the link above to take you to the block pattern)

It's only a new applique block every couple of weeks. :)

I figure I'll do them when I can,
& save the patterns when I can't get to it.
I really can't resist,
since it's a free pattern and
I can use up more of my cotton and wool plenitude!

Are YOU also going to join in on this Summertime fun??

Happy Stitching!
Debra

p.s.
Congratulations, Lisa on your 10th anniversary!
Thank You So Much
for the great, new, free design,
& for letting us help you celebrate!!

one penny, little pieces, & a star is born

That is a penny.

See that shiny little circle on the bottom left-hand corner?

Yep, a penny!

on that little project...

and all those little pieces are

half inch finished half-square triangles.

This:

a fat quarter each of red and black fabrics,
plus a fat eighth of tan fabric

plus 10 strips of these:

equals 120 of these little half-square triangles (not the penny!):

and in a couple of hours,
an almost 12 inch square wall hanging is done!

(Kits with patterns are available at my LQS if

you need to have

one of these little stars in your life!)

The pattern is by Primitive Gatherings...
Those little pieces are done using Thangles from the 'Mini Pack 1/2" and 3/4" packet'...
the penny is from your pocket...
Too cute!

International Quilt Festival Spring 2011

Fifty women...

a large bus...

going to one of the best attended quilt shows in the U.S..

As you know, any trip will have to involve stops for food...

and bibs:

 Ribs were one of the main menu choices,

and finger-licking good as I can attest.

When we arrived at the Show for the preview night,

the doors had already opened,

but we still got to be

corralled back and forth and back and forth,

just to make sure we were going to get in enough walking!

Here are a few of the gals from our bus group

coming around the corner under the Welcome Sign:

some of them already had on their "trip t-shirts"...

the blue ones with

"Because I said SEW"

across the front.

I visited with some old friends,

people that I keep running into ONLY at quilt shows.

 

I spent my moolah at some of my favorite booths...

 (not in any particular order)

Primitive Gatherings always has great kits - I couldn't resist!:

Lisa and Nick (aka Elvis) were both greeting & helping customers.

 Threads That Bind...

This is one of their new patterns...Alphabet Stew:

Then I ran around the corner to Country Threads...

these gals are sooo nice!

They also have great kits and packs and patterns:

I went back a couple of times to hit the Mary Flanagan Woolens booth,

and later in the evening I finally was able to get in and say hi to Mary.

She also does a GREAT job...

the booth looked great, the hand-dyed wools are to drool over (which I did),

and she was still smiling and happy to help me find (after a very long day)

some bittersweet colors for a project I'm dreaming up. 

Thanks Mary!

I bought a book of new-to-me patterns:

But it is Glenda's/Liberty Homestead's 25th Anniversary,

so don't know how I missed her all of these years, as I L-O-V-E her stuff!!! 

It was so very nice to meet Glenda, talk with her and see her booth of great stuff

(& I can see a road trip in my future!).

And, finally, here's a pic of me with my new BFF

Lori Smith of "from my heart to your hands":

(yes, i took this pic with my arm extended and neither of us has "the double chin thing" going on)-yay!

(P.S. to Colleen:  Lori SAID she & I are BFF's!)

(P.P.S to Lori:  Promise, I'm not a stalker!)

Lori ALWAYS has a bunch of new stuff 

& I want to stitch it ALL, RIGHT NOW.

Which, of course, is impossible.

But I did get just one of her new patterns:

This is  Mrs. Lincoln's Sampler...

all 5 inch finished blocks, half pieced, half applique.

I am really restraining myself not to start this one right away!

Enough for now, so

Later, Gators...

quilt show pics tomorrow!

No, to market, to market

I am a little sad...
Fall Market is this weekend in Houston...


I am not going to Quilt Market this fall....

(insert sad face here).


But, I can't wait to see everyone's posts about their trips!
And all of the new "stuff" from all the designers and shops!

I know that Primitive Gatherings has their own line of muslins that will debut...
and Brenda from Pumpkin Patch Primitives is going to go look for
some great stuff to have in her online shop.
Blackbird Design gals have new stuff.
Rosie is going, but, for the first time, no new patterns are going with her!
And, that is OK, 'cause she has been whipping them out lately!
(I still want to get the "Brown-eyed Girl pattern!)
Some of the gals from across the water: Lynette Anderson,  and Natalie and have some great new patterns that they have hinted about on their blogs.

I know that a lot of the local shop owners around here are going to Market.
And I know they will find us all kinds of great STUFF!!!

Wacky Wool Wednesday

So...

last night I hosted our monthly gathering

of the crazy, woolly ladies --

 as opposed to those "woolly hookers".

There were NINE of us.

Although the temperature was Africa Hot,

these nine gals ventured out,

most of them from the far side of town,

and brought their woolly projects!

Did I take any pictures?

No.

Did I have a great time?

Yes.

Did we accomplish much?

Don't really know, doesn't really matter.

Consensus was we had a grand, woolly time.

Here's an after-the-group-left shot of my corner of the table...

I started A Primitive Garden.

Yes, I needed to start another woolly project!

(a couple of the gals in this monthly group are doing A Primitive Garden as a block of the month from Primitive Gatherings; I am using their start as my push to work on a block a month also.  You know, a little push in the behind?!).

Notice in the background,

I have my "baby wash tub" full of wool scraps. 

(It's only holding wool scraps

until called into service for it's intended use,

in case my daughter  anyone was wondering.)

Also in the background is the corner of my "Wool Crazy" project. 

And a bag of goodies from The Good Wives.

There was an earlier in the day field trip: 

The Good Wives field trip

that some of us were able to do before the whole woolly group met.

Dangerous, Good Wives Company.

Dangerous, but great.

Now, I really should go do some quilting...

I'll check to see what the temp is in the Sun room/quilting room.

If it's too hot, I'll have to work on my wool!