Shopping frenzy

Luckily I went to quilting on Wednesday night, after missing last fortnight, because someone reminded me that there was a quilters garage sale on Thursday - as you can see I brought a few bargin priced books ($15) and a small quilt top for the grand sum of $5!!!

I am not sure what I am going to do with the Court House Steps top, as it is only 31" x 45"; too big for a table runner, perhaps a small table cloth? Or I could add more blocks to square it up and make a lap quilt, what do you think? However I am going to be good and include it on my UFO list.. even though I didnt start it! It is made with really nice fabrics, totally my favorite country colours, however I doubt I have much fabric that would match, as most fabrics are repeated in each block. Perhaps a plain border and then a pieced border in similar colours? The possiblities are endless, the time factor remains to be seen!



So BEFORE I went to the bargin garage sale, I had been to the patchwork shop (three marine prints) and had a small splurge! In my defence I didnt have a good start to Wednesday... I had to fish a toy out of the toilet... so retail therapy was required. And then we had a mobile shop visit our group, selling fat quarters (Lynette from Quilters Quarters) which I couldnt resist, as she had some more novelty fabrics. When I made the animal I Spy I lacked cats, dogs and horses. So I have now added some to my stock, but that doesnt quite explain why the fish, turtles, polar bears or frogs (bright pink they are well hidden in this pic) had to come home with me. I think I might have to make another animal quilt to justify all these new purchases. And of course spots and stars dont require explinations, i think its just compulsory to have them in your stash. Luckily DH is very understanding and doesnt seem to notice the newly washed fabric on the clothes line.

HINTS for washing fabric: Lessa Siegele told me that a quick swish and dunk of fabric in hand hot water is sufficient to tell if the fabric is going to run or not. You can just spin them dry in your machine after that and hang then out to dry as normal. This method avoids tangling fat quarters with your undies and the 10,000 loose threads that develop on the edges, resulting in less fabric for sewing. Wouldnt you know it, it has only taken me 10 years to appreciate that this method (also favored by my mother!) is superior to throwing new purchased fat quarters into my weekly wash. It just goes to show you should listen to your mother!
If you live in Adelaide Lessa is running a second Quilters Garage Sale at the All Saints Church Hall, Bedford Square, Col Light Gardens on February 18th from 10am to 3pm. If it is going to be 36C plus then it will be postponed to March 18th at the same venue. There were plenty of books, heaps of patterns and fabric left after I had found my bargins. All proceeds are going toward their Bedford Fund raising event. Lessa and Faye also run a fantastic Mystery Quilt workshop, 13th or 27th March for more information see Quilt Guild SA website.

3 comments:

  1. Gosh you have had some great shopping. Personally I love spot fabric. For my next quilt I am thinking of digging into my stash of spots. I think you might have to live with the quilt top a bit and then let it tell you what it wants. Have a great weekend.

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  2. You have some great bargains and looking at the fabrics makes me want to create a quilt for my DD who loves animals.

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  3. We were at a Kaz sale today and there was fabric offcuts and remnants for sale. Some of the fabric was totally gorgeous but Andrew asked me what I would do with them because many were upolstry onese. Eh, I said that you buy fabric you like and you'll find something to do with it later (I wanted some upolstry fabric recently for a project but ended up with a layer of decorative cotton and a layer of cotton drill to give it strength). Anyway, I didn't come home with any fabric for my stash.

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