What I bought

During the fabulous Sewing Symposium we did hit up FIVE quilt shops.  Sometimes I showed great restraint.... other times, not so much.

At The Bakery in Belle Fourche she had mini charm packs on SALE, so I kinda HAD to get some.  I picked up four to make table runners- which is my favorite mini charm pack project.  I bought the backings for three of the table runners.  I also picked up a Ducks in a Row charm pack.

On Saturday we went to three shops.  The first, Fabric City, was a great shop for me because I had my full punch card to shop with.  I bought 8 rainbow fat quarters.  Our group recently did a rainbow swap but I'm pretty sure a need a bit more for the quilt pattern I'm planning to do.   I also grabbed one April Showers fat quarter for the binding on the table runner I'm planning. 

my swoon fabrics- the floral will be in each block. 

At Quilt Connection I bought the fabric for my swoon quilt, which is the quilt along our group is going to start in September.  I also picked up the red fabric for the backing of the Potluck table runner.  

At our last Rapid shop, Quilt-iques, I bought two Christmas fat quarters for some ornaments I'm planning to make. 

At our last shop, Hill City Mercantile, I kept it reined in and just picked up these three fat quarters.  I think I'll make some zippy pouches with them.  

So you can see I made out pretty well.  I already have three of the four table runners done, but I'll share more about that later.  

A Sewing Weekend With Friends

Things around here are getting back to normal after a three day sewing weekend with some really great friends.  

Last Friday I went to the airport to pick up my friend Lisa, who I hadn't seen in real life since we graduated high school, but stay connected with on the facebook quilting group that I talk about all of the time.  

We met Amber and Kristen at my house later in the day and we headed to one of my favorite quilt shops.  Miranda met us there with her little guys.  

We did some serious shopping (I'll share my loot later).  Nothing breaks the ice of meeting online connections in real life quite like spending LOTS of money.

We again went back to my house where there was an exchange of sweet goodies and fun things!  Then we had dinner and settled in for several hours of sewing.

Saturday we hit up three local quilt shops in Rapid City.

 Then again went home for HOURS of sewing.   

Miranda taught a zipper pouch tutorial while I got dinner ready.  I did manage to make a few pouches too.  It was a new thing for Kristen and Lisa and everyone had lots of fun.

On Sunday we went to Hill City to hit up the fabric store there.  On the way there Miranda awarded buttons to everyone.... It was very fun.

 After the shopping we went to lunch and did a little wine tasting.  It was a very fun afternoon.

We sewed awhile on Sunday afternoon, but after supper most of the ladies needed to return to children.  Lisa and I continued to sew late that night though, and we both got a lot done.  

It was a great weekend.  I am so lucky to know so many great ladies that share a love for my hobby.  Even though most of the group didn't make it to South Dakota there was lots of photo sharing and encouraging commenting going on online.  It was amazing, and I hope the next sewing symposium will be just as wonderful.  

ALSO-  The hubs was amazing!  While we were out each day he vacuumed, cleaned the bathrooms, along with doing my morning watering, he even managed to keep himself and the monster out of the house while we were home sewing.  I'm the luckiest girl on earth! Truly.     

Sewing Symposium

Lots of sewing going on.... I'll fill you in soon.

Mystery Block of the Month

My Avalon quilt is DONE!  The long arm lady only took four days to get it quilted, and she bought the baptist fan design for her machine, so I even got it quilted just as I had hoped.  

I loved this quilt project.  Waiting for the blocks to arrive every month was very exciting, and I really enjoyed the mystery.  Finishing the quilt top was a chore, and I see why I hear so often people have years and years of mystery BOMs waiting to be finished.  It just isn't as fun.

I love these fabrics, which are surprisingly hard to find.  Luckily the monthly kits left me with lots of scraps!  I think I could make an entire set of the blocks again, but I won't! I had to really hunt to find backing, and it took awhile to find 5 1/2 yard of it, but finally I scored this pretty red print on Etsy.

Even though I shaved 3 inches from the border width this quilt is still very large.  It fits my full sized guest bed nicely.  

It's great to have it done.

By the way.... this would be my 30th finish for 2014.... just sayin'

String Break

I needed a little breather from the strings so I've tended to my rainbow swap duties.  I sorted the squares into the 7 groupings and I have them ready for the final color which should arrive this week.  I should get the envelopes ready while I wait.  This is our group's second rainbow swap, and this time I took two unclaimed colors so I will have a double portion of squares.  I loved the pinwheel I made last summer, and I'll have to start seriously considering what I should make with this round.

I've also started sewing my queen quilt blocks.  I cut this quilt out a couple of weeks ago.  This quilt will be a calm pace and I plan to take several weeks to assemble the top.  The backing is in my supply cabinet and once I do get this quilt top done and piece the backing I'm going to give it to a long arm quilter.  I could quilt it, but I don't want to!

I'll get back to string blocks soon.

A Wild Pair

A wild development in my string quilt!  I picked up backing for this giant quilt and it is really colorful.  And 'really colorful' would be an understatement.  The lady at the cutting table wrinkled her nose and said, " What in the world are you going to do with six yards of this?"  I had to laugh.

If she could see the front she would realize it's a very suitable companion for the quilt top that I'm making.  I have three of the eight rows sewn now.  It's a nice relaxing pace.  I grab a few strings, sew, press, trim, stick it to the design wall and BAM walk away.

I like it.