Atlanta Shop Hop Part 2

Ok. I'm just plowing ahead with this post. I've been trying to get this post published since last Saturday. I've been working on my blog, changing a few things, updating the template and did something that wasn't right:) My photos weren't uploading right. Yesterday, it finally occurred to me what I could do to correct the problem. It has helped, but I've updated everything and am having to learn the new features on Blogger. I haven't been able to manipulate the photos, but at least they are somewhere on this post.

 The Sunday of the Atlanta Shop Hop was "field trip" day. Pat, Debbie, Kristie and I went on a road trip to Scarlet Thread Quilt Shop. There's always lots of laughter when we get together. Lot of "retail therapy", too. Scarlet Thread had some great samples and fabric. I was looking for yardage for the layer cakes that I won a couple of weeks ago. Sure enough I found what I needed to make a Schnibbles quilt or two. My cousin who lives in Houston is waiting for her first grandchild. It's a boy. I thought I would collect some black and white prints that looked masculine - no florals. I picked up fat quarters at Patchwork Cottage on Thursday, Sweet Home on Saturday and Scarlet Thread on Sunday. I'm actually working on 3 different black and white quilts. I do tend to obsess when I find fabric that I like :)

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(From Sweet Home)

At Patchwork Cottage, I purchased a Bar Harbor charm pack to add to a top that I'm cutting out in reds, blues and tans. Kristie and I split a half-yard of the dog fabric. Even though this doxie is black and not tan like my Rusty, I "needed" this fabric:)

After shopping on Sunday, we ate a late lunch. In the middle of the meal, Kristie pointed to the medal colander on the table. Immediately Pat put it on her head, but alas "Moda Man" had already sent out the fabric waves that made us purchase much Moda.  Don't you just love the plaque that was hanging at Scarlet Thread, "Friends are Like fabric,you can never have too much." Bravo!

National Quilting Day

Happy Quilting to all! Today, March 20th is National Quilting Day. It was a fabulous day with lots of quilting fun. I actually began celebrating last night with the Friday Night Thimbles group. Last month, I had to miss our quilting day because of our county Readers Rally competition. This month, I sewed with my quilting buddies Friday after work and most of the day today. Brenda and Kristie sewed on Friday evening, too. Last weekend, I cut out a new project, Scrappy Nines by Pat Wys of Silver Thimble Quilt Company. I used tone-on-tone black for the red in the pattern and white with black for the shirtings.

I sewed strips for the nine-patches last night and today. Of course, there was lots of chatting and laughing, not so much serious sewing. Show and Tell was wonderful.

There were lots of fantastic quilt tops. This top was pieced by a new quilter. This is her second quilt. It's a Miss Rosie's Quilt Pattern called Grandma's Scrapbag. Her choice of color for this top is super.

Mary Agnes (no blog) pieced this top using '30's fabrics. It's from a magazine, but she couldn't remember which one. I'm hoping she e-mails me the title, month and year. I have a bit of 1930's fabric:)

Sarah (no blog) created these awesome P.J. bottoms. They're perfect for Spring.

Karin, who blogs at Life in the Slow Lane shared this wonderful quilt using Moda's Glace fabric. The pattern is from Fig Tree Quilts (I think)

After our sewing session, Kristie and I headed to Sweet Home Quilt Shop in Conyers. This weekend is the Atlanta Quilt Shop Hop. Sweet Home is one of our favorite, if not favorite shop. The shops have new samples, new fabric, and decorate with a theme. Sweet Home's theme was As American as Apple Pie. Yum! Each shop gives away a pattern for a quilt block. Quilters have to visit all 11 shops to get all the patterns. This is Sweet Home's Shop Hop Quilt.

One of the quilts in the foyer.

This masterpiece was done by Debbie Frey. She is the class sample for an upcoming class she will be teaching at Sweet Home.

This quilt is from the book 40 Fabulous Quilts. I am cutting fabric to make this top. I am using red, blue and tan scraps from other projects.

This was one wonderful National Quilting Day!

Pat Sloan's Radio Show

I first began to read and follow blogs after hearing designer Pat Sloan speak at a Gwinnett Quilt Guild meeting several years ago. At first there were just four blogs that I read daily. Pat's blog was one of those four blogs. Her Yahoo groups provided much inspiration and motivation. In the past couple of weeks, Pat has begun a new endeavor, her radio show or podcast. I enjoy listening to podcasts while driving home from school. Pat's radio show is a fabulous addition to the radio shows/podcasts that are available for us quilters. I download it from ITunes, but you can listen to it directly from her website. Pat is doing a tremendous job in interviewing her guests. Her questions about creativity with each guest has been insightful. The next show is one in which Pat herself will be interviewed.

Pat encourages listeners to post questions or comments on her blog. Imagine my surprise to discover that I had won a give-away after posting a comment on the show with Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilt Company. It was like winning the Grand Prize Sweepstakes.

A photo of three layer cakes for three winners was posted on both Pat's blog and Carrie's blog. When my box arrived, I expected to find one layer cake. I was very excited to receive one layer cake. To my surprise there were two layer cakes in the box. I love Moda pre-cuts, but have to purchase them sparingly. The priority mail box was stuffed full of quilting goodness.

Here are the two layer cakes. One is Sorbet by Moda. The other is BasicGrey Blush from Moda. Both layer cakes have great potential. My brain is plotting new projects using these new to me fabric lines.

Carrie shares on the radio show about her Schnibbles patterns. I have exactly one Schnibbles pattern in my pattern collection. Look at the 8 patterns that are now part of my collection! I'm anxious to take one of the layer cakes and create a quilt or two with these new to me Schnibbles.

But that's not all the box contained. A new Olfa rotary cutter has a new home at my place. Thanks Pat and Carrie! What a win! Thanks Pat for an awesome radio show, the newest addition to our quilting community!

In Trouble Now

I shopped at a Knitting Store. All that yarn was begging to come home with me. I managed to purchase just one skein and new needles. I finished a scarf, but didn't like how it looked so I ripped it out and began a new one. I had hoped to finish it before winter ended. We've had a long, cold winter and it would have been handy. I'm nearing the end of the scraf. Kristie, who blogs at M.S. Doolittle Quilter has attempted to instruct me in knitting socks. I do great as long as Kristie is sitting next to me to answer my questions. When I get home and knit alone, I don't know what to do. I haven't given up. I will knit socks and even wear them!