Fabricaholic

If you follow me on Instagram you will have seen these pretty fabrics were delivered last week.

 

 I have had an Etsy store for years where I sold completed quilts and table runners and some of my stash fabric.  But recently I have been in the process of building my store and inventory.  To be honest - I'm not doing this to build the biggest and best store out there.  I will never have 1000's of items for sale.  I am not in this to make a living selling fabric.  I decided to do this so I can get away with buying bolts of fabric and hiding it from my husband!  Why buy 5 yards - when I can have 15 yards?  The whole reason I got into quilting was because I LOVED the fabric. 

 

In the beginning - maybe about 10 years ago - I got into embroider - and I wasn't very good.  My sister was REALLY good and made the cutest projects we started turning into pillows.  I started buying fabric so I could help her make pillows.  When I had too much fabric - and enough pillows to fill a room from top to bottom - I decided I needed to branch out and start making something bigger then a pillow that took 4 2 1/2 inch stripes.  I was never going to use all my stash this way!  So I bought my first piece of real fabric for a quilt.  It was the 3 Sisters Gingham Rose patchwork cheater fabric.  (Gingham Rose is still one of my ALL TIME FAVORITES - I want to chant reprint to Moda)  I bought fabric for borders - and my friend Ann sewed them on - and I bound it - it was my first efforts in quilting - the binding.  But I LOVED this quilt and I still do.  One of my all time favorites.  I then got serious and bought fat quarters or Paris Flea Market and made my sister a quilt.  All squares - and 2 pink squares - same fabric, touching - didn't notice it until I was done.  Til this day it DRIVES ME CRAZY! But I love that quilt.  It is far from perfect but she loves it, and I loved the feeling of making something so special for the people I loved in my life.  And so my addiction began.  I began buying more and more fabric.  Fat Quarters were my drug of choice at the time.  I started a little 2nd job at Pine Needles.  Each week when I got paid - I took out the stash I had made for myself and cashed my check right back there in the drawer.  Never even left the building.  When we moved into a new house - finished our basement a few years later - I had closets built in my big sewing room - specifically to fit the bins of fabric.  I sometimes wish now I had hangers to hang things on instead of shelves!  But it was all about the fabric.   

 

 

Which is why I wanted to get into selling fabric.  In my shop you will only see fabric I love.  So I apologize right now if we don't have the same taste in fabric!  I have worked in Corporate America for almost 20 years - and to say I don't love my job is an understatement.  Being about to quilt for people and send pretty packages of fabric - is like a dream job for me that I'm working towards making a full time gig out of.  If I want to love my job - I have to stick with looking and cutting fabric day in and day out that I love!  That being said - I think I have a variety in taste.  Yes I'm currently drooling over anything Bonnie and Camille put out - but I'm OBSESSED with 3 Sisters and I think I always will be!  I have been loving anything Tasha Noel from Riley Blake puts out and I even ordered myself a bundle of Kansas Troubles the other day.  I love bright and cheery "Vintage Modern" looks of today - as well as traditional quilts with the warm colors.  So I hope as I grow my inventory you'll see a variety. 

 

 

I will be carrying primarily precuts - because to be honest - with a full time job, 2 little ones, a house that rarely gets cleaned, a quilting job, I don't know if I have it in me to cut yardage for hours on end each night.  So precuts are easy - and I love them.  I can't remember the last time I made a big quilt and started with yardage!  But when a line comes in that I REALLY love - you may see yardage in the shop.  April Showers is an example of that - and yardage will be showing up in the next few weeks!  YAY!!!!!  I'll also give you a little hint - that some Far Far Away  - will be showing up in a few months (THE WHOLE LINE). 

 

I hope if you're feeling the need to add some April Showers or this cute Organic Patchwork you'll think of me. 

 

Over the next few months - I'm going to start a Monthly/Weekly special and maybe incorporate backing into quilting specials or something like that.  I know this hobby of ours doesn't come cheap - and I want to find a way to make projects more affordable for everyone.  I love seeing the inspiration on blogs and instagram and I would like to do my part to help keep those projects flowing.  I am blessed to see the quilts flow through my house each day - and I have loved every minute of it!  I hope to keep them coming! 

 

 

I'm getting a big shipment of Christmas (YES CHRISTMAS ALREADY) precuts in the next week or so - and April Showers Yardage should be shipping soon - so please check back!  In the spirit of Christmas (cause I need to start early if I'm going to get anything done by December) I'm going to have these cute kits for sale when the yardage arrives.  I feel head over hills in love with Bonnie's Cabin Christmas quilt and can't wait to make my own!  If you're interested in a preorder of the kit - let me know.  They should be ready to ship out in mid March if the yardage comes as expected.  I'll keep you posted!

 

Hope you have a wonderful week - I'll be quilting and have a little Bonnie and Camille parade of quilts to show you soon.  I think I'm swimming in their fabric/patterns this last week!  Makes my job so fun!

 

 

Lesson's From Jake

Most days I ask Jake how school is going.  Who he played with at recess, what he learned about, if he was kind and had good manners. 

A few weeks ago - I picked him up from school and he got in the cry with big tears in his eyes saying this was the worst day ever. 

You see - at recess they have what he calls "Boys Club/Girls Club" the boys go into one area and the girls are in another.  In the past it didn't seem like much happened up to that point.  But today he said they all started hitting each other.  I asked him what he did.  "I went and told the teacher."  I asked what she did "nothing" he said.  So he had gone to play by himself and was so sad and lonely.  My heart just ached - as I didn't think I'd be having to deal with this so early on.  I told Jake I was very proud of him for doing what was right and for not hitting.  For trying to make the situation better. 

The next day he was upset again - told me he started his own club the "super hero club" and no one would join.  It makes me teary just thinking about it now.  I almost wanted to tell him to go back to the old club and hit the girls - to just fit in and not have to worry about being on his own.  I asked him what a few of his friends did at recess - and told him to go find those friends tomorrow.  To stay strong and just play with other kids.  There doesn't need to be a club - just play. 

The next day he told me Katie and Bailey joined the club - and each day after he'd tell me another name or two.  He has a lot of kids in his club now - and even has a cute girl who offers people treats to come join the super hero club.  haha. 

I am so grateful I have such a sweet kind child who knows right from wrong - he has such a good head on his shoulders - and he stayed strong even through a few tough lonely days on the playground.  Instead of giving in to peer pressure and going with the flow - he stood up for what he knows he should do - and was a leader.  I am such a proud mom - and terrified of what the next 16 years will bring.  I mean - if there is this much drama in 3 hours of school a day already ---- heaven help me.

Being a mom is the best. 

Client Quilts

Be prepared - picture heavy!  I did so well blogging a few weeks ago - and then nothing - so I'm trying to get caught up with the quilts I've worked on in the last few weeks.

 

First up wsa this beautiful quilt.  The picture is kind of blurry - but those navy squares have embroidery in all of them.  I can't even begin to show you the work that went into this quilt!  There was some back on forth on whether she wanted custom or not, and in the end decided to go with an all over flower pattern. 

She chose Flower Panto and we used a variegated blue/purple thread.  It matched perfectly with the top.  I was a little worried that the flower would over power her embroidery blocks but they didn't at all.  Just blended in and the quilt looked great. 

Jean's main reason for wanting the flower was for the backing - navy minky - and it looked awesome! 

This next quilt I made me go down and start cutting out fabric.  I've made this star tutorial several times and love it - one of my go to quick patterns.  But Jenene made a baby version and added a cute patchwork border to boot!   

Jenene used a cute Riley Blake line called Boy Crazy?  maybe?  Can't remember the exact name - and chose Loops and Swirls.  I love loops and swirls - whenever I haven't used this pattern for awhile I wonder why I haven't.  It looks great on everything and just adds the right amount of texture without taking anything away from the quilt and fabrics. 

She had this cute chevron minky for the backing - perfect for her grandson's 1st birthday!  Now I need to get going on mine - I cut it all out using Sidewalks from Riley Blake - seeing this picture makes me want to go down and sew! 

I can't get enough of patchwork quilts.  I.ALWAYS.LOVE.THEM.ALWAYS.  I don't know if its the simplicity - the way the fabrics stand out and play together.  But I always am happy to see and/or make a simple patchwork quilt. 

Julie made hers out of the same Boy Crazy line from Riley Blake (I think) and chose Wish on a Star for the quilting pattern.

I loved the aqua border and orange backing - Julie wasn't crazy about the orange, but I love the pop of color! 

This next quilt I love to look at the pattern.  You can every once in awhile see a wonky looking star!  I love seeing patterns within a pattern. 

We did Flight of Fancy on this quilt. 

Harder to see - but fit well with all the flowers in the fabrics!

Carol send me a few quilts - they are all so fun and different from each other.  This next one is a postage stamp quilt and has been on my WIP list to finish for a long time!

and when she picked Spools of Thread - I thought genius!  Quilting up postage stamp quilts or Scrappy Trip quilts I always think what a fun "scrap book" of fabrics you've used.  And what could be better then Spools of Thread on top of all the many pieces of fabric that has been used over the years!

This next quilt Carol made just to use the Koi pattern. 

I was so excited because I had never quilted it before and this was the perfect quilt for it.  I loved all the Asian inspired reds and golds in this quilt.  Pictures do not do it justice! 

I loved this quilt and working on it because these fabrics are not something I would normally quilt with - but I was mesmerized the whole time this quilt was on my machine.  I truly loved the pattern she chose, the Koi fish quilting - and the beautiful textures of the fabrics.  This quilt was stunning and so much fun to work on!

 

Diane sent me over these next 2 quilts.  I love getting multiple quilts from people and seeing how differently they contrast! 

This is a fun springy quilt - and Diane chose Tickle for the pattern - one of my favorites! 

 

I love what a whimsical looking feather this is! 

Her next one was this fun quilt out of Comma - Love the black border. 

She chose Orange Peel for the quilting - probably the most popular pattern right now!

Look at the back - LOVE how orange peel looks on solid backing - and loved the fun stripes she had down the sides!

One more close up!

I took these next few pictures on one of the few bright sunny days we've had in January - and now that I see the pictures - maybe too bright!  I just can't win with finding the right light these days for picture taking!

Kristen used a Riley Blake line for this fun quilt and wanted Splat on it.  Love the texture Splat brings to the table!  A fun springy pattern and quilt. 

This next quilt from Ashley was so fun to quilt for several reasons.  I love these cute little houses (I think a Cluck Cluck Sew pattern)

The top border is blue - to be like the sky (again, I know hard to see with the brightness!) She wanted Glacee to feel like it was snowing. 

Her backing was so cute with a stripe of houses and pinwheels and a label. 

This next quilt is Sherri's APQ quilt - if you haven't been following this quilt along you should be! I have loved seeing all the ladies featured in the quiltalong and how different each and every quilt looks!   

Sherri chose clamshells for her quilt and it turned out great!  I think clamshells offer a great texture and somehow softens the feel (yes the actual feel) of a quilt. 

Kristen's next quilt was a patriotic one.

We went with Star Spangle Banner this pattern is quickly becoming my favorite patriotic pattern!

Look how fun it is on the back!

 

If you've stuck with me this long I really appreciate it!  Sorry for the overload of pictures - but I'm trying hard to get caught up so I can stay caught up!  And its so fun to relive all these quilts!  Thanks for stopping by today!