Sunday Stash #22

There may have been one or two purchases this week. Ahem.

First up, my next Frivol tin had arrived and its Paisley and Polka Dots by Minick and Simpson. 

Whilst I'm a big fan of red, blue and white colour schemes and polka dots, the busy paisley prints would normally have dissuaded me form buying this so its good I've been pushed out of my comfort zone.

Next, some yardage of Flutterberry by Melly and Me for Riley Blake. 

This, along with more fabric yet to arrive, is going to be a Bella Boutique "Social Butterfly" quilt for a little newborn girl. Not much I can do until the rest of the fabric turns up! The cream is the backing and the pink is the border and binding.

Next a quick trip to Oz for Jen Kingwell's Steam Punk pattern and some awesome templates from Sunset Seams that arrived super fast. Just over a week for something that travelled half way around the world. Wow!

More patterns, this time by Elizabeth Hartwell and Kate Spain.

Back to fabric and a fat quarter bundle of Pie Making Day by Brenda Ratliffe for RJR. This will go nicely with the Lacuna modern sampler pattern I have (which I think is also by Brenda?).

A layer cake of Modern Background by Zen Chic for Moda

And fat quarter bundles of Imprint by Katarina Roccella for Art Gallery Fabrics finishes things off. 

I was thinking about using the Imprint for the Hazel Hedgehog pattern but I'm now worried that the spikes of Hazel might get lost in the print. Ah well, I'll just have to buy more fabric!

My motto is: if you're good all the time, people aren't impressed when you behave. 

Sunday stash #17

For some time now I seem to have been on an unintentional fabric diet. It may have been my subconscious screaming "there's nowhere to store more fabric!" or perhaps "you've got enough to do already!" but I seemed to shy away from new purchases.

Well, no longer! I have broken that famine with the fabric equivalent of a giant Devils food cake.

First up, a FQ bundle of Cotton and Steel's Black and White collection from Fat Quarter Shop. I've got a thing for low volume and this just ticks the boxes for me. 

Next, two fat quarter bundles of Skolepos by Katarina Roccella, again from Fat Quarter Shop. FQS divided the collection into "land" and "sea" and I must confess I prefer the dark drama of sea over land. 'Twas ever so. 

Finally from FQS, two fat quarter bundles of Birds and Bees by Tamara Kate for Michael Miller. Again the bundles are divided into "lavender" and "coral" collections and I prefer the lavender slightly. How cute are these birds?! 

I love how FQS package fabric for international deliveries. They squeeze them into little Plastic A4 bags so you can get more in a prepaid envelope. This makes storing the bundles easier as they'll stack nicely in a drawer.

In contrast, Massdrop send fat quarters in little bricks which makes stacking harder but they sit better on shelves. This bundle is Inked by Lynn Krawczyk for Red Rooster. Those colour are so saturated! 

There are still lots of items on my "buy before August" list so I'll take the remaining list along to Festival of Quilts with me. Where I've noticed that Bloc Loc are going to be exhibiting. Yay, maybe o can cross a few long term items off my list! 

Sunday Stash #2

Right, first off this week is my Gravity kit by Jay Bird Quilts from Fat Quarter Shop. All my packages turned up this week including the little orphan package which seemed to get stuck in Austin, TX.

I love getting kits from FQS because (a) they do kits I struggle to find in the UK and (b) they package them in these really cute plastic zippy wallets which keeps everything together nicely!

Secondly I have a FQ bundle of Jennifer Sampou's Studio Stash 2.

I always love Jennifer's collections - they're so useable (for both genders, adults and kids) and blend beautifully with other collections. 

I stupidly missed out on Shimmer but am still trying to track it down!

Finally I have a FQ bundle of Recollections by Katarina Roccella.

The collection is split into two colour ways - Deep Winterwoven (an autumnal palate) and Mist Moderknittie (which is very spring-y).

Linking up with Molli Sparkles's Sunday Stash. Enjoy your weekend!

Quilting gadgets and Recollection by Katarina Roccella

I'm a complete magpie when it comes to quilting tools and gadgets - if it's shiny, I want it. If it lights up, I want it. If I think it will save me 5 seconds of time, I want it.

Some purchases have been invaluable and some have been utter disasters.

In the "I couldn't live without" column:-

Sewslip quilting mat - so much cheaper than the Supreme Slider, this Teflon mat means I'm not fighting with my quilt quite as much as I would have been otherwise. I got mine from Quilt Direct.

Aurifil and Isacord for piecing and quilting respectively. Thousands of colours are available but I usually piece with 2024 from Aurifil (from Quilt Direct or Sew and Quilt)and quilt with white or block Isacord (from Barnyarns).

My small ironing pad and travel iron - they fit perfectly next to my sewing machine and mean that I don't have to keep going up and down stairs to press fabric. I can't for the life of my remember who I bought it from but I got it at the Festival of Quilts last year.

In the "Er, it seemed a good idea at the time" column:

Hand quilting hoop - I tried, I failed. I'm far too impatient and clumsy to hand quilt and am awe and inspired by those who do.

1/4" foot with fixed metal guide - I found it more difficult to sew with the guide as I couldn't see exactly where the edge of my fabric was. I now use a clear plastic 1/4" foot without a guide.

Cheap scissors - you definitely get what you pay for with scissor and I didn't pay much for these so...

Have you ever anything you regret? Or now wonder how you lived without?

Finally have you seen Katarina Roccella's new "Recollection" line for Art Gallery Fabrics? How gorgeous is this range?