Here Comes The Sun

While we were enjoying a leisurely week at Lake Walcott State Park, I pulled out the sewing machine and worked on my latest art quilt project.  I prepared the backing and batting before we left on our adventure, and I cut some chunks of fabrics I thought would work.  This way I kept the amount of fabric to a minimum.  I decided I would have to use whatever I took with me, so there would be no excuse to buy more fabric at my favorite quilt shop.  My favorite quilt shop is The Gathering Place in Rupert.

I was outside, under the huge Cottonwood tree, pressing my sun rays, when the gal from the next RV came over to visit.  She had noticed I was pressing fabric and came to chat about quilting.  She was from Twin Falls and also a quilter.  It is amazing how we can go here and there and not even know that some of the strangers around us are also quilters, birders, or what-have-you.  I did get my project about one-third quilted before we headed home, so there was not that much left after we got back.  This is not my first landscape, however, I have not done one in about twelve years.  I really like this one, because we sure need something cheery in our lives at this moment in U.S. History.

Another UFO finished and a Road Trip!

I have been going through and taking a bit of an inventory of my UFOs.  I have a list that I intend to complete in 2020, however, I found one that looked like I could whip it right up!  I don't do many panels, but I saw these musical sewing angel things and thought my fabulous cousin, Duree, would just love a wall hanging!  I will have to go over and build an additional wall for her just to hang it on. I have collected some wonderful musical instrument fabrics over the years, mainly for my Peace, Love, and Baroque quilt, which has not happened yet.  My friend, A, says that if you have not started a project yet, it is not a UFO.  Well, that took the PL and Baroque right off the list!  I still have intentions!  Meanwhile, I have this lovely lute fabric, I decided it time to quit storing it and use it.  I cut the blocks out of the panel, then used the lute fabric for sashing/borders.  I used a remnant of high-loft batting and got it all quilted and bound in next to no time at all.  It is done.  I will be delivering it this week to one surprised cousin.  I say 'surprised' because I am pretty sure she does not follow my blog.

     I stitched it in the ditch, then did some stippling in the borders with black thread, meandering between the instruments.
     Then last week, Thursday to be exact, A and I went on a road trip to Rupert, Idaho.  What is the big attraction, you may ask?  The Gathering Place quilt shop has the biggest selection of the most fabulous quilt fabrics in the entire state of Idaho.  We reached Twin Falls at noon, so we stopped at Five Guys, where A bought us lunch.  We had little hamburgers and fries.  YUM!  Then we traveled on.  We went around the block because I turned one light too soon, to get to the center of town.  We parked at the town square right across the street from the quilt shop.  I opened the pick-up door . . . Christmas music filled the air!  It was enchanting.  I paused to listen for a few seconds before the call of tons of fabric drew me back to reality and into the quilt shop.  As soon as we stepped in the double-doors, reminiscent of the old JC Penney stores, a woman at the counter was asking, "Is one of you ladies Carol Z.?"  We both froze, as we knew the answer was, YES!  "Yes." I replied.  So naturally we had to go straight to the counter and not look at all the fabric between it and the door.  The lady said someone had called and paid for a $25.00 gift certificate for me.  What? What a sweet and thoughtful husband I have; I was nearly in tears.  How special!  What an awesome day!  A and I did our thorough and careful searching for the needed fabrics.  I brought three samples of projects to get fabrics to go with.  Oh, sweet success!  Then a little browsing for some other fabrics to go with committed projects that have not been started yet (unUFOs).  A was good and paid for her yardage and said, "That is it."  As I was still shopping I heard groaning from down the aisle, because she found more fabric she really wanted to buy.  She was a real trooper.  I decided I had better quit, as we were also planning to go to Mill Ends, in Burley, for some synthetic fabric that A needed.  Strangely, it was not difficult to find, and the prices there were jaw-dropping amazing.  I had to be a trooper and not buy anymore fabric.  I was.  Then we headed home. We stopped north of Twin to gas up and then were back in the rain.  We got back around 6:15 p.m., just in time to watch Death In Paradise.  What a wonderful day!  I thanked my thoughtful husband profusely, while he told me it was not him that called in the gift certificate.  I appreciated his honesty, but I was really disappointed that it was not him.  

     This is most of the fabric I bought. It does not include the three fabrics for my Elvis quilt or the two fabrics for AK's quilt.  AK's quilt is next on the list!!!!  So much fabric, so little time.