Bosna Quilts

I walked into Ted's home last week and Wow! A new quilt on the wall, that was pieced and almost like artwork. Upon closer inspection, the quilting stitches were rather large and the pattern was very free spirited. So unlike her other work. That's because is was not her work! She purchased this piece of art from the Bosna Qult Workshop, an arts and crafts studio established in 1993 by the Vorarlberg painter Lucia Feinig-Gieisinger, along with female refugees from Bosnia at the Galina Refugee home in Western Austria. Since 1988 twelve Bosnian women have been completing Bosna Quilts in the community of Gorazde, the only enclave in the southeastern part of Bosnia which escaped occupation by the Serbs. The whole story is quite fascinating and moving and buying one of these quilts helps support a family. You can read about it here.

They found my luggage--and she's being bad!

They found my bag!!!! 4 days later......in......................

Ghana, AFRICA!! My bag is going on an adventure without me!! See where Ghana is? It's the little green area in the armpit (close to Nigeria) of Africa. So, what do you think about that? She is still not in my hands, but at least they know where she's vacationing! I told them to send her back immediately! I need her! I need her innards! Ted agrees!

First project of the year

I know, I'm writing things out of order, but when things happen, I didn't have time to write! There is a pattern by ??, man, my mind is really slipping! Hip something or other. Anyway, they came out with a monthly wallhanging pattern series that I loved, but wasn't crazy about the dark homespuns. Besides, I completely used 100% of that fabric anyway. I thought I'd like to make it in brights. other things came along and I forgot about it........until the Las Vegas Shop Hop. There was a store there that had it done up both ways, traditional fabrics and brighter ones! New inspiration! So, I've added it to my list of what I'd like to do this year. I'm on a roll, first one is done! Well, okay, not all the way done, I have to quilt it yet. But it's all appliqued and 'ready to be quilted done'. He also needs buttons on his vest...will do that after he's quilted.

I can't do my stash report because I left all the figures at home, but this one took about 3/4 yard or so. I made the base that all these wallhangings will be attached and got the backings ready for both pieces.

I'll look up the pattern company when I get home...darn my brain anyway! LOL

Ice Skating in Holland

All across the Netherlands people are suffering from "Skate Fever". Due to global warming, they have not been able to do their favorite pasttime in the winter, skating on the canals and ponds that are everywhere! Well, this year, for the first time in 12 YEARS, it is cold enough for the water to freeze enough for them to skate. They just held their National Championship of Ice Skating outside for the first time in 12 years as well. Almost a whole generation has passed that has not had this opportunity. And it gave us a little chuckle to watch as the skaters are so used to being inside on a oval rink, turning in one direction only, that outside they struggled with turning the other way at times! But the people are so thrilled to be outside skating. As we drove along the dikes, you could see people skating everywhere! Ted said that she went out last weekend and skated to the next village, along with thousands of others. I wear one size larger than Ted and I'm wondering if I can squeeze into one of her pairs of skates? It'd be fun. Although I've never skated on anything larger than a small pond or an indoor rink, should be an experience! But here is me, Agnes and Ted in front of a lake area in Friesland where there were hundreds of skaters enjoying the beautiful day.

Agnes' boys were out skating on the canal in between the homes (one of which Agnes was born).

Tomorrow is the last day the ice will be strong enough to skate on, so there were reportedly over 1,000,000 people on skates today. Here is a news link to the area called "Kinderdijk", an area of canels and 17 windmills. A helicopter flew over and showed all the skaters out just in that area alone. Oerhollands schaatsplaatje bij Kinderdijk --scroll down to where it says....."Oerhollands..."(translated: Oldest Dutch custom (of skating) skating picture by the Kinderdijk).

New fruit! (to me anyway)

The great thing about traveling is all the new things you learn and new foods to experience! Ted and I took a stroll into the village to go to the grocery store and a few other quick stops. We were walking through the produce section and I saw some thorny things that looked like a nut or something. It was a lichee, a fruit.This is taken from www.foodreference.com ...
Litchi, Lychee, Lichee
The fruit, commonly called a litchi nut, are about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter when fresh, and have a red brittle shell, with white translucent flesh and a single large seed. Litchi are eaten fresh or dried, and are also available canned in syrup. The flesh is fragrant and sticky, sweet and juicy; the dried fruit has a smoky taste somewhat like a raisin. A versatile fruit, they are excellent in fruit salads, sweet and sour sauces, and dessert sauce. The may be used in stir fries, salads, poultry dishes, and even served over ice cream.
I've never seen one or even heard of it! Remember that I live in the Midwest and we are pretty basic foods type of people, nothing exotic here!

here's a bowl of them:

To peel, you break open the top stem and start peeling the hard shell to reveal a very soft, slightly slimy white meaty flesh.

Once the outer shell is off (it's not as hard as a nut shell, but still a bit hard), you eat the white flesh until you get to the hard pit, which you do not eat. It tasted a bit like sweetened grapefruit. I liked it, it was very good. but there is not that much fruit on it for the work, which is why Ted's husband doesn't like it! LOL Too much work. You can buy them in a can, but like anything, it doesn't even really taste like the fresh fruit.

on the road again.....

Yep, I'm gone again. We've been pretty lucky in our travels lately in not being delayed too much or any other problems. So it was time! I am in the Netherlands now (it's Friday noon right now) and I'm still without luggage. I left my house on Wed. AM to be at our airport at 10 AM. Right away, the flight was delayed. The plane that I was to take to NYC was delayed coming in due to bad weather. Sitting at the gate, I watched about 8 policemen come to the gate and then leave out a side door. As people started gathering around the window, curiosity finally moved me to go see what was going on. Our plane was there and it was surrounded by police, fire trucks, etc. We finally learned that on the flight, some young man decided to mess with the smoke detector in the lavatory! So, not only was he arrested, but they had to have someone come and thoroughly check the plane to make sure he didn't do anything else. 7 HOURS after I arrived at the airport, my plane finally left for NYC. And the long layover I was to have there....gone...and you guessed it, I missed my flight. They put me on another flight to leave late at night there. Fortunately they had a lounge I could rest (some more--like what I've been doing all day anyway LOL). Kirt called Ted and told her my new flight schedule. And then my bag didn't make it and they said it would be on the next scheduled flight to arrive the next day! Well, it's the next day and I still don't have it. I was supposed to go with Ted to a Quilt Shop's Open House, but without clean clothes, make up, hair stuff, I felt I should pass! (I did go to a store in her village to get some more undies.) So, here I wait..

I have started taking photos, but can't load any of them since my cord to the computer is in the suitcase. So, it's clip art for now..at least there is something to look at! LOL

Birthdays that last for days!

My birthday is Dec. 29 and what an inconvenient time of year for a birthday! I read on someone's blog that she did not like her Dec. birthday because it gets mingled in with all the holiday hustle and bustle. I've been fortunate in that growing up with a sister who's birthday is the day after Christmas, my Mom made sure that our birthday's were special. We got separate gifts, wrapped in birthday paper with our favorite cake. I didn't want cake, I wanted chocolate eclairs (or cream puffs). Hmm, hubby doesn't do those! but he did order me a cake, which shocked me! My son in law's birthday is Dec. 28, so we gather as a family for his birthday, so hubby waited until New Year's Day to have the family over for my birthday. He gave me my birthday gift early, an ITouch. Then on my birthday he brought home flowers and a card. My friend took me out for my birthday the day after and another friend took me out on the 2nd. And most special of all, my youngest daughter (with Down's) wanted to take me for lunch on my birthday. Here's our conversation:

S: Mom, let's go out for your birthday. I want to buy you lunch.

Me: Wow--that's great! Where should we go?

S: it's a surprise!

Me: oh, okay. but you'll have to tell me so I know where to go when I drive.

S:I want to take you to Applebees.

**we get in the car and are headed to Applebee's. The minute I pull into the drive there, she says:**

S: SURPRISE!

LOL--she's so fun. She "forgot" her purse, so I bought lunch for me and her! And then she thought I should have a birthday dessert and thought a Frosty from Wendy's would be good. Again,...I bought. But, it's the thought that counts, doesn't it? yep, it sure does and her being so excited to treat me for lunch. Money has absolutely NO value to her. She could have a lot of it or none of it, and either is fine. But she does have a good heart.

Anyway--Happy Birthday to Teri (Dec. 26) Matt (Dec. 28) Cindy (Jan. 1) and Collin (Jan. 1).

FINAL Stashbusting Report--Woohoo!

Wow--my closet sure doesn't show it but I busted a net total of........

358.25 YARDS!!

I didn't post a report all of December cuz I was busy!! Sewing lots of purses, sling totes, tote bags, fabric baskets, quilt for in laws, class samples AND vacationing AND had Christmas! LOL But I kept tally all along. Here's the final report:

December in: 0

December out: 17.75 yards

TOTAL YTD in: 39.5 yards

TOTAL OUT: 397.75 Yards (I was really hoping to hit 400, but ran out of time)

TOTAL NET OUT: 358.25 Yards!!

My friends are all amazed at this former Queen of Quilt Shopping!! I really had to use restraint in not buying fabric, just because. I did break down at Paducah and bought a bit of new fabric and my favorite quilt shop in Pawley's Island had a 50% off sale and how can you pass that up? The only thing I don't count is if fabric has been given to me (a friend bought me a jelly roll and hubby surprised me for Christmas and bought me some--I really didnt' think he would). But I count everything else. Oh wait..I don't count it IF I buy it to make a gift and then make it within a month, so it really never hits the stash. I know that in Stashbuster's, you can have 'legal' buys of the 4 "B's"...backing, borders, backgrounds and bindings..but I even count those, unless it's a gift and only had to buy something twice because I had nothing that did not work.

It all really doesn't matter, because I do this for me. I am out of room in my closet and really do have a nice workable stash. I think another year of really sticking to it will be good for me. I love the new fabric, but I have pretty stuff too. My original thought was to get it all way, way down. But the more I think of it....the reason I can make so many quilts without buying a thing is because I do have a nice variety. And I love that I can pretty much make whatever I want without too much effort. Oh, a few times I sure wished I could have gone out and bought something, but it made me be a bit more creative. And I love the challenge of making quilts with what I have. Okay, I have a lot, so it's not too hard. Some of my friends that are newer into quilting don't have that luxury of shopping a stash. I tell them that I couldn't do it either if I hadn't bought so much along the way. AND that they are the ones who need to keep the quilt stores in business. I did my share..now it's someone else's turn! LOL

All in all, I keep track for myself and actually enjoy the challenge. I might think different later when fabric starts getting depleted to the point that it's more work that it's worth. So..for now, I'm going for another Stash bustin' year. At one point I was trying NOT to buy ANY fabric at all, for any reason, but that is just too much. So..keeping it under 40 yards is a real coup. It's actually only 10% of what I busted, so that's good. I wonder if I can hit 500 yards this year? Wow, that's a lot...but who knows? Who thought I would have used almost 400 yards?

Now....here's a picture of me covered in the new fabric hubby got me...and I did not ask for it and he knew what I was trying to do. I asked him about it and he said he just loves the look on my face when I get some new fabric. He said, "I don't get it...but to see your face, it's worth it!" I guess since when you have been a little lean in new fabric, it makes you appreciate it when you do get some! He loves Fat Quarter Shop! heehee..me too!

Hands of a Family

The quilt for my in-laws got done just in time! I even had time on Christmas morning to make a couple of matching pillowcases to match the quilt! Which really was a good thing because now they have something to match their quilt and it literally used the last of my fabric! I only had threads left! I technically was about an inch shy of what I needed for them, but figured that divided over 2 pillowcases, they were only 1/2 inch short of what they needed to be and no one would notice. They were surprised and liked it. They are a family of strong faith and found a couple of Bible verses and a quote that I thought was appropriate. And a special block in memory of their first child they lost to leukemia. I posted prior photos of the handprint blocks that I did for each person. My goal was to make a nice bed quilt for them with a striking design and when you got closer, there would be a lot more to see...the handprints...their signatures...their names in the quilting. A nice memory for them....Merry Christmas Mom and Dad.

more Christmas fun with Nana

Can't leave a post without adding the littlest ones..and while we were busy making ornaments, this little guy was supposed to be napping. Haha! He found the suckers, broke a huge candy cane on the floor to get a piece and did his own decorating.....with markers....on himself....the chair...the floor...a picture...you get the idea. He had to then lie down with Papa, who put the death grip on him so he couldn't move! LOL He did sleep then. And later in the evening, the littlest one did her own wandering into the pantry and found herself her own sucker! I don't think this is the first time she's had a sucker! She sure loves them! And to end the night....a photo of me (Nana) and the kids and do you know how many times it took to get ONE decent picture? LOL I'm sure you can guess!

Holiday fun with the kids

I would like to start a tradition of having the kids over before Christmas to make cookies, ornaments and just have fun. I saw a sign that said, "Nana's and Papa's: a place where cousins hang out and have fun." I should have bought it. I had ALL the kids (including the 1 yr. old and the 2 1/2 yr. old) for some Christmas fun before we went on vacation. The first thing we did was put the little ones down for a nap and then rushed into the studio for a little ornament making. We made gingerbread ornaments (they had to trace the design, cut it out, glue it on fabric and then cut it out again and then decorate), candy canes with chenille sticks and painted pine cones and sprinkled them with glitter. What a fun mess! Then we had dinner, a fun event in itself! They wanted to build a fire with Papa..so out they went while the kitchen got cleaned. Then I brought out fixin's for s'mores and Papa bathed the little ones. I got out the Silly String for the others and let them have at it. They couldn't believe I'd let them make such a mess! And oops--time flew by quicker than we wanted and we two things left to do and only time for one, make cookies OR get in the jacuzzi..they voted and the jacuzzi won. They figured that the s'mores was enough dessert! So, in the hot tub we went! What a quick day. I am so thankful that I live close enough to be able to spend time with them and enjoy their emerging personalities.
to be continued....

sewing my fingers to the bone...

sewing, sewing, I've been sewing...I keep thinking of that tune from 'Finding Nemo' where Dora keeps singing, "swimming, swimming...." I've been up to my eyeballs in sewing and all the Christmas activities that go on this time of the year. I've been mostly calm about it...enjoying the journey along the way of sewing for others. If I start focusing on deadlines and all I had to do, I'd get frustrated (with me, I totally bring this on myself! LOL). I've made tons of sling totes, placemat tote bags, fabric baskets, tons of class samples and the biggest thing of all, my In-laws memory quilt for their queen sized bed.

I got this brilliant idea a few weeks before Thanksgiving to make them a quilt for Christmas. Now, clear back in Sept. I decided I was NOT going to make any quilts for Christmas. Nope, not this year. Then I saw a cute quilt that was just basic strips horizontally and then a wide strip vertically about 2/3 the way across the quilt with handprints going up the strip. I thought, that is really cute, and it wouldn't take long. I think I'll do that! I had hubby pick out a bundle of FQ's (he got me several last year for my birthday) that he thought matched his parent's style the best. Well, the more I thought about it, I thought she really has hinted over the past few years for a quilt for their bed. Hmm, the fabric really didn't lend itself to a 'kindergarden style' quilt. So, I came up with a better quilt that would still show everyone's hands, but in a more subtle way. I made Courthouse Steps blocks, really scrappy style, (shown in the prior post) and just a plain bordered block for the handprints. Then I thought that the handprints would still be too juvenile for a bed quilt, so thought I'd hand embroider the hands.

CURVE BALL: hubby decided to surprise me and take me to Cancun (leaving tomorrow and returning on the 22nd!) Wow--things have to be really sped up now! I get back and it will be Christmas. So had to think of another way to get those hands embroidered quicker than doing it by hand. I ended up using a triple stitch on my machine with a rayon thread that's a bit on the gold side. You definitely can see it up close, but it kind of blends in from a distance, which is what I wanted. I wanted the quilt design to stand out first, and then as you get closer, realize there is more to the quilt. I had some extra blocks to fill and originally thought about leaving them for future children and thought it could be a while..and then, how to add them. So I embroidered my FIL's name and birthdate, same for my MIL, their nicknames and wedding date, a block in memory of their oldest child who died when he was 10, a couple of appropriate bible verses regarding family and a family quote. I quilted around the hands and then in the pieced blocks, I quilted everyone's name in the family, along with some places they've lived. I use So Fine in the top, so it's a very subtle look. I'm working on the binding now--I may have to finish when I return, but it's only 3 hours away from being done now, and I can handle that! I'll show the finished picture as soon as it's done.

Here are some class samples that I've also been doing....

Patriotic Stars and Stripes...the final borders are not on it yet, but you get the drift....this one will go to Alycia for the Quilts of Valor once the class is over..I'm offering a free class to those that take the class and then donate their quilt to QOV as well.

Another Apron, this one called the Church Ladies Apron

Watercolor Floral Basket...done with leftovers from a Garden Twist class I taught last year..

Crazy Hearts...another Stack and Slash pattern from Buggy Barn..only 3 out of 25 blocks are done, but again., you get the drift...

That's it...I was hoping to post a few more posts, but my time has run out. I must go to bed to get a little bit of sleep before leaving on a jet plane.....adios, Amigas!

Ai yi yi

I used to hate it when older people said how fast time went...I always thought that was a bunch of hooey (is that a word?). But man, is it ever true! It's just a zippin' by at a breakneck speed. Or I feel like I'm trying to stay caught up with a speeding train. Having my own Studio where I teach classes only (I don't sell fabric--other than some of my excess--*GRIN* and only sell patterns to go with the classes) means I have to come up with a LOT of classes each session. I have two sessions a year, Jan-May and Sept. -Dec. So, it's always a busy time getting new class samples ready, let alone doing anything on my own. And I try not to show too much too early--because I KNOW some of them read my blog. Hi Penny! and Chele, and Sheri to name a few. Toss in a few Holidays, a few trips and time wants to get away from me. I have an Open House at the start of each session that allows them to see what's coming up and sign up for a nice discount on classes. Dec. 27 is the next one, so I've been really busy! It's close enough now I can show some sneak peaks..I finally finished the Bali Pineapple..little piano key border took a while! And it didn't even come close to making a dent in the stash! I think I might make up some kits--good for me to reduce the stash--good for them to get a nice variety of batiks, right?

Remember when I couldn't find my camera and got a new one only to find the other one the next day? Well, I bought little gifts for my quilting buddies Christmas exchange in July in Holland and couldn't find them anywhere! I gave myself a deadline of 1 week prior to our party and then I had to do something else. Well, couldn't find them, so made them these little fabric baskets (great tutorial from the Pink Penguin). And you guessed it--I found the gifts 2 days later. IN my husbands car--they had been there for almost 6 months! I told him he should be ashamed of himself for not cleaning out his car for that long. Nope, not my fault at all that I left them in there that long! LOL So, I guess I'll have next years already done. That is, IF I can find them next year--and that's 12 months away! And then a friend and I have been making these Placemat Totes to sell..They are just too simple...buy 3 placemats..all the same size...add webbing for handles to two of them. Then add the 3rd placemat in between the two, sew into one long piece. Fold in half, sew up the side seams, box the corners and you are done! NO raw edges anywhere (although I do zigzag the boxed corners). They make great sturdy totes in less than half hour! And then made a few of these placemat purses for gifts...I just took one placemat that had all that pretty ribbon trim, added tabs for handles and velcro to hold it closed, sewed up the sides, boxed the corners and Voila! ....a purse! and the last thing I've been working on is a quilt for my in laws for Christmas. She's been asking for one for their bed now and then. I'm making these blocks scrappy, using 1/8 yard (FROM STASH) of 20 different fabrics that was in the line. What you aren't seeing is the block next to it that is a plain block with a small border around it. I had everyone in the family trace their handprints onto freezer paper at Thanksgiving. I originally intended to fuse their handprints onto the blank blocks and set them alternately with the pieced blocks, but I decided that it would look too much like a little kids quilt rather than a nice quilt for a bed. So, I'm going to hand embroider the outline of their hands in a soft color and their names for a more subtle look to it. You'll be able to see them, but up close. I wish I knew of a way to do it on machine and I might practice this weekend. Time is running short and hubby and I are running away to some warm sun from Dec. 15 to 22, so I basically have next week to finish it! And I need to make 12 more pieced blocks and ALL the embroidered blocks, teach one more class, attend two meetings, two children's Christmas programs and watch all 5 grandkids Sat/Sun next week. I see some 3 AM sewing sessions in my near future!

I also hosted a Christmas Brunch today which means the house had to be decorated totally! What a great incentive to stick to it. I am sharing my recipes over at my recipe blog.

Although this is such a busy time, I try to enjoy each moment--I really do love the scurrying around making gifts, preparing food, decorating the house. When I'm feeling stressed I remind myself to enjoy the moments of the journey...hope you are doing the same during this hectic season.

Sling Purse ready for Christmas

I love this little purse and have been using it for several years. 25+ years ago I came up with this system for my Christmas shopping. I found it very hard to keep the money 'even' among the kids. I'd go shopping and then come home and add up all the different items for the kids (checking several receipts) and realizing the I had spent $20 more on one child than the others. So, I'd go out to find MORE things to balance it out. And so it goes... It's kind of like trimming bangs, first you straighten the left side, then take a little more off the right side until you end up with 2" bangs! LOL So, I decided from then on, I was only paying cash for my Christmas gifts and had to find a way to keep it in check. I joined the Christmas Club (I know, not the highest paid interest account) and when I got the check in November, I would make envelopes for everyone on my list

and put the corresponding money, according to my budget, in each envelope with their name on it. When I would go shopping, I would put all the envelopes in this little purse, along with my checkbook and a credit card, just in case. When I checked out, I separated each person's items and paid for them out of 'their' envelopes. I then put the change and receipt in their envelope. When the money was gone, I was done with them! And after Christmas, I gave them 'their' envelope with any extra change left over and all the receipts for their gifts in case they had to return anything.
Well, finances are a little less strained from what they used to be, but I love this system and probably will continue to use it until I die. :) This little sling purse is PERFECT for my system and all I have to do is grab that during the Christmas shopping season. No bulky purses to manage and it goes over the shoulder, so it doesn't slip off. I've made several over the years and love them all. I used tapestry for several of mine, but it seems to be a bit more difficult to find. So, now I am quilting a Christmas fabric, batting and backing, then cutting out my purses. 1/2 yard will yield 6 purses, 7 if you are lucky and the fabric is wide enough.

I'm co-President for a ladies group I'm in and the Executive Board decided for Christmas we would make these for each of them (25!). It took 3 of us about 4 hours to make 25 purses. And we have enough money in our small budget to fill them with some goodies. They make great gifts for the women on your list.

I have posted the tutorial on my website....

www.kquilts-studio.com/zippered_sling_purse_tutorial.htm

And you know who donated the fabric so she could bust some more stash!! 4 yards worth! Plus I donated more fabric and 4 quilts to: 'My Very Own Blanket'

And so here's my Stash busting report THIS WEEK:

Stash IN: 0 yards

Stash OUT: 8 yards

Stash IN YTD: 39.5 yards

Stash OUT YTD: 380 yards

NET BUSTED: 336.5

I'm less than 15 yards away from busting 350 YARDS from my stash this year--think I can do it? Yep I do...I have to finish my in-laws quilt and the backing on that one will be 9 yards alone! I sure hope I can find some nice enough stuff out of my stash...she doesn't quite get the 'pieced from different fabrics look.' :)

Stash busting--LATE

I can't seem to get a handle on doing my report on Sunday OR Monday OR Tuesday! Then I think, oh well, I'll wait until next week and do them together. Well, here I am and I haven't reported since...Oct. 25 or something like that! Yikes! But I do keep a tally of what I use and what I bring in and then cross it off when I report it, so the YTD totals are correct..it's just what I'm reporting is not just week, just so ya know...

Stash IN: (since last post) 1/4 yard (yes I did buy one on a Shop Hop)
Stash OUT: (since last post) 34 1/2 yards
Stash IN YTD: 39.50 yards
Stash OUT YTD: 372 YARDS!!!
Net Total OUT: 332.50

I finished one quilt (added two more rows and cut backing), started two more from stash! I did have to buy a border and background fabric to go with the one report--but it's for a gift, so I didn't count that buy in OR out. I also cut another backing for a quilt--those backings sure add up!

Las Vegas Shop Hop

Isn't that a neat license plate?? Spotted on a car at you guessed it, a quilt shop!

I did it....I did it!! I went on the Shop Hop of the Las Vegas quilt shops and bought only two FQ's!! One for a block exchange that I'm doing...totally legal..and the other to go into another quilt that I'm working on and truly do not have many aquas to go in it. So, it could be questionable as to how 'legal' it was for this gal that signed onto a NoBuy Challenge for a year. But it's okay--I SO wanted to buy two kits within 2 minutes of walking into my first store! I love this store!! Quiltique is in Henderson, east of Vegas by about 15 minutes tops. So bright and roomy, lots of great samples and goodies to stop the eye and wonderful contemporary fabrics that made my heart flutter! I thought maybe I might have made a mistake by doing this Shop Hop--but then, how often am I in Las Vegas during their Shop Hop--once every 8 years! I bought a cute oversized Pincushion Pattern and another scrappy pattern and that's it! I really hated to leave those yummy kits, but after wandering around the store and reminding myself that I have lots of pretty fabrics at home, I remembered that I had actually BOTH of the patterns. I just needed to rethink the fabric I originally thought I was going to use. Onto my next store... Fiddlesticks in the historic Boulder City, just another 15 minutes on the way to Hoover Dam.

Another friendly store, very homey and welcoming. Their flavor is a bit more folk arty/country but a delight to check out their displays. The fabric wasn't really enticing to me (don't get me wrong, it was all nice..just not the flavor of the month for me), but I did have to buy several wooden spools with pink and green threads. They had beautiful displays of color related items in each color fabric section. Hmmm, they had some neat ideas. I stopped and enjoyed lunch across the street and then headed back out, this time to the far west end of Las Vegas to The Christmas Goose, (oops--forgot to take their picture) that had moved since the last time I had been here.

Wow-their new store is awesome! Lots of variety here and again, lots of great samples. By this time, I'm on a roll of knowing to not even bothering to look at fabric, but rather looking at the samples and getting ideas of what to do with MY fabric at home! I bought a book here on Advent Calendars. I would like to make one for my girls..maybe next year! LOL Quick potty break and then onto Nancy's Quilt Shop, who was featured this Spring in Quilt Sampler. Congratulations! Again, loaded with samples and enticing displays. They had a lot of wool and yarns for those who love to knit and crochet. Saw another pattern I had at home made out of brights instead of traditional fabrics and knew it would go on my to do list as soon as I got home! Bought another book and this is where I found my FQ and one for my friend's block. By this time I've been clear east of the city, south, west and north and it was late afternoon and thought I'd better head back to the hotel. I saved the closet quilt shop to the Strip for last. Our flight didn't leave until late afternoon, so I knew I had time in the morning.

The last quilt shop on the Shop Hop (by the way--last time I went on their official Shop Hop, there were 10 stores--some were kind of far away--like Death Valley and then Utah!. when I asked where they were, the farthest ones away dropped out and all the other shops in Vegas closed. But I could understand, they got dropped from my list after the last time.) anyway, I went to Fabric Boutique the last morning. Their store was cut in half, but I didn't feel like it was missing anything or was cramped. I'm sure the economy had them looking at their space more efficiently. I was dismayed at first when I walked in, but after perusing the store, found it to be just as charming and inspiring as before. I think their sewing machine display area was the most affected. I was inspired by a few samples to keep in mind and bought a pattern for one quilt.

So, I did it. I managed to go to 5 stores and support them but yet stayed on my No Buy Challenge. Okay, one FQ--but what an improvement for me! LOL Those who know me know what I'm saying. Shop Hops are a great way to see a city or area's quilt shops at their best. And as busy as they all were, they were very friendly. I guess there's a reason why these quilt shops are still around. And I found I can walk by the buffet and still be in control.