a little game of quilt back chicken

So you may or may not be familiar with the term "yarn chicken"? Well, this weekend I played a little game of fabric chicken!  With almost every tutorial, book, pattern, etc, for quilt instructions they will say to make the backing and batting about 3-4 inches bigger than the quilt top.  So I've done that with every other quilt I've made....and ended up with odd shaped scraps that I don't do anything with.  On this quilt I thought I'd try a closer back dimension to my front.  Yeah.  Don't do that!  

It was superbly frustrating to baste/pin this quilt!  I'd get it lined up and then the front would hang over on an edge....just to have to adjust again.  I use basting spray adhesive before I pin so this was super annoying!  Uggg, never again!  I will listen to the instructions.  So in the pictures below you can see how close the front is to the batting and the backing.  We're talking like not even 1/2 inch difference!

Here you can see the difference pretty well.

I'm putting this picture up for a couple reason.  One being that I love this backing fabric!  And the binding is super cute.  Aaaaand to show that nothing is perfect, see that little pucker?  yep, not perfect but I don't even care!  It will barely be noticeable once washed.    When I first started quilting I was very intimidated by other bloggers who churned out one perfect quilt after another.  My quilt backs were full of huge puckers and it has slowly improved but I've been quilting for like 5 years now....point being don't be discouraged!  It takes practice and really no one notices the flaws.

Here's another fabric chicken example - that's the selvedge in the corner there!  Ha.  But the binding is cute, yeah?

Here's a full frontal pic, lol!  I like it.  It's very cheery I think.

And the back.  I was going to just do the pink completely.  But then just couldn't!!!  I'm very pleased with the back so I'm glad I went with my gut.  The tan color is the cutest umbrella print!  I bought that and the pink at the quilt store last weekend.  I bought enough of each to do the back because I couldn't decide. If that umbrella print was yellow or blue it would have been perfect!  I know I'll use it in something else though and I'll be glad I have it :)

So there you go!  Rainy Day quilt finally finished!  Started February 2014 and finished today 3-19-15. yeah!  I love that I started this on a rainy day and finished on a beautiful sunny day :)

fabric gorge

We all know how it goes when we got to a certain store and set a budget in our minds....could be "I'm just going in for milk" or just this one little thing.  And then we leave with triple what we meant to buy!  That's what happened to me today!  The quilt fabric store in Merrill has one sale a year (one!) and it's today.  Everything in the store is on sale.  With my current WIP in mind, the Rainy Day quilt, I went in the store looking for backing fabric.  I did my preliminary lap around the store.  Then went into the room with the 60% off fabrics.  Ran into my friend Connie and chatted a bit.  Then it happened.  I just started grabbing bolts, 1 yard of this, 3 of that, 5 yards of that please.....and I ended up with this stack below.

 It may not look like much but it's super fun!  And I last minute grabbed this Mollie Makes book because I've been stalking Jo-ann's, hoping they'd get it in for it for over a year!  Aaaaaand since I spent over a certain amount I got to spin their prize wheel and won 5 spools of Gutterman thread.  Yahoo!

Right now I'm thinking the pink at the bottom of the stack will be the backing for the rainy day quilt.  I bought 5 yards of that so it should be enough.  

In other news, remember the accident I was in at the beginning of February? Well I finally heard from the other guy's insurance yesterday and they are going to accept liability!  What a relief.  I knew God would look out for me though, and He has.

it's the piggies fault

I visited my Mom last weekend in Chico.  And she gave me gift cards to the quilt fabric store and yarn store.  And, I may have spent well over the gift card amounts both places and at a few others as well!!!!  Tee. hee.  But it was great fun!  Wanna see?

So, it doesn't look like much in the bag but it is stuffed full of 1/2 yard cuts. And yarn.

The quilt store was super fun, especially with Mom who was happy to share the fun with me!  So, I took a slow lap around the store seeing what collections they had before I started grabbing bolts.  There was a display table next to the cutting table and there was a fat quarter bundle of this Heather Ross print of piggies!  Oh those piggies just crack me up!  There are 3 colorways of pigs and then  coordinating prints.

And once I decided I had to have the piggies it was like I want this and this and this and and and.......

I've seen almost all of these prints online and have admired them on other people's blogs and in quilts. Which I know I should not covet but we don't have a quilt shop here that stocks anything close to such cute stuff.  The gal in the store was also fun, I'd pick something up and she'd be like "oh I didn't see that, that's cute.  Is there another one?"  I can tell I would not be able to work there unless I just worked for fabric!

After that we drove over to Heartstrings which is a cute little yarn shop.  They have a great selection of yarn and needles.  Since I had kind of gone way overboard at the fabric store I was quite restrained at the yarn shop.  I went in planning to buy circular needles so that I can attempt to do two at a time socks.  I also found some nice sock yarns to try.  The middle yarn was actually in the gift bag from my Mom that she found at a thrift store!  It's Opal yarn which I've been wanting to try as I've heard it's nice and holds up well.  I really like the colorway.

One of the places I love to go shopping at in Chico is the library!  The library has a book sale on Saturday mornings in the conference room.  The entire room is full of long tables covered in boxes FULL of books.  I used to go specifically to look for books on tape for Scott.  He had a love of books on tape or cd so I'd go there and scoop up some great deals!  It became something I liked as well so now I just like to go check it out.  I came away with a shopping bag full of books and one book on cd, which I think is a success.

Saturday night I met my best friend Jeannette to watch a Christmas music light show, which was really nice, fun and free!  

I have to say it was a really nice trip.  I grew up in Chico but have never wanted to move back "home".  Mostly because it never felt like home to me.  Usually when I visit I'm annoyed at the people and the traffic and the weather and and and.  This time though it was just nice to see Mom, we had fun shopping, and see Jeannette.  It was nice to get home to my puppy dogs who were sooooo happy for me to pick them up from the vet's office where I board them.

So Christmas is right around the corner!  I didn't end up putting up a tree.  I guess at this late in the game I won't.  Maybe I'll knit and sew up some ornaments and shoot for next year.

oh fabric

Okay fine.  I bought some fabric yesterday!  I kind of had to if you know what I mean.  I really just went in to Joann's because I happened to be in the neighborhood and thought I'd browse around.  And, right when you walk in is the Christmas fabric!!!!! BAH!  And then it went a little something like this: thinking about the project bags that just sold out from A Homespun House, which is one of the podcasts I watch and she just had the cutest ever Christmas project bags but I didn't want to spend $40 on one since I know I can make my own - but it's the fabric! that I wanted. So here I was in front of the Christmas fabric and I thought I'll just see if there's anything close to what she used because I don't just want any old Christmas fabric!  And I really wanted the little peppermint candy fabric that she used.  There wasn't any of that so I thought I was safe.

I was until I came across some clearance fabric that I thought said Downton Abbey on it.  It didn't.  It said Westminster Abbey.  But!  Cute little British landmarks!  Really though, how could I resist?  Well, we all know I couldn't and that's how it's sitting on my kitchen table.

And then it was like, well I don't want to go to the cutting counter for just one thing.  I did see a cute elf fabric after all.  And I don't need much fabric for a project bag.  Then I spotted some peppermint candy fabric and I was done!!!!  

And then I realized that I am out of interfacing.  Interfacing is one of those things that's just not fun to buy but you've gotta have it.  So, I didn't go overboard and I have some super cute fabric to make a couple project bags.  Because apparently December 1st I will need to put my knitting in Christmas themed bags!  Oh man.

Yesterday was quite a full day by my standards.  I worked in the morning.  At one I met Karla to watch her oldest son's first "biddy ball" game, which is basketball for 4 year olds.  Oh man that was funny!  These kids have no idea what's going on and there are adults down there shooing and wrangling and directing them around.  So funny!  And then randomly one of the kids might melt down or slide with the ball or swing around one of the hoop poles.  Baha!  

We went to coffee after that to chat and catch up since we don't see each other every day any more.  It was nice, we went to Starbuck's which happened to be having buy one get one free on their holiday flavors.  So we both tried chestnut praline lattes.  Then, I trolled over to Joann's (see above).  At 6:30 I went to a lights out zumba fundraiser for a 4 year old little girl who is a cancer survivor.  It was really fun!  Jan had gotten us glow in the dark bracelets and rings and it was just fun to dance/workout with friends.  And Aly, the little girl, got up on the stage towards the end and was just soaking up the spotlight and dancing, dancing, dancing!  

Today being my only full day off this week, I am chilllllllling out!  I might make those holiday project bags.  Or I might knit and watch movies the rest of the day.  I don't know yet.  Do you want to see what I've been knitting?  Cuz I'm gunna show you anyway :)

I started this hat Tuesday at knit night at my LYS.  The picture above it how much I had done by Wednesday!  It's been a really quick knit.  It is the Jul hat by Wiksten.  I had seen it knit up on another blog that I follow and thought it was super cute.  I'm not much of a hat person myself but I really like the subtle texture and it's sort of slouchy.  I filed it away as a possible gift idea.  And now that I'm thinking Christmas is right around the corner I started to knit it up with a special lady in mind.  I asked her if she wears hats and she said she has trouble finding hats that fit well because she has a small head.  Humpf.  

So, I did cast on the recommended amount of stitches but I knit tightly so I think it will be okay.  And I didn't go up a needle size after the ribbing.  And I had Jan try it on and she said it may be too small.  But, I'm not going to fret because the ribbing is stretchy and yarn tends to stretch as well with wearing.

Look how far I've gotten since Tuesday! 

I have one more set of 8 rounds for the texture stitches and then I start to decrease.  I'm very pleased with how it's turning out.  The yarn is beautiful, it's the Berocco Ultra Alpaca that I bought in Mendocino with my Mom.  It's 50% alpaca and 50% wool and is super soft and squishy.

I almost forgot that I received my Ipsy bag yesterday too!  I'm not sure that I really love the cosmetics but the little zipper pouch is silver sparkly!  I've decided that it needs to be a notions pouch.  I already have one but I have two of a lot of my knitting items and that way I can have one for home and one to take to go!

oh, p.s. we did have our first snow this week, which melted off before 10am!  It has been super cold, right now it's 28 and we're supposed to have a high of 41!  I am so thankful for my heater! and my job to pay the bill :)

starting to fall for modern maples

This weekend I had every intention of working on my Rainy Day quilt.  I'm so close to finishing the squares for the top. Buuuuuut then!  Except for Saturday the weather has been so deliciously Fall!  Cool and crisp in the morning, warm and sunny in the afternoon, but still with that Fall feeling.  On my blogroll I came across this post and my curiosity was piqued.  What's up with Modern Maples?   So I googled and was like yeah!  I'm not on instagram (big surprise!) which is apparently the new *thing*.  Scrolling through the quilts and comments and stuff almost makes me want to be a part of that.  Buuuut then again I'm not set up for that cell phone to get that app to get on there and I'm not going to do that just to be a part of something even though it looks cool.  Anyhoo, that's a different tangent for a different day.  The good news for me is that there is a flickr pool and I am on that so I can still join in the fun there :)  There is even a free pattern link from Lark Crafts and I have a gazillion Fall fabrics to choose from.

baha!  So much to say just to get to the point of: I started a new quilt!  I have 8 squares so far and have been chopping up STASH fabric for more.  I had to fight the urge to run to Joann's to get some solid beige-y linen-y color fabric because really I have plenty already in my stash!  And, if I run out it will force some creativity, right?  yes.

This is what I have so far.  Initially my thought was to mix the beige and cream color backrounds and maybe do some 9 patch blocks as the fillers.

But, then I started to get sketchy about the beige.  I don't really like it.  Compared to the cream backround I don't feel like the colors 'pop' as much.  Except for that purple one on the top, which is my current favorite square.

I put all the cream backrounds together to see if I preferred that and I'm still not sure what I'll do.  I could make the beige ones the back of the quilt.  Except I love that purple one!    I think I may just keep mixing them up and then once it's all together maybe it will look how I originally envisioned?  Only because I want that purple one on the front :)  The middle square is a piece that I have been hoarding for quite some time.  I had bought a fat quarter because it was super expensive, from the quilt store in Chico before it went out of business and have just fussy cut the owl and pussycat scene out of it.  

p.s. do you like my super expensive high class design board?  You, too, can have this set up with just two plastic table cloths.  The kind with the fuzzy back :)  I even bought these on clearance so the whole set up maybe set me back $5!  

seaside fiber loot

Okay, so before checking out of our hotel, I took advantage of the white bedspread and abundance of natural light to take pictures of my fun purchases!  LOL my Mom was like, what are you doing??? 

First up is the yarn I got at the Sheep and Fiber Festival in Boonville.  The picture seriously doesn't do this justice!  It is gorgeous and has sparkle in it!  It is Greenwood Fiberworks  75% superwash merino wool 20% nylon 5% stellina in the Arcade colorway.  I didn't see that color listed on the etsy shop so maybe she's out of stock?  The lady at the booth was super friendly and said she travels to different fiber festivals, she will be at the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival at the end of this month and then in Medford for a trunk show.  Anyhow, it was hard to choose because all of the yarn was beautiful and feels very nice.

These are the skeins I bought in Mendocino.  They are Berocco Ultra Alpaca, the top one is the Lunar Mix and the bottom is Cerulean Mix.  I have a project in mind for the gray but I couldn't leave the blue behind, I HAD to have it!  LOL you know how that goes.

Of course, there was a trip to the fabric store!  Actually that was almost the first thing we did when we got to Ft Bragg.  Surprised?  I found some really pretty and fun prints!  The bottom gnome print I had bought the last time we were there but was afraid to cut into my fabric piece.  So, I bought 1/2 yard of it and the other bigger pieces are also 1/2 yard so that I won't run into that fear again!  I did grab a few fat quarters as well.

After breakfast on Monday we had a few hours before we needed to hit the road so we both wanted more beach time :)  It was so nice and relaxing!  We had "happened" upon this beach on Friday I think after visiting Mendocino.  I saw a road and just decided to drive down it and we came up on this spot called Caspar Cove I think it's called.  It was easy access, parking and then not far to walk to the beach.  This was our view from our chairs:

 So while we were there I kept hearing this honking sound, I knew it was a bird and my mind was telling me goose but it didn't fit the scene so I thought I was wrong, but no!  There was this one goose walking around the beach and then a dog chased it into the water!  It was so funny, like maybe it had taken a detour in our beautiful little cove.

new quilt

Welp folks a new quilt pattern has caught my eye!  Reading my blog roll this morning on bloglovin' I came across Moda Bake Shop and this pattern called Floral Gatherings.  And you know I have all that kind of fabric already!  Not the Moda specific fabric but all colors and such.  I'm heading out to the craft house now!

I've added an addendum!  Here's how far I got today - I'd say pretty good :)

 So I got almost everything cut out.  I ran out of solid white but will replenish that tomorrow at Joann's.  I have a coupon :)  So the pattern just had the little corner 4-squares as the lighter tan but I thought it would be fun to mix it up and add the darker browns.  I'm still debating if I'm going to add sashing or not???  Maybe?  Or not. IDK.

This is the first completely finished square - it is giant!  It's like 36 inches~ I didn't measure it but the pattern says that's what it would turn out as.

Aaaaand, because my puppies are just so cute!  Here's some pictures of them.  Don't mind the spray bottle that fell off the ironing board in the backround.  

 And Rocky was punishing his shark toy.  I couldn't get a still picture of him because he was really getting it!

 And then he just flopped onto it.  He is so funny with his toys.  He goes from annihilating them to snuggling them.

grab bag

Maybe a couple months ago I went to check out my favorite thrift store and there was a note on the door that they were in the process of moving and wouldn't be open until the end of February.  So last weekend I thought I'd check the new place out.  It's in an old furniture store so there is lots more square footage.  I ended up with one grab bag of fabric, some remnants for super cheap and some larger pieces.  

Hard to tell in this picture but the far left is little strawberries :) The blue and far right were in the grab bag.  It's a thicker cotton, almost canvas-y sort of feel to it.  I really like the blue. In this pic the one on the left is about 2 or so yards and it's a nice quilting cotton.  The red is like the thicker cotton in the above picture, I just really like the print.

 Okay, so this set of pics is my favorite two.  The left is a super, super light pink with little objects printed white so a little hard to make out in the picture.  It's got little kitchy items, a church, a duck in water, a milk maid, heart, some flowers, leaping kitten.  It was super cheap like .75 cents for almost 2 yards!

The one on the right reminds me of Liberty London tana lawn betsy print.  I know it's not the same put similar.  Best part?  There are 3 pieces that are like 1/3 yard each $1 and liberty london is going for like $27 a yard!  Who can afford that?  NOT ME but it sure is pretty.

 Here is a little close up of that light pink.  I just really like it.  Sometimes you see something and it's just like "yeah", you know?

So it's been really springy the last few days, very sunny.  Still brisk but warmer.  My tulips are all up but no buds yet.  Daffodils are up and a few buds but no fleurs as of yet.  I love tulips and daffodils, and this year I think I'll put in some irises.  When I was a little girl I would take off the tops of the tightly wound irises and use them like chalk on the sidewalk, I could usually draw a lot with them before they'd crumble or run out of color :)

sewing

Well, hello December.  I've been dreading your arrival.  My birthday, Scott's birthday, Christmas, our 16th anniversary and then we're on to New Year's. Harumpf.  At the beginning of every month Scott and I would say Happy _______ and try to say all the holidays in that month before the other one could.  December was the most fun because we had all our special days all in the same month.  I could always count on him calling me a cheater if I won, he'd laugh and say no no no you mispronounced birthday or something silly just so that I couldn't possibly be the winner.  We'd both be trying to talk so fast and over the other one, it was just fun.  He was a goof that way.  Oh man, and January 1st?  Look out!  We'd try to get every holiday for every month of the year out!  That one I legitimately would lose because I'd forget some obscure holiday like Groundhog day and he wouldn't forget.  Man, I miss him so much.

But! I will try not to get sucked into the vortex of sadness however easy that might be.  Scott would not have wanted that.  Instead I went to church this morning and then came home and started sewing.

So, the last zippered pouch I made was just by me trying to figure it out.  It is lined but the seams show and I just hate that.  I've been sewing so long that I can figure most things out, but some things just don't make sense to my brain right now.  I did a little google search and came across a few tutorials for lined zipper pouches and found one that was written well  and thought "ha!"  I had taken my other one into work and Charese saw it and wanted me to make her one.  But there was no way I would be giving her one with exposed seams.  I like the way these turned out.  I went with a medium weight interfacing, last time I think it was light weight.  Next time I think I'll get shorter zippers, but I just used what I had.

I LOVE that llama fabric.  Let's discuss.   Here's what happens to me.  I read blogs.  I like what goes on on other people's blogs.  I see fabric that screams "buy me!" and click whatever link there is and buy.  What happened in this situation is that I did not pay attention to what I was buying.  More specifically the quantity of what I was buying.  Ummm, I thought I was getting 1 yard of fabric for $8.50 plus S&H.  Imagine my surprise when I opened the envelope and had really bought just a fat quarter.  huh.  A tiny fraction of what I thought I was getting and all the plans I had for this fabric went out the window! It has lurked in my stash since March 2012......waiting for the perfect project.  I am so, so, SO happy I could finally use this bit of fabric :) It's going to be perfect to put some knitting in.

I must be crazy

Because yesterday I got off work 45 min early because I was in danger of running over hours.  I was set freeeeeeee! So, I thought, I'll just drop in Jo-ann's and see what's up.  Last week everything was 75%.  Starting yesterday everything is 90% off!!!!!  Holy cow dude.  I thought the parking lot was kind of packed, and this explained why.  People were buying up fabric like mad, me included!  I also scored a couple of books and a dvd on how to knit cables, bobbles and lace!  I saved $285!!!! After waiting 2 hours in line.  What makes me crazy?  I called Jan this morning and she was down there again (she was there yesterday too) and said the line wasn't too long.......I took the quickest shower known to man and drove down there.......and waited in line another 2 hours!  BAH!  I'd say it was worth it though.  Between last night and today I saved like $500!  I scored a bunch of Denyse Schmidt cotton, some brown Kona solid and lots of thread, pearle cotton thread, more fabric and nice ribbon.  Oh, and double pointed knitting needles and a cable needle.

In 2 weeks will be the grand opening of the new store and frankly I feel sort of bad for it.  We've all just been spoiled by 75-90% off everything and will turn our noses up at a mere 50%.  Or will we? 

bunny cuteness

I finished this knitted bunny a few weeks, possibly a month ago?  His name is Max.  I brought him home from work so I could take a couple pics for the ol' blog and where did I find him?  In a tree!  LOL I guess the kitchen was too boring :) I foung the pattern on Ravelry, it was for fuzzy mitten lamb and I just modified the ears.  Okay, and now I have something shocking to tell you - I bought a pdf pattern!  I know, I know.  I have reiterated several times that I'm too cheap to buy one, but this bunny really needed a sweater!  I had seen on this blog, Flutterby Patch some really cute bunnies and as usual tucked it away in my conciousness.  After knitting up this bun I bought this pattern and it was worth it!  Really easy to follow directions and perfect dimensions for Max.  I will eventually make a female companion for him :)
I had a surprise package waiting for me on the porch when I got home, from Mom so I knew it would be something fun.  It was heavy so I was thinking book?  Opened it and was so happy to find this picture:
It is one of my favorites, ever! Love it. I put it right up on the wall. There were also, indeed, books: And fun fabric: Love it. Today I am enjoying the nice weather, have repotted a couple plants and finished Jane Eyre this morning. Oh how I lvoe that book! I ordered myself a copy because I can't imagine that I won't want to read it several hundred more times!

Ugg

Okay, so my partner in the Ugly Fabric Swap has rec'd her package so I can now share the awful with you!  They are not all the worst in the world, but I haven't used them and figured it is time to pass them on.  I get the feeling from her post that she hates them.  For that I am sorry but it's kind of the point.  I am confident she will find a way to work with them, though, as I have the yuck she sent me :)

 At first I thought the far left fabric wasn't too bad.  But, then trying to fit it together with anything else has been sort of a challenge.  She sent 3+ yards of that dark teal/black check so I knew I would really have to find a use for that in a big way.  I've decided the striped one is going to be the binding.  The white can't be used because it's too thin.  I'm using 2 yards of all the others though so I know I won't be breaking the rules.

 And, since I like to try new things and challenge myself I thought this would be the perfect time to try out triangles!  I've wanted to check those out for awhile so I bought a 60 degree template at Joann's and started cutting.  This is what I have so far:

 I'm thinking it's not that great of a picture, but you get the idea.  You can click on the picture to get a closer view.  I'm still in the staring at it phase so this is not totally concrete.  I was going for jewel tones and so far I like it.  I figure I can use it as a picnic blanket, not that I'm going on picnics all the time.  Something I don't care if it gets dirty.

And, the other thing I made this weekend was this little framed page.  The Queen's Diamond Jubilee is this weekend and I found those word things as a free download!  The dark red was also a free download.  So, now that's on my little table with my patriotic runner underneath.  Hey, two holidays for the price of one, right?  Memorial day (US)and the Jubilee (UK) :)  A coworker and I are planning to have a little tea party on Sunday to celebrate, it should be fun!

What's everyone else up to lately?  I know I made a half-hearted effort to bring back Weight Loss Wednesday and I'm still thinking that's a good idea.  So far, no weight lost - see why it's a good idea?  LOL  I have been going to zumba at the Y here in town, it's been fun!  I know I look like a total white girl trying to dance so I'm sure it's a laugh for others there too.  I'm going to maybe be brave and go to a water aerobics class......although the thought of being in a swimsuit in public is a little horrifying.  But, I do love to be in the water so I might just get over myself.  This weekend is supposed to be nice and warm so I'm hoping to ride my bike as well.

A Case of the Uglies

Not sure if I mentioned that I am participating in a quilting challenge.  It's the In the Bag Ugly Fabric Quilt Challenge.  I received my fabric over the weekend.  Honestly I don't think it's too awful.  I wasn't sure what to expect.  I sent my fabric out today, I'm a little late but have been preoccupied!  I don't know what my partner will think about what I sent her.  I'll post pics when I know she's gotten it.  I don't think it's particularly ugly per se, but definitely not anything I would ever use.  So, better to pass it on :)
So, now to think about what sort of pattern to use.  The rules are that we have to use 90% of what is sent to us.  That top white printed fabric is really really thin and there is like 2-3 yards of the checked fabric so I might be able to get away without using the white one at all.  I was thinking like pinwheels or maybe triangles?  Still thinking on this one.
So the big new is that my Mom retired!  She is adjusting quite nicely!  Last weekend was a party for her retirement so I drove down for that.  It was fun.  The best part was seeing her with her friends, in her element and having fun with everyone.  Laughter was abundant, along with great food and conversation.  The whole thing was just great!
The weekend before that was a scrapbooking weekend so I really feel like I haven't sewn anything in ages!  Yikes!  I'd better get busy.  Good thing it's a 3 day weekend :)

slowly spring

Last Saturday was the annual sale at the local quilt store.  I just had to go, natch.  I told my Mom that I don't know what I was expecting -  a marching band and banners or something?  I was a little disappointed.  I know I was expecting everything to be on sale, and I'm not sure where I even got that idea because they never said ahead of time what the sale was.  Anyhoo, I didn't leave empty handed.  They had bolts on sale for 60% if you could find one with a red star stamp on the top.  I found a couple that I thought would mix in with stuff well, it was a 1 yard minimum on those so I'm set if I need orange or yellow :)

Everything else was a half yard minimum that day so I picked a couple other prints that I really love, and the Christmas is a fat quarter that was precut. I'm not allowed to start anything new yet, but when I do I'm sure these prints will be part of it!
The one thing I did make last week, which I didn't get a picture of for some reason (!) was a mug rug that I mailed off with my embroidery for the Wild Olive Stitch Swap. Here's Rocky, who likes to hang out under my sewing table whilst I'm in the craft house. Sorry about the mess, but bits of fabric and whatnot just find their way onto the floor somehow :) I'm pretty sure I'm not alone there!
And, do you want to see what the first day of Spring looked like here? LOL you're going to love it:

You can see Rocky running along the fence behind the chair :) The day before was clear, cold, but clear. Then there was all this snow over night! And, then by the end of the day ALL of it had melted off! You just never know around here what you'll wake up to!
In other news, I finished the 3rd book in the Hunger Games series called Mockingjay. It was really good, as were the other 2 in the series. I liked how it ended although there was one relationship that didn't quite have the closure I would have expected even though it did make sense. I was hoping that she would end up with who she ended up with, so that was nice :) Tomorrow Jan and I are going to see the movie! I'm really hoping it's good. I'm wondering how they are going to do certain scenes! I think that's part of the fun of reading a book before the movie, you know how you picture things in your head and then to see someone else's interpretation....
I am going to start quilting the granny squares quilt today, it's all pinned up in a quilt sandwich waiting for me! What is everyone else up to this weekend??