I know I'm supposed to be working from my 'resources' but I needed to purchase some fabric with a large scale print so I could continue working towards perfecting my machine quilting technique. I had planned to purchase something inexpensive at JoAnn's Fabrics, but I also needed to go into our local quilt shop to purchase a couple of fat quarters as prizes for the winners of a couple BINGO games a group of us play.
So I’m in town running errands and make a stop at Calico Creations, the local quilt shop in Mount Vernon. It’s a small shop but the owner keeps a pretty good selection of fabrics in stock. Their inventory of sale fabrics is located in the back of the shop and this is where I usually begin BROWSING. By BROWSING, I mean scanning the shelves; maybe pull a few bolts out to TOUCH, and FLIPPING through anything that is resting against the shelves on the floor during my first GLANCE.
OK, I’ve safely made it through the first GLANCE of the sale fabric and I’m making my way over to the children’s prints. Having nine grandchildren, I’m always on the lookout for fabric I can use on something for them. I pull out a couple bolts to TOUCH the fabric and HOLD a couple of them next to each other to check for COMPATIBILITY, but I safely make it through the children’s prints on my first PASSING.
Flannels are next in line. I love flannels. They work great for sewing receiving blankets as baby gifts. But, although there are several cute prints, I decide I have a large enough stock at home and can BYPASS the flannels.
One of the winners of our BINGO game wanted blue or yellow Batik for her fat quarter. A true yellow and not orange-yellow, which I knew would be a difficult wish to fulfill. But I quickly GLANCED through the Batiks and since I was unable to locate a true yellow, I selected a blue Batik print. One down, one more to go!
The second winner of our BINGO game is working on a town quilt. For birthday blocks, everyone is stitching a building as contribution to her town. To go with this theme, she requested prints that would lend themselves to landscape items; grass, trees, brushes, etc. This quest might be more difficult because it will take me through the rest of the fabric in the shop.
I’m back to GLANCING and TOUCHING all the lovely fabric. I longed for some Moda and Amy Butler prints. I spent several minutes GLANCING at the black and white prints. And I drooled at all the Brights and Jewel tones. The same jewel tones found in all the luscious fall prints that now overflowed from the shop’s shelves. Oh the restrain it took to get through the first GLANCE and then the second GLANCE…
It was during my third GLANCE that I came upon a fall print with shades of orange, yellow, green, reds, and browns that I thought would be perfect for use in her town quilt. But, not before I found a couple more treasures…
So I’m in town running errands and make a stop at Calico Creations, the local quilt shop in Mount Vernon. It’s a small shop but the owner keeps a pretty good selection of fabrics in stock. Their inventory of sale fabrics is located in the back of the shop and this is where I usually begin BROWSING. By BROWSING, I mean scanning the shelves; maybe pull a few bolts out to TOUCH, and FLIPPING through anything that is resting against the shelves on the floor during my first GLANCE.
OK, I’ve safely made it through the first GLANCE of the sale fabric and I’m making my way over to the children’s prints. Having nine grandchildren, I’m always on the lookout for fabric I can use on something for them. I pull out a couple bolts to TOUCH the fabric and HOLD a couple of them next to each other to check for COMPATIBILITY, but I safely make it through the children’s prints on my first PASSING.
Flannels are next in line. I love flannels. They work great for sewing receiving blankets as baby gifts. But, although there are several cute prints, I decide I have a large enough stock at home and can BYPASS the flannels.
One of the winners of our BINGO game wanted blue or yellow Batik for her fat quarter. A true yellow and not orange-yellow, which I knew would be a difficult wish to fulfill. But I quickly GLANCED through the Batiks and since I was unable to locate a true yellow, I selected a blue Batik print. One down, one more to go!
The second winner of our BINGO game is working on a town quilt. For birthday blocks, everyone is stitching a building as contribution to her town. To go with this theme, she requested prints that would lend themselves to landscape items; grass, trees, brushes, etc. This quest might be more difficult because it will take me through the rest of the fabric in the shop.
I’m back to GLANCING and TOUCHING all the lovely fabric. I longed for some Moda and Amy Butler prints. I spent several minutes GLANCING at the black and white prints. And I drooled at all the Brights and Jewel tones. The same jewel tones found in all the luscious fall prints that now overflowed from the shop’s shelves. Oh the restrain it took to get through the first GLANCE and then the second GLANCE…
It was during my third GLANCE that I came upon a fall print with shades of orange, yellow, green, reds, and browns that I thought would be perfect for use in her town quilt. But, not before I found a couple more treasures…
I found these Amy Butler prints buried in the sale fabrics at 40% off the regular price. I'm participating in a Friendship Bag Swap and think these would look great in a Friendship Bag. Don't you? 
Again, I found another coordinating print to go with the Amy Butler print and at a whopping 40% off. What do you think? Another bag or perhaps a pillow? Oh the possibilities!
After shopping at Calico Creations, I headed over to JoAnn's Fabrics in search of a large scale print to use for practicing my machine quilting. I'm not a fan of JoAnn's fabric because most of the time it is cheap and doesn't hold up well to use. However, since this was for practice use I thought JoAnn's was perfect. The prints above have a soft hand and the print has lots of connecting shapes that I thought would be perfect for practicing my machine quilting technique. I was a little put off by the price, but it will work and I can always use it for a set of small zipper pouches afterwards.
As I was heading to the counter to get my fabric cut, I happened upon this beautiful print. The fabric is so soft and the colors are lusciously vibrant. I could not pass this one up. I'm sure I could use another print to practice my machine quilting and in the end, it will make a great bag or something. YUMMY!
Oh, I almost forgot! Before I left Calico Creations I just had to purchase these three prints for Elijah's quilt. He loves cars and his quilt will have construction trucks on it. His bedroom is decorated in primary colors too. Don't you think these will go well with his trucks? Now I need to find some more TREASURES to add to my RESOURCES. 
6 comments:
What fun you had - and all are lovely. And of course you needed them.
Those are lovely fabrics. You really needed them
Kris
Anna Maria Horner and Amy Butler are going to have flannels out this Fall. I'm a huge fan of flannels!
Katie ~ I love flannels too. I'm going to have to keep an eye out for them in our local quilt shops. Thanks for the tip.
Too funny. The JoAnn fabrics are far more beautiful! I guess JoAnn Fabrics is finally catering to quilters offering 100% first quality, soft cotton fabrics. The only problem is that 1000s of JoAnn stores nationwide all carry the same prints and those quilters making show quilts won't want other quilters to know they bought fabric at JoAnn Fabrics! Silly, sometimes, isn't it?
All kidding aside, the main reason I shop at quilt shops and pay the extra $$$ is to search for new and different fabrics. Each quilt shop has it's own personality stocking different fabrics and different color combinations, themes and flavors. But then again, I bet Moda, Red Rooster, Hoffman, etc. are not just distributing to one or two quilt shops. They are also distributing to quilts shops nationwide as well as internationally. So, why not just buy what fabrics YOU like from where ever you find it?
Oh I agree Dana! JoAnn's customer service is for the birds. When I teach beginner quilt classes I always recommend to buy only at local quilt shops for customer service, advice and top quality fabrics. To a beginner, a fabric with sizing might seem like a medium weight 100% cotton fabric and then wash it to have it become limp, fade and shrink. You have to watch out for this at Walmart and Hobby Lobby also. But if you have a keen eye, you can sometimes find a real treasure at those chain stores!
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