Loominous Stash Sunday

When Anna Maria Horner named her new line of fabrics Loominous,

She wasn't kidding!!!

Each of the colorways has a stripe, a check, a solid and a pattern, 

Can you see how the Weave in the check just glows, and how the solid is like a luminous shot cotton?

The weight is perfect for clothing, about the same as a Peppered cotton by Pepper Cory. 

Soooo Soft, and Rich!!

I really want to get yardage in each and every one of them and make All of the clothing!!!

Not that I know how, but a girl's gotta dream!

I really feel that this line has so much potential to be used in everything. Have you seen the quilts made of triangles of striped fabrics? Yum!! Or, the shams of diamonds of different weaves? Phenomenal!

I hope that seeing these makes you want to search them out and feel them up for yourself! ;)

XX!

Lori

Linking up with the Scrumptious Molli Sparkles!!

Heather Ross and Cotton and Steel Double Gauze And a Free Charm Pack!

Oh Dear!!

I Fear,

I have gone,

Far, FAR Away

from my budget...

But that's ok :) 

When I saw this Heather Ross Far Far Away bundle, and saw a Cotton and Steel double gauze bundle on sale at the same time, I knew it 

HAD TO BE.

And, so it was ;)

My plan is to make a simple-ish grid quilt, fussy cutting the Heather Ross and having the backgrounds be the double gauze, for the softest, coziest, softest baby quilt, Ever. 

OR 

Maybe a quilt for me...
 Don't you tell any babies!!

Have you tried double gauze? How do you like sewing with it?

XX!

Lori

I also want to remind you that Calico Cat Fabrics has a Spend $50 or more on Kona Solids and you get a FREE charm pack ($10 or less value) sale this week (August 17-24)!! Just add the charm pack to your cart and use the code FREEKONA2

You know how I love Kona cottons!!! 

XX!
Lori

Linking up with the Fantabulous Molli Sparkles!!

Stash Sunday: Anna Maria Horner Stash Sale Bonanza!

I recently saw that Anna Maria Horner was having a stash sale over on her website... And you know I HAD to answer that clarion call of savings!!

First the voiles called to me...

Banner days Magenta, and Echinacea Sparkle, from Pretty Potent

And then they called some more!!

Pretty Potent
But then, oh THEN...

Joel Dewberry

Let's see that AGAIN!

Field Study and Cherry

Aloe Vera Voile


What a Haul!!!!
 In no time at All!!

I hope you have signed up for Designers' newsletters. They are an excellent source of deals. I wouldn't want you to miss ANY!!

Now, don't forget that this week Calico Cat Fabrics has Free Domestic Shipping on any order $40 or more (code LOVE2SEW), and $5 off of International shipping (Code LOVE2SEW5). 

I hope you had a magnificent week!!

XX!

Lori

Linking up with the Fantastic Molli Sparkles!!

Winner???? It's the Cat's Meow!!

0h, YES!!
It's time for Sunday's Stash additions with Molli 'Champers' Sparkles!

Today's Stash is brought to you by Cats.
No reason, other than it seemed like a Theme, and, you know, helped in organizing the veritable mountain of stash acquisitions that have been mysteriously arriving on the doorstep... 
(Didn't I join SewMyStash2015??!)

That's right I did! Apparently I'm goin' with the philosophy that if you don't have enough stash, you're not going to get enough done!! 

Last week, I hostessed a giveaway to anyone who could tell me what these two fabulous felines were, what they were for, or what they were doing... 

But, you have to wait to find out who won that giveaway, while I tell you about THIS lovely lovely fabric!! Ha!

 CatNap by Lizzy House!! Oh my! 

OH My My My!!

 Purrfectly Happy in green,

 Purrfectly Happy in Off White and Grey,

 Kitty Dreams on Dark Blue,

Kitty Dreams! killin' me!!

 Cat's Cradle in Citron,

Mice on Bikes, my all time favorite, in Greenish/Grey 

 Pearl Bracelets in Dove Grey and Citron, Chasing Butterflies in soft Blue and Two others for which I have no names...

Hawthorne Threads has Catnap in stock in Raspberry and Clementine, right now...

Me-ow!!!!

Another great lineup by Lizzy House!

I purchased this bundle from Massdrop... It was 25% off, included postage to AK, and arrived within 3 days of fulfillment of the Drop. Since that time, I have also purchased an Oliso Pro iron from them, which arrived in about two weeks, and a Quilter's Dream Wool bundle, which took an entire month to arrive, including 10 days here in Anchorage after UPS dropped it off to the post office to deliver!! 

So, how do I feel about Massdrop? Well, if I can find a better deal through an independent Mom and Pop store, I will always go with them, first. Head's up, online shops! Here are a few things that Massdrop has that I don't seem to find elsewhere:

• I get shipping to Alaska at the same price as everyone else, and it is usually here within 3 days. THREE!!! Do you hear that Hancock's and Fabric.com???!!! I am talking to you!

• The items I purchase are not available within Alaska, at my local quilt store, or Joanns. The Oliso Pro is available at Joanns, but everyone who has purchased one there has returned it immediately... our local stores tend to get the merchandise that isn't moving, elsewhere, or which may be a return that is already broken. Shame on them! The one I purchased, is on, on my ironing board, all day, everyday, and is just jamming on like a champ. I could not be happier with it. I have had it for two months. Now, since I break most irons in three months, I will give you periodic updates on its health!

• I find items/fabric on Massdrop that I did not know existed. It is so interesting to see what people out there in the universe, are interested in, and to see new things that I have not experienced before, including fabric lines and notions. I do not know why people need so many fancy key caps, though... check it out!

• The items that you receive are not seconds, repairs or rejects. They are identical to what you would normally be purchasing. This includes the fabric, which is cut very well, and comes in bundles just like you would normally see. 

Now, what do I NOT like about Massdrop??

• WELL, there was that time that UPS dropped my batting off at the post office, and they delivered it 10 DAYS LATER!! What the heck?!! I could have gone and picked it up myself, but the post office wouldn't let me as it was in their care for delivery as per their contract with UPS. I NEEDED that batting. (ok, I didn't NEED the batting, but knowing it was there chewed a hole in me!) Would I now, knowing that this could happen again, purchase from Massdrop?... I would not do so again if I had any sort of deadline that I wanted to meet. 

• http://www.sewmamasew.com/2015/01/why-suppliers-and-consumers-should-support-shops-with-strong-sustainable-business-models/, a very well written essay about why Massdrop is not a good option if you care about Mom and Pop businesses... Basically, the Mom and Pop store has to pay middlemen, which Massdrop does not... When online or brick and mortar stores buy from middlemen, they are supporting those people, as well as the manufacturers. So, long story short, you have to decide how strong your feelings are about buying locally and supporting small businesses. Is your priority to purchase at the lowest price possible, or is it to support small businesses, or somewhere in the middle. No judgement here... I'm not in too much of a bind, because I purchase most of my fabric through these small businesses. 

Let us know how YOU feel about Massdrop! What have your experiences been? Like 'em or hate 'em??

And NOOOWWW, 

At LOONNGGG Last,

The ANSWER that you've been waiting for...!

Yes! That's right!! Jewels for the Loo!! 

Cat decorations were particularly appropriate because our cats are toilet trained, and think that any toilet with the seat up, is fair game...

Which leads to the dog spending many happy hours playing 'Bob for Tootsy Rolls' in the toilet when noone is home ;) 

OK, so gross, but MY friends know what makes my heart go tick tock!!! 

Our WINNER is....

noone

Boo! Hiss!!! 
Do you hate me?

Next time I will make it easier, and you will get a pressie! I promise!

I will save the comments from the first post, and all of those lovely folks will automatically be entered an extra time into my next giveaway. Fair? Fair!

Can't wait to see what additions you've made to your stash, lately!

XX!

Lori

Linking up with,

Quick Picnic Quilt

It's Finish It Up Friday over at Crazy Mom Quilts, and boy, do I have a finish for you!

This was originally a Quilt for Sarah. Sarah passed away this last Memorial Day. She is sorely missed! But this isn't a post about missing and sadness. This is a post about celebration and remembrance. A sharing among friends. Friends near and far, here and gone, but never absent.
This last week, I attended a retreat with my quilting ladies, the Gold Stitchers. It is always so lovely to get together for a long spell of stories and sharing. So come on in and join us!

Check out this splendid runner that Donna is making! Precious!! She's inventing it as she goes along. I mean really, people are amazing!!

Do you think she will adopt me?? I would really like that!

And Susan just has such a way with color!!! Everything, I mean EVERYTHING she makes is just wonderful! 

And Cleary has organized a drive for small quilts to go to hospice and pediatrics at our local hospital in honor of one of our ladies whose husband just passed away very suddenly and wrenchingly. The hospital staff were wonderful and the ladies just feel that anything they can do to make someone's day just a little bit better is the least we can do to thank them, and the world. Isn't Cleary something else?!! She has also arranged artisan days at the library wherein the library show a movie, and have a demonstration or display involving local artists. One of Susan's quilts is on display right now, and the Bee-Inspired Quilt and one from Rebecca Cleaver (@Cleaverr) will be on display soon. How cool is that?! You go, Cleary!

Whenever we go on retreat there are always visits to local quilt shops...

And little gifts left surreptitiously in the night

And a visit from Julia (said with your worst French accent and a pinkie in the air!)

And discussion about when we are going to make our own Calendar Girls calendar... and exactly what we are going to wear...

And fabulous Eats. Oh the EATS!!!

And Stories!! Stories of this and that, travels and triumphs, good times and bad... and stories you never knew about such as this one about the Northern Lights...

No S**t, there she was...! So, Ally is a Kiwi. There are lots of Kiwis in Alaska, I think it must be the splendor and the wanderlust. I love hearing Ally's stories of the Alaska that was here when she first arrived some 30-odd years ago... 

So Ally and her mate were driving up the AlCan (unpaved), and approaching Dawson City. Now, Ally tells me that a Kiwi just cannot resist a road less travelled or a secret byway beckoning (handy to know if you ever want to catch one!), so she and her bud turned off the highway and onto a narrow track leading out into the back of beyond. Several miles later, they came upon a large creek, a lone gold miner, and a dog. The creek was Eureka Creek, the miner is still a friend, and the dog, well, that's another story. So there are Ally and her mate, and the dog and the miner and a whole lotta nothing around, and he asks them if they would stay to help him protect the gold claim, and watch the sluice. A sluice is used to wash down the tailings from that day's digging in the creek. A section of the creek is dammed off, filled with water and let sit. And if you're the guard, you do some sitting too! And some mosquito swatting, and some long hours of thinking and just being, all whilst holding a rifle in case someone decides they need your gold more than you do. You have to watch the sluice and let water out every now and again, or it will overflow and wash your gold right on down the creek to the next guy. And trust me, he does not deserve it. 

So here's Ally, at 3 am or so, sitting out in the Night by herself, fresh from New Zealand and the surf, listening to the wolves and wondering about Bear, when over her head these Massive green and white and red shapes appear and reach down at her, shifting and squirming and growing.... What would you do?? Well, I can tell you, she ran like wildfire, hair streaming behind, to the bunkhouse to wake the guys to save her from the skies!! And so would I! 

Isn't it grand how big the world is, and how many things there are out there that you just don't know exist, or haven't thought of in real life? 

Ally is thinking of making a quilt from this gorgeous selection of indigos and white on white swirls. I think she should, don't you?

And this is the view from out the back door,

And Celebration! A quilt to celebrate friendship, and Sarah, and women in a group, and all that is good and right with the world so long as you have love,

And although we miss our friends when they are not with us, just the thought of them brings us joy,

And when we're together, there is so much laughter and love that you cannot even sew a straight seam!!

So, Cheers!!!

I'm so glad you stopped by! 

XX!

Lori

Here is the Pattern PDF, share it with friends and Enjoy!!

Linking up with:

 

http://www.shareasale.com/u.cfm?d=250661&m=29190&u=947713&afftrack=