So Forth, and Sew On

A friend of mine actually got us started with our quilting group nine years ago. It started as a one time deal, so she could show us, and have us all make a quilt by Buggy Barn called Crazies. She was a fairly new quilter herself, and had tried for quite some time to get me to try it, but I just wasn’t interested. I went with her to a friend of her’s house so she could show them how to do it, and we then decided we should try it. We invited some girls from work who we thought might be interested, and a few other friends, and after our first day, decided that we needed to keep going. We enjoyed the ‘girl time’ together. I had the most room, so I volunteered to be the host. Over the years, we have lost a few gals, but gained a few new wonderful friends. Here is my very first quilt. It hangs in one of our hallways.

This is one I modified a little bit, but not my second, third or fourth quilt, because I had so much fun, I was cranking them out often, after that. This one was probably my fifth quilt, which hangs in our guest room.

This one was probably my third quilt, and I made it in mostly purples for my bathroom above my lavender tub. (What does a girl do when her bathroom has lavender fixtures and she can’t afford to remodel ---especially when she uses the ‘separated from the tub’ shower? Why replace it?)

Moving on to the point, one of the first books I bought when I started quilting, was the Fons and Porter Quilter’s Complete Guide.

 

Along the way on my junkin’ expeditions, I have run into a few more, for a few dollars each. One of the last ones (not this one), was 65 cents, and the spine was broken, the pages were barely hanging on, but it was all there, and I thought it was just the perfect opportunity to try out what I had read about from quilters so many times. I’m sure you ALL know about this, but it was news to me, and I thought for 65 cents, if it didn’t work out, I wouldn’t be out much.  I had heard that KINKOS bound books for you, for about $3. We called them, and they said they don’t do it anymore, because of too many complaints (at least at the store we called, which is 40 miles away), so we called STAPLES (also 40 miles away). They do it, and it is $3, but they couldn’t promise it would be done the same day either. Who wants to drive back to pick up a book? I KNOW, I KNOW, I’m there quite often, but I wanted it done NOW.  My husband called THE SHOPPER in our town, and yes, they do things like that…….for $10, but hey, since it was already almost afternoon, they wouldn’t make any promises either. (Are you picking up on my sense of patience here?) I agreed, and he dropped it off for me. It was done on Monday, but since they close at 4:30, and I am just getting off work, and Louie works til 5:00, it would have to wait until Tuesday when Louie could pick it up on his vacation day (or had he been working, on his lunch hour). WOW!

 

Were we impressed! It looks like a brand new book! If I decide to do anymore, I will go EARLY to STAPLES and hope that by the end of my junkin’ it will be done. $3 is an awesome price, but for convenience, if I ‘need’ it sooner (HA HA!) I can always do it the local way. Did you know about this????

Yesterday, I invited my sister to come up and spend the day with me. I felt like junkin’, and she agreed to go with me. We made a few other stops besides thrift stores too. Joann’s us having a Merry Moolah sale this weekend, and I wanted to pick up some ‘on sale fabrics’. The top and bottom fabrics were Christmas fabrics, priced 60% off, and the middle green was in the clearance isle for $4 a yard. I got to use one of the coupons for ‘over $50’ and saved a grand total of $53.72 off the original price of these fabrics. I ended up with just over 11 yards of fabric for $37.69 with tax. WOO HOO!

I found this piece of prewashed batik at Goodwill in Cedar Rapids--- 88 cents.

I also fell off the wagon with more sheet purchases (Hi, my name is Michelle, and I have a HUGE fabric addiction….HELP ME!)for quilt backs and piecing, or fat quarters. Here they are, all washed, dried and folded.

Here is what the world looks like today out my back office window. I am pretty achy today, and am having a hard time staying warm. It is 47* out. I think I will jump in a hot shower and see how I feel, then decide if it is a stay home day, or another junkin’ day. I think my sweetie would like to junk, as he was inside all day yesterday. Decisions, decisions….

Have a wonderful day, whatever you do!

Michelle