Two New Patterns

Try as I might to eliminate new pattern purchases, sometimes I run across a true beauty that simply MUST be purchased. I have stopped taking magazines and buying them in the stores. I rarely buy new quilt books. I figure that most quilts are just new takes on old patterns, so I tell myself I just need to be "inventive" and come up with my own beauties.

That said, yesterday, I bought two PDF patterns. I just couldn't resist. Downloading patterns this way has it's benefits - but also its drawbacks.

One benefit is not filling a bookshelf or a 3-ring binder with yet another quilt pattern. The drawback, for me anyway, is how to store the PDF files on my various devices. If I save them in a number of different locations, then I hope I will be able to locate them when I want to. So there's another benefit.

You probably don't care about any of that; you just want to see the patterns that tempted me so, right??

This screen shot of Lake Effect by Minick and Simpson does not do justice to just how pretty those fabrics are. You may recall that I have been attempting to imitate this quilt since April or May - go have a look at this fabric-buying post (scroll down quite a ways), and then this template basting post. I thought I ought to be able to replicate Lake Effect without purchasing the pattern. Well, I have decided that while I could do the elongated hexies with little trouble, I would definitely need help with those appliqued inner sections. And, gee whiz, it was only $15. So I bought it last evening from Fat Quarter Shop. Sent instantly to  my phone - what could be easier??

 Now for the second pattern...in the past several months, I have become quite a fan of Instagram. I try to use it exclusively for quilt-related pictures, therefore it serves as a different form of Pinterest, but I get to control (for the most part) who I follow and what I see. Aside from ads which must be scrolled past, I really love it. One of the things I am seeing quite a lot of lately are pretty little star blocks to go into a Camille Roskelley /Thimble Blossoms pattern called Scrappy Stars. The blocks finish at 4.5 inches, and they look so scrumptious - especially the ones that Carrie Nelson is making -  I decided I simply MUST make some, too. And even though this is a very traditional star, getting it to that exact size might be a challenge, so for less than $5, I bought this, too.

What am I thinking?!?! Ahhh, well, I know. I can plan out 40 quilts before finishing one, but who do I have to be accountable to?? No one but myself. And I am good with it. *grin*

Happy Quilting, Friends!