Stash Enhancement

I mentioned earlier in the week that I'd spent a lovely day with my dear friends Sharon and Dee, and that we shopped a couple of local quilt shops. I hadn't gotten around to taking pics of my new purchases. Until now, that is.

These fabrics will join other similar prints already in my stash, and I promise - I vow! - I swear! - I am going to create something gorgeous with them - maybe several somethings.

At Dabble and Stitch, I found the pieces you see above. All were precut. The five pieces down front are fat quarters; the other 4 are 1-yard cuts, if memory serves. That gray at the very top is fabric, yes. It has a wood-grain look to it.

At Sew to Speak, the same colors and styles were on my mind, so below are my fat-quarter treasures found there.

In addition to the individual FQs above, I found a FQpack that called - screamed! - to me, so I grabbed it up as well. Sometimes, we just have weak moments, you know. It might be like an addiction, only in a much healthier form. (Yes??)

AGF (Art Gallery Fabrics) fabrics are very appealing, and the depth of the colors is amazing. I do love fabric from all the various companies and designers, but there is an unmistakable quality to the colors and designs of AGF.

Ahhh, new fabric. I am satisfied with this addition to my stash, although heaven knows the stash was substantial enough without it. I have plans - big plans! - for stash reduction this year. I guess I ought to explain that in a future post! *wink*

Happy Weekend, Peeps!
And Happy Quilting!

Gallivanting About

Last Friday was a perfectly perfect girls' day - two very long-time friends and I met in Columbus for lunch and shopping, but mostly, catching up.

I spoke of Sharon in my last post, so you know her well, already. The two of us taught together for the entirety of our careers. Another gal, also an English teacher, began with us, but moved to northern Ohio in the late 80s or early 90s. We have worked hard to remain close over the years and across the miles. About twice a year, the three of us manage to meet up for some serious catching up. These visits are always fun - as you can imagine, we cover a lot of territory in our time together.

I provided several links to posts with Sharon in yesterday's edition; today I will offer up some links in which Dee is mentioned. The last time we three were together was in October. In October of 2016, Dee drove all the way down here to sew with Sharon and me. This link from 2017 contains additional links that will provide a full history of our various escapades, if you can piece them all together, that is. 

After a yummy lunch at popular north end restaurant, Northstar Café, we headed out to investigate a little quilt shop a short distance down High Street on Arcadia, Dabble and Stitch. What a cute little shop! A sign near the check out desk makes customers feel pretty good purchasing yardage. *smile*

A super-friendly and welcoming owner welcomed us and gave us the lay of the land so to speak. The décor was captivating - in the photo below, the chalk board wall says MAKE THINGS BE HAPPY. 

 

On another wall, two panels from past row-by-row quilts were displayed. I particularly like the one of the Columbus skyline.

And how simple is this S-E-W decoration!? I might have to do something similar for my quilting room.

Check out the link above to the website for Dabble and Stitch. They have an online shop and in addition to fabric, they offer patterns, yarn, classes and private lessons. Full service shop with a friendly owner.

Here are my two sweet friends outside the storefront. Sharon made a purchase of fabric for a baby quilt she needs to make. I made a purchase, too, of fabric (of course) with no particular plan for it at this time.

Next we headed back up North High to Sew To Speak, which I have written about before. They offer 20% off in your birthday month, and Dee and I are January gals, so we took advantage of that with additional fabric purchases. I didn't go too crazy, but since I really have no idea what I will make with this new stuff, it really is a matter of impulse purchasing.

I have not yet taken a picture of my purchases, but perhaps I will bring that to you in an upcoming post!

Have a great evening, and hope you get some sewing done!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

A Day With Friends

For most of the summer, we three friends from way back have been trying to plan to meet up for lunch. Sometimes, however, good things must wait. For one reason or another, several previous dates had to be canceled and rescheduled only to be canceled again.

Finally, on Tuesday, we did it! Three long-time friends spent a lovely day together.

In the fall of 1979, Dee (right) and I began our teaching careers at Chillicothe HS. The following year, Sharon joined us. All English teachers, all in neighboring classrooms, all young, fresh-faced optimistic molders of young minds. They would love language because of us! Sharon was married with a small son; I was a newlywed of 2 months, and Dee was a single gal who met her husband-to-be at CHS. Sharon and I remained at Chillicothe for the entirety of our careers, while Dee branched out to other locales and with an eventual degree in Library Science, made her way into some librarian positions.

There's the very brief history of us. *smile*

We had lunch at a wonderful Worthington, OH, restaurant right on N. High Street - La Chatelaine.

We carried our meals out to this lovely patio to enjoy the unusually warm October weather - near 90! We talked and talked and talked. Hopefully you have experienced the wonder of friends who, after weeks or months or years of separation, can pick up exactly where you left off without skipping a beat. Sharon, Dee and I are like that. It happens every time! Pure joy, let me tell you.

After dining, we zipped around the block to a little stitchery shop, Sew To Speak. I had absolutely no intention of buying much of anything, yet I came out of there quite a bit lighter in the checkbook. They were having a "skinny bolt" sale - buy what remained on the bolt and get 25% off. My addiction kicked in and the situation became hopeless.

I suspect I will take several months to decide what to do with all this, but I will totally enjoy looking at it in the meantime.

The day with my sweet friends was an absolutely welcome diversion from real life (essays and grading). We met at Sharon's, who now lives in Worthington, and interestingly, that is the town in which Dee grew up. It is a convenient middle ground for the three of us to connect, and I hope we plan another day soon. With two of our birthdays in January, I suspect that we will. *wink*

Tomorrow, I will share some of the delightful decorating that Sharon has done in her new home.

Have a great Thursday!

Happy Quilting, Friends!