Quilt Market: Schoolhouse

This was my 3rd time to go to Market, but the first time we've done the Schoolhouse Series.

Side note/Back story: We usually just go to fall market in Houston so we can drive and save some money, however we are not going to be able to go in October. My sister is pregnant with my second niece and is due in October. Initially, they were thinking the due date would be around the 13th, which is no problem since Market is the last weekend of the month. After their first doctor visit and sonogram, her due date was changed to officially be October 21st, but she was measuring to be due October 27, which is the day market opens. With my first niece, she went a week past her due date, so we were pretty sure we'd be missing market. We were pretty bummed because it's been a fun mother/daughter thing the last couple years (well... mother/daughter/other business partners thing). But that week Southwest was having an airfare sale and we found one hotel room for the Thursday night of market, so we booked it! My mom's co-owners skipped out since we were flying and they could still go in October, so it ended up being an actual mother/daughter trip!

Back to reality... We always drive to Houston the day of Schoolhouse, so we hadn't ever gone before, but I think it was well worth it! Yes, it is kind of a sales pitch, but you get to pick which ones you want to hear and the sales pitch is more by the Author/Designer/Etc., and about how you can use their book/fabric/product in your shop. And they show you new stuff that's not out yet :) We knew of a few we for sure wanted to go to and just randomly picked others where nothing really stood out. My favorites were Tula Pink (we went to both of hers) and Angela Walters. These next couple posts, I'm probably going to sound like a rabid stalker/fan of both of them, but how can you not be?!?

Other side note: I did a horrible job taking pictures of almost everything. A lot of these were with my iphone because I was too lazy to get out the real camera, and then once I did I was either far away or there was horrible lighting or I just don't know how to work it. That's what I get for not listening to my husband every time he tries to show me, but I wasn't about to call and ask him again :)

Back to pictures.

The first schoolhouse we went to was for the new book by Emily Herrick, Geared for Guys. This has been going around the bloggy world for the last few weeks, so I had heard of it, but didn't really pay that much attention. Her quilts were great!

This was my fave! The picture really doesn't do it justice. I think this would look awesome as a color wheel!

This pattern was designed by John at Quilt Dad.

Like I said, horrible pictures. But anyways, I think these are great, simple designs to use for quilts that aren't fussy and girly.

Next, we went to the class for a book called Simply Triangles by Barbara Cline. All of her quilts looked so complicated, which is so not my thing, but they really aren't. The are all based on a triangle pattern and a lot of them were strip pieced. She also used a netting overlay to add some of her color variations, which I never would have thought of. I would have just bought different fabric.

We also went to Angela Walter's session for her new book, Free-Motion Quilting with Angel Walters. This is definitely going on my to-buy list when it comes out next month. FMQ terrifies me. Especially on my tiny Bernina. Here are some of the quilts she brought.

I want to be her when I grow up.... I'll be back soon with more pictures! After looking through the rest of them, I'm going to break this out into a couple of posts. I think Tula Pink may be getting her own!

One last picture before I go... Eleanor Burns was handing out bags while we were waiting in line to go to sample spree. We thought they were pretty funny :)

If you're looking for the Sew, Mama, Sew! Giveaway, go here!

Sew, Mama, Sew giveaway day!

Hello! Long time, no see :) It's been the usualy craziness around here, but I did just get back from a whirlwind trip to Quilt Market this weekend with my mom! As soon as I get some time, I'll be doing a couple of posts about all the gorgeous new fabric and patterns that are out. We just did a quick trip, with our flight to KC leaving at 6 am Thursday and getting home at midnight on Friday. Needless to say, all I did was sleep this weekend!

So, here's what I have for you guys today.... (pardon my bad pictures, I forgot to do this until tonight and wanted to get it up asap!)

I have 6 Art Gallery fat quarters. (The colors are the best in the first picture.)

The 3 on bottom are from the Modernology line, the stripe is Bespoken, and I can't find the other two on their website now :( I'm sorry. These were extras from my swoon quilt that I'm, of course, still working on. Also, there is a Raspberry Ripple pattern from Melly & me and the very first issue of Generation Q Magazine that I picked up at market.

These will all come in a bag by Green Bag Lady that was handed out by Amy Butler at her schoolhouse on Thursday!

Please just leave a comment to enter the giveaway and make sure I have an email address for you. The giveaway is open until May 25th, 7 pm CST and is open to international readers :). I'll use Random Generator to pick the winner. Make sure you check out Sew, Mama, Sew! for more great giveaways!

Also, feel free to become a follower if you want (you don't have to for the giveaway). I'll have some market posts coming soon!

Fabric Shopping

Before the birthday party, my mom and I had a shopping date :) Those are the best, even if we are bad influences on each other. We went to Cabbage Rose in Fort Worth, my favorite lqs. They have a rewards program, where once you spend $xxx you get $40 off (Disclaimer: I didn't want to get in trouble for putting how much you have to spend to get that. By my husband, that is. In my defense, it has taken me about 4 years to accumulate it.). I was planning on just spending that, as I'm trying to cut back on fabric purchases (sad face) since I don't have time to do anything with what I have. But it was free, so it doesn't count, right?

I have been collecting fabric for what will one day be a king size spider web quilt, like this or a sting quilt like this, I can't decide. We are probably going to need a new mattress in the future, so maybe by the time we save up for it, I'll have this finished. Here's what I purchased:

l to r: Echo, Secret Garden, AMH, Hello, Luscious, Curious Nature, Papillion, and Terrain

1st 4 are Garden Wall, last two are free spirit, but I don't remember who and can't find it! if you know, let me know and I'll add it :)

And some Lark, of course!

A couple of the prints from the bottom two pictures came from Quilter's Stash in Southlake, but their website is down right now.

I'm planning on using gray for the negative space in the quilt and am trying to focus on greens, teals, purples and colors like that.

I also got this pattern that I've been wanting for a while. I have a few cuts of voile that I need to make up into dresses and thought this would be great. I just need to find something to line it with. Voile can be kind of expensive, so I was wanting to use something else for lining, but I'm not sure now. I'll probably break down and buy some...

Needless to say, I didn't make it in my $40 budget. Oops! 

Gender Party! (and the cutest thing I have ever made!)

My BFF is preggo with baby #2 and asked me to throw a gender party for their families. It was held on Saturday afternoon and was so much fun! We went with a cowboy/cowgirl theme, which really was just bandanas, burlap and mason jars. I made some fabric pinwheels and a simple bunting for decor. We started off with some super cute invitations from Sweet Bee Design. Alicia was great to work with and got us just what we wanted!

Also, Big Sister needed a new outfit. This is what I'm chalking up as the cutest thing ever! I hope that doesn't sound like I'm full of myself, but the combination of everything was super cute! I ordered the Malibu Mega Ruffle Dress pattern from Tenderfeet Stitches on Etsy. I really wasn't wanting to make it because of all the ruffles, but it wasn't bad at all (although I've since ordered a ruffler for time's sake). Here is the big sister!

The fabric is all from the Wanna be a Cowboy 2 line by Riley Blake I bought last year. Some of the prints are a little hard to find. I bought them at Cabbage Rose, but they're out of a few of them now. The tags were left on the boots just in case she didn't like them, which was a good thing. They are going back next week :) I'll let you all see pictures of the rest of the party, but heres the news you've all been waiting for..... it's a GIRL!

Mommy, Big Sis and baby #2

The box for the balloon release.

Food

 

More food

 

Beverages... and my favorite detail... the straws!

  

The big balloon reveal!

 

Everyone is so excited!

  

M, Frauntie and A

 

Frauntie, A, and Mommy

Some of the lovely ladies who helped with the party!

I didn't fall off the face of the earth...

Sorry I have been MIA! I was studying and test taking. And going to a birthday party for her.

with her favorite birthday present, from her favorite auntie and uncle. best $2 i've spent!

I did some organic straight line quilting on the man quilt. I didn't finish it before my mom repossessed her sewing machinge, so I have a walking foot on order. Maybe it will be a birthday quilt...

I've been planning a gender party for her new sibling. It's on Saturday and she has the cutest new dress to wear, so there will definately be pictures of that.

And, apparently it's baby season again! I think for the last 3 weeks, I've found out that someone else is pregnant, so there will be lots of baby stuff in my future! I already have a fabric shopping date planned with one of the new mommies! (No babies here, but thanks for checking.)

I also had a fabric shopping date with my mom and may or may not have spent too much :) That probably deserves it's own post, though! I'll try to be here more often! Thanks for hanging around!

Border... Or No Border

I have the man quilt top finished... I thought. It just looks unfinished to me. Does it need a border? I always put a border (or 3) on quilts. My options in this case would be a scrappy border or white. The binding is a wide black and gray stripe. What do you think? Pardon the horrible picture I took at 6 this morning when I left for work.

Swoon Block

I have officially made one block as part of the swoon-along.

I don't think these are going to get done on a regular basis, but 8 more to go!