Enter Carefully

I say enter carefully because this is a rather long post. In early November I attended Quilt festival in Houston, Texas as I have for more than twenty years. I don't buy as much as I used to but never fear, I always find something. This year was no different. However this last time I was to accompany my daughter to Orlando shortly after my return from Texas. She would attend a writing conference and I would attend Disney world. On the very day of our trip our lives were to change forever. As I have shared before, my husband had a stroke and he is still not home. In December I decided to put up a tree and keep it until he comes home. Not yet. In any case, I did not unpack my bags until sometime after Christmas. That is when I found my Festival purchases. To keep everything together until I could deal with it, I looked around and found the above box. It is not much bigger than a legal size paper, but it holds everything I bought. Last year my sister "wrapped" my gifts in boxes like this one. Lucky me, I have three different such boxes. I will not share. Sorry.


Just a taste. I will get into the details as I go.


Sometimes, it seems I am easily satisfied and this may seem to be one of those times. I love, love these needles, or more precisely their presentation. It is not to say that I have no use for the needles themselves, because I work in wool and with silk ribbon often. I do like looking at this card with it photo of a wool penny rug and needles pinned into a nice square of wool.


This sampler pattern caught my eye because of the definite folk are design as well as the simplicity of the base. Three wooden plaques found easily at Hobby lobby or Michaels. Remember the rick-rack trim.

This is a sack of felted wool balls. My friend Karen and I each bought a different color way and split them between us. We both had a plan to make a Thanksgiving centerpiece with an oak branch using the acorn caps filled with these really cool balls. Karen has some trees she thought would be just right. Not to be. Though the balls are small, they are too big for he caps. I could not
find anything and anyway things changed before I could really pursue the project.


I just thought this was a really sweet holiday pattern. maybe next Christmas.


Of course I bought fabric, though every time I swear I won't. This packet has 76 five inch squares and the fabric line is Hot For Chocolate by Blue Hill. I bought it from Primitive Gatherings. Yummy.


This packet contains two each of thirty prints, all pink and wonderful to look at. Also offered by Primitive Gatherings.


Remember the cross stitch? Well of course I needed to find the rick rack for the trim. Three yards of both the gold and the brown. Never mind that I only need eight inches of one color. The blue ribbon with the chocolate dots was nearby and just a pretty bonus.


These two fat quarters simply called and I responded. They have a nice checkered background with fun ads and labels printed over. No plans yet.


The packet on the right was interesting. Seven metal rings, one-half inch to four inches and reported to be really useful in making wool penny rugs. Cut your circles with a rotary cutter. In retrospect, " NOT! " The width of these rings is only 1/4" The backs are non-skid, but I know myself very well. This is simply a recipe for cut fingers. However, the circles will be very useful, but the tool will be a pencil. The pattern? Just love the flowers and this I will actually get to it in the future.

I love these fabrics. I know they will show up in my work when I can feel creative once again.


The above flosses are hand dyed by The Gentle Art and Valdani. Remember the sweet little penny rug pattern above? These are the threads used in the applique.




This is the first of three border prints I fell in love with. This one is three and a half inches wide and seven yards long. Don't you love it? Borders precisely cut and ready to frame your work. This one is by Andover.Border Prints.


This one is from a collection called Williamsburg Explorations Border. It is also three and a half inches wide , five yards long. The next time I feel patriotic, this will be perfect.


This one is called 1800's Reproduction Border. It is the smallest of the three but I was really attracted to both the cable and little flowers. I have 87 inches and will use every inch. I hope. Well, if I need it, I will find it, I swear.


This packet is a collection of reproduction fabrics cut into ten inch squares, eleven pieces, all shades of brown. I confess that once again I was seduced by the presentation. The picture above shows all eleven in one by three inch strips. Nice.


So, if you are still here, you can see that all of this did indeed fit in my small beautiful box. It is all going back because I am not finished enjoying my treasures. At least I will remember where it is. If you are a quilter, a seamstress, or have a different view of creativity, please comment. I would love to know more about what you do to feed your soul.