Post-Paducah News

Three words:  Paducah was awesome!

I've got pictures of quilts that I believe I can post.  I took over 200 pictures, so it's taking me a while to get through all of them and will post a few at a time.  Let's take care of business first and then get on with the trip.

I finished the churn dash block (On the bus!  I can applique anywhere!).  The same guidelines apply for this block as the one prior.  These are small pieces.  Use a wet toothpick.  Go slowly.  Do inside curves first.

To me, this block screams embellishment.  Beads could be used on the clover.  The bee's wings could be made 3-D with tulle or gauze.  There is a lot that could be done to make this block "pop."  What you have to keep in mind is that if you embellish this block with beads, bangles, embroidery, or whatever tickles your fancy, you should also plan to embellish a few more blocks to balance your quilt out.  If this is the only block that is embellished, it will stick out like a sore thumb.

Okay, now back to the AQS show in Paducah.

My parting words to my hubby were "I'm after thread and gadgets.  I don't need anymore fabric."

Uh-huh.

Bill didn't look like he believed me.  He knows me too well.

And I did come back with a half a suitcase full of fabric.

(There is a method to packing for a large quilt show.  You take two suitcases that nest inside each other.  You put your clothes in the smaller suitcase.  Put that inside the larger one going to the show.  Then coming home, you use the larger one to bring home your purchases.  So it was the larger suitcase that was half-full of fabric.)

Yep.  I lied. Pinocchio ain't got nothin' on me.

So here's what I bought:

The first stop we made on Wednesday was to Murray's Warehouse.  They had neutrals on sale for $4.00 a yard.  For some reason I am having a hard time finding white-on-white fabrics here, so I bought five yards of the white.  I bought 6 yards of the gray.  I don't know what I'm going to use the white in yet, but the gray has a destination.  I am planning to make the Country Inn quilt designed by Barb Adams and Alma Allen and I'm using this gray as one of the backgrounds.  The flowers will be made out of these batiks:

These came from Hancocks of Paducah and one of Eleanor  Burns' stores.

I also found this:

This also came from Eleanor Burns.  I'm not sure what where this 5 yards of fabric is going, but I really liked it and it was a break from the batiks that have taken over my sewing room.

After we had left Murray's, two ladies told our group about a place that had fabric for $3.00 a yard.  It was housed in an old bar and the owner was cutting fabric on the bar counter.  The line of customers went nearly to the door and the fabric selection was varied.  There was a bit of the new stuff, a bit of the old stuff, and then a bit of the really old stuff.  But what quilter in her right mind can pass up $3.00 a yard fabric?

I always need green for leaves and stems and vines.  The corals I need for Hop-to-It.

My goal this year is to learn to do free-motion quilting on my Janome 7700 better.  The Hobbs booth had 18-inch squares of batting bundled together -- each square was a different batting.  I bought the bundle and a lap-sized silk batting there.  I'm using the squares to practice free motion.  The silk batting will be used for a whole-cloth hand quilted project I want to pursue after my son's wedding at the end of the summer:

I also bought some new applique tools, including a nifty new iron that has a smaller head than the Clover brand as well as some other helpful heads.

The marker on the far left is a liquid chalk marker.  It goes on clear, but it dries white and comes disappears with a steam iron.  It is terrific for use on dark fabrics or wools (if you are into woolen applique).

I also got all kinds of thread to use in machine quilting -- bottom line thread for my bobbin and other types from Superior Thread.  Superior Thread is my preference for machine quilting.

I also got a thread cone holder and a free DVD about thread.  It's a great learning tool and if you order from Superior, see if you can get it.

I purchased Titanium-coated needles.  These are supposed to last longer than standard needles and work better with machine quilting.  The blue-dot bobbin case -- especially made for machine quilting with my Janome -- and Magic Bobbin Washer also found their way into my shopping bag.  The washers allow your bobbin to spin easier when free motion quilting.  The spoons of thread are Sulky thread that I use for machine applique.  It's slightly thicker than standard thread.

I also got the 30th Anniversary AQS Show Pin.  It is so much bigger than a standard pin.

Buttons and a pen from the fabulous Shabby Fabrics booth along with a card you can tuck in your wallet about quilt backing.

I am a ruler addict.  I haven't seen a quilt ruler I didn't like or think that I didn't need.  I have baskets full of them!  But the ruler that I use most consistently (besides my long, straight-edge ruler that I use for rotary cutting), is my Square-in-a-Square ruler.  There is a new "bible" for this ruler, hot off the press.  I got it...

And Jodi signed it!

The last two purchases were a scissor buddy to use on my Juki and an applique glue stick.  My small scissors seem to have a way of walking off during classes.  This will keep them on the machine.

I know this blog is a little late this week, but I have an excuse other than Paducah.

Meet my little Elli.  Sweet Elliott Belle Elkes was born Thursday morning to my wonderful daughter, Meagan, and her equally wonderful husband, Justin.  She's my second granddaughter.

I had to finish binding her quilt and make the label.