Sit and Sew @ the Sewing Cottage

Friday night was spent in the company of my friend Kathy at the Sewing Cottage in Andrews. Norma, the store owner, had a sit and sew from 6 to midnight. Since Kathy and I had gone to the Midland one a couple of weeks before, I called her up and suggested we try this one, also. This time I would definitely take pictures of everything that was going on. Well, turns out, Kathy and I were the only smart ones to take Norma up on her all night sewing fun. And what fun we had. Can't wait until the next one! We will definitely be dragging more of our Odessa group up there to join us. We talked, and sewed and ordered pizza which Norma's daughter was brave enough to go and pick it up for us. (apparently that was an education no one would have wanted).


As I said, we talked, even when we slowed down enough to eat. Of course we had to have our cokes from Stripes or we wouldn't have even been able to begin sewing.

Here's mine next to my ugly bag and my eye glass case. I really need to make a prettier bag. I was experimenting with the zipper and putting it on like I had seen in a TV show, but couldn't exactly remember how to do it. It works, but it doesn't look great. I keep using this bag since it is so handy. One of these days I will make another one that is much prettier. What's in it? All my little things that I need when I am on the road (even when I am not on the road. It sits in a partially opened drawer next to me when I sew at home) Oh, yes, you did ask what was in it. . . extra needles, wound bobbins, screw drivers, buttons, seam rippers, pens and markers. Everything a quilter or her friend might need.

speaking of bags. Here is Kathy's cute carry all bag.

she carries all her sewing stuff in there and has for quite awhile now.

Here is my purse.



Not looking so good. Today, I even discovered that my tote bag that holds all my school papers is ripped. I guess I will be getting two new bags this week. Or next. Or maybe even when we are off for Thanksgiving. Yea, that is probably the only time I will have to go to the store and even look at bags. My two have served their purpose.

I am sick of my pink bag. I bought it this summer when the purse I took to conference was WAY to small. I couldn't add anything to it and I had a hard time zipping it closed. That meant that I was carrying my cameras around with me along with my notebook and water bottle. So, quick trip to Target and I purchased this messenger bag. Worked great all the way through the first 6 weeks of school. Now, it is WAY to big. Nothing stays in it's place and everything falls to the bottom. Good thing that flashlight we got at the Ogallala retreat is still in there. It comes in handy when I am trying to find something.

This is what Kathy worked on after she finished up her retreat quilt. Sorry, can't show you pictures of it until our retreat. (What I really mean is, I didn't take a picture of it when it was all done)



Those are the greens she cut circles out of so she can put together project bags for her girl scouts. They are making yo-yo's into a tree. It is a really cute project, but we will all have to wait until next year to see their finished product since Norma and I talked Kathy into waiting until then to make them. The girls were only going to have about an hour or less to start on them in the meeting and Kathy expected them to take them home and finish the tree. How many of you would have finished your yo-yo tree when you were in 8th grade if you had never made a yo-yo before? "Not I," said the fly. So, that is why she is sooooo ahead on her Christmas project for next year. Now she has plenty of time to look for those little metal stars to go on the top.

In the next post I will show you what I worked on all night. It took me most of the time to just cut everything out. Plus eating, shopping, talking, looking around the store and of course talking.

Please sir, can I have some more? Fabric?

I know, I know, I know - I don't need any more fabric. But that's like telling any other addict that they don't need _______ (whatever they are addicted to) anymore. We just can't help it!
I traveled to the north to the Sewing Cottage -wait, is that the name? - I never can remember. Anyway, I went to the quilt store in Andrews. I needed some brown batik to set my pink, brown and turquoise blocks and I didn't have any. I know, can you believe it. Moi? Not having any brown batik. What is this world coming to? So, off to the quilt store in Andrews. (see how I got away with not naming the store? Pretty clever of me.) I found the perfect brown right off the bat and then Norma, the shop owner, tells me that all the batik FQ are on sale for $2.00 each. That she is going to have to go up in August. I totally understand that, because now batik fabrics are around 10 dollars a yard and I haven't seen a batik FQ - that is not on clearance - for less than $2.50 in quite some time. So, of course I have to grab a few. (no pic at this time - they are in the wash) I went to Andrews not planning on spending more than thirty dollars. Just get the brown batik and get out of there. Well, that was a great plan. I just didn't follow it.

I wandered around the store and saw a lot that I would love to have, but I was NOT going to buy anything else. But . . . . okay, there was a great quilt on the wall that had these wonderful fabrics that I had already spied when she was having her major after the wreck sale. I wanted them then, but wouldn't let myself even touch them. Okay, that's a lie. I touched a little bit, but I didn't pull them off the rack and audition them. I was already doing that with the sale fabrics. I told myself, that I could look at the FQ's and see if I still liked them. Silly me. Of course I would like them. There were no fat quarters. boo, hoo. I still wanted some and there was less than half of the bolt left of the majority of these fabrics. I knew if I didn't get some now, it wouldn't be there in a couple of months when I go back. So, of course, I pulled out the bolts and auditioned the fabrics. (Audition: to lay the bolts horizontally across the top of the rack of fabrics to see which ones go together better. Pull some out, put some back. Pull some others out, etc. until I have the perfect mix.) I got a half yard of most of the fabrics and a yard and a half of the main fabric. I have them all fanned out below.

There is a totally cool and retro feel to most of these fabrics. I loved the tulip line drawing fabric so I got every one of those that she had. When I got home and laid them out, I found a fabric I have in the store that is dark brown and has light blue flowers on it. It goes perfect with these. I think I will also add in some more red - possibly. I might use that red as a zinger border instead. I will have to see what they fabrics say when I get around to using them.

More you say? Okay, more. I had this weird dream a couple of weeks ago and woke up not remembering anything except that I needed to get 10 dimple fabrics. I blew it off and thought that it was a really random dream and that I "don't need anymore fabric". About 10 hours later I was on the computer and thought, "I need 10 dimples fabrics." Those are not the easiest fabrics to find so I googled them. I found a place that was having a sale on dimple fabrics - sorry they aren't now or I would give you the link - and purchased 10 - 1/2 yard cuts of dimples. (oops, Kathy. there are 10. I was wrong earlier)

While I was there, I noticed that they were having a sale on Tina Givens fabrics. I love her fabrics so I went to look . . . well, as you know, I also purchased.

And of course, I found some others that I couldn't pass up. (yes, they were also in the sale category.) Some oranges for my orange and gray quilt and as always some pink and greens.

Whew! That's a lot of fabric. Tomorrow, I will post the cake stand blocks I made at Bee Friends today and a couple of other things I have worked on this week.