Goodies from the DeKalb Quilt show and area thrift stores.

One of the first things I saw, as I walked into the DeKalb Quilt Show, was a vendor booth.  That booth had the new 'Singer' fabric displayed.  I've seen this online, but, I prefer to purchase fabrics from local stores, not online.  Of course, I had to have some of these fabrics, especially as I have some of the machines featured on the fabrics.

Singer Treadle fabric

Singer hand crank fabric

Singer logo fabric

Singer fabric

I also purchased two sewing themed T-Shirts, but, they had to make them up overnight, so, another vendor was going to pick them up for me.  I'll get  them later this week. 

There was a consignment booth for the quilt guild, and, I couldn't resist checking it out.  I bought a specialty ruler.

I don't know what the intended use is for this ruler, but, it will be great for trimming up squares.  I also found this spool holder.  The wooden part that holds the spool is too large for any of my spools, but, I'm sure hubby can trim  it down for me. 

After the quilt show, I checked out some of the local thrift and antique stores.  I scored at the very first store.  I found this lovely hexie shaped quilt.  It isn't lined, but, it is quilted.  It was either a summer weight quilt, or, meant for a table.  It is fairly large.

hexie shaped quilt

This quilt had a label on the back.  I really like what she put on it. 

hexie quilt label

I showed this quilt to the lady at the antique shop, and she said she knows the lady who made the quilt.  Small world. 

I found a few items at the antique shop, too.

I haven't seen a doily/hot pad with this design before

I couldn't pass up this cute teapot

Debbie Mumm fabric, who could resist?

At the last thrift store, I found these sewing machine cams.  I don't have a clue what machine they might go to (nothing on the box). 

cams for an unknown machine

All in all, it was a very fun day on Saturday.  My family reunion in Arkansas is coming up, and I always find lots of great stuff on that trip, too.  I'll be visiting several quilt stores, lots of antique shops, and a few thrift stores, too.  It will be a month of fun finds.

Trip Goodies!

Being gone for 18 days, you have plenty of time to collect some great goodies along the route.  I was limited, since my car was full from the start (lots of stuff for the TOGA, and for friends/family).

When I travel alone, I stop at antique stores, instead of restaurants (I can eat jerky while I drive).  Much more fun to walk around antique stores, than to sit (again) and just eat. 

While gone, I stopped at 2 quilt stores, a Hancock Fabrics (going out of business) and purchased fabrics at the TOGA.  Here is what I bought.  I thought I was pretty conservative.

all the fabric I came home with

I also got some patterns and quilt books.

patterns

quilt books

I have one of the jacket patterns above, but, I'm not sure where it is.  I really need to finish some jackets that I started several years ago.  I did make 2 jackets (one for a friend, and a matching one for me) several years ago.

I stopped in Tulsa (both ways) and gave the 2nd Leg Lamp quilt to Betty.  She claimed it, back last summer, when she saw the first one.  I told her she couldn't have it until after my guilds quilt show in March.

Betty and her Leg Lamp quilt

Betty gave me a few crocheted wash cloths she had made.  I also collected a few others on the trip.

Betty made the green and the yellow & orange cloths

I stopped at a few thrift stores in Tulsa, too.  I picked up 2 mini quilts, for 99 cents each.  I just can't pass them up when they are priced so low.  The 2nd mini quilt is hand quilted, too.

mini quilt

2nd mini quilt

At the TOGA, in the middle of the fabric and notions, from the ladies stash, I spotted something RED.  Of course, RED is my favorite color.  I had to check it out.  It was priced at $3, since it needs to be repaired in a few places.

Grandmother's Flower garden quilt top

I'll work on repairing it, and, who knows, I might even quilt it one day.

My aunt was going thru some of her mother's things.  She gave me these things.  I remember her mother well.  She'd have us over for Sunday lunch, with all of her family (a very large group).  She and her husband lived next door to my aunt and uncle. 

lovely lace tablecloth

teapot and some pretties

I spotted some other lovely lacy items on my trip, too.

another lace table cloth

two lace table runners

embroidered and crocheted items

I choose a bag from the TOGA table, and found 2 zippered bags in Texas themes, later in the trip.

a few bags

I also picked up a few miscellaneous sewing notions, too.

sewing notions

Of course, I also found another teapot.  My mother collects elephants, so, I'm always on the lookout for elephants.  She isn't getting this one (I'd already picked up an elephant for her, earlier in the trip).

elephant teapot

Of course, a couple of sewing machines followed me home (DUH!)  The two littlest ones are from Lisa.  Thanks Lisa!

musical treadle, mini treadle, and sewing machine salt cellar

Yes, some larger machines also followed me home.  3 of these are junkers.  A local friend wants to trade me her treadle head (keeping the treadle base) for a junker, so that she can turn the junker into a sewing machine tractor for her husband.  I was given 3 different junkers (all the same model, Singer 127).  I may use one to see if I can repaint it, since it's already a junker. 

junker #1

junker #2

junker #3 (this one was made in Singer's Russian plant)

I also purchased 2 other machines.  The first one is from the TOGA, the 2nd one, my uncle found for me.

1920 Singer 66 #G8150064

1912 Singer 15 #G2449799

I've been sewing on a Singer 15, with the same decal set.  I also have a collection of Singer 66's with Red Eye decals (my favorite, since it has red in it).  They should both clean up nicely.

Of course, I'd purchased a Bradbury Family VS hand crank last August, from a lady in Florida (I already have another machine that she had owned, previously).  Lisa picked up my Bradbury, while she was traveling cross country, to pick up some other vintage machines.  Lisa delivered it to me at the TOGA. Thanks Lisa!

Bradbury Family VS #D22822 (1906-1915, most likely)

back of Bradbury Family VS

Yes, I took 2 machines on the trip, and came home with 8 machines, total.  I could have come home with LOTS more, if I'd just had the room. 

Score!

Score!  After sew-in today, I stopped at a local thrift store.  After finding some great yardage of 3 different 'sewing themed' fabrics, I turned the corner and saw 3 HUGE  (comforter size) bags stuffed with fabrics.  I could tell that there was lots more 'sewing themed' fabrics in each bag.  The bags are stapled shut, so, you don't really know what you are getting until you get home.  Well.......

fabrics from the thrift store

The 2 stacks on the left are all sewing themed fabrics.  Several of them are 3-6 yards of the same print.  Some are the same line of fabrics, but in 3 different colorways (green, light blue and dark blue/reds).  The stack on the right is all quilting cottons, too, from Christmas, to children's prints, etc.  One is even an Egyptian themed print. 

There were lots of fabrics that were not quilting cottons.  I don't sew clothes, so, I'll pass these on at the next guild meeting.  There are satins, corduroys, and lots of other clothing fabrics, along with some cottons that I know I won't ever use (not my colors or styles). 

2 bags of fabrics to pass on (garment fabrics, etc)

Between 3 large bags of fabric, and the yardage that I'd already grabbed, I still spent less than $30 for all of it!  SCORE!  I've never had such a great day, fabric wise. 

Now to figure out how to use all this fabric......  It will take me quite a while, I'm sure. 

Last 2 Weeks (Busy)

I haven't posted in almost 2 weeks.  I HAVE been busy during that time, too busy to post.  This is going to be the 'short' version of my last 2 weeks.

On Tuesday, June 25th, I went to the Prairie Star Quilter's Guild meeting with Rita and Jane.  I'm not a member of this guild, but, I've visited a few times.  The speaker, Anita Solomon of Make It Simpler fame, was a hoot!

Anita Soloman

Our Quilts of Valor group has been using one of her patterns recently.  Here are some of her quilts (sorry about the ladies head in most of the pictures).

this is the pattern that our Quilts of Valor group has been using

I want to make this quilt one day

After the program (morning program), we went to eat Chinese.  Here is my fortune.

This coming Friday will be an exciting time for you. 

Hmmm...  exciting does NOT mean good.  Gee, tornadoes are exciting, but, really bad. 

After lunch, I headed over to Marion's, to teach her how to miter corners on a baby quilt.  (sorry, I forgot to take pictures).  I went back on Thursday morning to finish helping her.  Marion did a great job!  She didn't have to redo a single corner.  Thursday was also my regular 'sew-in' day.  I didn't get to stay very long.

On Friday, June 28th,  I worked on Kenmore sewing machines (for the Sewing Machine Project), and copied blog links, just in case my dashboard reader went away, like Google Reader was going to.  I didn't want to lose any of the blogs that I follow.

one of the Kenmore's I was working on, the stitch length dial is stuck (still)

other Kenmore, didn't do much with this one yet

The afternoon was lovely, so, I took my laptop out on the patio to copy links in the shade.

my patio computer set up

The umbrella in the picture is an oversized umbrella.  It is huge and heavy.  By later in the afternoon, I'd moved to the other side of the table (thank goodness), and a freak wind picked up the umbrella out of the stand, and aimed the end of it at my face.  In 10 years, we've NEVER had anything happen with this umbrella.  Oh my!  SCARY!  Remember the fortune cookie from Tuesday?  It said that something exciting was going to happen this Friday.  Well, it WAS exciting, but, not good.  The umbrella did NOT hit me, but, my littlest dog was laying near it, and, while she was trying to get away from it, she somehow cut the pads on her paw in  3 places.  I was so busy trying to wrestle the umbrella, and get it closed (not an easy task when it is in the stand, even harder when it is upside down and still trying to fly away), that I didn't notice the dogs until later.  Oh no, where is all this blood coming from?  Poor Katie!  She's had her paw in a bandage ever since.  It is still healing. 

I've also been teaching/helping my hubby to make stuff sacks. 
picture borrowed off another site

Hubby is backpacking this week with our Venturing Crew.  He wanted more stuff sacks for his stuff.  His are small and grey.  He did most of the stitching himself, but, I finished them for him, so that he'd be able to take them with him this week.  I'll show pictures another time.  I'm sure we'll be making more, since this was a learning experience, and he wants to improve what he did.

On Monday, July 1st, my little guild met.  It was the last month for our 'box' exchange.  This is what I made for Janette. 

fan block

Janette's 'box'

Janette's box had a very old UFO in it that she wanted to complete.  She now has at least 8 of the blocks done.  We are supposed to have a quilt top done by our December meeting. 

On Tuesday, July 2nd, our Quilts of Valor group met in Batavia for our monthly sew-in at Prairie Shop Quilts. Here are some of the quilt tops that were turned in that day.

We had a fun and productive day.

Wednesday, July 3rd, Plainfield, Illinois has their fireworks show, right across the street from my church.  We had a party at the church, and watched fireworks together.  What a fun night!  We've done this many times. 

Plainfield fireworks

Plainfield Fireworks

On Thursday, July 4th, I drove the Aurora Lamplighters Barbershop Chorus in the Aurora parade. 

Aurora Lamplighters parade float

 The lady in front is the director of the chorus.  It's fun to drive in the parades.

Another quilt shop is going out of business, due to retirement.  The owner purchased the shop from his mother when she retired, now, he is retiring.  Oh my, I don't think I've ever seen so much fabric in one store before.  On Friday, July 5th, he was dropping his prices down to $2 a yard.  It was time for a 'road trip'.  Marilyn, Thelma, Susan and I decided to see if we needed any fabric.  Princeton, IL is about 1.5 hours from us.  There are 2 quilt shops in town.  There were at least 4 cutting tables in the shop, and the lines were between 30 minutes and an hour long for the wait.  I purchased at least 30 yards of fabric, all but one piece for charity quilts.  Karen has already come by and picked up several yards to make lap quilts for the local Veteran's home and pillowcases.  The rest will go for Quilts of Valor backings and quilts. 

just a fraction of the fabric that I've purchased in the last month.  The bottom blue fabric is 21 yards.

I have purchased LOTS of fabric in the past month.  Most of it for charity quilting.  I've already sent 2 bags of it out of the house for others to stitch with.  I've only paid full price for one piece of that fabric.  The rest was on sale, or, found at thrift stores.  It's been a lucky fabric month for me at thrift stores.  3+ yards of Minky for less than $5, most pieces of fabric for less than $2 for several yards.  I'm much better at finding the fabrics than I am at getting them stitched up, so, I pass on fabrics for others to stitch for charity.  I find the deals, they get to stitch.  Win-Win! 

I have been getting stuff of my own done.  I've been working on the embroidery on my Harry Potter blocks.  Almost all the blocks I've made so far have titles on them, waiting to be stitched.  Boy does it take a long time to transfer titles for embroidery! 

I won't be getting much stitching done in the next week.  I'll be cleaning house, instead.  This house has been a mess since both boys moved back home.  Everything has been moved, topsy turvy, all over the place.  I'm busy trying to find new homes for everything, and clean before youngest son's fiance comes for her first visit this weekend.  Add to that, my vacuum was busted for 2 weeks (fixed now, thank goodness). 

Have a Great Week!

Cheryl