Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Great Goodies found on my travels....

One great thing about traveling around the country is all of the awesome people we meet! The other thing....is the great range of things to purchase! These are a few of my finds in April:
                                                                     This is my find at Hancocks of Paducah. A lot of you probably get their catalog which is amazing. It was different to see that they are basically just in a big old warehouse!
These are the new fabrics from Fig Tree called Fresh Cotton. Love them. I am working them into one of my new Block of the Month designs.
                                                                     
  An adorable pattern for a pretty easy sweater (so they say) that I am dying to make. They had the actual sweater made up in a wine color at the Pueblo show. Gorgeous!!

I was thrilled to find this book. It is an older book, but is exactly what I need for a design I have been working on for over  a year. A Block of the Month quilt with Christmas houses. This book tells how to construct houses from fabric! Nothing like perfect timing!

I am learning to stitch! This was the book I found at the National Quilt Museum in Paducah. They are actually stitches to use for hand quilting, but most of them can and will be used for hand embroidery in some of my new designs. This was another perfect find with perfect timing!
And this is my first finished project out of the book that taught me so many stitches!





Jennifer Chiaverini's new book! I can't wait to dive into this one. I love her books.




My first ever 'wool' purchase, from my dear vendor friends Attic Heirlooms. If you've never checked out their booth....please do. She is an amazing designer. What some of you may not realize, is that on the road, us vendors are like a family meeting up each week, in different cities all over the USA. Everyone helps each other, and we all can commiserate about "Life on the Road"...
















And one last amazing book. I think it is so special that authors out there are willing to teach the rest of us, how to make their incredible designs. The quilts in here look impossible, but she breaks down the process. She tells how to do roses....which is the thing I am most interested in. Someday....I will have my own 'Rose Design" quilt out there for you all. A special "Thank You" to all you generous authors out there!

One last picture to make you smile...this is baby Heston who was born in December. For all of you who got to know our daughter Ashley out there on the road....this is her new little one. She also wants you all to know that she misses you!! (But she has made it clear...she sure doesn't miss giving demos!!)

It's after 11 pm...we have to get up at 3 a.m.
to be on the road to the next show
so I will sign off.
I stayed up last night until after midnight
photographing a tutorial for you all
on the Dresden Plate
so hopefully I will get that
posted tomorrow.
Until then....
Happy Quilting!

6 comments:

  1. Fun goodies you treated yourself to on your trip! Love the Fresh Cotton fabrics and the books... especially the embroidery one! Your stitchery from it is really cute!

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  2. John'aLee - just found your blog and I must say how much I have enjoyed reading it. I met you & your family several years ago at HMQS - bought several of your kits. Love them all. Are you going to be at HMQS this weekend? I've also been to the Quilt Walk twice, but it has been a couple years since the last time. That is such a great event! You need to post your blog to: Quilterblogs.com
    More quilting people need to read about you & your wonderful talents!

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  3. Bonnie...I couldn't post back to you somehow...but I just wanted to say "thank you ever so much for your sweetest comment!" It made my day.
    This blog is a lot of work, and I do it for my customers....so when I get a comment like yours, it makes it worth every bit of it!
    And finally....yes...we are HMQS now. Tell me who you are if you come to my booth!
    Happy Quilting!
    John'aLee

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  4. Hi John'aLee,
    I'm glad you visited my blog because that, in turn, allowed me to discover yours which is full of the most amazing eye candy.
    I loved looking at the pictures of your booth, the quilts, books, your designs oh........just everything!
    I'm adding a link to my blog so I can check for updates
    Happy quilting,
    Margaret

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  5. Wonderful books and fabric! I look forward to seeing your Block of the Month!

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  6. Hi John'aLee, - Just noticed that you replied to my comment several weeks ago. I didn't make it to the HMQS this year, because I like to go to Idaho to visit my Mother on Mother's day weekend. Since HMQS has been held on Mother's day weekend for the past two years, I have missed the show. I had hoped go this year on Thursday or Friday, but I was just too busy at work and couldn't get away this year. I am planning to go to "The Road to California" show next January in Ontario, CA, though. Hubby has a trade show we go to in Long Beach, and next year the quilt show is the same week end! I went to it a couple years ago, and it is a fantastic show! Maybe I will see you there?

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