Tina's Top W Borders and Pillowcases

I have the borders on Tina's quilt as you can see. I think that I like it, I hope that she does. Scraphappy suggested green for the small border and I had thought of it, but didn't think I had enough. I'm glad she suggested it as I checked and I had just enough for a 1" border. I asked my granddaughter-in-law what she thought for the large border (since Tina is
her mom) and she picked the yellow.












I wanted to make my brother in Jacksonville small pillowcases to go with his quilt and they are my first finish for the year. I thought 1 yard should be enough for 2 little pillowcases, wrong. I had to make a trip to my LQS, and they didn't have the exact fabric, but they had some that goes pretty well, from the same line, I think. They are 2 different sizes, for the pillows he uses in his living room, one is a little longer than the other.

Shopping

I've been doing a "little" shopping, some not so "little". I have been wanting to get a new car for several years, and due to something my daughter said, I went ahead and did it. I have some buyers remorse, but hopefully, it will be a good thing. We were talking about a 40 something friend of hers who has shingles and the treatment for it. She said something about her friend being young, but people who are 60ish, as is usual for shingles, only having 10 or 15 years to live (quoting from her friend's doctor). After I got over my initial dismay I decided that hopefully, I have many years more than that, but just in case, what am I waiting for. I want to enjoy my new car while I am able and I feel like having it will hopefully get me out more and keep me a bit more active. The fear of making such a purchase in hard times is giving me my buyer's remorse, but hopefully it wasn't a mistake. I talked myself into thinking I deserved it, lol. We got it the day before Father's day, so my husband likes to tell everyone that he got it for me for his Father's day. It's about the same color as this print. Khaki.
I went to the quilting group that meets in our town last week for the first time, and was shocked to see that there were about 35 people there. This is the slow time too, as in the winter when the snow birds are here they have close to twice as many. One of the ladies had some of their challenge fabric and asked if I'd like it as she didn't plan to use hers and I said yes, thank you. The smallest fabric below is the challenge fabric, and I purchased the others today to go with it. I'm thinking that I'll make one of the little baskets that are on so many blogs courtesy of Pink Penguin.

The fabrics below were on sale for $5.00 a yard, and I needed some neutrals. The wild one just caught my eye, and I was surprised when I got home that my DH really liked it, too.

I also signed up for my first "shop hop", and am looking forward to going around to the different shops. There are only 4, and one is about 5 miles from me, so it should be fairly easy. It goes on for 4 days too.

About a week ago I went to Joann's Fabrics and got a few things that I had been needing, basting spray and invisigrip, and some that I had been wanting the Gingher rotary tools. Unfortunately, after using it about 20 minutes on and off I dropped it on the blade, and now that blade is ruined. Luckily, I got the extra one, and I got them for 50% off, but I had read in one of the groups that one lady had been using hers for a year and hadn't had to change blades yet. I sure didn't get my year.

Carolina Straightaway and Hancock's of Paducah Order

I finally got my rear in gear and finished my Carolina Straightaway top. I was going to do the star blocks in each corner, but when I saw that I had made enough extras to do 4 of the ring blocks I couldn't stop myself, I used them instead and took the easy way out. I still plan on doing some of the star blocks and using them in something.

I'm not a very good quilt shop customer. I would love to just go to my local quilt shop and nearby quilt shops and help myself to whatever appeals without having to worry about price, but that wouldn't work out too well for my budget. I love the nicer fabrics, but have to look for bargains. I usually either shop at Thousands of Bolts, Connecting Threads, or the clearance department of such as Fabric Depot or Hancock's of Paducah. I was very happy with my order from Hancock's that I received a day or two ago. Most of the fabric was $2.98 a yard, and I got 8 yards of assorted prints for $25.34. They also were having free shipping.

Needless to say, I was a happy camper.

I unfortunately have gotten a little behind in my state flower quilt. I need to catch up 2 states, which means 4 blocks, and then I think I am going to work on the Twisting Turning Twenty with Donna from DONNA'S - In The Attic, I think that will be fun, and I'll be part of her quilt show. She is planning to eventually do all the quilts in the book "Turning Twenty Just Got Better" by Tricia Cribbs. Donna does beautiful quilts and quilting, and has lots of good recipes, too.