Turning Up the Heat

We're gearing up to brand the Corrientes. 3 days next week and three days the following week so that means I've been knee deep in menu planning and list making mode these past few days. I was at the grocery store at 5 a.m. on Friday loading up on all the necessary ingredients.

Breakfasts will be at 4 a.m. That translates to setting my alarm at 2:30. I don't even think there's an emoji that can convey the emotion that coincides with getting up at that time of the day.

The older I get, the harder days like that are, but as long as everyone stays safe, it'll all be good. Our temps have been incredibly pleasant this summer, but this week, the scorching heat promises to make a triumphant debut to welcome the summer of '17. That will just be a lovely accompaniment to my recent introduction to hot flashes. Is there a sarcastic emoji? 

Between the outside temperature, the branding fire, the oven and stove running non-stop, and  my internal thermostat, 'Turning Up the Heat' seems like an appropriate title for this post. Have ya'll heard of that Polar Bear challenge from a few years back? I always thought those folks were nuts. Right now, that sounds like the most wonderful idea ever created. When I picked up sacks of ice at Sam's on Friday, I really wanted to climb into that freezer.

Here, this sums it all up perfectly. In between the batches of rolls and stacks of dirty dishes you can find me here:

The First Stitch

Starting new projects is always so exciting, but I have been completely intimidated by this Four Corners Quilt and thus, I have been dragging my feet. However, it's never going to get finished if I don't take the first step. I posted a bit about it here:

New Quilt Project

 The 28 page instruction book had me spooked, but after consulting it more closely, I was happy to see that the first half is dedicated to the table runner instructions, and I also have a secret support system in one of my readers. She is also making the quilt and after a good visit via the phone, I am feeling much more confident. She was sweet to share her tips and helpful hints so I am digging in and making the first cut. P shared that this is the most challenging quilt she has ever worked on, but she loves a good challenge and if she's up for the challenge, then I'm jumping in too.

P mentioned that staying organized with this project is key so I'm devising a system and labeling everything as per her advice. No fancy labeling system here. Masking tape always does the trick for me and I ordered extra fabric in order to mitigate the oopsies I make along the way.

It took me 4 days to get it all cut out and when I had finished, I was pleasantly surprised that they had been incredibly generous with their fabric cuts and I had a lot left over. I hope I haven't missed something, but there's plenty left and never even touched the extra fabric that's propped up in the back:

The pieces in this quilt are small compared to the quilts I usually make. The entire quilt is comprised of 1 1/2" strips and the largest piece is a 3 1/4" square, but those are cut into 1/4 square triangles.

So, here goes nothing! I took a deep breath and stitched the first seam.

Ripping happened almost right out of the chute and I imagine I had better keep that seam ripper close at hand. I often listen to audio books when I sew, but that's just not possible while working on this project. I need to pay close attention to each step in order to get these pieces built correctly.

There are good pictures of each finished step, but there are sometimes multiple steps for each picture and you have to cock your head a bit to insure that you are sewing the pieces together correctly in order to make it turn out the way it needs to. I sewed most of  one afternoon and completed the first 4 steps

And then made it through step 11 over the weekend:

Disregard the fabrics peeking out from the strip at the top. That's another quilt I'm working on. Doesn't everyone work on more than one project at a time?

Slow and steady, but I am hoping to have this top completed by the end of June. We've got a week of cow works next week and I'll have to shut down sewing progress that week, so I've got 3 weeks to focus and execute.

and if the phone rings, P, it'll probably be me. Good thing for you that we don't live closer or you might find me camped out on your porch!

One Quilt Place

I've got another peek into a quilt shop for you today. Fair warning: there are lots of photos, but it might even inspire some of you to make road trip plans.

One Quilt Place is located in Fredricksburg, Texas and if you've not been there, it's worth a trip. Fredricksburg is a little German settlement town, nestled in the Texas hill country, famous for it's peaches and charming main street shopping:

I love history and there's a Museum of the Pacific War there, as well as a beautiful Wildflower Seed Farm that has the best fresh peach ice cream:

But today we're going to take a tour of their quilt shop. Last year they moved their little quilt shop to a new location with lots of room for expansion. It's tucked alongside a little country road so you'll want to use your GPS to find it, but it'll be worth it!

They have a retreat cottage:

And a studio:

That flanks the quilt shop:

This is an amazing quilt shop:

I've found that all quilt shops have their own personality and fabrics they specialize in, but I've never been in a larger one and they have just about anything and everything here:

Batiks:

Tone on tones

Christmas fabrics:

Autumn colors:

Lots of landscape fabrics to choose from:

This is only a little of their wool selection:

They have western prints:

A wide selection of patriotic fabrics:

As well as a big corner of 30's prints :

You could drown in their choices of Civil War reproduction and Thimbleberry type fabrics. I couldn't even get them all in one photo. There's another wall to the right:

And if you need a quilt for a baby or a child, inspiration abounds here:

They had lots of samples sewn up - these used panels and simple strips to make cute quilts for kids:

Just the patterns alone could keep you here for hours:

And I wanted to browse their book selection, but I had to get back on the road:

My SIL fell in love with the Garden Delights line a few weeks ago and ordered it online when we were all visiting my in-laws a few weeks ago. I sent her this picture:

They have the whole line if she needs more. And I sent this to a friend because it reminded me of her, but I forgot to jot down the line and now she wants some of it.

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It is really hard to control yourself in this store, because there is temptation around every corner. And I caved:

I was pretty good and just picked up some basics to add to my stash, some of them from the sale section:

Whenever I pull into the parking lot, "Danger! Danger, Will Robinson!" immediately begin to endlessly play in my head. Those of you of a certain age may remember that line from a tv show called "Lost in Space" that was popular in the 70's. It is very applicable in this situation because there is something for everyone in this shop and I dare you to walk out empty handed!

Swayed by the Sea

I can go for a long time without bringing home any new fabric. Although my credibility may be in question here, as I brought fabric home in my previous post. :)

However, I love sewing from my stash and I tell myself that I AM making a dent in it. I am NOT tempted by all the fun fabric that flows into my inbox and across my blog reader.  And then it happens. I fall. And I fall hard. I saw this fabric line - On Deck by Lily and Loom - in a Craftsy sale email and added it to my cart before I blinked twice. Now, WHY a self proclaimed desert rat is smitten with a nautical line of fabric is anyone's guess, but smitten I am. And buy I did.

I've had this pattern for probably 5 or 6 years and have never found the right fabric. I'm a scrappy girl so sewing with an entire collection is rare for me, but when this came into my line of sight, I pulled the trigger and now this desert rat is sewing, singing a salty tune, and channeling her inner Jimmy Buffet.