Today I have a couple of questions from blog readers and I have a couple of other thoughts.
A blog reader asked if we ever published this quilt…
She had happened upon an old post. There I had said that we were planning on publishing it in a future magazine. We did publish it.
The quilt was published in the December 2019 issue 161 of American Patchwork and Quilting. They named the quilt “All are Welcome”.
This is a favorite quilt of mine. I had a whole bunch of bonus triangles and used them in this quilt. It was fun to make as I had all of the triangles already made before I even started making the quilt.
HERE is a link to learn more about the quilt.
Another blog reader wrote and said they were looking for a YouTube video of mine and couldn’t seem to find it. First off all of the videos can be found HERE. If you forget, you can go to YouTube anytime and simply type in Jo’s Country Junction and my videos will pop up.
The specific video she was looking for was How I Cut Up Scraps. This one…You can push the red triangle play button to watch it.
I love this method for cutting up scraps and highly recommend it.
Did you see the wonderful eyeglass cases Mary at Country Threads is making? (I stole a picture from Mary so I can show you). I ADORE them so much!!
Mary is doing a tutorial over on her blog. FIND IT HERE. Oh, I want to make one of these!!! I’d also like to make a block and turn it into a pincushion. I might just have to stop everything and make a couple of them. Mary is making them for Christmas presents. What a cute idea. You could easily put some chocolates or a gift card inside if you wanted to make it a more expensive gift.
On another note, I had to laugh.
On Facebook the other day, this came up in my feed.
“Hundreds of yards of fabric! I’m helping a friend downsize her collection, due to health issues she’s no longer able to continue her beloved hobby. Most of this fabric retails for $14+ per yard. Most of this shown comes in 1, 2 and 3 yards and some are larger. We can set up a time for interested buyers to take a look at what she has. There’s just no way of posting everything!!! Located in Spillville.”
These pictures were attached…
WOW!! Holy Batiks!!
Can you believe that 8 people sent the post to me? That really made me smile. Eight people in my area knew that I like quilting and love a good bargain!!
They ended up with such an overwhelming response that they turned it into more or less of a garage sale with it all. It’s happened on Sunday the 5th.
I didn’t go.
I don’t go for five reasons-
1-I hate crowds
2-I hate feeling like I have to quickly grab something because someone else is trying to look at it. I do too much impulse buying at times like that.
3-I have a wonderful collection of batiks and don’t want to overbuy more batiks.
4-It’s a GREAT deal at $5 a yard…but for me, it’s more than I spend per yard unless I have a specific project in mind. YEP, I’m that much of a cheapskate.
5-I don’t want to be in the same position that this lady is in 10 years down the road with a need to sell my excess fabric. I have plenty of fabric to make plenty of quilts…and until I get my WIP list down to five quilts, I’m staying away from buying fabric unless it’s to finish a project or for a special project.
That’s all just me…but I’m certainly happy that so many people thought of me.
So blog readers…I’m curious. Would you have gone to the sale? Are you a batik quilter? I’d love to hear all your opinions.
Nope wouldn’t have gone. Have enough fabric I don’t need to fight others to get more. $5 is a bargain but not a big enough bargain for me!
Probably not, as I have too much fabric & do not want to be tempted!! I’m 74.
I think I’d be with you…I hate crowds. I ventured to Bomgaars last night for Ladies Night and decided the 20% savings was NOT worth it. lol I have a feeling this sale would have been the same way….even thought it’d be tempting!
Jo, I agree with your reasoning for not going to sale. The only way I’d go was if it was next door and I could pop in and get out quickly- but if I had to drive there -no. I too have LOTS of fabric and I have been giving more of it to a group that I belong to that makes quilts for kids and veterans.
Someone in our neighborhood was giving away a quilter’s entire stash. They just wanted someone to take everything.
They said to bring 2 big cars. I did not even think about it.
My husband jokes that if anyone needs fabric to please come by our house…I have enough fabric to furnish a small shop according to him, lol! However, with the cost of batiks being unbelievably high in my area, I’d have gone just for those at $5 a yard as I have none. But!!! I would have brought a limited amount of cash in an amount decided on before I left the house so as to avoid temptation.
Nope, wouldn’t have gone. I’m trying to stop buying fabric until I can get my stash under control. That could take a while. I did have a lapse and bought two jelly rolls, but they were $14.00 each, and they were both in a fabric line I’d been admiring. But I’m back on the wagon again and refuse to buy any more. I hope! LOL!!
I would have passed on the sale. I put myself on a fabric buying moratorium back in March. I came out of a fabric store with about $300 of fabric with no idea of how I was going to use it. I really felt like a hoarder and not a good steward of what I had. It’s been a challenge to use what I have on hand, but very gratifying also.
I agree with all the above comments, I need to live to a 100 and I’m still not sure I would have my stash under control.
Not me either. I bought way too much for about 3 years and now only buy if absolutely necessary. I love batiks and they go well with Kaffe Fasset fabrics and I’m going to use what I have. I did go to a yard sale last summer and it was very well done. Fabric was $2/yard and charms were .50 cents etc. really good prices.
The biggest yard sale I went to took hrs. Just for walking through a 3 BR home that looked as though someone brought their craft,fabric store home and moved their furnishings home. In a discussion with the sellers they said it was just a compulsive buyer. Nearly any craft ,sewing notion,fabric,kits and multiple sewing machines set up. They were obviously in use. And it wasn’t a sweat shop operation . Too much to see it all. I could have been there all 4 days of the sale and missed a lot.
Hmmm I may have gone to the sale if I had a specific color of fabric I needed and I had the time – and it was near me. I don’t need fabric right now and working hard to use what I have, but sometimes I’d go just for fun.
I laughed with Mary B’s comment. I also recently purchased 2 low-priced ($17) jelly rolls and told myself NO More! They are both seasonal, so one was made into a fall on-point throw quilt and the Christmas seasonal one might get made into another throw AFTER Christmas. Which means I haven’t completed other UFOs or decreased my stash in months. A fellow quilter who lives nearby passed and the family was selling all of her fabric at great prices. But I just couldn’t go. I have plenty. I tell myself I HAVE to restrict my fabric to one tall cupboard. And I do except for the 3 bags of fabric in front of it, tops in a spare room, and UFOs in my travel machine cart.
I downsized in fabric once, and I never want to get to that point again. LOL. So I agree with you, I don’t want to be that person in 10 years not have my kids wonder what to do with it.
I too look at fabric sites and then tell myself I don’t need any more. I don’t even stop at quilt shops when in town. Again I don’t need anything. I love trying to use what I have and making do. I did buy a fall panel in September to hang outside. I repurposed a thin mattress pad for the batting. I felt good about that.
what got me thinking that I need to use up my stash is seven quilt shops of over 4 years closed. I miss them BUT know that I have plenty……. besides what is in my house there are 125 cartons of fabric in the “small” storage unity……..
I wouldn’t have gone, and for the same reasons as you. While I don’t have the amount of fabric that this lady had, I’ve certainly got enough to be going on with, and, like you, will only buy something now if I have a definite project in mind. I just use what I have. Couldn’t help feeling for this lady. It would be so sad to have to give up something you love due to health reasons. I know that’s life sometimes and you have to somehow come to terms with it, but it would be a wrench.
Well…I probably would have gone if it was right in my town. I have a fairly big stash, too…but rarely find fabric at thrift stores, etc. It’s just so expensive now. If I don’t use it, I can take it to our church quilting group!
I would not have gone. I have a huge stash that I’m trying to pear down.
My stash started with Batik fabrics. I have a drawer full. I have recently been using some of them. I had forgotten why I liked them. They are crisp, are easier to sew and they don’t fray as much as other fabrics. I had seriously thought about shipping them all out but changed my mind. I have a charity Christmas project that I am making 14 quilts for. I have completed 5 already with Batiks.
If the sale had been within 30 miles, I would probably have gone. I have stash but my MIL does mission quilts for LWR and their group can use fabric. She makes a couple of tops a week so buying multiple yards of fabric would bring my MIL a lot of joy and help her pet project. And I may have found a back or two. I go thru fabric, thread, and batting every so often and pass things on. A friend has started doing charity quilting and I just passed on some scraps and fat quarters to her. I did get my MIL’s permission first.
I love batiks. My stash is in the 2000 yard range. I am just 62 and have sewn up nearly 3000y in 13 years. But still, I would not have gone. Like you, I will buy only if I need it to finish a quilt. I do allow myself to buy on vacation but I really have to love it. I feel bad for her that she has all that stash beyond her quilting years. I don’t want to be in that boat!
Having recently been on the clearing out side of the situation, I probably would have avoided the sale. My aunt died with over 50 UFOs and thousands of yards of fabric. It was overwhelming. I am endeavoring to do better.
Addicted to batiks…BUT NEED NONE!!! I kit up 90% of all fabric that i but. Have 175+ kits. Am in process of reviewing, culling, passing on, re-imaging , & just doi g year end sensible review. I have a long (48yrs), best friend in Florida, belongs to a v. Lg guild & is very active. She takes anything she has no use for & passes on to any “NEW” quilters. Works well for both of us.
I wouldn’t have gone either. One for some of the reasons you listed and two I’m not a batik’s person. I love how they look but not enough to buy them. I have too much fabric to start with. Thank you for answering my question about cutting up scraps. Hugs,
If the sale was close by I probably would have gone out of curiosity at the very least. And I really love a good bargain. But I have tons of fabric already and have lately started worrying about the possible fate of my stash should something happen to me. (I am 72) I really need to start cutting into my most treasured of all fabrics that I’ve been saving for something special. BTW, some of the comments were really funny and I could definitely relate!
Yes, but only if it was close to my house with the cost of gas. I buy blenders and kids fabric for our church quilters to sew up so it doesn’t stay in my house.
Nope. I really don’t go where crowds gather. I don’t like fighting for parking, etc. As for “deals” on fabric . . . I am an online shopper these days as quilt fabric where I live is very limited. I also am a deliberate shopper. I keep all my background and blender fabrics to less than wholesale prices and that gives me “permission” to indulge in new fabrics from my favorite designers. Yes, I have way too much fabric; but, I use it at my own pace in what I want to make. Anything left when I die will be daughter and grandson’s problem. They know it and are good w/it!!