Blocks....and Samplers

Hello, Happy Sunday.   I am happy today because I am not as sick as I was for the past three days.  Now it has just turned into a regular cold. 
Being sick really slows a person down.
Right now we have a big rainstorm going on, so I'm also glad that I am safe and cozy inside.

It occurred to me that yesterday was Block 20 of the Saturday Surprise Sampler!  Time to think about settings! 

Okay, I realize that many of you think of this much earlier in the game, but I don't.  I like to get all my blocks made first, then think of all sorts of possibilites of what to do with them.  I also have my black and white blocks from last year!!  that's okay, I'll just need to think of more possibilities.

In preparation for all this thinking, I spent lots of time on Pinterest while I was sick (until it made my eyes hurt)
I made a special board where I pinned a bunch of images of quilts put together with sampler blocks,
click here to go to this bulliten board.  If you click on the image in the right way, it will take you to where it was originally posted so you can get more info on a quilt that you especially like. 

Also, don't forget that along the top edge of this blog, I have a couple of pages where there are lots of photos of what people have done in previous years with their sampler blocks:

click either on the page tabs, or you can click here, or here,

Many of these were based on the 21 patterns that we have available at the shop --- Setting Solutions,
I noticed when I was pinning the other images on Pinterest that there were some quilts I liked that featured an extra large block in the center, and the sampler blocks around it,
such as this one from Stichin Heaven,

found here

or this one,

found here

There are all sorts of ways you can vary a sashing strip between blocks,
 such as this storm at sea type sashing,

found here

or this one using scrappy triangles,

found here

and there are all sorts of good alternate blocks that you could use,
Well, you get the idea, - the possibilities are endless.  Part of the fun is the dreaming,

Block 20, Summer Breeze

The Torpedo Factory

we stopped in Alexandria, Virginia on our trip this week.  I like a place there called the Torpedo Factory which is right by the water at the end King Street which is filled with shops and restaurants.  

Its in the really pretty part of town.

Lots of cobblestone streets,

The factory used to manufacture torpedoes, but many years ago it was converted into an Arts Center which also houses dozens of working artist studios that are open to the public and where the artists also sell their work.  lots of painters, ceramicists and jewellery makers.  

It was there that I stumbled on an artist that I really like called Kathy Beynette.  

I was talking to her when i noticed that she had some puzzles for sale that featured her artwork.  And i had purchased a couple of them last Christmas from a museum shop!

She is also a writer, and has these books for sale as well,

This painting was hanging in her space, 

This photo and the other artworks Below are from her website, beynette.com/paintings

Lots of animals, 

Lots of dots

New fabrics this week

Nancy sent me some photos of fabrics that arrived in the shop this week,

daily Zen, by Michelle D'Amore

Some 1930's reproductions from Chloe's Closet, called Playtime.  I really like the Scottie dogs.

"Weeds" by Me and My Sister

And a large group of French General called Le Bouquet Francais.  there are some beautiful soft yellows in this grouping,

And some more pre-cuts, especially Jelly Rolls,

It's raining here today, so I'm sure I'll spend time in my sewing room.  Yesterday I came down with a nasty cold so I slept a good part of the day.  Hope it goes away fast. 

Treasures from my Road Trip

We were away from home for eight days. On our trip I was able to visit four quilt shops.

Each of them were fun to go to, although very different from each other, that's one of the joys of travel, to visit shops and see what sort of fabrics they've chosen to stock, what samples they have sewn up, and to chat with the people working there.

Of course neutrals are dear to my heart, especially with doing the Sticks and Stones color way for the sampler program this year, but also because of the Yoko Saito books I've been making things from lately,

One shop even had some leather handbag handles that I couldn't resist, I must see about whether I can find some of these to stock at Periwinkle,

These fabrics I just liked

One of the sops had lots of Westminster fabrics, and Botanics from Carolyn Friedlander.  I know we have some of these at Periwinkle, but I was on a roll

At one shop, I even purchased some fabrics with the goal of making garments! wow! 

Although most of these fabrics aren't available at Periwinkle, we do have some pretty sensational fabrics there to supplement your stash,

So, especially if you are travelling to Saskatoon, please stop in for a chat and take home some treasures dear to your heart!