Friday, April 25, 2014

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop? A Weight Off My Shoulders...

Hi, all!

It’s Friday again - are you ready to whoop it up?  As you read this, I’m at the AQS Quilt Show in fabulous Paducah, Kentucky - the home of the National Quilt Museum AND Hancock’s of Paducah.  


If you’ve never been to Hancock’s of Paducah, you really should think about stopping in if you are ever anywhere near.  This is not your average fabric store.  The first time I went in, my husband was with me.  Good thing - he pounded me on my back to make me start breathing again!  Several hundred bolts of solids, including every color Kona cotton.... a bajillion bolts of batiks..... thousands of bolts of fabric sorted out by manufacturer, designer and line.  And then there’s the back room - - - oh my!  The first time I was in, the lady cutting my fabric asked if I found everything I was looking for, and I said the only thing I wished they had was precuts, because I couldn’t find them anywhere.  She said, “Oh, they’re in the...  back room...”  in the same tone of voice the guy at the video store would tell you where to find the adult movies.  I followed her to the room and... oh my....  thousands of precut bundles all arranged next to the stock room - 20 foot tall shelves with more fabric!!  I tell you, it was a fabric addict’s dreamland.  And during the quilt show, they have tables of one-yard cuts all at great prices - you just kind of dig through and see what you can find.  You never know what’s in the stacks, so it’s like a treasure hunt.

OK, that’s enough about that.  I’ll try to post some pics next week, both of Hancock’s and of the quilt show, so you can see how much fun it is!  I may even show you some of the “Flat Lilli” pics I have to take, too - Lilli made a little paper doll for a school project that she’s supposed to send with someone on an adventure.  I’ve been nominated to get some great pics for her class project - this should be fun!

So as if going to the quilt show wasn’t enough to be whooping about, I’ve got something else....


I finished this commission quilt!  I’m so much happier with my second attempt at a t-shirt quilt.  This time I used a woven fusible interfacing and the t-shirt blocks were much more stable. I also did straight line quilting this time instead of a random meander on the long arm and I think that worked better also.  


My customer chose the sashing and cornerstone colors (Kona Graphite and Torch, both new colors this year) and I chose the backing, a nice masculine black and white graphic print from Joann’s.  The blocks are 12.5” square, and the entire quilt measures about 70” square.  And I’m so glad to have it finished in time for her son’s graduation!


I’ve got one more thing to whoop about, too - - - I’ve got the Swoon quilt on the frame and it’s almost finished!   I’ve got maybe 30 more minutes of quilting - small random meander in the space around the bottom row of blocks - and then it’s done!  It’s really nice to know that this one is tucked away too (well, at least as soon as I do the binding, but that’s a quick finish) and I don’t have to worry about major deadlines for a while!

Oh my - I just noticed something else - that followers count is up to 999 - just one more to go to reach that elusive 1000 mark!!!  Hmmm  I'm at Paducah, the quilt capital of the world  I bet they've got something great I could get for a giveaway!!  I'll have to put my thinking cap on..  Come on, one more follower!!!

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And now it’s your turn!

What’s making you dance the happy dance this week?

Share with us - we want to dance along!

Remember, it doesn’t have to be a finish - 

Just something that makes you smile!

The party will remain open until Sunday night -

Hope to see you there!

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One more thing - I hope you’ll check back in on Sunday, when the fabulous Jamie of L’Fair Quilts will be guest blogging for the Hands2Help Challenge! I can’t wait to see what she’s got for us - she’s one of the most creative and prolific quilters I know!

Hugs!


Sarah



27 comments:

  1. I've been to Hancock's of Paducah 3 times and this is the first I heard of "the back room". (I was looking for yardage rather than precuts, so obviously I didn't ask the right questions - ha!)

    Good job on the t-shirt quilt - it turned out well ... the sashing and cornerstone fabrics were excellent choices.

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  2. I can't wait to see the Swoon quilt in all its glory. The T-shirt quilt turned out great.

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  3. you are so lucky to be in Paducah!! I have been 3 or 4 times now and stopped at Hancock's a couple more times when traveling through. I love that store. I rarely ever buy fabric at the show vendors but do that at Hancock's and at a vendor that sets up in an old building across from the Museum. The last time I went to Hancock's I could not get to the back room - too many people and I don't like crowds that much LOL

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  4. Love the t-shirt quilt! Hope you have a wonderful time at the quilt show:)

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  5. Can't wait to see that Swoon all finished up! Thanks for hosting!

    :) Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation

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  6. You have to share some photos of Hancock’s of Paducah! That place sounds amazing!

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  7. I have never ever been to Hancocks! Ever! Shame on me! Its a good thing maybe...

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  8. I think I would be paralyzed from "shock and awe" if I ever went to Hancock's! Looking forward to your virtual tour, though.

    Wow, that t-shirt quilt is awesome! LOVE the two solids, that Torche really makes things pop!

    Your Swoon is beautiful. Love the bit of quilting I can see.

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  9. Gosh, you've made me wish I was a lot closer to Paducah! Your description of your first visit sounds a lot like my first visit to long-gone Super Yarn Mart.

    The T-shirt quilt is fabulous!

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  10. GREAT job on that t-shirt quilt! Have a WONDERFUL trip!

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  11. Oh my, that back room sounds like a dream ;-)

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  12. Congrats on finishing the t-shirt quilt. I hope you show some close ups of that swoon quilt. It is looking amazing.

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  13. You had me drooling at the Hancock's in Paducah. I went to Quilt Crossing in Boise last week... sounds similar.(Didn't find a house there, but the quilt store I'd like to live in.) I bought 5 yards over 3 different fabrics. Yummy!
    Lots of fabulous quilts showing this week. Love your linky, too.
    Hugs

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  14. Someday I just have to make t-shirt quilts for my daughters. Love yours. Have a blast at the show - I'm just a wee bit jealous - of that and Hancocks too. Oh - and I'm following you now:)

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  15. Love the T shirt quilt. Great job! Your swoon quilt made me realize I need to finish mine soon. I have to make 4 more blocks. Congrats on your almost 1000 followers.

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  16. Oh lucky you! No such place where I live :-/

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  17. I've been asked to make a t-shirt quilt too and was wondering about the best interfacing, was it a certain brand you liked and was the woven part the secret for more stable? I'm going to rethink the quilting too since I was planning on stippling, thanks.

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  18. Love the t-shirt quilt! I'm curious, did you have difficulty quilting thru the screen prints on the front? When I've done them in the past, I've avoided that part, quilting around. I do like how you did it.

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  19. You made it - 1004 followers now - congrats! That quilt shop sounds amazing. Talk about visual overload. Fun,fun,fun.

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  20. I was in Paducah this week too and went to Handcocks. Crazy big and lots of people! But definitely fun!

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  21. I went to show in Paducah abot six years ago in fact the fabric that I bough in Hancock's is what I am using for my Swoon quilt I am finally doing. Like you I thought I had died and gone to heaven.tee hee. I bought so much they almost didn't let me cross the border but once they new I was a quilter they let me go.lol hope you are having a wonderful trip. Blessings Sandra

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  22. I hope to go to the quilt show in Paducah one day. I've been to the museum and to Hancocks before and they were great.

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  23. As usual, I'm late to the party, and you have 1004 followers now. Whoop, Whoop!

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  24. I, too, was in Paducah, at the show, at Hancock's, visiting many of the vendors, at the National Quilt Museum, at Caryl Bryer Fallert's gallery, and lots of other places. I just got home this evening and am on inspiration overload and exhausted!

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  25. So jealous that you were in Paducah. I hope to get there one year soon. The t-shirt quilt turned out great and thanks for the bit about the fusible. I have some to make this fall and every bit of info I can get will help.

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