Friday, October 18, 2013

Back Home Again--So Much To Share!

Still trying to get back into routine, but thought I could share a few things with you.
The night before we flew out I had an idea and I pulled out the little "Building houses from scraps" kit. I put all of the houses out on a design board and started switching up the pieces, so they took on a scrappy look. This was the result (excuse my very thready design board).


I have not pieced by hand in years (other than hexies--and that is a whole different thing). My goodness, my skills were rusty! I couldn't even seem to stitch a straight line. When the lines are stamped on the fabric, that is pretty silly not to be able to follow them.
By the time we touched down in Manchester, NH I only had 1 house finished and another nearly done (we were up at 2:45 a.m. to catch our flight, so I dozed a lot). We were always on the go while visiting DD#1 and her DH, so I didn't pick it up again until awaiting our flight home. I got three houses finished, total. I need to unpick my first attempt. Those Y-seams stumped me at first, and house #1 is pretty wonky. It is the house in the upper right of the photo below--isn't even the same size as the others. I am really liking these little scrappy houses. Tempting to just work on them, but I am going to try and keep them as my "on the go" project, and let it get finished whenever! Thanks again to my dear friend Annie Miksch for this thoughtful gift!

Since DD#1 lives 10 minutes from Keepsake Quilting, a visit there was inevitable. Blogging friends Grace (acityquilter blog) and Vic (Park Hill Farm blog) had arranged to make the effort to meet up with us there.
Vic, me, and Grace
Tough decisions made at the cutting counter.
I had been saving my pennies for this experience. I had been warned that Keepsake did not have a large selection of CW repro fabrics, but must say I was very surprised at just how small it was. MY LQS, whose selection is not huge, carries more than Keepsake. Luckily, KQ had very different lines of fabric from what I can get at home, so I found plenty to purchase. Now, if it is batiks you are looking for, you will find a room full! That overwhelmed me. I had to walk away and think about it and return with a narrow focus of what I wanted to buy.






After that very hard work of making decisions, carrying bolts of fabric and opening the wallet, it was time for nourishment. Vic and Grace took us to a lovely establishment called The Canoe, where we dined and chatted and laughed.



The day before this grand adventure Angie and I had visited Quilted Threads in Henniker, NH. This shop was a recommendation from Mrs. Goodneedle, and it did not disappoint!

 So here is my haul. To the left is the fabric, Aurifil threads and Valdani flosses I picked up at Keepsake Quilting.
On the right is the fabric I purchased in Quilted Threads.






The Primitive Gatherings pattern was at Quilted Threads, and Patchwork Stars was in the sale bin at Keepsake.
Angie and I have been making pineapple and log cabin ornaments for my other daughter's fundraiser in November. Angie has her share all finished and I was able to provide them transportation back to Utah. Aren't they lovely? Now I need to get my share finished!
When we were at Quilted Threads Angie found some 1/4" hexie papers. Oh, my goodness, they are small. She vacillated as to whether or not to buy them, but they finally found their way home with her. The night before we left she actually started playing with them. Can you believe this? Can you even see it? I left the needle and thread in the photo so you could get the proper perspective. That is a small spool of thread.
We had a wonderful trip. There was so much to do in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont. I will leave you with this shot as DH and I took a canoe ride in the canal behind our daughter and SIL's apartment. It ends up in Lake Waukewan.
Until next time,
Janet O.

41 comments:

  1. Your house are cute, I don't have the patients for piecing like that, although I do love English paper piecing.
    Wonderful purchases,I would love to visit those shops. Fun that you got to meet up with some bloggy friends.
    I love the autumn leaves in the background of your blog!

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  2. Glad you are home safely. Sounds like a wonderful trip. Your little houses are so cute. Good to have a portable project ready to go. Those ornaments are so festive. Angie is as prolific as you are! I didn't know they made 1/4" hexies. What a challenge! Great photo of the lake and surrounding trees. Our fall color isn't as pretty as usual, but still pretty.

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  3. Looks like a great Visit! Glad you could connect and share time with fellow Bloggers and come home with fabrics not available west of the Mississippi.The houses are cute.

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  4. Welcome home!! Looks like you had a wonderful trip with some great visits!! Your little houses are sooooooo cute!! Your new stash is fabboo and I lovvvvvvvvvve Angie's ornaments!! 1/4" hexies?? Wow!! And the picture of the canal should be in a photography magazine!! Glad you were safe on your trip and home safe and sound!!

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  5. Great little houses , it looks like a lovely visit with your daughter and always fun to finally meet fellow bloggers.
    I know what you mean about KQ. I felt overwhelmed in there.
    Those colour on those trees is just stunning.

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  6. You we so close to me, Janet...albeit across the waters of the Bay of Fundy.

    Love your little houses. One day I'll get back to mine. I'm making them using the paper piecing method which for me is no easy task.

    I can't imagine making those little pineapple and log cabin ornies. I don;t think I'd be able to hold the pieces between my fingers...never mind sewing them!

    Keepsake Quilting has always been on my "must visit" list but it looks like it is now at the bottom since you mentioned that their selection of CW and reproduction fabrics is as small as you say. I've noticed that their catalog now almost exclusively promotes their batiks...wonderful for others but not my cup of tea.

    Looks like you had a wonderful and prolific shopping trip. Welcome home!

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  7. nice to "see" you and angie again! we DID have a great time, didn't we? wonderful memories with new friends and old....who knows if we will ever cross physical paths again but this was a moment....

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  8. glad you had a wonderful trip , yes I was surprised when I went to KQ too
    didn't buy a thing! I went a few years ago. LOVE those little ornaments if I was coming to this fundraiser I would buy them all!
    Kathie

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  9. Looks like you had a great trip and a nice visit. I feel the same in really big quilt shops. I didn't buy a thing in Hancocks of Paducah.
    Your house combinations are really lovely!

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  10. So glad you had a great stay with your daughter! I love her pineapples - each and everyone is just adorable and they look just perfect all together in that bowl. I've heard that Keepsake Quilting is not what people expect it to be, but I've never been there. It looks like you came home with some nice finds - love some of those fabrics - the red with the little flowers wants to come and live with me! LOVE those tiny hexies!! And what a gorgeous canoe ride you had. It's a beautiful time of year.

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  11. Welcome home, friend. I missed you. Yes, the houses are GREAT all mixed up! I've never been to Keepsake. I am close enough to Lancaster County that I have a hard time paying "regular" prices for fabric!

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  12. Looks like Quilted Threads is more my speed too! :-) Those hexies certainly are teeny tiny... but whatever is made by them is sure to be beautiful! Gives new meaning to "using up scraps" too! lol!

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  13. What a wonderful time of year to visit family in NH! And your DD#1 lives "only" 10 mins from Keepsake Quilting? My, oh my... every time I get a catalog from them I am grateful I live too far away to visit. *lol*

    You came home with some good finds... and your houses are looking good. It's nice to have a "go to" project to pick up..

    As for those 1/4" hexies... oh my, they are small! But very very cute...

    :)

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  14. Welcome back Janet! Wonderful little houses... Love how scrappy they are... hmmmm... must put mini houses on my list. Adorable pineapple and log cabin ornaments... it's obvious Angie has a great teacher in the art of piecing and quilting!
    Great finds in the quilt shops... Love the fabrics you purchased!
    The canoe ride picture... oh my! If you look at it upside down it is a perfect mirror image. What a memory!!!

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  15. Janet, what an amazing trip you had! How fun to share your love of quilting/sewing with your daughter.
    The autumn photo is stunning!!

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  16. Oh it sounds/looks llike a great time away!! So neat to meet up with more bloggers too! Love your little houses- I have a hand pieced project I am seriously considering turning into a machine one - I know my stitching will be a lot neater - not to mention stronger!!
    Love the decorations - beautiful!! Not to mention the gorgeous canal photo!!

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  17. I knew you were home (you commented on some blogs!!) But wanted you to post before I bombarded you with all my questions!!! What a grand time!!!! How fun to meet up with fellow bloggers and what a fine pair with which to meet!!! The few photos of the scenery were so pretty!! The little pineapples are adorable - tell Angie that she is doing a great job!! And those little hexies - oh my - I like small pieces but - let's say - I'm NOT going there (not yet anyway!! LOL) Your "haul" looks like what I would have chosen!! We better not go shopping together - we might "fight" over that last remnant of one particular fabric!!!

    Your little houses are sooooo cute!!! What a nice "on the go project"!! Our guild is having a surprise quilt "row by row" and one of the rows was houses. As of right now, I'm not doing the SAL, but am tempted when I see such cuties as yours!!

    So very glad that you had a grand time and that your travels were safe!! Looking forward to the day that we can meet up (I really don't thing one day is enough!!LOL)

    Blessings sweet friend!

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  18. Welcome home - sounds like you had a lovely trip! I think the hexie project I'm working on right now is 3/8" so I have some idea of how little Angie's papers are - TINY! The canoe ride scenery is spectacular! Your little houses are sweet but I can imagine that hand stitching them is hard - paper piecing is more up my alley......

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  19. So glad to know that you are safely home, but I so enjoyed your company while you were here in New Hampshire. I have heard of Quilted Threads in Henniker but not visited it yet, so I was glad to read your review of it. As always, you have such wonderful taste in fabrics!

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  20. What a fabulous trip! That last photo is absolutely breathtaking---I just realized that your daughter's name is Angie :D (Angela?). Those ornaments/pincushions are absolutely adorable, and your daughter is certainly up for a challenge with those teeny tiny little hexies. :) So glad you had a wonderful time and are back home safe and sound. (BTW, the little houses are just precious.)

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  21. What a fabulous trip! Thanks for sharing all your shopping fun and friends. So nice to be able to spend time with your DD, extra special for you!

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  22. Your houses are so sweet Mom :)
    Thanks for sharing some pics of the trip...the canoeing one is so pretty!
    I am thrilled with how the ornaments are turning out! You and Ang do such good work! I can't believe the little hexie papers she got...can't wait to see what she does with them :)

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  23. Welcome home!!!! So glad to hear that you had a marvelous visit with your daughter, and managed to get in a few quilt shops as well :) Love that you visited Keepsake - on my bucket list someday for sure. Looks like you scored some really pretty fabrics and notions - that stocking pattern is too darn cute!!!

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  24. Oh yes - And please tell Angie that her ornaments are gorgeous!!!! Almost as much as yours :) And I'm jealous of your Houses project - what a GREAT handwork project!

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  25. Oh, how I wish I could have slipped in your bag and gone along too! But, happy that you and I were together in spirit at QT! I hope to get back to NH to visit again before too long... you chose the very best time of year to go, your canoeing photo is stunning. The little houses are precious and those teeny, tiny hexies... oh, my! :) Welcome home, Janet!

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  26. The ornaments are awesome! 1/4" hexes WOW! I want to try some small ones but not that small

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  27. Sounds like a fun trip filled with lots of fun and good memories. Thanks for sharing!

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  28. Looks like dream vacation in every way. Glad you had fun.

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  29. Sounds like you had a wonderful time and will surely want to do it again.

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  30. Such a busy, fun-filled post, Janet. I like the way you mixed up the house parts. How large are they? Maybe 5-6" square? My hand stitching isn't very skilled either, but I enjoy the practice now and then.
    Beautiful autumn photo from the canoe. It's stunning !!

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  31. Love the prints and colors in your little houses! I've never hand pieced but have often thought it would be nice to develop that skill. What a great trip you had enjoying fall weather, family, fabric, and friends. It's nice to get home again but such a great thing to get away from the routine now and then!

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  32. Looks like you had a wonderful trip - and the hexies your daughter started - wowzer. I like the 1/4" but after pulling my hair out with them the first time, I quit. I've recieved a tip to make them easier but they still sit in a box!

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  33. This brings back memories of our trip to New England a year ago - and I even met up with a blogger at Keepsake Quilting too! She was from South Carolina and I posted on my blog that we were in NH - she happened to see it and emailed me. What fun!! I just love it there. Good luck with your little houses.

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  34. What a lovely trip. The fall colors were definitely on display. Unless I have something specific that I'm looking for a large or different quilt shop it's overwhelming to me. Keep building those houses!

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  35. Janet, how nice for you to make such a fun trip! I love the fall pictures you've shared as well. I've wanted to play with the 1/4" hexies, too, and hopefully I will soon. I just love your generous spirit and sense of adventure, too! See you soon at your LQS, I hope!

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  36. A very fun post - what a great trip you must have had. Love the little houses - mine have gotten push off to the side with larger projects needing attention. Your header photo is lovely.

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  37. I love your mini ornaments, (I love mine) just think a whole basket full. I know that you had a super time with your visit. Sandi and I had so much to do and I saved a lot of my hugs and kisses to spread out before we meet up again. I can't believe the 1/4 hexies, young nimble fingers will help put those tiny pieces together. Once again I love your home page photo, you certainly pick some winning photos. New England is on my bucket list, it is a beautiful state. Now back to reality, lol

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  38. Forgot to ask about the houses, what company sells them, what a great idea for traveling.

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  39. The houses are great scrappy. Hand sewing them will be fun too, of course this leads to hand quilting you know... A friend went to Buggy Barn and was shocked as you are at Keepsake Quilting shop size. I'll bet they had every square inch of their store in use. You'll have to have your DD#1 share her itty bitty hexie project. (She should annotate the date when started on her pattern.) What a beautiful place for a canoe ride. A trip to Cozy and Rosie's and lunch is a must if you come to San Diego. Sandi

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  40. It certainly was pretty when you went back East. Love the little houses. Hope you enjoyed the quilt stores...
    Mary

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  41. I am behind in my blog reading :(
    What a fun fun fun post to read! I felt like I was right there with you guys!
    I have been to Canoe to eat too!
    Great purchases!

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