Sunday, July 19, 2015

These Are My People!

About two hours north of me is Keepsake Quilting, a shop that’s great in both size and reputation. I’ve driven by it before, faced pressed to the window, pleading with my husband and kids to stop, but I was denied. Determined to enjoy the Keepsake experience (finally!), I waited until my husband and older son were out of town, got a babysitter for my little guy, and sent out a call for New England quilt bloggers to meet up at this famed store.

Here are the takers, from left to right: Karin of Leigh Laurel Studios, Terri of Childlike Fascination, Chelsea of Patch the Giraffe, me (I’m having way more fun than my lame smile would suggest), Sarah of Smiles Too Loudly, and Jen of Never Just Jennifer.

As fellow quilters and bloggers, these people get me! I loved our day together!

Fueled by a preshopping lunch and quilty conversation, we descended on Keepsake. I’m sure the potential for fabric enabling is not lost on you. It’s one thing to be set loose in such a shop by yourself, but when you have an additional five pairs of eyes perusing the bolts with you, the purchasing possibilities skyrocket.

I bought these fabric selections just because I liked them ...

From left to right: More Hearty Good Wishes (Janet Clare/Moda), Sunnyside
(Kate Spain/Moda), Low Country Indigo (Nancy Gere/Windham), Wildflowers
(Alisse Courter/Camelot)


And others because they were on sale and too lovely (and too hard to find elsewhere) to pass up ...

I’m planning a Bonnie and Camille quilt of epic proportions. This pink Scrumptious
print and this red Vintage Modern print will be put to good use.

The highlight, however, was when Sarah found some PB&J for me (see my previous musings on the wonders of PB&J here and here). The discovery caused me to jump up and down, a reaction witnessed by more than a few Keepsake employees and shoppers.


I adore Basic Grey’s PB&J. I scored 3 yards of the top fabric and 1 yard of the
yellow at Keepsake. Sarah swapped the navy with me. Love!

But the day was not all shopping and eating and entertainment (i.e., me spontaneously jumping around the store). It was also educational. Random topics of conversation included but were not limited to: black holes, the rigors of ROTC training, and the little arrow next to the gas gauge on recent-model cars that indicates where the gas tank is located. (Terri, I will forever be indebted to you for that last bit of knowledge!)

Fabric shopping is always fun, but fabric shopping with smart and talented quilty friends is crazy, crazy fun. I can’t wait to plot more adventures. (BTW: If you live in New England and want to be informed of future meet-ups, follow me on Instagram. That’s where I’ll post details.)

Linking up to Sunday Stash, Sew Cute Tuesday, Let’s Bee Social , and Needle and Thread Thursday ...

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14 comments:

  1. SO fun - thank you again for organizing! Love your blue selection. Someone should have taken a video of you jumping up and down. Next time. Mardens? Also, how did I miss the black hole conversation? Possibly when I had my head in the 25¢ scrap bin? Fitting!

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  2. It was an amazing, awesome, wonderful, super fun day!!! So glad you found some more PB&J. :D Have you seen the new collection coming out from Basic Grey? Very similar palette to PB&J... maybe they'll coordinate?

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  3. Sounds like a wonderful day and some amazing finds! I think I really need to find some local sewing friends!

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  4. Ah so fun! I wish I lived closer! Fabric shopping is definitely more fun with friends. :)

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  5. So glad you had so much fun! Looks like a fantastic day!

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  6. Thanks for a great day! You found some great things!!

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  7. You got some great buys there. Shopping with friends can be so much fun. I'm off on a shop hop today!

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  8. That made me want to live nearby so I could have come too, LOL!! What a great idea to meet up with other blogger friends! Looks like you all had a great time, pretty fabric purchases too.

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  9. Those are some fabulous fabric picks you managed to find. Wish I lived close enough for a fabric shopping and meeting day, too. What a great group of girls - each of whom I would love to meet!

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  10. What a fun time! Friends, fabric and cardio (jumping up & down)!! Isn't it funny what topics of conversation come up with a group of people?! Beautiful fabric finds too!

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    1. For real Jayne, she's not kidding when she said jumping up and down. I have never seen someone so excited to be handed a bolt of fabric!

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  11. So much fun! I can't wait for us to do this again, I actually thought of a couple other quilt bloggers in the area we are going to have to rope in! I didn't get a chance to do the Sunday stash photos for myself cause cupcakes....and yes I'll make them BEFORE shopping next time :)

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  12. Oh that sounds so exciting! Hmm... Keepsake Quilting isn't really that far from me..... ;)

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  13. Oh, reading this makes me want to go back tomorrow! Ps. that gas tank knowledge came in handy the other day when I finally didn't drive up to the wrong side :).

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