Presents

My mother-in-law recently spent a couple of weeks in Ohio visiting friends and relatives.  She visited several quilt shops along the way and was kind enough to bring me home a few goodies.

I don't usually go for novelty fabrics but these are great!

I'm pretty sure I've seen that spool fabric before.  But the other ones are new to me.

This collection appears, coincidentally, in the latest catalogue from Keepsake Quilting that I received in yesterday's mail.  They call it "Mrs. Sew & Sew" medley. (Really. Quilting humor leaves a bit to be desired).  Anyway, these are fat quarters but I'm glad to know where I can get more of these great fabrics.

She also brought home a pattern:

Those panels on the bag are made from fat quarters, how perfect is that!

A simple bag pattern like that is perfect for me.  I'm a long-time quilter but a beginner sewer, really just learning the basics.  So this will be a challenge, but I'm looking forward to it!  So thanks for the goodies, Judy!


In other crafty news, there is crocheting going on at my house.  No, not by me (I don't know how).  My son needs volunteer credits at school, and he can get them by crocheting 9 inch afghan squares and donating them to a program called "Warm the World".  Imagine, if you will, my lanky 14 year-old, with long hair and a rock concert t-shirt, sitting on the couch crocheting granny squares.   Here's his very first completed block:

Not too shabby for a first block!  He learned to do it by watching videos on YouTube, and my mother-in-law helped as well.  He comes by any talent for it honestly, as my grandmother was a master crocheter and knitter.  I have spent decades kicking myself in the head for not learning from her, but as a child I wasn't crafty (I was violin-y, I guess).  I'm tempted to learn now but then I think, JUST WHAT I NEED, ANOTHER OBSESSION.   So we'll see.