Travelin' and Stashin'

When you travel out of town, out of state, or maybe even out of the country, do you make it a point to add local quilt stores to your itinerary?

Today, I DID!!

I'm in Oklahoma City this week for work. From the little of it I've seen, it's a great city. Have you been here?

I take a 6 am flight out tomorrow, but I discovered there are a few quilt stores in the area (thanks to the almighty google)...so I jetted out of my last meeting for the day and found my way over to Oklahoma Quiltworks.

 

I should have taken more photos of the shop, but as soon as I walked in I got sucked into the wall of pretties! You understand....Check out their website for a sneak peek. :)

With only 10 minutes to explore before they closed I did a quick loop around the store and found some goodies!

I had a few low-volume fat quarters picked out but ultimately settled on 1/2 yard cuts of these three neutral-ish (that's the technical term for it, ha!) geometric prints by Moda. 

I also picked up this great pattern, by Allison Harris who blogs at Cluck Cluck Sew, which I'd pinned a while ago. It's not new, but the fact that I still like it 2 years later means we're destined to be together, right?
It's fun to see some your favorite online designers' and bloggers' patterns in person, don't you think??

The ladies who worked at Quiltworks in OKC were very sweet and the store is just wonderful. They had a TON of modern prints, some great reproductions, a nice variety of precuts. I wish I could have had more time there! Although, for the sake of my budget and the carry-on weight limit on the plane, it's probably for the best that I only had a few minutes to dash in and out.

I do wish now that I had gone ahead and bought those other fun low volume prints, but I was trying to exercise something that resembles self restraint. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to plan for a longer visit on my next trip into town.

Hear that boss? I'm pretty sure there are some really important meetings I need to attend out here.. *hint hint*


Recently, I came across these blocks which are from the first round of the Mini Scrap Basket Swap. I think I'll turn them into a small lap quilt. It's good to see them in the day of light again! I'm sure that 5 more 12" blocks I need to finished this one out won't even put a dent in my scraps, but it'll be a good start!

"that girl" is back

Nobody likes "that girl"...

...the girl who doesn't return messages, who doesn't keep promises.

That is why it broke my heart 2 years ago when I had to very abruptly leave several online sewing groups.

I moved. I started a new job. I took on a second job. I travel frequently for work, and make the most of my time with my husband on the weekends, because for most of the week, we are seperated by 150+ miles.


Life happened, and I didnt handle it gracefully.
I had disapointed my friends in bees and swaps with unfinished blocks, and broken commitments.
I was that girl, and it broke my heart.


A lot has changed over the last two years. I've grown professionally and personally. I know more than before, what my strengths are, what my weaknesses are and I have committed to being more intentional with my time and energy.

A few things haven't changed though.



I still (and probably always will) love to create, to share ideas, to ask questions.

After 2 years of little to no involvement with the quilting community, I reached out to a local modern quilt guild. I was hesitant, because I didn't want to dive in head first only to disapoint my new friends. Here we are, 6 months later. I am so glad to be part of the local quilt guild and I am rediscovering the inspiration, the knowledge, and the support that makes the quilting community so special.

I'm back in front of my sewing machine.

I'm cautiously optimistic that I will some day, be able to participate in online swaps and bees, guilt free. I know I won't be that girl again.

But I think it I need to prove to myself, if nobody else, that I can see projects through to the end. To hold myself accountable.


This is a long and wordy post.. so if you've made it to the end, thank you for hearing me out.
It is theraputic to come out of the blog shadows. To start fresh.

Now it's time to face these blocks and myself. These have sat languishing in a closet to two years and they aren't going to finish themselves!