Scrappy Improv Progress and NTT

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, friends!  I'm steadily working through my scrap jars, and I've made some good progress.  Each of these panels is actually pretty large, measuring about 15" x 25".

I won't fib and tell you that my pink, red, and orange jars are completely empty, but they are pretty close.  When I have a big chunk of a single fabric in my jar, it's hard to use all of it in a single-color panel without throwing off the balance of the improv, so inevitably some of those larger pieces get left behind for another day.  As you might have guessed, yellow is up next!

My plan is to sew up everything in my jars, and then see what I have to work with.  I do have a rough plan, but I don't mind changing it to maximize my scraps.  As you can see, the amount in each jar is a surprise!  Pink was (by far) my sparsest scrap jar, and if I had to guess, I would say that green and purple are the most full.  But, I won't really know until I dump them out and start sewing.

Before we get to our party, let's take a look at some of the amazing projects linked up last week!  This pretty quilt is by Sandra at mmm quilts-

Something Rosemade shared this oh, so gorgeous Amy Butler throw.  I LOVE Amy Butler prints and used to collect them pretty extensively, particularly her earlier collections.  In this throw, I'm spotting fabrics from the Soul Blossoms, Love, Belle, Midwest Modern, and Cameo collections.  Love it!

And finally, Kathy's Quilting showed off this scrappy stunner-

NTT will be taking a little break next week, because I'm flying to Atlanta to visit a guild there.  I'll be gone for a few days, and I'll be busy presenting and teaching!  I'll be back the following week, on 5/25!

Ready friends?   Let's get our party started!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

May Sponsor News!

Hey there, y'all!  I hope you're getting to experience glorious spring weather wherever you are.  Everything is in bloom and the weather is so gorgeous that I've had a tough time making myself go inside.  Just give me some sunglasses, a glass of tea, and a good book, and I can stay outside for hours.  When the weather is so beautiful, I don't worry myself about all of the sewing I should be doing.  Here in Tennessee, it will be HOT before we know it, so I'm going to soak up all of this natural inspiration while I can!  And when the heat descends upon us, I'll be in my air conditioning with some lovely fabrics that will remind me of a fresher, prettier time.

At LouLou's Fabric Shop, they have enough spring inspiration to last you for months!  Take a look at this Flower Garden bundle!  So beautiful!

Friends, I am also excited to let you know that LouLou's is having a HUGE bolt clearance sale.  They are constantly getting tons of new fabrics, which means they need to clear things out to make room for the newest beauties.  

As a special thank-you to my awesome readers, you can save an additional 20% off your purchase through Sunday, 5/15 with the code quiltinfatuation.  You definitely don't want to miss out!

At Lady Belle Fabric, I always love browsing the bundles, and I always try to snag them when I see them on sale!  This New Dawn bundle by Citrus and Mint Designs is so scrumptious.  

Even if I don't have a plan for it, I can't resist a bundle at a great sale price.  I justify it by telling myself I'm just "working ahead" on a future project, haha!

And, did you know that Lady Belle has three different sale bundle sections in the shop?  You can search bundles by 20%, 30%, and sometimes there are even some that are 40% off!

This Pink Lemonade bundle is in one of those magical sale sections right now, and the price is a steal, so snatch it up before it's gone!

Fort Worth Fabric Studio is another one of my very favorite shops.  You could get lost browsing through the yardage, bundles, notions, and kits.  

So many pretty things, and so little time to sew it all!  This lovely Enchanted Meadow bundle by Riley Blake is brand new in the shop.

If you're a sale-shopper (and who isn't?), theres also plenty to check out at Fort Worth Fabric Studio.  Each month, there's a Bargain section with pages and pages to browse through.  There are lots of versatile blenders and small prints, perfect for stash-building, but you can also find fantastic bundles and kits in there too!

This Love Lily bundle by April Rosenthal for Moda is in the May Bargains section right now!  Like most sale sections, when they're sold out, they're gone for good, so don't delay.

So my friends, I hope you'll take some time to visit each of these three amazing shops and show them a little love.  With just a little (not so hard) work, when the oppressive heat and humidity of summer hit you, you'll be happy you did.  In those dog days of summer, you'll be all stocked up with plenty of cheerful fabrics, ready to sew the day away in the cool air-conditioning!  ;)  

Happy shopping!

Finally Sewing and NTT

Hey there, y'all!  Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday.  I've finally been getting some sewing done this week!  I like to do a big scrap purge in the the summer where I use up every single scrap in my jars. My last purge was two years ago with my Strata Squared quilt. I'm not sure this quilt will completely empty my scrap jars, but I know it will put a big dent in them.

Scrap quilts also happen to be my go-to when I need a little inspiration, and since I haven't sewn in awhile, diving into my scraps was a perfect way to get my sewjo going again.  It took me a little while to come up with a plan, but now I'm ready to move full-speed ahead.  Here's a little peek at what's happening-

Well, of course it's scrappy improv!  You know that's my favorite way to use up scraps.  I've written two books on it, for goodness sake.  haha!  I'm excited about what these improv panels will become, and you'll just have to wait to find out what it is.

Last week's party was filled with fantastic creativity, like this scrappy beauty by Sally at Crafts, Cavies, and Cooking-

This quilt by Anne-Marie at Stories From the Sewing Room is a stunner!

This cute and colorful quilt is from time4stitchn-

And finally, Nancy at Grace and Peace Quilting shared this lovely quilt-

Ready to party, friends?  Let's do it!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday!

Hey there, my friends!  I am sprinting to the finish line on my manuscript.  I can't believe it's getting SO close to being all done.  This week was all about the outdoor "beauty shots" for the book.   It was so much fun to brainstorm locations with the photographer and make these happen.  

The hardest part of the photos (both inside and out) was making sure the quilts were free of folding creases.  For the indoor shots, that meant ironing and steaming each quilt just before it was laid out for the shot, but since I can't drive around with a hot iron and steamer, the beauty shots were trickier.  Instead, I meticulously pressed and steamed each quilt at home, then used pool noodles to keep them rolled up in the car.  It worked like a charm.  I've stored quilts on pool noodles before, but I've never had to use so many!

Since I'm waiting for the photos to finish up my manuscript, I'm actually planning to get some sewing done this week (gasp!).  It's been awhile, and I can't wait to get back to it!  I'm planning on something easy to ease back into the groove.

Last week's party was filled with awesomeness, as usual.  Just take a look at this beauty by Sew Preeti Quilts-

Sandra at mmm quilts linked up this sweet quilt-

This fun quilt top is by Linda at Flourishing Palms-

Jocelyn at Canadian Needle Nana shared this lovely fan quilt-

And finally, Rita at Quiltpiecer showed off this pretty sampler quilt-

Okay, friends!  Let's get our party going!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

Welcome to NTT

Hello, friends!  It's time for another Needle and Thread Thursday!  I'm getting closer and closer to getting back to my machine, but my brain is just otherwise engaged at the moment.  So, let's jump right into the lovely eye-candy from last week's party!

Take a look at this beautiful quilt by Anne-Marie at Stories From the Sewing Room (y'all know how much I love green!)-

This quilt, shared by Rita at Quiltpiecer, is so striking!

Something Rosemade linked up this gorgeous finish-

And finally, Brenda at Songird Designs showed off this lovely quilt-

Okay friends!  Party on!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

April Fabric Deals!

Hey there, friends!  It's time for a new post, highlighting new arrivals and the very best fabric deals from my favorite shops around the web.  Spring is definitely in the air, and this month's newest fabrics definitely show it!

Over at LouLou's Fabric Shop, they curate a brand new LouLou bundle every Tuesday, with all of the seasonal vibes.  Take a look at this pretty bundle.  The color palette is so fresh, and I love that it's soft, without being pastel.

                

LouLou's Fabric Shop is also offering a special 20% off coupon for you!  Use the code quiltinfatuation through 4/24 to take advantage of this amazing offer.  

The coupon is good for your entire order, and I love this adorable Bunny Town quilt kit!  Bunnies aren't just for Easter!  They are appropriate for the entire spring season, and these colors are just lovely.

Fort Worth Fabric Studio always has something new!  Take a look at this brand new Cotton Beach fat quarter bundle by Tilda Fabrics.  The palette is a little more vibrant, but not too saturated, and all these prints are absolutely yummy!  The shop has this collection in yardage too!

             

If you're looking for deep discounts on TONS of stash-building yardage, do yourself a favor and check out Fort Worth Fabric Studio's Monthly Bargains section.  There are pages and pages of beautiful fabrics, and there are usually a couple of bundles and kits mixed in there too.  Right now, this Art Gallery Spectrum Blush Coral bundle is on sale!

If you love something in there though, you'd better snag it.  Things don't last long!

Lady Belle Fabrics is the final stop in this month's roundup, and they never disappoint.  New in the shop this month is this Liberty of London Flower Show bundle.  It's a stunner (and a fantastic price)!

                

If you're looking for an awesome deal (and really, who isn't?), Lady Belle has lots of places to look.  In their Last Chance section, you'll find treasures that are sometimes out of print, and there's often only one left.  There are sale sections specifically for bundles of fabric at 20%, 30%, and even 40% off, and then there's a general Sale section that has everything listed all together.  

I absolutely LOVE this Pink Lemonade bundle, and it's in the 30% off section!

Well friends, I've given you lots of gorgeous eye-candy, and I know you're sure to find the perfect fabrics for your upcoming spring and summer projects.  My sponsors are the very best, and I hope you'll show them lots of love!  Happy shopping!

Another Crazy One! and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  It's been another week of insanity around here filled with everything but sewing. We went on our final college visit (for awhile anyway), and I had the indoor photo shoot for my upcoming book.  Many of the photos in the book will be flat shots of each quilt and I don't have the proper space or lighting for this in my studio, so I packed up ALL of the quilts, along with my steamer and iron, and spent a day with a photographer getting those done.  The outdoor "beauty" shots are coming up in a couple of weeks when everything really greens up for spring.  For my last two books, I actually shipped the quilts to my publisher for photography.  When I'm finally able to share the topic of this book, you'll see why that wasn't an option this time.

So, let's go ahead and check out some of the lovely eye-candy that was linked up last week!  Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl shared this fiery beauty.

Look at this fun, scrappy quilt by Deb at A Scrappy Quilter-

This pretty finish is by Kat at Scrapbox Quilts-

And I love this one by Quilting Gail-

Are you ready to party?  Let's do it!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)