Two more BOMs Done

I got two more BOMs done today.  I started the May one yesterday, but it had a ton of pieces for a 7" block, so it ended up getting finished today.  I really love this block.   The picture really doesn't do this one justice. 

I also got the June BOM done today.  I ended up feeling ambitious after I finished the May one and moved right onto the June one.  I enjoy this one as well, but it's just hard to beat that May one above. 

Here's these two with the other 7 for a total of 9 (Jan through June and Oct through Dec).  Just another 3 to go (July through September)...

Back to Quilting - BOM Catch-up

So I finally have my quilting room back.  So of course, I had to do some quilting today.  I have a lot of catching up to do with all of the time I haven't been able to quilt with the move and our house guests.  

Today I worked on the Carol Doak Scenic BOM, finishing the April BOM.  Here it is:

I tried to find some fabric that had the feel of rain for "April Showers" and this Hoffman print in the setting triangles was the closest print that I could find.  

Here's all of the scenic BOMs together up on my design wall.  

I also worked on piecing some of the McCall's Mystery Quilt, but didn't get very far on that because I have a lot of work to do around the house and stuff.  

Quilting Room Inhabited

So my quilting room is being inhabited right now by one of my sister-in-laws.  My in-laws are staying with us for the week, up from Georgia.  As a result, my sewing table and all my stuff has been pushed to the side, so I can't really do too much right now.  I did, however pull a few things out so that I can cut things on the dining room table. 

I'm cutting the fabric for a blooming nine-patch that I'm going to make for my cousin's wedding next May.   Here's the fabric that I'm using.  I've never been big into Asian fabric, but I fell in love with the top fabric and I know it's totally going to fit my cousin and his fiance. 

 

I also opened up a Swanky honey bun from Moda and began organizing the strips so that I can make an Irish Chain quilt that I saw using honey buns on the Moda Bake Shop blog.  

My 6 year old sister-in-law (my husband is the oldest of 6) was helping me pick the color combinations.  How cute. 

Sewing Room Almost Set Up

So my sewing room is almost completely set up. YAY! Unfortunately, I won't be able to do much sewing in there until around July 13th-ish since my in laws are coming up and at least one of the kids will be staying in my room. We haven't seen them since our wedding last year, so it will be nice spending time with them. Here are a few pics prior to putting a bunch of stuff away.
I did take a little time out of putting things away to cut out my fabric for the Fire & Ice class that I'm taking with Carol Doak at the beginning of August. Here are my fabric choices. The purple on the top is going to be the outer border. It's a few years old and is from Timeless Treasure's Jacobean Arbor line. In the close up picture, you can really see where I pulled all the colors from. I think it's going to look awesome!And I also finished cutting all the pieces for the second part of the first step in the McCall's Mystery Quilt.
I can't wait to start piecing again and get some of my tops quilted. I have one that's all layered and basted, just waiting to go too.

My favorite Local Quilt Stores

So we moved into our new home this weekend! Yay!!! Now for all of the unpacking. :-P My quilting room will hopefully be semi-unpacked by the end of the week. I CAN'T WAIT!!!

I thought I'd share with you some of my favorite quilt stores since I don't have any quilting progress to blog about because of the move...

Quilters Way - Concord, MA
This is probably my favorite local quilt shop. It holds a special spot in my quilting heart because it's where I really learned to quilt. I took my first quilting class here 6 or 7 years ago. Since then, I've taken probably another half dozen classes here. They always have a great selection of fabric, with much more of a contemporary feel and less of a traditional feel. That's totally me (if you haven't noticed). The people here are wonderful. I've always had a great experience here. I love their New Years sale and always stock up on some great goodies then. They make their own jelly rolls and jelly roll patterns here too. So much fun! I'd highly recommend a visit here if you're heading to MA.

Emma's Quilt Cupboard - Franklin, MA
I discovered this store about a year ago because it's close to my work. It's a pretty big store with lots of great fabrics. This is where I went for the Mark Lapinski visit that I blogged about a few months ago. They do a great job of displaying fabrics here. They also have a pretty big selection of batiks and novelty fabrics. They have lots of classes here, although I've never taken one. I've been so busy since I learned about this store between the wedding and our move that I haven't had the time. They have a passport program where you pay a flat fee and you can attend any participating class during that session period (3 months I think). It's a great deal if you attend more than one class. Another quilt store worth a visit when you come to MA.

Wayside Sewing - Marlborough, MA
This store opened about 3 miles from my old apartment. It was deadly to have a quilt store so close. At first, I found their fabrics to be too traditional, but lately I've found that they're breaking out into more modern fabrics. They also don't carry a lot of pre-cuts or fat quarters. The best thing about this store is the staff though. They do a great job of helping plan out a quilt top if you'd like. I was stumped on picking out some fabric for a blooming nine patch I'm going to make for my cousin's wedding next year, and a fresh set of eyes really helped. They're very knowledgeable and friendly. They have a lot of nice Asian fabrics and a TON of notions.

Bits 'n Pieces - Pelham, NH
I bring this quilt shop up because it's the first place where I used a long arm. The best thing about this store is that you can rent time on their HQ and quilt your own quilt yourself for a very reasonable price. I quilted a top that was probably a full size there, and for instructions on how to use the machine, thread, and usage of the machine, they charged me $40. I couldn't believe it only cost that much. They have a ton of fabrics and some great sales, but it's a fairly cluttered store. They just moved into a bigger location, and I haven't been to the new store yet, so I can't comment on if it's neater now. If you're ever in the area and want to try using a long arm to quilt one of your quilts, I'd definitely recommend heading here to give it a try.