Survived the mob scene, just!

I am very pleased to announce I am still alive and kicking. There were moments yesterday that I wasn't sure I was going to make it to today. Yesterday was my local quilt shop's annual sale. It is a one day event and by the time the shop opened there was a very orderly British queue of quiet quilting ladies waiting to get in. The orderliness ended immediately after entering the shop doors and all those sweet ladies threw themselves at the fabric. What a frenzy! I was almost taken down by a lady with a zimmer frame. Really!

I wish I had had a hidden video camera because it had to be seen to be believed. I went there with a goal in mind. I wanted spots, dots, stripes and non-busy fabric. I sorted my stash after Christmas and was left sitting in a mass of floral fat quarters and wondering where it all went so wrong. I mean, I like flowers. There are some very nice floral fabrics. But when all you seem to have left is flowers it just doesn't compute. Everyone quilts what they like and I prefer to go for a slightly more modern look these days. One lesson I have learned is to stop buying those great deals online where you pay $25 for 25 fat quarters but let the shop choose what you receive. Their taste isn't my taste and vice versa. One day I am going to have to do some fabric swaps and find someone who loves florals. Am I the only person who started quilting relatively recently, bought lots of fabric and then found her preferred style afterwards?

Anyway, back to the sale. I made it to the fabric, found some dots I liked and found a serving lady waiting to measure and cut who was not yet serving anyone. Woohoo! That was the break I needed. I asked for a metre of each of the two and then while she cut I did a quick circuit of the room and pulled all the fabric bolts that I could that were in my remit. I piled them up, she cut, I grabbed some fat quarters, I paid and I fled. Job done.

One last word about the sale. Those who brought your husbands with you - don't! I have never seen such looks of abject fear on men before. Talk about 'the rabbit caught in the headlights' look. These few poor men were shaking in their boots at the spectacle they witnessed. They may never be the same again.

I haven't just being buying fabric yesterday. I have ordered a number of pieces online in the past couple of weeks. Not all of it is here yet and the postwoman has failed to deliver my most coveted order - yet. I will show you that when I get it. Meanwhile here is what I have got in the post so far -


Max & Whiskers, Westminster charm squares and Japanese fairytale charm squares

Next came these Heather Ross fabrics. I know I am not unique in wanting these but I thought I should go from wanting to having because they are just getting more and more expensive as they get harder to find. I am still waiting for a yard of the gnomes on blue.

 

I didn't know until I received these that there was a fish named Helen. What should I make for my Helen with one of these Helen fish then?

Then there is yesterday's haul -

I came home and looked to see if any of this stuff went together -

I think I did pretty good, so don't tell me if you think it is a night of the colour blind - thank you.

Then I remembered I had also ordered a large pack of red, pink and blue charm sqaures. These are them with some of the fabric they go with -

You would think I was done after that. But no, not me. I hopped in the car, and after I got my heart rate back to normal post sale scrum, I went off and bought some more yarn. I topped up on my acrylics to finish my granny blanket and bought more bamboo (yippee!) -

I don't think I have had a shopping spree like this in years. It's great!

Suppose I am going to have to make something  now. So I had best stop blogging and start figuring out what to make first. What an amazing dilemma to have.

Susan