Last Leg . . .

This is the last post on my vacation out west, which was a month ago! Where does time go?

I was lucky enough to attend Spring Market.

Anything I have to share is old news, and if you've yet to see any pictures of market hop on over to Sherri's blog, A Quilting Life, or Sandy's blog, Textile House. They both had a great time and got some wonderful pictures. I was able to meet up with Sandy (it's always fun to meet a fellow blogger face to face) but Sherri and I never could get our phones to work at the same time, we only exchanged voice mails, not hugs.

Market is a wonderful experience, I found the amount of talent and inspiration under one roof overwhelming. If you ever get the opportunity to go, you must!

The highlight of my market tour was visiting Monique's booth, Open Gate Quilts.

I was able to see all the quilts that are in Monique's book Fat Quarter Winners. What a treat.

The quilt I was most interested to see was Crazy Eights, the pattern that I made using red and black prints. Monique went scrappy with her background fabric for her blocks where I went with one background fabric. You would not believe the difference that makes in the look of that quilt. I always find it fascinating to see the same pattern made with different fabrics.

Monique also had some new patterns at market, and this is one of my favorites,

Secret Garden!

I've been looking for my next applique project and this just may be it! I'm thinking of either adding some pieced blocks to go in between the applique blocks or keeping the center as is and surrounding them with pieced blocks. Somehow I want to supersize this project from a wall hanging to a quilt.

After Market I went to Pasadena to visit my daughter and we stopped in here

The French General's Shop, located in Los Angeles, California.

I was not allowed to take pictures inside the store, but it had a very interesting assortment of goods; some buttons, jewelry, ribbons, candles, fabric, paper products and much much more. A fun shop to lose yourself in with a very friendly staff. The tea kettle is always on.

I did get to drool over the French Generals fall line of fabric,

the store had a limited amount of Panier de Fleurs on hand.

If you read this blog very often, you know I have a thing for blue, for avoiding blue, but the blue in this line is gorgeous and goes great with the red that's also part of this family of fabric. When I saw the entire family, I immediately pictured a quilt made of only the dark fabrics, no lights. I think the contrast in colors would make an amazing quilt. I mentioned this to someone who had also seen this family of fabric and she said she pictured a quilt made using only the lights! So start saving your pennies, I suspect you will want to make more than one quilt from this fabric.

I think I promised to pick up a little sumpin sumpin on my trip for a giveaway,

how about a colorful pincushion (no I didn't make it)

and a French General tote with a couple of notebooks?

To be eligible just leave a comment on this post, any comment will do, but I am curious to know if you have made a quilt using any French General fabric,and if so how many, I'm up to 4 and counting!

I'll announce the winner on Monday.