Tuesday, October 4, 2011

It goes on . . . .

I'm still working away on my Door County Cherry Baskets quilt. I'm only going with 64 baskets as opposed to the 99 baskets in the pattern by Lisa Bongean and Carole Charles. That still requires 832 half square triangle units. Belle Meade required 656 hst units and I started making those 3 months before I actually started on the quilt.

So my days have been pretty much spent piecing hsts. I use the Easy Angle but still make my units larger than required and square them up. It's relaxing, making all these units, and even if I only have 30 minutes to spend in my sewing room, I still feel like I'm making progress.

This is my current definition of progress. I am getting close to having all my hsts done, then it's on to assembling those baskets and picking those cherries.

A couple of weeks ago I actually got to visit Lisa Bongean's shop, Primitive Gatherings.


The shop is in Menasha, Wisconsin. If you read my blog regularly, you know I don't get to visit quilt shops very often, I need to drive approximately an hour one way to hit a shop, so I was very excited to get to visit any shop, let alone a shop with such a wonderful reputation. It did not disappoint. The staff, fabric and pattern selection, and overall feel of the shop was wonderful. I think I was in that shop for over 2 hours!


This is the quilt that greets you as soon as you walk in the door, 45 & Life To Go. It's a stunner, I really love the black and tan combination of Little Gatherings by Lisa Bongean for Moda. I also like that checkerboard pattern in the center of each star.


So much that I bought a fat quarter bundle and the pattern. A couple of nice souvenirs of my visit to the shop. The pattern has directions for two sizes, a small size lap quilt or a king size quilt. (Don't you think those checkerboards would look even better with a little red thrown in?)

I'm not in the know when it comes to fabric, so I'm not sure if the Little Gatherings fabric is a one time thing or something that shops can reorder. The fabric will make great projects on its own (as you can see) or work wonderfully with other fabrics. If you've not bought any yet, I wouldn't wait much longer. I did notice the black fabric was in short demand in every shop I visited.

I hit a few more shops while I was in Wisconsin, be sure to stop back by for my review of them later this week.

13 comments:

  1. I saw that fat quarter bundle this weekend - it was someone's personal stash - and it's stunning. The more you look at it, the prettier it gets.

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  2. It's funny that you're posting about Wisconsin. Hubby has two recruiters with jobs in that state -- one way up nawth (brrrr!) and another near Milwaukee!

    What a coinkydink!

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  3. My first thought about that pattern was RED!! ha, ha! All of our quilt shops are at least 45 minutes away, so I don't get to shop my LQS's very often. It's a trip, and I rarely go in that direction, but when I do, it sure is a treat :-)

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  4. Hmm, you often make quilts bigger - now you're making this one smaller! You are an inspiration in creativity. I do love that black and tan quilt too.

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  5. Jealous! I have been wanting to go there forever, but it's about 7 hours from me! I am hoping to spend a week and make my way there and back. Love Lisa's new fabric line and I thought the same thing about a little red!

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  6. I vote for a bit of red. Whenever I've thrown in even just a bit it's always made the quilt look more alive. I wish I could get to this shop - it looks wonderful!

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  7. I think that is one stunning quilt! I am sure it is even better in person! I love that pattern... but I can see it with a bit of red in the mix! I wish I would have seen that yesterday when I was on a shopping spree!

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  8. Primitive Gatherings is on my list of shops to see. It is only about a five, or six hour trip. Their booth at the Wisconsin show was great. It was very hard to restrain myself. I know I'd have to save up for a day at their shop!

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  9. I recently ordered the king size quilt kit from her. I'm going on a quilting retreat next week, and that's the quilt I'll be working on! I also bought a FQ bundle to make a lap size throw out of. It's really is beautiful and I've also noticed it's hard to come by the blacks.

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  10. I love that quilt and well love this fabric line too!
    I think I may just need to place an order and get that pattern too!
    what a dream it is of mine to go to this quilt shop....
    glad you had the opportunity to
    Kathie

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  11. A bit of red would look lovely!! Lovely pattern and a gorgeous bundle!

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  12. Oh how I love this quilt! I just ordered the kit & pattern for the 55" x 55" size ! I can not wait to get started it!

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