final decision and fabric selections

For the past couple of weeks I've been tossing around the idea of taking all the quilting posts off of this blog and moving them to a blog of their own. I felt like quilting was taking over the blog I'd created for my business and thought since quilting was new to me and just for fun that it didn't belong here. Then I asked my friend Allen of The AIDG what I should do and he told me that I should keep it all together and let folks follow my journey through quilting. And for reasons unbeknownst to me, it just made sense. So for now, quilting will stay on this blog. I'm gonna do my best to not let it take over.

Now let's talk quilting and fabric. I think it's funny that I've spent $200+ on fabric over the last month now that I've gotten into quilting. I'm trying to think of what I might have spent that money on otherwise and the only thing I can think of is probably food. At least quilts and pillows last longer.

I stopped by  my LQS, Crimson Tate last week and picked up these beautiful fabrics. La Dee Da by Erin McMorris and Spring Promise by Ana Davis. When I first picked them up, I intended for them to be the fabric for my Beginner's Quilt-Along. But when I got home and saw the package of fabric I'd ordered from Fresh Squeezed Fabric, I changed my mind and now they are the fabric for the TRAC pillow case that I'm making for Mommy for Reals.

I also picked up these lovely fabrics from Crimson Tate. My inspiration was the bottom piece. Yellow, berry, navy and grey. These will be for Randi of Fresh Squeezed Fabric's June Sew Along. The color palette I intended to go with was grey, berry, white and teal. I saw that bottom piece and changed my mind. Have you noticed a theme of indecisiveness here yet? I'm adding to this a berry fabric I picked up from Connecting  Threads and the grey from the first photo.

California Girl by Fig Tree for Moda. I love Moda fabrics. I picked this up from Fresh Squeezed Fabrics when Randi had it on sale. Love, love, love. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it at first. I thought something with HST, but couldn't settle on anything in particular. Then when I opened up the package and looked at it all it just seemed right to use this for my Beginner's Quilt-Along quilt. I just need one or two solids to go with and I'm set. I love these colors and patterns, they're very soft.

And lastly, the last bit of fabric I plan to purchase for awhile, other than some fabric for a baby quilt for an old friend who's having her first baby. This is the berry fabric I'm adding to the Sew Along. I can't even remember why I picked those thread colors. I think the orange is for my Lucy Crab Shack quilt. I need to find a name for that. I'm also trying out the fusible batting. I heard it's good stuff.

I really wish I weren't working so much right now. I just want to get to sewing. I still need to buy a walking foot for the quilting. But I still have some time. I'm also contemplating buying a new sewing machine. Mine is pretty basic. I bought it refurbished from ebay almost 10 years ago. I wouldn't mind something a little fancier with fun stitches and what not. Any suggestions?