Quilts and magazines

Here's a question to contemplate today. Are shopping trends set by the consumers or by the retailers? I read an article yesterday about it. The retailers said that consumers are planning better (really?) for the holidays and want to get their shopping out of the way earlier. Therefore, they put Christmas decorations out earlier and earlier. Black Friday sales are no longer for Black Friday - it's Black Friday every day for a month! 

It's a combination of both, but I say the retailers are behind the trends. And before the retailers get their hands on the products, the marketing departments of the various companies are trying to gain an inch of competitive advantage. 

My philosophy is to buy what you need when you need it and can afford it. Who cares what the trends are - I don't care about what everyone else is buying (OK -- I cave from time to time - at least in the quilting area), but it's mostly about what I need/want. 

OK -- so I'm making slow progress in the vortex of paperwork. Progress is good - I wish it could be faster, but hey -- it'll get done. And seriously?? I need a second monitor, so my calendar is always handy. For whatever reason, I plug things in the calendar and then don't translate the correct date or time in e-mails. What is that all about? That requires a wee bit of jiggling today to fix that small detail! 

I was looking for a magazine that had one of my quilts in it. After a lengthy and thorough search, I could not find the magazine. I have tried to keep all the magazines and all the paperwork in the same box, but obviously, I haven't. Actually, there was a period during the pandemic when we didn't or couldn't get print copies of various magazines.  

My magazine box

However, I did find this quilt which I love. 

My Sweater quilt in a publication

But alas, it is now washed and destined to be gifted later this week. I hope they like it. 

Sweater Season!

It's in this issue if you want the pattern, and it's made from Maywood Flannels, which are gorgeous!! That's the December/January 2021 issue of Quick and Easy Quilts. 

Quick and Easy Quilts

I will contact the publisher to see if I can find the one I want right now. There were so many changes in publications for a while, and editors have come and gone; I've no idea how they keep their records. I don't even know what publication the one I'm looking for was in! 

It was made with precuts, and I wanted to share the pattern (hey -- it no longer belongs to the magazine) with my precut group! I found the EQ8 diagram, but that's all. 

Let me know if you recognize this quilt and have the magazine. 

One of my precut quilts

It would have been around 2019, and initially, it was to go in Quickly Quilting, but I don't know if that publication ever got off the ground. I LOVE the quilt, and I could write the pattern for the group. But I'll wait to see how many want the pattern. 

We had an excellent precut class. So many great ideas and so much inspiration; who knew there was so much to learn about precuts! The goal is to make at least ONE quilt from the precuts over the course of the class. My goal is three - the first is cut and ready to sew!

Then we had our scrap class. Oh my -- so much that one can do with scraps, and it all depends on your definition of a scrap. Here's a block I quickly threw together yesterday morning. There will be a few more like that coming. 

Scrap block from orange batiks

And the table runner class focused on free motion quilting was a HUGE hit. I can't tell you how excited I was when I saw the homework and how everyone thought about their designs and then found a way to execute them. That's what it's all about -- how to solve a problem and get it done! And they excelled at that! I might share them later this week. 

There are two more sessions this morning, and all the presentations are ready! The next customer quilt is on the long arm and ready for this afternoon. And yes, there is an e-mail or two that has to go out today. The first priority will be to get those darn dates in order. How the heck did I mess myself up like that?

OK -- I'm printing off that introductory e-mail to all the groups so I can see the darn dates when plugging into my calendar, and I'll keep it in my book as a reference. 

Are you watching the world cup soccer? It's been on in our house since the beginning, and Miss Lexi is getting pretty comfortable as she watches the matches. Although, I wonder if she can see anything with that table in the way. Seriously -- she now sleeps on either side of it and couldn't care less. 

The Princess 

Oh -- my call for the soccer? Morroco versus Croatia, and Croatia takes it all! What do I know about the game? Nothing! 

Murphy, on the other hand, is the outdoors girl. That's a total lie as she also likes to be in the house with Mom and Dad, but boy - does she love to go for a walk. Chasing leaves is her favorite thing, so windy days are NOT fun! And yesterday, she climbed up this dead tree. 

Mom -- Look at me -- I'm a dog in a tree! 

Hmm -- what happened to the birds? I don't have the right kind of feed? I spotted a mommy cardinal yesterday, but it's been pretty quiet. 

The bird feeders are quiet

Well, that's it for me. I've got two girls to walk, and then the day starts!

Have a great day!!!

Ciao!!