Adventures in Shopping and Amazing Events

It's been raining here. This has been the view from the front of my house for most of the day. Dreary, rainy and cool. Autumn has hit with a vengeance.

I met up with Sara yesterday morning for our shopping expedition to Spotlight. Sara and I have a lot in common. Since I don't have the maturity a woman my age should and Sara has the maturity of someone older than she is - it worked out about even.  Meeting people from the Internet can be fraught with danger. For example Sara was hoping I wasn't a 50 year old guy called Irving who owned a trench coat and I was hoping she wasn't a serial killer. Neither of us were what the other was hoping we weren't and we got down to the business of gossiping and drooling over the fabric bolts at Spotlight pretty quickly.

 

When I walked into  the quilting section it seemed there was a lot less full of fabric on the shelves than usual. That's because Sara had already chosen about 324 bolts  to take to the counter to purchase. I thrust a diagram at Sara and blurted out something like "Ooga Booga" and some other stuff that sounded like Norwegian Arabic and she understood perfectly and broke out that cool maths brain of hers. Who knew she was multi lingual? It normally takes years for people to learn Shay-ese. Anyway once Sara had worked out how much fabric I needed I started to look at fabrics.  I was being quite indecisive because if it isn't in a fabric range people - I am a complete ditherer.  Eventually after about an hour I made my choices.

As we staggered up to the counter (It took two trips -I am not joking) the sea of waiting people parted and looked at us in horror. There was a general melee while people dashed to the numbers you have to take to get served , obviously realising if they got stuck behind us they would have no hope of getting home before dark. Sara rugby tackled an 80 year old lady to the ground to get poll position and we took great pleasure in holding up that line for about 45 minutes.

OK - the rugby tackle was a bit of poetic licence but seriously - she had so much fabric people were staring and one lady couldn't help coming to ask what Sara was actually making. I guess when you look like you're about to collapse under the weight of that much fabric people are curious about what you're up to. My 6 bolts looked pissy by comparison.  Yes I bought some fabrics. Yes I blamed Sara when I got home. And yes,  I blamed Becks as well since this was for her quiltalong.  

Then we  hit Lincraft so I could get some more fabrics. More hilarity ensued, more fabrics were bought along with books I don't need except for the pretty pictures  and then we went for lunch. I had chicken breast fillets and chips in case you're interested.  It was a lovely way to spend a Saturday. Thank you Sara. You are everything I thought you'd be but even better.

So this was the damage for the day...

Fabrics from Lincraft and Spotlight for the Paper Piecing Quiltalong

Books from Lincraft (Crazy Bargains!)

I finally splurged and bought  a new cutting mat ...and some new backing for the long dormant Christmas quilt because I don't like the idea of  spots anymore.

Sara also brought me these gorgeous fabrics  from her personal stash.  I've already started making something with them. I can't resist repro fabrics.  In honour of Sara, who can make a quilt out of just enough fabric so that there is only about a quarter of an inch left over after cutting ...I am making something out of this fabric and am vowing to have a minimum of fabric left over instead of my usual 3 metres. I'm going to try and use every possible scrap. And also in honour of Sara I'm going to make this quilt as fast as I can.

In other amazing news, Miss P came for a sleepover so we've had the pleasure of her company for much of the weekend.  Yesterday she asked me how I make the carrots I'm doing for Easter and decided without begging , cajoling or interference from me to give one a go herself. MY DAUGHTER DID CRAFT! Today, I walked into the lounge room to see her doing another one. Here's the proof! 

It is with huge pride I show you this finished collaborative project made by Miss P and Mrs. P -Easter Carrots 

Honestly , seeing her with a needle in her hand almost gave me a heart attack. (but made me very proud of her at the same time ) There may be hope for her after all.

May the craft be with you.

P.S. I know you're wondering what I did this weekend aside from shopping. I did a lot of sewing but honestly this post is wayyyyyyyy too long already. I'll be back Tuesday to share.