Sunday Stash #226 – Six Whole Days

Holy Martina Navratilova! I’ve been home for six whole days, which means I actually got to use my sewing machine this week. It must be like riding a bike, because I saddled up to it and rode it hard! Ow! There was a little bit of chaffing, but nothing a little talcum powder won’t fix! Right? Then I used another day to high tail my tail over to the Sydney Craft & Quilt Fair. This was the first time in four years that I attended purely as a spectator, rather than being part of the show. I tried to go incognito so I only wore my small crown rather than the full bedazzled number. Would you believe I still got clocked? Despite kissing a few babies and signing some zimmer frames, I got a chance to do some shopping, chit-chat with some friends, and check out the hundreds of quilts hanging in the show. It felt like home.

Most of the fabrics on showcase at the vendor stalls were rehashes of things I’ve seen at the most popular online shops over the last few months. That’s the pity of living in a country that is considered at the end of the fabric line. When I go to a big festival like this, I’d love to see some exclusives, hard to gets, or brand new ranges. However, I’ll acquiesce that I can be a bit Shania-that-don’t-impress-me-much-Twain! What I did grab though were these sickening fat quarters from The Strawberry Thief! I love me some Robyn (owner) hard, so the chance to just say hello and pet all her pretties was phenomenal. These Liberty tana lawns are smouldering with historical, architectural and celestial references aplenty. Damn, you don’t see this hotness working the streets at most shops!

Next destination was visiting my other favourite company Bloc_Loc! Janna and Paul (owners) make me feel like family, in that I know they’d hold my weave back so as not to get it cut under a rotary cutter. Mmmhmm: That’s what family is all about! Janna demo-ed their two latest rulers: the kaleidoscope and the pineapple. (Get funky!) I’ve never made a pineapple block because I know I’d probably be working on it for the next few years. However, this new pineapple ruler makes it looks pretty simple, and if it is anything like the rest of their range, I’m down. I also picked up a 4.5″ x 18″ non-slip ruler (the best!) to compliment my 6.5″ x 24″ version, as well as their brand new traction tape. Yes, you can now turn any of your slip n’ slide rulers into non-slip varieties. Time to stick it and forget it!

That’s all I bought at the Sydney Craft & Quilt Fair, which as you know, for me is quite restrained. However, here’s a pic of a few miscellaneous notions I’ve grabbed here and there over the past few weeks in my travels. It was finally time to buy another Olfa rotary cutter so I could downgrade my existing one to paper piecing only. I’m busy: I don’t got time to be changing blades back and forth. (#diva) There’s some zips for cushions and that embroidered badge I picked up in Singapore. Not sure where it’s going, but it’s a beauty, right? (#likeme) Finally, some 505 Spray for quilt basting from my LQS, The Remnant Warehouse. I have never spray basted a quilt, and I’m all shades of I’m-gonna-fuck-this-up and get it stuck to my face. However, I saw my friend Paula Storm (#holla) at the quilt show and she was all like, “Dude. I made a video tutorial. Watch it.” Gurrrl, I watched, and now I’m ready to throw every single basting pin away. Anyone down for a basting pin burning party?

So anyway, that’s how I’ve spent my six days at home. I leave tomorrow for a short overnighter in Brisbane, and Canberra later in the week. Gimme mohr!

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