Gehring Road

sunday stash :: thinking spring

Some fabric has made it's way into the house this week as I am in need of a spring bag. I'm in love with that fabric... I know, that's a common saying around these parts, but I'm also in love with the idea of spring so it's kind of fitting. I really can't pick a favorite in that pattern (which I bought at Hawthorne Threads), the blue is so pretty as is the white. Luckily I have a few bag patterns in mind... one is the Nikki Tote from Michelle Lizcano available at Pink Chalk Fabrics as a downloadable PDF...

I'm also loving the opportunity to sneak in on your weekend plans... your comments (from all over the world!) have been fantastic. A bit more information about Stitch Magazine can be found here and the creators just recently started a website (updated daily). And for those of us that have been waiting for a subscription option, it is now available (at a discount!) here. I love that the magazine features sewists and crafters of all kinds... they always have an open call for projects, meaning anyone can be featured in the magazine... which is always beautiful (often with full patterns) and inspiring. The magazine is one of my favorites, and I'm happy to be able to share! Happy Weekend! 

sunday stash :: a good day

 

I went on a little fabric store tour of southwest Connecticut recently... I wish you all at least one day of the pure euphoria that was that day. Of course I left our camera at Gehring Road... decidedly northeast Connecticut, so alas, I'll have to make that little escape again to share with you soon... journalistic purposes only I assure you. Luckily I have some stock pictures of my stops. 

The Quilter's Alley, 103 Danbury Road, Ridgefield, CT. 

I love this shop. Not only do they have some of the most beautiful (and modern) fabrics I've seen in the state (Nani Iro, Denyse Schmidt, Heather Ross, Lecien, Echino), the owners of this store are incredibly sweet and fun to chat with. I love that the space is mostly given to easy browsing and an interactive- work station. The owner, while cutting my fabric, mentioned that they've had Denyse Schmidt (who is centered out of an old mill in Bridgeport - right down the road) teach classes at their store. If you go, grab some lunch at the French bakery around the corner... I had a tiny quiche and some tea for lunch and it put me in the perfect mood for fabric shopping... ok, so perfect mood for fabric shopping not so difficult to achieve. Here's what I bought...

...some Kate Spain, some Jennifer Paganelli, some Hope Valley...

 Photo from The Quilt Shop Blog

The Quilt Shop, 5 Padanaram Road, Danbury, CT.   

Another really sweet store.  The Quilt Shop has a nice blend of conventional as well as modern prints. Lots of Kaffe Fasset, Tula Pink, Moda and Amy Butler. There was a flurry of activity, people were coming in to get some helpful advice on their projects and purchase some additional yardage.  I browsed, and browsed and browsed... there's a lot to take in! Here's what I bought...

...love those little flowers on the left...

Make and Mingle, 63 Unquowa Road, Fairfield, CT.

I'm mourning the lack of photos here... big time.  Make and Mingle is housed in a really amazing space, there are notions, felt, buttons, fabric really everywhere in this bright and cheery modern fabric store. When I arrived (park at the railroad station, look for the decorated bike outside) there was a party happening in the workroom.  A group of young girls were discovering the love of fabric (ahh...) while making headbands for a birthday. Fabric here is decidedly modern (Echino, Jay McCarroll, Anna Maria Horner) but doesn't change all that often... this is still a very new store.  I love their lounge area, the handmade products they offer and just the very cool, laid back vibe of the store. One of my very favorite stops.

 

I'm looking forward to making some pillows with the yellow-flowered fabric (Valorie Wells) and the volumes fabric (Anna Maria Horner). I'm still dreaming about these pillows made by Amy and hoping to do my own little version really soon.  

So all in all, a really lovely day.  I love this area of the state... from Ichabod Road to the hills down Route 8, it feels very Hudson Valley, very beautiful and serene. If you can even see straight after fabric euphoria takes hold, it's a beautiful drive. Looking forward to heading back down as soon as possible. 

far far and away... i love monday!

It's here! A few weeks ago, I celebrated my birthday and bought a very small bit of Heather Ross' new fabric, Far Far and Away II.  It arrived today (I looove this Monday!) and it is simply lovely.  A linen-cotton blend, I can't wait to add this fabric to some projects I'm working on. 

 

 

 

Fabric purchased at Superbuzzy. I think I might need a small bit of the green... don't tell Rob. Happy Monday to you... I hope it is filled with unexpected surprises and plenty of treats.  

sunday stash... may days

 

Image from Suppose Quilt Boutique 

I really can't get enough of Anna Maria Horner's Little Folks Voile.  The fabric is simply heaven... I used them on the curtains in my loft, now I'm finding reasons to put them in every single project I'm working on... and I am in a three quilt rotation here... sigh.  The projects (top secret) that I worked on this weekend were made with the voile exclusively... luxurious.  So this stash peek is all about the voile that has found it's way recently into our home... then quickly up the stairs. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How I love that fabric.  May is quite a busy month in a very good way here on Gehring Road... My father's birthday is two days before Rob's, Rob's mom was born two days before me... (all in May) and we have Mother's Day in the midst of all of that celebrating.  Needless to say, some of that fabric has been used to make some really lovely surprises.  More to come after the celebrating and gift unveiling.  The start of my week will surely find me missing the hours of sewing and fabric preparing... summer cannot come soon enough.  Happy start to the week!

sunday stash... the (new) new quilt in process

 Whites, tans and beige cottons and linens for my Strips and Bricks Quilt...

As I sit down to type this post, I'm a little surprised that it is Sunday... already... again... but there you have it.  This week has a ton in store... grades due, a trip to NY with 100 sixteen year olds, the Junior prom and two quilts in progress happening.  Such is life.  Hopefully all will return with sanity and class in tack on when we're off to the city... that I resist the urge to run screaming to Purl (it will be their last day at their old, quaint location) and that a little bit of sewing happens before grades are due.  Hmm... yeah probably not.  Luckily vacation is a mere week away. 

So I bought some linen/cotton blends along with some cottons for my Strips and Bricks Quilt... you know the quilt that I haven't stopped talking or thinking about for the past few posts. This will be my first experience working with linen/cotton in a quilt, though I've used it here and there and loved it.  I bought some Kona Solids too to add to the muted quilt.  

 

Those linens are sort of lovely, no?  So I do love the original and Rita's take (RedPepperQuilts Blog) on the quilt and I love how both incorporated stripes.  So I went into my stash a lookin' for some stripes and guess what? I didn't have a single one.  How is that possible? So I remedied that by taking a trip to my local Quilt Shop.  I can't say the ladies there are kind.  I can't even say that I always like the fabric (they mostly carry batiks and moda) but I can say they have an unending supply of stripes... I bought some...

 

... and have my eye on a bit of Joel Dewberry striped fabric to add to this mix. Today, I pulled some fabrics for the quilt top and hope that it keeps me busy during break.  Many, many small squares to cut.  Not my favorite, cutting fabric, but I'm looking forward to incorporating bits of color and line throughout.

 

 

 

... and a little voile of course had to count as a stripe.     

So wish me luck, on the quilt front and the kid front, I think I'm going to need it this time.  Will be back in a bit to blog about the yesterday's Chili adventures and the most delicious flank steak I've ever had.  I'm off for now!

sunday stash and some acquisitions

 Spring Quilt (for outside) in the Planning

Life has been happening... I'm not going to make apologies for extended absences from this space anymore, but will say I've so missed it! Very little has been happening here in terms of sewing, planning for sewing is another matter though.  One of my very favorite parts of Spring is the sheer indulgence of time spent outside, in the grass, the garden, the woods with the dog and Rob.  I thought I'd make a quilt that could follow us to those places. Notice those grass-stain proof lovelies up there.  Surely fabric that looks like a grass stain can't be bad for outside, right? I did purchase some new Kona Bone for the sashing, and I have to say it is my favorite of the Kona whites. 

This is a much better way to see the loveliness that is Kona Bone and also that beautiful wheat fabric that of course, has to make an appearance in the outside quilt.  I can't wait for this quilt. The orange is just happy.  And hopefully those strawberries are used when we're eating our own strawberries this year. I'm just about ready for the change in season. Speaking of change in season... much has been happening outside...

Signs of life are everywhere.  Inside there have also been some changes... 

This lovely little lasagna pan (Giadda de Laurentis for Target) made it's way home and it looking forward to some Pioneer Woman meaty goodness...

...I lopped about six inches of hair off on Saturday (well I didn't, the lovely Kristen at Blades Salon in Wethersfield did, but I sat blindly... literally... allowing it to happen)...

...I swapped for some Gnomes... love!

... found some of this at Joann's and used a 40% off coupon to buy it... score! 

... and most importantly, the Rob has found his way home, even for a little bit.  I can't tell you how wonderful it is to have him here... ahhh... 

So dear readers, life is happening here... with it's disappointments, lessons learned, homecomings and procrastinations, and I'm loving each moment of it.  And you? What are you loving at this moment?

sunday stash and fabric run

 Anna Maria Horner's Little Folks Dolby Dots Square Dance in Dusk... that's a mouthful

I did not have a great week... frustrating, confusing, demeaning and failing would be the words I would choose to sum it up.  It was, in short, exhausting. Yes, it had to do with work, and yes it should be left at the "office" but in my line of work, lessons are not always about literature.  

So this weekend I took comfort in some comforting things.  Comforting and quite lovely, I must say. I recently added a panel or two of Anna Maria Horner's Little Folks Square Dance (still a mouthful) to my stash.  If you haven't yet had the chance to feel or see this fabric in person, you're in for a treat when you do.  I thought the voile would feel a little unsubstantial, but it just feels amazingly soft and wonderful. Here it is in all of it's glory.

 

 

... mine is being simply hemmed for curtains in the loft, it has been fantastic to work with, save the one or two times I've gotten confused on which is the right side of the fabric (seriously the back is delicious as well)... The thread is Coats and Clark Dolphin and was a fantastic find.  I generally sew with different thread, but the color match with this was perfect.

 

Along with the curtains, I decided to go on a bit of a fabric expedition this weekend.  Making two stops in two very different corners of the state.  My first stop was the much lauded Make and Mingle in Fairfield. A very sweet store, and of course, I love the concept.  I chatted with one of the women who has partnered on this venture while she cut my fabric and the philosophy behind the store is stocking modern designer fabric while focusing on classes and events at the store.  I bought a few small cuts of fabric and a pair of small embroidery scissors that will live by my machine, I'm sure.

 

Anna Maria Horner's Volumes... which will line the inside of my new linen cabinet...

 

... and some more (very little bit) of the Little Folks Voile... it will be used in a quilt for sure.

And finally, after some navigational terror (for those of you from CT - think Frog Hollow) I doubled back and did make it to Sew Inspired Quilt Shop in Simsbury.  Though the staff was being driven utterly insane by a woman from out of state who wanted to replicate a quilt that was on the wall (complete with out of print fabric), I had a welcome conversation with the owner, who told me about the Quilt Market this year (you remember, the one they keep forgetting to invite me to...) and how my favorite yellow and grey combination was everywhere at Market.  I bought a small bit of some Amy Butler fabric and got to thinking...

... I might tackle a patchwork project that incorporates fabrics that I love... a little mid-winter gift for myself.  Something a little chaotic, a little unplanned and very much in keeping with the moment.  Be well, and enjoy what the moment holds... when possible! 

sunday window shopping

 Flower Bed, Echino by Etsuko Furuya Fall 2009 

We're watching football here which is my excuse to fabric prowl. And oh, my... must sit on hands... must sit on hands.  One of the very best online fabric resources that I have encountered and utilized a bit... ahem... Fabricworm is having a major sale.  All Japanese prints are marked down and as it is in my nature, I've spied some winners... want to see? I thought so. Those who dislike fabric (ha!) or dislike their significant others buying fabric (Rob) look away now...

 Grassy Plain, Echino by Etsuko Furuya

 Forest Collage Green, Kawaii

 Swirly Meadow Olive, Kei

 Ants Natural Linen Blend, Kokka

 
And how long has it been since we've talked fabric here? You wouldn't know from the safari-window shopping I do, but I haven't really bought fabric since Hope Valley. I've swapped a bit here and there (thanks Leslie and Holly!) but, I'm showing restraint, taking a timeout if you will...even in the face of these sweet little fabrics and sales. If you have less restraint, and partake of this sale... I'd love to know what you scored!  Happy weekend...

sunday stash peek

::Stash additions::

I made some fabric purchases this week in anticipation of my return to sewing.  The above fabrics were snagged on Friday at my local fabric store.  I love the paisley as well as the American Jane fabric on the far right... I'm thinking that may need to be made into a quick skirt for Open House on Thursday.  I dislike Open House with a passion... the staying at school until 9 pm, the sometimes unusually mean and patronizing things parents say about their children, the mouth-soreness that comes from the perpetual smile.  Ah well... luckily it comes once a year.  In the meantime, I'm off for a few days (hence the double post). My second sewing class meets tomorrow... here are the most members of my fabric stash... Enjoy!

::Loads of Amish print vintage goodness snagged at the Brimfield Show, oddly enough it was the only thing I bought, and even stranger, I haven't blogged about the show yet::

::American Jane Fabric, Wee Play::

::Moda Fabric::

::This reminded me of Denyse Schmidt's Flea Market Fancy Flower Bouquet in Puddy, an (of course) out of print fabric that I so need::

:: Another find... loving the rich colors::

Have a great start to the week... I'll be getting to know more about my machine, but when I'm not, I'll be trying to ease back into the week, trying to motivate 125 teenagers and wishing I was at home sewing and getting to know more about my machine.  Such is life.  Hope your days are filled with motivation, the joy of free time (even a little) and many things you love.

...sunday stash update on monday because it feels like sunday...

We're off to the Brimfield Show today... OK, so we're not off to the Brimfield Show today. The English teacher couldn't read the website and mistakenly thought the show began today... it doesn't. That sigh of relief you might have heard from wherever you are reading this was Rob, of course.  So hopefully some pictures from the show next weekend.  

Yesterday felt so like Saturday around here, it was lovely.  Rob has been working incredibly hard on the house, I actually finished the papers I needed to grade (all 54 of them at 4 pages each) and we're looking forward to more productivity around here today, as we will not be scouring the mother of all antique markets.  

I did find the above "linens" as we went shopping on Saturday at our local out-door mall.  Our new table-cloth is from Williams Sonoma, the two matching napkins (dijon yellow and grey in the middle) are going to be used as fabric.  The other napkins were found at the lovely Anthropologie and will also be part of some sewing projects really soon.  Mostly, I'm looking to update the Spool Sewing bird mobile that I attempted to make a few months back.  It was actually one of my first sewing projects...

They're exceptionally pastel and so I'd like to use some heavier and more muted fabrics to make a mobile that will grace the loft.  The thought of snipping up those napkins to use as fabric might seem a little crazy, but they're gorgeous and I can't wait to see how it comes together.

Little teaser for the coming week... around here a decision has been made, an addition will be added to our little household and it will be making it's debut on Saturday... I could not be more excited! So, onto a new week, a new season... with new linens and new projects and new little additions to the house to see.  Make sure to head on over to Flickr to see what we've been up to.  Have a happy week, hope you are having as many productive moments as we are, wether that be preparing for the coming season, relaxing with pugs, enjoying family or all of the above.