I'm going to post my UFO update today, because tomorrow I will be posting my tutorial for my Quilted Fish Design Team project. I'm nervous and excited about that. I hope it's okay and that people like it!
My UFO report is very small today. Another baby step! I did finish the appliqué on my Tree of Life Quilt! I got these last two stems and the dark green leaf sewn down. I'm not sure what took me so long. I finished it in two short episodes of Seinfeld! But this quilt top is done, and the backing is put together, so it's ready to be quilted. Even though it was a baby step, it resulted in a project being much closer to completion! Hop on over to Blackberry Creek to see how others are doing with their UFOs.
On another note, I didn't mention that I have been traveling the past few days. One of my graduate students and I traveled to Omaha, Nebraska to visit the Munroe-Meyer Institute at the University of Nebraska Medical Center there. I have a couple of colleagues who run outpatient and day treatment services for children with developmental disabilities and autism. It's called the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders. They help parents with problem behaviors their children display (which is also what I do with my research) and with behavioral feeding problems. Also, they have children come for effective academic instruction. It was a really informative and fun visit. (If you live near there, these are probably the highest quality services you can get for your child, by the way.)
When I travel, I like to try to visit a local quilt shop. It adds a little fun to my trip, amongst all the work. Sometimes I don't have time, but since we drove to Omaha, we had a little more flexibility than if we had flown. So, I started to think about where we could go.
I recalled that there was a shop near Omaha that I had seen in The Quilt Sampler Magazine Top 10 Quilt stores and looked it up. It was The Quilted Moose! It's in Gretna, NE, about 20 minutes from Omaha. I asked my graduate student if he would mind if we stopped there "on the way home" (it turned out to be in the opposite direction of home! LOL). He was a really good sport and said it was fine. He had some work to do anyway, and could sit in the car and work on it while I shopped. What a guy.
When I walked in the door, here was the view to the right. Wow! This store was jam packed with fabric and samples. It was pretty overwhelming! I think this is about 1/3 or 1/4 of the store! And there was so much variety! Batiks, Moda, brights, dark and dirties, etc. Lots of really cool stuff. I think I barely scratched the surface in this store, because I didn't want to keep my student waiting too long. But that's probably a good thing!
If I turned around from where I was standing to take that first photo, this is what I saw. Anne Sutton's of Bunny Hill entire Lily and Will line, along with all of her gorgeous pleated satin trim. I just had to slowly back away from this, because I wanted the entire card of every color of that trim. (I have no idea what I'd do with it. It's just so gorgeous!)
This was a cute display of towels, charm packs, fat quarter packs, etc. I loved how they sold all these cute picture frames that were painted cute colors. They had lots of stitchery and quilted projects framed in the store. It was a nice way to display some small pieces.
This is a display of a quilt designed by someone in their shop. Great fabrics (Kate Spain? POSTSCRIPT: IT'S FRUITCAKE BY BASIC GREY. SEE COMMENT BELOW. THANKS, BROOKE!). I don't know if you can see the kits that are packaged up in the lower right hand corner. They were packaged so cute with a blue bow on them and a sparkly blue snowflake. Very tempting!
I loved this display. The Jo Morton on one side, a framed courthouse steps piece, and a beautiful stitchery. (I know who makes those stitchery patterns and I can NOT think of it right now. Sorry, I don't have time to look it up!) And, check out the cute moose!
This was the classroom area. Choc-a-block full of quilts. The quilts you see on the table and the one with the flying geese draped over a quilt hanger to the left are in a new book (which I'll show you below). That quilt just to the right of the window was their quilt when they were featured in the Quilt Sampler magazine, and it was the cover quilt on that issue. I have that kit in my stash. It's one I really want to get to. :-)
Recognize that quilt that's third from the left? Yep! Tree of Life! I really fell in love with the first quilt on the left here. It is another pattern designed by one of the girls in the shop. I absolutely loved the border fabric, and I loved this quilt design! This entire wall of fabric was Japanese Daiwabo and taupes!
Yes, this pattern came home with me.
They were out of the pretty blue fabric that was in the border, but they had some of this grey. I liked that just as much. It's a Japanese fabric and is just gorgeous!
And they had it in this tan, too. I couldn't decide, so I got a little of both. Won't these make pretty borders for a couple of different quilts?
And I got a little of this one, too. Couldn't resist. When I travel, I like getting fabrics that are unique and I can't find at home.
The owner of the shop had just published her first book. I had to get it. If you come back on Saturday, I'll tell you more about this book and give you a peek inside. I'll also tell you about their new quilt retreat! But I have got to get to work now! My time allocated for blogging has expired!
I hope you all have a wonderful day!
Until next time,
Mama Pea
Seeee I told you it would be a grand place!!!! I wish I would have known you were driving, but oh well!! The quilt you thought was Kate Spain's was actually Fruitcake by Basicgrey. The owner of this shop and Jo Morton are fast friends, fyi. I am so glad that it was a fun way to end your trip!!!
Posted by: Brooke | March 31, 2011 at 11:32 AM
Awesome! Your Tute will be amazing!
Posted by: Jewel | March 31, 2011 at 11:46 AM
I love your blue bird. Is that the same fabric you sent me? See the classroom picture? I want the one that is second from the window-to the right. (you know, just in case you go back that way!) And I like the last fabric that you bought-that almost looks like thistles in our marsh-a nice, breezy summer day.
p.s. when I said I wanted a store, that first picture is what I meant-you just say "wow".
Posted by: sisLH | March 31, 2011 at 12:03 PM
Oh how I have wanted to visit the Quilted Moose, but it's not every day I'm near Omaha!
Thank you so much for that tour, though. It was like being there and I didn't have to spend any money :D :D
I love your UFO. Love, love the bird. I am a huge fan of birds:)
Posted by: Sue | March 31, 2011 at 02:17 PM
We just got that book at the shop and I love it!!!! How cool that you got to visit that shop. It looks amazing. Oh and all those charm packs...heavenly!!
Birdie and leaves look so pretty!!
Posted by: Linda | March 31, 2011 at 03:37 PM
Yay for a UFO project ready for quilting!
That looks like a really great shop. Glad you got to stop.
Posted by: Lynn | March 31, 2011 at 05:41 PM
Looks like a great shop. I love going to new shops. Maybe some day I'll get there. Love your UFO. That little bird is so cute. Looking forward to your tutorial. I remember how nervous I was with my first one. I know you'll do great!
Posted by: Caroll D | March 31, 2011 at 07:11 PM
Can't wait for your tutorial! Your applique to gorgeous too.
I would love to go to the quilt shop! I could spend all day in there and just look :)
Hugs,
Donna
Posted by: Donna | March 31, 2011 at 07:25 PM
Your applique is very nice, Stephanie. Thanks for sharing your quilt shop visits. They look like really good ones.
Posted by: Susan Ramey Cleveland | April 01, 2011 at 10:51 AM
What beautiful applique work, the fabric is perfect for such a sweet bird. What an awesome name for a quilt shop!!! I love Moose and Fabric, I think I need to move there.
Thanks for talking about the center you went to visit on here. I'm working on my bachelors degree slowly but surely and have been thinking for quite a while about my masters (I tend to jump ahead of myself like that) Anyway I have wanted to work with autistic kids for a long time, but recently thought maybe I wouldn't and kind of stopped trying as hard in my classes because I was lost. Then my friend was talking to me about the new program she works for with autistic teenage girls and then I saw this and I can't help but feel like it's a push to do better so I can get there. Sorry I wrote a novel, but thank you so much.
Posted by: hunnybunny | April 01, 2011 at 01:07 PM
Even a little bit of applique is definite progress! Sounds like you had a good trip and definitely a good stop at the quilt store! I love finding quilt shops on my travels but never know whether to buy something or not as our LQS has a card punch for everything bought there. Just the thrill of drooling over fabric at a new place is good though. :)
Posted by: Deb | April 01, 2011 at 03:09 PM
Nice, neat applique work! Thanks for the tour of the shop. I will be back to see the book on Saturday!
Posted by: Julie in WA | April 01, 2011 at 09:28 PM
Oh my!! Imagine visiting a shop like that!! I don't think I would be able to choose any material - too overwhelming!! Your applique is lovely.
Posted by: Rosemary Dempster | April 02, 2011 at 06:11 AM
Your quilt is so pretty. I'd like to do some applique but I never have!
That quilt store is pretty amazing! Wow, it would be hard to have someone waiting in the car!
Posted by: Tammy | April 02, 2011 at 10:15 AM
I LOVED this shop when I visited, and will DEFINITELY be going back, however the day that I went, I had my 5 year old granddaughter with me, and she was into EVERYTHING so I didn't get to look as much as I wanted . . .
Posted by: Carolyn Woodard | August 10, 2013 at 07:48 PM