What a blog title! This morning I met with the local funeral director to make all the arrangements for my funeral – whenever that is – and prepay for it. I wanted to decide on cremation, where to spread my ashes, and how I want things handled. Rick would have no idea what I wanted. So now that’s all done and paid for – down to the newspapers and radio stations.
Yesterday friends from Vermont/Florida came for a visit while their motor home was being fixed at Winnebago – and she is a blog reader! I met her last year when they came for the Grand National Rally and we chatted over a cup of coffee. You probably recognize her name – Pat Smith – from the blog comments. She and her husband, Terry, and dog, Sonny, visited the farm and a Terry took some pictures –
This is the only picture I got of Pat, Terry and Sonny!
I know you’re waiting to see my purchases so here they are!
Dirty Dozen Quilts:
I think I’m all caught up so I’ll take a break for a couple days! Carry on!
I absolutely LOVE your fabrics that you purchased. Many happy quilts to come
I see a RED quilt in your future!
Love the patterns. Especially Sienna Burst
Did you buy just the amount of fabric you needed for each quilt? Or to you always buy extra. It’s a beautiful fabric haul!! Lol.
Kate Schloemer – I don’t have one single quilt in mind – I just bought half yards of whatever caught my eye. And now I will plan.
What a great post! A visit with a friend., beautiful fabrics and then wonderful Dirty Dozen! I love, love your fabrics and wish I’d been shopping with you. ❤️ I fell in love with the spools, which looks like a miniature but then I saw the teapots! Oh my! So any things to add to the bucket list. I think I must give up sleeping so I can get more done!
Hi Ellie.
I have the teapot pattern if you want it!
Kajuergens @gmail.com
You sure had a good time shopping. Look at all that fabric. I would shop like that if I made a dent in what I already have. That is how I shopped.. enjoy the new and leave the old for someday.
Great fabric choices!! You have a fun winter ahead! How much do you but when you buy? I gave up on fat quarters long ago as I never had enough of my choices. Now I buy at least a yard, more if I have a specific project in mind. I love the Omigosh pattern—will be watching to see your version!
Diane Bauer – I don’t really like fat quarters because I like strips but this trip I bought half yards of everything. Good thing we like scrap quilts – controlled scrap quilts! And I don’t have a plan for any of it – I’ve already fulfilled my plan – I bought it!!! And that quote is from Lynnette Jensen of Thimbleberries. Haha!
Awesome fabric purchases. I love Sue Garmann patterns. That will keep you busy for a long while. Enjoy it all!
Mary
Is it more fun to go shopping than it was to ho out to your shop and get materisl.
Susan Janka – we talked about that very thing many times yesterday and agreed that it was lots easier to walk into our own quilt shop BUT no quilt shop can carry it all. We’re planning our next trip right now!
Love all of your purchases! In the first fabric pic you posted, who makes the second (Vine with little flower) and fifth (Alphabet in rows)? I’d love to use that for a baby quilt for my newest grandbaby.
You have great taste in fabric. I would have purchased all that you showed. It has been a long time since I purchased alot of fabric at one time, miss it!… You are a busy lady.
Did you leave any fabrics at Grubers untouched? 😂. What beautiful fabrics & groupings you & Connie chose! Nothing like fresh new fabrics to get one motivated! Have a blast. Run your fingers over them for me!
Hi to Connie, too!
Sue Jacobson – so glad your wrote, Sue – is your knee replacement surgery still on for December? Maybe I forgot the month. How are you doing with that bum knee?
I got the amazing grace panel too! Love it. There is also a full size panel of the love is kind verse. It’s going on the back of a quilt that spells Love.
That omigosh pattern looks like it might live up to its name.
You took pictures of the Omigosh pattern at Minnesota quilt show last year. Connie’s hand was even up against the pattern….. I ordered the pattern and just laughed when it came! Hence the name! It is a miniature pattern made into a BIG quilt. Our quilt guild even made a new category for it last year and I think it was called small pieces, big quilt! The 9 patches measure 1 1/2″ finished. Two ladies had each made the pattern and they were wonderful. And I bet they ended up with more scraps than they started? I really think I’d put it in the over achiever category. And I love miniatures.
I look at the quilts you make and wish I had more of the civil war pieces and you are wanting more modern stuff. Isn’t that the way it goes?
My sister-in-law made all her funeral arrangements, too. I just had to laugh when she said she paid for 50 lunches and “if there were more, they would have to pay for their own!” Such is life. Take care everybody.
Betty Klosterman – yes, I did take the picture and I still like it! I love to piece and I don’t have to make any more quilts in my lifetime unless I want to – I just want to make those little blocks! And I don’t need the pattern but this way I won’t forget.
Mary, you really prepare! I have thought of pre arranging my funeral but decided my life insurance can take care of it and Mike and/or Cindy can do whatever! I will spend my money on fabric and hopefully on a trip to New Zealand to visit our granddaughter someday.
Being the thoughtful and practical husband Mike is, he did buy us a burial plot (for 4 people because it was a better buy!) and gave it to me for my Christmas gift one year. 🤔 Our friends thought it was the funniest thing they had ever heard. Daughter Cindy thought he had lost his mind!
Obviously you don’t plan to go any time soon after that shopping trip. Yours and Connie’s fabrics are beautiful.
Is Pat’s dog the same as Hazel? How cute! So nice that they visited.
Love the quilt show. Some very impressive #3’s! I’m sewing the binding on mine now. Glad I am doing this as it helps to keep me on track! Plus I didn’t know I had so many unfinished projects!
Diane in MD – Pats dog, Sonny, is the Sheltie in the photo – oh, such a nice dog! No kids to handle any funeral arrangements and no life insurance so now I don’t have to think about it any more – it’s done and paid for! I bought the fabric first – haha!
I missed seeing Sonny in the other photo.. duh! Haha
Hi Diane in Maryland, where about in new Zealand is your granddaughter? I am in Wellington, but going up to the Waikato on Tuesday for a couple of weeks. Loved all Mary’s fabrics, but I am trying to use mine up! Loved the hexagons, I have just been given a bag of hexagons, handwork while I am away.take care everyone, best wishes from sandy
Hi Sandy! Ashley’s address is “Edgeware, Canterbury, N.Z” and she works in Christchurch. She is engaged to a native and she loves N.Z.! Such a beautiful country. Are you in the north or south island?
Oh man you got some pretty stuff! We don’t have a good shop close to us but once in a while I have to drive the 3 hours to one. Your sand Connie’s purchases make me think it’s about time! My stash needs an update and my fingers need to feel some new fabric ! I have more than I’ll ever sew but……
Oh man you got some pretty stuff! We don’t have a good shop close to us but once in a while I have to drive the 3 hours to one. Yours and Connie’s purchases make me think it’s about time! My stash needs an update and my fingers need to feel some new fabric ! I have more than I’ll ever sew but……
Donna – we have more than we’ll ever sew, too, but I’m sick of those dark colors and now I’m enthused again! Can’t wait to start!
Hi Diane in Maryland,I am at the bottom of the north island.is your granddaughter engaged to a Maori or new Zealander, I am an Aussie married to a kiwi for 47 years.will look up Edgewear on google.nice to talk with you, best wishes from sandy
Sandy, so nice chatting with you! Ashley is engaged to a New Zealander. They met 5 years ago when he was employed by Carnival Cruise lines as a youth activity director and Ashley and her mom went on a cruise! They had a long distance relationship for a year but she moved there in 2016 and he left the cruise ship for a job in radio. We have met him and we all like him very much.
Hi Mary: Terry’s photos are beautiful, aren’t they? I am so glad you got to have lunch with them and visit. They speak so highly of their visit to your farm. I met them in Clarion this noon for a picnic in the park. It was wonderful to catch up with my cousin, Patty, once again. She and Terry are such interesting people to talk to. And yes, Sonny is a little doll! Bailey says “hi.”
Wow, Mary, you really made a haul! Love your choices. Your taste has changed just like mine and I have so much of the civil war and darker fabrics. Think we will change back at some point?
I have the Sienna Burst pattern too. And please tell Connie that I made The Avenue quilt, from templates and it was great challenge and fun. One of my favorite quilts of all I’ve made. I think I finished it as a Dirty Dozen last year.
What great fabrics and patterns! Can’t wait to see what you do with your stuff.
My husband and I did our funeral arrangements after his parents passed. They had theirs all set up and we decided to do the same. Much easier on the family.
It’s been a tough year for our family. We are going to my 25 year old grandson’s funeral tomorrow. He gave his life to the Lord after my husband passed in March. We are devastated but God will get us through this. Glad I have quilting to keep my mind and hands busy.
Hope and be still.
Dear Charlotte, I am so sorry for this heartbreak! Sending my deepest and sincere sympathy to you and your family. Saying many prayers for you now and in the days ahead. May God give you peace.
I am so sorry Charlotte: Can’t imagine the pain. Praying for you.
Charlotte Shira – oh my goodness, I’m so sorry for your loss! I hope he didn’t die from Covid but any reason is too tragic – no 25 year old should die before their parents! Please accept my sincere sympathy!
Thank you for the condolences. The funeral service was beautiful and very sad.
We don’t know the cause of death yet (not Covid). May take 2 or 3 months for the results. We don’t know if he choked on food or had a seizure. 25 is so young.
Charlotte – oh, this is just so sad! 25 years old with his whole life ahead of him. How are his parents doing? Are there surviving siblings? And how are YOU?
I’m so sorry. Not knowing the cause somehow makes it harder. Sending virtual hugs!
My condolences to you, 25 is too young to lose him and so sad. Praying for you and your family, may God give you strength, consolation and hope. May your memories of him be a balm to your hurt, hugs. Felicia.
Charlotte, Sorry to hear of the passing of your grandson. My condolences.
Charlotte,
I am truly so sorry and offer my sincere condolences on the loss of your grandson. I pray that in time, quilting will give you a focus.
I like your choice of fabrics as well as Connie’s.
Your fabrics are fabulous, like everyone else I love them all but I especially like the Moda fabrics and the sienna colored ones. I can see them in a quilt and that inspires me to check out our quilt shop. I’m so lucky to have a great shop only a couple miles away.
Charlotte, we all are think about you..so much to bear.
Mary, what a wonderful trip. I’m drooling
I think A Country’s Call patterns would look great in the fabric you picked.
I love all your fabrics, Mary! They’re definitely not Civil War! Can’t wait to see all the projects you and Connie will make.
And, I love seeing all the Dirty Dozen quilts and projects. There’s so much talent and creativity in this group that you never know what someone’s going to share. Makes it so fun.
You really got some gorgeous fabrics and patterns!! Whoopee! You are going to have lots of fun.
Good idea to have your funeral stuff taken care of. I have funeral insurance but my daughter wants to take care of the plans – so she says. So, I will let her. I may give her some ideas that I like but….
I hope you have fu with all your new fabrics – enjoy!!!!
What lovely fabrics you chose and I cant wait to see what you end up making. How nice that Pat and Terry came to visit and I always enjoy pictures of the farm. Its so nice that you took care of your funeral arrangements while you can decide. It makes thing so much easier in the end.
I loved seeing all of your purchases! Great job and hours of fun ahead! I was lucky enough to take a class with Sue Garman several years ago. She worked at NASA and had such interesting stories to tell us about her MANY quilts. Seeing your pattern makes me remember…guess I will have to pull out that unfinished OMIGOSH and get busy on it again!
PS We did not get a single drop of rain from Hurricane Laura…but I am not complaining. Thanks for your prayers!!
Tanya in Houston – did the hurricane turn East before it got to you? So devastating – the pictures just make you sick to think of all the work ahead of people. So glad you’re ok!
Oh my gosh you all spent a fortune. Too bad you couldn’t come to my shop in KY. Fabrics are $6.00 a yard still…..I would have loved your business. I purchased the I’m dead what now book but I havent even looked thru it it. Have you filled yours out. I think it is a really good idea. Paula in KY
Paula Philpot – mine is completely filled out – down to the directions where everything is kept. How can you sell fabric for wholesale prices? Most of the fabric we bought was between $11-12/yard for Moda, Riley Blake, Art Gallery. No shop can stay open selling fabric for $6/yard – unless you’re selling flat folds and seconds. I’m very curious.
1st Quality fabric not flat folds unless I buy some of those for myself. No seconds. I own the farmhouse so I don’t pay rent. I have been in business since 2006.
I could easily mark mine up to the higher price but I choose not to. I do not do credit cards either. Cash or check only. I have some Moda when it is discounted and I have had Riley Blake. I can send you some pics to your home email if you like. Paula in KY
Paula Philpot – I’d love to see some fabric pictures!
So, what’s the name of your shop in Kentucky & do you have a shoppable website? I’m in Tennessee!
Love all your fabric selections, have fun with all the projects!!
I enjoyed all the pictures and the DD’s, but I would have to say the teapot quilt was my favorite because I am a tea drinker. You have some beautiful fabrics to work with. I know you will come up with something gorgeous. No rain in southeast Iowa. My garden has dried up except the tomatoes, but I have watered them a few times to keep them going. We take them to church and share with our friends. I made so much from tomatoes last summer I don’t need anymore this summer.
I have the teapot quilt pattern if you want it!
Thanks for telling the amount of each cut.
You and Pat could be sisters! I have severe fabric envy right now. I’m going to have to go shopping.
Love your nw fabric and Connie’s! So fun!
You go girls and plan that next fabric outing cause life is too short to say shoulda, coulda but didn’t. I have enough fabric to make ssssooooo many quilts and wallhangings but I still buy from our local shops so I am lucky there are several north, south, east and west of me. If I only felt like updating my wardrobe like I enjoy buying fabric! My grandmother who taught me to sew had a saying I spoke about at her funeral as the day she was put in the hospital and never recovered is the day we bought our first motor home. She use to say
“ Go while you can go “. We made that saying into a plaque for our wall.
My deepest sympathy Charlotte, so hard for you and your family I’m sure. This year has been so hard for so many. I pray that things get better over the coming months. Mary, your fabrics are great! I am looking for brighter colors lately. Must have something to do with being inside for so long. I have to say that the Spool quilt is speaking to me! Such a cute little quilt. Is it Julie that made it? I can’t really read the tag. So nice to have a visit from Pat and her husband (and dog!). That’s something that I’ve always wanted to do, travel across the country in a nice camper or RV. My husband watched a local interest show the other night and a woman from MA was featured, she walked across the country asking people “what makes you happy?” – it took seven years. And she’s not a young person! There’s a lesson in there somewhere! Jan in MA
I definitely have fabric shopping envy but haven’t sewn anything this summer-I just can’t seem to get started. I did hand quilt my great grand son’s quilt. I tried machine quilting but have never machine quilted and didn’t like it. After my father died suddenly and unexpected, we had to plan and pay for his funeral. He had already made the plans to be buried in the local veteran’s cemetery though. After that I planned and prepaid my mother’s funeral. She passed a year later and it was so much easier. I love the “Sock It To Me” pattern!
Thanks Mary for a great post. Love your fabrics.
Sue K from Texas- That is an awesome quilt. You are shaming me. I have a GFG UFO from forever ago. I need to start over. I didn’t have a clue about what I was doing. I used construction paper for the hexagon pieces. Very bad idea . Many of my hexies are all different sizes. It has been “filed” in a closet waiting for inspiration. Can you tell me what size your individual hexagons finish at?
Susan from Va
Thank you. I believe the papers said the hexies were 2 3/8” per side. I used papers from Paper Pieces company. This was my second hexie quilt. I’m looking to see what my next project will be. I sit and do projects while watching tv in the evening.
I see that you purchased material on your shopping spree. Just wondering what amount of material do you purchase so you are sure to have enough when you decide on a project. Are those each a yard? Thank you. I am a beginner and need all the help I can get!
Tammy Guerrero – I bought half yards of each but I like scrap quilts and don’t give a darn if I run out of a fabric in the middle of the project. I just use another one about the same color. I make lots of quilts and having enough fabric that all matches and worrying about it takes the fun out it for me. I care but it’s not the end of the world.
Mary, your fabric sense is exquisite! What a great selection. I envy your lights and neutrals. You and Connie bring joy to me each time I get a new post!
Thank you so much.
Hugs from Earlene in Arizona
Beautiful shopping. Beautiful pictures.
Mary you bought some wonderful fabrics and patterns. I really like the Sienna quilt. I like the pattens by Then Came June. I met Meghan, the designer, one year at QuiltCon and she is the sweetest person. If you’re like me you’re dying to start new projects with all of your new fabrics.
I went to my local shop today to get setting triangles for a current project. So I went for that and batting but came out with some bicycle fabric and some bird fabrics. It’s too hard to stick to my list!
Preplanning a funeral isn’t the most fun thing to do but it makes it easier for those who are left behind. Thanks for the reminder that we need to take care of those things.
WOW! WOW! WOW! Love all your purchases, especially the nice variety of fabrics! That being said, I am going to my local quilt shop this morning………..you may have inspired me to buy more than I would have! lol
Did you and Connie leave some fabric for others to shop? I have seen your stash and is not little, it is nice to know that you are growing the economy. I like your color choices, they are fun! We got 52/100 “ of rain, it was welcome. Have a nice day!
Connie had me drooling over her neutrals, now you with your reds! Lots of sewing ahead, that OhMyGosh pattern would stop me in my tracks.
Wonderful haul Mary. Great job in helping the economy too. Isn’t it nice to get to meet the people who read your blog? Love all the pictures and the DD. They are great! And I really love the gourds! Are you going to make bird houses? Or maybe paint some for fall decorating?
Mary, thanks for sharing your purchases. Wow, the fabrics are wonderful! The patterns are nice,too.
Looks like you had a nice visit and I really liked the gourds hanging up. That’s a beautiful picture.
Going to start working on my ufo for August again now I’ve returned from my daughters in Indianapolis. Had a great visit. We did more gardening and a few sewing projects. She wanted covers for her dog beds so I made 3 while there. The dog she has been fostering will make somebody happy but not them..so she says now. They enjoyed the fostering but their dogs don’t seem to like this new dog. So not a great fit. They’ll try fostering again as there is a great need.
And to Charlotte, my heart goes out to you and your family. May your memories give you comfort.
Take care everyone.
I ditto everyone’s comments, Mary. Your new purchases are to die for (remember that expression). Like you, I’m tired of those dark colors — civil war prints, Thimbleberries from 10-15 years ago, Jo Morton’s stuff is still dark as is Kim Diehl. Love them both but usually not their fabrics much. What you bought is very similar to what I would buy if I had the chance to go to a large store like Gruber’s. Love your haul!!
I am going, with a few of my besties, to a retreat only about 30 miles from our houses next weekend — Labor Day weekend. None of us had other plans & we were lucky to snag this weekend at this busy quilters retreat. We’ll arrive around 10:30am or so Friday, 9/4/2020 & leave for home (really for lunch) Monday, 9/7 about noon. Oh, did I mention the retreat is in a completely refurbished BARN which is attached to a small but wonderful quilt shop??? Can’t wait!! Hope you have a good weekend!