I am excited to be able to say I am getting started on the first of my big goals I outlined for my 2018 Goals: making 3-4 bed quilts for us! Yesterday I cut into a yummy stack of fabrics to begin working on the first bed quilt for my husband and me. But let me step back really quickly… these are going to be used in our Expedition Vehicle that we are making (if you are interested in following along with that new adventure, you can via Wabi-Sabi Overland), so I’m aiming for a finished size of around 68-inches x 88-inches (the mattress – which arrives today – should be 48-inches x 72-inches).
Kona Cotton in Sky, Lake, Astral, and Ocean
I picked out the blue tile shown above for some interior accents (we’re thinking floor in the bathroom area, kitchen counter, “back-splash” areas but everything is so tiny we’re not sure yet), so together my husband and I agreed on 4 coordinating Kona Cotton colors for the palettes in the 3-4 quilts I hope to make this year: Sky, Lake, Astral, and Ocean. You know how I feel about blue, and it makes me giddy that my husband is happy with it, too.
Fabric Prep Complete!
I felt really accomplishes to do all of the fabric prep I needed for the piecing of the first quilt project ready yesterday. This project falls under the “secret sewing” category, and I will be sharing the full reveal with you on March 14th, but I will definitely be sharing my progress along the way via Instagram (and for those who follow me there, you probably already saw these photos yesterday, well, depending on the algorithm…).
How are you progressing on your 2018 goals? Is it time to go back and revisit them? I certainly benefited from looking mine over yesterday!
At this point, you have probably heard the news that was announced yesterday: Free Spirit Fabrics will be shut down by parent company Coats. I personally found the Craft Industry Alliance (CIA) post “Free Spirit Fabrics to Be Shut Down by Coats Effective Immediately” and associated comments to be worth reading, and I am definitely going to be looking to Abby Glassenberg and the Craft Industry Alliance (affiliate link) for more reporting and details. Abby’s Instagram post on the topic yesterday also garnered interesting insights in the comments.
I wish everyone affected by the announcement a quick and smooth transition.
Those blue tiles are pretty and so nice that your hubby and you both like them.
I love a good cutting session – it feels amazing to step back and look at all those pretty piles!! Good luck with this new project, loving the blues!
Love the colors. I looked at that first picture far too long before I realized that was tile. I thought it was the back of your quilt and I’m thinking how did she press those seams!! Ha ha!
I love your blues and can’t wait to see them develop into a quilt!
I can’t wait to see the finished quilt! The Free Spirit news is a shock and not in a good way! Second only to the news from the weekend that my favourite local fabric store is closing it’s bricks and mortar stores and moving on-line only. I’ll be shopping the closing down sales!
Those blue tiles are amazing, and you’ve managed to get fabric to match it perfectly. Bravo! Looking forward to seeing what this all becomes.
I was thinking that exact thing last night, I need to hear what Abby has to say about this whole thing. What does it mean to the rest of the industry and should we be prepared for more closings?
Lovely colours. I just checked out the truck – you two don’t do things by halves! Do you have a first trip in mind?
Love the blue and know you’ll create some beautiful quilts to compliment the tile! Shocker about Freespirit…I think it threw everyone for a loop!
First – OMG I clicked thru to learn about your truck project, then to your archives and am amazed and compelled by this! I’ll be following those posts… Second – I too went to the website and read the comments, which were incredibly interesting and educational – totally recommend reading them too. The US textile industry has a rich and sad history. In my ad agency career, I’ve had the honor and painful opportunity to work for clients in the industry. From the impact of tiny-margin retailers like W**m**** to online retailers today – its incredibly hard for US manufacturers to survive. It trickles to the growers of American cotton too – which is among the best in the world, but more costly than overseas products. All together, from crops to finished garments – this once-envied American industry has been blighted by cheaper overseas products and powerful retailers who demand tiny profit margins from manufacturers or drop them from the shelves. It’s brutal and we are the losers.
Lovely color choices Yvonne – can’t wait to see how this one evolves! Have fun with this and the truck project!
It’s so enjoyable to follow along with your goals – and these blues are scrumptious!
Thanks for the links to info about the shocking Free Spirit news. As a quilter, bag maker, and shopper, I do find the quantity of new lines coming out overwhelming, so I understand the over-saturation possibility for sure. It’ll be interesting to see how this shakes out.
Thanks for your insights into this issue – I’ve read all the links and comments, also, and am so curious as to how this settles out.
Congrats on working on this quilt. I love the tiles, very similar to colors in my upstairs bath in Maine. I will keep an eye on the news source you mentioned. I hope this is not a trend…but a blip in poor management or disillusionment with fabric.
I know I will love your blue quilt. I have looked over my goals and I have seen that a couple haven’t moved forward at all , but it’s still early days and the year started out on a busy note. I printed the goals so I don’t loose track of them.
It’s just thinking about your expedition vehicle project the other day and wondering how it was going. I’ll be checking it out.
Those tiles are so beautiful. I can’t wait to sew the quilt they inspire.
I so love those blues!! And in the living space of the truck (tiny!), it will probably feel like you’re sleeping in the ocean, lol 🙂 I read all your updates about the truck, right back to the beginning. I find it fascinating, even if a good portion of it seems like it’s in a foreign language 😛 Any idea when you might be on the road in it?
I did see those pictures on Instagram and I LOVE your choice in blues. I want to pop over to read about the truck. I am very intrigued by the process and excited to see it developing.
The C Class Campers we’re looking at just doesn’t compare to your Expedition. I have to show this to my hubby. BTW, I love the drawing of it with the sewing machine in the window.
Lovely blues, secret sewing? intriguing, I’m excited to find out. Funny you should mention 2018 goals, I just reviewed mine a couple of days ago and printed them out. I am doing ok with some, haven’t touched others, a good reminder.
I love your selection of blues. My Guy prefers green, so we’ve not been able to come to an agreement on a new quilt for our bed. You are so lucky Your Guy likes the color palette. I’m signing off on my group’s goals at work today after two weeks of discussions and edits. Not sure I can face looking at another set immediately. But I’m pretty sure I’m making good progress.
Such beautiful blues. I look forward to seeing what you make with them.
very disappointing to see the Free Spirit being pulled by Coats. I suppose they have their financial reasons, but disappointing all the same. I loved the Tula fabrics, and I have a fondness for some of the Kaffe fabrics too.
Those blue tiles are all the heart eyes!! I can’t wait to see your quilt 🙂
That blue is so yummy! I’m definitely excited to see what those lovely stacks become.
I am still figuring out my 2018 goals. I think they are ‘finish some UFOs’ and ‘write up some patterns’, but I would also like a monthly block or something (probably humidicribs). I hope I sort it out before the year ends.
I still love those blue tiles and stick with my belief that every other spartan overlander owner is going to be so envious of your comfy interior.