This is why I should never go fabric shopping alone.

Not because of the possibility that I'll get terrible colors or be unable to match things (that's a given), but because I get way too much fabric.

So I'm down in Pennsylvania visiting Glenn and it's been a blast. When we went to visit his parents surrounding a trip to the Catskills, we exchanged Christmas gifts. One of the things I received was $40 to spend on quilting things, and an absolutely adorable plush sheep pattern, a Zhu Zhu Pet, and a Writer's Block (sticky notes--I'm a sucker for puns!).

Well, believe it or not but I've been very well behaved as far as the quilting money was concerned. I haven't spent it, haven't touched it, haven't even thought about it. Okay, maybe a little. A lot. Fine. I've had a hard time being good and not blowing it all at once.

So I was browsing Craigslist this morning, looking to see if anyone (haha) was selling a nice sewing machine--idly of course, I need another machine right now like I need a hole in the head. But then I stumbled across an ad for a quilt store I'd thought was already out of business with a tagline I couldn't resist.
Anyone who knows me should be saying "ut oh" right about now.
See that last bit there? The bit about 75-80% off inventory? That my friends is a siren song, a song perfectly crafted to bring me running. It took about 5 minutes of arguing with myself--as I am supposed to be waiting for the Fedex man to bring Glenn's Xbox--before I said, "To heck with this, I'll go to the distribution center myself if I miss the truck." So into the car I went, with the added justification that I could pick up a cable we needed while I was out.

Yeah. Big trouble.

Country Quiltworks must have been marvellous when it was fully operational; it breaks my heart to know that I missed out on coming down and seeing the store in all its glory before the recession finally broke its back. The fabrics and liveliness of the folks still working there was really touching, and I spent a lovely hour chatting with the owner's daughter as she cut my fabrics for me. I basically ran around the store in a bliss-filled euphoria before I came to my senses and started grabbing bolts like a madwoman. I actually lost count after a while.

I'll update the post with pictures once Glenn gets home and unlocks the laptop for me, but rest assured I will not be buying fabrics for a very very very long time. Well okay, that's about the most blatant lie I've ever told, but give me some credit--I only filled one shopping bag with fabric.

EDIT: Picture time!

I couldn't put them in one stack. :(
The solids. I'll have some extras of the greens from the FQ bundle I
bought from, the entire collection was worth it.
I think I bought solids from every bolt they had left. But in my defense they were really cool solids and I couldn't pass them up once I saw them. I mean, they were marked at $5.95ish for a yard regularly, and at 75% off? Why the hell not? Once again though I am seriously bummed that the store was closing. And that I didn't buy more fabric.
Some really pretty patterns, and look! My first batik!
Now I remember why I grouped the patterned ones this way--
here's the cool patterned fabrics. And my second batik!
Just wandering around the store gave me idea upon idea for quilts. If I didn't stop myself when I did I probably would have happily blown all the money I had on fabric, just because of how once in an eon a chance this was to get beautiful fabrics and help offset the cost of closing.

The full collection. I'm going to be busy for a while.
Also, Glenn's apartment is much better for photography than mine; lots of indirect sunlight without glare. I almost wish the store had had a sewing machine table (one of those really neat jobbies where the machine rises up out of the table), because I would have bought that in a heartbeat for the apartment. I'll get one eventually, probably at the same time I get this sexy beast here.

I hope you enjoyed my splurge, and I hope this post encourages you to go to your local quiltshop and pick up a yard or two--no one is doing well in the economy at the moment, least of all the niche shops, and I would hate to see another shop go under.



  1. Wheee, yeah you've got to take that opportunity when you get it. My resolution to not buy any more fabric lasted until I visited a quilt shop this year - but yes, I do want to support them so there is that.

  2. I was hard pressed not to stop by the store while Glenn was asleep to see ifi could take any more fabric off their hands; I might see if I can wrangle something when he's not looking ;) Thank you for checking out the blog again, it means a lot to me.

  3. You know you could actually fill up with Prius with all that :)

  4. Almost. I'm so bad though, they're having one last sale today, I'm really trying my best to not give in and finish off a bolt or two. I mean, it's $2 a yard! Aaaagh...


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