Purchases at Chicago

It is so hard not to buy things at a quilt show!! I'm quite a Nester, but I've got to stop, because I don't need anything, but retail therapy is so fun!!

Here's my purchases from Chicago. In keeping with Stash Busting, it was the hardest thing I ever did, but I did not buy any fabric. My friend bought enough to make 4 quilts, so she made up for me. I did buy silk batting.

My all time favorite batting is wool. Like a good suit, it breathes with you and is light but warm. It machine quilts nicely and has a gentle loft-not too high or too low, just right. I've never tried silk batting, it's 90/10 the 10 being polyester. I'll let you know the results later, when I quilt something with using it. So many things go into quilting a quilt, the thread can make a big difference as well. Nylon/Invisible thread cuts sharply into the fabric, when cotton is lighter and silk thread, I've learned appears to lay just right. I'm going to use up my cotton thread and start buying silk to quilt.
My next purchase is a book from Elenore Burns. Her company, Quilt In a Day, (yeah right) publishes great books

She really knows her audience and writes very nice books, easy to read and understand. If you are going to Paducah this year, don't miss her tent show at the fair grounds and she has bought a building downtown, which may or may not be good, I've never been to it. Her tent show is a lot of fun and very entertaining and informative, she gives quilting tips all through the show. Get there early, it fills up fast, but the shows repeat all during the day. They are pretty corny, but, hey, we are quilters in Kentucky and you know they kind of go together, and I like it that way, for a day is about all I can take, but, it's the spirit of the event that counts. You can never do too many chicken dances...smile

Last but not least, I bought this program. It was helpful for shopping and planning to return to booths to look at things again or buy things. I also wrote the name and e-mail of a woman that asked if I'd send her a picture. I said sure and am going to send it out after I finish here.

Happy Quilting!