Did You Know...

...that fabric manufacturers offer free patterns on their web sites? We had a fabric rep demonstration on Sunday morning at retreat showing lines of fabric available from Free Spirit, Blank, Studio e, and other textile producers. It was a delightful presentation. Each of her 'cards' with fabric samples were passed around and on some of those cards were a few free pattern samples. 

I snagged a pic of one of the patterns I liked...

Here's the problem with the situation. IF your local quilt shop orders from that manufacturer it's a crap shoot whether the owner of said quilt shop orders the exact fabric you like. At that point it turns into a search and seek mission from other quilt shops around the country.

I would definitely make the quilt shown above as I tend more towards colorful and whimsical quilts. But, I know for a fact Susan at Pieces does not order these fabrics from Studio e because the fabric rep has tried (and tried again) to get in to see Susan to start supplying her shop. 

This morning I'll be working on Floral Felicity on Marty until customers show up. They'll be here some time around 12:30 and then after she picks up and drops off her quilts/quilt tops, we are going to lunch as a group since this particular customer has moved away and only gets up here twice or so a year. 

After I worked on Marty last night (all while talking to Ben on the phone), I headed outside to do some spring clean up; the north flower bed was looking pretty gnarly. And, Jim and I had to unload the boards/posts for the stairs going down to the water that'll hopefully get started later this week. I'm sore!