The cheap footstool

You probably shouldn't ask about the powder room. It's been rough. I was cheap and bought a cheap stencil. The border is way too thick and I can't get all the way to the bottom, top, or turn a corner. Also, I broke it when I was cleaning it. I either need to fork out the money and buy a more expensive one, or do something else totally different. Until then, I have another project to work on and one less bathroom.

When I saw this in the Ballard Designs Catalog I knew I needed one. However, I didn't have any desire to pay $129-$205 for it. I remembered that when I was little my dad made some for our house. I could totally do that, right? I went to Home Fabrics in Salt Lake. They were having a half off sale on all their fabric. I bought this for $3 a yard. I also got enough to make curtains for my kitchen. The fabric appears a much brighter red than it really is.

I wanted it bigger than the ones at Ballard Design, because I wanted more than one person to be able to use it. I'm about 5'3 (although I think I seriously may have shrunk) and my husband is about 6'3. We needed a wider one so that we could both use it. I bought a foam pad that was 22x22. I'm also lazy so I decided that that would be the size to cut the wood. That way I didn't have to cut the pad. Then I just layered the fabric, the pad and the wood and stapled it all together.

I bought the legs at Home Depot. They were the most expensive part of the project. I painted them Heirloom White by Rustoleum. They may turn black later. Anyway, now we have a super cheap foot stool!

Hey Diddle, Diddle

I found it! A few posts ago I was saying I found some cute nursery rhyme fabric I liked but could only buy it in a kit. I found it online. It's called Rock-a-Bye Rhymes by Alexander Henry and it's from 2008. I ordered some (enough for the quilt and back too... I really like it). It came today and I couldn't wait to show you! Here we have Hey Diddle, Diddle, Little Bow Peep and part of The Three Blind Mice up in the left corner.

I love Humpty Dumpty. He's probably my favorite on here, Hickory, Dickory Dock and you can see the top of Little Boy Blue's head.

Here is the Old Woman in the Shoe.

And a side wise Little Miss Muffett. Now, away I go to make a cute baby girl quilt! I forgot that I used some nursery rhyme fabric to back a quilt for Jake. Maybe I'll post a pic tomorrow of that one.

Ahhhhh Broadbent's

Until 6 months ago we lived in Utah County. When we moved her to Davis County I realized how good Utah County quilters have it as far as quilt shops go. We lived about 5 minutes away from Broadbent's. Broadbent's has got to be my favorite quilt shop. The ladies in charge of choosing which fabric they sell do such a great job of getting a variety of fabrics that appeal to each person. I just love their selection.

This weekend we were down in Utah County as my husband's step-sister and her husband were sealed. On the way home we stopped by Broadbent's. I bought the rest of my blue fabric for the block exchange. Moda Essential Dots in blue. Hopefully I also got enough for binding. For our anniversary in December my husband gave me a layer cake book. I have been waiting and waiting for Sweet to come out so that I can make one of the patterns in there. I was so excited to see it. I had called around in Bountiful and none of the stores there had it.

They also had Flag Day Farm. They didn't have a layer cake or honey bun of it which is what I was looking for so I didn't buy any, but I have also been waiting to see that fabric so I could make Sugar Sweet Swirls. It was fun to see all of the fabric on the bolt though.... and it made me want it even more.

I also bought a new iron this weekend. My old one died on Friday.... or rather I thought I might die if I used it again. I was ironing some blocks for the swap when I saw a spark. It had come from the cord. Apparently the cord was so worn that the wires were coming through. I unplugged it and that is why this new iron is now joining us. It's quite a bit heavier than my old iron, but who doesn't need to workout while they quilt?

Fabulous Fabric Find

This fabric is probably my very favorite fabric I ever bought. In fact, I liked it so much that I've bought it many times over the years. I love 30's fabric and bought this purple Everything But the Kitchen Sink fabric for my first 30's bow tie quilt.

Around the same time I happened to buy some in pinks and reds to use in this Mable's Table quilt. I have no idea why this picture flipped and I have no idea how to unflip it. I used the fabric as the rim on some of the bowls. By this time I was starting to really get attached to the fabric. I never found it again in the pink/red, but I did find it in green. I bought a lot of it. More than once. I have just enough left to use in my Lemon Twist quilt which I will return to working on some day.
I've use them many times in quilts over the past few years. I used it as part of pinwheels, butterflies and now the purple will appear my flower quilt I am appliqueing.




I've been a little disappointed because Ben Franklin Crafts is the only store near me that has quilting fabric. It doesn't have really any 30's fabric. I'm going through withdrawals. They do take Robert's crafts 40% off coupons though and will let you get 2 yards of fabric at 40% off. My plan is to piece my backs in 2 yard pieces. I saw the Portobello line from RJR, but hadn't looked at it closely until today. Guess what I found as part of the line......

This little gem! It's the same pattern but a colored background and the flowers are different colors and the leaves are green, but it's so close to the same. Of course I bought a fat quarter to use in my applique flower quilt. The also had it with a bright green background. I may have to make a pink and green quilt so that I can savor this lovely fabric over and over again. I need to go buy a lot of this so I don't have to horde it. I'm so excited about my little find! I just want to sit and hang out with it for awhile.