Saturday 28 September 2013

Quilty Adventures

It's Saturday! This week has been a marathon, with little sewing, but today made it all worth it as my friend Barb and I went on a Quilty Adventure! Barb is a quilter from way back, she had a break but now she is back into it hot and heavy, so to speak. Since I arrived back in Nova Scotia we have both been doing a lot of "we should get together and quilt" or "we should go on an excursion to fabric stores". It has taken us a few months to get our butts into gear, but there was a quilt show in the Annapolis Valley this weekend so we finally got in the car and off we went!

First stop...shopping! I am not sure how I originally learned about the Avonport Discount Centre, but it was many moons ago, and when I first went there and saw this sign I knew I was in!



Seriously people, one side is auto parts, the other quilting goodness. And after being away for five years I was so happy to see that the quilting side has gotten even bigger. They have a WALL of Kona, and the notions and fabric selections have grown. So great!


Needless to say, Barb and I each grabbed a cart and we were off...

I have been wanting to start a low volume stash for quite some time now. Today seemed as good a time as any to get started

Then I found bolts of Riley BlakeThen, well, there were some Fat Quarters that needed a home


And finally a charm pack of Glamping! Oh yeah, love me some Glamping

I would say that after that our fabric appetites were satisfied (for now...) so we headed to Halls Harbour for the local quilt show.



As you can see, there were not too many modern offerings, but there were some cool antique quilts (like this one above from the early 1900's) on show and the church ladies were in full force with great hospitality and tea biscuits! I did find this little gem in the free pile.


1970's Modern Patchwork. I was pleased as punch to leaf through this well used magazine to see some modern blocks from back in the day...


Quilt show over, we headed back to the water where we found some amazing views, lobster humour, and some lobsters that made it into our macaroni and cheese lunch.

The next part of our adventure was the best! Barb has never taken her quilts on a photo shoot. As you know, I love a good photo shoot after a quilt finish, I just can't resist taking those buggers on a road trip. So today it was Barb's quilts turn to have an outing. She brought two scrap improv quilts on the trip. I am here to tell you that the fronts and backs of these quilts are equally delish!



I had as much fun taking pictures of Barb's quilts as I did watching Barb setting up here shots. Yup, that boat is called "Nasty Girl", we could not resist. I know Barb is home tonight playing with her pictures. I hope she got shots that she loved.

On our way home we saw the sights of a gorgeous Nova Scotia Fall day








I wish I were sitting on that deck tonight with the lights blinking and the ocean rolling. But, I think I am just as lucky to be heading back to the machine to keep working on those postage stamps...the perfect ending to a large day!




Have you had any quilty adventures lately? I Would love to hear about them...
Adrienne

8 comments:

  1. Sounds like a perfect quilty day to me:)

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  2. Oh my.... I'm homesick for a place that wasn't home for very long. I lived in Windsor for a short while, and while I lived there I started quilting. Avonport was like church for me (and I still miss their prices!!) I've been to the Hall's Harbour show as well. One of my favourite pics of my daughter is her at 2.5, juuuuust tall enough to peek over the back of a pew (a roman stripes pattern done in solids and black triangles). Now she's six and I'm all the way in Victoria BC but I wish you well across the country.

    Enough blather. Sorry. But thank you for the lovely, if bittersweet, memories.

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  3. Fine large day! I haven't been to the quilt show in Hall's Harbour for the past few years. I was on a quilty adventure a few weeks ago. An overnight trip with my three N.S.quilt blogging buddies. Two from Cape Breton and one from New Glasgow. We met in Elmsdale at Its Sew Time, then to Windsor for lunch, then to Avonport for a few hours, shopped and had dinner in Wolfville, overnight at Old Orchard Inn, antiquing and sightseeing in the morning, back to Avonport for more and then home. It was just fabulous!
    I love your postage stamp quilt. Is that a Kona you are using for the sashing?

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  4. Fine large day! I haven't been to the quilt show in Hall's Harbour for the past few years. I was on a quilty adventure a few weeks ago. An overnight trip with my three N.S.quilt blogging buddies. Two from Cape Breton and one from New Glasgow. We met in Elmsdale at Its Sew Time, then to Windsor for lunch, then to Avonport for a few hours, shopped and had dinner in Wolfville, overnight at Old Orchard Inn, antiquing and sightseeing in the morning, back to Avonport for more and then home. It was just fabulous!
    I love your postage stamp quilt. Is that a Kona you are using for the sashing?

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  5. No quilty adventures for me but it sure was fun reading about yours!
    I love the quilt show with all the quilts draped over old wooden pews and church ladies serving tea and biscuits. And of course all the great shots from the photo shoot! I should try that sometime instead of getting my husband to hold up the quilt with his feet sticking out the bottom, haha.

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  6. That looks like a lovely day's adventure. I'm so happy you got some sewing time in as well :)

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  7. What a truly delightful day! Your pictures are amazing. Sewing is always a great way to end a quilty day.

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  8. Ah, so much to say about this post, Adrienne. I LOVE Avenport discount centre... so hard to chose from the many offerings, you did well! Looks like a fun quilt-y day with quilt show (oh, that magazine. Wow, what a dress) and photo shoot. I can't think of a better ways to spend a sunny Nova Scotia fall day!

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