Expanding My Horizons

Do you have a favorite fabric designer or manufacturer?  I've always considered myself a Moda girl.  I love so many of their designers, and the fabric has such a lovely hand to it.  It has always been the benchmark of quality in quilting fabrics to me.  I'm starting to branch out though, and I've discovered that Michael Miller is slowly taking over my shelves of fabric stash.

This is a dreadful photo but that's what happens when you're trying to do 14 things at once and your camera battery dies. Anywho, I made this little apron a few weeks ago to wear at the shop, to keep track of my ever present box cutter, my cell phone, a pen etc. and have had several compliments on it. Not just compliments, but requests to sell them too.  So I've been working on improving my pattern and the overall scheme of putting one together and I'll make some to sell. This apron is made from a Patty Young fabric called Daisy Dots, and I just can't get enough of it.

In light of my new apron plan, I decided my stash needed some enhancing, so I took a wee trip to my LQS this week, Rainbows End Quilt Shop.   First I needed some extra choices for my doGood Stitches blocks for, ahem, March. I just don't have alot of navy in my stash and I've used up most of the grey.  I was also on the hunt for apron ideas.  This cute border print caught my eye.  Won't this make a cute apron? The border for the pockets and the red print for the backing?   I can't wait to finish one! This is part of Gypsy Bandana by Pillow & Maxfield. 


Photo courtesy of Michael Miller on Amazon

Back at home, I dug into the stash to make a new pillow for the garden bench at the shop and found this super easy square panel print, also in Gypsy Bandana.  It makes a 20 x 20 pillow and really brightens up the bench. The lime and hot pink are super cute. (The photo doesn't show you too well, so you'll just have to trust me!)

When I was sewing up this pillow cover last night, I was thinking about pink & green and I dug around in the stash and looked at some selvedges.  I have a nice selection of Whimsy in pink and green prints, some Flora & Fauna and some Mezzanine all by Patty Young.  I think I'm branching out & I have definitely added 2 designers to my favorites - Patty Young and Pillow & Maxfield.  Somehow they snuck up on me!

Are you surprising yourself with any fabric choices these days?