Wisconsin Fabric Tote Bag

Hello Blog Friends,

Here is the first project using the Wisconsin fabrics from the Statewide Shop Hop. 

We are going on a road trip to Colorado in a few weeks,  and I wanted a bag to keep all my paperwork  in. (relating to itinerary, attractions, hotel reservations,  etc.)  

The pattern is Tahoe Tote  from Pink Sand Beach Designs.   The handles are all leather from Cindy's Button Company.  The sewing instructions were easy to follow and the bag went together easily.  You can see more from Cindy's here .

More later..?

Wisconsin Quilt Shop Hop 2014

Hello blog friends,

I've been doing a little traveling the past couple of weeks...to quilt shops, of course!  The Wisconsin Quilt Shop Hop took place all last month, and I've been working on completing all the visits in my own section.  Although I would love to visit shops in other sections, it is hard when you work full time...somehow my boss might not understand if I took a couple of weeks off to shop.  Come to think of it, my husband might not think too much of that idea either!  LOL

My husband is a very good guy, however, and has acted as my companion and driver on the Saturdays in June.  On June 6, we traveled to Sturgeon Bay and to Green Bay to collect the stamps for those shops.  This past Saturday, June 13, we traveled south to West Bend, Thiensville, took a side trip to Plymouth, then to Sheboygan, then Mishicot, then back home to Appleton.  We traveled to Plover for another stamp in the passport, and finally finished our local section last Saturday, June 28 in Oshkosh.  We don't mind the driving, though, because we love Wisconsin and never tire of looking at the farm fields in the countryside and turn of the century downtown buildings in the cities and towns we visit.  We sometimes see what we term the "odd and unusual" in our travels.  Saturday, we saw a (no kidding) submarine on a trailer.  I didn't have the camera out, so sadly, no picture.

2014 is the third year of the Wisconsin Quilt Shop Hop.  Over 70 shops all over the state are participating this year, and a special collection of fabrics unique to the shop hop are available.  You can get more information at the WIQSH website (click here for the link).  I've purchased all the fabrics needed for the quilt I've designed.  Here are the fabrics I'll be using:

I just love this print of old postcards from around the state.  This fabric called to me and grabbed on to me (you fellow quilters understand what I mean by this.).  I have a guest room that has been in need of something and is perfect for this fabric.  I'll show you that next post and you'll see what I mean.

Here is a collage print of the history of Wisconsin and some symbols of our state.

 

This postmark print goes hand-in-hand with the postcards.

There are some other prints in the collection as well.  I'll incorporate some of them into the finished quilt.  I'll be back soon with a progress report.

Until then...