We are home . . . and glad to be here.

We had a great trip, but we are glad to be home.  We got here about 1:15 this afternoon.  (And my email problems are solved now that I'm not trying to send them out over hotel wi-fi connections.)  We covered 2510 miles in 10 days.  The last two days I got to visit a few quilt shops, but before that we were too busy doing other things.  I like to stop at quilt shops when travelling because I believe in supporting the owners in their labor of love.  Where would be be without them?

Here are my purchases from the trip - except the fabric I can't show because it is for gifts rather than quilts.  Most is French General by Moda.  This is a designer that came on the scene while I was knitting and spinning, so I'm just discovering her wonderful fabrics.  They are definitely my colors and style!  I have a small amount of yardage - two large prints and three background prints.  I have two jelly rolls and four charm packs.  That is plenty for a souvenir quilt.

I would dearly love some suggestions as to the pattern I should use for this quilt.  I have so many books, magazines and patterns there are too many to choose from.  I like complex piecing, and I also like simple piecing.  I'd like this to be pieced so I can sew it quickly, but a little applique would be OK.

Please tell me what pattern you would use if you brought these fabrics home.

And yes, a few other things just happened to sneak in.  A beautiful large print by Jo Morton that I've never seen, and needed to add to my Jo Morton stash.  A book I found intriguing.  Some dish towels and iron-on designs, as I also love to embroider.  A jelly roll - Indigo Crossing by Minick and Simpson - that I really don't need.  It jumped into my bag all on its own - it must have!  Surely I wouldn't cheat on my no-buy pledge!  (Crossing my fingers behind my back.)

I also found quite a few things waiting for me when I got home.  Did I mention how much I love books?  And that quilt history books are NOT part of my no buy pledge?  What did you say? 

You think you see a couple books that don't qualify?  I didn't hide them well enough, did I.  What can I say - I love books.  And since I gave almost 300 quilting books to the local library last year - most of which were in like-new condition, I figured I could toss in 3 or 4 that technically are cheating.  I promise - I won't do this very often at all.

I'm closing with a picture of today's lunch - my last hurrah.  Tomorrow I go back on Weight Watchers, starting with a weigh-in first thing tomorrow morning.  I'm afraid it isn't going to be pretty.

Our last stop on the Pacific coast was Tillamook, Oregon - home of the famous Tillamook Cheese factory.  We wanted ice cream - and boy, did I have ice cream!  We've been there several times before, including taking the fascinating tour to watch cheese being made.  Today we just had ice cream - we were too tired to do anything else.

It feels so good to be back in my sewing room.  Tomorrow I might even get to sew something!