a pilgrimage and a design wall!

I can't believe I've been quilting for 15 years and have never made the pilgrimage to Lancaster County quilt and fabric shops.  Oh sure, I'd gone out to take in the gorgeous farmland, ogle at the Amish, and indulge in fresh produce and shoofly pie.  But the Amish are also known for their striking quilts, and as the tourism has grown around their lifestyle, several amazing fabric and quilt shops draw crafters from up and down the East Coast.

Amish quilts are usually simply, traditionally designed, with bold, saturated colors, highlighted by the signature black sashing and borders.  So I was surprised (and elated!) when I walked into the Old Country Store and saw this!

My dear friend and stitchy-witchy sister, Megan, was my partner in crime.  In fact, the pilgrimage was her idea, her birthday present to me.

We didn't hold back...
We became giddy....

.... and a little immature...

but at the end of the day, we'd gathered some goodies...

The rows and rows of Kona could not be ignored...

And I just adore the border on these... another skirt is in my future...

I promised my daughter a little somethin' somethin'...

 Meg and I split a Tula Pink layer cake.  We're looking forward to making sister quilts!



And we went back the next day and did even more damage.

So when I got home, I exercised great restraint and, instead of immediately cutting into my new acquisitions, I put together the design wall I've been wanting and needing for a while now.

A frame custom fit to my wall space, about 64" x 64".  I used 1x3's, painted them a nice purple, cuz that's how I roll...

I cut up some 6 ft x 2 ft foam insulation to fit in the "frame". 
I mounted the frame on the wall first, separate from the hard foam.  Then I glued the foam pieces together, covered the pieced panel first with an old cotton sheet (to give it a bit more structural integrity), and then stapled the batting on.

Then I screwed the finished panel to the wall, inside the frame, and voila!

And it really works! Even big blocks stick up there easy peasy.


I don't know how I went so long without it!  Notice my crazymomquilts Quilt A Long block in the upper right hand corner?

And the promised fairy project in progress on the right...

(I can't tell you about the blocks on the left...yet...)

Now... back to those goodies from Lancaster!