Shopping started when a friend suggested we have lunch and visit fabric stores. I do much better when I have a purpose for shopping than when I merely drift through stores. The mission began when I read about American Made Brand Fabrics–grown and manufactured in the US. Currently they offer 50 solids. I checked the website to see which Portland shops carried them. We chose three to visit and added another shop near by. One shop had about ten, another 25, and the fabrics had not yet arrived at the third. We suggested that the fourth shop consider carrying them.
The second part of the mission: what project.
A while back I’d become fascinated with the Urban Chicken block (here). I decided I wanted to make a single size quilt for my bed. When I was queen bee, I asked my bee to make Urban Chicken blocks. (Here are some they sent) When I wrote that post I thought I needed 18. Not sure what I was thinking. Maybe a BIG border? This time I think I need 48–planning no border. That’s four graded shades times 37 blocks. (I have 11 from the Bee.)
Preparation for shopping. I got out all my solids and started cutting sets of four 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 squares. (Yes, my sewing room is a mess.)
I’d thought to arrange them in fours (or threes with a missing fabric to search for), but that was taking too long, so I just started cutting everything.
I didn’t have time to finish cutting everything, so had to try to remember reds and yellows.
I doubt that I’ll use all the very light fabrics. And I’d prefer to use more blue/green/purple, keeping red/yellow/orange for accents. We’ll see.
So here is what I bought today.
I am not a purist; they are not all American Made Brand. If a saw a color I needed that was manufactured by another company, I bought it. I need more blues and purples; they were not plentiful.
Linking with
A
knitNkwilt 
Scrumptious colours! I have found it hard to find good solids in purple and blue-purple. Your collection is beautiful!
Oh, you have such a nice color selection, looking forward to see the blocks.
Thou shall not covet–Keep repeating to self. Truly a beautiful selection. Your product will be worth the work.
Any day in the fabric store is a good day; even better when you find what you need!
I so have to make this block in solids. It is so striking without the distraction of prints.
My gosh, it looks like you have tons of beautiful solids there! That’s a quilt on my list, too. What a great day! On Thursday, Stacey and I are going to Chattanooga to visit some of the row x row shops. I’m looking forward to it.
My project for the winter is a quilt too, last winter I knitted a scarf. There are not many fabric shops here in my city, so I don’t have many options. Yours are gorgeous!
this post showed up late…I too want to make this block into a quilt for myself. I look forward to seeing your blocks and being inspired
A positive rainbow of colour!
Beautiful choices! Thanks so much for linking up to Sew Solid Sunday!