Fabric Buyer's High

Today was the home store of Keepsake Quilting's fat Quarter Sale! Regular FQ's were $1.00 each as long as you bought 25 of them. I went at about 10 am and drove the 45 minutes to Center Harbor, New Hampshire. I am so lucky to have this quilter's mecca right in my own backyard! I had an absolute field day shopping for fat quarters. I got quite a few that were Civil War selections. Batiks were $1.00 each for 20, but I am not ready to do my batik quilt right now, so I passed on those.
I took my almost-finished quilt, "Celtic Cottage," with me to audition fabrics for a binding. I shopped my stash first, of course, but nothing really looked quite right.
Celtic Cottage is turning out to be a comedy of errors! First, I cheaped-out by not purchasing 3 yards of a really good-looking burgundy red to make a consistant red in this single Irish Chain variation. The scrappy reds that I used instead are nice but lose definition in all the scrappy background. All the fabric came from the April Keepsake Quilter's FQ's sale. I'm really glad that I used it right away when it was "fresh!" I have been so happy with this quilt's shabby-chic cottage look. Lots of florals, lots of tomato soup-colored roses, lots of warm greens, and quite a few Civil War pinks and browns. Somehow, I love it!

But it came back from the longarmer's with a disappointment for me. I love the front of the quilt! I love the very simple curvy-linear circular stippling! I love the Warm & Natural batting! But I must have not made myself clear enough about wanting the pieced flannel backing centered down the middle of the quilt. So the backing is rather lop-sided looking with a wide medium gray flannel swath, then a wide red flannel Stuart tartan plaid swath, then a narrow swath of the gray flannel again. I have said nothing to the longarmer because what's done is done, and there is no such thing as a perfect quilt! LOL!
Now I have found a beautiful Civil War madder-toned print for the binding and I already have it prewashed and hanging on my clothesline. As soon as I get it on the quilt, I promise you more pictures!