Fall Inspiration

This last Sunday evening I tried dying my fabrics in gradated color. This was my inspiration.

Do you see the colors? I know you can barely see them because it is SO nasty outside, but the very left is a dark Red, and to the very right is a very bright yellow with oranges in the middle. It was just breathtaking. This was on Rt 60, coming from Hurricane into Culloden. They were on the right side of the road as you were coming out of the 40mph section into the 55mph. I'll go back and take pics when it gets sunny again, I was just afraid the storm would blow too many of the leaves away before then. = (

I've been tie-dying for quite some time. Just last year or so I learned to incorporate it into my quilting. My banner, at the top of the page is super muslin dyed in a swirl. It was the back of a baby quilt I made for my friend Stacy. Here's the front of the quilt: I used ROYGB Procion MX dyes and did a pinwheel pattern with a coin border. I usually do just simple patterns for the front like the pinwheel and rail fence so the tie dye pattern will still have a chance to show through. Lucky for me the 60s and 70s are making a comeback and everyone loves a good tie-dye. They've been selling quite well.

Now that I've grown a little as a quilter, not much but a little, I've learned to love the look of hand dyes in quilts. I especially love the look of quilts that use the darkest of darks and go to the lightest of lights. The gradient gives amazing depth to the quilt patterns. I was driving home from my hubby's work because it was a beautiful sunny fall day and those trees just caught my eye! I went back to take pics today but it was cloudy and beginning to rain so I apologize about the dullness. Here's the rest of some of SW West Virginia's finest fall colors.

Milton Flea Market

My first ever blog is not about quilts or crafts, but about the place I sell them most often. The Milton Flea Market.
Here's a little history off the top of my head. The Flea started out with a few vendors outside selling their yard-sale type items. Its grown over the years into enclosed buildings with electricity, shelter like buildings, and there's still the outside vendor such as yours truly. I like to put my easy-up outside because its a nice place to showcase my quilts.
I sold there every weekend last summer and into the fall. I was sitting at my sewing machine sewing away when the Milton siren went off. The siren is a story in itself so I'll just say it is very loud, annoying, unnecessary and it blows every time there is a fender bender or a cat in a tree.
So the siren went off, and I checked the news. There was one of those news alert things at the bottom of the screen letting everybody know that the Milton Flea Market was on fire. It was nuts I could see the smoke from my front window, and when I drove down closer (about 1/4 Mile away) the smoke was so thick it was hard to catch my breath.
They cleared everyone away and I watched from my window and the news.
:
Milton and the surrounding areas are small towns. So needless to say some of the vendors didn't have insurance. It was a sad moment for a lot of people because Friday through Saturday at the flea market was their living.
Well some still sold outside while they renovated, but after a winter went by its now back in business. I took some pics of the Flea this weekend when I was there and wanted to share them here


The Milton Flea Market has survived, although some of my most favorite vendors are now not with us. They did raise the inside vending rates which upset a few people. You can visit the Milton Flea any Fri Saturday or Sunday until 5pm. You can find just about anything there. Back in the day we used to refer to it as "The Milton Mall" Honestly though, you really can find just about anything there. There's a new vendor I spoke with last weekend who has moved here from IL and used to have a fabric/quilt shop there. She now has a booth at the Flea and is selling flat folds of fabric, fabric of the bolt, lots of vintage and reproduction fabrics, quilt tops, full quilts, and lots of panels. She just started Saturday but already had lots of beautiful fabric at $4/yard.
Can't wait to get some $$$ and visit and chat with her again. She has a lot of advice about sewing machines and fabric and was a lot of fun to talk with.
Along with quilts you can find many many primitive stores, ceramics and paints, model cars, candles and candle making supplies, silk flowers and floral arrangements, lots of fresh fruits and veggies, candies and nuts, furniture used, new and handmade, hubcaps, designer handbags, handmade handbags, lots of tools, "soft" guns, and so much more. Click on "Milton Flea Market" title at the top of this post to go directly to the Flea Market's webpage for more shops and information.