I fell hard for this fabric line - Chelsea, a beautiful line of lilacs!
A special post by Rachael
It is not often that I fall hard for a fabric line. In fact, I see so many beautiful fabrics, that I’ve become a bit hardened to them. “Sure, that’s great!” I tell a rep who is attempting to wow me with his or her offerings. But, I shrug my shoulders and say, “Let’s keep going.”
But then one day Loretta, my Northcott rep, left me with a booklet showcasing the fabrics that would be out “in the spring.” It seemed many months away at the time. Possibly because it was, and I set the catalog aside.
But then my granddaughter wanted to come back into my corner of the world and look at some pictures. I picked up that catalog, put her into my lap, and we began to leaf through the booklet.
This has been one of my favorite arrangements to make. It’s huge and has a beautiful spot for Easter Sunday!
Then we stumbled across Chelsea, a set of Lilac based fabrics designed by Michel Design Works, and we both liked them a lot!
Now you all probably know that I’m a pretty avid flower fan as it is, but you might have gotten a few hints by my flower arranging, that I showed in Sunday’s email.
Or the fact that Becky has named one of her patterns Rachael’s Garden.
Rachael’s Garden is what Becky dubbed this quilt, in my honor!
But this set of fabrics had me spell bound. That night, I got ahold of my rep and placed my order. Normally I might order 1 or 2 bolts of a fabric that I love, but this time I sprang for 5 of each of the main fabrics in the line. That’s just how much I was confident that I’d love it, and ultimately, you’d love it as well. That was many months ago. I then forgot about it.
When Ken and I were doing a live Facebook feed a couple of weeks ago, we discovered that the cases of fabrics had come in, and we had stood them on end, tucked away for a rainy day. I had thought they were just more adorable kids’ fabrics.
In fact, about a month ago, I had thought, “Now I wonder when my lilacs are going to come in?” but I really hadn’t thought much more about it, due to the fact that I have to order new lines so far out. I often forget what I’m ordering, and when they show up, it’s very much like Christmas when the boxes arrive. I often have to open them to remember what I’m getting. I will regularly say, “Oh, I don’t remember ordering this!”
So, when I opened these drop dead gorgeous fabrics, I was ecstatic.
After showing these fabrics off on our live Facebook feed, people started asking, “Are you going to make a pack?” Well, then COVID-19 hit, and it was hard for me to do much of anything, other than just cope. I’m not sure why it’s been so hard, especially at the beginning, to cope, but some days I would just wander around, without really getting much done. Finally, I had a little lecture with myself, and decided to get my pack made up!
So, I did.. and here it is! You all have loved it.
In the meantime, we’d been selling the yardage, all along. The first fabric that I had bought to sell out the first bolt was the purple honey comb, the second was the beautiful purple and green stripe, the third was the beehives on white and coming in fourth place was the beehives AND lilacs on white.
I know…this photo is on the blog post twice - because I wanted you to be able to see it again! (added by Becky)
Thankfully, I had ordered lots of the lilacs. However, I was able to get more beehives and honeycomb in, so I’m now able to offer you all this drop dead gorgeous fabric line again by the yard! I honestly thought the honeycomb would sell, and that the only reason you’d take the beehive was because of the YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE panel.
Needless to say, that right now we’re just leaving this on the chair out front, because it’s so pretty! Plus it’s fun to have something so bright and cheerful to gaze upon, in such an ugly world environment right now.
While I was looking for something else online, I found this FREE tote bag pattern that was offered By Northcott for us!
Wow. What a change from so many people’s “less than generous” attitudes. I’m shocked by the people who don’t want us to send you to their own website to get their free patterns, for you to use! But Northcott not only make it for us to use, they encourage us to do so! I’m growing to love this company lots!
So, please take a look at this tote bag! It’s also beautiful. Here’s the free pattern. Go HERE. If you want the kit, I’ll make that available as well!
I figured we needed some relief from the stress and pressure of what’s around us, to look, dwell and think about some beautiful things. So, this is my contribution to that today.
ENJOY!
“Finally, my brethren, whatsoever things are …………………………lovely.. think on these things.” Now, maybe I’m stretching that verse a bit, but I don’t think that I am by far!
Be sure to check out what we have for you in the store!
Price is by the Yard.