Unproductive - NOT

I've been home a few days (but getting ready to jet off again) and I did get some sewing in... including, but not limited to, finishing the cute little bear for my niece's baby shower.

I think he turned out quite cute.  I did make one major mistake (that I discovered AFTER it was all stuffed!)  I did not fix it....

Can you see what it is?
 

It is nice and colorful, for a new baby.

I hope she likes it.  

The pattern is Aloha Bears by Beyond the Reef. 
I must say, the directions were not that easy to follow (which is why I made the BIG mistake).  

But, now that I have one under my belt, I think I will make a few more.

Feeling Unproductive

I have been traveling for work the past almost-two-weeks.  I thought I'd get some hand work done in the hotel...I didn't....

I started this Teddy Bear for my niece's new baby... but the hand stitching looked really bad. 

How do people do such beautiful hand work?

I looked up hand stitching on the internet.

Do people REALLY make an entire quilt by hand?

I'm feeling really unfulfilled by this process.....

Supporting Your Local Fabric Stores

I just read on Facebook that ALL of the Hancock Fabric Stores across the nation are closing. (Read all about it HERE.) Before you have heart failure, the Hancock's in Paducah, KY  is privately owned and is NOT closing.  (This is NOT an April Fool's Day joke like the Facebook post I read yesterday about Trader Joes closing.)

In general I hate to see businesses close.  I always feel bad when I read about a business closing or see a "going out of business" sign.  I chide myself a bit for not being a better supporter of that business.  The last time I was in a Hancock Fabric store ... well I can't remember the last time it was so long ago.  My home town of Portland doesn't have one and I've never seen one in my new hometown.  I did see one in Fresno, but I didn't go there.  My bad, right?  So, I apologize, Hancock Fabrics.  (insert sad face here)

I wrote a blog piece last year about fabric buying.  See January 31, 2015.  I do visit other "big box" fabric stores, but I don't tend to buy fabric there because unless it is a fabric company name I recognize I can't be sure of the quality of the fabric.  There is nothing worse than spending time, energy and money making something wonderful only to have it fade or lose its shape.

So, buyer beware.  Know your retailer and the fabric company names.  That goes for on-line buying, also. I bought a piece of fabric some time back from an internet retailer.  The fabric brand was a name I knew and yet when the piece arrived I did not like the FEEL of the fabric.  It felt stiff.  Had I visited a fabric store and had the opportunity to touch the fabric, I may have chosen something else.

I'm not saying ALL internet fabric buying is bad.  It's convenient and sometimes that is the only place to find a particular piece of fabric you need.  Also, not everyone has fabric shops close to them.  I know...I guess that is why the Fab Shop Hop was born.  This is an on-line shop hop that starts fresh every month.  BEWARE, it is addicting! 

The Row By Row Experience was organized to get us sewists out and about and visiting our local fabric stores.  Read about last years Row By Row Experience HERE, June 28, 2015.

The Row By Row Experience 2016 has been announced.  Read about it HERE.

Sew, ladies and gents, get out there, visit some fabric stores and tell them Charlotte sent you.