to 'cap' it all off (get it? it's a pun)

Last weekend was the stuff dreams are made of. It was a grand trifecta of time with my side of the family, sewing and crafting, and shopping. Not only did I get to see each and every last one of my nieces and nephews throughout the course of the weekend, but I also got to spend some quality time with my mom centered around all things textiles.

A friend at work tipped my mom off to one of the best-kept fabric-related secrets in Lancaster County: the MCC quilt preview. Besides a room filled with absolutely fantastic hand-quilted projects there was a sale of glorious donated treasures such as (and I quote) "vintage textiles, linens, cutter quilts and unfinished projects." Can you even imagine a room full of rare fabric yardage, fat quarters, pieced quilt blocks, embroidered napkins and even old quilt tops in need of patching or minor repairs?! It makes me antsy for it's counterpart relief sale next month!

We spent the better part of the morning sifting through piles of lightly used crafting supplies and ultimately I emerged with a lovely stack of yardage that will be used in a project for our new apartment. Obviously I wouldn't leave without a few selections that I simply found too good to pass by, and who even knows where those fabrics will end up!


Check out the beautiful animals and details on this one piece:

Then my sneaky mother surprised me with a hand-sewn vintage baby cap that she found buried away at the sale. All it needs is a gentle hand-washing and an iron to the lip. Whether the Little Oyster is a boy or girl, our baby will proudly sport this little masterpiece over the summer.

When I got back to our apartment and added the fabric finds to my sewing box I was surprised how these vintage patterns and colors stood in contrast to my usual bold or "modern" selections. Perhaps my tastes are evolving a bit, or maybe I'm just getting old. Speaking of old people, look at this amazing cap my mom knitted last month! She is so stylin'!