Now, for today's post....
My husband works downtown Minneapolis and since he only had one meeting to attend today, he invited my daughter and I to go along with him so we could spend more of the day together. I'm so glad we did...it was great fun. I'm also glad that I remembered to take my camera.
My daughter and I hung out at Dunn Bros. for awhile. She was drawing and I was knitting and sipping tea. I'm such a small town girl, so the city really intrigues me. I had lots of fun people watching and my daughter is such a great little companion. (I'm already dreading the day she starts school.)
My daughter and I hung out at Dunn Bros. for awhile. She was drawing and I was knitting and sipping tea. I'm such a small town girl, so the city really intrigues me. I had lots of fun people watching and my daughter is such a great little companion. (I'm already dreading the day she starts school.)
We spent some time at the public library in the kids section.
I found inspiration in some well illustrated kids books.
This one is Hello, Day! by Anita Lobel.
The pages were brightly colored and fun.
Some of the pages reminded me of Kaffe Fasset quilts.
I loved the line of brightly colored flowers on this page.
And the use of circles on this on this page.
I hope to make a quilt inspired by these. Someday.
Also, the floor vents and colors caught my eye.
More quilt ideas!
I "see" quilts everywhere. I'm not sure if that is a blessing or a curse.
After my husband's meeting, we had a burger at Lyon's Pub.
It was so good!!!
He's out having coffee now and my daughter is "resting", so I have a bit of time to quilt before my boys get home.
It's been a very good day.
It's been a very good day.
Hope your Friday is going (or has been) just as good as mine. ;)
58 comments:
I see quilt patterns everywhere, too! I was just laughing about this the other day as I pointed out several to my husband - interesting brick wall, linoleum, a Christmas tree made of circles on a billboard... so many ideas, not enough time!
This is the 2nd post this week about a quilter seeing quilts every where she looks. Isn't it funny how patterns just pop out at you...I even dream about quilts :)
Looks like you had a fabulous day!
I thought i was the only one. I see quilts patterns everywhere too
I LOVE the fabric in that last picture. I made a table topper out of it for my bedroom. :)
Yeah, I see quilts everywhere too. Mostly applique. Sigh. Those take too long.
I need to finish my Simplicity quilt. It just needs pinned and quilted. I'm sure you'll finish yours first. Mine is not very high in the queue. But thanks for reminding and inspiring me. I've been entering all those Sew Mama Sew giveaways instead of binding quilts. For shame. Have a good weekend!
AmandaJean...I grew up in Eau Claire, so spent many a weekend in the Twin Cities. Love that place! Living in Madison, now, so never get there. What a fun day you had!
We are true artists that see quilts everywhere! What a lovely day.
Yay! That makes me so happy that you're a MN girl like me. :)
Firstly, it took me a little while to work out what MN was!!! He, he!
Yes, once the eye has opened up to seeing quilts in everyday objects, than there is no stopping.
I love the illustrations in the book - how beautiful!! They would make an amazing quilt.
Thankyou for sharing.
What a wonderful way to spend the day :) I am very curious to see what comes of your 'vent quilt'! Lovely illustrations. Aren't some people just amazingly talented! Have a lovely weekend.
That sounds like a perfect day indeed! And it ended with a quilt!
Aw, I lived in Minneapolis for a couple years and loved it. I miss it a lot and am thinking of moving back. That library downtown is super neat, too. That's all :)
Don't you love days that just make you smile? Tade and I are still in our jammies and it's cold outside so the fire is keeping us toasty warm! Some sewing and reading going on! it is a good day!
Sounds like a perfect day! Mine was suppose to be spent doing Christmas baking with my sisters and mom but alas, a snow storm came up and they were unable to make it out to my place. So quilting I did - not so bad.
Perhaps you have had a glimpse of why Badeh likes downtown.
We've got to get over to that library again soon. Fun place. It's been a while.
It made me laugh when you saw quilt patterns everywhere. I keep seeing men wearing shirts I want to take off their backs and make quilts out of them.
Maybe we need help!
But in the meantime, isn't it fun :)
I know what you mean about dreading the day that they go to school. I dreaded it so much, I homeschool. Now, I have my kids at home with me all day and I get to see them learn. It's cool...PLUS, I get to teach them to quilt, which is WAY cool!
glad you had a nice day my friend!
Glad you had a great day...it was a great one for me too! Playing hooky from work and Christmas shopping with 3 great friends at a major mall!
ooh! sometimes I miss Minneapolis...mostly in the summer... Looks like you had had a lovely day with A~ little lady! looks like you were happy to be home too to work on that shabby chic little blanket too!
Amandajean - you have got it bad when you see quilt designs in the floor registers...but, I'm just as bad as you - I'm always checking the floors in places -
And, I carry a little notebook in my purse so I can even draw them!!!!
Oh, my - Did this ever make me laugh!! I can't say that I've ever seen a quilt pattern in a vent. However, I suspect I will now. :-)
What a lovely day!! And such a lovely quilt photo at the end of this post ~ the fabrics are so pretty. Hope your weekend continues to be wonderful. :)
that sounds like a great day!
I think that is so cool that you see quilts!! You never run out of ideas! I am glad you had a good day today!
Just tonight I thought of how much I'm going to miss Spenser when she starts Kindergarten next year. Not that I still won't have Sawyer around, but there's something different about having a girl. I feel I need to protect her more than the older boys and she's so fun and girlie.
Glad you had such a lovely day! I need to work on getting more one-on-one time with each of my kids.
And hey... those charm squares look familiar... ;-)
hi amanda,
just wondering what are the "label" roll # for in your quilt top?
Curious ;)
I love trips to the city too! I always go to the big kinokuniya...I always feel so out of place in my casual clothes but love a little trip into 'town'! looks like you had a great day together!
Corrie:)
this sounds like an amazing day!
That does sound like a lovely day. You're right though, quilt ideas are everywhere. I love the vents in that library.
This is my last year with my youngest at home and I have some days where I think I'd be able to get so much done, but more often than not, I have dread over him being gone. We have such fun together, but then are just comfortable being together but not doing anything together.
Sounds like a great day! Good for you!
When you open your eyes, there’s spiration everywhere!
Love the quilt and the great pictues. Thanks for sharing the book. I'll need to see if I can track that one down.
You never know where you will find inspiration. One of the two patterns I have had published was actually based on a floor in a fast food restaurant. I didn't put that in the description of course, but it was a really cool floor!
While we live in California, my husband is from southern Minnesota and I adore The Cities!
Childrens' libraries are just the best places to hang out. I enjoy reading their books as much as mine. Glad you had a good day.
Thanks for share your wonderful day!!, its good to see quilt patterns everywhere, itsnt it?. :)
you must get a twitter account so we all can keep up on your creativity.
I'm a small town girl, but every once in a while I do love heading into the city--what a lovely day you had!
My Friday was awful - way worse than Alexander's in Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day. Everything that could go wrong, did. Until about 4:00 - then everything went right, which was a good thing because I don't think I could have taken anything else going wrong! I guess that is the good thing about bad days - things can only get better.
I'm glad you had a great day!
i'm glad you had a good day... {and i see quilts everywhere too!}
it is nice that i am not alone in finding the quilts in the world around us. thanks for sharing
Amanda Jean, I love your blog so much that it's one of my homepage tabs...
And I want to thank you for being the inspiration for getting me back into quilting. Because of you and your blog, I started quilting again; I've completed six quilts (for family mostly), gone to visit my local quilters' guild (and plan on joining come January), and I'm working on two more quilts now (the tops are finished)!
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
=-)
What a great day! I love the library downtown too! I live in upstate New York now but moved here from the Twin Cities. Thanks for a little touch of home!
What a wonderful day! I too find inspiration everywhere. After a meeting I ended up spending time in the room drawing a fabulous figure that I saw in the grain of the wooden table.
Sounds like a great day! I'm glad to see you do get out of your sewing room every now and then ... even if it is just to look for inspiration for more quilts ;). Happy weekend!
oh how i miss lyons pub. they changed the color of it! Glad you had a fun time!
The little thinks are the best one! I also love days like that!
Much more wonderful days for you and me and everybody!
Hannah
What a nice post:) It indeed sounds like a good day was had by all.
Hee hee....I also suffer from the same illness - I see quilt patterns in everything:)
Sounds like fun! What a special day. You are so much beyond me in your quilting, as I am just beginning and quite slow. But I LOVE that you see quilts where you go. What a great way to be inspired, and to use that inspiration to create and develop your gorgeous quilts! Thanks for sharing your life with all of us!
I used to work in downtown Minneapolis and I love spending time there. I miss it but not the commuting! Glad you got to enjoy it.
Ever since your post on finding art (quilt patterns) everywhere I have been more mindful of this type of thing. I have to admit I have a thing for the tiles at McDonald's. Every time I look at them I think about you and how I need to have a small sketch pad with me so I can incorporate the pattern into a quilt. :) Glad you had a wonderful day.
It looks like you were sitting near my usual spot in the Central Library. I love living downtown and the library is just a short walk for me.
The Quilts of Valor look great! One of these days I have plans for a free pieced star quilt.
After missing a week of your posts, I was so glad to find this to be the first one in my bloglines account. Seeing your little girl sitting across from you while you knit is just the sweetest. I love that she's your little buddy. And I loved seeing the things that make you think of quilts (those vents were particularly interesting). I know how the mind can race with inspiration!
I do like your post and your non quilt related info. I will have to look for that book at the library.
sounds and looks like you had a fabulous day! Loved seeing your inspiration shots and that gorgeous book.
definitely a good day. i sketched a quilt inspired by a chair at the hospital...i see quilts everywhere too! with jon heading to st paul in january i bet i'll be in the twin cities a bunch this year...maybe we can get together?
Such a wonderful time it sounds like you had! And oh, Lyon's Pub! Some work buddies and I head there for lunch every so often, delicious burgers!!
Love your blog, and would love to meet up with you sometime at a quilt shop! Mom and I love reading what new adventures you are onto next!
Always,
Katy
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