Fun New Tools

This past Saturday, I hung out with some friends at Quiltessential in St. Alberta, Alberta. The quilt shop was having a weekend of demos and we were there for all of Saturday. The owner was really cool and showed some easy peasy projects, and of course a ton of new tools and gadgets! Gadgets I had heard of and some I had never seen before! It was awesome.
Here are my new treasures:

I got some fabric. The prices were so much better then the prices in the Edmonton Quilt shops! I may never shop in Edmonton again - for fabric.

Ha ha, this says Sew or Die. It was a free tattoo at the till. I'll wear it at my next retreat!

 OK, I know most of you in the US can get these fun gadgets for much cheaper then me. So please do not tell me how much I would have saved if I lived 8 hours south from here. It will make me sad. 

I got these two glues, the Unique Stitch is a permanent glue that is supposed to never get hard or gum up your needle. I am looking forward to trying it out.

This pointer is a light you wear on your finger to illuminate your work - like when you are paper piecing  or seam ripping.

This lets you pick up single pieces of fabric with ease when you have stacks of little cut squares or whatever. Hee hee, I like gadgets and tools!

This is fun, its a finger cutter. I tried to get a side picture, but the sheen from the packaging made it impossible.  There is a little rotary cutter on the end that lets you cut around applique or free cut your fabric.

This mat cleaner you just drag across your mat to pull out all the fibres that are stuck in there. It is supposed to make your mat and your rotary blades last longer.

There are restickable tabs you put on the underside of your ruler. So if you want  to make a stack of 4 1/2" squares, you mark that on your ruler with these stickies. They are just thick enough to be able to slide up to the edge of the fabric - stopping at your measurement and holding so you get the perfect cut.

For spending a certain amount, you got a free water bottle. I  obviously spent enough. It was funny actually because the people that were in the line were so excited when they spent the total to get the bottle like they never spend that much. One cute elder lady shouted back to her friend that she did it! When it was my turn, the sales lady practically whispered it to me like it was an OMG moment. HAH. Then they thanked me and said to please come again. I didn't even spend that much - at least I didn't think so.

I made an enquiry about a couple of fabrics that I had seen online from Timeless Treasures and they took my name and number. I actually got a phone call already. They do not have the fabrics - which I knew as I searched the stock, but they think they have one line on order and promised to call me when it comes in. I believe they will! I was looking at the Pee-Wee Parade that you can get from the Fat Quarter Shop - they only have a limited selection for it. According to Timeless Treasures which is the supplier, they do not even call it Pee Wee Parade - so far I cannot find the fabric from anyone else. Have you seen this fabric?

I really only want the giraffes, blue/green elephants and the blue owls. 

The other fabric I found that I thought was lovely is again from Timeless Treasures - the line is called Shimmer.

It is shiny! Love it!!

This one I have found in some other US online shops - it would be cheaper for me to order from the US, plus I would get it right away where as Quiltessential told me they are getting this one but it will be 6 months. To support local would be good though. Hmm decisions. Quiltessential fabric is up to 16 dollars a meter which is three inches longer then a yard. It's not like I need it right away. ha ha I do have enough fabric here to last the rest of my life - just ask Mr Hunter, he will tell you. 

What do you think - keep it local, or save my pennies and shop online?

Cheers,

Carolyn