Have you SEEN it? It's positively gorgeous.
As I walked into my local quilt shop, I stopped in my tracks. There, before me, was the most beautiful sight this quilter has ever seen: Nature's Notebook line by April Cornell, for Moda. These pictures do NOT do it justice. The fabric is twice as fantastic in real life.
I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm a traditional kind of gal. I like pastels, feminine prints, elegant designs. So normally, the trendy stuff doesn't excite me too much, and there's always trendy stuff mixed into every fabric line. Then, I saw her...
She was the most beautiful collection of fabric I've ever seen. Just the right shades of blue (did I mention that I go gaga for light blue?), butter yellows, and serene greens. This line manages to have traditional patterns, but done in a fresh new way, making each fabric timeless. Of course, I like some of the fabrics more than others in the Nature's Notebook line, but there isn't a one that I don't like.
I mean really, what's not to like?
Back in the quilt shop, I stood gazing upon the row of beautiful bolts before me. The words "it's me!" and "it's perfect" swirled 'round and 'round in my head, and it was all I could do not do scoop the little darlings up in my arms and make a mad dash for the door. (Really, it was very silly of them to put such desirable stuff right by the door. What were they thinking?)
Then the moral part of my brain kicked in, and I shook off the alluring spell which these decadent reams of delight had cast upon me. Since I didn't have the $3300 or more that it probably would have cost me to purchase all the bolts in the entire line, I decided to settle for some charm packs...little bits of love. (sigh) Then...HORROR!!
There were no more charm packs.
No jelly rolls.
No layer cakes.
Only two...
...stinkin'...
...honey buns!
...stinkin'...
...honey buns!
AAAARRRRGH!
"All right, who's in charge of inventory here?!" I wanted to shout. "Where are my charm packs? My jelly rolls?" Don't get me wrong, honeybuns are great, but I loved this fabric, and I wanted to see as much of the patterns and colors as I could. You know, so I could go home, pet them, hold them up to the light and admire them. The normal stuff. How was I going to do that with 1 1/2" tall strips?? Oh, it was a travesty.
I pondered the possibility of taking a smidge from each of my favorite bolts, but it was closing time...no time for painful decisions and harried bolt-cutting. So I hemmed. I hawed. I pondered perplexedly. Finally, I snatched a honey bun and took my treasure to the counter. I was NOT leaving empty handed!
Once home, I sat in quiet contemplation, wavering between the desire to admire the little strips of heaven in their pretty little roll, and the lure of letting loose the long ribbons of fabric to behold in their full array of beauty. (sigh)
At long last, eager to share my find with my husband, I unrolled the ravishing reel to reveal the refined patterns and color combinations that make this collection so exquisitely elegant.
Holding the strands of splendor in my hands, I saw in my mind's eye a bright, airy bedroom of blue, with a white antique cast iron bed. Upon this bed lay a quilt of surpassing loveliness. The hues were reminiscent of the pale cerulean sky and newly budding leaves outside the window, and the cool whites picked up the color of the pale sheer curtains that stirred in the fresh spring breeze, which carried with it the scent of apple blossoms...
"Yeah. Um...it's nice." My husband's voice broke into my reverie.
"Nice? Just nice? It's stunning!"
"It's very nice." He turned back to his reading.
Men just don't understand.
Wherever you are, April Cornell (and Moda), thank you, thank you, thank you!
