Look what showed up in my stash yesterday…. Do you recognize it?
To say that it just “showed up” in my stash might be glossing over a few of the more onerous details of the acquisition.
It was a very physically and emotionally taxing experience.
Imagine…. 100 degree heat, 2 hours in the car, a long, exhausting hike all the way through the entire IKEA showroom with 5 children ages 7 and under in tow.
Say what?!?!?! Yes, I took 5 children to Ikea just to get a piece of fabric.
But I had no choice in the matter. After my friend Bianca posted these pictures in our Late Night Quilters Facebook group, I just had to have it. Immediately.
I’d seen the fabric several times before on blogs and facebook groups. But something about Bianca’s quilt made me lose a little of my self control (ok, well, I admit, I never really have been known for self-control).
You know how it is… I couldn’t sleep until this fabric had a home in my sewing room. I admit, I am freakin’ crazy. But I dragged my friend Michelle with me, and she agreed wholeheartedly that the fabric was worth the long, arduous journey.
Once we arrived, I thought we could just quickly run through the store directly to the textile wall, and pick up our treasure. But I always forget just how massive that store is! It’s beyond massive, it’s gargantuan. And of course, there was a little twist of fate in our future that I had no way of anticipating.
We walked into the crisp, cool, icy white Swedish interior to see a large sign posted.
The childcare wonderland we had been gushing about to our kids for the last hour was closed do to “unforeseeable circumstances”.
Apparently a child lost his pull-up and all its contents in the foam pit, and the entire play area was being overhauled by a HAZMAT team.
But this little hitch didn’t stop us.
Did we turn around and get back in the car? No way.
Did we at least go back and pull out a couple of strollers? Huh. uh. Waste of time.
We hiked up our big girl panties and pressed on.
We passed right by the shopping carts at a mad trot, screaming to the children behind us, “Move, Move, Move!!”
As we advanced into the showroom, the children scattered like mice, zooming off into the nooks and crannies of the teeny tiny Swedish dummy rooms throughout the store. After we found them tucked into various beds and hiding in mini wardrobes, we gathered them back together, and threatened to cancel the rest of summer unless they stayed together and held hands the rest of the way.
When we realized that they really were the ones who held all the power in the situation, and that our future with this lovely fabric depended on their cooperation, without blinking an eye, Michelle and I made the ultimate sacrifice.
We promised them a trip to Chucky Cheese on the way home. Gasp. Choke.
When we finally found the fabric wall (at the very end of the store, past miles of tiny couches, pressed wood cabinets, oblong white lamps and kitchen utensils) we were so frustrated and exhausted that we had lost any ability to reason or make good decisions.
I picked up the bolt and madly clutched it to my chest. Another shopper approached me and kindly asked, “Are you done cutting your piece?”
The kids tore at my clothes and whined. I was oblivious. I gave her the Bruce Willis crazy horse eye look, and she put her hands up and slowly backed away.
I’m just kidding. I did offer the lady a fat quarter. hee hee hee (no really, I offered her as much as she wanted, and she wisely passed it up.)
So here it is. The whole bolt. Mine.
The kids really were angels considering what we were asking of them. They take the promise of Chucky Cheese very seriously.
And Michelle and I held up our end of the bargain. We did let them spend the rest of the afternoon eating crappy pizza and carrying around cups filled with shiny, filthy tokens.
And we had a peaceful, silent car ride all the way home.
I was dead-tired last night. No late night quilting for me.
But sometimes, it’s just worth it.
P.S. I’m linking up with Molli Sparkles for Sunday Stash.
37 Comments
Oh Stephanie I love your recount of your adventure in Ikea with 5 children in tow. Determination is all it takes. And you’re got it. I love the Numbers fabric. It makes a superb quilt back.
I love reading your blog. I have three children and when they were little I did things like you write about!!! They are grown now and have little ones of their own but reading your stories takes me back. I love the fabric by the way and……it was worth all your trouble and look at the memories you made! Keep writing and loving life.
Thanks for your comment Candy! I’m glad to know my stories resonate with you.
Your comment made my day!
Best, Stephanie
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You did!! Lol!!
Ughhhhhhhh. I want the whole bolt. You earned it, lady!!!!
I love this story! The IKEA I went to on the Spring was out so I grabbed a different cute fabric but was sad not to get the numbers. Great grab and totally worth it!
I’m glad you liked my post. Thank you so much for reading my blog and taking the time to comment!!
Best, Stephanie
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What an adventure! Someone online (a blog, I think) last week said this fabric was discontinued… l went to ikea for the beautiful turquoise Raskog cart and the fabric is still at our ikea, but I didn’t buy any this time. I have one quilt backed with it, and that’s enough, for now at least. 🙂
Such a great story, Stephanie. And so well told! 🙂
Wow! The whole bolt?!? I felt awful buying ten yards. LOL How many yards was it? (after I took off my ten it looked like there was at least that much if not more on the bolt still). I am one of those rare people that hates going to IKEA – the distance (Which isn’t as bad for me as others), the traffic, the overwhelmingness of the whole thing, all those people (why don’t they work?), the maze like store. But at Stash Bash they told me this might be discontinuing then all the out-of-towners went and bought out the store. When I saw they got several more bolts in I braved the trek (with one child – in the cart). I may yet go back for more. But not soon. 😀 I can’t imagine doing it the way you did!
Oh My a wh.ole bolt and 5 kids, I can’t handle my 2 good job on getting it done and lovely story
mara: it’s easy. all about the consequences. “if you are good and stay with me we can an ice cream before we leave”. if you are not good there is no tv or computer for a week.”. be sure to follow thru with it even if means one kid gets the i.c and the other does not. they will learn QUICKLY that it pays to be good!!
Ha! I know the feeling Mara. It doesn’t matter how many kids we have, it always feels kind of out of control.
Thanks for reading my post and for taking the time to comment!
Best, Stephanie
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A shout out to my 4 lovely kids. I’m amazed they were so well behaved at IKEA. I’m not even well behaved at IKEA! After the 14th living room vignette, I’m playing football with the pillows and pretending I have super-human strength by lifting those fake flat panel TVs over my head with ease. Next time I’ll show them how to give mommy a really hard time!
Thanks for reading my blog J. Maybe this us a good way for us to communicate!
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Haha, love this story. You are brave. I wanted to do the same thing today, but I didn’t want to drag my husband along with me. My plan is now to try to rationalize the massive fabric purchase all week, and sneak out to Ikea one day after work. I’m lucky, only 20 minutes away. At least you made it worth the trip 🙂
A whole bolt?! :O They don’t have this at my local Ikea anymore. I’ve never been overly keen on it so I hadn’t bought any. And then I tried to not succumb to quilter’s pressure of everyone else buying it and now that it’s gone I wish I did get some lol! Oh well. I go to Ikea way too often. It’s about 40 minutes away for me. I’m jealous of the people who live right near it to benefit from the cheap food! Like the $2 breakfasts!! I can’t even make breakfast for that much!
Ikea + kids = arghhh! But that bolt of fabric is oh. so. worth. it!
oh Stephanie, I love your story about Ikea and the fabric. how many yards did you get? ? ? let me say, at least you HAVE Ikea in your city! (no, we don’t !–and when I was in Denver in March and May, no I did not make it to Ikea! ugh!) Congrats for getting thru the day to get your fabric!
I’ve used that fabric several times. Fortunately a friend picks it up for me in France.
You are a lucky girl Sue!
Thanks for reading and commenting on my post!!
Good night, Stephanie
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Oh my gosh I love this! Someday we will laugh about the crazy impossible situations we find ourselves in for fabric. The funny part is that you didnt include that a mile or so down the road we had to stop and see if we needed to rescue a baby deer that sadly didnt make it and then had to explain to 5 kids what just happened. Real joyful start to our adventure but we came out unscathed.
Hi there… Oh, I’m still so sad about that baby deer and it’s mom. I really hope you can save one someday.
Thanks for having us over tonight. We had a great time.
Will you tell me if you get this email? I’m not sure if it will work sending it from my iPhone.
Talk to you tomorrow, Steph
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Wow, so jealous of your new stash!
Thanks !!! You’re so funny.
Did you finish both blocks? I want to try to finish the other one tonight so I can get it in the mail soon. I figure it will go faster since I won’t be fussing with color changes.
Let me know if you get this email.
Thanks for testing the process for me!
Steph
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Best fabric acquisition story. EVER.
I’m still giggling over your Ikea event. You are a Viking. You will find ‘Nummers’ to be soft and light and deliriously worth the trouble! But listen, next time – do a reach out, will you? Ikea is less than 30 minutes from me and I’d be happy to pick up a bolt for you!!!! Matter of fact, I think I’d better go and see if they have any left!
What a great story! I agree it was totally worth it. I need to make the trek to my Ikea to get this fabric too – it calls me every single time I see it on someone’s blog. I might take your lead and buy the whole darn bolt too!!
That is an awesome story and you are a great story teller! That fabric was definitely worth it!
Yep that was worth it, even the Chucky Cheese! Love that fabric too 🙂
woa, the whole bolt. You are serious. That takes a lot of fortitude taking many children to Ikea like that. well done 🙂
Hi Stef- we area family of boxer- lovers! We’ve had two white boxers – one that passed on (he was amazing, a true buddha) and our new boy Stewie, who is a dingbat! Seriously, he is just ridiculous and we adore him! We live in mid-state NY – not far from the outlet of Ikea,a little town called Milton,
[…] of my blog, I tend to do all my quilting while jacked up on caffeine late at night. I squeeze fabric shopping into stolen moments between play dates, baseball games and dance recitals. At night, after […]
Love your story, especially the final picture of sleeping cherubs. I even gave it to my husband to read and he totally got it.
LOVE. THIS. STORY!!!! Totally awesome! I head to an IKEA this Friday just fur this fabric! Is it really being discontinued? Should I buy the whole bolt? 🙂
Ooooh! I am green with envy. I recently drove to the closes Ikea, over an hour away, and was told it that fabric is no longer in production and is discontinued. I even asked to buy the grubby sample that still hangs in the fabric corner but she isn’t allowed to take it down yet. Even tho they don’t sell it, and won’t sell it any longer! I left defeated. Your story is wonderful I remember those days when my four were littles. Enjoy them (and that bolt of Numbers).
Sooo jealous, I too wish they still had this fabric available. I’d buy a bolt in a heart-beat of I could