The blocks in this bit of sashing were all over the place size-wise … but they also all had points going right up to the edge. So, I focused on lining up the points rather than focusing on the final block size. If the blocks end up being too big in spots, I’ll just have to quilt that right out of them when the time comes.

While I was working on this bit of sashing, I was also grieving the end of an era.

Joann Fabrics has been such a huge part of my life, from when I was a little kid looking through the pattern books with Mom to find outfits for her to sew for me (and later, for me to sew for myself).

And when my sweetie and I were just starting out and didn’t really have any money for apartment decor, I would wait for that Joann’s flyer with the 50% off coupon to come in the mail, and use it on a “big ticket” item like a $10 wicker basket for storing blankets in the living room.

When I made my first larger-size quilt, the Joann’s in Lake Forest Park special-ordered me an entire bolt of fabric so I’d have plenty of it for the borders and backing.

And when I decided I wanted to hand quilt that quilt, Joann’s is where I bought my first quilting hoop, my first thimble, my first container of beeswax … and of course, I hand quilted it with my go-to hand quilting thread: Americana glazed hand quilting thread.

So when I heard that Joann’s was going out of business after 82 years, I sprung into action, knowing that it’s the only place I’ve ever found Americana thread for sale.

I may have gone a little overboard:

I ordered online while they were still taking orders, my sister and I scoured the retail Joann’s stores in the tri-county area, and I may have even placed an order on eBay for some additional spools. I’ll be set for years with this much hand quilting thread.

And yet, out of all the colors I got, not a single one seems like it would be right for my Dear Jane quilt. The red is too bright, the rust is too orange … I do have an olive green that matches pretty well if I want to go that route, and three different colors in the white/cream/beige family.

While my stockpile of hand quilting thread is now excessive, I still have other thread needs (for hemming pants and things of that nature), so I’ve been checking out other local fabric stores to try to find a new in-person source for thread.

I stopped at a Ben Franklin craft store on the way to my quilting retreat last week, and they have some Coats and Clark thread (although not as much as Joann’s), so I’ll have options for in-person color-matching of thread for mending and hemming.

But it’s going to be tough to top decades of fabric store history. You will be missed, Joann Fabrics.