I have been trying so hard to be good with my fabric denial thingy. As a pre-emptive strike I would like to point out I hadn't bought a skerrick of fabric for 5 whole weeks until last weekend when I bought a teeny tiny bit of fabric (half a metre hardly counts, it's insignificant ) Sure, I bought 8 metres of something else but I'm not counting that towards my fabric amount and I cant tell/show you what it was either...it's a secret. )
But yesterday after a long day at work (and a southern comfort or two - or perhaps four because wasn't that a lovely way to ease into my long weekend ?) I went nuts....and bought some things merely because I loved the look of them ...
The moral of this story is don't go internet shopping with a quilt pattern in mind but no real plan about fabric because you'll just keep buying till your credit card is rejected or the alcohol sends you to sleep.
I got three of these ...
And 11 yards of these fabrics ...(30's Buttercup by Darlene Zimmerman )
And 4 yards of Bella Solids in brown for another quilt I'm planning to make (you can imagine brown fabric cant you?)
And then , finally, madness possessed me and I bought this .
And now the whole of Blogland is laughing because we all know I can't stitch. I've been saying it in my posts , on your posts , in comments, in person and in emails to you all for the last 18 months.
Well you know what Blogland ? 2011 is my year of being brave. My year of trying new things. My year of challenging myself and above all my year of saying "YES I CAN!" So watch this space.
Now I'm off to kick some Snowball arse and after that I'm going to battle some Dresden's to the death. Don't mess with me-I'm feeling feisty.
P.S. There is an actual stitch along going on with this pattern at the moment over here but I'm not quite brave enough to go down that road yet ...
29 comments:
You can stitch, Shay. I'm pretty convinced you can do anything. Except drink more Southern Comfort than me. Your vice seems to be more tactile:-)
Pretty fabric! I've been staying out of the fabric stores. I KNOW, huh? But only cuz next month I'm going to a really big quilt show!
I know you can operate computer meeses and keyboards, and definitely scissors and a needle, so of course I believe you can stitch! But really you should not drink so much before you try to thread said needle.
I just saved $15 on a flop chair, so I went to spotlight and bought $16 of fabric to recover it.
That completely makes sense to me Sara!
Well done - that is some serious fabric shopping to make up for all those weeks on 'the diet'!
Enjoy Tis the Season, I'll be watching this space for some progress shots.
I LOVE those batiks! So bright and cheery, can't wait to see what you do with them! And of course, I've always been a big fan on the 1930's stuff by Darlene Zimmerman. I actually have a book of hers that would be perfect for those, it's called "Fat Quarter Small Quilts", I was just ooohing over it today!
Go for it on the stitching, I would love to learn also. Mom loves it because you can take it with you!
Oh, so many of us have done what you just did!
....And lived to be thankful!
Have fun with your still-less-than-100 yards....
The fabrics you bought are great; can't wait to see the projects. I love that you are challenging yourself to try new things, very admirable. You are fearless!
also, I have to get fabric tomorrow. Planning on going to the quilt store, but if I can't find what I want there I will be online ... I have an idea of what I want but no real direction.
We have to Splurg every now and then or we will go NUTS...
Hey Glad you are going to Join us in the stitch-a-long...go on put your name down...it will encourage you to do it...and I'm sure you can stitch...
happy stitching on those Dresdens and you be kind to them they are looking Gorgeous.
cheers
I don't even have the excuse of Southern Comfort and I still buy,buy ,buy !
Pretty sure you can stitch Shay. I had always planned to learn how "when I retired". I know, a bit of a laugh really since I have never been gainfully employed and I'm not sure how I would have identified my "retirement"! When my Mum heard me saying that, she advised me to learn as soon as possible because, in her experience, she just got busier and busier the older she got. So when I was pregnant with number 7 and was hospitalised prior to the birth (boy was that boring!), and the hospital had a craftroom with instructors and craft supplies, I figured the time to learn had come. It is the most fun and I find it very relaxing.
Tips? I started just with fabric, needle and thread. I soon discovered though that stitching with a hoop made my stitching look sooooo much better, so my tip is use a hoop from the beginning. (This is a controversial topic, I know hard to believe, because switching from no hoop to hoop can be quite difficult. I think you avoid that by starting out with a hoop.) I'd be happy to answer any questions you have.
I'm like Clare I don't need Southern Comfort to encourage me to buy. Your purchases look fabulous. I love the bright batiks. Every time I see any of your 30's fabrics I like them more and more. I really would like to buy some of those but I have no idea what I would make with them.
I nearly bought that embroidery pattern a few weeks ago when the stitch along started and decided against it, now I wish I had, the patterns are so cute. Maybe we could start our own stitch along.....eventually.
Are you nuts?? When are you going to sew up all that fabric??? It would slow me down so much to even HAVE all these georgous fabrics cause all I´d do is look at them, pat them and not cut into them....
When you go off the "wagon" you go big! I thought I thought I was living large by purchasing two new fat quarter bundles.
Ooooh nice!!! I have discovered that i have a problem with quilting....I love the fabric so much that I can't bear to cut it up!!
OF COURSE YOU CAN!!!! i saw evidence of you stitching on here a few posts back!!! all i wanna know is why on earth you would want to go on a fabric diet anyway?A womans gotta have a good stash and who could resist those 30s fabrics ... nice choice!!!( i can picture them in the hexagon quilt)
You should really celebrate the 5 weeks milestone. Plus you've been so diligent about finishing stuff, you deserve some reward. The batiks are beautiful and the Tis the Season looks cute. Maybe you could modify your vow to offset what you buy with what you've used?
Stitching isn't hard, but do use a hoop, it does make it a lot easier. Looking forward to seeing what you are going to do with your most recent purchases.
If I can stitch (and I'm not saying I do it well, but I've put myself out there), then you can, too. And man, when you fall off the wagon, you fall onto the road, down a cliff and get washed out to sea, don't you?
okay, I feel the urge to shop!!!! love the tonga treasures ... get busy Shay ... we need to see the end results!
I'm totally staying off Fabric.com because I KNOW I cannot bring myself to not purchase any yardage. I am, however, not that pious. I'm planning a full-scale attack on Mary Jo's within the next two weeks. :o)
Love all the bright fabrics you purchased. And, since you'll be making something fabulous with them, who could begrudge you a few yards of this and that? Happy Snowballing! :o)
You can do it, I believe you can do anything you put your mind to.
Love the fabrics you purchased. I think I'll be on a fabric diet for a long time (unless I make lots of Etsy sales) with the DD going off to college.
Now that you have me in stitches get that sewing machine out and just do it girl...lol...
Those batiks are fabulous. Love, love, love them!
And the 30's repros are so pretty! I would love to do a repro quilt . . . someday.
So, about the stitching quilt. Yay for you! I love to do hand work. I find it very soothing and relaxing. I hope you enjoy it and don't curse it because it can be frustrating because it doesn't come out perfect.
I'm glad someone, somewhere in the world is buying fabric. Because, sadly, I am not. Oh well. I've got enough fabric and quilt plans stashed away in cupboards and drawers and under my bed for at least the next three years, so I'm good.
xo -E
Yay for you! I tried a fabric diet and held firm for 6 weeks then went NUTS like you. I haven't admitted this on my blog but I pre-ordered $250 worth of Sherbet Pips. I also signed up for the monthly solids from Pink Chalk. And I also just plain bought a bunch of stuff. Diet rebound is a scary syndrome. (but so fun!)
Love that S.Comfort... but alas, I cannot drink any more - medications don't allow alcohol or sunlight. Love your fabric choices, Timeless Treasures is my fav, too. Now just go sew! You can do it.
It's the weekend, that's a good reason to buy fabric! And if (you think) you can't stitch now, you will be an expert by the time you make that pattern up.
Shay,
Those fabrics are lovely! I really like the first group since the colors are so brilliant :) but then I also like the pastels...I guess I liek them all! :)
I am pretty sure you will pick stitching up and joint the stitch along it will inspire you to do it.
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