The Year of Not Buying Fabric

You guys.
Omg. You guys.

It's three quarters  through July


and


I HAVEN'T BOUGHT ANY NEW FABRIC.


(yet)

No really. I've made a sort of deal with myself that I need to clean up and get through my stash this year.
It's...too much. When I'm moving bins and bins of fabrics around (but I do know exactly what's in each bin, y'all... I really do) and still having to go buy more fabric....I think it's gone past the Stash phase and I'm teetering dangerously close to Hoarder status.

So.
I decided last year to Not Buy Any Fabric.

The exceptions:
Vintage sheets at thrift shops
Any extra pieces needed to finish a work in progress (meaning if I run out of yardage and I need the same thing)
Custom costume orders
Notions (which don't count anyway) like thread, bobbins, binding, etc

And guess what.
SO FAR:::: This year I've only bought thread.

Just.
Thread.

"OH, what self control" you must be thinking.
No...what it means is I had TOO MUCH CRAP IN MY SEWING ROOM.
I'mma be real here.
I even went BIN by BIN and discarded TWO GIANT garbage bags of fabric. Before you clutch your pearls...I donated it all. Except for tiny off cut scraps that let's face it, should have stuffed a pillow a long time ago.

So. Slowly but surely. I'm working my way thru WIPS and UFOs. I found my sewing mojo again and I finally finished my dufflebag. (Blog post on that to come).) I repurposed some shirts. I continue to get back into the groove and find inspiration from what I have.

Anyone else? What tips and tricks do you use when you've had fabric forever and can't remember what amazing project you bought it for???

Strippin' in Black and White

Nope...it's not what you think.

Or...maybe it is!

It was recently brought to my attention that my Etsy shop is overloaded with (ahem) 'girly stuff'. 

Vintage sheet Pink Rail fence

I realized..... that's very true.  There's a lot of pinks and pastels and shall we say, more feminine quilts and things on there. Not so much for in the Manly Men department.

So I am working on that discrepancy this week!

Here's a sneak peek:

Strip Quilts come together quickly!

I cut some of my fav black and white fabrics into varied widths

 

 

I don't know...felt like someone was watching me....

So I have a few planned to work on this week, and a few more finished tops that just need to be quilted up.

Heading up to sew for awhile, get some work done!

OOOOH and I almost forgot...finally finally finally 'they' are printing ALL the superheroines onto fabric!!  When I cut into this darling, I will DEF let you all know what it's turning into!

Batgirl, Supergirl AND Wonderwoman, together at last!

 

 

My finished Wonderwoman Quilt; a gift for my bestie!!

Which comes first - fabric or pattern?

I have a question to pose to all the quilters out there.... what 

 comes first for you?

Do you find gorgeous fabrics INSPIRE you to create and then you grab the pattern?

Or do intricate design patterns INSPIRE you to pull fabrics and then you create?

I found this fabric and fell in love. I didn't want to cut it at first.

For me, I think that it's the fabric that inspires the pattern. But wait...sometimes when I peruse blogs online I see patterns that just yell at me to pull fabrics from my stash. I don't know....laugh.

I put it to the interwebs: What comes first??

The fabric, or the pattern?

And of course. Like all my quilts, Muffin Approved.

Fabric and Fabric and Fabric

I was at my favourite LQS on Monday.
And as I perused the aisles, touching this, oohing at that... I got to wonderings.....


What is it about us quilters...?

we see GORGEOUS prints.... 

we coo and sigh, and pet them, and (or, is that just me??)

 keep them neatly, tidily folded sitting quietly on our shelf.

Until...

We catch that creative bug...the gleam in our eye....standing tall in the doorway of our creative space...rotary cutter in hand....

And we get the primal urge to rip and tear and shred....(sorry, just me??)

We pull out the fabrics, slap 'em down, and then slice them up sideways and frontways until we re-attach them with other pieces of fabric...

...To make one big beautiful piece of fabric made of the many.

...beautiful pieces of fabric, with such juicy designs....then you draw and SLICE them up and reattach them. Kinda like making a really pretty, non scary Frankenstein. Kinda. Then you mess with colours and patterns and then reattach it all and make a beautiful piece of art that will keep you warm.

That's what I love about sewing. Gives me such a thrill to say "I made that."

Taking a giant piece, cutting it up, and then creating something entirely new.

 What is it about sewing that makes you tick?!

Super Awesome Fabric Store

Oh wow. Guys. 

There is this store. It's like, awesome.

Wow. It's so amazing I can't even barely type about it

Or, speak coherently apparently.

Jagjit Fabrics in Brampton. 

Wow. Just, wow.

It's amazing. It has everything. It's got every type of fabric you could possibly imagine. From plain shirting to fancy dress....every colour every imaginable pattern.

Oh, you need trim?? Shelves over 15 feet high dripping with trims, laces, sequins... you name it.

Silks, satins, fancy laces, sequin trims, velvets, yards and yards of cottons, voiles...oh man. I was overwhelmed.

Even has shoes, garlands of roses/flowers, jewelry and tons and tons of sparkle and sequins and bangles....I was in heaven.

Now I wasn't really supposed to take photos, I did ask and got a stern frown and a shake of the head from the Matron in charge. (There is no other way to describe the solid, slightly disapproving, hair scraped into a bun, old fashioned but beautiful sari wearing head mistress of the fabric section).

So these few photos are from their Facebook page.

But I highly recommend you visit; the prices are OUTSTANDING and it is totally worth the drive up here to visit this shop.

For regular quilting fabrics I recommend the Wax Printed bolts ....TEN dollars for SIX YARDS of fabric!!!!

Here's their address, just in case:

Jagjit Textile & Fabrics

99 Kennedy S Brampton, ON L6W 3G2

 

I have used the wax printed fabrics on many a quilt, and they wash & wear very well. I do prewash & dry, just in case but so far, no complaints!

 

 

what are you doing still reading?! Get in your car and go!!!!!

Spring (!!!) Cleaning

It started snowing overnight....yesterday it was plus 8!!

Today.... cold and it's snowed alllllll day.

So, THIS happened outside. It didn't stop until oh, 7pm.

SO, since I was snowed in, I decided to finally, FINALLY attack my Sewing Room of Doom.

Since I moved in back in May, I haven't really had time to git in here and go thru stuff. Like, the filing cabinet. And um, bins and bins of fabric.

I'm so embarrassed by how much of an explosion I created I couldn't even post photos. Nope. Nuh-uh.

When it's cleaner, hopefully this week, there shall be photos.

Holiday time....again?!?

Annnnd it's HOLIDAY time again!!!

Unbelievable how fast time moves.

What with the move and the new job; I simply haven't had time to sew. And also it doesn't help I haven't even really unpacked my sewing room....but I have found time to acquire new fabric...:D

Crappy pic; I used my puter cam. There's my arm!

I have been working on knitting some of those 'infinity' scarves for Christmas gifts; I've been using the Lion Brand Homespun Thick & Quick so I can get 4 or 5 finished before Christmas.
I'm adding in a skein of Patons' Sequin Lace to make it extra soft & sparkly; and if I have time might sew in some extra sparkly beads I have kicking around somewhere.







 Today also started my test baking. I test out new recipes or mess with my old ones; and I just like to try them out before I give them out. Heh. Today was peanut butter fudge...omg. Sugar rush!

I tried Sally's recipe and it is SO good. And SO easy you won't beleive it. I've tried so many of her recipes and haven't gone wrong ever! I've never met her but I love having her (in blog form lol) in my kitchen as we cook.

Oh dear....someone's been muching

Here's the link: Sally's Baking Addiction Blog.   I added Reese's Pieces to mine; so yummy!

That's all in my world...dishes are done, movie is on, kitty is purring....couch potato time!


***

WIPS:  New Christmas quilt to brighten up Mom's room at her home. It's pretty dull in there.

Top secret gift for someone who may (or may not) read this; and so, it shall remain a secret. But there will be one to keep and two to give.

Um...there's a few other WIPS that I haven't unpacked yet so....

Update & Happy Mardi Gras!!!!

Lots going on here at The Quilt Cave. Christmas was lovely, gifts exchanged and everyone enjoyed the Big Turkey Dinner. (That I nearly dropped on the floor, but that's another story a la Mr. Bean).

I haven't had much time for sewing, we are in the process of selling the house and so, must keep everything contained and neat and orderly. *Snort*

I do have a few WIPS (of course) and plenty of UFOS....

A new favourite full sized WIP

! I did finish a whole bunch of Bloomers however for the shop, to go along with the Custom designs, and  I think I will be adding more colours this summer...keep your eyes peeled!

Well y'all, as they say down in N'awlins.... Laissez les bons temps rouler!!

Someone has claimed this Sprocket pillow as his own.

A few pics for you on this blustery cold Feb Mardi Gras....

The BEST spelling mistake ever....read carefully...a little sewing humour

MY favourite couch blanket made with Moda and Bernat yarns, it's twin sized, took me almost a year. Ha. Perfect to snuggle under...

Sooo tired!

What a fun day!

The HBBA Show at the Timken Centre in St.Thomas was a happy day. I finished and displayed lots and lots of quilts, and met lots and lots of wonderful folks today! (And, re-met several people I hadn't seen in YEARS!) All in all, a great day. But I'm exhausted, and soon off to bed.

Today I heard a lot of people comment on how beautiful the quilts are, and how they wish they could find the time to quilt. I would smile and reply, Find the Time! It's so worth it. It really is. But...I also warned people...it's addictive! (It's not a hoard of fabric. It's a stash.Really. And I need it all.)  I love to quilt. Even when it's the most frustrating ... I love it. It's so peaceful, and I can focus on creating order out of chaos, one block at a time.:) So I say, Do it! Find the time, and face the challenge. You'll be so glad you did.

And if we were chatting today at my booth : YES I can do a Scooby-Doo quilt....YES I Can (hopefully) repair the quilts that I was asked about, but we'll have to see the state of affairs first....and  ..oh yes...I will be glad to make T-shirt memory quilts .....oh and to do the grunt work on the piecing together of the cut out blocks for the lady whose daughter is going away to school.

Some photos from today:

Adorable (if I do say so) Twin sized Sailboat Quilt

"Little Boats Should Keep Near Shore" a quote on the fabric by Benjamin Franklin

"Fairies in the Window" Lap/Toddler Quilt

Upclose view of the Fairies in the Window

Upclose view of the Fairies in the Window

Twin Sized Checkerboard Quilt

Vintage Look scrappy Baby Quilt

Superhero Baby Quilt!

Ooh La La Baby Quilt

"A Walk in The Woods" Lap sized Stepping Stones quilt

Have a great night, and enjoy Sunday!

Best,
Shannyn