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???

News!

It's official!

I have a website!

http://limeybirds.wix.com/wonderbunniedesigns

Just for now until I find a proper hosting service, any feedback would be appreciated!

You can also find my Twitter feed, Instagram and Facebook!

(We are *so* hip and cool now.)

By the way... NEW Machine!

For Christmas, I received the most wonderful gift ever.....

My new beautiful Janome QDC4030!!!!

I had my old Brother machine for 12 years; the same machine sewed every curtain, every quilt, every costume for every show I've been in or costumed for the last 12 years. And that's a lot. And never a problem, it was a midlevel machine and did everything I asked it to....but alas, the quiltmaking was starting to prove too much. Tension was never right, no matter what, thread breaking, rough edges on the bobbin case, you name it. Wobbly seams, the works.

The End came when I was frantically sewing the final touches on Adult size Onesie Superhero Jammies (yep, Christmas gift, from the KWIK Sew pattern and they're supercute) and my Brother ATE the elastic fabric. Yep. Ate it. Right down thru the feed dogs past the point of no return. And....yep, you guessed it...the Tantrum commenced. With the yelling and the screaming and the throwing of the thread....and of COURSE that was the moment J decided to arrive home...aaaaand witnessed the Horrible Tantrum In Progress.

And that was that. Tears were dried, boots were put on, and off we went to the local mall. I thought, to distract me from the events. Nope. Went to the Singer store.....and ... there She was.

I absolutely LOVE her....she's not named yet...but My Precious keeps coming to mind...(not in a creepy way)!

I love her though, did I mention that??? Great stitch functions, ALL the feet I will ever need ( oh yeah...1/4 inch, walking, open toe, you name it) auto needle up/down, the COOLEST thing where i can UNPLUG the electric pedal and go foot free with the easy start/stop button, that's so neat. I love it.  Best of all, it sews a straight line. LAUGH.

I've got a few projects in progress, more later. I teach tonite, this semester we're taking on some SHAKESPEARE and gulp, SWORDFIGHTING!!!! Aiee. Fun though!