Fabric Friday - An Ocean of Fabric

I feel kinda bad that all I've been posting here lately is long ago fabric purchases. The reality is I haven't been sewing much the past few months since I found out I was pregnant and have been experiencing some severe morning sickness. However I'm very slowly starting to feel better and can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things in the next month or so. I've set myself some goals and larger projects to finish up by the holidays so here's hoping I can get them done! I also have a few basic tutorials I've promised people I'd make and I'd like to get to those sometime in the next few weeks. Keep your eyes peeled! In the meantime, yes there's more fabric I can share.

My poor sister's quilt I started over a year ago and just can't seem to get done is languishing in my sewing room. Instead of torturing myself looking at all the quilting left to do on it I thought I'd just make her another whole top (yes that's easier!) and let her take it to a long armer to have the quilting done since my poor little machine struggles with shoving a queen size quilt through the neck. So Kiki's quilt - take 2!

Fabric Friday: Christmas in July

So yeah, back in July, while out at the Sister's Quilt Show, I was thinking about Christmas. I've always wanted to make a Christmas quilt but could never really come up with a pattern that spoke to me. However because of all the beautiful quilts there I was struck with inspiration and now have a "master plan" in mind! So of course I now need to start collecting Christmas themed fabric. Here are the first three FQ's. Not very exciting yet but hey - it's a start! I don't think I'll get it done by this Christmas but maybe the next one... that's goal anyway. Not only will there be much machine sewing for this quilt but also a lot of handwork too that I just don't think I can finish up in a few short months.

Fabric Friday: Someday, a Fall Quilt

I actually do have a project in mind for this fabric.... I haven't started it yet as I'd like to have some templates made for the pieces that need to be cut out. I think it'll go much smoother with templates since the pattern is somewhat complex and involves Y-Seams, curves and a lots of odd angles. It should be a stunner when and if I can get it done. Hopefully with Snooky in school most days now I'll be able to devote the time to this project that it'll require. Originally the pattern suggests using solids but I adore pattern and just can't quite bring myself to work with solids. So I tried to get as tone-on-tone as I could. If I'm successful with this quilt top I might try to enter it into the Sister's Quilt show next year. That's my plan... oh, to have it quilt by check. ;^)

Fabric Friday: This One's for the Birds

The above fabric was a little bit of everything that caught my eye while shop hopping on my now long ago trip to Sisters at the beginning of July. I had bought some of the golden yellow fabric previously, used it in all sorts of things feeling it to be the "perfect" yellow, and ran out. So when I found this little FQ of course it had to be mine! I've also been resisting buying Fandango for ages now... I'm not sure why. I love that line and finally gave in allowing myself a few FQ's which I have no idea what I'll do with. The other FQ's were sweet and also hopped in my basket, again without much rhyme or reason. I hope I can find a use for them. The half yard cuts (rolled up on the right) I sort of thought I could use to make a small quilt lap quilt for Snooky with or maybe a dress but again, while I love the line, I don't have a project in mind.

Below was a mug from The Stitchin' Post in Sisters. It shows a close up section from this years annual poster for the Sister's Outdoor Quilt Show. I just love the sweet little bird and the bright fun colors!

Fabric Friday: Gettin' Dressed

Another fabric purchase from my Sister's quilt retreat in July. I've been making my daughter little slip-over-the-head dresses for summer. I saw the sweet little brown and pink fabric with the birds on it and immediately thought of Snooky's dresses. She'd look adorable. I paired it with some white/pink and solid pink I had in my stash, which I thought would make a cute lining and pocket fabric. My only thought is, I might have to get a new pattern and make this in the next size up, since she's already outgrowing the one's I made this summer. (Which means I hope I have enough fabric!) That way if I do get around to making it after the weather cools off, she'll at least be able to wear it next summer too.

Fabric Friday: A Love of Aprons but Not Dirty Dishes

I really do love aprons and couldn't help buy by some fabric and a pattern while on my trip out to Sister's in July.  Charissa found the adorable 30's retro fabric on super-sale at a quilt shop in Bend.  There were only a few yards left on the bolt, and to make it even cheaper we split the difference and "killed" the bolt.  I found the pattern at The Stichin' Post in Sisters.  It's reversible and adorable.  I got the fabric on the left at the SP too.  I'm hoping to make these up sometime in the fall, just in time for all the holiday baking and cooking that goes on around here.

Fabric Friday: It's so Mom

During my trip out to Sisters I *might* have spent a little bit of $$ on fabric.  One of the first fabric stores we stopped at I saw this fabric line, <i>Collections for a Cause - Hope by Howard Marcus for Moda</i>.  I can't remember ever seeing a fabric line that screamed my Mother quite so much.  I thought I'd pick up at least a charm pack to make her something small like a table runner with a little extra to finish up the project.  I tried to wing the pattern design in my head and so far managed to buy just the right amount of everything.  I might even have enough left over to make her a tote bag with the scraps.

I'm enjoying working with fabric that's a bit out of my norm. Also I showed the fabric to my Mom and predictably, she LURVED it.

Fabric Friday - And HOW!

Remember way back on Monday when I'd mentioned that I'd won a bit of fabric? Yeah, well, Lisa Marie of That Crazy Quilty Girl wasn't kiddin around! HOLY COW PEOPLE! WouldYaLookAtThat?! Cause that my friends, is a crap load of fabric. Yess'em it surely is.



There's at least five yards of Riley Blake's fabric line, Sugar and Spice in FQ's in there. PLUS, it seems Lisa Marie had extra room in the shipping box she couldn't bare let see go to waste, so she added in a ton more stuff? Yes, yes she did. Nice! She added in some Riley Blake Designs (Summer Song) and some Hoodie's Collection and a wee bit of mish mash. So super awesome. It's all fun and summery and happy and just well, is sunshine in a box.

Of course now, it begs the question, which pattern shall I choose for all this fabric?! I think it would be really adorable to make Monica Solorio-Snow's (of HappyZombie fame) LAWN CHAIR QUILT with the Sugar and Spice. Fitting too since that's SO Monica's colors.

Or I could be adventurous and go with Lisa Marie's quilt along.


Oh decisions, decisions! At any rate, pretty freakin' awesome to win. THANK YOU SO MUCH LISA!

Fabric Friday - Flannel Back

I picked up this flannel backing fabric to go with this top I made a while back.



I'm not sure that it does though. I'm going to have to reevaluate what I want to do. I really like flannel for the back of quilts but can't always find a good match up. I think in future I should take the top with me to the store when picking out backing fabric instead of just winging it and trying to remember off the top of my head if it's a good match or not.

Fabric Friday - Sherbet Pips, a bit more

So a few Fridays ago I showed some Sherbet Pips layer cakes I'd picked up. Yay Sherbet Pips! Then I was thinking it was awesome that I had the layer cakes but happens when I finally get around to making a top and want matching border fabric and or binding? So I might have had to go out and buy a bit more. I'd hate for the quilt top to be somehow incomplete. I love the idea of using the scarf fabric as the binding.

Fabric Friday - What's Old is New Again

I like to participate in the women's craft group at our church. One of their on-going projects is Little Dresses for Africa. The main pattern they use is based on pillow cases. I don't have access to a lot of pillow cases but it seems I have a lot of extra yardage that people have given me that would be perfect for little dresses (see folded bits below). Also a craft supply recycle place near my house, SCRAP! is an excellent source for inexpensive fabric (see the rolled up bits). I'm hoping to try and make a dress a month. I know it's not much but it's something.



I made one already and my daughter LURVES it and won't take it off so I might have to make these late at night so she never sees them, otherwise I'll have to fend her off with a big stick. ;^)

Fabric Friday - Color Pallet

I bought a fat quarter of this fabric not necessarily because I love it but I just thought the pallet was so interesting and rather uncommon. I've been thinking about making a quilt in all solid fabrics but can't quite decide the best colors to use. I have a pattern I rather like and it would translate nicely with solids but in order to make it striking I want something appealing but unexpected... maybe like this then?

Fabric Friday - Tiki Mugs

I dunno why I find these two fabrics so appealing. Perhaps it is the retro colors and tiki flavor? I think I should make an apron out of them... they might be too busy together but at least the mug fabric must be turned into something that can go in my kitchen. Any ideas?!

Fabric Friday - Sherbet Pips

I'm not usually one to run out and buy yardage of a whole line of fabric. I enjoy the one-offs and the challenge of making very different fabrics work together. However I'm starting to change my mind about that a little. When the Mendocino line came out I just loved it. But I didn't buy any thinking I could just pick some up later. Well, later never happened. It was so popular that it sold out and those people who snatched it up early were able to resell it for as much as $40/yd. I like it but I'm not that rich. Luckily I had a very generous friend who was willing to part with a small amount to satisfy my need for this fabric. I'll be sure to share more of that in a future post.

All that to say, I love the Sherbet Pip's line too. I don't think it'll go quite as fast as Mendocino but why take the chance? I don't have a pattern planned out to use with this fabric yet but that's okay. For now just knowing I have two layer-cakes tucked safely way for future is good enough. It reminds me of peppermint and winter and will someday probably be as close to a Christmas quilt as I'll get. It's just good and wintery and lovely.

Fabric Fridays

A few more for the Mossy Patio quilt...

Fabric Friday

I *might* have spent a wee bit of mad money on fabric last night. ^^

Fabric Friday

Remember when my friend Kristel sent me some lovely limey greens for my pending patio quilt? Well in the same package she also sent me some Heather Ross "Mendocino". This is incredibly generous of her! I tried to buy some of this fabric after the fact and it has become very coveted and rather over priced (IMHO). So WOW! I feel very special that she chose me to share a bit of this little treasure with. I also now feel a great deal of pressure to make the coolest thing evar with it! lol I'll have to find some worthy project to put it toward. If anyone has any pattern ideas please let me know, I could use the help... though I do have a vague notion bubbling in the back of my brain. The Mendocino amounts are pretty small so I'll have to be extra creative.



The other thing she sneakily snuck into her package was a covered note book. It's adorable!


I may put this little cutie to work when I pay my bills. I have a little note pad I keep track of spending in, and the one I'm currently using expires in August so this may step up and take it's place. I always need a little bit of HAPPY when paying bills and what better to fix that then pretty fabric that came from a friend?

Last week you may remember me talking about giving up fabric shopping. Laurie over at Dodging the Butterfly asked a couple of great questions in regards to that,

I am curious to know how 2009 went? Is this something you do every other year?

I started to answer her in the comments but realized that I was *rambling* and I thought for anyone else that might be interested I'd answer here.

I quit my day job and became a SAHM in mid 2008. Naturally we went from two paychecks to one. As we adjusted to a new income bracket lots of things that we took for granted were cut. Fancy cable? Out! Eating at restaurants? Out! Excessive fabric shopping? Out! This was probably the first time in my life I'd ever made a conscious effort to not buy fabric. The truth is, if we could have continued to afford it, I never would've given it up. Heh. But as it turns out that was not the case.

At first it took some getting used to. I'd still try to sneak in a FQ or two every trip to the fabric store (when buying other supplies like thread) but after a few times doing that I realized I was "robbing" our grocery fund to realistically have fabric just sit in a bin in my sewing room because I thought it was pretty. It was easier to give up then.

I do have my exception rules: it's okay to buy a FQ or two if we take a day trip out to the beach (which doesn't happen but a couple of times of year at most) or if some other special occasion presents itself, like going out to the Sister's Quilt Show.

It was good to embrace the heart of quilting again, which is use what you have. Yeah, it'd be nice to buy all contemporary fabrics in the same line that are color coordinated and aesthetically appealing but where's the challenge in that? ;^) One of my most favorite quilts I've made to date came out of this thrifty decision. Forced to use only what I had - and a lot of it didn't (and still doesn't) really "go together" I had to get creative in how to use the fabrics to make a cohesive aesthetic. Enter, my Colorworks Quilt.


I only strayed once or twice in 2009 and then after New Year in 2010 with my "resolution" over, I kinda allowed myself a little freedom. Apparently given an inch I'll take a yard mile! By the end of 2010 I was spending more then I should have and was having a hard time reeling back. While a little better off financially due to raises and payed off bills, etc. I was still straining our budget. (Wow - that makes it sounds like I was spending a lot more then I actually was - lol) I'd also bought enough fabric to make more quilts then I'll get around to in the next year so it was easy to say in 2011 I needed to go back to not buying fabric.

In case you haven't checked out my Nu's tab I've got enough to keep me busy for the next five years at least... not to mention my WIP's and UFO's... okay ten years. I really don't need any more fabric. I think it's time to just enjoy the quilting process.

Honestly though, I wonder if that's possible without a little bit of fabric shopping thrown in? lol Maybe I'll keep up my abstinence till I go back to work though and just try to take more vacations. ;^)

Fabric Friday

I was thinking that my fabric Fridays were going to be pretty sparse this year considering I've decided to give up fabric shopping.* But? So far so good! I still have things to share with you. I'd like to say THANK YOU! to Kristel for donating a wee bit of lovely green fabric toward my Oregon Patio quilt. She is such a dear! I'd been hoping to get some of these patterns but this line sold out quickly around here. How sweet that she offered to send enough to make a few "tiles" each for the patio? They'll go perfectly. Yay!



She also sent me a wee bit more fabric (Oh my generous friend!) but I'll save that for next week. It'll be a nice thing to share with you next Friday. Plus the suspense might be fun, yes?

*I've decided to get back on the "no new fabrics" wagon this year. (I gave up fabric shopping in 2009 too) Meaning that I'm not allowed to make trips to the fabric store to buy random beautifully patterned fabrics just because I like them. Oh no. I am however, allowed to buy fabric that will complete a project. For example buying backing fabric. Really that's about it. Maybe binding fabric if I really have nothing in my stash. I'm also allowed notions as needed, needles, thread, etc.

My one other exception to this rule is vacation fabric. Heh. So if I'm on vacation (unlikely since we're a bit broke) and go into a fabric store I'm allowed a fat quarter or two. When in Sister's this summer for the quilt show (my one guaranteed vacation) I'll also let myself get some fabric... probably more then a FQ though, since it'll be all about the quilting that weekend. Yes I'm excited already. ^^ I'll try not to break the bank.

Fabric Friday

Sometimes it's not about the fabric you get but the fabric you let go of...

Fabric Friday

Still collecting for the Patio quilt... I think maybe another yard or less in FQ's or thirds of the green and I'll be done... then I've really got to cut myself off this year from fabric shopping. I spent way too much last year on fabric. I need to go back on my fabric diet! Of course there are exceptions, such as backing and batting and thread and such... can't run out of supplies but whoo-hee, I don't really need any new fabric.