Sunday 10 August 2014

Sunday ... stashing?

At the end of last year I signed up to Fabriholics Anonymous, pledging to fast from purchasing fabric for at least 6, if not 12 months. To be honest, I've found it pretty easy. I am a tenacious sort, and once I commit to something I generally see it through. Plus I have really so much fabric, and so many WIPS and WNQIPs (works not quite in progress) on my sewing to do list that I have been really quite well occupied. Especially as my sweet family gives me ever smaller amounts of time to sew!! I did purchase some fabric back in May, this pile of synthetic, ummm, delightfulness



to make this for my eldest girl:


I consider this fast unbroken. I couldn't very well piece her a Frozen costume from FQs of quilting cotton, could I? And to make no costume would have been to fail somewhat as a mother. So that has been the sum total of my fabric purchasing for 2014, 8 long months without buying fabric.

This is my stash today:



Looking pretty healthy still, right? And messy too, yes!

But on Saturday I went to Festival of Quilts. Oh, the torture of planning this trip. I couldn't decide whether to just sack off the fabric fast and dive headfirst into all the fabric with my husband's credit card or whether to, you know, show more restraint. Regardless of purchases I had a truly lovely day as I knew I would. I travelled with my good friend Natalie and also met up with numerous internet quilty friends. Some familiar faces and some new ones too. Way too many to name, but all just as lovely in real life as I knew they would be. It was a real pleasure to affirm how involved in this wonderful community I have become over the last 12 months and how many great friends I have made. One day wasn't enough. I wanted to chat, and hang out so much more. And shop more. And look properly at all the quilts on display, our quick whizz round didn't really do them justice. Next year, 2 days, perhaps? 


But I'm posting on Sunday Stashing so I must have bought something, right? Here we are. First, the freebies.


We queued for quite a while for some Warm and Natural batting which turned out to be disappointingly polyester. Some you win eh? And I think I did with this sweet brooch kit from the Love Patchwork and Quilting Stand. Looking forward to making this up with my big girl later this week. 

Next, the notions. My notion buying has gone a bit wild this year in the absence of fabric purchases and yesterday was no exception.


Some Clover hand sewing needles and a thimble from the irresistibly named Hannah's Room. Regular readers will know that hand sewing isn't my favourite (finishing binding excepted, of course) and I hope that having some proper tools for the job will help. Some Aurifil thread and new Aurifloss from the lovely ladies at Pin It and Stitch. Then a super mini cunning Seamfix seam ripper and quite a lot of my new favourite needle as recommended by Lynne. Enough to last me some time I hope ...


Edited to add - spray baste!! How could I forget, I love this stuff! As you can see ...



What's that? Fabric? Did I buy fabric? Did I break my fabric fast? No. Well, yes. But no. I bought this:


Which is backing and background for some *secret sewing* that I have underway this month. Both permitted under the Fabric Fast rules you see and so that's my fast unbroken.

I feel smug, yes, but also a tiny bit dissatisfied. I passed over some real bargains yesterday folks, like Pearl Bracelets for £7 a metre. But I didn't need them, so it was the right choice.

Though I am still agonising over Cotton and Steel basics. 




Justine and Lisa only had one of these bundles left yesterday. I wonder if they sold it .....

I bet they did.

Linking up for the  first time ever. 

Molli Sparkles

9 comments:

  1. Gorgeous costume and you've done really well not breaking the fast!! I've kind of changed my mind about poly and actually the soft and bright is nice and thin and is really good for both machine and hand quilting so you should give it a chance :)

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  2. It sounds like you had a great time at the festival of quilts. I have to say though that if you didn't want polyester wadding, you didn't have to take it just because it was free. I have used and loved soft and bright wadding for a while now, so give it a chance, you may find you like it better than cotton.

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    1. Well no, of course not ... I did ponder giving it back or passing it on but I decided to hold onto it and give it a try. I've only ever used cotton wadding so this will be a first for me. But that's 2 recvommendations for it now so sounds like I made the right choice! You are a no reply blogger BTW so I can't respond to you by email :-)

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    2. That sounded catty didn't it? I didn't mean it to, sorry. Like you said, a freebie is a great way to try out something new. I'd be interested to see what you think to it compared to cotton wadding, as I'm the opposite to you and have only ever used poly. Sorry again, Jen.
      jen dot barnard at btinternet dot com (Thanks for telling me about that too!)

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  3. Oh it was lovely to meet you too! We must do it again, more planning next time! Thanks for sharing a picture of your stash I was wondering just how big it was when you talked about it yesterday, I think mine is bigger but I'm not sure that is a good thing!

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  4. oh my goodness! How responsible of you but I will sing the song to buy some new fabric. It's so stimulating to your creativity! I love the needles, Superior titanium machine needles are my new faves. LeeAnna at not afraid of color!

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  5. Very jealous that you got to go. I had to live vicariously through everyones's pictures on IG, but it would the weather was forecast to be bad, so I decided I didn't fancy the drive on my own. Of course, it was pretty nice all day yesterday - typical!! Well done for not bending to the C&S bundle, I can see your halo from here ;) xxx

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  6. I am hoping to teach workshops at Hannah's Room soon :) I bought way too much fabric and forgot the basting spray!!! Trade? ;)

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  7. It was lovely to meet you (and Natalie ) on Saturday, I can't believe how restrained you were! I might have gone and bought some AGF from Abakan - thanks for the tip :0)

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