Fabric Fast Update

Almost there! At the end of June I can resume my wanton ways and purchase fabric. With one instagram exception I have bought no fabric.
I have turned away from the lure of emails, blogs, twitter and instagram announcements of new fabric lines and sales, and it has not been easy. How have I done it?
1. I’ve been busy

Yes, our Florida home has sold. We are moving to North Carolina in mid-July. It has cut into my sewing time to make sure the house is always clean and tidy, not to mention getting my studio ready for the move.
2. I’ve made some scrap quilts

This one measures 54” X 72” and will be made for a hospice resident through our church’s Wrapped in Love program.
3. I've organized my fabrics
Nothing like a visit from Pattiwagon to jump start action and creativity

Getting my fabrics out of bins and organizing them by color was immensely helpful in showing me my fabric collection. As I was sorting all kinds of creative ideas entered my mind on the things I would like to do with my stash. I bought the largest magazine backer boards available and used over 200 of them. Here is a tutorial on using them. I purchased the magazine backer boards from a local comic shop. The magazine boards are slightly larger than the comic boards. When we move, I’ll put my fabrics in a closet to keep them protected from sunlight, but my current closet shelves are wire which will not do for upright storage.
I’ve got a plan for my fat quarters, but right now they are neatly folded in plastic bins.

4. I've tamed my craving by pinning fabrics I wanted to buy
I established a Pinterest board for pinning photos of all those yummy fabrics as they were introduced. In some ways it satisfied the need to purchase.

I may keep going with a modified fast, the rules of which I have yet to establish. I am almost out of Kona Snow, my go to background fabric. I need some Art Gallery squared elements for binding a pair of twin quilts, and some Kona Kumquat. That’s about it. I think I can live off my stash for awhile. Except…I must have some Charley Harper prints for baby quilts and I’m enchanted with Kati’s fox quilt.
 
Later

Fabric Fast Final Exam

A few months ago I finished a pair of twin quilts using lots of my V. and Co., Kate Spain and other stash fabrics.

They have been languishing in my closet waiting for backs. why you ask? It’s my fabric fast. I would have liked to purchase 6-8 yards of the same fabric and be done with it, but I have this huge stash of small yardage. I had selected some of that yardage, but never could get inspired to make it work. I also wanted to use some of the orphan blocks from my Vintage Modern Quiltalong fail, but how? The task seemed overwhelming.

Enter Patti Wagon:

Much designing was done on paper

and on the design wall

I did not have enough fabric to make them identical, but PattiWagon and I are both pleased with the two unique pieced backs.

Some day I’ll get them basted and quilted, but for now I’m happy that they are ready to go.

Later…

Sewing with Salina

Salina came for a couple of sewing sessions last week. She has just finished the 7th grade and is a very enthusiastic sewist. Last year she made pillows, PJ’s and a backpack. This year she wanted to tackle a quilted tote bag.

She selected a pattern from a Quilts and More Magazine. I helped her adapt the measurements to make the bag smaller than the original design and she selected her fabrics.

Then the sewing started

She added an interior pocket in the bag lining.  She decided that she wanted to quilt her tote in a grid pattern. I had some fusible fleece and she marked and followed the lines. She’s such a good straight stitcher!

She is well on her way to becoming a very accomplished accomplished sewist. She did a great job. Yay Salina!

for some other Salina projects

pants and cat pillow

backpack