Partial Success, plus a lot more!

My experiment with a wavy (pinking) blade in the rotary cutter was a partial success - enough so that I'll continue with the process in the future.  I was thrilled to pull a bunch of fabric from the washer to find there were no knotted-together fabrics and no fabrics tangled together with strings.  There were still strings that needed to be trimmed, but not nearly as many as before.  This took much less time than stitching all the edges would take, that's for sure.  The wavy blade has lost its "new" sharpness after cutting so many edges; I hoped it would last longer for the price.  It is still sharp enough to trim the edges of applique blocks to prevent them from fraying during stitching - I don't know why I didn't think of this before!

These next pictures are a bit scary looking - especially considering I've stated numerous times that I'm putting myself in the "no buying mode".  I've come to realize that I'll never be able to stick to that mode unless I cut up all my credit cards, delete my PayPal account and put all the family accounting into Fred's hands.  Which would quickly lead to my insanity and a financial mess (my husband is a darling in many ways, but he isn't organized enough to manage finances, in spite of being a retired math teacher).

These are this year's purchases sorted by color, waiting to be prewashed.  I was on a roll, and then hot weather hit again.  We've been in the high 80's and low 90's - setting temperature records for September - which means I'd be standing in a sauna if I tried ironing slightly damp fabrics in my sewing room.  So these piles are waiting for cooler weather before being washed.

 

The reality is that most of these fabrics are filling the color "gaps" in my stash.  There are many blacks, purples, yellows, madder reds and oranges, and a few grays.   There is space on my shelves for most of them - thank goodness!  A few are for a specific quilt I will make in the future - I had to get these particular picture prints while they were still available.  Yes, I bought some of them just because I wanted them.  This last category is the one where I'm working to curb my buying.  So here is the better pledge for me.

I hereby place myself on a Fabric Diet.  I will make only healthy fabric purchases.  This includes batiks as my collection is very small and I will use them in most future applique projects.  This also includes necessary fabric bought for a current project.  The only exceptions are the monthly block of the month kits for programs I've already subscribed to.  I will not allow myself to subscribe to any more BOM's until I've completed tops from all those I'm already getting.

I believe this is a pledge I'll be able to keep.  It will allow me to do some fabric shopping when I feel the urge, but will restrain me from buying fabric I really don't need and have no room to store.

Speaking of storing fabrics - I found a solution to storing my 30's and 40's collection that won't fit on the shelves.  I was in Tuesday Morning - a store I rarely enter - for something else and saw these baskets.  Right away I knew they would be perfect for storing these fabrics, making them so much more accessible.  I transferred the fabric into them as soon as I got home, and they are PERFECT!  There is just enough room left for the 30's and 40's fabrics - color gap fillers - waiting to be prewashed.  These baskets sit on the floor in front of fabric cabinets, and are easy to move when I want to get into the cabinets.  Much better than having these hidden away in the closet!

  

I'm spending a lot of time on quilty activities, but they are the kind that result in nothing much to show or talk about - besides trimming fabric edges and washing fabrics, I've been making templates for the Baltimore Autumn quilt.  I've completed 7 blocks, with 5 more to go, not including the large center block.  During this process I decided to order the applique techniques DVD made by Pearl Pereira (the designer of Baltimore Autumn) to see how she handles the very tiny pieces in her applique patterns.    

I found the DVD very helpful in that it presented a few new techniques I've not ever seen before.  I'm very eager to try them out.  Interestingly enough, she doesn't use an overlay to place her pieces while constructing the block.  Instead she uses washable glue to attach her pieces together, and builds the block on top of the pattern.  Finished large units of applique are then placed on the background with the pattern underneath the fabric and using a light box when needed.  So I've stopped creating overlays for these blocks, and will try both methods to see which I like the best.  As the quilt progresses, I'll tell you my of my experiences with both methods, and decide which I like the best.  She prepares her pieces using her templates the way I've been doing the last couple years, but uses starch instead of water.  It is different from the starch method I tried years ago and decided I didn't like.  This will be a great learning and discovery process.  (In case you are wondering about the large tissue box - I use these for my "garbage container".  Very handy, and a good "repurposing" of the empty box.)

Prize winners - nope, I've not gotten to the post office yet.  When hot weather hits I stay inside as much as possible trying to stay cool.  I promise you all they will be in the mail by the end of this week.

We are home . . . and glad to be here.

We had a great trip, but we are glad to be home.  We got here about 1:15 this afternoon.  (And my email problems are solved now that I'm not trying to send them out over hotel wi-fi connections.)  We covered 2510 miles in 10 days.  The last two days I got to visit a few quilt shops, but before that we were too busy doing other things.  I like to stop at quilt shops when travelling because I believe in supporting the owners in their labor of love.  Where would be be without them?

Here are my purchases from the trip - except the fabric I can't show because it is for gifts rather than quilts.  Most is French General by Moda.  This is a designer that came on the scene while I was knitting and spinning, so I'm just discovering her wonderful fabrics.  They are definitely my colors and style!  I have a small amount of yardage - two large prints and three background prints.  I have two jelly rolls and four charm packs.  That is plenty for a souvenir quilt.

I would dearly love some suggestions as to the pattern I should use for this quilt.  I have so many books, magazines and patterns there are too many to choose from.  I like complex piecing, and I also like simple piecing.  I'd like this to be pieced so I can sew it quickly, but a little applique would be OK.

Please tell me what pattern you would use if you brought these fabrics home.

And yes, a few other things just happened to sneak in.  A beautiful large print by Jo Morton that I've never seen, and needed to add to my Jo Morton stash.  A book I found intriguing.  Some dish towels and iron-on designs, as I also love to embroider.  A jelly roll - Indigo Crossing by Minick and Simpson - that I really don't need.  It jumped into my bag all on its own - it must have!  Surely I wouldn't cheat on my no-buy pledge!  (Crossing my fingers behind my back.)

I also found quite a few things waiting for me when I got home.  Did I mention how much I love books?  And that quilt history books are NOT part of my no buy pledge?  What did you say? 

You think you see a couple books that don't qualify?  I didn't hide them well enough, did I.  What can I say - I love books.  And since I gave almost 300 quilting books to the local library last year - most of which were in like-new condition, I figured I could toss in 3 or 4 that technically are cheating.  I promise - I won't do this very often at all.

I'm closing with a picture of today's lunch - my last hurrah.  Tomorrow I go back on Weight Watchers, starting with a weigh-in first thing tomorrow morning.  I'm afraid it isn't going to be pretty.

Our last stop on the Pacific coast was Tillamook, Oregon - home of the famous Tillamook Cheese factory.  We wanted ice cream - and boy, did I have ice cream!  We've been there several times before, including taking the fascinating tour to watch cheese being made.  Today we just had ice cream - we were too tired to do anything else.

It feels so good to be back in my sewing room.  Tomorrow I might even get to sew something!

Multiple hobbies or can I spread myself this much?

I've always been monogamous when it comes to hobbies.  One at a time for me - that's how my brain works.  It has worked that way for almost 60 years.  I fall in love with something, and that's it - I don't want to do anything else.  There is only one problem with this - my other tendency.

No matter what hobby I'm doing I always go overboard.  Somewhere in the distant past I must have been fearful of running out of something in the middle of a project.  Totally silly - but that's me.  Those of you who have been reading my blog for some time know I have a SABLE fabric stash.  Well, that's not my only SABLE stash.  I have one for each hobby I've enjoyed.

When I did embroidery and then cross stitch, I saved my money and bought at least one hank of every DMC embroidery thread color made at the time.  I also have a spool of every existing DMC machine embroidery thread color for hand and machine applique.  I have a large box full of Aida cloth just waiting for cross stitching, as well as a two foot stack of cross stitch books and patterns.  I have several tubs of fabric in the attic from when I sewed all of our clothes.


Well, here's what I've accumulated since 2010, while I've been spinning and knitting:

My SABLE fiber stash, including dyed top and roving as well as 30 or so sheep and alpaca fleeces.

Sock yarn

More yarn where my plaid collection used to be.

Bins, drawers and baskets full of yarn.

Looking into the "Black Hole of Calcutta" that is my closet under the stairs.  Yarn in drawers and four huge bins (which you can't really see) of fabric - all my felted wool, my 30's fabric and all my plaids.  This isn't good - I need to get my plaids back on the shelves as I want to use them now.

More yarn, including a bin of my handspun.  I've spun a lot of yarn, but have knit very little of it.

My organized scrap collection - you may remember all those drawers and boxes of strips, squares, logs, and strings -  is gone.  I gave it to a charity group.  I decided I'd never use all my fabric if I stayed focused on scraps.  Something had to go to make room for the new!  You can see the bathroom upstairs is almost completely given over to fleece and fiber storage.

Yes, I know - I must live several lifetimes to use all of this.  Which is why I can no longer focus on one hobby at a time.  I must keep spinning and knitting as well as quilting.  This is a small house and we are almost overrun by my accumulating.

So now I publicly state the following:

I pledge to buy no more fabric or fiber items of any kind, other than what might be necessary to finish a current project.

No more fabric!

No more yarn!

No more fiber!

No more fleeces!

No more pattern books unless I'm going to make something from them immediately!

No more fiber magazines!

I must do this.  And I must try to split my time between all three hobbies.  I must change my almost 60 year old patterns of behavior.  

I can do this - I will do this - I must do this!

Now back to working on my quilts in progress, my current spinning projects (one on each wheel!) and my 14 unfinished knitting projects.  Stay tuned . . . .

Thank you Hanne!

I love the fabric diet badge I've added to my sidebar. That describes just what I want to do - control my buying just like i hope to control my eating! Doesn't mean no fabric at all - after all, I'm not starving myself. It means using good judgement when I shop or eat! Curb the impulses, stick to what's healthy for both my body and my stash, and focus on eating or buying what I really need - not want!

No buy

I did it! I didn't buy any fabric in January! Hooray! I'm determined to do the same in February!

Has anyone placed Kim's February "no-buy" badge on their blog? I've been trying for over 20 minutes with no success as you can see. Every time I save the "revised" HTML blogger changes it by adding extra quotation marks, an extra > and an extra forward slash. I'm sure it's not Kim's code - she certainly knows what she is doing. I think it's Blogger. I can't try any more now because I need to get ready for work.

I'd like to know whether anyone else is having the same trouble I am, or whether they've been able to place it successfully. Please let me know one way or the other. I really hate being "badge-less". Update: I guess Blogger was having problems this morning. It finally decided to accept the HTML without changing it - Hooray! I'm no longer "badgeless"!

Have a super day everyone!

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Gratitudes:
1. We're on the downside of the work week
2. The huge orange moon hanging over the western horizon yesterday
3. Tiny snowdrops blooming by the front walk
4. Online tax payment for my business
5. My new glasses for computer and hand work

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I too am declaring war!

Judy has declared war on her stash. She's also declared a monthly stashbusting challenge. I love the general idea, but just as Nancy did, I am modifying it for myself. My struggles are different from theirs, so I need a different plan of attack

I declare this war to be of six months duration, at which time I will reassess the situation and create new battle plans.

(1) I will NOT pull fabric from my shelves for a new project (Joseph Logan's baby quilt being the exception). Any new quilt I start in the next 6 months will be from either my scrap boxes, bins, drawers, etc. or my HSY's list. No more pulling 60 to 80 or more fabrics off my shelf, carefully cutting two or three squares or triangles or strips from them, then refolding them and putting them back on the shelf.

(2) For every new scrap or HSY quilt that I start I must either quilt, bind and label two flimsies or take two UFO's from their current status to completion.

(3) I have unsubscribed to all quilt shop email lists. I have tossed my Keepsake Quilting and Connecting Threads catalog in the recycle bin without opening them.

(4) I will NOT go to the Superbowl Sale at my favorite quilt shops!

As you can see my focus is still on my UFT's, flimsies, and HSY's, with the addition of using up scraps. I love to use the fabric from my stash, and never have trouble cutting into a piece so I'm not worrying about that. I'm not prepared to forbid myself to start new projects, so I'm counting on this compromise working. I can start new projects - they just must be HSY's or something from my scrap bins.

I did it - happy dancing now . . .

There was a method to my madness, actually. I went to Fabric Depot on my lunch hour because I knew that I'd have only 15-20 minutes total inside the store as the rest of the hour would be spent driving to and from. (Though I have been known to get into a lot of trouble in less time than that in a quilt shop.) I went in the door I knew was closest to the irons and farthest away from the fabric. After I grabbed a tag for the iron I wanted and waited at the wholesale window while they retrieved it from the back for me, I headed to the quilting notions and picked up the little Creative Grid rulers I needed. I was feeling pretty strong, so I cruised through the aisles of quilting books. Nothing jumped out and grabbed me - so far so good. So I cruised down the store to the quilting fabrics and took a quick turn in the center aisle. I knew that was safe as all the tables I could see were full of fabulously beautiful Bali batiks - something I never use in my quilts any more. By then my time was up so I headed to check out, paid for my iron and rulers, and returned to the parking lot. Hooray - I passed my first big challenge!

I know a lot of people have had trouble with Rowenta irons, but I've had nothing but good luck with them. My last one lasted well over 10 years and only succumbed because of our hard water. So I decided to try this iron. It's listed on the website at $139.00 but was only $104 in the store. With the 30% off everything in the store the iron and my three new rulers came to about $89. I know I could have bought a much cheaper iron elsewhere, but I never can find the features I want in a cheap iron. This iron is NOT auto shut-off, it has an extra large water tank and features extra long bursts of steam, and a handle that won't give me blisters. If it lasts even half as long as my last Rowenta I'll be happy. I can hardly wait to get home to try it.

My first real test

Last night my iron died. I was pressing postage stamp strips merrily and suddenly it started smelling extra hot. The smell went away so I finished the strips and went back to stitching. When I got up to iron again it was deader than a doornail. Not a light on it anywhere. I let it sit overnight and tested it again this morning. Same thing. Very frustrating as it was an expensive iron and less than two years old. I know for sure because it was my birthday present from my hubby two years ago next May - and we got it on my birthday. The very expensive much touted Maytag cordless iron. Retail $160 but I think we paid $149 for it. Titanium sole plate - the latest thing.

Well, I loved the fact that it was cordless. I disliked the auto shutoff intensely. I loved the titanium soleplate but hated that the steam holes seemed to catch on my piecing and pulled the edge up into an accordion pleated mess. I loved the fact that I could put it away hot. I loved that it steamed a lot, but hated the fact that the water tank was small. I hated the handle as it caused a blister in the palm of my hand after an entire day of ironing.

As you can see, it's been a real love-hate relationship from day one. I was frustrated that such an expensive appliance lasted such a short time, but deep down inside I was glad that I can get something now that I'll like better. This one replaced my trusty Rowenta which still heats very well after at least 10 years, but is literally coming apart at the seams from corrosion due to our hard water.

So I checked the Fabric Depot website. I'm sure many of you are familiar with fabric depot from shopping there online. Well, it's only 20 minutes away from me across the bridge into Oregon. They are currently having a 30% off everything in the store sale that goes through today. Great for buying an iron, but not at all good for my no buy resolve.

So today will be the first real test. Can I stay out of the fabric end of the store? Can I stay away from the quilting books and magazines? I know I can't stay away from the notions because I need to replace a couple small rulers. The ones I have now have chipped corners from too much use. The store opens at 9:00, so I'm going to take an early lunch and head over there. I have a little over an hour to strengthen my resolve.

I'll let you know how I do.

Practicing my new mantra

If I buy it I'll have to
wash it

iron it

trim off the threads

fold it

find a place to put it

The solution is simple . . .

don't buy it in the first place!

I think I'll create a few signs with my mantra, and put one on the computer, one on the computer at work, and small copies taped to my check book and credit card.

I've just spent almost all of my weekend washing, ironing, etc. the fabric I bought on my holiday buying spree at the end of December. I kept thinking of all the sewing I could be accomplishing if I'd not bought this fabric. I'm glad I have it - I love every piece - but this is definitely the end of it. I'm taking myself off quilt shop email lists. I've stopped visiting online quilt shops. I've not stepped foot into a quilt shop this year.

The real test will come in March when I spend a four day retreat in the basement of my most favorite of all quilt shops. I have two months to build my resolve between now and then. In the meantime I need to come back daily to read this post, so I don't forget.

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Gratitudes:

1. Good action movies to help the ironing time pass quickly
2. New found resolve - at least where shopping is concerned
3. Warmer temperatures
4. No fat fresh hot blueberry muffins
5. Reaching the last piece of fabric needing ironing

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The room is clean

I just couldn't take looking at the sewing room, and there certainly wasn't any room to work! So I spent this evening getting it straightened up. The table is now bare, the scraps are corralled in a small bin ready for me to cut them into sizes for "filing". The leftover triangles from Sophie's Stars are sitting on the machine ready for when I have a few moments to stitch them together. I'll make flying geese and half square triangles of the leftovers. The triangle squares will get filed in the appropriate plastic box and the flying geese will be added to the crumb bin. I have my papers stacked and hole punched, and all ready to be added to the following notebooks: pre-1830's medallion, Jo's Little Women's Club, and Civil War Heroes.

I mentioned earlier in the week that I got a couple nice surprises in the mail. Since the surprises were part of what I needed to straighten up I figured this is the perfect time to blog about them.

The first surprise was a large Priority Mail box from Amy at The Calico Cat. Amy mentioned a couple weeks ago on her blog that one of the things she wanted to "stash bust" was the rest of the scraps from the masculine plaid quilt she'd made as a gift. Plaid just isn't Amy - after all, have you ever seen a plaid cat? Anyway, I jokingly commented on her blog that I'd be happy to take them off her hands. In no time at all she was asking for my address, and Thursday they arrived in the mail. Here I was picturing a manila envelope full of scraps - not a box full of yardage! Many of these are full fat quarters, plus she set a big piece of a navy homespun she decided not to use in a project. It was like Christmas all over again opening this package! Amy has given me a list of things she'd like, so I will happily deplete a small part of my stash by mailing it on to Amy!

The second surprise was another large priority box from my friend Kathie. Kathie and I are both working hard sticking to the "no buy" plan of action. We both have goals that are very important to us, and we can reach them faster if we stop buying fabric. We still seem to fall off the wagon at times, as we are both so in love with 19th century reproduction fabrics, especially those from the Civil War era. We've decided that in addition to encouraging and supporting each other, we are also going to share when we fall off the wagon. Kathie sent me this beautiful collection - a 6 1/2" x 21" cut of every piece in the new Civil War IV collection by Baum fabrics. In return I'm going to be sending her the same size cut from all the new Jo Morton fabrics I bought in December, as well as some of the pre-1830's reproduction fabric I bought then. I just need to get it washed and ironed and then it'll be on the way to her.

Quilty friends are just the very best!

Stash Busting

This year I mean it. This year I'm really going to be serious about limiting my buying. I did OK most of last year, but the few times I fell off the no-buy wagon I fell very hard. Now I have two stacks of fabric waiting to be prewashed and no place on the shelves to put it. All kidding outside, this need to own all the new lines I love has become a real problem. I've not put us into debt, I've not taken the food from our mouths, I've not spent money we didn't have - but I've bought much I really didn't need. I have enough for at least five lifetimes! So this year I'm really knuckling down. I've rejoined Stashbusters. I have a pact with my friend Kathie in New Jersey. I've cancelled my charm club and not signed up for any blocks-of-the-month. I've joined the UFO challenge both in my guild and on Stashbusters. I've also joined the WHIMM challenge - that is to start making the quilts I bought kits and/or fabric specifically so I could make them. I've set a very worthwhile goal - to save enough money to allow me to retire at the end of the year. That is a certainly a goal worth striving for!

Kim at A Peach in Stitches has posted a great "No Buy" button for January. Kim is always so generous at sharing her creativity! I've tried to post the button on my sidebar but somewhere I've messed up the HTML code. I'll keep working at it - in the meantime you'll know that's what that funny thing is below my goals for the year.



Badge from A Peach in Stitches