this, that, & the other thing

So far this week, an overflowing bowl of trimmings is all I have to show for my puttering.

But did you see that selvedge?  I cut into my jealously hoarded Meadowsweet yardage!!! {finally}

Love cutting into my favorite fabrics, it makes me happy :)

These are going to be a tote bag.  I've had the pattern for a year at least.  The main reason I've put off making it for so long is because I'm totally confused by interfacings & stabilizers & all the mysterious white stuff that all looks the same on the bolt to me but apparently do different wonderful things inside bags & purses which I don't understand & I can never find the one the pattern in my hand is calling for & what the heck does it do anyway so how do I know if I can substitute any of these fine looking white things or if I'll ruin my beautiful fabric if I don't use the right stuff and did I mention what the heck is the difference between interfacing & stabilizer anyway and why do some patterns call for both?!? 

Whew. 

Am I over thinking this a bit? 

Yeah, I thought so, too. 

So I decided to just jump in & skip the mysterious white stuff.  What's the worst that can happen?  {don't answer that.  I prefer blissful ignorance.}  I know my Mom has all the answers to my interfacing/stabilizer dilemma.  One of these days I need to bring her to Joanns so she can explain the mysteries of those white bolts to me.

Anywho, even after my breakthrough interfacing decision I've been dragging my feet, hesitant to start sewing.  The thread issue was bothering me, and it took a couple days to come up with a solution I can live with.

You see, there will be some topstitching on each of the five different fabrics I will be using.  I don't have any coordinating colors, and I'd have to buy a different color for each fabric.  Very little of each would be used, with the remainder destined to sit around unused for who knows how long.

I have plenty of white thread, but I really felt it would show up too bright/starkly, since there isn't any white in the fabric.  It is more of a cream.  {does that make sense?}

I don't have cream or off-white thread.  I don't have the time to drive an hour both ways to Joanns for decent thread.  But I couldn't bring myself to use the white.  I really think it would ruin the bag.

Today I rummaged through my thread collection & found a tan thread.  On the spool, it doesn't look like a good candidate, but a single thread seemed to almost disappear when I laid it across the fabrics. 

Finally, a thread I can live with!   

Now I can start sewing :)

(are you beginning to see why it takes me so long to work through some of my projects? hehehe)

Well, I had 'this' 'that' & 'the other thing' I wanted to post about, but this is already a bit wordy and I've only worked my way through 'this', so I think 'that' & 'the other thing' will have to wait for another post :)

Do you have some favorite fabrics you have been hoarding?  What are they?

Keeping you in the know...

Ok, so this isn't hot-off-the-press anymore, but in case you haven't heard the news yet, Sandi Henderson's Henna Garden fabric is going to be reprinted.  I'm so happy, I could squeal  :)  I just love Henna Garden, especially in Pumpkin {'cause anything called pumpkin has got to be great, right?} and I've been chasing after the colors that are still missing from my collection.  Do you love Henna Garden too?

And it gets even better -  visit Sandi's blog, and vote for your favorite color to be reprinted.  I'm trying to resist the urge to 'stuff the ballot box' for pumpkin  ;)

When good things come in the mail :)

The postman recently brought these lovelies to my mailbox. 

On another note, I may not have made great progress with fabric today, but I did do this

My notions drawer was a mess, and I couldn't find the blue thread I needed for my mug rug, so I oganized instead of sewing.  Looks good now, doesn't it? I found some nice stuff I didn't know I had tucked arround my sewing room, like unopened packages of binding clips and basting pins.   Should have done this sooner  :)

Ramblings and Fabric Love

How do you start a quilt? 
Do you begin with a fabric that intrigues you, and then decide what to make with it? 
Or do you start with an idea, knowing the design you want to make, the colors you will use, the feel you want to create, and then hunt down the perfect fabrics to bring life to your art?

Me, I work best by beginning with an idea.  Starting with fabric before I know what I want to create feels awkward and backwards to me. 

That's largely why, even though I loved it on sight, I didn't buy any Meadowsweet when I first saw it.  I didn't know what I'd do with it.

But I do now.

I think I should hang lengths ceiling to floor, all around my living room, alternating various prints from the collection.  Look, I've got a start

Beautiful, isn't it?  (I'm terribly sorry for the sideways picture, but I'm not sure how to turn them around.) This is my favorite print from the collection.  I love the orange and chocolate.

Oh, and here's another (fabric is right side up this time, unfortunately the photo isn't)

Doesn't it make the perfect backdrop for the rocking chairs?  I love the orange and chocolate colors together.  (oh, did I mention that already?)

Orange and Chocolate go so well together, and not just on fabric.  This is my favorite chocolate bar, I absolutely love them.  Try one if you have the chance.  You'll thank me.  :)