fabric talk

Adding To My Fabric Stash

| terriaw

I haven’t purchased much fabric this year, so I’m excited to share some new treasures I’ve added to my stash over the past few months.

First up, I was so impressed with my local quilt shop when I found out they are carrying Anna Maria Horner‘s new Loulouthi collection. I rarely buy fabrics for the backing before I make a quilt, so I’m happy to have yardage of that brown print on the bottom of this stack to back a future quilt with.

These are the fabrics I bought at Gruber’s Quilt Shop over my quilting retreat weekend. I picked up the Anna Maria print from the Good Folks collection first (one the far right), and then coordinated the rest with it, most of which ended up going into my Maverick Star Wallhanging. I didn’t use that polka dot print in the middle, so it will be a great basic addition to my stash.

I always need more basics in my stash, so I picked out this next stack for fun.

I missed out on the Flea Market Fancy craze so I decided to buy a few of my favorite prints from Denyse Schmidt‘s fabric collection for JoAnn’s. I think they will work well as basics too.

I also bought some silly summer prints to make a couple gift ideas I have in mind.

Finally, I almost forgot that I have a set of the Habitat fabrics by Jay McCarroll.

LOVE this collection, especially the drop cloth print!

I love that Jay’s fabrics don’t follow a collection formula, and I love the color schemes he put together.

That should keep me busy for awhile!

A Sunny Spectrum

| terriaw

We have finally taken a turn toward Spring around here with the sun shining more regularly, melting our snow and revealing grass.

I found some tulips peaking up too, which the rabbits have been snacking on, so I covered these new shoots with mesh wire to keep those pesky rabbits from doing more damage.

Bring it on, Mother Nature!

Speaking of sunshine, did you know that Anna Maria Horner has a collection of quilting cotton solids? I knew these fabrics came out at the same time her Little Folks collection was released, but I wonder why we haven’t seen any of these solids in any shops. I know Kona Cotton solids and Moda Bella solids are quite popular, so maybe that’s why stores didn’t pick up another range of solids.

I ordered a stack of 12 fat quarters directly from her shop since I couldn’t find it anywhere else. It’s not a big color range, but the colors included are very vibrant and beautiful. I would love to make this or this just for the fun of playing with these fabulous colors.

I have another set of cheerful voile and cotton fabrics in my stash waiting for the right inspiration. These colors are the perfect pick-me-up for a time of year when we are ready to move from winter to spring, craving sunshine and warmer days.

Making New Fabric From Scraps

| terriaw

I am always inspired by what Victoria is doing with her scrap fabric stash. I especially loved this project, where she pieced together new fabric with her bits of scraps, and turned it into a fabulous notebook cover.

In my efforts to figure out interesting ways to use my scraps, I made some new pieces of fabric. I tried to end up with a larger square so it would be big enough to make something fun, like a new Artist Tote. This piece below came to be an 18-inch square, so far. Not sure where I’m headed yet. I might stop with this piece. Or I might keep going and make a bunch of new patchwork bags for my shop.

It was so freeing for me to sew like this, just picking a scrap, any size scrap, out of my bin and adding a little here and a little there.

It’s going to be a fun challenge to think of unique ways to use these new pieces of fabric. I have lots of fun pieces to use up, so I’m excited about scraps again!

Chocolate Lollipop Scrap Inventory

| terriaw

I found a few moments of free time recently, so I decided it would be fun to take inventory of my highly treasured chocolate lollipop scrap stash.

It was so fun to lay them out like this to see what I have in each print. By the way, these are just my scraps! I do have larger pieces in my fabric stash.

Since I am terrible at using scraps from my fabric stash, I dove right in and pieced together some patchwork. I think these might end up being a pencil case for art supplies or maybe a notebook cover.

You know me, I love the chocolate lollipop fabric collection designed by Anna Maria Horner back in 2007! I love the bright colors. I love the whimsical designs. I love the name  – chocolate lollipop. Who wouldn’t want to have a chocolate lollipop? Makes me want to run out to the old fashioned candy store to get one. Right now.

Playing With Scraps

| terriaw

I am terrible at organizing my fabric stash. I am even worse at scrap management. I wish everything was organized by color, but for now it’s just shelved where it fits.


I recently sorted some of my scraps by color and cut them into strips. But so many strips are a little too small to make log cabin blocks or string blocks.

Maybe those small pieces should end up in my snippets bin. But then what?

I also realized I don’t have many light value prints in my stash.

So I find playing with scraps frustrating.

I have even considered chopping up some of my stash just so I have a better scrap pile!

I do have a separate bin where I keep my Sis Boom fabric scraps, which inspires me so much more than my other piles!

And yes, I have another couple bins where I keep my Anna Maria Horner fabric scraps but I have another post planned for that.

Besides a Ticker Tape Quilt, I have been looking for ideas on using small scraps, and guess where I ended up? at this amazing post by Amanda Jean, of course! I’m thinking maybe I should start out with some mug rugs that I could use for gifts. And then some scrappy notecards like these and this one. What do you make with your scraps, especially smaller pieces?

I think I might make some storage cubes to sort my scraps better. How do you organize your scraps, especially smaller pieces?

Fabric Talk – Keeping Up

| terriaw

Anyone get any new fabrics lately?

I have been stocking up on the fabulous Innocent Crush collections.

I love that you can get different colors of the same print in different fabrics, from the cotton to the voile to the home dec collections.

I love buying scrap bags because you get a little taste of a nice variety!

I jumped at a chance to get an early-release Sherbet Pips jelly roll from Randi’s shop. These are THE sweetest prints ever! I haven’t decided what to make with these fun fabrics, so I might wait until charm squares (packs of 5-inch squares) or layer cakes (packs of 10-inch squares) are available and to make a quilt.

Speaking of sweet prints, I did a little trade with Dana over the Christmas holiday. She sent me some Heather Ross charm squares and I shared with her a couple of my treasured Bohemian prints. Not sure yet what to make with these squares, but they scream to be fussy cut so you can appreciate the sketches.

Next up, I thought it would be fun to buy a couple Flea Market Fancy scraps, since I never bought any of that infamous collection. They are so cheerful to look at. I would love to make a wallet or a notebook cover with this small collection.

Here are some new collections I have on my shopping list:

Greenfield Hill fabrics by Denyse Schmidt. I love this collection because it’s dark and it’s light, it’s more geometric than I’ve seen lately, it’s less wallpaper looking that what I’ve seen lately, and it feels modern and original.

Central Park fabrics by Kate Spain. I have seen so many of the images that inspired her, and I love the fresh colors she used in that collection.

Bonjour fabrics by Diane Kappa. I love that Bright Buds print in Chocolate. Each colorway has a nice variety of color.

Bryant Park by Khristian Howell has some cool prints coming out in February. I especially love that Chelsea Blooms print, with the transparent graphic flowers. I also love her Byrant Glass designs. I’ve been to the real Bryant Park a few times, so I love imagining her sitting there sketching and dreaming.

There are always so many new fabrics to keep up with and catch up on, aren’t there? Plus, there are all those beloved fabrics in my stash to continue to love and use. What’s on your shopping list?

In the Ditch, Literally

| terriaw

We finally broke down and bought a new mattress last night. I can’t even tell you how old our current mattress is, so we are excited to have the new set delivered next week.

On the way home from the store, I was following Dave in my car since we met at the store, and he slid into the ditch! I didn’t see it happen because he was turning a corner while I was still approaching the corner. No damage and no injuries, but his car was just a tad too far into the ditch to back it out. So we came home, changed into our boots and winter clothes (ski clothes), and went back to get his car out ourselves, since he really didn’t want to pay for a tow truck. He tied a heavy duty rope to the rear axle of each car, and I slowly pulled him out with my Subaru.

While we were getting ready to do this, a Sheriff pulled up to see if we were okay. She waited to make sure we got out, or she was going to help us get a tow truck. I’m sure she was probably also checking to make sure we hadn’t been drinking.

It snowed a couple inches so the roads were slippery. It was quite nerve-wracking to me, not the sheriff part, but having to pull Dave’s car out of the ditch. I’m such a girl! Not a big deal in the end, just a little drama.

I hear we’re supposed to get another snow storm on Saturday (4 to 10 inches predicted), so I think we will be hibernating for most of the weekend. I will be finishing up some final homework projects, and if there’s time, squeeze in some sewing and baking. As you can see, I have some new fabrics calling my name, which made me feel better while telling this little story!

Getting Organized

| terriaw

I am on a mission – a mission to get my fabric stash re-organized. You know me, I just spent the past way-too-many years working as a paralegal, so I can’t help but be an organized person.

I do have to admit I have let my fabric stash go a little wild, well, okay, maybe just not organized enough for my preference. I think it has been more fun to just enjoy spending time in my sewing room and not worry about my how my stash is organized.

After spending a recent weekend with a good sewing friend, I discovered great fabrics I didn’t even know I owned. Hmm, we decided it was time for me to organize my fabric stash.

I bought some new storage bins.

Now I have drawers for solid fabrics and solid scraps.

A drawer for special fabrics like voile and flannel.

A drawer for novelty fabrics.

A bin for Christmas fabrics and a bin for Christmas scraps.

I spent a little time lately making some new storage cubes.

I even have some fabric buckets with bling to store snippets, trimmings, and tools!

I also have a stylish place to store my snippets (very small scraps) for a future ticker tape quilt.

I still need to take the time to organized the rest of my fabrics, which I will probably do by color.


I’m happy for now to have at least taken inventory and re-learn what’s actually in my stash.

Fabric Talk

| terriaw

I won a giveaway recently from Lisa of A Spoonful of Sugar. (thank you, Lisa!) It was a gift certificate to the Ladybug Quilt Shop, which is stocked full of beautiful fabrics. It took me almost two weeks to decide what to get! I ended up choosing two packs of Pure charm squares, and a stack of these whimsical Be Merry fabrics. (charm square packs include 40 –  5″ fabric squares)

I also splurged on a few more charm square packs from fabric collections I love but have tried hard to resist. I might have a new favorite designer here. I’m hoping to use these to make Christmas gifts for friends and family.

I’m in the process of re-organizing my stash, so I didn’t want to add more fabric to the piles. I now have a drawer dedicated to charm squares, where I like to keep pattern ideas too. The drawer is just about full now, so I cannot order more. (but I probably will anyway!)