finished

that's right, i somehow finished.
it wasn't easy. and i lost motivation a lot. and honestly, i had finished many days ago, but it seemed moving the fabric from our bedroom to the 2nd kitchen was just an impossible task.
however, it was finally moved. and i hate to admit it, but i did move it myself- something i regretted moments later, and hours later as i found my energy completely zapped and myself really out of breath.
stupid pregnant lady that i am.
so here's what i came up with- feel free to breeze through this, as it might not be super stimulating to all of you.
these 3 tubs- the top tub consists of solid colored fabrics.
middle tub is all of my felt and i believe some fleece.
bottom tub is holiday fabric and gingham/polka dots that i was given from a friend.

and in these 3 (well 4, but you only see the top of the bottom tub) tubs:
top is all my interfacing, tracing paper, batting and more essentials like that. i kept it on top because i knew that i would need easy access to it.
the 2nd tub from the top is fabric that i have that is still uncut. meaning, i haven't used it for a project yet- it most likely ranges from 1 yard to 3 1/2 yards.
third tub- all the fabric that i have for children projects.
and the un-pictured bottom tub is another tub full of fabric i haven't cut into. i have a lot of beautiful fabric just waiting to be used :)
ok, i am very proud of these next 3 tubs (pictured above) and this is where my total inner geek will come out. its either geek or crazy "monica" mentality.
you pick.
so, these 3 tubs are basically organized scraps.
in the top tub it is all scraps that are small enough to be used for tiny projects- if i ever quilt, or make log cabins, or need little pieces for embellishments or applique.
the middle tub is bigger cuts of fabric- almost fat quarter sizes, in fact- this is where you would find all of my fat quarters. any fabric that i have already used by still has a good 1/4 to 1/2 yard left in it was folded and placed in here.
the bottom tub. is well, medium sized scraps. anything that i would use for bigger applique or coffee sleeves or embroidery uses.
and that's it. i left myself a walkway. i put the tubs of scraps out front because i will need to put scraps in it as they come, and also, i have a very difficult time cutting into fabric. its almost painful. so i usually go for the scraps first in a desperate attempt to find a 1 yard out of 1/2 a yard.
and i guess technically there are 2 more tubs. i moved them down to our hall closet. one consists of fabric that will be used soon(ish) or at least has an intended purpose. the other tub is full of my un-finished projects.
well that's about it. i am quite happy this is done. maybe i'll clean up the sewing area and show you how its changed too!

am i taking crazy pills?

cause it feels like i'm taking crazy pills.
why else would i think this:

was a good idea?

in case you can't tell (or are currently now in the fetal position crying 'why mary, why?) that is my fabric "stash" (other appropriate words:collection, obsession, monstrosity) and i decided that it was as good of a time as any to go through it.
i could probably list of about 30 other things i could have been doing. and then 60 other things that should be getting done. you know, because there's a new baby coming.
but, i wanted to send some fabric to my good friends aaron and emily who are in the process of adopting a baby, and emily is selling various items at her etsy store: the tulip patch and i thought i could easily help by sending some fabric their way (all proceeds from her etsy store go towards their adoption- and if anyone is looking to get me a baby present-which is not necessary- i'd love one of her cloth high chairs).
apparently to "find" fabric, i had to go through that whole mess.
i worked on it for about 10 minutes before becoming completely unmotivated. sam came upstairs to check on me, and i told him, "i'm not motivated anymore" and he surveyed the room and said, "oh geez, i hope not".
it was awfully nice of him to move ALL of that fabric out of our "second" kitchen (which doubles as a sleeping nook for babies and as a fabric room and is where our elliptical machine is so you can just imagine how easy it would be for me, nearly 9 months pregnant to navigate in it).
and as i was sorting through the fabric he did watch all the kids so i could be uninterrupted.
about an 1 hour into it, i was happy, i do love fabric.
about 1 hour and 1 minute, i was fed up. apparently i have been buying fabric like it was going out of style. also, i think i was purchasing fabric for my alter ego- you know, the person who has all the time in the world to do nothing but sew and create, and sew and create, and sew and create. its never a good sign when you realize you can categorize your SCRAPS into 3 separate tubs.
about 2 hours into it, i stopped for lunch.
then went back to it until sam had to leave for a meeting.
its to hot to be up there now, but when the sun sets, and i can stick a fan in the window, pop a movie on my computer, i have every intention of finishing it up.
i'm sure you can't wait to see :)

sewing inspiration.

with cute new fabrics like this shouldn't i be glued to my sewing machine? you would like so! i am just slightly addicted to clearance fabric, and all of this (minus the fat quarters) was less than 5 dollars a yard, which is a pretty good deal (or so i tell myself).
however as i add it to the growing pile of fabric loot that i have i do wonder when and if this fabric will be sewed. i believe it will, perhaps this is just the season of my life to collect all my fabric and then i will move into a new stage of sew, sew, sew.
i can dream right?
hopefully i won't turn into the woman that my father-in-law just told me about. apparently there is an older woman here in town who has rooms and rooms of fabric that she can't seem to deal with anymore, so she is having private selling times to try and unload some of it.
so, i have 40 years to burn through my fabric. i can do it.
side note. my local fabric store is now up and running online! visit their website here. the sisters who own this place are truly wonderful. i really appreciate that they visit sam at his store (starbucks) every day.
maybe they do it because they feel bad for him- seeing that they know how much his wife drops on fabric when she walks through their door.
but remember- i successfully avoided buying fabric for almost 2 months!
well, i had better get organized for sewing stuff for the craft fair (how thrilled i will be when this is over). i have decided that i am only going to sew stuff for it up until sunday night. whatever i have completed (how little it may be) is all i am going to do.
as i have so many other things i have a hankering to sew.
like this, and this, and this and maybe this.
and of course my christmas list.

a little more.

more fabric from my stash that was acquired in the last few months. i have still stuck to not buying any new fabric, and have been digging through my bins to make the projects and gifts that i have on my list of things to do.

~

i have been a little brain overloaded. i have so many things to be doing that i am often overwhelmed and end up doing nothing. in fact from my seat on the couch i can see way to many things that need my attention.

does anyone else get so overwhelmed to the point that they simply want to throw in the towel of all their hobbies and just do something else? i wonder if my life would be simpler if i didn't come up with new ideas to sew, or ways to organize our stuff, or all the other things there are to do.

ugh, ugh, ugh.

it is nice that i will never be bored, my brain keeps me always busy.

so do 3 little people.

a little new.

here's a couple of little fabrics that i bought when up in puyallup earlier this month (whoa, it's almost september) at pacific fabrics. i am in love with the wonderland (bottom floral) and the black floral just popped. i'm not sure what i am going to do with it, most likely a purse. the orange dots will work well for lining of a bag.

part of me thinks i may have blogged about this already, if i did- sorry.

for the month of september i am not buying fabric. its very hard to type that. but i really need to be making projects, and sam and i are trying to spend a little less this month.

however, i have several fun fabrics that have been bought recently, so i will still have something fun to share.

should be.

why am i out buying fabric, when i should be sewing?

little bits.

home and trying to settle back in. it is so hard. cranky children, messy home, and endless projects that need to be started.

however my brain is a tad foggy. maybe its from being gone for so many days, and having so many things on the horizon, i am just struggling to find my focus, and get started.

and the screaming baby i hear in the background does not make anything easier.

but, you have to love new fabric, right?

i'm particularly in love with the cotton knit- the white with blue and brown flowers (?)

not sure what i will do with it, other than drape it around myself and pray for sanity, focus, and motivation to get off the couch!

splendid.

yup. my friend Rachel was given boxes of fabric from her great-grandma. well, after Rachel and her sister had picked through what they wanted, Rachel decided to donate the rest to a thrift store.

yes. that is what i said. the above fabric was on its way to a thrift store.

those of who sew understand how shocking this is.

Rachel insisted she had taken all she wanted, her house is to small, she has enough fabric already...

excuses, excuses.

i volunteered to "store" in case she needs to access it again.

after Serena and i dig through it!

what is better than fabric? free fabric!

saturday stash

again- another stash of old! actually, really, really old. but fabric is beautiful, and i believe no matter when it was bought, it should be shared!

sam picked up the 2 bottom fabrics for me as a surprise. a wonderful surprise, because i rarely buy fabric at full price. the little green on top, i picked up during a 20% color of the month sale at ben franklins (cannont remember what color it was...)

i believe these beauties are modas.

but i am to comfy on the couch right now to get up and search.

and these finds were pretty fun. Ikea! i love finding fabric for 2.99 a yard.

now, the white fabric with the green birds has a fun story. when the helpful man came to cut my fabric and i asked for a yard, there wasn't a full yard (maybe 7/8) on the bolt. so he said he couldn't sell it- and he gave it to me! almost 2 yards for the price of one!

i can't wait to make something out of this. perhaps i shouldn't be blogging, instead sewing. hmmm.

i love fabric.

yup. its true. i love love love love love love it. and from where i am sitting right now, i can see little piles of it all around. no, i am not in a glorious sewing room, i just have fabric absolutely everywhere, literally fabric pops out of the seams around here.

so obviously (really drawing this word out for emphasis) i need more.

as we (Serena and myself) were headed to Puyallup, WA for our homeschool convention (more to come on that later) we decided that Portland would be a pit stop because we had a place to stay.

so what's better than shopping at new fabric stores? shopping at new fabric stores tax free.

ahhhhh.

know, we had high hopes (delusions) of visiting 3 separate fabric stores in Portland, and Powells, and eat, all while managing 2 nursing babies, 2 little girls, and one unbelievable helpful couldn't have done this without- Kay(Serena's mom, who is called Baba).

all in one day, before heading up to Puyallup for the evening.

yeah, right.

well, high hopes was right. we made it through Powells (2 hours later), back to the condo with lunch (another 90 minutes) and then headed out to our first stop: Fabric Depot (thank you Christina for a wonderful recommendation).

well, Fabric Depot was just amazing. it was just so giagnormus (not a misspelled word- that's how i spell it) and we were seeing fabric as far as the eyes can see.

for starters- the whole store was 25% off that day.

and- the store's outdoor clearance sale had started.

after Serena and I walked through the entire store (intending to get our bearings, but this was really just the ultimate distraction as we stopped every 3 seconds where gleeful "ooooohs" could be heard throughout the store.)

at this stop, i actually only bought sale fabric.

here were my finds:

a very odd fabric, but at 1.80 a yard

i wanted to see what i can do with it

i love these owls!

another cotton for the stash

just another nice cotton for my stash

this fabric was just to cute to pass up

trim that reminds me of Mary had a little Lamb

hmmm... aprons? kitchen curtains??

i know, great finds, huh? just looking at the fabric makes me smile, mainly because i will always remember how much fun it was entering the store and Serena and i stopping dead in our tracks (conversation halted and all) and were just blown away.

ahh, memories.

but wait- was that it? just one little fabric store?

nope.

and even though this post is becoming incredibly long, i will still share pictures of our other great find!

while in Puyallup, we may have cut out of the homeschooling convention a tad early to head to another fabric store.

side note- we were in search of a fabric book: Weekend Sewing, by Heather Ross.

the search led us to Pacific Fabrics (they did not have the book- but lucky for us a Borders was right next door... and yippee! the book was in our hands)

now don't think Pacific Fabrics was a bust. just the contrary.

it was wonderful.

a beautiful knit which will become a tank top

the bottom green floral is a fabric that i previously bought,

and was quite excited to find at 30% off

buy 3 fat quarters get one free... a friday special.

a book i spotted in Borders and just had to buy... its amazing!

from march 21

i love fabric.

the day before i went into labor (henry was born just after midnight, so it feels like i had him on sunday, even so technical it was monday) i went to my local fabric store where they were having a wonderful $2 a yard sale! i just go giddy for those $2 a yard sales.

whoops- there is actually another fabric that got missed in this picture. its similar to the red and green fabric with the flowers- but its black with the flowers!

i love fabric.