How to shop for fabric..............................................................

I am going a bit crazy these days - I have TWO demos to prep for the CreativFestival. I have done demos on punch needle for many years, but at last that trend has come to an end (untiil the next wave hits), so I had to create some new demos. I am doing a demo on some new rulers or resurrecting some older ones (there are EIGHT in total) and the second demo is crayoning on fabric.

Needless to say for someone who was focused on that 2014 shelf - well that has been blown out of the water and yes - I started EIGHT new projects in a matter of days. OK - not quite eight as some of them were partially done from previous years. But I did have to start a couple and I needed some fabric in order to do that.

The hardest part of starting something new is WHAT COLOUR. Once that is decided picking the fabric that would be appropriate for each of the projects doesn't take that long.   I know - you are thinking - why is she making an ENTIRE quilt when this is only a demo.   My response - BECAUSE.   I cannot just make orphan blocks - my sense of insanity dictates that it is better to have a new UFO than one or two completed orphan blocks.  Nuf said!!!!


Well - here is the process I used to choose fabric for one of the projects (which I will share the ruler/technique - AFTER the demo)

For those of you who have NOT seen the stash room - here is a picture (can't find the original at the moment - well I do believe it is tagged, but it is not easily accesible on this computer) - so I just took a picture of the plaque that has the picture. 

The biggest problem when making a quilt, whether for me or just a sample - what colours?????   I usually look at what I have and go from there - the idea is to NOT purchase anything if I don't have to. I have a lot of taupe and that would make a great starting point.

Starting point - taupe/beige/tan?????

The second colour was going to be burgundy. However a quick search of the baskets revealed that I do not have a lot of burgundy.

Zero into the TWO baskets of reds

However when I was in the two baskets of red fabric (that I hope someday soon) will get amalgated into one basket????   Ok - that is still a couple of years down the road, but one of them is not that full.

I did find a LOT of red and white fabric - why not? - that would make a cute quilt. So I ditched the boring browns back to their spot (the brown basket is way down on the bottom row, in the corner)

Quickly went through the red baskets and pulled ALL the red and white fabrics (this took about 5 minutes)

Eliminated any that the scale was too large (the dots) and those with equal amounts of red and white (the stripe)

Then the piles got sorted into red ON white and white ON red.

Here are the reds on white - hmmmm - what to eliminate because some of those do NOT fit in

Ok - that is better - but there are still a couple that I do not like - a bit too yellow

And there you have it - I kept those reds on white

This got pulled and back into the stash basket

Here are the whites on red

I eliminated a couple of them (and I did eliminate the one on the left - with the black in it)

Too orange and hmmmm - the other got eliminated, because the white is a bit pinkish

Red/white is too equal so they got eliminated as well. 

It took about five minutes to go through each of the two groups. That means in FIFTEEN minutes, I was able to choose the fabric for the quilt. No idea about borders at this point - I will deal with that when I get there and I may not put a border on it. The quilt will tell me what it needs when I get there.

The beauty of a scrap quilt (and this is a controlled scrap quilt) is that the more you have, the more it blends together so not all those reds are exact matches to each other, and some of the whites are slightly off white, but they blend together and work just fine. I've got a couple of blocks done and I really like them.


Now I do have a favour to ask of YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was looking for fabric for another sample and well I did a bad thing. I found this print at Fabricland and I thought it would be perfect and it is!   However there was only 1.1 meter on the bolt - I bought it all and then decided that I liked it so much I really want to make the entire quilt from it. But I do not have enough.

I need MORE of this

So here is my task to you - if you live close to a Fabricland and would check if this fabric is there - I would so appreciate it.  I have checked the Fabricland on John Street in Missisauga (that is where I bought the fabric and they have none left), I also checked Shopper's World in Brampton - NONE and also the Winston Churchill/Dundas store - NONE.

I need about 2 meters (just to be on the safe side).   Of course I will reimburse you - shoot me an e-mail to let me know what store you can check and then let me know if you found it. It is a Timeless Treasures.

I would so appreciate it!!!!!!    But how STUPID on my part to start a quilt without having enough. And this is so distinctive that nothing else will substitute.

However as I have been working, I am slowly whittling my way through the last clue of the Bonnie Hunter mystery.

Clue Five - almost done the first part which is to sew two little white triangles to the half square triangle. Then I need a big blue triangle added as well. Had to cut more black/white. But I am making progress!!!!!!!

Guess who I had breakfast with yesterday??????     Ok so it was my gym friends, but look what Adam accomplished this past Monday.

YES - that is a jacket for the BOSTON MARATHON!!!!!

I am in awe of anyone who takes on that kind of goal.  This was his fourth Boston marathon. His entire family was there to watch - I think there was a particular birthday in there that made this all the more special.

While he ran into a bit of problems 4 KM from the finish line (cramping), he managed to complete the marathon and he made (exceeded) his time goal.  That is so inspiring (no - I will never run - it just isn't in me), but inspiring to know that keeping yourself in good health and age is not a factor!!!!   So happy for Adam!!!


On that note - I am out of here - on my way to do set up for CreativFestival. Let's just say that the next five days are going to be a whirlwind. There is no time to breath!!!!!


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!



Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!