Because I stayed home for a week and sewed and barely touched the mountain of fabric that is laying outside the door of my beloved fabric closet. See, its like this...I love fabric. I love handling it, touching it, buying it, sewing it and owning it. I don't see any problem with having a healthy and robust fabric collection. However, mine is now everywhere and it is just not cute. So before the fabric piles become much larger and I think of even more reasons why I should own just one more piece...I am setting a moratorium for myself.
Now why am I blogging about it? Because, as they do at AA, I am standing up and confessing so that the whole world will know that, "Hi, my name is Carolyn and I am a fabricaholic!" But also and most importantly because I was tempted today. Sorely tempted by my most favorite of internet fabric stores, "Fabric Mart" I love that place! When I am having a bad day, they have just the right piece of fabric to soothe what ails me. When I am feeling creative, they always have an unusual piece at a fantabulious price to inspire me and make me believe that I can sew anything. Fabric Mart is my muse. My inspiration. The ying to my creative yang. And today, it was almost the death of my moratorium!
It all started innocently enough. I was at my desk at my place of employment working on a cost analysis when out of the corner of my eye, I see a fleeting email message flit across my computer screen. Not quite sure what it was, I pop into Outlook and there it was..."The Temptation." 50% off all blow out last chance fabrics. And the first question that ran through my mind was, "Should I look?" Not delete this email right away, but...should...I...look! I got up from my desk and went to the kitchen for a treat of Mountain Dew. Maybe it wouldn't look so tempting after some time away from my desk. Maybe I would have the strength to delete the email. Maybe my computer would blow up! *LOL*
Of course none of these things occurred and back at my desk I gave into temptation and looked. Now there is this bible verse that says that sin occurs first as a thought...well folks, I sinned today. I looked. I scrolled through all 8 pages! I even put a piece in my cart. But then, mercifully, miraculously and thankfully, there was nothing else I wanted. Can you believe in 8 pages of fabric I only found one piece that I wanted and I only wanted 2 yards at that!!! You just can't justify $8 of shipping for 2 yards of fabric...and there weren't any cart fillers. You know, cart fillers - the fabric that you think you can make something with so you add it to the cart to justify the shipping charge!
So here is my confession...I almost slipped today. I almost purchased fabric. I almost voided my 30 day program before I even really began. Please say a prayer for me that I will make it through the next 23 days. I mean it is only 23 days! It is not like I need or really want fabric. I really want to be fabric free for 23 more days!!!! I don't want Mr. UPS man to smile at me as he hands me his electronic clipboard to commit my signature to as he subtly grins while saying another box from Fabric Mart! Please, Mr. UPS man doesn't even live with me. I don't need his comments - no matter how cute he is!
*Sigh* I made it through today but I am worried ~ truly I am that this little adventure is going to be harder than I thought...take more will power than I thought...and expose a seamy side to my nature that I thought was under control! *Sigh* Just 23 more days to be the woman I know that I can be...
I will let you know how I fare....
...and for those who were looking for it...a picture of me in the blue cotton paisley dress - the vacation circle has been completed.
I just found your site and think your dresses and jackets are lovely. I don't know what a TNT pattern is. Would you please tell me? Thank you, Rita
ReplyDeleteI am starting to sew again, after a long hiatis. Been kitting for many years now
Whew! That was a close one! You can do it. Just remember, one day at a time.
ReplyDeleteI, on the other hand, have made no public declaration of my intent to withhold from purchasing fabric ... so when that email arrived from Fabric Mart guess what I did?!?
Love the blue cotton paisley dress by the way.
Gosh. I should do that. My stash is not like yours. But, it could easily be. I just ordered 6 yards from Metro, sight unseen. Not leaving myself much to buy when I do get back the NYC.
ReplyDeleteLove, love, love the paisley. But, really love how happy you look in your dress.
Well, you're a better woman than I am - no fabric for an ENTIRE MONTH! Cannot...comprehend...please...clarify.
ReplyDeleteI am *so* with you here!!!
ReplyDeleteI deleted a couple of emails from fabric vendors today without opening...gee, it was hard, but not as hard as walking away from something I *knew* would be perfect for that [fill in the blank] that I've been wanting to make for ages....(like the black eyelet that caught me in the Memorial Day sale).
You are a STRONG woman! you can do it!!! ;)
GREAT dress! You look awesome in it!
ReplyDeleteAs for not buying fabric for 30 days, I think I could make it but I haven't tried it yet, lol!
I admire you for even making the "no fabric declaration"! I don't have a large stash, but I still have a hard time saying no when fabric is offered. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI tried a fabric moratorium once - it lasted 2 days! I hope yours goes better. Love the blue dress - it looks great on you!
ReplyDeleteGood Luck!!!! I don't think I have the will power to do a fabric moratorium - although I have an excuse.... my fabric is boxed up at the moment - yeah, that's a good excuse! LOL
ReplyDeleteYou look wonderful in your paisley blue dress! I'm joining the moratorium. It's easier (somewhat) now that I'm sewing more often and trying to plan my sewing projects. Cheers, Masouma Rose
ReplyDeleteCarolyn - there must be something in the wind. Yesterday was the worst day of temptation for me, too! New pieces on EOS and TS just about did me in. But I resisted,too! We're hanging tough together!! It won't be easy (if it was, we would have done it before, right?) Stay strong and congratulations on overcoming your FM "demon" of the day!
ReplyDeleteYour post was truly funny.. and cheered me up after dealing with a PITA employer today... anyways... Good Luck. Thanks so much for your compliment. I love the skirt.. and believe it will become one of my TNT patterns. I'm already looking forward to my next project.
ReplyDeleteThat was a close one! I must now go and see what has sorely tempted you at Fabric Mart.
ReplyDeleteThe blue paisley is the pefect summer dress down to the trim you chose - you look wonderful!
You dress is beauuuutiful. Thanks for being strong for the rest of us. I have not even come close to wanting to buy. I have buried myself into sewing what I have, which I have not done in earnest since my vacation in April. Sewing some of this stash has helped me quite a bit. Stay with us, don't give up. And keep sewing that stash down, that is the reason why we are all in together!
ReplyDeleteHello Carolyn,
ReplyDeleteI'm de-lurking to introduce myself and encourage you to continue to resist the fabric stores. I hope you find that after awhile, the intense uges will pass. I've deleted fabric emails too, just looking online can suck up an entire day. I know just how you feel though, it's "the beauty of possibilities."
It's easier ot sew it up in your head than in your sewing space though. I have a closet full of fabric, some of it inherited from a great aunt who lived to 99, some from another aunt who had a stroke and no longer sews and my own elderly mother who no longer needs a pink silk suit as much as she needs gardening pants.
I don't really buy any clothes at all, hate shopping in stores unless I can march up to the thing i want and get out. I'm an illustrator and a painter so my only real chance ot wear nice clothes is when I go to church and mine is pretty casual, absolutely no need to throw down. I'm pressing on, regardless
Maybe you'd like to visit my new website:
http://web.mac.com/annarich.art
Eventually I'll get around to the spinning, knitting and sewing departments of my life and get them up on the site.
I admire your work, I'd like to get to some TNT patterns for the middle aged body that arrived out of the blue, but I haven't yet.
Best Regards,
Anna
Oooooh, I just LOVE your dress! And boy, can I sympathize with the piles of fabric. Welcome to my life. But I'm not ready to stop - yet!
ReplyDelete:)
Ann's beautiful stuff is tempting me...but there are so many pieces I want, that I get confused and wind up leaving her site with nothing. Indecisiveness can be our friend!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your weekend!
Hello Carolyn, Wow!! I'm very relieved after reading your blog. I was beginning to get worried about my girlfriend and partner Patricia because she cannot stop collecting fabric. We cannot even discard vintage clothing that is unsuitable for re-sale. She keeps EVERYTHING with the intent to make and remake. I'm glad to know (I think I'm glad anyway - maybe I shouldn't be) that there are others out there like her.
ReplyDeleteYour dresses are beautiful and so are you!
This dress is sooo cute! Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, and so are the dresses in your closet that you showed in a previous post! When I see such lovely fabric, I'm sorry that you are on a moratorium :)
ReplyDeleteLauraLo
so glad that the Diva dress, the blue paisley, is finished and was able to not only begin, but also complete the sewing saga. There is a poetry and symmetry there.
ReplyDelete