My 30 Day Program

I am on Day Six of my June Fabric Moratorium. At Stitcher's Guild in the Fabric Moratorium folder, a group of women have joined together to stop purchasing fabric for 30 days. Now I know you are wondering why I, who just a few months ago was awarded "The Fabric Enabler of the Year Award" by the participants of Stitchers Guild, am now participating in a fabric moratorium?

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.