I am becoming the little old lady with a house full of fabric...more arrived in the last two days and I am starting to wonder that if my daughters don't hear from me for a few days, they may come looking for me and find me buried under a pile of fabric. Or that my life's joy may become a bad YouTube video posted by a grandchild that just doesn't understand...
Yes, people its getting that serious!
24 more yards showed up in the last two days...now when I was purchasing it I wasn't thinking about where I was going to put it. I opened the door to the fabric closet today to shove more in and it ain't happening...it just ain't happening...I have reached capacity in the closet! I've got to find new storage space...IKEA here I come! *LOL*
Seriously though, it did give me pause. It made me stop and realize that I probably should stop stress buying fabric...y'know, having a bad day, flip into EOS or Fabric Mart and soothe the soul...wanna slap someone who is being particularly stupid at work, think about the fabric that should be arriving on my doorstep that afternoon.
Now it's not that I don't have ideas for what I purchased 'cause I always have ideas! Nor will any of my children go hungry or bills be unpaid...more pause because I really don't want to end up as the little old lady with a house full of fabric.
Now don't bombard me with the don't buy no more fabric stories, pleas, etc. I am solidly in the camp of having a lot of inspiration and fabric is definitely inspiration to me. I am just saying that I probably need to stay off the fabric sites for a minute...and find a really B-I-G cabinet at IKEA! So Shannon, you don't have to worry...I haven't abandoned the Sisterhood of Fabricaholics...I just need to find another way to relieve stress...or find another job! *LOL*
Here is a real bad pic of what came in the last few days...
and I would like to thank Linda at Emmaonesock, Melody at Fashionista Fabrics and Marsha at Textile Studios for being stress relievers last week and helping me to hold onto my crown as "The Lady of the Fabric!"
Carolyn, Don't ever worry about buying too much fabric...we (at least I hope it's "we") are all in the same boat with you. I think the internet stores are to blame!!! Somehow with the old brick and mortar I had more will power. Go figure. Anyway, part of our destiny as sewist, sewers, whatever...is to dream about all of the outfits we "could" make along with the ones we do make.
ReplyDeleteAuntie J
Well I don't suppose this was your intention (or was it...?) but now I can't wait to go fabric shopping tomorrow!!
ReplyDeleteNow I am firmly convinced that we all need to stroke and gaze at all our fabric as often as we can! lol When my blood pressure was high several yrs ago, the dr. had me keep a 10-day bp diary. The only day it was low was the day I spent several hours in a new fabric store! So you see, fabric shopping is a necessity for good health ... and sanity! :)
ReplyDeleteFrom another who loves to see the fabric around her, IKEA has fabulous storage(which you already know). My fabric is stored by color in their handy antonius line. I like the "basic unit" with wire basket inserts in the taller height. They come in 4 and 6 drawer. If you add the desk top and line up 3 of these little beauties, you get a counter top, too! Hmm, what could we put there - More fabric! or patterns - or trim - . ..
ReplyDeleteI love that metallic fabric you have there... I've seen so much metallic out there lately, I'm motivated to sew with some soon!
ReplyDeleteYou've got me in the mood to shop for some fabrics, now!
Let me know if you want to pass some on. I like all 3 on the right (plus the silver geometric on the left, and ....
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, I hope the stress eases up soom.
I like all of it! LOL I am definitely inspired to go shopping too!
ReplyDeleteGet more storage if you have the space in your home.Think of what fun you will have filling it!
ReplyDeletePerhaps you need to have a purge.
Maybe a fabric stash party with some other fabric-a-holics. I definately spend more time in the fabric stores than at my sewing machine!!!
She who has the most fabric wins!!
Oh Carolyn
ReplyDeletethis is just a phase
we all you will never stop, can't stop, its what we love about you!
Several months ago I came to the conclusion that I have too much fabric. It was beginning to overtake the house, and like you, I could afford it, which I feel contributed to the problem. I decided rather than every time I found a new fabric that inspired me, spoke to me, insisted to be part of the stash, I needed to stop collecting for a while (but not forever, heavens, no!). I actually get the same rush when I go through my stash as when I buy new fabric. For the time being, that is what I will be doing, feeding the feeling off the stash, not the internet. It's the textures and colors that feed my addiction, and going through the stash and planning my next project from what I already have seems to be working for me for now. Yes, I have filled several internet shopping carts, but have managed to not hit "Purchase" and have dumped the contents. I have no regrets.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn - I am going to give you the perfect solution that I employ in my own home. I allows me to continue to make stress relieving purchases, without having to cram new fabric into the stash. Whenever I can't close the door on the fabric closet, I switch my buying endeavours over to shoes. Then I still get the rush of the purchase, without augmenting my "crazy fabric lady" aura. Try it, you'll like it! :) And, by the time I can't squeeze another pair of shoes in my clothes closet, I have sewn down enough stash to allow for further fabric purchasing - I can go back and forth like this indefinitely.
ReplyDeleteIf that doesn't work for you, then just keep buying fabric. Why not? If you do die as the crazy lady of the fabric, at least everyone will be talking about you!
I know what you mean...I'm the same way with books. I have bookcases but that's not enough, so the books sit in piles around my house. Huge piles. And these are books I have not yet read (the read ones get sold or passed on to someone else). My New Year's resolution was to not buy any more books. Guess what?
ReplyDeleteWell, you are paying your bills and the kids are not starving, so you are good to go buy more, IMO. It could be worse, you could be turning to Chocolate as a stress reliever. Can you imagine what all that chocolate would do to your complexion??!! And fabric costs nothing to maintain, you don't have to feed it, lay out milk for it or change a litter box. I think you have found the best solution to handle the stress. But...I do like the idea of shoe shopping for a while instead. I hope you don't mind if I borrow that idea and go do a little shoe shopping myself.
ReplyDeleteI have been buying and saving fabric for so long...and I inherited my mother's stash when she died, so I have so much fabric that I long ago forgot what I had. So, when I want to go shop, I go shop in the stash because most of it is news to me now - opening up those boxes is just full of surprises now.
ReplyDeleteLove the fabric!!I said I was going to slow down this year on buying patterns.So far so good,but when it comes to fabric I can't do that!:)
ReplyDeleteI will not tell you to stop buying fabric... I'm just patiently waiting your Destashing Sale...lol.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't worry about it. This is a fairly cheap form of therapy if you think about it, plus you get a lot of pleasure and enjoyment from the fabric than just spending money. Besides, it's only destructive if you get get buried under it.
ReplyDeleteToo funny Summerset. Reminds me of a news article I saved about a man in NY that accidentally got buried under a pile of books and papers in his apt. It fell over and he couldn't get out until they dug him out two days later!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful fabrics Carolyn. Shannon's shoe shopping idea doesn't sound bad as alternative therapy for stress. But otherwise: please continue to share. Just this last week I bought at least 30 meters of fabric, with that at least multiplying my collection by 2. And it wasn't even very stressful here!
ReplyDeleteOnly way to make sure that I can store it, is start sewing.
For you this weekend again? Find your sewing mojo back to make some room in your closet?
If it's any consolation, I'm a bit of a pattern-o-holic--buying patterns I'll probably never use. I just resisted the temptation to buy a pattern yesterday.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn,
ReplyDeleteSince I haven't been sewing lately, I've been able to stay away from the fabric buying...but...the vintage patterns keep calling out to me. You be the fabric lady. I'll be the vintage patterns lady.
Oh, and like the other Julie, books have been calling to me. I've got them stacked in my office, waiting to be read. I can't help myself!
Jlie
Your the "Sewing Fanatic" and you must have fabric so don't fight it.It's a "good thing".
ReplyDeleteI see that great silk print on the lower left that I didn't buy before I went to LA because I was going to get something fabulous there. I got some stuff, but that silk is still calling to me and it's sold out! Great fabrics and my favorite places are yours too. I haven't bought yet from Melody, but she is on my list to try.
ReplyDeleteI must say that the internet is really enabling my fabric buying. But the internet is also encouraging me to sew more than I ever have before with this great sewing community and fun blogs like yours. Enjoy that fabric, it's gorgeous!
Congratulations, I applaud you with your fabric selection/store in your home. I have a nice huge selection like yours and I do not feel guilty.
ReplyDeleteIF I DID NOT HAVE MY SEWING/KNITTING STORE IN MY HOME...I would be hooked on something else that would actually harm my body.
So what was that website again...
Janice in WI
I like your resolve - to NOT quit buying fabric! I've been trying to do the more out than in rule this year, but I'm already WAY behind. I don't have a fabric closet, so mine is all in boxes. boxes, boxes, and more boxes.
ReplyDeleteWell, my available storage space is my limit and I'm not as lucky as you as to storing space! And I do understand well the problem of not having enough room for your fabric... sigh...
ReplyDeleteFabric...fabric....it is so hard to resist. But I have absolutely run out of storage space for it. Have you ever been to a fabric store auction? There was one here last year and I was in heaven. Imagine getting a bolt of fabric for as little as $5.00! And loads of packages of rick rack for $8.00! My hubby even got into the spirit -- of course, he loves auctions.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad to hear I'm not the only one facing the same fabric storage issues. I just looked around my sewing room and decided that I absolutely cannot bring another yard of fabric into my home. And I mean it -- right after the big box of Amy Butler fabrics that I had to buy. I, like you, stress shop. I always think that if I had spent that time sewing, I would have relieved a lot of stress and made room for more pretty fabrics. I was actually very sad yesterday because the mailman didn't leave me any packages and UPS didn't visit me either.
ReplyDelete