Sunday, December 29, 2013

Things that caught my eye, and shopping at home...

Our anniversary day was just lovely. Thanks for those wonderful hugs and best wishes!
The Hobbit was brilliant, and afterwards we just chilled out at home in the air conditioning as it was a scorcher outside.
I spent a little 'me' time roaming some blogs through the evening and thought I'd share these two clever tutorials I found on my travels...

HERE is a great one showing how to make this travel sewing kit...


....and over at Tea Rose Home, Sachiko shares her tutorial for a sweet felt cathedral window pincushion or coaster HERE.


I thought both of these would be good for learning new skills, so I'll try to make time next month and give them a go. What about you?


 
Remember my "Moment to Shine" blog post back in November?
You can read it HERE if you missed it.


Sharon over at Lilabelle Lane had the same thought and recently threw out a challenge to herself, and to anyone like her, to refrain from buying fabrics for the next 6 months. It's her Fabriholics Anonymous challenge, and you can read all about it HERE on her blog.

There is a growing movement in 'crafty blogdom' lately to use what we have and not mindlessly accumulate more fabric than is sensibly needed. 
For myself, I'm enjoying 'shopping' from my own fabric shelves these days!


 When we moved I was able to go through all I had and gave some to charity, just leaving myself with fabric I really like and want to make something with. 
I wrote notes to remind myself why I bought some of those materials, and plan to make those projects a reality in the next year or so.
That's what's ahead in my blog next year. Maybe I'll inspire you to do something similar? 

have a blessed day,
jenny


10 comments:

Terry said...

I love the cathedral window pincushion! I think I'm going to give that one a try! I've been on a fabric diet (shopping my stash) for a couple of years now and it's wonderful to be using so much of the fabric I've had sitting around for ages! :0)

Tammy said...

Thanks for the links to the tutorials Jenny. I really like the sewing kit one.

ShirleyC said...

I love the fabric in that first flower block. Looks like an old quilt block my mom had pieced.
I have so much to do already. I was so far behind before Christmas. Now the crud bug has hit so I'm even further behind. I started a Christmas quilt block of the month at my sewing center last Feb., but I never did finish them all. That is first on my list!

creations.1 said...

Lovely tutorials Jenny -0 I will be having a go at those! And look at your tidy fabric stash - that is what I will be aiming for as soon as my sewing hole is finished!! But I am thinking I will probably have 3 times that much fabric - maybe my fabriholics challenge should be for a couple of years........hmmmmm maybe not either!!

Unknown said...

Sooo lovely, I dream of it

Lida said...

Yes you inspire me and after the first week in the new year will be gone (I have a little holiday then!) I will go through my stash and give away all the fabric I will never use and make for myself a list of the things I have and those I will use in special projects! Thanks for the inspiration, hugs
Lida

Winifred said...

What a gorgeous display they make. All my things are just stuffed in a big cupboard!

I love that Hexagon sewing kit. I must have a go at that as soon as I've finished knitting a shrug for my granddaughter. It's taken me months as I hate the wool & have had to take it out numerous times. Nearly finished though!

I also love cathedral window patchwork. Over thirty years since I did it. Brings back lots of memories.

MissesStitches said...

Always a great idea--to shop from home. I try to do that as much as possible. I've actually gotten better about shopping for fabric. Now I only buy a piece of fabric if I really, really love it, if it's something special.

Judy1522 said...

Glad you had a nice anniversary. You are really making me think about not building up too big of a stash of fabric. I just started quilting a couple years ago and am way behind in the stash building that I have seen on many blogs. I know that it is nice to be able to go to a shelf and pull out fabric for a project but now I am thinking that unless I have a specific project in mind I probably should not buy. I think many people build the large stash because so many of the fabric designs sell out almost as fast as they hit the market and if you don't buy it when you see it you may not find it anywhere. I have found myself buying fabrics a few times because I loved it and I knew it would be gone if I didn't buy it then. I am going to have to rethink that and allow myself to let it go if I don't really need it. Thank you for your thoughtful post.

Anonymous said...

I need to organize my fabric. I pretty much do use what I have, or what is donated for the projects for which I make quilts, and mostly only buy things I need, or things that appeal to me during the quilt shows or shop hops. I don't often just go buy something for no reason - though the shop down the street from my dentist does get a visit from me on days I think I need a reward for not screaming too much. =) I just need a better organizational method and I'm working that out over the next month or two. I'm glad you had such a lovely relaxing anniversary.