After chatting about my desire to make a two-tone quilt earlier this week, I've done a wee bit more pondering about colour choice and whether I should spend precious $ on more fabric or shop from what is already on my shelves.
I should mention that I don't own a big fabric stash, mostly because I'm a stitchery designer who only makes a handful of quilts each year, but also because in the past I bought on impulse and ended up with fabrics that languished in my craft room for years without ever finding their way into a project.
I eventually sold a little, gave a lot away, and only kept what I truly loved and could envision being used in my future.
I do still purchase fabrics from time to time, choosing carefully and making sure I have a clear and valid idea already formed in my mind (or on my sketch pad) as to how I will make use of them - but I'm not perfect and every so often a few Tilda fat quarters make their way home from the quilt shop 'just because'. And I think those very occasional treats are just dandy.
Something quite profound occurred to me a while ago with regards to long term fabric ownership. As I was sorting through which pieces to keep and which to give away or sell, I noticed there had been a very obvious yet subtle change in my style and preference over the course of just a few years.
I wasn't quite as enamoured with those gushingly 'romantic' prints as I'd once been and my foray into deeper, darker tones had also dissipated. The longer I examined each piece of fabric the higher my pile of 'discards' grew!
There was a big lightbulb moment for me standing in front of those two stacks of fabric when I'd completed my sorting.
I had no regrets about giving away, nor temptation to keep, the large stack of 'discards' - just relief, like a burden had been lifted.
But looking over the second stack, examining the fabrics I'd decided to keep, I saw "me" and "my style".
All was clear and I felt such excitement about immersing myself in what I knew would be a true reflection of me.
So, let me ask you a question.
When you stand before your wall of fabric do you see yourself, your personal style?
Or do you feel confusion?
I think it's a good exercise for all of us to do once a year, just so we can take stock of what we have, what we love, and what we will honestly use.
Back to my two tone quilt plan.
I pulled all the green and pink prints from my stash that were big enough to cut 5" squares.
Pink & Green.
That's going to be my two tones.
Did you decide on yours?
hugs
