Thursday, February 17, 2011

DWMonday--Finished UFO #10!

I've been a quilter for ONLY 16 years. I started making clothes for myself when I was about 12. I stopped when I was about 25 partly because it was easier to find great clothing for less money and, well, I started having money then! I acquired a dress form many years ago with the idea of getting back into making garments---then, I got the quilting bug and became the Rabid Quilter.


I finally found a fabric store that gives lessons in garment making and I've signed up for several classes: pattern making, draping, working with knits, etc. I found this wonderful knit a while back, perfect for a skirt, adapted a commercial pattern (adding pockets and changing the width of the bias panels) and actually finished a garment I will wear often! I've already worn it twice in fact and it's so comfortable and stretchy. You can't see it but it's a nubby red and black--really a great fabric.

Don't worry though, I still have about 7 quilting projects in progress as we speak as you can see from the other posts I've made on Judy Laquidara's wonderful site. Hope you're all having a great sewing week!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

I've fallen off the wagon . . .

There are times when, good intentions aside, we're tripped up and try as we might cannot resist an offer too good to be true. Some examples: your best friend makes you a yummy chocolate cake on your birthday (and you're on a strict diet). You've committed to cleaning the house, top to bottom then your husband takes the day off and, sun shining and skies blue, suggests you go off for some fun.

Here's what happened to me on Tuesday: I was hired to lecture at a quilt guild where one of the members had just passed away. She left her stash to the guild and they were selling it. . . for $3.00 per yard! What's more, each piece was neatly rolled and secured with masking tape with the yardage amount written on the tape. Most were 3-8 yard pieces and were by Kaffe Facett, Moda, Hoffman, etc. NICE fabric. And get this: there were 24 HUGE tubs full! About 25 rolls in each tub, segregated into colors so neat and tidy! I tried not to look but I was there for 3 hours and needed 5 yards for the back of the top I finished last week-- and finally, I just had to look.

$3.00 a yard people!!

So, I'm now in the red. . . . :-( But you know what? I have some WONderful new fabric and the quilt guild made $72 just from little ole me!


My totals:
Fabric purchased this week: 23 (!!)
Total fabric purchased this year: 50
Fabric used this week: 5
Total fabric used this year: 37.75
Net used: -12.25