This year, I tried a different approach, motivated by overcrowding and unemployment. It's called focus. It probably should have been called total abstinence, but I'm just not capable of that.
I made a list. At the top was binding for "Currents." After much auditioning, I've decided that using one of the medium gold batiks (someone also suggested putting a narrow bit of dark purple piping before the border; that's still up for consideration) was the best way to go. So I cut a piece from my remaining fat quarter to take along.
I also needed to find some "special" fat quarters to supplement some I'd already pulled together for QuiltDad to settle our little bet on the NCAA Championship.
Yeah, I walked right into that one -- MSU never had a chance.
Next on the list was this really cute chicken fabric I'd seen while surfing the Robert Kaufmann website a few days ago. I thought it would be perfect for an upcoming birthday for one who shall remain nameless.
And last but not least, Paintstiks. I'm not ready to do my own hand dyeing just yet, but I've seen these used before and I'd like to experiment a little.
Four items. Simple enough. But it turns out that once a fabric magpie, always a fabric magpie...in my quest to find binding, I bypassed most of the fabulous prints and was drawn to batiks. And ended up with quite a collection:
A new set of purple, brown and blue fat quarters for another Blue Underground pattern (or something similar). I have a friend who really liked "Currents" and is interested in something similar. Woo-woo! A commission!
More pinks and browns to supplement leftovers from last year. This color combination is pretty striking, and for some reason, really popular baby dec here in the city. And those babies just keep on coming!
These just jumped out at me. So much so that they came home...
...and by Sunday morning had become this pile of four patches.
...and by Sunday morning had become this pile of four patches.
Yes, I've started another project. Call it IQS Fever. Attribute it to my Crafter's A.D.D. But this one's chugging along, and who am I to stop it? Gotta ride this inspiration train 'til I fall off!
So out of four items on the list, I got two: a little Paintstiks starter kit (way cool, started playing already), and John's fat quarters (which will have to remain a mystery for now).
Turns out that the binding I'd chosen (and the color family) is a few years old, which should teach us all about hanging on to our fabric for too long...or not buying enough in the first place. I couldn't find anything I really loved instead, but ran into a vendor who knew the manufacturer (Hoffman, 2005), and I was able to order some online when I got home. I never saw the chicken fabric, so I'll shop in my stash for some new ideas. I've done enough damage for one week.
To be honest, I think I got off easy.
7 comments:
Love the pink and brown and especially the orange and turquoise! Great choices. And really, you didn't do too bad!
All your picks are just fabulous!! I think I probably would have done the same thing, make a list and then semi stick to it.
Great choices. Can any of us really resist. I bought some paint sticks too after reading an article in a quilt magazine but haven't yet used them. I'm with you, I did some dying in college art classes and its a whole other thing (and with all that buying for our stash, who has room).
I think you showed amazing restraint! I am going to a small local show in a few weeks and I'm actually relieved there will only be 20 vendors. Not nearly as much temptation.
And I love those purple and gold batiks.. and the orange and turquoise. Wow. I hadn't thought of that one and now I might have to try it! *off to dig in my stash*
pretty restrained if you ask me! i'll be interested to hear about your dying experiences. i'd love to play with that too.
Oh, gosh, I'm a sucker for batiks, too! I think you showed remarkable restraint myself!
i think that you did great, too!!!
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