How Much Fabric is Too Much?

For those who have been to my apartment, you know I have a little fabric here and there (I am praying this is the post my husband skips reading).  I was helping a friend with the decorations for a social event here at my husband's school.  I off-handily mentioned we could whip up some table runners that would go along with the theme.  I was sure I had some fabric literally laying around that we could use; I think she really thought I was joking until I went over to my craft room reached into a pile of mess on the floor and pulled out a light pink fabric with blue flowers on it. About a month ago I received a large box of material from my mother that had been stored in some horribly smelling place so I washed it all about 10 times with a bottle of vinegar, a box of oxiclean and box of baking soda to get the allergens out (I was having slight breathing problems when I was next to it).  Now that it is clean, I have to iron and store it all.

My craft room looks a mess with fabric peeking out of every place.  I do have a lot and yet I am finding that I have too much of one fabric.  I have 10 yards of a brick red check fabric that I have been dying to use for years but I can't seem to match it to anything.  So when is it having too much fabric?  I have a friend who says I need to just sort through my fabric and give it away, but I use fabric, I paid for it and it I give it away I may never be able to get anymore.  We are talking about birthday and christmas presents from my teens onward from my mother (it is easier to have her buy me fabric than fashionable clothes I will never wear).  Every Christmas I buy fabric, wrap it and pretend its from my various family members.  I have used quite a bit of fabric over the years.  But now I have to pack up my belongings this winter for us to move in the spring.

Everyone looks at me a little funny when I say Nugget shall share our room and the fabric will have its own room.  So I am going to follow the example of one of my favorite bloggers, Judy at Patchwork Times, and start figuring out how much fabric I have, how much I use on a weekly basis, and how much fabric is still leaking its way into our household.  She calls it a "Stash Report" and it will be appearing here weekly on Mondays starting this next week.  I am going to try to post 3 times a week on Monday (stash reports), Wednesdays (works in progress), and Fridays (finished projects for the week).  Stay tuned and see you tomorrow!

Sun, Quilting, and a New Job!

My goodness it feels like it has been a long time since I last posted!  In the area where we live we have been experiencing over 100F degree weather every day for almost 3 months.  I pretty much slept for the month of July, but I also made it outside a couple times to go swimming.  So, for the first time in 9 years I actual have a tan with my very own tan lines!  That may not seem all that great, but when sugar has a deeper tan than me, one has to get excited about these sorts of things.  I have great Native American bloodlines that only show up in the sunshine. 

On other topics I was finally able to tear myself away form a nap long enough to work on a Quilting project.  I was really bummed out after my in ability to finish my 84 Churn dash blocks for Block swap I signed up for a couple of months ago, I felt like I had to get something accomplished! I have shown you glimpses of my newest finished project in the past when showing off my formerly organized craft room.  I call it a "Paper Clip Quilt".  This quilt was made using "Oh My" Charm Squares, Strips of a black print fabric, a solid forest green for the backing, a neat orange print from the same "Oh My" line of fabrics for the binding, and orange cotton thread for the meandering quilting.  I have been experimenting with Bright colors against the color Black, so this is the first of several projects that I have in the works.  Let me know what you think and what suggestions you might have for me.

And finally I alluded to an upcoming new job!  As I may have mentioned in the past I contracted Meningitis this past April and I have been off work for the past 4 months recovering.  I am doing much better these days although a much more subdued person than I once was.  I used to describe my marriage as that of a balloon man with myself in the role of the Balloons and my husband as the man who keeps me anchored and grounded.  I now feel like its better described a man with a cat that sits in the sun shone window all day resting; occasionally he drags me outside for a walk. We are happy to announce that I will have a new job starting in February of 2012.  I will be a stay at home mother!  We are very excited about the possibility of a child in our lives.  We will add pictures to the "Nugget" page as we get them.  Please put your comments below instead of posting on facebook so we can keep the surprise going!