Epic Fail - Fabriholics Anonymous February Check In

It has been time to check in for my Fabric Diet for over a week, and I've been avoiding it.  Why?  Because I was naughty of course!

It all started innocently enough (doesn't it always).  My first purchase in February was to get some more of the fabric I needed to sash my Wee Wander quilts.  I had originally ordered only 1/2 yard of each, and I think I needed 1 & 1/3 yards total to sash and use for the binding.  So I ordered just what I needed and left it at that.  No harm done, right?  I NEEDED the fabric to finish.

Next up came a totally spontaneous purchase.  I BLAME Katie!  Yeah, I'm pointing a finger!  (I think they call that "transference of guilt" or something like that.)  As if posting about all her marvelous finds during the Instagram destash wasn't enough, she alerted me to Missouri Star Quilt Co.'s daily deal one day on Carolyn Friedlander's Botanics charm pack.  It was just a little charm pack.  That barely counts as breaking a diet right?  I mean it is like popping one little chocolate chip in your mouth when you are staring down a huge bowl of cookie dough.  Totally doesn't count.

Turns out, that was just a pin hole leak in the Hoover Dam.  I don't remember when exactly it happened, but getting those packages in the mail was pure bliss.  Now, I have admitted in the past that my ordering is emotionally based and normally occurs when I am stressed or lonely.  I don't know if subconsciously I was feeling lonely not getting squishy mail from all the bees I didn't participate in this quarter or what, but I got those packages and went a little crazy.

I started with fabrics I "needed" to finish my 4th of July quilt (reds and white/black).  Then I remember how I totally lacked "light" fabrics when I made that block using the Scrapitude instructions, so I added some low volume and some white on white and cream on creams - you know for future use.  Then I browsed through some of the other colors that my stash is low on.  I'm sure you've heard similar stories before, right?

It doesn't look so bad when it is all folded and organized, or does it?

To make matters worse, I got a little excited when I hit a few "Jackpots", where Fabric.com gives you the end of the bolt.  I have no idea how they decide who gets it and how much.  Usually I just get a few extra inches, but with this black & white polka dot fabric it ended up being just shy of a 1/2 yard extra???

I hit 5 jackpots with my order, and I was so hyped that I started thinking about all the backing I forgot to order.  I made a list and ordered away.  Terrible.  Hopefully the arrival of that package will not cause another lapse.

So bottom line - EPIC FAIL on the diet.

I'm just not perfect.  I will try again next month.

Jen

Bingeing

As you might recall, I gave up buying fabric for Lent.  Lent was over a while ago, why am I talking about it now?  Well, I guess it is because I have some confessing to do.  I have been on a serious fabric buying binge.  It all started Easter Sunday.  As the family and I were driving up to Mammoth Lakes, CA for some spring break skiing:

1. I remembered Lent and my "fast" were over, 
2. I realized that my husband's IPad had cellular internet service,
3. We were stuck in traffic due to a brush fire and I had an extra hour or so tacked onto the 5 hour drive,
4. I couldn't help myself???

I mentioned during Lent that I really liked the Flea Market Fancy fabric line by Denyse Schmidt., and it seemed like it was selling out all over the place.  Now, in hindsight it may have only seemed like I was going to miss out, and NOT being able to buy it may have made it even more desirable (after all, you always want what you can't have, right?).  But, I was steadfast and just put my name on the Fat Quarter Shop's email list for when they got it in stock and prayed that it would be after Lent, but before everyone else bought it.  (Picture me here biting my fingernails and tapping my toes, staring at the calendar.)

That Sunday, they had not contacted me yet, so I went elsewhere online to find it.  And find most of it, I did!  I found some at Fabric.com, for much less than anywhere else, so I ordered the prints they had in stock.  Oh, and some white solid I had been meaning to get for ages.

Itch scratched, right?

A few days later into our vacation, I remembered that I needed borders for my Hands2Help quilt, so I ordered those from Connecting Threads.  Oh, and some nice brown solid for a border for my Lincoln quilt.

A few days after that, I decided I really needed to have the whole collection of Flea Market Fancy, so I started looking for the other prints.  What do you know, I found some at Hawthorne Threads at 20% off, and I put in an order.  Now there were only 2 prints I was still missing.  Oh, and I got some Riley Blake Scoot that was on sale.

Throw in a trip to Joann's, where I got some outdoor canvas for pillows for our deck at a steal!  Oh, and a few other odds and ends.

Low and behold, I heard today from Fat Quarter Shop, and I placed my final order for the missing 2 prints of Flea Market Fancy.  Oh, and I finally caved in on the Swoon pattern.  Oh, and there may have been a random fat quarter bundle thrown in there too.

I have a problem.

A serious illness.

I know some of you out there share it.  

In the past I have hidden my addiction by making my purchases with cash.  Unfortunately, ordering online doesn't exactly allow that option.  Now there is a paper trail, which inevitably be discovered shortly by my husband. 

My head hangs in shame.

No Mother's Day gift for me this year.

BUT.......

I can't wait to create!!  Did I mention that I also got also got the Quick Curve Ruler from Jenny at Sew Kind of Wonderful?  I just love those Urban Nine Patch and Urban Deco blocks.

Did I mention I have a problem??  Do they have rehab facilities for this?

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming, well almost

I drove down to Orange County today to pick up a new foot pedal for my machine, so I should be able to resume sewing on Monday. Yeah!

Until then I thought I would just post a few pics of some of the fabric I picked up at the show.  Since both of my local quilt shops have closed, I am pretty much limited to Joann's or online purchases.  The quilt show gave me a shopping opportunity I couldn't resist. And resist, I did not!

Here's one group of fabrics, and no, I don't have specific plans for them yet, I just like them...

And I can't wait to create something with this..I absolutely love it!

And I can't remember which blog it was that must have put this into my head.  I think it was one of my Australian reads, but she was writing about how gray has come back into fashion, and I found myself gray-happy....

My friend that was with me probably thought I was nuts!  All I would look at was gray.  I think I will be pairing it with aqua or pink or maybe even a light blue.  And I think it is about time I try to make a more modern looking something-or-other.  So once I get a few projects off my table this week, I might just dive into these!