starting a stash

 2010 was the year i finally got in to sewing. my desire to sew had started a year or two before that, with some crazy, "i want to create!" spring fever each year. but it wasn't until Scrapbooks, ETC, my local store, began carrying designer fabrics as well as scrapbook supplies that i made the leap. i already had a book or two about some simple projects like aprons and softies. (i always start with a book; i'm a bibliophile and book collector first and foremost.) when my birthday month came around, i took advantage of the store's birthday coupon, good for 20% off an entire purchase, to start my stash.

really, i had no specific project in mind. i just wanted to make something and get some fabric, especially since i could take advantage of my coupon. this is not the best way to fabric shop. once there, i wasn't even sure how much of the fabrics to get. i went for 2 yds each of my favorites. i knew a yard might not be quite enough for a skirt or larger project, so i aimed at 2. it was just a shot in the dark. i also purchased 39 (!!!) fat quarters, a few sewing tools - including my gingher rotary cutter, and some 100% wool felt in about 20 colors. even for my birthday, and with a coupon, it was a large purchase.

last weekend, while sorting scraps with a sick little girl for entertainment, i came across the receipt from that original purchase. it made me smile. then i remembered i still had a stack of that fabric (or most of it) on my stash shelf. so i photographed it. i was curious to see how much of it was still there. looking at what's listed on the receipt compared to this pile, i've only dipped into this once or twice. i've used some of these fabrics for projects, but have always rebought them first, for some reason. probably because i selected them to go with the other fabrics for those projects without remembering i had them.

these are still some of my very favorite fabrics. my tastes haven't changed. sandi henderson and heather bailey are well represented: pop garden, nicey jane, meadowsweet. they continue to be my top two designers and favorite lines. i'm surprised to see there's no amy butler since i know i went in looking specifically for her designs. i'd read enough sewing material at that point to know her name. maybe i got fat quarters of her stuff. those are so thoroughly mixed i have no idea what came when.

it tickles me to see that i have this original pile mostly intact. it actually goes together pretty well. maybe what i need to do is make an entire project out of this "pull." with about 30 yards total, there is more than enough here. i could probably do a couple of quilts out of this.

but i'll start thinking about one.
definitely a quilt.
and i already know the name for it: starting a stash.