Along with a stash of fabric, I've also built up quite a stash of other supplies. You name it, ribbon, zippers, buttons, thread, patterns, I've got it. Much of it in bulk. I thank/blame my upbringing for this. I've heard it said that folks who lived through the depression tend to buy in bulk and stock up on everything. I'm not that old, I'm talking about the influence my granny had on me. Her sister, my aunt Mary is the same. Her kitchen cupboard looks like a small grocery store. Ask to borrow a cup of sugar and she'll send over a 5 pound bag. She wont miss it because she has as least 5 more on the shelf, right next to the 20 cans of cream of mushroom soup and the 10 bottles of Italian salad dressing. I was raised with that stock-up mentality and I have the weakness for fabric gene. A dangerous combination don't you think? Especially for someone on a tight budget. I have vowed to do better, to exercise more restraint and not to buy things I don't need just because it's so darn pretty or such a good deal. Having the stash has really helped in this effort. It's greatly minimized the need to run out to the fabric store to start a project or worse yet in the middle of one. What I bought unnecessarily in the past has been put to use. Yes, I've been doing good with using what I have. Toni made a pledge to try this for a whole month last April, inviting others to join her and in the process started a use what you have movement among bolggers.
Use what you have only works when you have what you need or a suitable alternative. I have an order for 5 purses and needed bamboo purse handles. I didn't have any or an alternative, so I had no choice but to go to JoAnn. At least the handles were on sale, 50% off. The rest of what I came home with was surely not needed but can I really be held accountable?
You can't see it in this picture, but the fabric on the top left has sparkles in it. I'm not really a sparkles kind of girl but they are subtle and really pretty so that fabric had to come home with me. It told me it wanted to be a skirt. Apparently the two under it told Alyssa the same thing. I've been eying that pear and apple fabric online for a while not knowing it was waiting for me at JoAnn all this time. When I walked by it jumped right in the cart, I didn't have the heart to put it back. Seeing the pears in my cart a nice associate pointed out this really cool lemon print (she called it apples, but that's ok). Into the cart it went, who am I to argue with helpful sales associates? As long as we're shopping for produce the one on top right couldn't be left out. I'm not sure what fruits and vegetables are represented here. There is what I'm pretty sure is an apple, something that looks a lot like an onion, and what may be some sort of squash. Whatever it is, it caught my eye and you know the rest. That twill tape could. not. be left at the store (Michaels). I'm sure it would have been some sort of crime. Twill tape neglect I believe. Come on, twill tape that says friends and blessings? Could you have resisted? Oh, there are the purse handles. Trouble makers!
