A fabric giveaway!
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| There are 6 charm packs in this bundle. |
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| Here is the line of fabric... |
My question that I would like you to respond to is about fabric.
When I go to the quilt store, I am drawn to fabrics for others. I don't think to look for things that I want, but for what I can do for others. It has left me with a stash filled with children's fabrics. I find myself wondering - When you go to buy fabric, who do you buy it for?
The drawing will be on September 12, 2011.
Is it selfish if I say I buy for me and only me? I give quilts as gifts but only quilts that I love myself -- I don't make quilts for others that I wouldn't want to keep for myself. I want to have fun when I'm sewing and part of that is using fabric that I love to work with. In the past I made a (queen sized!) quilt as a gift in fabric that was not to my taste at all -- it took a lot of the fun away.
ReplyDeleteI am pretty sure that I can make a quilt in modern/contemporary fabrics that even a traditionalist would love -- that way we can both be happy! Even kids' quilts can be made from solids or modern but not-specifically-kiddie prints -- that way the quilt can be a life-long used item that the recipient won't grow out of.
I'm so happy to hear that you will be releasing a new podcast episode soon -- I've really enjoyed your podcast so far.
I think I look for both - fabric for future projects as gifts and fabrics that I'm just drawn to for my own use even if I don't have a quilt in mind for it yet.
ReplyDelete'Course I also drool over other peoples' scrap fabrics so I think I'm just a fabric hound. :)
Great giveaway!
It depends on the reason I am in the store. If I am looking for fabric for a quilt for someone else, then I try to remain focused on that persons quilt. The operative word here is try. I must confess that I all too frequently walk out of the store with batiks for me. Mostly jewel tones.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started quilting I bought fabric as required by the classes I was taking. Frequently they were not really my taste but I was making TRADITIONAL QUILTS.... so I used traditional fabrics... repro, Civil War, Thimble-berries. I did not finish a lot of those quilts. I concentrated on learning techniques and skills.. more into process than projects. All my UFOs are projects with fabric I bought before I could define what I really liked.
ReplyDeleteI later started picking my own fabrics and making the quilts I liked with fabric I liked... I finished those quilts... sometime keeping them and sometimes giving them away.
What I have come to think that those quilters that learn at a shop or some shops near their home... they are heavily influenced by the shops or teachers they really like. It is not till they branch out on their own that their own designs and ideas start influencing their work. I think that is the advantage of learning from the internet... A quilter might learn from a tutorial but they start to pick their own fabric without the influence of a particular teacher.
A quilter is HOSTAGE to their local shop... if the shop is heavily traditional, or contemporary or Moda or into batiks that is usually what you pick. It is harder to find fabric that might not be what the local shops carry.... Yes you can buy on line but it can be dicier and harder. If you are looking for a particular fabric or style of fabric it can be hard to find.
Nonnie
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http://nonniesquiltingdreams.podbean.com/
Nonnie's Quilting Dreams- Podcast
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Nonnie's Quilting Dreams - Blog
email me at: nonniequiltingdreams@gmail.com
P.S.
ReplyDeleteHURRY AND POST.... I HAVE BEEN WAITING AND WAITING...
When I am at the fabric store it really depends on my mood. If I am there for a pick me up then I buy things I love. If I am there for a project then it is project oriented. Well...you get the idea. I have such a huge mix of fabric for this very reason. When I had smaller kids I had more kids fabric. You will find that things change as you grow as a quilter.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear from you again! When I first started quilting I gave away almost every quilt I made. I eventually decided that I was doing something for myself. That was 20 years ago and I would say I'm now pretty much 50/50. I still see things that make me think of someone and that I NEED to made something for that person but I have enough for myself too!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your generous giveaway.
LOVED THE PODCAST ... JUST hearing your voice and the kids too.... but you really need to get some sleep before you burn out at both ends.
ReplyDeleteOne day when your kids are in school, grown up and out the door... that is when you can really fly with your passion... right now do for your little ones, your hubby. Take it easy on yourself keep the quilting as a for YOU project and BUY gifts for others...
God's Blessing to you and yours,
Nonnie
I think God was a quilter... just look at pictures of the earth from outer space... can anything look better?
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As you quilt you learn...
Hi Katie,
ReplyDeleteWe have missed you! I was so pleased to find a new podcast this morning.
I must admit that if I am having a bad day at work, I can partake in a little retail therapy, and the day seems a little brighter. I mostly buy what I like. I have three grandchildren, so if I see something that reminds me of them, I will also purchase.
Your organizers look great but I'm afraid you may soon outgrow it?
Thanks for offering the give-a-way!!
Cindy
I'm selfish, I feel like I'm most often looking at what I like for myself. I do sew and quilt for others but I think even when doing that, I still gravitate towards what I like at the fabric store and I have to stop and think whether the person I am making it for would like it, or if it's just my own preferences talking!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for offering the fabric as a giveaway!
Heather
Do you mean that other people might not like the same fabrics I like? Yes, I admit it, I choose fabric that I love. Of course, there is not much that I don't love.
ReplyDeleteI choose anything and everything I think is Cute! Which is almost half the store! Being a teenager I don't have that much money so i end up with the cheaper of my favorite ones!
ReplyDeleteI think for me it depends on the project. I buy stuff for me if it appeals to me and makes my heart sing. but there are times I look at fabric and I say wow this looks like ... and I will get it for them. or I go to the store and I have a person in mind to pick out stuff for a quilt for them.
ReplyDeleteHI! I found you thru Susan, the History Quilter, and am listening to you podcast as you drive! I was pressing quilt strips as I listened, but heard you mention your give-away so thought I'd stop in before I forgot!
ReplyDeleteI buy fabric & make quilts for both myself, my family & others too. I like to gift quilts and other smaller quilty projects, but love to make them for my house too! I usually have a reason to go to the quilt store, so know what I'm looking for - so that could be for others or myself. Most of my 'on a whim' purchasing is probably for me or for my stash - for whatever.
Anyway - great give-away. Thanks for the chance to win. Now back to the podcast . . . :-)
(oh, I am in Seattle too!)
I have several new thoughts after episode 9.
ReplyDeletehere is a good exercise to help figure out what you style is and what you want for a quilt. I wrote this up for my MIL who wants me to make them a 35th wedding anniversary quilt. Her style is so not my style.
walk trough the quilt store once. Touch the fabrics and look at all of the colors, prints, textures and such. don't pick anything up on this walk through the store wait till you have seen everything.
then walk though it again. you will probably find one fabric that makes your heart sing, the one that makes you want to pick it up and wrap your self in it. that knows your name and calls to you take me home take me home with you. (or in my case half a dozen fabrics.)
then when you pick out the one. find 4 fabrics to coordinate with it. 1 light color 2 mediums colors and 1 dark color.
I have a very distinct style. I love loud bright colors in big chunky prints. I like quilts that have large pieces to take advantage of the loud large prints. ok so you end up with very bright gaudy quilts but they are quilts not cloths so it is ok to have those bright colors. I knew I had a style and color preference but I didn't realize how strong it was until I organized all my fabric by color into bins. I ended up with close to 4 bins of blue and like half a bin of red, orange and yellow combined.
P.S. I am not sure if you have been there yet but there is a great quilt store in the Pike Place Market called Undercover Quilts.
I have taught myself to only go into the quilt store with a project in mind. It could be a project for the future. It may take awhile before I find the perfect fabric. I to then find myself always helping others with their choices and love doing that!
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