Saturday, February 28, 2009

Lunch bag Finally!

I made this lunch bag for my dad for Christmas but I forgot to get a picture of it before I left for home. I have been waiting for a while to get them and they are finally here. I took my dad with me to the fabric store to help my pick out the fabric that he wanted (and because I thought it would be fun to see him in a fabric store).

The outside is a home dec. weight cotton poly blend and the inside is a nylon type that you might see used for a tent. We picked the inside fabric because it was semi-water resistant and it was thick. My dad just really liked the outside fabric.
I made it taller (12in) than your average lunch sack because he wanted to be able to fit his water bottle in it and still close the lid. Other wise it is the same dementions as his old lunch sack. I also lined it with some stiff interfacing on the front and back but then put lighter weight interfacing on the sides so they would fold easier.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Fabric stash

Over at Sew Mama Sew they are asking about everyone's stash so here is a bit about mine.

What do you usually sew? Lately it has been quilts and small crafts but I like to sew all kinds of things, I have a few shirt patterns and fabric calling my name.

When you shop for fabric, what size cuts do you usually buy? (i.e. If you see something beautiful, but you don't have a use for it right away, how much do you buy?)
Every time I am at a store that sells fabric I check the remnants. Sometimes there are some really great prints in there. If I see a print I can't live without then I will usually get at least a yard but sometimes more.


Do you buy on impulse or do you go out looking for something you need?
I usually go looking for something I need. Unless I'm in a super store with a fabric section(i.e. Wal-mart) then I will be more tempted, but I try to keep it under control.

Are you a pre-washer? If you are, do you wash your fabric before you need it, or only when you're ready to use it?
I very rarely pre-wash, I don't like to iron much and I don't like having to wait for it to be done so I can start using it.

Do you iron it? If it needs it, but if I can get away without doing it then I don't.
How do you sort it? (color, print size, collection, etc.)
Color mostly, I also have stacks of novelty prints and stacks that are for a particular project. I also sort by fabric type: cottons, flannel, fleece, etc. I would say only about half my stash is really sorted, the rest are all mixed up.

Do you have any special folding techniques? Nope, I just fold it so it's about the same size as the rest and stack it.
How do you store you fabric? I store some of it on open shelves but I don't have enough shelves so the rest is in totes, boxes, and a few baskets. The shelves are organized the totes... not so much.

What tips do you have for building up a well-rounded stash?
Umm, look for colors you don't have very much of, and always check the remnants.

When do you say enough is enough? I think I'm getting to that point, I'm starting to run out of space for new fabric so I better start using it up.
What are some of your favorite stash-busting projects? I'm thinking a crap quilt would be good, but I'm up for any other ideas.

Do you have a current favorite print in your stash? Let's see it!
So many, I really like Farmers Market prints right now but I wish I had more of them.
What's your definition of the perfect stash? I would say one where you can just go pull something off the shelf and be able to make what you want with it, without having to go to the store...but then again I love going to the fabric store.