The Plan and Step One

Here is the plan!

Along with a few yardage estimates, I have a basic plan for the guest room.

Up first - the bedskirt.

In order to save time and money I am using the old bedskirt as a pattern and as the base.  First, I marked where all the pleats were on the base (the piece that sits on the box springs.)  Then I cut off the old fabric.

To prepare the green fabric, I cut it into 90 x 17 inch strips, serged all the edges, and hemmed the bottom of the strips.  In hindsight, I should have fitted the bedskirt before I decided on the size of the hem as I had to adjust at the end.  Next, I pinned the green fabric to the base in the same configuration as the old bedskirt. Using my new industrial machine, I sewed all the way around the bedskirt.  I fitted it on the bed and realized I need to shorten the skirt by about 1/2 inch so I ran it around on the machine one more time.  Ahh, just right!

Guest Room Update

Oops!  Once again, in my hurry to get started on a new project I forgot to take a before picture!  I am updating my guest room this summer. The challenge is to make the redo as inexpensive as possible.
I started at my favorite resource, Fabric World.  I found this fabric:

At $3 a yard it was a bargain and really the only choice to go with the pale green walls in my guest room.  And when I got home I found this green silk that I purchased at Goodwill.  Here is the original price tag:

I paid $4!

Stay tuned!

Anna Maria Horner for a Quarter!!

Seeing the beautifully arranged stacks of quilting fabrics many bloggers have in their sewing rooms usually makes me green with envy.  Don’t get me wrong, I have lots and lots of fabric.  Most of it is upholstery weight from my stint as a tote bag and purse designer/maker about 6 or 7 years ago.  I also have plenty of fashion fabrics just waiting to become something spectacular, but I have never had any of those fun, trendy modern quilting fabrics. 

That ended the other day when I had one of those magical visits to Fabric World.  Yes, Fabric World has reopened after their big sell off of $5 bolts I posted about last summer.  Now they sell just whatever they get shipped.  Mostly it is remnants – beautiful high end remnants.

A few weeks ago I went with a gift card in hand.  (Gift cards are the best because they leave no paper trail when buying fabric.)  I knew they were selling these unbelievable remnants for $2 a yard and I have been playing around with a few ideas for a new product to sell.  I planned carefully and knew what I wanted to get – if they had it. 

When I got there, the signs had been changed:

Up to 8 inches – 25 cents

9-35 inches – 50 cents

36 inches or more – 2 dollars

There were almost a dozen extra long tables to dig through.  At these prices I wished I’d brought a snack because I knew this was going to be a long morning.  I loaded up my cart.  Some of my “remnants” were 4 yards long – that is only 50 cents a yard for high end linen!  I was doing my best to use self –control but these fabrics were lovely!

I rolled my heavily laden cart over to the measuring table to start narrowing it down when the announcement came – I hope you are sitting down because your knees might just go weak when you read this – “ALL REMNANTS 25 CENTS!”  It gives me goose bumps just to type that!  I instantly went into Rambo mode.  I rolled my cart to the cutting table where they were counting and bagging the fabrics.  3 trash bags of fabric for $29!  I ran them to my van and headed back in.

As I said I have always wanted a quilting stash and mixed in with the home dec fabrics were Westminster Fibers fabrics.  Names like Anna Maria Horner and many others were right at my fingertips.  So with my empty cart I started to fill it with quilting fabrics.  This is my new stash!  Less than $25!!

And this is the sign that greeted me when I walked in the door!

DISCLAIMER!!

If you live anywhere near Fabric World you must know that they shipped all unsold Westminster Fabrics to (sniff) a rag factory.  I've been back twice since this event.  They had New York fashion fabrics - $3 a yard along with paintings for $25 and the next time gorgeous home dec remnants for $4 a yard and curtain panel samples from Walmart for 25 cents each.  You just don't know what you will find each time you go.  It is always an adventure!

Back to Blogging

When I take an accidental hiatus from my blog I feel like the return post must be substantial.  Unfortunately, I keep thinking of things I would love to blog about, but they do not fill the proverbial bill.  So I have decided to jump right back in and not worry if my first few posts are less then spectacular.

So, what have I been up to?

My blogging break originally started when work on the spring play at my children’s school and an event I was planning for our church both struck at once.  I suddenly didn’t have enough time to do anything well, so I focused on those two events.   My family had to eat takeout or cook for themselves.  My house fell to ruins before my eyes.  My pantry quickly emptied and my laundry chute was overflowing.  Soon the piles of laundry spread throughout the house – both clean and dirty.  The basement was covered with pattern pieces, stray pins, and fabric scraps.  My orchid died of neglect - only I didn’t even notice for about another month!

When things get that out of balance, I think the universe is trying to tell you something.  And this time I listened.  I was offered a volunteer position with a lot of responsibility.  It is one of those jobs that requires staying on top of everything (obviously not my strong suit), soothing parents (yikes!), recognizing all the subtle and not so subtle politics involved within any organization (I am so naïve – I only see these things in hindsight) and being able to speak in front of large groups (another weakness, which is why I joined Toastmasters – another story for another day.)  All in all, I knew this job would challenge me to be someone I am not so, I actually said no.

And then something amazing happened - I said no again.  I resigned my position as the email coordinator for my daughter’s grade.  I was in my 5^th year in this position and as busy as I get during a play, I needed to let this go as well.  And if I am asked to do something else at church, I have confidence that my answer will be, “I’d rather not.”  I only have 2 years left of being a stay at home mom.  When both my children are attending college, I won’t be staying at home anymore.  With only 2 years left, I want to focus on family.  Lesson learned.

Another Great Find Under $1

I am starting a short series of thrifty finds.  Enjoy!!

50 cents!

If you look carefully at the cover of this book you will see the 50 cent price tag.  This book was tucked away at the Friends of the Library monthly sale.  There are 48 pages of alphabets and fun stitching motifs.  There is very little instruction, which is fine since I have no idea what language it is printed in.  If you know, please pass on any knowledge you have of what it says!

New Sewing Machine



Recently, I spent the day driving from one sewing machine dealer to another with my friend Tracey as she researched the latest "super machines".  I told my husband when he left for work that morning that I would try not to get sewing machine fever while we were out.  The real machines were tempting, but I could not pass up this $7 beauty at The Classy Flea.  I wish I could have waited until he got home so I could have seen his face when I told him I bought a new sewing machine!  Just the sound of his voice over the phone was worth the $7 investment.

Possibly My Best find Yet!!

20 Cents!!

That's right.  I paid 20 cents for this hand painted plate at Value Village today.  You can't see it in the picture but that is metallic gold paint.  I Googled Georges Briard and he popped right up.  His handpainted plates sold in Nieman Marcus and Bonwit Teller in the 50's, 60's and 70's.  I am guessing that this plate was part of a store display.  Georges Briard was the name artist Jascha Brojdo signed on the back of his commercial products. Jascha served on the staff of Gen. George S. Patton as an Army interpreter.  Does anyone else wonder if this was a tribute to the General?  Hard to believe it is just a coincidence.