Thursday, January 24, 2008

Help...I am Confused

Here is my 10 pound yard of fabric....the fabric purchased in celebration of 10 pounds of fat coming off my body. Not a great pic, but it is a Robert Kaufman print. The background is a dark brown with green and cream flowers. Very mid 1800's. It is the first of 7, hopefully! I have a dilemma though. While chatting with Linda, I talked out what my plan was regarding these yards and the future quilt they will create. She confused me more....sorry Linda. First thing she did was tell me I should buy a yard for every 5 pound loss...leave it to Linda to get more fabric in there. LOL I decided I could not do that as that would be 14 yards of fabric. I could do 1/2 yards for every 5 pounds to increase the fabric selections, but I think 10 pounds is a milestone that deserves it's own recognition. So back to where I started. Here is where I get confused...it is not a far jump...what do I do with this??? I could make a block with this fabric (or more than one...maybe 10...1 for each pound) they could be small or 1 larger one. I will need 1 background fabric for everything. Ok, so the next 10 pounds gets another yard of whatever jumps off the bolt at me screaming "I'm gorgeous!! Buy me NOW". Then I make blocks out of that fabric and the same background. OR...I buy a yard every 10 pounds, save it all and put in all in a quilt with one over all design. I can buy whatever I love at that moment and not care about matching it up, or buy fabrics that all go together to create a quilt that looks like it was "meant to be".....WHAT WOULD YOU DO??? Any other suggestions will be appreciated. Try not to talk me into more that 1 yard per 10 pounds...I know for you quilters that will be difficult! I just want the fabrics to mean something.


Also, does anyone know where to get good "shirting" fabrics online? Linda and I are both looking for them. They are cream colored backgrounds with small scale designs used for background fabrics. Not cream on cream. They have a definite civil war era look to them. Marcus Brothers has a line called "19th Century Backgrounds II". You can click on the link to see them all, but here is one of them to give you an idea of what I am looking for. I can get these at my LQS, but if they can be bought online for less....well you know.

Here is a peek at another fabric I bought. It is a Thimbleberries...not for my weight loss journey quilt. I will reveal the purpose later. This is just a little portion of the fabric. I appreciate your help with these things that confuse me. Here is something else that confused me this morning. My Zachary dressed himself. It is in the teens (Fahrenheit) here. Check out those Spiderman slippers with the socks!!

23 comments:

Unknown said...

Well having had the night to sleep on it (if only, spent the night in the sewing room, dh snored like a train). Anyway I think I'd be buying fabrics that all blends together, and I still think you need to buy at least half a yard for every 5 pounds, plus your ten pound yard. Or you could buy a fat quarter for every pound.....lol...plus your ten pound yard.

Jan said...

What about 4 fat quarters that blend together and make a block or 2 with them plus a yard or half yard of coordinating fabric. That way you will have several blocks when you are at goal weight. Just a thought! Congrats to you on your weight loss!! It's a journey!

Nancy said...

First things first....for the shirtings go to http://www.quiltshops.com, click the search button, put in "shirtings" and click on thumbnails. You will get more than 5 pages of places.
(and sorry Linda, I don't have any shirtings to send you or Bren,LOL)

About the fabric. You need to celebrate every 5 lbs with a 1/2 yard of whatever you like fabric. Cut a 10" square and put it away in a baggie. Now, put the rest in your stash. When you have reached your goal weight you will have 14-10" squares of fabric to sash and make into a nice snuggly lap quilt.

As for Zach....what can I say, he's a boy....lol and I like the socks and spiderman slippers....

Jamie said...

I say do what feels right to you. This is something that should inspire you.This is something that every time you see it you will smile at what you did. So i say do what makes your heart smile.it doesnt matter if it matches. Its about your weight journey. I just cant wait to see it im so sure it will be beautiful.

Kelley said...

Good Morning, Bren!
What pretty fabric...so lovely!
Wish I could help with your dilemna
but I am still a wanna be quilter! LOL...
I think that anything you do with the fabric will be lovely!

Wishing you a blessed day!

Angela said...

http://www.fabricshack.com/cgi-bin/Store/store.cgi?cart_id=&product=marcus_19thcenturyback

Use the whole link including "back". They have great fabric. I looked under 19th century backgrouds I think for it.

Lib said...

Hi Bren,
Sorry I'm cofused now.lol
Congrats on the wt. loss.
I would say go with what you like and buy according to what you can really afford. I can't believe I just said that lol as I am a fabric junkie. lol
Have a great day!
Blessins',Lib

Dani said...

Hmmm...it looks like Will and Zach have been sharing fashion ideas. Brrrrr!

The Thimbleberries fabric is really pretty, I had no idea they had a line of fabric

Dani said...

Oh, our local Jo-Ann's had some great shirtings They only have five or six online and they look like they chose the darker prints. Most of the ones at the store were light colored stripes on a neutral background.

atet said...

I have to agree with Linda for the "buy more variety of fabrics" plan. 1/2 yard for every 5 lbs with a 1 yard purchase at 10? (then again -- I always go for the "buy more fabric" options). As for coordinating it, um, sure I guess. I'd probably pick a theme and just buy random stuff that matched my theme and figure out how it was going together later. But that is me. It might be nice to make the blocks as you go along though-- something that would be an additional "reward" for your good behavior (and if you go with the every 5lbs purchase -- um, just think, instead of 10 blocks you could have 20 -- MANY more options). I know, I'm awful.

As for the shirtings -- have you tried Z&S Fabrics? They carry the backgrounds you mention for $7.19 a yard plus a whole bunch of other repros as well. :0).

Niki said...

don't have any ideas regarding the fabric, sorry but I think Zach looks adorable in slippers and spiderman slippers!
blessings

Jan said...

I passed an award onto you--please see my blog for You Make My Day!!!

Angie said...

Hi Bren,
I have to agree with Jamie and Lib ... do what feels right to you. When you look at your quilt you probably won't (probably) be thinking of how it looks so much as what you did to accomplish making it. Be spontaneous! :)

Charlene said...

I tagged you today!! Check it out I think you'll have fun with it!

akconklin said...

Oh, Bren! You just tickle me with that title!!!:-) What a dilemma you are in! LOL!

First - I have NO help for your confusion. I do not sew at all.

Second - Do you like quilts that are not color-matched? If not, don't go that way. Ultimately, you won't be happy with that.

Third - Congrats on your weight loss. I am admiring your furvor and gung-ho attitude. I am one of those women who need to lose three hundred pounds. I understand your struggle and applaud your efforts.

GOOD JOB!!!!!!

~katie~ said...

Boy, I'm sorry I can't help you much with your quilting questions...but I'll be anxious to hear what you decide to do!

Love those Spiderman slippers!

Blessings,
Katie

Anne Ida said...

Hi, Bren! Congratulations on the weight loss! And I hope you have had some time to think - 'cause Im slightly confused from reading your post *lol*

What would I do? Hmmm... ok, it sounds like you want to stick with 1yd pr 10lb, so for the next yd I'd get a bacground fabric that match the first one - and make two blocks - one block for each of the 10lb lost (pick blocks that suits your mood then and there), so for the next 10 lb, get another yd that match the first two and make another block using all three fabrics... keep on adding as the wt loss gives you chance to buy fabric. In the end you'll have a 14 block sampler that represents your journey towards a lighter, happier and healthier life... ok, this is just an idea...

Good luck on your hunt for shirting fabrics!

Zach's slippers and socks look cool *lol*

Hugs...

Pam said...

Congratulations on your ten pound loss!!

As you go along the weight loss will get slower and it will take longer to get to 10 lbs so I think I agree with Linda that 1/2 yard for each 5 lbs. What you could do is buy coordinating fabric that would go altogether in one quilt and you could pick a pattern and start collecting the fabric with your weight loss - then when you are at your goal and have all the fabric you can make the quilt.

Good luck with it!!

Tamara said...

First of boys never will make sense to us. Now fabric, hum I say figure out your focus fabric and then buy fabric to cordinate with it and make the blocks as you go. This way you will have a block for each weight milestone marker you make. Congrats on what you have accomplished.

Solstitches said...

Congratulations on your weight loss Bren!
I got really confused reading about yards, half yards five and ten pounds so will leave it to the experts that can work it out far better than I ever could.

Donetta said...

I love you
I stand with you and for you.
Be embraced

Love Bears All Things said...

I agree with Anne Ida. That is what I was going to say. I still think you should incorporate a few journaling pieces in there to tell of your journey.
About your weight loss slowing, when that time comes, you can start rewarding smaller accomplishments. As for the colors and prints, pick colors that will co-ordinate with your theme piece.
Mama Bear

Needle, Thimble and Thread said...

Try Bonnie Blue Quilts for shirtings they do 1800's repro quilts.

Congrats on your weight loss!