My Fabric Stash!

Hello there,

I thought I would post something a little different this Friday. As you may or may not know, for the past 19 months I have worked for a Patchwork and Quilting Company. Its based in a shop down the road from where I live and it a madhouse! It can get pretty hectic but we are like one big happy family who are always sharing laughs. I love my work and it will be heartbreaking when I have to give it up for Uni, however lets live in the moment and I'll explain what my fabric stash is all about.



When I first started working there I worked in the coffee shop and I wasn't that interested in quilting or patchwork, or any kind of hand craft really; However about 4 months into my employment my boss asked me to set up for a fabric show. When I got there I couldn't believe my eyes, the amount of people from all different ages groups and backgrounds who were all desperate to get their hands on discounted fabrics and new ideas. I began thinking, maybe there is more to this quilting thing than I first thought.

I began to be truly convinced when I worked at Festival of Quilts at the NEC in Birmingham, you can't wrap your head around the sheer size of the show and the amount of different fabrics.  I have now done two shows and spent a total of 5 days at the Festival of Quilts and yet I have still never been able to take a walk down every aisle of stalls.

From then on it has been a matter of slowly admiring more and more fabrics, developing my own tastes and understanding the basics of patchwork and quilting. It wasn't until I found out that I would be taking a gap year and staying at the fabric shop a bit longer that actually buying sewing machine and making anything became a reality. In late September I got myself a set of basic sewing needles, some regular thread and half a meter of Lewis & Irene's Marrakech fabric, a range that I had always.

My Cushion!

loved. it took my just 2 evening to sew a really basic envelope cushion all by hand, when it was finished I got a sudden sinking feeling because I didn't have anything else to sew- I was hooked! Since September I have slowly begun to build up a small stash of fabric and I have antiquated myself with the sewing machines, well enough to buy myself one at the start of November (I would have it straight away but the we have to order it in first).

So as I am not that far away from beginning to learn to be a proper quilter I thought I could share with you my fabric stash that has been growing since September and some of the projects I will be trying when I get my Sewing Machine!

I'm just going to show you the fabrics that I have in large quantities rather than all my scraps or we could be here for 

Lewis and Irene Manor House collection. This range came into the shop on Wednesday and we all loved it so we all had half a meter or so before it was sold as we only have a few meters of it. There's 15 fabrics in the collection, I want the all! I decided to restrict myself but I am going to the Duxford Quilt show on Sunday and if there is still some left on our stand I'm going to have it!

Timeless treasures Mini Novelty collection. Got to have some mini penguins and Santa's for Christmas time!

Birds of a feather, we got this as a left over piece when we got a bunch of stock that we got from a shop that went into liquidation. I had a look on line for the rest of the range, it is all beautiful but sold out everywhere!

Caravan (I don't know why its called that either). Indian elephants in two sizes, both will make a great cushion, but we will see. 

Last up is actually an off cut, its Marrakech by Lewis and Irene. I know I said I wouldn't include scraps but this little bit is hopefully going to become a set of coasters!

So that's it, with Duxford on Sunday the stash will probably double in size; I'll do a Sunday post all about it and do a little haul. 

Speak soon, 

Claudia x