Fabric Destashing & Self-Imposed Fabric Embargo

I'm always suuuuuuuuuuuper excited when new fabric arrives. Unfortunately, the new fabric excitement tends to eclipse the excitement of whatever fabrics I was previously excited about. It's pretty amazing how it happens.

And this, my friends, is how lovely fabrics end up forgotten in a pile!

I feel bad for all those lovely forgotten fabric dreams. So I have voluntarily cut myself off of fabric purchases for the time being until I address some of the lovelies in my stash. (Voluntarily, though Ricky is very encouraging...)

I'm documenting some of my neglected fabrics to regenerate my interest in them...

Next up: Today I'm going to slice into this beautiful drapey fabric to make a summery tank top with dark straps to match the dark leaves.

Another fun (polyester, sadly) sweater knit. This will be a.... dress? Sweater?? Big bold pattern needs to become a big piece of clothing to be appreciated.

All these stripes will become summer tops. The red and white is almost sweatshirt weight. I'm thinking loose boat neck sweater! The tan and blue shall be T-shirts.

These want to become baby sweatshirts when they grow up. I loved the frog print and I have orange trim to coordinate with, but I've been hesitant to cut into it in case I come up with a better idea. The gray with orange stripes is rather simple, but would also be a cute sweatshirt with orange trim.

Old timey seersucker and floral print... what shall you become? Not enough fabric to make much in the way of adult clothes...

My collection of pretty blue patterns that are hanging around. They're all kind of stiff, so I can't make them into the blouses I had hoped for. They will turn out too boxy. I'm  hoping to find a fitted blouse pattern for them.

Flannel stash! These will become baby bibs or baby shower gifts of some kind... I like geometric patterns!

Goodwill bins finds that I have not really cut into. I have great hopes for all these cute prints! Waiting for the right project.

And finally.... my beautiful double gauze plaid. This was my first purchase from Mood Designer Fabrics! I kept reading about this company on sewing blogs but didn't delve too deeply into their site cause I thought it would be spendy. They ended up having the best price I could find for double gauze fabrics.

Look how beautiful and drapey!

My absolute favorite... What will it become?!?! Dress or blouse? I don't have the right pattern picked out yet.

Butterscotch and teal.. who knew? I love the combo.

SOOO.....

All those have yet to be addressed. But here are some success stories from my destashing efforts!

1. I turned this half a yard of red & white (which looks pink) seersucker into this awesome short summer romper for somebody's baby! Whose baby will it be??

 

I wanted to see if this pattern, intended for stretchy knit fabrics, would work in a non-stretch fabric. The answer: Yes, adorable, but it added even more steps to this pattern which already has enough steps for my taste, what with the straps, the 3 elastic cuffs, the interfacing and ironing...

2. Hot pink and black sweater knit in a funky print .... became this sweater! Surprise! When this fabric arrived I was like, "Huh, that was not what I pictured." But I like this sweater. Sadly it's cheap polyester, don't know why I didn't notice before I purchased. It gets sweaty! Oh well.

Super awkward bathroom selfie time!

3.  I made this gray ponte knit fabric into a super basic but lovely dress using a pattern I bought (I'm not cut off from buying patterns, just fabric, so it's okay I promise...!??!) and I am already excited to make another like it in a brown sweatery knit with 3/4 sleeves. Which I may or may not have purchased during my fabric embargo... but I paid with a gift certificate, so it's different....

ALSO: Ricky actually MADE this tote bag! He made it! It deserves its own post for sure, but let's all admire this stunning navy tote with waxed canvas bottom...

Clearly I enjoy my tote!

Side note: this dress had it's first outing at my cousin's baby's first  birthday party! This is becoming a theme in my life... Sewing things that then debut at baby birthday parties. I'm very okay with this trend.

Idyllic scenery! Cake!

More destashing will happen........ And hopefully no fabric purchases. Though I am considering buying skirt fabric tonight... Jesus christ.