Sunday Stash #151 – Tokyo Textiles 04
Well, today brings us to the last instalment of Tokyo Textiles. Do you realise it’s been a full month of Sundays looking at fabric I bought in the matter of two days while in Tokyo? Yes, I have a problem, and it’s called being a lover, not a hater. We all need more love in this world, right?!
And I can’t help but love my Vespa! So how could I literally walk by Vespa fabric and not buy it in every colour way? Mr. Sparkles also has a Vespa, so this is like buying your partner a bowling ball but knowing full well that you’re the only one in the family that bowls. Yeah, I’m that guy. I’m pretty sure I was standing at the counter and couldn’t decide how much to get, and as I was counting on my fingers the cutting lady saw that as “two” and just gave me two metres of everything. Ah well! But seriously, when you’re stashing, how do you decide how much to get?! <–Comments please, because I need to know by next week. (Keep reading to see why!)
The fabric below was the very first one I picked up off the shelf on our first day of shopping. I really wanted to find a fabric that had the essence of Tokyo sprawled across its weft. Seeing as I wasn’t going to get a chance to head out to Nippori Textile Town on this trip, I knew my purchases were going to be limited to the more mainstream selection of the Yuzawaya craft stores. (As you have seen, I had no problem filling my shiny coffers, there just wasn’t a lot of crazy-traditional fabrics on offer). This blue, comic-styled print makes references to both Shibori and underground anime / graphic novel culture. I’m still unsure how to use it without destroying its essence, so it’s just in the stash for now.
As I was looking for my Japanese inspired fabrics, Alyce stumbled across this Moda, Tokyo map fabric, which is apparently somewhat hard to find. I felt so out of the loop having never seen it before, and after she bought two yards for herself, I just had to buy the last two yards (end of the bolt!) for little ole me. I can see this being a great backing, or even just a low volume neutral for an entire quilt.
Things got a little more flush as soon as I saw this particular fabric though. It looked like it had been sitting on the shelf a while, acting rather ordinary to everyone else, as I was like, “I must have all of you to myself!” I went full on Silence of the Lambs, petting, envisioning our future life together, imagining cutting her up into pieces and sewing her back together into my own creation. Yeah, fava beans never tasted so sweet. I just see mini-origami, crystals, sparkles (duh!) all coalescing into an amazing neutral set against flames of orange.
So that’s basically it, a stash explosion better than any sushi roll could ever do me for! I feel like I’ve had quite a fill, and couldn’t possibly need a single thing else. Oh, but, um, there is that small matter that I leave for Japan again in a week. Look out, because this time it’s not just Tokyo in my sights, but Osaka is also on the agenda!
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When stashing with no plan in mind, I go for a half yard cut of prints and yard cuts of solids. If I really know it will be perfect for a backing, I aim for 4+ yards. I really like the Tokyo map fabric and the last fabric (amazing), and of course you had to buy all the Vespa’s!
I usually do half yard cuts whether print or solid.
I’m finding that’s a pretty safe bet as well.
I try to splurge on a half yard bundle if I am getting an entire collection. If I am getting a basic like Carolyn Friedlander’s Schematic, I buy 2 yards. If good for a backing, I’ll get 5 yards. I might note that I could probably quilt for 4-5 years without buying fabric again.
Haha… that’s my worry too Amy!
I usually go for a half-yard when I’m stashing, mainly because most online fabric shops keep that quantity as their minimum. With a lot of those, I then cut one fat quarter for cutting right away, and one for stashing. If I find something I think I might use in a range of projects, like a good low-volume print, then I might go up to 3/4 yard. If I find something I like for a potential binding, I usually buy 3/4 to 1 yard.
I’m generally around the half yard mark as well, and then I went and started buying 2 yard bits! What?!
I’m a budget quilter. I usually buy a yard of fabric on sale and I don’t keep track of whose designer the fabric was from. I found myself having a lot of odd combination of prints and colors. Do you often buy a collection or bundle from a designer?
When I am buying fabric just for stash, I buy the bolt if it is a solid. With prints, I usually get 2 yards. Solids can go with so much and I’m finding that I really like them for backing to show off my quilting.
Stash=1yard each. The reason is because every time I’ve gone for less I get caught short!
I usually buy 1m of fabric as I just need to buy it as I cannot resist fabric buying…later I try and add some more of such binge bying fabric and make baby quilts or other projects that fit 🙂
Solids/neutrals I buy in larger quantities like 2metres or sometimes more if I want to back a quilt with them
Oh Molli,
I don’t have a blog so I can’t join up but I cannot help but comment. The sharing of stashes is so therapeutic – every so often I splurge – really splurge. And then I look at everyone else and say… hey they got what I got too and then I feel okay. I had good taste. Love your Tokyo fabric. So cool.