Sunday Stash #217 – Fabrics By the Pound!

Okay, time to get my butt back in gear with these blogging shenanigans. As I mentioned in my last The Honey Pot Bee post, I haven’t been firing on all cylinders, instead choosing to step out of the blogging world for a bit. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t been creating! I’ve  been quietly stitching and organising over the past two weeks since I’ve been home, and what a joy it has been! You’ve probably also noticed there hasn’t been a Sunday Stash in a few weeks either, and while at first I was reticent, now I see the world didn’t fall apart. However, since I blew every fabric budget I have ever had out of the water while visiting Grandma Sparkles in Alabama, it’s about bloody time I started showing you what went down. It’s taken me nearly two weeks to get it all unpacked, ironed, folded, photographed (nearly done) and put away, so it’s gonna take more than one Sunday Stash to reveal it all! (You’ve no idea.)

So let’s just start with the first place I visited, called Fabrics By the Pound in Summerdale, Alabama. This fabric warehouse was a quick jaunt from Grandma’s house, so it was the obvious place to start. I always forget I should start small, but for some reason (gluttony?) I always seems to start with a bang! These are probably my two favourites, as they are already destined for WIP quilt backs. Have you ever seen anything as joyous as that stripe?

The divinity of this place was that it was a treasure trove of forgotten or misplaced bolts of fabric. As Grandma Sparkles and I walked through the many rows of shelved fabrics, I found myself saying to her over and over, “OMG, this is [insert designer name] here, from 2012 and is now OOP!” It was all such a Willy Wonka moment of fabric overload. I don’t think Grandma Sparkles realised how much info was stored in this pretty little head of mine, but it all came flowing out. Then these two fabrics happened! I just love everything about them, and in how many different directions my brain goes when shopping. I will love everything from pastel painted plaid, to a black dyed batik (that has a serpentine richness to it in person).

So the below picture is after the first pass. That’s how I like to shop: I do a full sweep of the entire store, then go back for a second round whereby I pull all the bolts I think I’ll want. Then I do a third sweep where I pull additional bolts. When all the bolts are laid out, I put about a third of them back (and usually half of those come back to the cutting table). Finally, once all bolts are decided, I choose either my standard cut (half yard), a potential backing fabric (four yards), or if I love-love it, just sell me the bolt!

Sometimes you just buy fabrics, just because right? Well this was one of those moments. Like, when ever in your pretty little life would you need a Kellog’s advertisement fabric? Well, if that time ever comes, I am duly prepared!

What follows is just a jungle of fabrics that I liked, and I felt needed to be added to the stash. Most are from designer fabric houses, many released before I even started sewing. While I was at the cutting table, a couple of older, distinguished ladies looked on in shock at my ever growing pile. I could tell they had thoughts of, “What is that fool doing?!” Grandma Sparkles politely sparkle-splained them, giving them the skinny on the fabulous creature that I am. (Don’t you love how grandmas have always got your back!?) So anyway, enjoy the fabric pictures, and if you’re with me, feel free to let you fabric freak fly!

P.s. If anyone is needing the details on any of the fabrics pictures here, leave a comment and I’ll respond for everyone to see!

[inlinkz_linkup id=705580 mode=1]