Well as it turned out the lady in my group did love the Cranston print so while purchased it did not end up in my stash. The group ladies helped me finalize my purple quilt choices, had three possible fabrics for the border and a couple other lingering design decisions to make.
I headed out to visit my mom and stopped by the thrift stores out there. I found the strange shaped cord to fit the Hubby's battery charger (he can't tell me what happened to the cord he used to have...). It had double-round ends, there are lots of round/square, and flat top/double round ends, but it's been a lot of looking to finally find this one and only $0.99. Then at the other store there was some lovely fabric. I almost drooled, but I was determined to only spend cash on hand which was $5 and some change (and we have a 10% sales tax). Without this thread, I probably would have come out with about $25-30 worth. All yardage, high quality fabrics, a brown batik, a couple different Northcott Quilt for a Cure line, some bags of good looking scraps.
My small group is going to be making a comfort quilt for someone with medical issues, there was a really warm and happy not-quite-primary print with a golden yellow background that I selected. It is about 4 yards for $4.99 and I have a good eye -- it turned out to be Makower but the way it was folded I couldn't read the selvedge before I bought it.
But the real point of this is at my mom's that night I had a big think with a little breakthrough
It is true, I covet that fabric. But in the end, those Northcotts were just nice florals and I have a lot of nice florals. That strange pale piece was lovely but what on earth would I ever do with it?? There is nothing wrong with collecting fabric but I've made the decision to downsize. It was ok to lust a little and appreciate and move on. And someone else is going to snatch them up -- good for them whether or not they know/appreciate or just got a good deal.