Welcome Allysgrandma. I too went on a cruise to Alaska in September last year! I did buy fabric as souvenirs but had some pretty strict guidelines about what I bought -- and that was before I joined this group. Remember that there is nothing wrong in collecting fabric, it's just that some people have more room and either more organizational skills than some of us or more of an ability to deal with it. I was finally diagnosed with vision issues a few years back and had to admit that no, I wasn't going to be able to use all this fabric and started to purge my collection. First I got rid of the non-quilting stuff, that was easy! Then the craft stuff, also easy. Then so far I've given away about 12 black plastic bags full of quilt stash, and out of all that fabric there is only one piece I regret and I was pushing myself to let that one go. But I've realized that it would still be in my stash unused so I'm feeling better and better about it. Also makes it easier to let go knowing I will survive and other people will use this stuff I'm just keeping in boxes. Keep the stuff you love, and ditch the stuff that you don't.
Heehee, Grann... good going on your stash growing if not on your stash busting.
We gave the comfort quilt to our friend in the small group. We usually start with some show and tell, so I showed the completed Not Quite Y2K top and the funky back. Everyone agreed there was no better use for that fabric than the back of the Not Quite. The other projects were shown. Then one of the ladies said, oh! I have one more show and tell, and pulled out the comfort quilt. The recipient said oh that is gorgeous! The other lady said oh, you must read the label, and that's when she realized it was for her. It was quite touching and fun. Her procedure is today and my thoughts are with her.
Although the thrift stores by my mom's were calling my name, there was nothing there for me. I have the grey/blue Pfaltzgraff Yorktown stoneware. The St Vincent has a lovely large collection of the brown version including several pieces I don't have. But as I often tell myself, I don't collect the brown version. Still it was hard to pass by because the sale was everything in cases was 50% off, and it was an entirely fair price to start with -- and I had already found out that the income tax return had been auto-deposited. Still, nothing for me there or at the Goodwill.
I still need to cut some of the border units for the Purple quilt, white is done need about half the long purple strips. Found some coloration flaws in the fabric I'm using so it's slightly slower going than the semi-fussy cut along the stripes I'm already doing.
While I was at my mom's I pinned together as many purple/white units as I could until I ran out of pins. Still have a long ways to go, but I can't work on anything until I get those pins freed up. Well, yeah, I do have a baby quilt that I am changing how I am going to do the binding but my plan is to finish drinking my coffee, get off the computer room and start sewing my stash.