That fabric is irresistible, Paper Princess, and you just had to tease us with it, right? :thumbup: LOL!! If you had to buy something, fabric is good and that fabric is just delicious! You could blame it on the full moon...that's always affects folks in interesting ways!! Enjoy the anticipation of your fabric arriving.

Bending the rules??? My LQS is celebrating their 9th anniversary with a 20% off the bolt (any bolt) plus 50% off some fabrics. It was our 16th anniversary and my husband reminded me of the sale (how nice of him)! He gave me $40 to go shopping....so I spent 'his' money, LOL. I only spent $28.90 so I'm ahead! I bought some beautiful fabric (birds, flowers, great colors in 10" square pictures) with several solids for pieced blocks to coordinate. Not bad!
Did I break my resolution? It was a great sale!

I almost bought some material Thursday. At first thought go with that quilt I have planned. Thought it over an no it would not and put the bolt back on the shelf. So far this year no buys.

Laynal
I would have bought 10 inch blocks of birds and such too. I would say you were "forced" to buy.

not shopping. No friggen way. I just got two more boxes of scraps from a dear friend in CA and another box from my dh mom.. and my own scraps were driving me nuts! oh no! I am so grateful for the gifts but its not helping me. lol.. and then a sweet quilter here on the board sent me TWENTY fat quarters.. all in the same day. I just turn and turn in circles looking at all of this. omg.. how will I ever use these up??? I could make so many quilts out of the scraps alone.. yikes guys.. I need more energy to ever get through these.

Well, after my mammogram on Friday, I thought a latte would serve as my reward....but, since I was way out there anyway, I stopped by a favorite quilt store. Hmmmm, bad plan you say? Yes! I just had to have the 2 new blood red batiks they got in. Seeing them, touching them, purchasing them almost made the pancake squeezing bearable. I only bought half yards, and technically they are for a future project that I have been collecting for. :thumbup:

Ahh Teresa...First of all..I will give you a total pass on this one. Red fabric is irresistible in my book and one can never have too much and if you are collecting for a special project then there should be no regrets! I am glad you stopped by that favorite store...perhaps that 'p-squeezing' was auspicious and you were meant to have those reds. I am glad for you! :-)

Thanks Sandy! You are my "favorite" codependent. Here they are, now you know why I couldn't resist :)
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Teresa: I just started a red and white quilt. Love your batiks! How are you going to set the red? Even though I prewashed with color catchers when I spilled water on the red it ran into the white. So my question is in total self interest.

bleeding reds.. ugh. my color catcher caught lots of the red but the one fabric still bleeds. I think cause this is a piece of fabric you can retayne it right? I just bought some to set my batiks the fat quarters I have as I didn't think I could put those in a washer because of the size. I used some of the cruddy red scrap I had in a quilt top and now I find its going to bleed. guess I take those blocks out for safety.

LOVE YOUR REDS Teresa but um it counts as breaking the rules I think .. sorry. Buying fabric is buying fabric unless your finishing a project already in the making. lol POLICE QUILT POLICE! (siren blaring .. ). I think maybe its more realistic to just truly limit what we buy but this moratorium is obviously not working. I think its like saying the word.. DIET soon as you say it you crave what you can't have. I have lots of food I can't have. Crave them ALL the time. so maybe we don't say.. moratorium because it inspires us to.. WANT, NEED, BUY!!! PLEASE COME OVER AND HELP ME KILL MY SCRAP PILES!

Elisabrat: We all agree we fall of the wagon repeatedly but the general consensus is we really reduce our over all expenditures and that's all to the good. I don't think you have fully addressed yourself to the fact that as Sandy pointed out, red is irresistible therefore it falls in a different category. Remember Mary had just gone through a totally traumatic experience and needed some retail therapy. She literally had her *** in a wringer. All in all I think a .5 demerit is all that Mary has earned. Nancia is usually our legal authority on these matters, maybe she will chime in.

oh my gosh your right! I forgot red was excluded! Sandy time to get out the wet noodle and womp me. What was I thinking? don't tell Nancia she will do more than chime in. She will steal my men with quilts and burritos calendar and what will I look at. (this calendar last year was so funny bo hunk men shirtless, holding a burrito and having a quilt over say one shoulder).

I am thinking of cutting my scraps into layer cakes and selling those.. what do you think> too many for me to ever use asI grow them daily.

It's February 17th. I'm half way through the month and have not bought fabric. It's a miracle!

Aha! Once again dear Brat, you have come to my rescue. I signed up for a quilt class at first of May and need 2 layer cakes for the class. If you do decide to sell..I would just as soon pay you for them as give money to Jo Ann's. Let me know. If it is for a specific class..it isn't falling off the wagon either :-) and the instructions say that we should be well on the way to getting most of the top done in one long day! :-)

Oh sure Rhonda Lee go ahead and crow over the people lying in the dust.

Elisabrat you need SYNTHRAPOL for the running dies. Apparently it is the pac-man of die-gobbeling soaps.

Remember I told you of the mandatory trip to the quilt store? Oh I went, I looked, I fondled, and I shopped. Quilts and Things in Morgan Hill has the best selection of flannels I have seen in ages. DH told me that he would like a rag quilt made from the flannels. Oh darn! lol

I also got a wall hanging kit (for a special person) and a few large stencils. Pat pulled the Visa out without batting an eye. Good Man! Now to find time for quilting.

Off to clean up the camper.

Martina: Glad you found a good selection of goodies. About the Synthrapol, unfortunately I have my quilt flimsy half pieced. Do you think it would work with the whites in there with the reds?

waiting with baited breath for that answer about synthrapol never heard of this one.

Sandy what colors fabrics do you need? just holler and no you wont pay me. Pay it forward is how this game works.. and you certainly can't pay me in FABRIC yikes.. noooooo!!!! lol.. I am good to go just tell me what you need in layer cakes and I will whip one up for you.

Well, I forgot about my Guild's auction!! I bought fabric, but it was such a good buy I couldn't resist.

oh well its for a good cause and therefore you had to bid. I think you would have been in the doghouse cindy if you didn't so therefore you too get a pass on being bad :)

we sure give out passes here what about the encouragement to NOT shop? I need it. Having a need some new fabric moment and that I surely do not need. Needs and wants. Big difference learned that a while ago. I sure want it though :) maybe we can do some trades? this way.. we feel like we have shopped! if you were closer you could come and shop my stash. I am near no one however. Ok near Jaba but she has such a killer stash that she doesn't need anything from my piddly one. Mine is big for me but its all relative.. she sews up quilts like its going out of style. I am not nearly half that fast so mine is more than enough for a slow poke like me!

oh hey an idea! I am doing the fat quarter swap for March. Its spring flowers! if you want to trade some of yours there it might kill the need to shop concept. Amazing how many flowers we have even if you think your not a flower person.

Well, I have to say that I'm totally off the wagon after the weekend and yesterday really did me in! So probably more than a wet noodle needs to be used here. I can't use the idea that I had my hm-hms flattened into pancakes (just love that...gonna remember it!), but I did spend most of Saturday freezing my ears off. So, you know, the quilt shop nearby was warm...and I did try to resist, but hubby owed me a Christmas present (hey, I know Christmas is over, but collecting on debts is good) that he returned. So HE bought fabric with birds, a plain fabric to match, and two 1/2 yards of kitty fabric. Since HE paid, it's okay right? And we won't talk about yesterday, except to say I visited a friend and hoped to get to the quilt shop on the way home after it closed...but no! There were customers still in there, they hadn't locked the door, and they welcomed me...so how could I not buy something? And that is the rest of the story. Now I will stay home and sew. This is way more difficult than I thought!!!

Well, I really really thought about calling a fabric moratorium for the year. Honestly I did!!! But then DH's new contract has him traveling to NC nearly every week so really, how could I pass up all that wonderful free shipping within the continental USA?? Please, tell me how that would even be possible--especially with the unbelievable prices and sales at so many of the FabShopHop stores plus Connecting Threads and don't even get me started on Carolina Cotton....Yeah I fell really REALLY hard!!!

Ginger: When you fall you fall magnificently!

I so enjoy the conversations on this thread! :)

While looking through some of my nicely organized cut squares(in labeled boxes/bins even), I got disgusted with orphan blocks falling off of the shelf by these bins so I made the following charity top. 2 of the 10 minute blocks were leftovers from a quilt that my niece made a while back. I had a few strip blocks done also. I decided to add a few more of the 10 minute blocks which was a new experience for me. So I used quite a few squares from my stash along with the sashing. The 3 middle long strips were also finished and stacked on some shelves.


I really thought I would have an ugly quilt when I was done, but it grew on me as I was doing it. There was lots of unstitching as I was making it up as I went along. Today, my church group sandwiched and tied it. The backing was brought to the front and will be sewn down later. It measured about 70 by 80. It is hanging crooked.

Connie

You can put it in the wash after the quilt is finished. Supposedly it only takes a small amount and it binds the die particles in the water. I would probably add some color catchers also.

Connie: What a fun quilt! Those little orphans now have a home and will be snuggled by someone who will love them. Good job.
OK guys and gals...I received my Connecting Threads catalog today and oh...I want, I want, I want. The Rhapsody of Reds, the Symphony of Blues, the Neutral Love II. What is in my DNA that stirs my soul when I see this beautiful stuff? I have not spent anything yet...Lord help me!

I think its our love of beauty and appreciation of color that leads us down this road to aquiring. I am currently being lured by a paisley on the Whittle web site. $4 per yard. If it was $10 per yard, no problem, wouldn't even be tempted, but $4, for $36 a quilt top. Oh no, so wanted to make it to month end. I know I am going to fall.

Emma, I hear what you are saying. When the deal is good and all the reasons pro and con considered, it's very difficult to stand firm and say no. Yes, sounds so much better. I honestly don't know how I can not buy. This is more difficult than I thought it would be.

A good thing about this resolution is if/when we fall off this wagon we can jump back on again for the ride. Right? Maybe we can count the days we refrain from buying, like 364, or 363, or 362.... out of 365? That's do-able and we'll still feel good by year end (when we give in due to exceptional circumstances that are impossible to pass up).
Those who make the whole year are an exceptional bunch (or few)!

My Wife will be so excited for me to do this!!!!

BTW...I just "Joined" this resolution but have done good so far this year. Made two (2) quilts in January from my stash and just need backing for one (1) of them. Started a red and white quilt from my stash and also have another one that is leaves that I've started for hand piecing. I'll have to figure a way to post them. So far the file is too big to post the pic. anyone have any ideas?

OK, I am in trouble. I did taxes for a friend and she came over last night with a gift certificate to my favorite QS. To add to the temptation I will be at the QS on Friday night for my monthly sew-in. Can I be good!

Anoka Quilter, yes you can be good. But understanding is something we do very well here. Gift certificate to a QS! Candy to a baby!
Hi D Dale and welcome. I'm not much help on posting pictures. But I sure enjoy looking at the wonderful creations that come through here. It feels good to use up stash doesn't it.
My rule of thumb for the last year has been, if I buy a kit or some new fabric I have to make something out of my stash of equal value. So, if I buy a kit, I will use that same pattern to shop from my stash. I have to bribe myself. Yeah, it's kinda weird but it seems to help me.

Hi Dale, there are free resizing programs on the internet. Usually the instructions are pretty easy. You have to either change the picture size or the pixel size (I think) to decrease the file size. Resave with a different name so you don't overwrite the file.

Something I sometimes do is upload the pic in MS Paint and resize it. Have not always had luck with that method - but I'm sure the problem was sitting in the chair (not the PC).

Welcome! As far as posting pictures:

Four "verys" Paper Princess? Sounds like a good trip...oh I'm such an enabler! Sounds like a good trip to me.

Went to big city yesterday. I did not buy any material. Looked. To be honest just bought 5 bottles vitamins and 2 pounds of cheese. Senior bus went in. 180 round trip. It gets me out of the house.

One lady was taking in her sewing machine for repair and it is same block at the quilt material store. Apparently it has closed. I have never bought material there. I tried to buy big needles for quilt tieing there and got told WE DO NO TIE QUILTS when I said thought sure they would have needles.

ok I am back. Stupid hospital took me and apparently my memory went with it. I had it, then its.. like gone on the very basics. Frustrating the heck out of me so please bare with me. I am trying.

I believe that if your gifted money that cant count right? its like a present and you don't want to say no to a present.
Two: I still haven't gone shopping so I am good. I think. I can't remember. oh boy. time to get over to the quilt box and check it out one more time. I know there is something to be done. argh pirates.

Elizabrat, give yourself grace. If they used anaesthesia, it can take awhile (okay, months) for them to work their way out of your system. They also affect memory...after all, who wants to remember those procedures? Let us know you're okay.

I was saved by the snow storm...I did not buy fabric. My LQS that I do the monthly sew-in called yesterday and cancelled the evening due to the snow storm we had in Minnesota the day before. The secondary roads were still really bad the next day due to the blowing and drifting. The gift certificate is safely tucked away. Maybe I will even forgot all about it by the time the next sew-in happens.

It is the 22nd of February and I have not bought any fabric since the first of the year.