I am a hoarder of fabrics
@GardenGerty (169489)
United States
April 12, 2016 10:09pm CST
Color is my favorite thing. It satisfies my visual senses. I hoard bits of cloth and stash fabric away, even used, hoping to do something with it.
Unlike @MorleyHunt or @Marsha32 I do not have beautiful pieces I have finished. I have some pillow tops, and my daughter has a doll blanket. I have quilt tops started by my mom and grandmother in various stages that I need to finish.
I am a fancier of fabrics. The pieces tell a story. This unfinished cathedral window small "quilt" tells about twenty one days I spent in a semi, traveling to twenty six states some of them more than one time. That is if you look at the whole thing that is what you see. It is not the only project I worked on but it is the one I did not finish.
When I look, I see windows still to fill.
I see a small piece or two of apple print fabric. I bought it and lined a small wicker basket with it, when I was a room mother. My co room mother filled it with apples for an end of year gift to the teacher.
I see scraps of a dress my mom started for my little sister from a flour sack. I loved the paisley design and border type print. There are snips of fabrics I used for maternity clothes.I see fabric I used to make a dress for my great niece. Another piece was left from making a clown outfit for a friend of my daughter. I see fabric that I made my daughter a dress from. Oh look, that is from a dress for a Cabbage Patch Doll! Navy check and I trimmed it in red.
I am a hoarder, collector and fabric peruser. I have charm packs and mini charms purchased as sets, waiting for me to slow down and put them together.
20 people like this
20 responses
@GardenGerty (169489)
• United States
13 Apr 16
I would be overwhelmed by tatting I am afraid. The thread is so fine. You are never too old to learn something new, though.
2 people like this
@vandana7 (102698)
• India
13 Apr 16
@GardenGerty ..I know how to knit, stitch, crochet, but tatting has eluded me, so it is fascinating. lol
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169489)
• United States
13 Apr 16
That sounds like a wonderful idea. Hanging fabric on walls helps with the acoustics and gives a really cozy feeling.
@GardenGerty (169489)
• United States
13 Apr 16
I would love to see your throw in a picture.
3 people like this
@sallypup (69190)
• Centralia, Washington
13 Apr 16
@GardenGerty I'll try to remember to take a picture when its daylight. Right now you probably would not be able to get a view. I put my daughter's painting in the middle of the throw.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169489)
• United States
13 Apr 16
I bought a shed when we moved, just for my stuff. It has been too cold to really go out much but I am taking things out bit by bit. Some of the boxes had been in my attic for ages, so it was fun to see the fabrics.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169489)
• United States
13 Apr 16
@MsTickle I was in an old Victorian two story for thirty years and moved rather suddenly. Maybe you would like to start going through stuff. I am, and that is why some of this stuff surprises me.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
13 Apr 16
@GardenGerty I have a whole 3 bedroom house and a garage with stuff accumulating everywhere.
2 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
13 Apr 16
i love those lil pieces'f fabric myself - down to the wee which're impossible to sew together e'en with a scant 1/4" seam. those go into critter beds's stuffin', lol. bein' more into worn out jeans, i've gathered'p quite the collection lately (close to 30 pairs) 'n need to get busy makin' rag quilts. why? coz i jest can't sit still'n do nothin'.
ne'ver bought any'f those charm packs 'n their kin - jest didn't know what the heck to do with 'em? fancy sewin' jest aint'n my forte :)
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169489)
• United States
13 Apr 16
I have some boxes of jeans as well. I would like to get the church kids on a project making things for the Christmas Child shoeboxes.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169489)
• United States
14 Apr 16
@crazyhorseladycx I saw a post online where they took the pockets and made purses or manicure kits. We could also put notepads and pencils in pockets. When I worked with the adult disabled we made bolster pillows from legs and purses from the tops.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
13 Apr 16
@GardenGerty a brilliant idea :) perhaps some uncomplicated teddy bears'n other critters? book bags're also a good choice.
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
15 Apr 16
i'm not a fan of sewing but love to see other peoples quilting projects.... but I'm a bit of a hoarder and collector of beads and old jewelry... ready to re purpose, as I love to make earrings, bracelets and necklaces... and that's mainly down to the colours.... 
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169489)
• United States
15 Apr 16
I have some old jewelry to remake. I may start having a diy or craft day once a week.
1 person likes this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
15 Apr 16
@GardenGerty I really enjoy my craft times...I find it ssoooo relaxing ... and a sense of acheivement when you can se5d what you've made...I hope you find time to do a bit....
@GardenGerty (169489)
• United States
13 Apr 16
I can remember laying on a bed at grandmothers' house and looking for the pieces of familiar things. I guess your sister's quilt might be called a "scrappy" quilt and that would be one I would really enjoy.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382312)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Apr 16
@GardenGerty It meant a lot to all of us really as even I remembered the various dresses she had worn.
@GardenGerty (169489)
• United States
14 Apr 16
I am retired, except for online. I may find myself looking for a job, but not sure. Someone needs to keep the house together.
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
14 Apr 16
@GardenGerty
I am also retired except for online. lol Someone does need to keep the house clean. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to hire a maid?
@GardenGerty (169489)
• United States
13 Apr 16
Yes, and yours is in general organized. My newer stuff is. It is just the old stuff from thirty or forty years back is not. Shoot even from twenty years ago it is wild. You also complete or at least work on stuff.
1 person likes this
@marsha32 (6631)
• United States
14 Apr 16
@GardenGerty You've not peeked into my craft room lately LOL I bought a stack of cardboard and attempted to start wrapping the larger pieces around them to stand up in my bin, but didn't get far. You can barely get into my room at all because of so much stuff in there that doesn't belong.
@crossbones27 (52955)
• Mojave, California
13 Apr 16
I never see hording as a problem if you are going to put the things to good use. Never know what you need when you make things. Good for you and sounds like you are quite creative.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169489)
• United States
13 Apr 16
I thought of this discussion while out in my "she shed" getting my thread for the sewing I was doing yesterday. My hope was when moving into this house I would have the room and time to do these things.
@cmoneyspinner (9218)
• Austin, Texas
13 Apr 16
My mother was a dressmaker. Her customers would buy material for her to make their outfits. She said they always bought too much cloth because they followed the directions on the pattern. When she cut the cloth to make the outfit she always skimmed off anywhere from a fourth of a yard to a yard of cloth. She always saved the remnants and used them for different sewing projects. She taught me how to shop for remnants when I went to fabric store. She showed me how to check the remnants table and match pieces together. Whereas you might pay a few dollars per yard, if you bought the cloth off the roll, you might pay only a few cents for a remnant thrown on the clearance table. If you knew how to put the pieces together you could make almost anything – from throw pillows to skirts.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169489)
• United States
14 Apr 16
I love remnant bins. I have my eye on polka dot fabric of all kinds right now as @Marsha32 has a pattern I think would look super cute from them.
1 person likes this
@cmoneyspinner (9218)
• Austin, Texas
14 Apr 16
@GardenGerty - You've brought back a memory. My best friend and neighbor during my high school years needed an outfit to wear to a party. She didn't have the money to buy new clothes and neither did I. But I did have enough to buy a remnant. I bought a piece of cloth from the store for 59 cents! Took it home and made a blouse for her. The material was white satin-like cloth with gorgeous yellow flowers. I let her borrow a pair of my pants since we were both the same size. She looked great! What made her even prettier was that smile. She was so happy! It was a simple thing to do to make her look her best for the party.
@GardenGerty (169489)
• United States
14 Apr 16
I am also looking forward to making family gifts this year. It just will take some time for me to sit down and do it. It is something I am looking forward to.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
13 Apr 16
great memories, sad they are tucked away though and not being turned into things!
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169489)
• United States
14 Apr 16
This little quilt is more than half finished. Just need to fill in a few more windows. It will make a nice table topper or cover on a buffet.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
14 Apr 16
@GardenGerty that will be easier on it too, less need to washings
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
13 Apr 16
Don't wait. Finish one or two of them. Pick some of the smaller projects to finish. You will have a sense of accomplishment and feel encouraged to do more.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169489)
• United States
13 Apr 16
Yesterday (today when I wrote this) I actually sat at a machine and sewed. It was rod pockets for curtains for the two big windows across the front of the house. I have not sat at a machine since January of 2015. I think I will finish this little cathedral window next. It is from before my days of more precise cutting. I just need to get my little squares done. If I had been precise the mini charm packs would have fit. It will actually be used as a table topper.
@Daljinder (23193)
• Bangalore, India
13 Apr 16
I am not a hoarder but my Mom is. She has bundles of fabric old and new alike stashed in the trunk. LOL
She loves embroidery and knows how to do it too. Every now and then she could be seen sewing up and making things out of those fabrics like pillow covers, handkerchiefs, cloth bags, etc.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169489)
• United States
13 Apr 16
I would like to make shopping bags for the whole family this year. Or maybe pillowcases for the kids.
1 person likes this
@beaniefanatic13 (5068)
• Grand Junction, Colorado
13 Apr 16
My mother was a seamstress and worked from home, we had boxes upon boxes of materials, patterns, buttons thread, etc.. She saved everything for some future project that she had envisioned. Her completed projects were always beautiful pieces of art. People waited months to be next in line for their completed item. In addition to sewing she also crocheted, so again many books, hooks and yarn. She could have opened up her own store with all the goods she had.
@GardenGerty (169489)
• United States
14 Apr 16
I have my own stuff like that, plus some of my mom's and some from an aunt and from both grandmothers.
@GardenGerty (169489)
• United States
14 Apr 16
I am hoping to be back into making some things soon. I have a quilt top to back that my mom sewed and some other things.
@GardenGerty (169489)
• United States
14 Apr 16
I have done small things like that, but never any full sized quilts.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502628)
• Italy
14 Apr 16
@GardenGerty I never did either, I like to start things that I can complete in a few days.
@Butchcass4 (5895)
• United States
17 Apr 16
You sound like a very creative person. It's awesome what you picture and see how to make things. I am guessing this is a passion for you. That's great. I wished I had a passion for something like that.
@Ruby3881 (1963)
• Canada
14 Apr 16
I love to stash away fabrics too, though I'm not a sewer or quilter. (I also have plenty of half-finished projects of all kinds!)
