One of the perks of moving has got to be rediscovering my stash!
It’s inevitable that fabric gets pushed down to the bottom of a box, or to the back of the closet.  Reorganizing my fabric has given me a chance to “find” different fabrics that, I must admit – I had totally forgotten about
I’ve got fresh ideas for clothing, decorating and crafts – and all without stepping foot into a fabric store (which is probably sensible…)
So when was the last time you “rediscovered” your stash?
Now if I could only remember which box my scissors and pins are in…

Did you know that February was “Fat Quarter Month”?
In honor of Fat Quarter Month, Sew Mama, Sew has been asking quilters and fiber artists about their fabric stash.  In fact, they’ve even started a fabric stash group on Flickr!

I decided to get in on the fun as well and answered their stash questionaire:
What do you usually sew?

I sew everything from clothing, accessories, quilts and artwork.

When you shop for fabric, what size cuts do you usually buy? (i.e. If you see something beautiful, but you don’t have a use for it right away, how much do you buy?)

It depends what kind …read more

Fabric jewelry is a great stash-buster!  It’s a fun way to use up those little scraps of fabric that seem to mysteriously multiply in sewing rooms.  And fabric jewelry is lightweight, easy to wear and trendy.
Funny Face shared a great tutorial for making a chain necklace out of fabric:

image: Funny Face
Martha Stewart has a free how-to using fabric and wooden beads to make this pretty necklace:

image: Martha Stewart
I also had fun using glue and fabric to cover wooden beads!  You can also wrap little pieces of fabric around a straw or knitting needle, and glue them in place – just …read more

There is a lot of doom and gloom around the economy these days, so I thought it would be fun to find a little lighter take on it – why sewing is good for you and the economy!

Buying fabric, patterns and notions support businesses and help keep them running.
Those fabric stores employee people, who now have a job because of you.
Sewing your own clothes can save you money.
And if you’re saving money, you have more money to spend on things like groceries, mortgages or even just paying off a credit card.
You can also teach your children to sew, which means …read more

It’s the fear of buttons!

I’m a big-time fan of buttons… as we speak, I’ve got a big glass jar of vintage buttons sitting on my computer desk, not to mention the plastic tub that’s sitting next to me on my sewing table.
Scared of buttons?
Never!
Apparently some people are… and enough people that medicine actually needed to come up with a name for it.  Of course, after seeing “Coraline” yesterday, I can understand that more people may be creeped out by buttons than before.
It’s an amazing movie, but not for the faint-hearted…

The Bloggy Giveaways are back in town!

I’ve got a special contest treat for you all, my lucky Tangled Thread readers
One lucky winner will win the “Spring Fling” fabric inspiration pack:

That includes 9 six inch squares of 100% cotton quilting fabric in the spring colors & prints shown here.  The winner will also receive 48 inches of white satin Easter egg ribbon and 3, 9 inch pieces of beaded fringe (in the colors shown here).
Sounds like fun?  Want to enter?
Here are the rules…

To enter, leave a comment on this post describing what you’re going to make with the Spring …read more

Do you need a little inspiration for arranging your sewing room or studio?
Sewing.org is running an ongoing reader challenge to share your sewing room with the world.  You can browse through photos of sewing rooms and studios – and even submit your own sewing room!
I’m not sure if I’m willing to submit my sewing room to that kind of scrutiny at the moment…  Of course – it could be a good way to inspire a good studio clean
image: Stock.xchg

This was a post I never thought I’d write.  Paris Hilton, yes, Paris Hilton the socialite – is launching a new line of creative products.
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She’s going to be launching her new line titled “Paris Hilton – the Creativity Collection” at the upcoming annual Craft & Hobby Association trade show:
“Paris Hilton, internationally recognized model, singer, author, and entrepreneur will be available on Sunday, January 25, 2009 from 2:00 – 3:00 pm in the Wooky Entertainment booth #2500, to unveil Paris Hilton, the Creativity Collection™ a multi-faceted line of fashion crafting kits from some of the most popular …read more

I’m getting back into my normal schedule of studio life and teaching after December’s excitement and energy.  I definitely need to spend some time getting my studio and fabric storage area cleaned and tidied again.  I seem to have the habit of pulling fabric out, looking for inspiration… and then leaving it out.  Ah, the joys of being a visual person
I ran a month-long series on Tangled Thread during March and April last year called the “De-Stash Challenge“.  If you’re looking for ideas on how to de-stash and de-clutter your own sewing room, the series is worth checking …read more

I usually end up picking a couple of yards of fabric on sale after Christmas every year – why not buy it when it’s on sale?
Well, this year Fabric.com has decided to start the fun early – you can pick up Christmas fabric, on sale, right now!

Just click on the link, and enter the code “AC128″ to enjoy the savings.  It’s like a Christmas gift to yourself!
image: Fabric.com