Drunk Quilters

Well, here is proof positive that I have lost my mind. Take a look at this lime green and purple block. I was clearly in a state of mental deficiency to have bought the fabric in the first place, and even nuttier to take on a new project that actually USES it!!

This is actually my attempt to meet two objectives: First, I am stashbusting. For those not in the know, "stashbusting" is using your existing stash rather than going out and buying more. Of course, a huge part of the fun of quilting is buying fabric so why would I give that up?

Honestly, I am not really sure. It is only fabric, after all. It is not like I am out buying jetskies or a new front loading washing machine. No, don't bring up the longarm. That was LAST year! And let us not get away from the the discussion of STASH. Machinery is a distraction that doesn't contribute to the conversation of the worthiness of the goal to stashbust.

A fellow blogger reported that she bought over 350 yards of fabric last year. Yes, you read that correctly. She is NOT crazy so I ask that you bear that in mind in deciding what constitutes stash buying as evidence of mental instability. The way I see it, anything less than the addition of, say, 200 yards of fabric, per year, is evidence of robust mental health.

However, in addition to the mental discipline involved in stashbusting, I like the creative challenge of using what I have to make ART. Of course, anyone with as much stash as I have really has no excuse for combining clashing, discordant fabric (although I have seen quite a few "art" quilts that look like someone's 1970's laundry basket. No offense to the arteests among us, please).

Here are some fabrics from my stash that I've set aside for my second objective, which is to participate in a BOM from the HGTV message board.


Aren't they lovely. Seriously, I like the green with the daisies but think I must have been drunk when I bought some of the others. Ordering online while you are drunk is one thing. The purple, floral focal fabric I used for today's block came from Hancocks and I had to DRIVE there. I'm pretty sure I was sober when that happened.

BOM means Block of the Month. Lots of guilds and groups do BOM's. Plenty of vendors have figured out that this is a fabulous way to remove money from our pockets (and we love them for it!). You pay for the pattern (sometimes the fabrics, also) and they issue a new block every month for a price. Actually, I am not usually a fan because I don't like waiting to do anything. If I could have had my three children at the same time, I'd have signed up.

Each month, the sponsors on the HGTV message board will post a new pattern and all the ladies who are so inclined (gentlemen, too, if they want - I'm thinking some of them might actually LIKE my lime green and purple fabric) use the fabric of their choice in making one. At the end of the year, we'll each have 12 blocks (actually, the 2009 HGTV BOM activity will have 13 blocks because they plan to have an extra in celebration of the inauguration).

The 2009 HGTV BOM is using patterns from Quilter's Cache. The block posted is by Marcia Hohn and is "All American."

I'm pretty darn proud of that fussy cut in the middle, yes I am. Of course, I cut too close on a couple of the HST points and that is going to make me crazy when I start to put it together. I know that, already. I will probably sneak in some extra fabric when I reach that point so I avoid that problem. I am glad I just thought of that so I will remember to set aside some scraps. If I were paperpiecing this one, I wouldn't have this problem which is why everyone should paperpiece.

Husband hates it. He thinks the colors are ghastly. What does HE know? Well, actually, I agree with him but I figure by the time next Christmas comes around (when this project will be done), I will be in the mood for something green and early springish to celebrate St. Patricks Day (of 2010!). Plus, Christmas is the season for eggnog and I'm hoping the quilt will look better to me, then.

It is not too late to switch to another set of fabrics. But since this only took about an hour and a half (and that was longer than it should have for reasons I don't want to get into other than to say the attempt to make a paperpiecing pattern didn't work out), I figure I'll do several blocks and see if I can stand the colors.

Off to go read about the American Buffalo. It is a change from the Twilight Zone Marathon we've been watching for several days. Yeah, I'm living large.