ummm...fly you need to high yourself down here and help me with the new loom ....see the conversation side. We need to do a Saori style looming project with those sample. I am on the look out from now on for clothes that I can cut up and weave with ...and bags of yarn. Good thing we aren't near the same GW :) c

Ha, Caroline,I don't know if these kinds of fabrics lend themselves to cutting up like that, although I have gotten some amazing yarn at GW, like big bags full of 1 or 2 skeins of several different kinds of very nice natural fiber yarn...not sure what I'll do with them but I do appreciate them...(*what* is my problem? Was I a magpie in a past life??) At any rate, I bet you'll find them at your GW with not too much trouble.

The next fiber-related thing I want to do is rug hooking...I've got a mcm-pattern to finish from GW, then I'll do my own patterns - been saving up some nice rug-hooking wool finds from GW for a few years now....

Although I have just discovered today another thing I could easily jump into and never look -- lapidary and wire-wrapping. WOW the jewelry/art that comes from that work is just astounding. The setting relating integrally to the stone, which I would have cut and polished myself...that's me all over.

but I do appreciate beautiful weaving, actually -- I have a poncho just like the one you describe, from GW. It's handwoven, soft wool...just gorgeous. I keep thinking I'll have a reason to wear it -- nothing yet, though...I love what you're doing and will look forward to seeing more of your work.

I'm thinking with these Knoll pieces, I'll have some pieced bags made -- a young friend of Anna's does pieced tote bags and sells them -- if I give her some fabrics I like together I could ask her to do a bag that would be nigh onto indestructible. A mighty fortress Knoll bag. At least 80,000 double rubs : )

Oh very cool. And I love the lapidary jewelry. I have a necklace a neighbor gave me one summer when I was about 13 or so...hmm..I need to get it out and take a look. Been many decades since I wore it.

If you look at examples of the Saori weaving they use anything in the pieces they do...just kind of stuff it in there :) Very free-form !

I will look forward to your further explorations with the fabric...you must post pics. c

Enlighten me please, because I love fabric, for what does GW stand. I must not have one in my area.

Goodwill! ;-)

Oh, how silly of me! I have two of those, but never found that kind of a stash of fabric there. I'll have to remember to check more often.
Thanks so much!

Ack!! Yarn!!....I clean out, organize, stash in related colors in clear bags....and then the pile in the basket in the family room grows again....and I just bought 16 oz of black acrylic....because I think it will make "something" with that ribbon yarn I bought at Dollar Tree....
Hoarding? Nope...."stocking up".
Linda C

I completely concur : ) Linda, what do you make? I know you have developed expertise in antiques, but I'd love to see or hear about things you create...

Oh, and marg, usually anything I find (that I like) is put out on the same day -- that's what surprised me about these, as they'd been put out a few days ago. Although maybe it takes a special kind of -- I don't know what -- to decide to buy notebook-paper-sized samples of fabric : )

I have a "thing" for vintage ribbon.
I keep picking up these pretty spools of grosgrain, organza and cloth ribbons with the intent of creating these magnificient packages. Then when gift giving time comes I am rushed and throw the present in a paper gift bag:(

I am just seeing one of those bulletin boards made of criss-crossed ribbons...that would be *so* gorgeous, deedee...

I think it's all about the baskets in the corner.....and the vision and the intent...
Ask me about that lovely Thai Sari silk yarn....so many fabulous shawls in my head.

Ay ay ay, Thai silk yarn? Like these?

Here is a link that might be useful: maybe in colors?

ah..there are baskets of mulberry silk , undyed , at the weaving place I attend. It is almost not possible to feel it as it is so soft. I hope to one day deserve to use it for a shawl.

Linda I would love to see pics of your baskets of " stuff" :) please ??? c

My card reader died....need a new one....but trust me....it's 2 baskets over flowing....and a tall wastebasket with the current project...tall because I don't trust the toy poodle...
The thai silk is multicolored recycled sari ends.....the part that is wound on the loom, The fibers are hand spun with a drop spindle by poor women in Nepal....and it smells a little...LOL!....and occasionally has bits of straw or grass....but it's beautiful!...provides a pop of color in that end of the room! LOL!

Here is a link that might be useful: Thai silk

Quilt fabric ... went to a quilt show over the weekend and came home with 8 new fabrics. Had to limit myself! LOL!

I'm just a beginner, but I building my stash ... or at least that's what I keep telling myself.

lalalalalalalala (fingers in ears) - I'm not hearing anything about any new crafts - Saori weaving, lapidary jewelry, wire-wrapping, rug-hooking - nope, not listening! ;-D I have a tendency, you see, to be compulsive/impulsive with crafts and have always wanted a loom and love jewelry and rugs! lalalalala...

Another fabric fangirl here - I also have a stash of lovely upholstery and drapery fabric samples altho fewer than 250, some quite large, that I got FREE at a store that was closing (I did buy a lot of fabric there). However mostly all I've done is washed and pressed them and occasionally taken them out to admire them! I did frame one that is a $200/yd Pierre Frey and made a French memo board from another piece. What I originally planned, and will eventually do with some of mine, is to make pillows in various sizes and shapes for my LR. Need to find some down or good quality synthetic pillow forms - must put that on my city shopping list - thanks for the reminder.

In another life decades ago I made bags out of upholstery fabric and sold a few. Too labor intensive and too small a market to make it a real business but I had fun for awhile. They wear like iron and are very useful. I washed it all first so it could shrink. I serged all edges and used complementary colors/designs in some bags. Many of the bags were shopping bag style but some had zippers and I even made a large duffle bag. I also made tissue box covers and book covers with some of that fabric.

Have fun with your fabric stash!

As a compulsive amateur home decorator I have a lot of "must-have" purchases of accessories found at yard sales. So I am now editing my collection and have dedicated a couple of large closets to store the rest. I do use most of these and will give away those I don't.

How is it that I am getting such a LATE start on this ???? You guys are amazing. I am so FAR behind.

Linda I have seen that site and those silks. I have a LONG list of what I want to do next...and next...and..

Today I put on a new warp. The one from last week is in a bag...yep..not going to happen at present. It is safely coiled away as is the sparkly yarn. When I have more under my belt I will do it.

Today I went back to the beginning. I warped a nice hefty pure white cotton at 16" wide. I did it at 84" long with fringe. I started the weft in the same cotton. It will be substantial. I wanted something with some heft. The other one is so airy. I am going to do some interesting things in the same white as I go along. Some leno and some bouquet lace stitches and who knows what else...it will be gift to....DH ...shhhh...don't tell...it is for him to use when he meditates...so pleased. Go look on KItchen to see what he made for me :) c

It must be my age? But now I won't allow myself to buy much in the way of craft supplies that I "might do someday" because I have a room full of STUFF! After 33 years in the same house and 3 grown kids, we upsized and I had to move it or get rid of it. I did get rid of quite a lot, but I still have lots! I have been making jewelry for about 20 years+ now, so you would not believe all the beads, pearls, stones, sterling silver charms and wire, findings,etc. Plus, I have tons of buttons-old and not so old. I have tiles and pieces of dishes for mosaics. Gave away lots of fabric when I moved. I also worked in a needlepoint shop years ago before I had children, so that stuff has been packed in moth balls for years. Embroidery- used to do that too, back before kids came along. Also took a quilting class over 30 years ago. I hand smocked dresses for my daughter, put them together with French seams and all the works, but still can't believe that I did it. I had a friend that was a good teacher, and I could never do that again on my own. I would love to get into doing rubber stamping and collages, but don't want a bunch more stuff unless I am sure that I will do it. I already have a collection of rubber stamps from years ago. As I have gotten older, I know that although there is a lot I am interested in, will I really do it? The jewelry has been a money maker in the past, although the move, along with new grandbabies and weddings, has put that on hold. Sorry for the rambling. I guess I see myself as kind of a magpie. Oh, and did mention that I love marbles? You may wonder if I have lost mine...

I too have a fabric stash. But several years ago I opened up a quilt book and lo and behold this wonderful phrase popped out at me: "Go to your fabric library..." So much more important sounding and business-like than "fabric stash"!!! So now that is what I have and sometimes I think I should display it like a library since I love looking at fabrics with all their yummy colors and texture :)

It's not hoarding....it's "building one's stash." I have beads AND quilt fabric. Some of my Thai Hill Tribe silver is probably worth a small fortune these days...