Mark your Calenders, it's Time to Cut the Precious.

3.10.2014

Have you seen on the Gorgeous Fabric blog that March 22nd is "International cut into that fabric day?"
International Cut Into That Fabric Day
This topic hits close to home since my stash holds many a "precious" that I do nothing but hoard/pet while gloating over it.  Occasionally I try to pair a pattern with a "precious" but then decide that pattern not good enough for my baby. "Only the best nonexistent future patterns for you precious. Now get back into your bin where it's safe."  Most controlling fabric mom ever.

It's all well and good to stash some fabric for a rainy day, but saving certain fabrics for the future indefinitely is a waste of money.  You bought that fabric to wear after all, so how can you get up the courage to cut it up? Well here's a couple ways I've tricked myself into using "the precious."

- Educate yourself.  If you're holding off on sewing a difficult fabric until your skills improve, then improve those skills!  Google for techniques on the internet. So many people take the time to do beautiful tutorials to share their knowledge.  Ask a friend or even take a craftsy course if you got a couple bucks to spend.

- Make a muslin or use a TNT pattern.  We don't want to ruin that perfect fabric and the easiest way to do that is with bad fit.  Work out all your fitting problems in muslin or use a pattern that you've already ironed the kinks out of.  Knowing that the garment will fit you properly will ease your mind as your shears make that first cut.

-  Imagine your fabric's future. Think about what will happen to your precious fabric if you don't use it. Odds are that people who do not value your hobby will dispose of your stash.  It's precious to you, but to everyone else it's crap you've cluttered up the house with. Is my future grown son going to lovenly move 6 rubberneck tubs of fabric to a climate controlled location? No, no he's probably going to throw them in the back of a dump truck on the way to the local incinerator. It fills me with horror too.  So sew your good stuff up now before your future children can do horrible things to them.

- Get out the alcohol. Layout out your fabric, check to see if it has a directional pattern, and layout all the pattern pieces how you want to cut them.  Then take a nice stiff drink, sometimes you just need something it steel the nerves.  Just don't have two stiff drinks or your cutting might get questionable.

To show that I'm not all talk, I did put scissors to one of my precious fabrics this weekend.
When my son was an infant I bought this quilting cotton from Tessuti in Australia and had it shipped all the way to me. This happens to be one of my favorite bird prints and past Heather bought it in two colorways. It's been sitting in the stash for years now because I didn't want to waste it on something that would never get worn. Sewdollyclackett got me thinking about Simpicity 2444 again and how much I love that dress.  Hey wait, I can sew the birds into a 2444!  Sometimes it really is that simple....I say as I shake a bit knowing this is no longer yardage.  It's going to be fine, FINE!
Actually I'm pretty OK with this because it's all for Dolly Clackett and I'm pretty sure I've just earned a new show purchase. Guess I'd better go find something else to cut on Saturday. Gulp.

33 comments:

  1. do you know, i was just thinking about suggesting something like this! maybe i caught a glimpse on twitter or something and didn't consciously register it but my brian picked it up!


    i have a remnant of silk cotton with a beautiful grey/ purple hydrangea print. enough for a simple top. it might want to be a portrait blouse.

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  2. What a lovely fabric - and what a truism! I have one fabric that NOTHING is good enough for. Really - nothing is good enough for it. I don't think I'm ready...

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  3. Those birds are VERY precious! So pretty! I'm sure 2444 will be a perfect match for it

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  4. Des!!! Turn around that dump truck!!!!! Bad boy!!!!!

    OK, this scares me, but that probably means I should do it, huh? I have 1 meter of a lovely Liberty silk that Miss Dibs sent to me- it was an amazing gift, it's a beautiful fabric, and I'm TERRIFIED of screwing up! I really need to grow a pair and walk into that cave, guns blazing... OK, I'm way too obsessed with True Detective so we're going off-topic, but let's CUT THAT FABRIC!

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  5. Mildly horrified by the image of my own death, in which I die and am eaten by alsatians (a la Bridget Jones) and then some well-meaning idiot takes my entire stash of preciousness to the charity shop where they sell off all the fabric I sourced from Australia/Japan and the darker corners of ebay over the years, at 50p a piece.


    As both a prolific sewer and a prolific drinker, I can attest that while one drink does wonders for one's courage, two drinks is a one-way route to wadder city... I have to restrain myself from cutting/sewing anything when I get back from the pub. Too many fabrics have perished in vain.

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  6. Ha ha, love the commentary of what your son will do with your stash. I'm real proud of you cutting one of your precious. :)

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  7. Haha, oh I so need to 'feel the fear and cut anyway' Heather. I don't know what it is, but I just can't seem to cut some of it! Is it strange to be scared of fabric?

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  8. what a great idea! i have a piece of silk chiffon i bought almost a year ago that i haven't touched. mostly because i'm not sure what to do with it, but it's been on my mind lately! i may just have to cut into it.

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  9. Nooo, I can't!!!! The perfect pattern is just in your stash, I just know it, so we must meet & have stiff drinks & I must steal it from you - no? ahh well... I have several precious'ss - March 22nd you say... for just one of them, well, ok then ;)

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  10. Great tips! Glad to see some of the precious is getting used for such a precious event. That is such a nice print too.

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  11. I love how this fabrics looks up close and from far away. It's going to be beautiful!

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  12. Great minds think alike! I looooove the sound of that fabric remnant and silk cotton should work well with the portrait blouse pattern. Sew it, sew it!!!

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  13. Hee hee, that's OK, you're allowed to hoard that fabric for a little longer. Some day you will be ready.

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  14. Thanks Kristin, the dress is looking pretty good so far. Breathed a sigh of relief when I attached the skirt and everything looked fine.

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  15. LOL! Didn't I teach you better than that. I hope your at least saving my baking cookbooks future Desmond. Now I can see why cutting Liberty Silk would give you the Heebie Jeebies. But I think you can do it if you're ready...and it's OK if you're not

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  16. Haa haa haa! Those Alsatians are bad bad doggies. Alert the neighbors to your owners death before making a snack out of her.
    Good rule about no cutting after coming home from the pub. Sure you can blame the drunk monkey for mucking up your stuff but that doesn't undo the damage. ;)

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  17. Thanks Jamie, I will try to actually use the fabric I have....Ooooooo look at that new pretty! ;)

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  18. It's OK, I'm still scared to cut a few pieces. I think that part of the problem is that you have to commit to a garment and then that "limitless possibilities" phase is over.

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  19. The thought of all my treasures in a landfill really lit a fire under me as well. I'm glad I could give you a little push to sew up at least one of those little treasures. You can hoard the rest if you want too. :)

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  20. So happy to hear the stash busting is helping. Thanks for the good reminder of what happens to the stash when we die too!

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  21. You've verbalized my deepest fears! The husband has strict instructions for he and my bestie to properly care for my textile family- but what if we die together?? What if my trashy nieces get my stash? I'd better get busy!!

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  22. Oh no, not the trashy nieces!!! Sew those babies up before they can get their sweaty hands on them. The precious!

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  23. I love this fabric. And I agree, you should sew it all up before you're too old to enjoy it. (Although you could leave instructions in your will. Ahem.)

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  24. "Send X fabrics to Andrea in Canada." I'll make sure Froggie adds that to his list of things to take care of. ;)

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  25. I am hoarding a few preciouses as well... But I am planning on converting them from yardage to wearables before the filthy little hobbitses use it to pack their second breakfast in it... March 22nd it must be! (Not really, I first need to get my hands on another new pattern)

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  26. Haa haa haa, now I'm picturing the hobbits taking hobo packs on a stick out of your precious. No good hobbitses!!!

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  27. hehe, this is so apt! When cutting into my wedding dress fabric 2 weeks ago, I had a very stiff G&T with lots of ice waiting for me on the sidelines. I made that first cut, then took a sip. Or maybe it was a gulp. Then I cut the rest out. I felt like I had just taken on an army.
    That 2444 is going to be one hellava awesome birdy dress, I can smell it.

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  28. Heck yeah, show that wedding dress fabric who's boss! Hope your sewing process goes well on that. :)

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  29. Yessss! This is exactly my issue. I am often afraid to cut into my 'good' fabric. Even if it only cost a few bucks, not really the point. It's the idea of possibly 'ruining' it that stops me. I shall go forth and cut! Loving your progress on the Dolly Clackett dress.

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  30. Ahhh! I have this fear of cutting fabric too! 2444! How can it go wrong!? Can't wait to see it.

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  31. It's OK Catja, you won't ruin that pretty fabric. You're a skilled seamstress! Cut, cut, cut!

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  32. Don't fear the fabric Margo or you can just send it to me. LOL Just kidding, your clothing always looks good. I think you don't have to be afraid.

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