For months I’ve been wanting to get back to blogging for myself. Don’t get me wrong, I love my shop and my job but I have been working too hard and neglecting myself personally. It’s hard being a small business owner and still taking some time for yourself. I got into this business for one reason. I love to quilt. I wanted better access to all the modern quilting fabric I wanted to buy for myself and more money to buy it. Long story short, I now own a fabric shop and have an amazing stash. It’s just that though, a stash. Fabric that sits on shelves surrounding me in my office while I do business-y things all day long.
Well, not anymore. I’m publicly claiming that in 2013 I will use my stash. Lord knows I won’t be able to use all of it but gosh darnnit, I’m going to sew and I’m going to use it. Let me be clear though, I am NOT on a fabric diet. I disapprove of Fabric Diets for several reasons:
- I own a fabric store and I need people to buy fabric so I can pay my mortgage.
- Sometimes you need other fabrics to match what you already have so you can use them.
- Sometimes you find fabrics that you want but will go out of print and you won’t want to miss out.
At least for me, limiting myself to never buy fabric squashes my inspiration to create. So, I have beefed up my Pinterest boards and I am ready to create!
I’m not going to get into the exciting world of HOW to set goals in this post, I feel it will deserve several posts over the month, I’m going to show off my first project to finish up this new year:
15 blocks into the Scrappy Trip Along
I started this bad boy a few months ago after seeing the amazing quilt on Pinterest by Patch Andi (click that link and see it!) and Googled and found an amazing tutorial on how to make this quilt here:
http://quiltville.com/scrappytrips.shtml
Megan over at Lucy and Norman started making one and put it on her Instagram and that was all the inspiration I needed to get mine back out and get it done! The blocks go together pretty quickly and it’s a great way to use up some of the bigger scraps that I have (most of mine are bigger scraps). I have a ton of work to catch up on today but hopefully I can get a chance to sew later tonight! I watched some Netflix TV (Gossip Girl, don’t judge!) and cut up a lot more strips and I am just itching to sew them.
We started a Flickr Group for everyone to post their own Scrappy Trip Around the World Quilts. I love to see how quickly they are all getting done and how each one is different. I’m already planning #2. Make sure to pop over to Rita’s blog over at Red Pepper Quilts, she is finished with hers and it’s amazing (as usual). Katy over at I’m a Ginger Monkey will have hers to show off soon. I just can’t keep up with these ladies! They are incredible!
Hopefully, you are all inspired to get out your own scraps and make a Scrappy Trip Around the World Quilt. I’m going to do up some math and cut strips ahead of time for another so I will post it for you all tomorrow. Make sure to follow me on Instagram – justabitfrayed and use the #scrappytripalong hashtag to link up your photos on IG!
justabitfrayed 
Love it. I’ll be joining in soon 🙂
Love your scrappy quilt! I’ve made a few of them over the years and they are so much fun. You’ve set yourself a fun challenge this year. The fear of losing any time to quilt for myself holds me back from opening a quilt shop of my own. I’ll be really interested to hear how you go with balancing your time to get this down. Good luck!
Hi Brenda, this quilt is amazing. I am thinking that it would make a great leader ender project (also shown on Quiltville’s website). I made all the blocks for one quilt this way last year and it should be fab once it’s finished. I am looking forward to seeing what you are up to this year and getting more involved in the AAMQG.
I won’t apologise for adding to your workload (I’ll just apologise to my husband and children for spending the money, again!).
Loing the Tripping action xxx
I’m behind on instagram, but I finally checked out all of the fun yesterday. It’s a great -along! I’m enjoying seeing the progress, and I am inclined to start one, too!
p.s. I love your shop too…
I totally feel you. I build and build my stash (thanks, in largest part, to Pink Castle!) 🙂 and then it sits. Often, the reason it sits is because I can’t decide which–of the 8,000,000 blog hops and quilt-alongs and new books and so on–project to start! It’s pretty hard to keep up with the “quilting Joneses” and all the fabulous things everyone is doing (at break-neck speeds, no less)! It’s overwhelming! I’m going to endeavor to sew what *I* want and what *I* like this year and not worry about what everyone else is doing. Bravo to you for your 2013 goal 🙂
loving the scrappytripalong even though I’ve just started….wishing you the best finding that time for you – sewing and otherwise!
This idea is exactly how I was feeling at the start of the this year! I want to use what is in my stash so I don’t feel guilty buying more to replace it…and I really love my fabric so I don’t know why I don’t use it more instead of always buying new stuff. There needs to be balance, but it definitely starts with using some of what I already have!
Well said! I’ve started my Scrappy Trips and have completed 6 blocks. I’ve had so much fun pulling out my beautiful fabrics AND some old ones and USING them! I also will not be going on a fabric diet (but I’ll try to control myself a little). I want to sew up a whole bunch of fabric this year and I’m loving this pattern to help bust my stash.
I know I’ve gone back in time here. But it’s my first time visiting your blog. Loving what I am seeing. And thanks for the math!. Ps, if you like gossip girl, try ” pretty little liars”