ISO A certain Fabric for a Certain Friend

Friend Jaye was searching desperately for a Denyse Schmidt fabric "Flea Market Frenzy or some such name". Soooooo not feeling like staying at home yesterday after my chiropractic appointment, I set forth in search of this elusive fabric.

I started out closest to home, and had no luck at the first quilt shop I tried, and I didn't buy a thing, gasp! shock! amazement!

Next up was Cabrillo Sewing in Capitola. They had a lot of nice fabric, but I was good and didn't buy any. But I was taken in by this book, "Creating Your Perfect Quilting Space" and Threads magazines. Hey, I have to plan out my new quilt studio, I need some guidance!

Not done yet, so I headed back over the freeway to Beverly's, hey all cotton fabric on sale. uhoh. A skirt will be made out of the greenapple/floral, maybe with a flounce of the measuring tape. I cracked up the cutting clerk by saying I wasn't going to be using it as a waistband, oh no sireebob! And the kittys? Why did I buy that? I recognized them! That's why. I think this is a recycled print, or something, I swear I had something when I was a kid with these very same cats on it. A case of retro-deja-vu??

Anyways, my clothing aim or thoughts are swinging towards dressing more like a "grown-up, an artist, a creative and a put-together, capable person" instead of a "I'm exhausted, in pain, and I don't care, so don't make me think about what I'm wearing as long as it doesn't hurt person". I'm trying some cotton kirts first, instead of my dyed, worn-out, hand-dyed, very disreputable looking shorts.

And for some reason, I bought this dress pattern, guess I'm planning on attending some party this summer where I will show off my perfectly tanned and buffed out shoulders. Oh yeah, the housewarming party we are hoping to throw for ourselves, that must be it! This will be the first dress I've made with boning in it, but I figure, I won't need to wear any other "support garments", so it is a tradeoff, right? Will I find the fabric in my stash? Maybe....stay tuned....

Last but not least (I knew I should have gone here first!) was Hart's Fabric in Santa Cruz. Of course they had it! An entire rounder of Denyse Schmidt fabric, with a bit of the end goal fabric right there in front of me, I almost missed it. Isn't it cute? Or perhaps perky? Or just plain ol' pretty? Or naturally nice? I like it. Maybe she won't reaaaaalllly need it? maybe. Here it is, with a skull patch I had to have. Don't they look great together? Maybe for a new handbag???

And I again had to feed my clothing pattern addiction. Gawd. I had to have this McCall's pattern. Don't you love the necklines? And that tulip hem? I love that hemline, it makes you feel like you are dancing even when you are just walking.

Then, hanging oh so temptingly over the cutting station was an absolutely beautiful outfit, done up in natural linen, apple green and brown. With an overskirt, and a bolero jacket/shrug kinda thing. It looked so comfy and unique, and so I bought the pattern, it is a Burda, for "Young" (ahem). And no I won't be doing it up in prom type fabrics....I'm thinking of the hemp/silk noil I saw somewhere recently, was it Dharma Trading maybe?? Anyhoo, that would be a good fabric for this, especially if I dye it and do some discharge patterning...

Then I thought I'd try Goodwill in Santa Cruz, to see if they had any good vintage-y fabric goodness. Not really although I did buy these two pieces, one of which you will recognize if you have ever stayed at a major name hotel in Tahiti (didn't notice the printed on label in one corner, oops) for a grand total of $4.50! The weird brown one will become one of the aforementioned cotton skirts, and the black/white one will also, with the addition of some other black/white prints as it is on the smallish side (at least to make a skirt for me!).

Oh, and of course some books. ahem. 3 of which I have already read and wanted to share with my family and reread, and one which had been recommended to me , The Invention of Hugo Cabret.

Now, I'm totally pooped but it is 1:30 and by the time I get home, it will be time to go pick up Alex from school, so to kill a bit more time, I swung by my favorite garden store. And wandered around, choosing a new blueberry bush (to replace one of our now dead ones), a pineapple guava (feijoa), lemongrass, pineapple sage, and Her, she will go in the pot where I have my Kaffir Lime, and lemongrass

Pshew, I'm almost as tired out from telling you what I did yesterday, than I was after doing it!