The Sewing Place

Saving fabric

sewmuchmore

Saving fabric
« on: October 03, 2017, 09:36:40 AM »
Going through my stash i have quite a few pieces of fabric that i absolutely love but keep putting them back because i love them so much. I am afraid that if i make something it will look awful/not fit/choose the wrong pattern for fabric so they remain on the shelve.
Does anyone else do this?
It's not easy being this perfekt

Janet

Acorn

Re: Saving fabric
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2017, 09:56:40 AM »
Oh yes!  Amongst many others, I have some gorgeous red and cream fabric that desperately wants to be a summer dress, but I can't find a pattern that is worthy of it.  I know that if/when I do find the right pattern (and really, I have plenty of perfectly suitable ones!) I will be too scared to cut into it.
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Bodgeitandscarper

Re: Saving fabric
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2017, 10:01:42 AM »
I still have one piece from many many years ago, when I got rid of all my sewing stuff except that one piece.  I think it's currently in the bottom of a blanket box, which is buried under other stuff while the extension is being built.  I'm still thinking about how to use it  :)

Ploshkin

Re: Saving fabric
« Reply #3 on: October 03, 2017, 12:02:30 PM »
I don't.  I'm still in the same mind set as when I sewed with actual shops readily available.  Decide I want to make something, find a pattern, get some fabric, make it.  The only difference now is that I might buy a couple of patterns or more than one lot of fabric online to cut down on postage but I always have something in mind for the fabric even if I take a bit of time to get round to it.
Life's too short for ironing.

UttaRetch

Re: Saving fabric
« Reply #4 on: October 03, 2017, 16:41:34 PM »
I have several lenghths of preciousness which I shall never cut.  I was unhappy with my sewing and would be so upset if I made something crap from one of these fabrics.

tumblina

Re: Saving fabric
« Reply #5 on: October 03, 2017, 17:54:49 PM »
I'm trying not to, because it's just as unusable as an uncut length as a wadder... But I don't have $$ for the "good" fibres, and neither did my mom - I've got 2m of cream silk that she bought in 1993 and couldn't cut into and I haven't had the heart either! I'm trying to find the "perfect" pattern now, knowing that it was probably fabricland clearance fabric and will turn out horrible to wear in any case  ><

Surest1tch

Re: Saving fabric
« Reply #6 on: October 03, 2017, 19:37:22 PM »
I've got huge amounts of fabric like that :S. I don't know where my confidence has gone despite all my training and experience, I look, fall in love and buy it, get it home and find I'm frightened to cut it in case I make a mess of it  :S

Snowgoose

Re: Saving fabric
« Reply #7 on: October 03, 2017, 19:46:43 PM »
Any fabric I buy I'm frightened of cutting  :'( the worry of not cutting straight, or being able to find the straight of grain, gets to me every time  :'(

Sewingsue

Re: Saving fabric
« Reply #8 on: October 03, 2017, 19:47:03 PM »
Well there are the lengths of Linton tweed that have been maturing for several years.
Bernina Aurora 440QE, Brother BC-2500, Singer 99K (1938), Juki MO-654DE overlocker, Silver Viscount 620D overlocker.

toileandtrouble

Re: Saving fabric
« Reply #9 on: October 03, 2017, 21:23:45 PM »
I've a length of self patterned grey silk which will be a beautiful shirt but it's got to be the right one and I've got to get the FBA perfect  and I'm afraid of cutting it.  It's well protected from light and moths though.
Yarn down:  1000g
Fabric down:  29m

BrendaP

Re: Saving fabric
« Reply #10 on: October 03, 2017, 22:22:33 PM »
I've got 2m of cream silk that she bought in 1993
I've got 3m x 45" soft white silk fabric bought in the closing down sale at David Evans of Crayford, so 2001.  Still has it's price ticket; 3m x £7.95.
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

Greybird

Re: Saving fabric
« Reply #11 on: October 03, 2017, 23:04:02 PM »
I feel just like that about any fabric I buy off the roll. It has to be the right day before I take a deep breath and cut into it. Give me a remnant however and my confidence blooms - all those inhibitions seem to disappear.

Having said that though, I have 3 lengths of fabric that I bought in an Oxfam shop for a couple of pounds, at least 10 years ago - if not more. It is hand woven fabric, on a narrow loom, that someone has obviously taken great pains to produce. I have never cut into it because if I mess it up all their hard work will have gone to waste. Maybe I am wasting it anyway by not using it?

sewmuchmore

Re: Saving fabric
« Reply #12 on: October 04, 2017, 17:57:09 PM »
Thought i would share this with you.
It's not easy being this perfekt

Janet

Tamnymore

Re: Saving fabric
« Reply #13 on: October 04, 2017, 19:11:19 PM »
Yes I'm completely with you all on this one and I'm glad I'm not alone! I've just bought a length of fabric from a local dressmaker who bought it from a nearby fabric shop which closed down over 20 years ago. Do I already have some fabric in the stash that I bought in the closing down sale from said shop? Oh yes!
'One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.' Oscar Wilde

rowe1311

Re: Saving fabric
« Reply #14 on: October 04, 2017, 19:26:04 PM »
Yes my growing collection of liberty is sitting waiting.  I still look for a pattern that I really love, but I do have quite a lot of it now.  Hopefully a couple of the plain colours might help me take the plunge!