too much fabric

And of course "too much" here can mean either that I currently possess too much fabric (true) or that this fabric, right here, is too much (also probably true).

This is some Liberty lawn going cheap (so far ...) on Ebay. I'm not buying it (see me not buying it? See me reluctantly not buying it?) mostly because I have about seven or eight yards of Liberty en route to me from the UK already and I think if I buy any more there will be a nice man from MI5 showing up at my door with a couple of spiffy gadgets, enquiring gently what one person could actually DO with all this fabric, and wouldn't I like to let him know what my plans for geopolitical domination are, so he can scotch them? (Then, of course, we will have sex, shortly followed by explosions of a different kind. And a car chase. All of which would cut way into my sewing time, so I better cool it.)

I'm also not buying it because it's a bit short, and I've made a vow not to buy any more fabric if I can't get at least three yards of 54" wide, or five yards of anything else. I'm tired of wasting time laying out patterns to find that my fabric is half a yard short. I need that time to actually SEW, dammit, so now, it's five yards or nothing. I don't care how pretty it is. I keep saying "Oh, I'll make a blouse," but I don't really wear blouses. I wear dresses, and I wear t-shirts, and I wear sweaters. I don't wear blouses. I have four blouses half-made and abandoned in my sewing room right this very minute. I have a dozen ready-made blouses hanging in my closet, one or two of which have never been worn. (Sheer black chiffon? What was I thinking? I don't care if it does have a peter-pan collar! I blame H&M Disease, that feverish excitement that comes over you when you're there and leads you to buy unsuitable clothes, thinking that you will magically become the kind of person who wears them. Some people have the household equivalent, Ikea Syndrome, where they feel buying a container with a funny name will magically make them organized.)

Anyway, if you make blouses, or very narrow skirts, this is one heck of a print. I wish I knew the name of it as I will be looking out for more ... about three yards more.

Comments

[rebwey]

Hey! This is a great blog! I'm so glad I found it. I thought I was alone in this particular eccentricity. Oh. I mean brilliant creativity.So where, oh where, do you find Liberty fabric? I've googled like crazy and can't find it.

[La BellaDonna]

Rebwey, you can't find it because the supplies are diminishing. I did some research in response to one of Erin's previous entries, and I found out that Liberty is basically not selling fabric to little shops any more that used to carry it - and believe me, it's Liberty's choice and not that of the little shops, who are in a right twist over it. And it's world-wide, not just in the US or Australia. So if you find some shop that carries supplies for heirloom sewing (try googling on "heirloom sewing"), you may find some pieces, or you may find them on Ebay, but if you see and like it, buy it, because, basically, you won't be able to buy it retail unless you go to London.

[dhyana]

*HA !!!!So true for me too with the short yardage and H&M disease ..:-)*

[Jilli]

I have long since had it beaten into my head by my darling seamstress friends that there is NO POINT to me buying fabric in anything less than 5 yard lots. I live in full skirts & princess-seamed jackets or dresses, all of which take at least 5 yards.

[Jonquil]

Very handy. Victorian novels are full of people being brought "a dress length" of fabric as though it's a standard amount. I wonder if it varied from period to period, or if it was as fixed as "a kimono length"? When I'm buying a fabric on spec, I never know how much to get. Which makes my stash less useful than it might be. Both you and Jilli seem to stick on a 5-yard minimum; I have tended to buy 3 for blouses.The Liberty news is heartrending.

[Lami]

Your blog is my favorite, because of your down-to-earth, witty observations...H&M disease! I love it! I have a long list of such diseases...Ann Taylor disease (love it but they love short people not long legged women); bin disease (if I keep buying those bins my home will magically be organized)...thanks for the smiles!

[V]

I know the real reason you're not buying this lovely fabric. I'm not sure what all this talk is, my "Lady Daphne," but you must admit you have claimed to hate the color purple from time immemorial (I'm starting to think you actually LIKE bananas).

[Erin]

No bananas!The pattern ALMOST overwhelms the fact that it's so ::shudder:: purple. :-)

[gracie]

OMG. i just bought 2 yards of cloth (2 meters) from a retailer which i got a dress fr them before.. and they said they only used approx 2meters of cloth for that dress.. and now u guys are telling me 5 yards wld only be safe! oh bilmey. i dont suppose i can go get any 3 yards right.. cloth must be in one whole piece to make a dress? :(cheerios