Fabric Freedom

I am a fabric hoarder.

There. I said it, and it feels great to get it off my chest.

It doesn't matter if it's luxurious yardage or little vintage pixie scraps - if it is looking for a home, you can be sure I'll snatch it up with the intention of using it for something extra special.

The toughest part about coming across a pattern/color/texture that I love is figuring out what to do with it. Far too often, this is how the story goes:

I find a remnant of loveliness that I just CAN'T live without, so I buy it and bring it home, where I am sure I'll be able to whip it up into something snazzy.

Said remnant remains in fabric pile in craft room, awaiting it's calling.

I come across it again and again, considering it for various projects, but instead of not being good enough? It always seems to be TOO good.

I think, "How could I possibly use this soft sandy colored linen for new cloth napkins, when I might possibly need it for making my future child a stuffed animal?!"

Internal panic ensues.

Fabric goes back in pile.

This past week, I decided to try and tackle my issues and use some of my beloved little scrappies for spicing up our balcony (that I am proud to say we have been using nearly every evening!).

The scraps of blue and teal and green gorgeousness were snagged from another project that I am currently working on. When I got the idea for this project, I thought they might be right, but I just knew I would have to take the plunge to find out!

Zoe was hoping there would be some soup left over for her...

I had been saving my soup cans for the past several weeks, and so I decided to hit up the Phoenix Herb & Tea Co. (43rd & Main) on my way home from the bus stop - to see if I could find a way to put that otherwise useless tin to work.

Sure enough, they were (and still are) having a sidewalk sale for all of their herbs, and everything is $1.95! Considering that I would spend almost 3 times that for a measly little bag of basil at the Market, and now I have a plant that will produce at least 20 caprese salads worth, I was pretty excited. I grabbed some thai basil (a little spicy, but totally delish), spearmint (bring on the mimosas, baby!), thyme (my favorite - for carmelized onions with melted brie), Italian parsley (limitless opportunities!), and a nasturtium plant (edible and beautiful flowers, with harvestable seeds).

I had G help me poke some holes in the bottoms of the tin cans for drainage (easy peasy with a hammer and nail), and then I dug into my precious fabric for some inspiration.

I cut up several strips and shapes out of four or five different fabrics, grabbed the fabric glue, and made myself one of the gosh-darn-cutest-little-herb-gardens that you ever did see (if I do say so myself)!




Ta-DAH! (Very proud of myself, indeed!)