Fabric Hoarders!

 Every morning as I sit on the patio, I'm reminded of how fascinating the weather can be.  While June used to be big time sunny summer hot, things change over time, you know, like it's been changing for a million years.  I suppose you just never notice this stuff until you're old.  This morning clouds fill the sky and lightning is flashing to the East.  It's a warm 73 to boot, with Jupiter and Venus clearly visible.  

How do I know that?  I have an app of course ... called Skyview Lite.  Point it to the sky and it tells you everything that's there.  Check it out ... it's pretty cool!!

Hi, my name is Nancy and I'm a fabric hoarder.  As I mentioned yesterday, quilters are weird.  They will do just about anything for a pretty piece of fabric. Just ask Ray and Cindy.  Of course living in a big city helps, but they hit up yard sales and store closings, ending up with yards and yards of gorgeous fabric for pittance.  It amazes me how little they have paid for fabric.  I'll bet Cindy has over 100 yards (maybe more) at any one time.

I don't have any yard sales to check out, but the occasional store goes out of business.  This one was in Arizona.  Buy the entire bolt of fabric and get it for 75% off.  You can't beat that with a stick.  Patty and I went down there with no real intention of buying a lot.  That lasted two steps in the door.

I purchased close to 50 yards, this beautiful piece being one of them.  Here's the thing ... you always buy at least 7 yards if it's for backing.  This looked very "cowboy" to me ... perfect, right?  It's been sitting on the shelf for probably five years now, like every other piece I bought there.  I haven't used a single one.

Why?  Because I haven't made a quilt yet that would look even halfway decent with this fabric.  I've even drug several 7 yard pieces down to the fabric store, trying to find something that would match.  When I finished this quilt top, I went digging for backing.  Wasn't I shocked to find this fabric WORKS!!!  Yay!!  The very first piece that I am actually USING!!!  Gee ... only ten more huge pieces of fabric to make quilts for!!!  We're hoarders I tell you!!!

Of course Cindy is much better at using up her fabric.  It's an amazing gift she has for matching up colors.

And then it happened ... DISASTER!!  About the time I discovered this piece of fabric and began sewing the binding on another quilt, I broke the frame of my glasses.  The lens plopped on the floor.  Little did I know what a marathon this would become .... trying to get new glasses.

It seems they won't fill an old prescription.  It's just fine, but they refuse since it's two yeas old.  My regular eye doc that I've been seeing since I was eight years old, went out of business, with no notice.  I asked around, to find only TWO in the entire town.  

No problem ... I called for an appointment.  "We are scheduling appointments for September".  Are you kidding me??  I'm in dire need of glasses and I can't be seen until September?  I could probably drive all the way to Mexico, but the fuel would kill me.

I scrounged around the house and finally found an old pair maybe five years old.  They are terrible and make my eyes hurt, but I have nothing else.  Costco and Walmart are my next options.  Nope ... no appointments available.  Instead, I have to call every single day and ask for cancellations.  Sometimes it doesn't pay to live in a small town.

More solar news coming up ... still learning more than I ever EVER wanted to!!  My brain is tired and needs a rest.  Maybe a trip to a new quilt store I found only 60 miles away would help!!!!