Fabric Shopping, Muslins, and Sewing Distractions

Every month I tell myself to stop buying fabric until I make several garments with the fabric in my stash. Unfortunately, most of what I currently have in my stash is for making dress/button-up shirts, which I still need to work out some fitting issues. I've gotten a lot better about not buying new patterns by the five-fold from Jo-Ann Fabrics during the Big 4 sales, although I have bought a couple new patterns from Sewaholic and Thread Theory.

But fabric shopping....oooooh, I just can't help myself sometimes! I'll have an idea in my head and then I HAVE TO GET THE FABRIC NOW! I got into one of those fits last Friday. I blame Marrie and her amazing stretch cotton sateen dress. That dress is so cool and exactly the style and colors (black and white!) I would love to use as the backbone for my work wardrobe builder.

After thinking about stretch cotton all morning, I sped-walked over to Michael Levine during my lunch break hoping to find some fabric to make a dress. I was also hoping to find this flamingo print fabric I saw on their website.

I failed in both areas, but walked away with a really pretty polyester "woolen" suiting fabric, which of course I can't find a link to online (go figure...). I was drawn to the faint purple plaid lines. I've been thinking of making either a fitted or fit-and-flare work dress out of suiting fabric and this fabric was very affordable for me to attempt to make one. These are the two patterns I'm contemplating, neither of which I have ever made.

Then the following day, I read about The Fabric Store's storewide sale. I really don't enjoy driving to Mid-City, but 30%-50% cotton prints? Yes, please! I'll brave the d-bag drivers for a good fabric sale. Every time I walk in TFS I'm overcome with relaxed blissfulness. The store is clean, organized, bright, airy, calm. I love it!

I wanted to buy so much more, but I limited myself to a white/pink/black print stretch cotton (yes!!), a bright blue very lightweight merino wool jersey, and a fuchsia/burgundy abstract cotton print that I think will make a nice summery dress (see first photo above).

Later that day I made good progress by cutting out muslins for both dress patterns and I cut the merino wool for the Thread Theory Henley pattern for my husband. I had originally planned to have a marathon sewing day on Sunday, but then this little girlie came home with me after my morning volunteer shift at the shelter:

!!!GAHHHHHH!!!! SO MUCH CUTENESS!! I CAN'T TAKE IT!!!

I first saw this kitten at the shelter two weeks ago. She was in the kitten foster area because she wasn't ready to be adopted. All last week I kept showing my husband her photo and he was surprisingly receptive of the thought of adopting her. On Sunday she was old and healthy enough to be adopted so I told my husband he better come over quick before she gets adopted. There were three other kittens being adopted at the same time so there's no way she would have been available the entire day. He met and played with her and agreed that we should take her home.

The rest of the day was devoted to making sure my other cat, Bailey, a three-year old giant of a cat, wouldn't kill her. He's very curious and is still trying to figure her out, but they seem to be getting along. Every now and then Bailey gets territorial and will be too aggressive, but I'm happy with the progress that's been made so far. Here's my favorite photo so far of our little Arya (yes, that Arya....my husband's pick seeing as how I named our first cat).

I haven't done any sewing since adopting little Arya, so I'm not sure how she'll react around fabric and thread and the sewing machine. Luckily Bailey doesn't try to eat thread and I've gotten a lot better about protecting any pins. I better get back on the sewing bus because I want to use up my stash so I can buy MOAR fabric!