Sunday, June 20, 2010

Sunken Treasure

First. I need to tell you that this is not a picture of me; however, it is the mental image that I have of myself whenever I am taking fabric out of wastebaskets from sewing rooms, retreats, and classes that people have thrown away. I am amazed at the beautiful gems that are tossed away. I know that it is only a square inch of 1800's reproduction...but it's pretty. And it's mine.

You will be very happy to know that among my many mental disabilities, hoarding is not one of them. I am not a complete weirdo when it comes to collecting the fabric scraps. My sewing room has an order to it and I am very proud of my organization when it comes to my valuable property. I use the scraps in many of my projects. My precious stash is where I go to first to find just the right color of blue, or pink, or green...it is my color palate. It is where I get my inspiration. It is how I test creations.

You know that knot that you get in your shoulder and neck that takes a massage therapist about an hour to remove? That knot goes away on its own when I get to visit my quilting room for a few hours. So you see how important your garbage is to me? Please don't throw it away. Let me pay you for the fabric. Let me pay you for postage. I would be happier than a June bug at a porch light sale.

If you describe your fabric pieces as: bits and pieces, castoffs, chunks, crumbs, discards, ends, fragments, hunks, iotas, junk, leftovers, modicum, odds and ends, parts, particles, pieces, portions, remains, shreds, slices, slivers, snippets, specks, traces, or remnants;

I call them: prized possessions, abundances, apple of my eye, cache, finds, fortunes, gems, pride and joy, prizes, riches, treasure trove, valuables, and gifts; but definitely not garbage.

I am not hurting for fabric, mind you. I just hate seeing those beauties in a garbage can. I am doing this for my country, for my planet, for my sanity. Plus, it does not make any sense at all for me to save the whales. Who has that much room? Especially if you want to collect the whole set.


3 comments:

Jackie's Stitches said...

I faithfully save my scraps too. I haven't gotten to the spot where you are though where I go there first. I actually haven't used the smaller pieces yet.

Rhonda said...

Monica is not kidding....if you really want to make her happy, send fabric scraps!!!
Hey girl.....my box is already started for you......again....hehehehehehehe

Cat said...

How big do you want these scraps to be?
I'm in the middle of a stash clean out at the moment and give my little pieces to my sons kindy but the bigger ones - well the pile is just getting bigger.