You can't have your cloth and cut it.

But I really wish you could.

I have a love affair with fabric. Until a couple of years ago I believed that the right way to purchase fabric was to identify a need, find a pattern, and then buy the right cloth for the job. I had the odd stash builder when remnants were too good to miss, and when projects changed halfway through leaving me with tatty remains opportunities for patchwork.

And then one day it all changed. I discovered the joys of fabric shopping on Ebay and found Wazoodle. And then our local fabric shop had a sale. Not just any sale, a mammoth sale with everything in the shop reduced by at least 50%. Everything. Patterns (really wish I'd stocked up on more of them at the time), fabric, notions. I think it's safe to say I went a little overboard.[a small selection]

Thankfully this fabric explosion awareness of the joy of stash building happened at the right time, and Bob was able to build around it.
These cupboards take up the back wall of the new sunroom. Deeper than the average cupboard, the side cupboards now store all that fabric, patterns, notions, books, everything else I didn't have space to dump anywhere else vaguely sewing related. The middle doors fold right back and hold my machines
Those shelves underneath are extra narrow and will eventually take all my threads and serger cones. One day. When Bob has finished using the sunroom as his own private workroom and finished tiling the kitchen.

It's a lovely room. Or will be. Just now, it's housing a collection of large and heavy tools, as well as doubling up as a drying room. But there's a spot all set aside for my rocking chair, there's a long deep bookcase for all my crafty books and knitting patterns, there are sockets galore for ironing board and inspirational music and general grown-up playtime activities. The long term plan is that this room will be both my sewing room and my sitting room; it opens off the playroom so the girls and their friends can create mayhem enjoy themselves in a way only children can, whilst my own friends and I sit in relative peace next door, in touch with the children but able to enjoy coffee safely. I can't wait.

Meanwhile just for now it is mostly draped in dustsheets, and I creep in in the evenings to think about all the things I'll be able to do in there when Bob has moved on. And look at all the fabric, and try to decide what to do with it all. Lots of it is easy - I have a large bolt of denim which gets used whenever we need emergency trousers (happens more often than you might think), pre-quilted batik which ends up as sleep sacks, yards of brushed cotton for bibs, and oodles of fabric I liked well enough to buy but am equally happy to see disappear made up into clothes or gifts for friends. Some of it is harder - what do you do with ten yards of bright red sweatshirt fleece if you don't want to make sweatshirts or jogging bottoms? But some of it I can't bear to chop up - what do I do with this? Just stored it takes up space and will gradually deteriorate. I have 8 yards of this
It is beautiful. Suedey - I think it's moleskin. Those leaves are each about an inch across and loose. Originally I thought I'd make myself a Christmas pinafore out of it, but I think I'd end up looking like an overstuffed sofa. It's not suitable for children's clothing (pattern too large), not strong enough for upholstery. I like to pull it out and stroke it, then put it away again. But that's not really what it's for. Any ideas?

Tia