Ain't no trash in MY stash!
Tuesday, June 09, 2009 Posted In daughter , stash 1 Comment »Kate: “Hey Mom, Do you think you could help me make curtains for the pool house?”
Me: “And what pool house would that be?”
Kate: “You know, the one in my back yard.”
Me: “That’s a pool house? I thought it was a potting shed.”
Kate: “Whatever. The curtains in there are the ones Omi put up in 1962. The orange velvet is disgusting, and I’m not really into lace fruit.”
Say what?
Orange velvet? Lace fruit? 1962?
Kate and her husband Paul bought Paul’s grandparents’ house when Omi and Opa downsized into a retirement community. It’s a lot more house and yard than they would have been able to afford as newlyweds, but the Omsters (as they are affectionately called) helped them arrange financing. It was certainly a big financial undertaking for K & P, and their budget is very tight; this will, however, be their forever home. Big yard, complete with an in-ground pool (and pool house/potting shed), and a 1950’s split-level house. Well maintained. Last decorated in the early 60’s by a well-meaning woman who was into fruity kitsch. Are you beginning to get the picture?
Kate: “What can we use to make curtains? Maybe I can pay you for them next month?”
Me: “How about if we take a look at my stash?”
Kate: “Why would I want to look in your trash?”
Me: “Follow me, girlie-girl, and your momma will teach you the value of a good stash.”
I hauled out a trunk where I keep fabric that isn’t part of my regular quilting stash. There were cotton knits for the tee shirts I was going to make for my grand kids (but never did); seersucker for some summer pants I've since lost the pattern for; yards and yards of blue net stuff with embroidered butterflies that I got from eBay to make a princess costume for Annabelle sometime before she turns 30; and there, in the very bottom of the trunk: PAYDIRT!
Oodles of tastefully coordinated home deco fabrics that I bought 3 years ago when I thought I was going to take a class to make a garment bag for my sister. Sure looked like pool house/potting shed curtains to me. Take THAT, Martha Stewart!
Kate gets free curtains worthy of Pool and Potting Shed Magazine, I get to make room for more fabric earmarked for wishful thinking projects, and my quarter inch foot gets to take a well-deserved vacation. Gotta love it.
So what did we learn? A good stash will save the day; there are fabric angels who guide us to purchase certain fabrics for a reason, not always apparent to us at the time; once fabric has been in your stash for more than a year, it’s free; and your daughter is never too old to need her momma (or her momma's stash).
Piece and Love, Pat
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1 comments:
Pat -- Your writing style is such fun; I felt like a little bug on the wall "listening" in to the conversation with your daughter. What a fun-filled blog!
I especially love your "lessons learned" section. Everything you said is too true and right on!
Kimberly
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