Fabric

 When I first began quilting, I thought the only places to buy fabric was Hancock's or Joann's. I thought $6.99 a yard was expensive. I waited until I got my coupons for the month and went to buy one single cut of fabric (at 40% off of course). There were the occasional times where I splurged and bought a yard of fabric at $8.99. But to  spend that much, that cut of fabric had to be the coolest thing ever. I was introduced into designer fabric when I started reading quilting blogs. Today, I could see a 2" swatch of fabric and tell you who designed it and what collection it is from. I can tell you the specific names of every 1001 peeps fabrics and many others. Of course, I blame this obsession on the bloggers of blog land. They have introduced me to the most beautiful part of quilting. Every piece of fabric I have ever bought or will buy in the future, is bought for a reason. It makes me smile. It makes me fall in love. I can see hundreds of fabrics and my eyes will go immediately to one bolt. I fall for it. Fabric brings out memories and feelings that other stuff can't. There's something about a cut of vintage fabric that makes me think of my grandmother. There's something about big bright florals that make me think of her gardens, more beautiful than anything. I pick up a fabric, feel it and my mind wonders. It goes to places I never knew before I began quilting. I find myself at work sometimes just thinking about fabric and how to cut it and what it would look like if I did this block or that block. All of the fabric in my sewing room mean so much to me, each one for different reasons. Trying to explain the feeling of finding that fabric that could almost make you cry it's so beautiful, is impossible to explain to anyone I know. I don't know any other quilters my age. I tried to explain it to my mother the other day and the looked at me like I was crazy. Maybe I am. Amy Butler makes me fall in love every time I look at something of hers. I can't pass up a Kate Spain Christmas line. When I get my hands on out of print fabrics or hard to find lines, I feel like I have won the lottery.I will hold it, feel it, hug it. I wont stop looking at it or thinking about it for days, maybe even weeks. Now, I don't mind spending $10.99 on a yard of fabric. I don't mind splurging on a line that makes me smile at the thought of it. I guess you could call me somewhat of a fabric snob, but I still love going to Hancock's or Joann's and finding those awesome deals on beautiful fabric (with no designer name on the selvage).

Does anyone else feel like this or am I the only one?