She who dies with the most fabric wins

That was on a mug we gave my grandma in the 80s. She was a professional seamstress, who at 19 wanted to go to NYC to be a fashion designer. She would have been amazing, but I'm happy with who she was because it meant fabulous handmade clothes and things for me. I have felt like she was sitting right here next to me for the past month or so, as I've discovered two extremely talented fabric designers. Today, I purchased several of the brand new prints from Heather Bailey. Lovely, I say. Just lovely! Over the past couple of weeks, I got several small samples and half yards of Amy Butler fabrics. I've been oohing and aahing ever since.

My brain is spinning with all the possibilities of what to make. I just made my first apron in two sittings. No, never worn one. I don't know why. Grandma used to make them for everyone, and my mom still has hers in the closet. Dad probably still wears his when he cooks. Mom says she's even got Gramm's pattern tucked away if I want it. (Duh. Yeah!) I'm hooked, though, and plan to make one for Miss E, who just found some at her BFF's house the other day and loved wearing them around. So cute!

Miss E has discovered fabrics, too. I finally realized yesterday that when she finds one she likes, I'm not supposed to create anything with it. She found one on Sunday at the fabric store (a pretty brown, pink, blue and green retro-looking floral), and told me she wanted to make a robot out of it. Monday, when I laid it out and talked about what I was going to do, she got mad and screamed, "No, Mommy! *I* make flower bot!" The light clicked on. Oh, right. SHE is going to make a robot out of it, not me. So she happily plays with her fat quarter and 5-inch samples and any other scraps, ribbons, felt, embroidery floss, pompoms and whatever I've given her. She makes robots, cats, and bears. Or so she tells me. She's a very creative 28-month-old. The quilting squares are doll dresses, tank tops, skirts, pants, diapers, towels, blankets, hats ... you name it. She can play for 2 hours at a time with her box of goodies, which is fabulous because it means I can sew.

I need to get pics off the camera. I'll post apron pics soon. I may end up ripping out the seam and re-doing the waistband. Debating that, since it's not perfect, and that may drive me batty. But it's gorgeous and it makes me feel so fancy, like when Miss E puts on her party princess tutu. But cooler.