Stashoholism Confessional and Notion Hunt

I feel like it's been *forever* since I bought fabric, but really it's only been about two months. Maybe we can just agree to call two months a long time. I have been trying to sew from stash because I have done a lot of travel this year and plan more for next year and am trying to divert funds away from stash building (my stash is mostly built) and into savings.

However, in planning my trip wardrobe for Turkey I determined that I need a long broomstick-type skirt that I can keep in my travel purse for going into mosques. I briefly considered trying to make a whole wardrobe of long skirts and dresses, but I don't find long skirts flattering on me because of my height and plus they pick up dirt as you walk and travel means a lot of walking! I scoured the stash, but actually don't have anything lightweight but opaque that can be twisted and squished but still worn so I permitted myself a gander at the fabric websites.

Fabric Mart had just what I was looking for in that crinkle lurex: lightweight but doesn't need to be lined, meant to be wrinkled, and will go with my planned colors of rich purple, dark pink, and olive green. But of course since Fabric Mart has flat-rate shipping, it would have been economically unsound for me to order only one piece, right? Also, they were having a 15% discount if you spent $25. It would have been like leaving money on the table (except, not really--had I ordered only the lurex I would have spent $19.98 and saved myself $13.50).

The description of the poly jersey print was rather hilarious. It was clear that whoever had written it did not care for the fabric at all, thinking it gaudy and garish. It warned of the largeness of the motif and the print repeat and the difficulty of laying out your pattern. I expected that the print repeat would be a noticeable line where the print starts over (I've found fabric like that on the G Street $2.97/yd table) that you really can't put into your garment but in fact it is just a subtle repeat. At any rate, the colors are *perfect* for my wardrobe! Perfect! I am thinking McCall 6032, though I can't decide between the bell sleeves and the straight sleeves. There were only four yards left. I ordered 2 and was very relieved that I got them. I guess other people were put off by the description. The other two yards are gone now, though.

I'd been eyeing the bright pink swiss dot for ages and at $1.99/yd I decided I could just go ahead and get it without any particular plan. I love swiss dot, I love pink, it will get made eventually.

I have to give props to Fabric Mart. I live in a locked condo building with no doorman and packages left outside will be stolen before the delivery van drives away. The Post Office has a key to our building, but private carriers do not. So I have to have most of my packages sent to work. I don't really want work to know my shopping habits, nor do I like making the mailroom and our administrative assistants do personal work for me but if you miss the UPS or FedEx delivery at home you have to go to their depots to pick up your packages. The depots are not metro accessible (I don't have a car) and do not have weekend hours. Pretty much the worst customer service ever.

Anyway, in the little "notes" section I asked FabricMart to please use USPS as the carrier and send it to my home, but provided my work as the delivery address just in case. Showing that personal touch, they read the note and went to the trouble of using USPS and sending the fabric to my house. I was so pleased!
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Does anyone know where to find pre-made bra strap keepers? One of our European blogging friends (or possibly an Australian or New Zealander--not on the same continent as me at any rate!) posted some a few weeks ago that I have been lusting over ever since and of course I can't remember who! **edit** A ha! Thank you Miss Shigatsu! It was Yoshimi, who is in neither Europe, Australia, nor New Zealand. And in fact the ones Yoshimi showed are pretty much the same as the Dritz. In my mind they were sort of dog-bone shaped with the snaps at the very ends. My fantasy world is always better. I am jealous that Yoshimi can purchase them by the bag, rather than each pair being heavily overpackaged.

I could, of course, make these myself but honestly I would rather overpay for them than sew tiny snaps to fraying ribbon. I've only made one set of bra keepers and hated every second of it and decided I am going to treat myself to pre-made if I can find them. Because of my sloping shoulders I wear a racerback whenever possible, but when I have to wear a regular bra the straps instantly slip off my shoulders for that classy falling down bra strap look.

The closest I can come in my googling is this Dritz product called Shoulder Strap Guards, but the snaps seem too far away from one another and I'd have to cut off the ends of the tape which would then fray and defeat the purpose of buying pre-made ones. There are also these little bandaid things, but single use products are a waste and I'm looking for something that can be sewn in.