Temperance - It's Ok, If You Get Enough

Temperance, it's ok, if you get enough of it. That is what my husband said last night as when we settled down to sleep.

Rather appropriate as we had been chez us for the evening and had polished off  a sirloin steak and fried potatoes, a bottle of red wine, a rather nice ripe, runny swiss cheese and a bottle of Alsace pinot blanc and a bourbon and some craft made fudge to finish.

Temperance in all things.

 Rather appropriate when I thought of my little spending spree last week, it removed any last vestiges of guilt over more spending - not that I feel guilty over spending in the first place. I don't smoke, I don't gamble, I don't drink   I show temperance in all that I do. Ha!

Last week we were in London and I had nearly a whole day all to myself. In London!! So, of course I went on my own personal journey. A pilgrimage if you will. I went on the Jubilee line to West Hampstead to pay homage at The Village Haberdashery. And, having went all that way, it would have been in very poor form, rude, not to buy something. Buy local. It was local when I was there!

I succumbed to the longing, the new longing for some violet Kona, that longing that started in Purl Soho when I "forgot" to buy the sale yardage. The Village Haberdashery had a terrific range of lilacs, I picked three - pansy, thistle and wisteria. I bought a half yard of each.


In the window, they had a lovely quilt using the Alice In Wonderland range by Cotton and Steel. Until two seconds ago, I didn't realise it was Cotton and Steel, but I am not surprised. I knew I just had to have this. It was on the top shelf. Without lowering the tone, I remember newsagents having a top shelf of "men's magazines"! Guilty pleasures. Fabric porn.

I have half a yard of each of the design range. There were coordinating fabrics with a gold spot, and another with a  gold spade, a  little too bling for me, so I refrained. You see - Temperance at work.


And what am I going to do with these? I have loved the Postcards from Sweden quilts, pattern available for free on Craftsy. It goes the whole gamut of solids right from red to purple, with greens, oranges and yellows as well. I love it.
And the Alice In Wonderland? I don't need a project for that. I am happy just to stroke it and be in love. My sister did mention in passing, my niece loves Alice In Wonderland. I knew there was something in the back of my mind. I suppose this is another of these "squirrel moments" in the DrEAMi link up.

Now stash out this week? I have made a couple more squares from my dad's shirts #dougiesshirts. 11 or 12 altogether now. I blogged about it the other day though, so won't bore you again. I also made finished another couple of hexie flowers from my Liberty stash. I was asked today how many I was going to make, the answer, until I get fed up.


The real highlight last Saturday for me was bumping into Trudi, who I know through instagram, @trudiwood. It was lovely to meet her "in real life". Trudi really is such a lovely person, both online and in reality.


The one thing I didn't get was a spool of red variegated machine quilting thread. I have been on the hunt, Purl Soho, The Village Haberdashery but no luck. Gives me the excuse to keep hunting. And as for the rest of my day last Saturday, I had a lovely facial courtesy of Liz Earle, a great lunch in the artisan food market in Duke of York Square, Sloane Square, London. I wandered round the Saatchi Art Gallery, there's a great selfie exhibition, and lastly a great trawl round the second hand book shop at World's End, Kings Road. A day made in heaven.

One last thing, until today I actually thought Temperance was the same as Abstinence. Not the same thing at all, apparently.

Helen
linking up with Sunday Stash and Molli Sparkles
linking up with DrEAMi

Comments

  1. Ha, ha, thank you for the fun language lesson on the fine distinctions between those two words. It looks like temperance agrees with you!

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  2. Temperance and abstinence a whole world apart. Love those kona purples.

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  3. I've always interpreted the phrase "moderation in all things" to mean that you add all your moderation together to figure it out. That means I can buy an immoderate amount of fabric if I'm extremely moderate in the gambling area, right? And I don't gamble, so. Sounds a bit like temperance.

    Your fabric picks are just lovely, and I sense an Alice in Wonderland quilt for your niece in the near future!

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  4. I am glad you were able to indulge in some violet solids after all! A truly lovely day indeed.

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  5. I followed you around that day thanks to Instagram! You crack me up, fabric porn on the top shelf, and the description of your meal!!! LOVE those violets, makes me think I need some of those...Alice! Did Tish put you onto her? Love these prints, and can't wait to see what you'll dream (get it) up and show us next month (right?) when it's DrEAMi! time again.

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  6. Haha, I think abstinence is a bit final...temperance is much better! ;)

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  7. I love the Alice range - nice buy!

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  8. Those Wonderland prints are BEAUTIFUL and I keep debating on ordering some more of it. Maybe I should get some and we do another informal quilt along like we did with that C+S FQ box (I always feel like I'm writing in code when I type like that) I'm with Sandra, I love following around with you on your little adventures via Instagram. I'm not stalking, I promise :)

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  9. As vices go, fabric buying is pretty low key, I think, so there's no need for abstention anyway. Sounds like the perfect day.

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