Blue leopard spotted fabric

I recently bought this lovely blue leopard spotted fabric from Ikea. The first lot I bought was £16 but then just before leaving the store I always check their Bargain Basement part and there was a similar piece of fabric for just £6. Originally I assumed it was ex-display but looking at it it has a printing error on the edge of the fabric. Still a serious bargain for just £6! I just need to place my pattern pieces to cut round that bit so I miss it out. In total I bought 6m of this stuff.

Anyway I was very happy with my purchases but then I went back to Ikea just a few days later and the last two pieces of this fabric ( it comes in 3m lengths) were reduced to £5.00 and with the Familly card discount that came to just £4.50. So I bought another piece so have 9m in total to play with.

So I have absolutely LOADS of this lovely fabric. I have lots of ideas as to what I am going to do with it. I cannot blog here yet though because I want to finally achieve a Monthly Stitch Post. I am pretty sure you have to put the things you make on there first. Gotta check their rules in fact. Every month I consider taking part and every month for one reason or another I do not get round to it. My last serious attempt back in April I never finished the coat I was making

30: Summer coat

which has become a UFO. I will get round to finishing this at some point because it will be a useful item for autumn. Right now I would not wear it anyway since its just too hot. Wonderful weather right now in the UK though!

I have also invested in 9 vintage Burda magazines. Some from 2012 and 2011 which I love the patterns for and since I bought them for just £2.99 + postage each off ebay they are a bargain. And some from 2008 and 2009 costing 99p + postage and one form 1983 costing £2.00. Great patterns in them all. Except for the 1983 one which turned out quite tatty depsite the description and the pictures - although all patterns are there and in good nick, the others are just fantastic condition. Better than some new ones I have received through the post. AND they came wrapped in a box and in wrapped tissue paper. I think the person I bought them off was probably having a clearout having already traced any wanted patterns but she obviously cared greatly for them so I am very privileged I think to have won these at such low prices. Possibly in fact they are better than any of the magazines I have recently bought new! But I have saved lots of money buying these and have got just about all the older patterns that got me interested in Burda in the first place.  Then though I did not have the money to invest in sewing patterns so I was just dreaming.

Though it will now mean I have to trace rather than simply print out of course which is what I would have done if buying individual patterns from the website.  My partner has also been wonderful in lending me his debit card to buy these since my payday is not till the end of the month and as usual I have not much spare cash for such items.  I am actually not sure which I prefer - taping together A4 sheets which often do not quite fit right ( for me anyway!) or tracing and trying to see which line I am actually meant to be following! I am currently enjoying my evenings reading each one from cover to cover and dreaming about what I can make each item I want out of. Anyway as soon as I decide what I am making I will let you know. I think its going to a be a very exciting few months after buying all these.

Thanks for reading

Bracken