Saturday, December 27, 2008

Help- Advice needed!

I am right in the middle of re-organising my quilting storage space. I have a big cupboard, half shelving, half hanging. I need to retain some hanging because that is the only place Dennis' coats can go. But most of the hanging is taken up with some suits and dresses I had tailor made in Bangkok at least 8 years ago if not a little longer They are in pristine condition, beautifully made to measure... the woman I was then! Some are of suiting material, most are of good quality Thai silk. They no longer fasten over my hips. I know that it is stupid to have them cluttering up this useful space.

So, do I

(a) Fold and store them in the attic and diet - on the basis that if my hips were that size once they should be again, then when I am thin move them to my wardrobe

(b) Give them to charity - on the basis that no one is fooled by the diet plan and I should stop selfishly hoarding them because someone night need a good suit.

(c) keep them downstairs but folded in in with the other fabric in the new boxes I am about to order on the basis that if my some miracle (a) happens I can wear them but if not I could cut them up and quilt with them.

(d) get real and just chop them all up now to quilt with on the basis that whilst that might seem like a criminal waste I did pay for them to start off with and might as well continue to get money's worth from them?

20 comments:

Gerrie said...

Definitely # 4.I even chopped up my wedding gown and made a quilt to celebrate our 40th anniversary.

Featheronawire Sally Bramald said...

You're asking me who has two size 8 designer outfits which have survived twenty years of culling?

Françoise said...

Chop them up. I'm sure you will enjoy it.

Vicki W said...

If you lvoe the fabrics then I vote for D - chop them up. That's some great fabric going to waste there!

Jude said...

Chop! Definately! My mother sent me beautiful silks from Thailand and I made a quilt from them, its great.........

Donna said...

B or D -- make a quilt IF you love the fabric. If its just going to get made because you have the fabric, don't cut the suits apart, give them to charity for someone to wear who could truly enjoy it for what it is...

Anonymous said...

Chop them up! You will love the quilt when it's done and stop bugging yourself about a diet! Eat and laugh and quilt!!!

Anonymous said...

Chop them up! You will love the quilt when it's done and stop bugging yourself about a diet! Eat and laugh and quilt!!!

Jackie's Stitches said...

What a difficult decision!

Chopping them up seems to be a bit painful to me. If I had made them, I'd love to know that someone was able to wear them.

June Calender said...

If the fabric is too wonderful to part with, chop them up and use it. If it's nice but not more exciting than a lot of other fabrics you have or want, find a good charity to give them to where some woman who couldn't afford the suit otherwise would really love it. The older we get the more our bodies don't want to be sylph-like as we once were and dieting is self-punishment. I think it depends on how you feel about the specific silks or other fabrics.

Sara said...

C - fold them in with your other fabrics. That way you will continue to SEE them off and on as you work, but you haven't yet committed to cutting. WAIT for the RIGHT project (or maybe you will lose some weight!)after all we have LOTS of fabric that's not yet cut!

Kristin L said...

Pick one or two with the most special fabric to chop up and then give the rest to a charity shop -- they will make someone's day and maybe help her land that job interview which will help out her family and maybe get them off whatever the English version of Welfare is. Pay it forward!

Laura Jane said...

CHOP!

Although, maybe chop some, and give your less favourites (fabric wise) to a charity. Make sure the styles are classic, cos if they've dated considerably then CHOP, CHOP, CHOP!!!!

I hope I never see the swear word 'diet' on your blog again!

Anonymous said...

D - if you love them and what to keep the memory of the fabric

otherwise B

Anonymous said...

Chop them up. "They" say if you have not worn something for at least 12 months they should go..even when you are slimmer again you might find your tastes have changed. If you chose the fabrics you obviously liked it - use it now to create something lovely to enjoy them again.

Lisa Walton said...

Great question - i have some beautiful silk jackets bought in Bangkok too and will never wear them again - shoulder pads are not my style any more. I am tempted to cut them up so will probably do it now.

magsramsay said...

I had some clothes made in Vietnam ( and acquired some offcuts) most of which I only wore a couple of times before donation to charity shop . I would say a variation on B - sell them on ebay and then use the money to buy more fabric! ( you can always pay a percentage to charity)
Having bought silk clothes from charity shops for cutting up , you never seem to get as much fabric out of them as you think (taking into account facings etc)

Helen said...

d,d,d! has to be the last option. Or (e)you could save them and bring them out to NZ next year and give them to me and I will chope them up :-)

Marisa said...

I would chop them up too...diet sounds like fun, but quilting is even more fun!

Kate North said...

I'm with the chop/donate group - pick the one(s) you like best and save them to chop; give the others away. Alternatively, save the one you like the best for wearing and hang it in the closet "just in case" and then chop/give the rest.