Best Fabrics

Years ago, I took a quilting seminar from a wonderful teacher
and shop owner named Mary Ellen Hopkins.  To give you a sense of her,
her first book was called,

The It's Okay If You Sit On My Quilt Book

or you might know her Connecting Up Series

NannysDrawers

I had brought all the required materials, including a wide range of fabrics
from which I could select to do my project.  Probably looked something like

this neat fabric at LadyFaceQuilts

Mary Ellen got us started and while people were busy working, she wandered around the
room, checking to see if anyone needed help and looking at all the
fabrics. When she got to my work table, I had most of my project
pieces cut and still several pieces of fabric untouched.  She picked
up one piece - it was my most favorite of all.  She commented on how
beautiful it was and noticed I hadn't cut into it for the project.  I
told her something like I was saving it for a special occasion before
I could bring myself to cut it up.  its quiet  has the type -

Mary Ellen started to laugh and said to me: "ALWAYS use your most beautiful fabrics first.  You love them and they should be in your projects.  If you don't use them, after
you are gone, someone will buy them at a yard sale and cut them up for
Halloween costumes."  I realized how right she was. Now I fill my
quilt projects with my best fabrics.