I have online quilt shops send me their emails telling what is new and on sale. I see everything they have to offer and think I need that, but do I really? No, I want that. There is a difference. This year I have decided, with a group of people on Flicker, that I/we are going to cut back on fabric and try to use what I/we have. I have set some goals for myself and with the help of my readers maybe I can achieve them.
My fabric stash has gotten out of hand. So out of hand that I've had to make other storage areas just to hold the fabric I was buying. See first photo. I need to organize it and think up projects that I could use it with. I will save that for another day. Right now I feel I just have to show you the mass mess. No, I don;t have enough fabric to be on the TLC show Hoarders yet, but I am heading down that road.
- Stop buying fabric on an impulse. IE: sale fabrics. I'm really bad about this. I love FQS 50 off twitter specials.
- Look in my stash first for fabric. Oh how easy it is just to buy the fabric
- If I need fabric for work (Patchwork Squared) then I check with Ryan and we talk about it. There is always something else I can use. If not, then and only then, I buy it, but it's not for me it's for work. That would be o.k. maybe I could buy a little extra for that just in case moment and then stash the extra. NO NO NO I can't do that. Ryan you will need to watch me.
- Free/Gifts of fabrics are o.k. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth...I don't see this happening much as I don't enter a lot of giveaways. Yes, I have thought of ways around this, but a good friend would not let me do it.
- I buy most of my fabrics in FQ or 1/2 yards. Quilt backings, bindings and sashing purchases are allowed as long as they are to complete a current project or an old WIP.
- Try to finish up my WIP. I have a few, more than a few really, but I'm not very good at getting them done. I love to start something new get it half way done then move on to something else.
- Go through my stash and group like fabrics that I will never use and host a giveaway on my blog or sell them. You know the ones I'm talking about. We all have them. We see it at the quilt shop then a month later you see it again and ask yourself why did I buy this? Yeah, those are the ones.
- Every time I find myself at another online quilt shop and have a shopping cart of fabric that I don't need I set that money aside to later spend on a trip. Yes, there are shopping carts filled all over the internet with items that I have not bought. Trip to where you ask? Maybe Mount Rushmore area.
Until next time,
I'm here to talk you out of hitting that Buy button! I went through the same thing, and probably have enough to make quilts for a couple of years without buying anything new. I finally stopped when I tripped over our window AC that sits in the corner of our bedroom because it can't fit in the storage closet any more because it's full of fabric.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you'll get lots of comments suggesting this, but I'm sure there are some charities you could donate your unwanted fabrics to. Schools, etc.
>> Yes, there are shopping carts filled all over the internet with items that I have not bought. <<
ReplyDeleteI am SO happy to know that I am not the onl one that does this !
I've taken the two month 'NO BUY' challenge also. However, I have found that I'm just spending my money on jewelry supplies. The good thing-beads and silver take up less space! It's nice to know that other people are trying so hard (suffering) with me!
ReplyDeleteI usually use what I have, so not too bad with stash hoarding, but will get there someday, lol. I stashed wool for years and now that I can't get it, I am glad I did. I usually buy fabrics I need to finish things or from the sale racks.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
You know there are poor starving quilters like me that would use that stuff right up! We all know the best part of fabric is just staring at it!
ReplyDeleteCharlie - you're not doing too badly, I can see air in many of your shelves and cubbies!!!
ReplyDeleteMy decision was to allow myself one BIG new project in 2011 and then only make projects from stash thereafter. Instead of buying fabric, I now find myself buying notions. The only solution is as one person said earlier, "don't hit that buy button" not matter what you've put in the cart. I think it's called e-window shopping!
ReplyDeleteMY decision is very much the same as all of yours! I don't really have that much fabric but I
ReplyDeletelove looking at the online fabric...I have decided to not "Look" maybe I will stop hitting the BUY button...Well I will see how long this lasts!
I really want to finish up all the projects I have going...
Charlie I would think you would have Tons more fabric so I don't think you are doing that bad!
Blessings to you!
Oh, Charlie. Just buy more tubs and make more quilts! No need to worry about having TOO much... There's no such thing!
ReplyDeleteCharlie - I laugh because I am totally the same way. I have SOOO much fabric and had no clue I had as much as I do... I have three pieces in particular that are almost ENTIRE BOLTS of fabric. Gotta love those going outta business sales... *sigh* Lets do a stash swap... I would TOTALLY be in on that! And I wish you luck!! I have given myself the goal of finishing the *ahem cough cough* seven (okayyyyyy okay. twelve. Yes, there are twelve.) quilts I have started without buying more fabric... WE CAN DO THIS!
ReplyDeleteIf that is all the fabric you have, then I am in BIG trouble. Because I thought I have a bunch, but not too much............oh wow. But I did make a New Years Resolution to use a lot of my stash, and get rid of all the scraps. So I am on mulitple blog challenges, trying to do just that, oh yeah, and finish all my WIP's UFO's and PhD's too!!! So far I haven't finished anything, but did start 4 new ones, using stash and scraps only.
ReplyDeleteGood goals, Charlie! I'll tell you the same thing I told Ryan - if you want a good home for some of your "why did I buy this" fabrics, you could send it to our quilt ministry - we make quilts for people in distress and survive on donations from our fellow quilt bloggers. We donated 61 quilts last year and I think we'll at least double that this year! That way, you can feel good about yourself helping out and clear out some of that overwhelming stash!
ReplyDeleteI am working on this as well I have enough fabric to make quilts all year, ok probably 5 years! and be happy. I have a mason jar in my sewing room and every time I don't buy the fabric I put in a cart I put cash in that jar
ReplyDeletewhen it is full I want to buy that pie chest I have had my eye on to store some of my quilts in...so far it is working!
its easy to delete that cart when I have another goal in mind and closets full of fabric!
Once I had fabric in the cart and thought oh I really have to buy this, went to my closets and found I had fabrics that would work just as nicely for a quilt I had in mind...
you will find a way to make this work for you and SAVE for that trip when you take that trip your going to be so happy! YOU CAN DO IT!
now I am NOT say I will not buy any fabric this year but I bet my sale shopping fabric will be minimal at best.
Kathie
Boy, can I relate to your problem. My husband never complains about how much I spend on fabric or kits, but has said he's sure I have enough to last about 3 life times, and I'm sure he's right. I have 4 storage cabinets full of loose fabric, and kits, plus 4 LARGE plastic storage bins full of kits, and everything is so packed that now there are sacks of fabric/kits sitting around in the floor. Not only in my sewing room, but in the living room and kitchen. It's a sad state....I have to quit buying anything new this year and work on, or pull from what I already have this year.
ReplyDeleteGreat goals Charlie. If you ever want to swap fabrics, let me know. I love ALL of yours.
ReplyDeleteSewCalGal
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