All of today was spent cleaning house. Upstairs first. Downstairs next. The sewing room was a wreck!
Most of the area was looking pretty good til I got to the fabric storage area. I cannot figured this out! My fabric shelves are more packed than they were when I started this stash busting effort 10 months ago. I haven’t cheated! Honest! According to my records, I’m down 14 yards for the year. That’s not a big deal . . I know that! But, I promise you there’s more fabric on those shelves than there was when I started and I think it’s a whole lot more. A few boxes have been unpacked this past year (actually, more than a few) and some of them had bits and pieces of fabric that had gotten stuck in there but y’all . . my stash has grown substantially.
At the rate I’m going, I’m never going to use all this fabric. . NEVER! I don’t have enough years left. I kinda feel like a failure at stash busting because I thought I was really doing good . . especially til I went to Village Mercantile. So, what now? Do I just say . . heck with it all? I’m not meant to be a stash buster! I’ll just buy whatever I see that I want and stop counting? Or, do I persevere and vow to do better next year?
The good news is (1) I love my stash! I love every piece of fabric in there. (2) This economy is scaring the bejabbers out of me. It’s a good feeling to know that I can spend the rest of my life quilting and never run out of fabric, thread or batting. That’s a pretty good feeling, huh? Admit it . . you feel the same way! We could all quilt forever without buying another thing but . . we won’t. We’ll keep buying stuff because those quilt shop ladies need us! They need for us to buy fabric and batting and thread and patterns and books. We’ll do our part to help this economy, won’t we?
OK. I feel better. I’m not going to worry about the stash. It fits on the shelves now. I’m going to continue be selective about what I buy but I’m not going to worry too much.
And, here’s the pictures to prove that the stash isn’t getting smaller.
The top of the shelves on these units have some of my old tops thta are waiting to be quilted, and some “stuff” that I don’t know why I keep. Kinda like . . outta sight/outta mind I guess. The first shelf on this unit has a bunch of paisleys and some fat quarters. Then you’ll see all my ecru on ecru, some browns, some blacks. The next to bottom shelf is batiks. The bottom has a bunch of Fossil Ferns, some Christmas, some Splash, some stripes, and some patriotic fabrics.
The bottom shelf on the middle unit has all kinds of novelty type fabrics, florals and anything that isn’t tone on tone. Otherwise, there are blues, oranges, reds, yellow, green, pink and a good many Moda marbles.
I can’t say it’s going to get a whole lot smaller, but I can say it’s not going to get any bigger! I will work hard to use it and buy only what I really need, or what I really like, or what I find that’s a really good deal. Dang it . . I can’t win this battle . . but who cares?
Vicki W says
I think we just have to appreciate and love our stashes. I am enjoying this futile stash-busting exercise because it’s helped me understand how and why I buy fabric. Work is very stressful for me now and I suddenly find myself on fabric sites every night. I haven’t pushed the button yet but it’s only a matter of time!
Sometimes all I have to do is walk in my sewing room, open the cabinets, sit on the floor and pull out different fabric combinations and imagine quilts. It’s the very best therapy in stressful times. So, for me, I’m going to continue to care and feed that stash!
becky rhodes says
You do have a lot of fabric but in all honesty it’s very well organized and not a mess at all. I’m very impressed. I wished my sewing mess looked as good or organized as yours does. I tell myself that if I ever retire then I will get it all organized! Some day.
Vicky says
Okay, I laughed out loud! I was thinking the same thing about my stash this past weekend. I know I’ve purchased half this year than last year, but it looks like more and the room is full. It’s procreating when I turn off the lights at night! This doesn’t apply to you, Judy, but I need to sew faster!!
Marlene says
Judy I definitely have enough fabric to last a while. But…not enough thread or batting so I’m thinking I better remedy that because, just like you, this economy is beginning to make me very nervous. I’m going to stock up on thread for sure but storage for batting is iffy in my sewing room. I’m going to have to get really creative to find a place for rolls of batting – that attic that we haven’t been able to get into because of the small opening might just have to be investigated further! blessings, marlene
Linda says
Oh, man. I love your stash. Such a great variety of colors & I see some big pieces in there. I always have a heck of a time finding pieces big enough to do what I want without buying more fabric.
I think you will just have to accept that fabric breeds when we’re not looking. And you know those fat quarters? They’re really just baby fabrics that grow to fill space when we’re not looking. That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it!!!
Marilyn says
Judy, I have to laugh! That’s all you have in your tiny little stash? Three tiny little shelves? Come on over and see what a REAL stash is!
I coordinate Binky Patrol for my area and people are always bringing me more and more fabric. I probably have over 3,000 yards of fabric in my garage, storage shed and dining room (sewing room) I only wish I could sort it all and be able to see what I have so I could coordinate beautiful quilts like you have.
I know I will never NEED to buy fabric again, but I still like to buy stuff sometimes. And the best part is I love to give my fabric away to my volunteers who help make the quilts for the kids. Plus, whenever I teach someone how to quilt, I can set them up with a nice starter stash and get them adicted to fabric! It’s like a drug dealer…the first round is free 🙂
Hanne says
I count on you to keep me company stashbusting in 2009 too 🙂
Not that I have much to show for it yet, but at least my stash is not growing – that is good, right ? 😉
Suzan says
Whenever I feel guilty about my stash, I look it over and remember where I bought fabric or why I bought it. Then I pet it for a little while and maybe re-shuffle some pieces. Sometimes I find a couple of pieces I had not noticed in a while and a quilt is born! Lastly, I remember why I buy fabric. I buy it because quilting makes me happy and fabric therapy is cheaper than “real” therapy!
dawn says
Judy, don’t you remember??? You were going to send me a HUGE box of fabric!! That’s why you have so much extra, it is waiting to come to my home so that I can love it…and fold it…and look at it. 🙂 heeheehee
Stash, it is a wonderful thing!
dawn
dawn says
p.s. Love what Suzan wrote…we should make a cute little country sign that says
Fabric Therapy Is Cheaper Then Real Therapy! and then all of us put it by our huge stashes. Whenever the hubbies ask why? we can point to that. Love it Suzan!!
dawn
kathie says
I can totally agree, I KNOW I have used more fabric this year than I purchased but my shelves are just as full or fuller. I guess part of it is that I had fabric set aside for some projects, decided not to make the projects and returned the fabric to my stash.
I am just going to continue to be very selective when i buy new and only get what I need for a specific project. Gives me the fun of still buying occasionally but hopefully will start to see a dent on at least ONE shelf.
kathie
Janna says
All I can say, Judy, is that you make me look really good–now when my husband complains about my fabric store trips, I only have to show him these photos!
Jennifer says
Oh I’m drooling! I’m just getting started and have no money to buy fabric right now, so I see these huge shelves full of gorgeous fabric and I’m jealous!
Pat says
Well…maybe this will make you feel better. I can show YOUR stash to my hubby and then he won’t bug ME about buying more fabric as he can see I might have a lot more than I already have!!! So…..your large stash can be a reason for me to get MORE fabric and not be hassled about it by DH. LOL
Alison says
I always say I have two hobbies, quilting and collecting fabric. Sometimes they overlap, other times they don’t. If people can collect stamps and teapots, why should I feel guilty about collecting fabric? Love the way your fabrics are organised, I need to get some shelves to sort mine out.
Gail says
…and I thought my stash was large. Mine is about one-fifth of yours. LOL
Yvette says
I am in awe of your stash. I have now planned a mini quilt run for myself this weekend to get my stash a little healthier. LOL
karyls quilts says
oh myyy,,, I have tea pots !! and I packed them in Fabric when we moved !
It all works out… we will find a use for it some how.. insulation?
Judy says
STOP!!! Stop feeling guilty because you have an awesome stash. I am so jealous. I wish my stash was even half as fabulous as yours.
And what if you wanted to make me a quilt and you didn’t have the extra $$ to get exactly what you wanted. You know I love a good scrappy quilt so stop reading this and go pull fabric for my quilt. 🙂
Fabric is like sewing machines, thread, batting, rulers. It is considered a tool of the trade.
Anna Banana says
I like how you have your prize ribbons right on the front of those shelves. It kinda says “she’s JUSTIFIED in having all this fabric” !!!!
Pam says
Quit calling it your stash and call it sable–Stash Accommulated Beyond Life Expectancy. Enjoy your fabric without guilt.
Glenda in Florida says
I’m sorry to have to explain the facts of fabric life to you. It breeds! I’m sure that is the only explanation for some of that stuff in my stash. I do remember most of the big pieces, so perhaps those are just the baby pieces that I don’t recognize. Or, maybe it was all the FQ swaps I entered.
Marla says
I for one think you are a very smart lady. If we are anywhere getting close to another Great Depression, you will never ever have to worry about not having enough fabric to make quilts, clothes, household linens, etc. My mother was a survivor of that horrible time and she told me stories of how they cut up old clothes that were too threadbare to wear and use them in quilts just to keep warm. It is really no different than putting food away and saving your money under the mattress. You go girl!–Marla
Scraphappy says
You’ve got quite the respectable stash, and I love how yours is displayed out for you to enjoy like visual eye candy. I refuse to feel guilty about my stash – we need all we have in order to be creative. Mine is part of my “estate” and what I don’t use up will get passed along to someone else. Just realized though, I need to stock up on batting, and probably more thread too, then I’m good to go for years!
Diane says
I thought in our recent move the packers were playing a joke on me because it seemed like all of the boxes said “craft room”(their name not mine). Then I started digging in them to set up my new house and found that they did make a mistake on a couple of boxes but most of them were right. My new sewing room is at least twice as big as my last room, and I am not sure it will all fit. I guess it is kind of like the bag of polyester fiberfil; once you open it you can’t get it all back in the bag. LOL
MJ says
I have enough fabric to last me a lifetime but know that quilt shops won’t be there in the future if we don’t support them now. If we are scared about the economy, imagine how shop owners must feel. I was at a LQS today and the owner wanted to show me all the new stuff and seemed almost panicky.
Jane Ann says
I stopped feeling bad when I started thinking of myself as a fabric collector. I’ve been a fabric junkie all my life and it brings me great pleasure just to fondle it. Plus, it has the potential of becoming something else beautiful and useful–which is more than you can say about stamp collecting! And BTW, I learned when I managed a large home dec fabric store that the bolts really do reproduce at night. Same thing with stash.