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No Buy 2022

I’ve been thinking about this for several weeks so it isn’t a spur of the moment decision. I’ve decided that in 2022, I will buy ZERO charts, fabric, project bags. The only things I will allow myself to buy are floss and needles. I will buy floss if I need something for a chart and cannot find a suitable substitute in the stash. There will probably always be a suitable substitute in the stash. I will buy needles if I need them. Needles aren’t real exciting so I know I won’t overbuy on them.

Charts:

Every time I start digging through the chart bins, there are so many I want to stitch but yet I keep buying new ones. Why? I want to stitch them all. There are only so many I can do. Why buy more when I can’t even stitch all the ones I have here that I want to stitch? It’s mindless, crazy buying and I’m done.

Often there are stitch alongs that require a certain chart and I buy that chart and plan to stitch along. I have yet to finish a stitch along project and most of the charts/fabric/floss I’ve purchased for specific stitch alongs, I never even started. So, no more of those.

There are charts that are announced as “exclusives”. Often it’s a chart that can only be purchaed at one shop and when they’re gone . . they’re gone. Of course, I have to grab one of those because I may want it and it will be impossible to find. Just this week, I saw where there was a new Blackbird Designs chart, exclusive and limited, available from one shop. I picked up the phone to call and said to myself . . I’m not even crazy about the design. What am I doing? And, I didn’t do it. Small Victory #1.

So .. no charts. Not for any reason.

Fabric:

There’s plenty of fabric here to get me through a year or more. I definitely will not have all the called for fabric, and rarely do used called for fabric, but I will have a good substitute.

Floss:

I may not have the called for color but I’ll have something close enough to use.

Last night Denise and I were talking (emailing actually) and I told her IF i can stay committed and not buy anything during the year, I’ll give myself a nice “allowance” that I can spend between Black Friday and the end of the year. It will be a set amount and I will not go over. I’ll make a list through the year of things I really want, though when I make a list and go back and look at it, I almost always scratch most of the things off the list because I don’t want them nearly as much as I thought I did when I first saw them.

There’s a slim chance I will stick with this plan but . . I will give it my best shot.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I frequently put stuff in the “cart” and just leave it sitting there. Sometimes that scratches the FOMO itch.

  2. I’m joining you! Today I bought my last chart and linen. I know that’s hard to believe but I had come to that decision just after I purchased this last chart. I may have to find a home for my 40ct linen.I just cannot see it well enough, even;though I only need 2 1/2 readers! Tried magnifyers of all varieties and lights but no its not enjoyable. I want to enjoy my stitching.
    So my new year sampler will be on 28ct . Just have to have a larger frame.

    • Christina! If you end up not buying in 2022, that’s going to be as (or more so) unbelievable than me not buying but I know we can do it.

      • I know that sounds unbelievable but I’m determined. I worked out my invoices how much I spend……Oh dear it’s more than I thought. So I’m going to put the average month divided by 4 and put it in a LARGE jar. Seeing the money mount up should be all the incentive I need. Though I will need checking up on now and again to keep me on track. Good luck everyone.

        • I understand – each month when I pay my credit card bill, I tell myself I’m not going to buy so much next month but without commitment and restraint, I end up buying more. Yes, we’ll all keep each other accountable.

  3. ….you are in a ‘no buy zone.’ And I like it. I have been seeing all the trucks going up and down the street and it would be nice if there were less. I live on a small side street so if I see this many , others must see so much more. So for Christmas I am giving myself a no buy zone also.
    Maybe your word of the year could be self control or satisfied (neither of those are very fun so how about grateful. You are grateful for your new house, being close to family and having enough to keep you busy?)

  4. Good for you! In 2016 I cleaned up my fabric stash and decided that I would not buy any fabric in 2017. I did it and now I am much more careful with what I buy. Good luck.

  5. The same thought has been tossing around in my head. So I join you. I live in a 2 bedroom apartment with one bedroom my sewing/craft area. I have no more room for even a fat quarter of fabric. Good luck to both of us, and others who are joining. Will check back with you in late Jan 2022 and see how you are doing.

  6. I need to join you with my quilting supplies and fabric. I need to live to 110 to finish what I have now.

  7. I found the easiest way to avoid the temptation is to stay off my device…simple. I check emails and a couple blogs first thing in the morning, then leave it for the day. Doesn’t hurt, and I really feel “freedom” from constantly looking. I don’t do Facebook or Instagram or Pinterest, either. Feels great. I have enough to keep me sewing and knitting and stitching till I am 121, so I just wander through my room if I get tempted. It’s hard, at first, but then I get busy doing, rather than looking, and don’t miss it. Good luck on the “no buy”. We are doing that with food, too. Use it up, rather than add to the supplies we already have an abundance of (enough for a week with no power, too). Some days are easier…

    • I think you’re completely correct and that’s what I’m going to do too.

  8. Sounds like a good plan. I have already been limiting myself. It’s so easy to get caught up in it when several of the flosstubers are buying a certain chart, but if I really think about it, like you, I don’t even particularly like it. I enjoy watching flosstube, but it definitely encourages you to spend money you wouldn’t otherwise spend.

    • Yes, I think I’m going to limit my flosstube viewing too. That’s a good way to help me not want new things.

  9. .. Is it ok to sell your completed or unwanted charts, especially if it is an exclusive one?

    Perhaps you can do one of those linky posts where anyone can link to a blog post listing what they want to sell or exchange – excess linen, charts, quilt fabric, books, tools, etc.

    Good luck with your no-buy goal. I put things in carts, have a cup of coffee, and then usually remove them! However, I’m currently in the replacement buying phase, currently looking at clothes and household items. Just bought some new towels and they feel wonderful. Now to deal with the old ones.

    BTW, how are you feeling??

  10. Yea for your no-buy goal! I’m doing it as well, but for quilting. I will go into 2022 with 18-20 UFOs depending on what I get done in the next 27 days. I believe I have everything needed to finish every single one of them. At most I might need binding if nothing I have in my stash is suitable. Unlikely but possible. My favorite LQS has closed so temptation is low. I really do not care at all for the owners of the single remaining shop. I find them rude and unaware. And online shopping is a dirty word for me-can’t stand it!

    Cheers to enjoying December and meeting our goals for 2022.

    • I feel so relieved after having made the commitment and shared it with all of y’all and now to hear that so many are doing the same thing – I’m feeling really good about this.

  11. I love your plan and I know how hard it is! I won’t commit to no buying yet but I will cut back. I had some restraint today, only buying two kits (I was going to buy a third) and not buying a chart I was thinking about. I haven’t checked up on how much I’ve spent and I’m not sure I want to but with my husband retiring at the end of February I know I won’t feel as free to spend. I’ve always been frugal so I hope I can get back to that…lol

    • For me, it was . . I’m not going to say a mindset but that way of thinking that I need enough to do in case something happens and I can’t get more. Then, even after I had enough to keep me busy the rest of my days, I didn’t want to stop buying but I think I’m over that now. Just seeing all the charts I want to stitch and knowing I’ll never get them done, so why buy more . . that helps . . I think! Good luck.

  12. i am joining this bandwagon too! I am actually ashamed at the amount of fabric I have accumulated over the last 25 years. I do make lots of quilts but buy much more fabric than I need. I hope to pare it down this year, make what I want for gifts, and give the rest to a worthy cause or two. If we support each other through the year we can do it! Yeah!! Let’s go girls!!

  13. I don’t do cross stitch, but I have enough fabric for ten people. I recently had to take everything out of my sewing room for new flooring and painting and am amazed/appalled at how much fabric I have collected. I clearly need to do more quilting and donate some fabric that I am never going to use. I still don’t have everything put back and I need to cull and reorganize, but that’s not going to happen until after the holidays. I have been successful at not buying more fabric for the past few months, I haven’t been going to fabric stores so that has helped. I love Bonnie K. Hunter’s blog but I can’t bring myself to save every little scrap, I would be totally overwhelmed with keeping that organized.

  14. I totally agree that I have way too much cross stitch patterns and supplies. Same goes for quilt patterns and fabric. I probably won’t go no buy but maybe “low buy.” I will limit my buying to floss if I need a certain color for charts that I have that aren’t kitted up. Also, small amounts of fabric for quilt patterns that I already have. Since I only make small or mini quilts, I won’t need much fabric. No more charts or patterns unless they are freebies. My biggest issue is to stay off the internet. I could get so much done if I quit falling down that rabbit hole. Good luck everyone!

    • Sounds like you’ve come up with a plan that will work for you. Good luck. Can’t wait to hear how we’ve all done when we’re discussing this in December, 2022.

  15. I am going for a no buy 2022, with a few exceptions. First exception is the one fabric of the month club I am in currently. Second exception is I can buy 2 patterns/fabric for my birthday in July. Last exception is if I have used all my fabric of a count and I need something to work on a pattern I already have. I do t think 3 will come into play but some counts I don’t have much stock, but I don’t use them as much either.

    I am working on kitting up all my special days starts for next year, just to be sure I am covered on them. I think I have everything, just not pulled into one place.

    I will buy floss if needed, and needles, but everything else is on hold. I don’t know if I can really do it, but I think having things kitted up and lots of little projects will help because if I am bored I will be able to switch to something else.

    I am hoping by the end of the year to have about 20-25 projects kitted up and ready, which should keep me busy.

    • That’s exactly what I’ve been working on since I don’t really feel like counting and stitching – pulling floss, looking for subs for what I don’t have. I’m a lot more likely to stick with the project I have planned if everything is right there and ready to start.

      If you have 20-25 projects kiitted and you get those all finished, you deserve to go shopping again!

      I love your plan and your exceptions sound well thought out. I think this is kinda like a food diet – if there’s something you REALLY want, sometimes it’s better to just do it and then get back on the program.

  16. I’m crossing my fingers that this works for you ’cause when you shop I shop and I’ve got to quit too. At least you’re focusing on cross-stitch, I’m still knitting, quilting, cross stitching and now, needlepointing! Just ask me how many projects I complete. LOL I want to do all of it – I need at least 3 more of me to make any real progress. On Black Friday I bought a Chromebook on Amazon. It was a good price and I want to try Pattern Keeper. I am a rabid Apple user so I’m having a hard time learning how to use the Chromebook for PK. I’ve started watching tutorials and hopefully that will shorten the learning curve.

    • Just ask for help if you need it. We hall struggled with the Chromebook when we first started. I probably told Vince a dozen times . . take this thing back . . Idon’t want it. The best tip I received: Alt+Backspace=Delete. Now when I use a Windows computer, I’m like a fish out of water.

  17. This has also been on my mind for a while now. I have cut back and stopped online browsing at fabric. I certainly do not need any more fabric. And the pantry is overflowing. But I cannot stop buying toilet tissue.lol
    Good luck to us all.

  18. Great idea…I’m trying to do the same…I started to put things in my wish list and then look back and a lot of the time I don’t like the patterns as much so I delete the ones I know I will never do….and I hope Santa will find the ones I really like…

  19. We just moved and after moving all of it, I’m really not feeling like purchasing anything. I have 87 full kits per XStitch. If I loved it enough to kit it, I need to be stitching it. I have finished 3 projects in the last month and getting those projects that are almost done completed is something else I would like to do. Plus FFO’ing. I’m not making hard and fast rules but have stopped myself from making a purchase.

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