Totally UNDERWHELMED after looking at pics of others stashes and comparing them to my 2 shelves worth. I obviously need to binge buy to boost my reserves for retirement.

Regarding fabric or pattern first - sometimes I have a pattern in mind that I buy for but most often I just see some fabric that I have to bring home to fondle and look at - even if I never cut it.

lol I agree

I only get overwhelmed when I use a piece and I think I might get too low on stash. It's time to head to the fabric store.

No, I just get it out and pet it and sometimes fold several pieces together with a pattern for ideas later. Then, the next time I get it out, I look at the pieces folded together and say, "What was I thinking there?" and put it with something else. It is better and cheaper than therapy!

Lol!!! Me too!!! I'm trying to downsize and I can't stop buying more. :) Fabric is addicting.

I'm an addict!

lol... when I reorganized my sew room, I went from 4 - 28" wide bookcases of stash to 3 - 24"wide pantries (Pantries are deeper, so I can still put two stacks of fabrics side by side on a shelf).

So I went through my stash of dress fabrics, quilting fabrics and home dec fabrics.. and culled out stuff. I took SIX huge rubbermaid tubs of fabric to the local quilters charity group. Laid it all out, and told folks to take what they wanted... for themselves or for making things for charity. SIX huge tubs. THEN I gave the tubs away!

<sigh> I thought I'd have space. well... what I ended up with is 3 pantries STUFFED full with fabrics and two HUGE tubs of MORE fabric hidden under my table. And a couple of large shopping bags full that someone just gave me, and 6 stacks of fabrics of WIPs, and.... <sigh> lol!

Oh no, I'm never overwhelmed with my stash. I do have quite a bit but I plan on using every bit of it. I am in the process of making charity quilts only using my stash. I am trying to make as many quilts as I can and that's overwhelming.

It is rather frightening and I have to say I am embarrassed by the amount of it... I just came upon quite a bit, had the best of intentions for other things and didn't make the projects... there are just lots of excuses. I did sell a lot of it at garage sales for less than a dollar a yard at one point.

I am going to just go in there, stand tall and be brave and just start using it. I just got a few ruler gifts in the mail and they have me wanting to quilt which is a good thing!

Sadly I have to say that I do need to get oranges and greens now for two projects I want to have done by fall - log cabin pumpkins and a fabric holly leaf wreath for the holidays... so I'll be needing lots of orange and green... I will be strong and only but a 1/3 of a yard of each color I need so I'm not stuck with a lot of extra stuff....

Hmmm... we should all start a fat quarter or yardage swap...

Yes I was getting overwhelmed. Stopped buying a little while ago and have now joined the fabric moratorium, to pause buying until November. Feeling better already although at my speed of making, just using up my stash would take me a decade or two, lol!