Fabric Moritorium Challenge-February
 

The object of this is to use your stash, don't buy fabric and save some money.
The rules are simple:
No fabric purchases until November 2012
You can purchase:
Batting, backing, thread and notions
Fabric ONLY if nothing in your stash will work. (Consider trading with a friend)
Exceptions are pre-planned purchases such as BOM kits.
Some are doing for only 3 or 4 months
Some are purchasing when they lose a certain amount of weight as a reward

So come join us. Clear out your stash for those great purchases next year.
It would be a great year to also use up those scraps.

To see previous post go to: http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...e-t173983.html

i am continuing to participate in this challenge- did good in January- only bought a spool of thread (always seem to run out of off-white)
and i put together a pretty nice french braid quilt in january-
right now i'm working on a Ufo i need to finish up but my 'wheels are spinnin' on the next (new) quilt i'm going to make out of my stash!
in February i (shouldn't) need to spend a dime :)

My god, do I need this! I overdosed in the after Christmas sales with about 35 yards from 2 on line shops and now have it all just sitting on a table with no room to pack away (although in my defence I have immediately started a quilt from some of the new fabric). But a few nights after both packages of fabric had arrived I lay in bed thinking "I will be dead before I use up all the fabric I have already -- even without the new stuff!" And then today I went to a garage sale of a deceased estate -- someone who had owned a habadashery store- and started going through tubs of stuff. But I was saved -- all the best stuff had already been pulled out to one side by a dealer, so I left with only 1/2 yard for 50 cents. So I think I need to take the pledge and resist all temptation -- particularly late night computer sessions when I browse the comments on the Board about great sales -- there's something about loss of judgment after midnight.

I was very good last year and didn't buy except a focus fabric to go with antique embroidered squares for my last DGDs baby quilt. This year, I started 3 Dear Janes. One is two-color and needed 7 yds of each... nothing in my stash for that. A second is from my stash, but, again, I had nothing in my stash of enough quantity for the background. The third DJ will be totally from my stash, mostly from the scrap bin. I doubt that I will have enough time to do any other projects that will need any new fabric.

Not to be rude, but why so many Dear Janes? I looked it up and it is an amazing quilt but a lot of blocks. Also I read that no directions come with the book; but you may purchase an additional CD with patterns. Is that correct? I do not mind little blocks. I have several tiny paper piecing blocks done and more to go. Just curious. Thanks Teresa

Due to the poor economy, I have been on fabric restriction for over a year. I've been using my stash for projects and finishing ufo's. I also spent a few months completely re-organizing my sewing room. I hope that I can loosen up the restriction soon.

I was going to do just the red/cream. Then I started another with my scraps because I wanted a more traditional look. Then, I liked the one with the secondary Trip Around the World pattern. These blocks are very addictive! I'm following the BOM http://www.quiltingboard.com/blocks-...n-t175669.html where we do 3 blocks a week [so I do 9/wk]. It will take a 1.5 yrs. There is a very helpful site http://thatquilt.blogspot.com/2009/01/1.html where the blogger has posted instructions for every block. Actually, once you print the templates, etc. and work out the block, doing two others at the same time is not that much more work. Besides, I'm retired :)

I signed up in Jan. I am doing good. I had to buy a few yards for a class I am taking and a ruler. I have finished tops from two swaps I was in several years ago. I am donating them to local nursing home for Christmas. By Christmas I will have several more finished,I hope,.

So far, so good. The only fabric purchases I've made are for purses that were special ordered for me to make. I'm working on an appliqued quilt for my great nephew and, so far, have been able to only use fabrics from my scrap/stash collection.

The only things I've purchase since January 1st are background (ran out and it wasn't scrappy, so really needed to march the fabric) and a special request fabric for a mini quilt. Did get some batting on sale 50% off. Need to bury the threads in one UFO and sandwich, quilt and bind another, did finish a needle roll up case for s driend's knitting needles, but only used stash except for the clear plastic.

I lost..... :shock:

Ok, I'm in! So far this year I have only purchased one yard of Valentine fabric. It's going to be hard, the Sewing and Quilt Expo is coming in March. I better start working in my will power now.

Still hanging tough. Went to two quilts shops today and came out empty handed. Seems as though I've lost my motivation for sewing. Hope it comes back soon. Too much on my mind lately, zapping my creativity and concentration.

I'm not formally participating, but since the first of the year, I have managed to keep my finger off the "purchase now" button and I've even deleted, unclicked, many email messages from my favorite fabric vendors, despite promises of great sales. I'll admit that sometimes I look and browse, but I've got enough UFOs going that I've promised myself to finish at least three of them before even thinking about buying more fabric. Make that five.

January was successful, so now onto February. Maybe it is the fact that there are no decent fabric stores within a 75 mile radius, or my stash ( somewhat dwindling) still has something to offer...I don't know, but so far so, good. I look at all the online fabric sites and think " ummmmmmmmmmmm". Maybe the new scrappy challenge that I signed up with here on the board will keep me out of trouble. "Good thing February is a short month!"

Hang in there ladies and gents. luvtooquilt just start over for this month.
I'm cheering for all of you.

I havn't joined but I have been pretty good in January.Only bought sme thread and stablizer for my embroidery machine.

Well, I fear that within 24 hours of my post above, I purchased some fabric. Sheesh. So January was good but I didn't get far into February without stumbling. Good news: the above post also re-invigorated me to get back to my UFOs.

I was thinking about joining in on this, but yesterday I purchases 79 yards of fabric at LQS for an average of 2.50 per yard. I am kinda happy about that. I am a novice so do not have a huge stash, but it is bigger today. Good luck to everyone else.

79 yards and you don't have a huge stash...? ahem.

:shock:

Have to admit to one fabric purchase-But, it was for a good reason. Working on a charity quilt and needed a yellow border. Yellow fabric is very scarce in my stash, so off to Wally world where I found some really nice quality fabric for $3.50 or so a yard. Bought 1 1/2 yds. So that isn't too bad for all of this year. Still using up stash but have a long way to go

[ATTACH=CONFIG]309746[/ATTACH]It's t-o-o-o-o late for me. I'm just back from the thrift store with 4 paisley 25 inch squares, three yards of something pale and romantic with a border, 3 sets of pillow squares in the same pattern, a yard of pale heather wool and a good 'hunk' of upholstery fabric for a sewing machine cover for $8.50. I can resist LQS and even on-line shopping but fall off the wagon at thrifts and flea markets.

Some of you have gotten some good deals. However, if you have a huge stash you should really try to resist. Part of the object is to have more room in your sewing space/storage space.
As one of my friends said, "If you die tommorrow who will get all that fabric?"
My sister just gave me 5 boxes of fabric so my stash isn't getting smaller but I didn't spend any money.

yeah, I have run out of room in my tiny sewing room. My closet is stuffed, and now I have three sets of those plastic drawer-bins, and they're stuffed. And then there are all the baskets with scraps in them... When my latest "slip" arrived, I had trouble figuring out where to put it. Another reason to STOP BUYING MORE FABRIC.

(The good news about my most recent purchase is that it was for a specific quilt I'm going to make; not just stash-building fabric or "I just HAVE to have that!" fabric.)

i am working on 2 'new quilts' right now- one at work- one at home- both totally out of my stash! i am so happy- one of them i've been looking at (pattern in a magizine from 2009) for ages and a few days ago i thought---it called for about 30 fq's of batiks---i kept looking at it then thought---i bet i could come close to having enough in my 'batiks tote' so i went in & started digging through it---and found plenty to be able to cut all of the peices i needed---then it called for 5 yards of beige batik----i kept looking at it- thinking---but i don't want to go buy 5 yards of fabrics---my shelves are full---kept thinking about it---pulled out the stack of scrap white on whites ---and yup- have enough scraps of whites to get all of the peices needed- i put it all in a big bag with cutting mat, ruler, cutter & magazine and took it all to work with me---and managed to cut the whole (queen sized) quilt yesturday--- today i started the sewing---
then in another magizine i kept looking at this interesting log=cabin that would work for my Neice's pink & black quilt request---so i pulled my bag of left over black & whites and started cutting strips for that tonight while dinner was cooking- so---2 queen sized (scrappy) quilts totally from my stash! Yea!!! i'm feeling pretty motivated---it is so great to be using up what has been accumilating...so far though- it doesn't seem like i've made any (dents)...anyhow---i will be able to show pictures of another out of my stash quilts soon- getting that french braid done was a great motivator...did i post the picture of my (orange) french braid here? anyway- it was totally out of my stash too---and all of my stars from the '50 stars in 50 weeks' challenge are out of my stash too----and i'm actually saving $$---as in-every week that i drive past the quilt shop---and don't stop in i put $50 in my savings account! figuring i always spend at least $50 when i do stop in---so far i've saved $275 (i put in an extra $25 when i was enticed with a special savings coupon from a favorite on line shop :) )

Have a special dinner to go to tonight so yesterday I went through my stash of clothing fabrics and made a dress. Just need to hem it today. Since it was 3 yards of velour it opened up some space on my shelves. Didn't have to buy anything.
How is everyone doing on the challenge?

I've been successfully deleting all messages from fabric.com, sew I quilt, quiltconnections, etc. before reading them (much less clicking through and visiting them....)

Does that count?

estate/yard/church sales ... don't count. Ha Ha I was going to try this but my stash is 600 miles away in storage and with cuddle bugs $2.00 yd sale and the other site that had batiks for $3.68 to $4.00 a yard and a couple purchases on here i got way carried away this month but the good news/bad news is i won't have money to buy any more the rest of the year.....

I didn't realize the size of my stash until I started cleaning a couple of closets right after the 1st of the year. I decided then and there that I needed to stop buying fabric until I use a lot of what I already have. I also told myself I wasn't going to buy any more fabric till 2013. Well, it looks like I may have set myself up for faliure. It hasn't even been 6 weeks and I'm already getting weak. LOL But, I'll try my best to hang in there with you guys as long as I can.

You have got to be nuts!:D I have tried that each month and nothing works for me. I always wind up buying fabric somewhere. Wish I could do a diet though.:p:o:eek::)

That is a beautiful paisley, I couldn't have left it there either!lol
QUOTE=Greenheron;4952702][ATTACH=CONFIG]309746[/ATTACH]It's t-o-o-o-o late for me. I'm just back from the thrift store with 4 paisley 25 inch squares, three yards of something pale and romantic with a border, 3 sets of pillow squares in the same pattern, a yard of pale heather wool and a good 'hunk' of upholstery fabric for a sewing machine cover for $8.50. I can resist LQS and even on-line shopping but fall off the wagon at thrifts and flea markets.[/QUOTE]

Thrift stores and yard sales are a downfall for me too. Although I haven't had time to do that lately.
I have to figure out where to put those 5 boxes of fabric my sister gave me. At least they were free so I spent no money but it isn't clearing out my stash. Maybe I'll get some ideas for quilts as I put it away. Hopefully I can find somewhere to put it.

I sorted those 5 boxes of fabric. Most of it was clothing fabric. There is enough for 10 tops, 5 pants, 2 dresses and fabric for a coordinating set including pants, skirt, top and 2 jackets. We like the same colors to wear so most of it will go with my current and future wardrobe. (I still like making my own cloths.)
Some scraps that are going into my crazy quilt stash. There was one partially finished appliqued wall quilt. She made one quilt and decided she hates quilting. (It didn't help that she didn't follow directions on the pattern for quarter inch seam allowances so nothing fit together right. I had to fix it.)