I save all my reciepts and at tax time I sort and add what I spend on food, fuel, medical and hobbies. Well I was amazed when I saw I spent $966 for my quilting alone. A third of that was for kits.(that are in my closet). No wonder I am on a fabric moratorium this year. I am doing good on that. I feel guilty that $ did not go to bills...

I will do better in 2011, frugal will be my middle name and will work from my stash. I will only ask for gift certificates for holidays and my birthday etc.

It is hard to be frugal when you live in NH--so many fabric stores and great bargains as well. Do you live close enough to visit Marden's in Sanford Maine? Deadly.

Maybe I can help your guilt :) When we got out tax check back, instead of paying off some extra bills I set up my quilting area and built up my stash. I'm probably in about 1500 this year so far..... The guilty part is my hubby doesn't know exactly how much I've spent. He saw the new machine, cutting board, rulers, rotary cutters, fabric, thread, batting, backing, flat head pins, safety pins, magazines, iron..... see where this is going :) I still walk in with a few yards of fabric at a time and he still never says a word! He did get a used truck so maybe he thinks it's fair, but I won't hold my breath ;)

Is that ALL you spent? See, there's a reason I don't add everything up.

I am in the western and southern part of the state, but will put that on a list for my birthday trip

I try not to add up all the receipts. It would make me feel guilty. I did ask for gift certificates for my birthday etc. but it has not happened yet. Enjoy your stash and kits but besure to still get a little treat once in awhile. I find I need it for inspiration and sanity.

I don't know how much I spend per year - at least 2000 and I don't feel at all quilty. The bills will get paid - eventually, and I work hard for my money so I deserve to have my fun.

If a lot of that money went to building your fabric stash, you would be glad you did as the price of fabric is skyrocketing and of poorer quality these days.

I know the feeling. I added up just a few and was shocked.

I keep tabs, too. I went overbudget last year (not by too much.) Plan on doing better this year by buying just what I need to finish a project rather than add on that extra 1/2 to a yard. And of course only buying fabric I truly love and really good sale items. Well maybe I'll stay underbudget this year?!

I like keeping tabs of 95% of our household expenses. It puts a reality check on what you are spending where. If you want a big ticket item you can see where you can cut to afford it.

I think I spend a lot also, but my husband is a model railroader, and although we don't keep tabs, I'm sure he spends quite a few dollars more than I do on his hobby!!

Got me to wondering so I looked up what I have spent and it is way more than I thought but not as much as you ladies spend. I spend $300 last year and have only spent $20 so far this year. Of course I haven't done much quilting this year so far. Luckily I have been winning gift certificates from the fabshophop so that has been keeping me in fabric.

Having said all this... I will be spending more soon. I have a bunch of projects I can't finish because I need to pick up a fabric or two for each one!

I think if you only spent $966 in a year you're doing great! I shudder to think how much mine would add up to :(

OMG I have you so beat. I don't even know the exact dollar figure but I bought a longarm last year so I easily did what you did TIMES TEN!! :shock: :shock:

I agree I am planning to use it all. but I have stopped buying for the moratorium. THAT in itself has mademe feel better. just like everything...Sticker shock.

I bought a sewing/emb. machine that I looked at out of the box, put it back because I'm moving my sewing room, that alone is triple what you spent.

But- I've cut back because I don't need so much fabric anymore, I can pull from my stash and I've learned to buy only blenders and not look at full lines. It seems my "urges" are now less costly because I am satiated with my 20 tubs of fabric.

(only took me 2 years...)

I don't know how much I've spent, I don't want to know..... or more to the point I don't want my husband to know! lol

I spent that on after christmas sales on my way home from my mom's. Stopped at 3 quilt stores. :oops:

i was so excited this year when i totalled up all of my receipts for 2010 I made more than i spent! 1st time ever---i try to quilt for people and sell quilts to support my habit...this is the first time i didn't spend ALOT more than i bring in...i couldn't pay my bills on what i made, but i managed to put extra away for some upgrades for my machine & stuff this year.
i did spend about $1700...but i brought in almost $3000!
i probably wont be able to say that next year...if i spend the money on upgrades i will have to work twice as hard this year...and so far this year---haven't made a dime...but i've certainly spent a few...

I added mine up. And you would be shocked. Keep in mind a Babylock Embroidery Machine and a Serger. 13,000.00 for the year.

There is no way I'd add up all I spent in a year....probably would have a heart attack!

I'm with PaperPrincess....is that all????? :oops: I KNOW my DH hasn't a clue what I spend on quilting. I cut out JoAnn coupons, and he sees me to do that, so I think, he thinks, I'm being a little frugal. I 'd hate to add up how much I do spend though. :lol: :lol: I am lucky that my DH is very supportive of my quilting hobby as it makes me happy and keeps me busy for hours at a time.

BarbM....can I come live at your sewing room?????? :P

I don't keep track: for a reason. I really don't want to know. I TRY to be smart about it, but I know I spend way more than I should. But I don't take vacations (my choice) and I don't spend on frivolous things (like getting nails done, hair color, spa, etc.) My sewing is my pleasure and I figure at my age I should be able to spend MY money on what I want. My bills are all paid and I don't OWE anything.

Ah but how much of that money went to gifts? I say you can deduct the amount you spent on gifts from the total. You probably saved money. See how I can help you justify? :-)
On that note, my husband has bee laid off two months so I am staying away from the quilt stores. I am digging through my meager stash to find some projects. Good excuse to use up those scraps.

It wasn't difficult to cut back on spending, as our local quilt shop closed last summer. : ( I now have to travel for fabric. I avoid the online shops, as I know I'd want to buy "everything"!

If a person firgued up what they spend eating out at restaurants a year, I believe it would far exceed what we spend on fabric! Having said that, I don't feel bad at all on what I spend on fabric since we don't eat out alot! :)

Now that is funny!

There are two LQS in the Bar Harbor, ME area and a huge Mardens. If you are ever up this way to Acadia National Park you can have a ball with fabric as well.

I really think it matters if you spend the money for fabric and then never make anything with it. I made 6 quilts for Christmas presents last year and used a lot of my fabric up. I bought batting and backing when necessary. So I can't buy fabric just because it is out there anymore, I buy it for a purpose. I am a reformed fabriholic and since I am not going to give up quilting, I need to make sure my purchases are necessary. So the amount you spend doesn't really mean anything if you are using it up too.

No way, I do not want to know wht I spend on quilting.. What I don't know won't hurt me!!!

I have never kept track and I have no intention of doing so. I'm sure I'd be staggered if I knew. I don't go everboard (my dh might have a different opinion) we can still pay our bills and save so I don't feel so bad about spending money. My dh buys guns and they are expensive so I don't feel so bad.

I am with you Paper Princess - When I go its at least 100. or more but look at what I saved with coupons etc :lol: You know they list that on receipts - sometimes I saved more than I spent..thats all I am saying :lol:

Well, at least you are stockd up. Actually you were smart, because fabric is going up!!!!!!!!!!

I've been trying to keep away from our Waterville Marden's since they posted a sale for $4.99 batiks. I can't go there until I'm sure they are all sold out or I'll add even more to my debt ceiling.

I visited a friend in Maine this fall and went to Mardens. Can't wait to go back. I was with other people and didn't have the time I needed to really shop the fabric the way I wanted. Well I guess that saved me money.

We do go out to eat. more than we have to. We will cut that down too

Guilt?
I think we all carry guilt thinking of where the money went. The "I should have's" can clutter our lives.
We do so much for others. Clean house, raise children, cook, make sure everything is right for others. A lot of the quilting we do is for gifts, household,family, and charity. We are caretakers for all.
Not many of us are party goers,or social butterflies. I for one am not a clothes horse, hate to shop for myself!
All this is great and we should all be proud of the things we do for others. We don't do a whole lot for ourselves, so
QUILT WITHOUT GUILT!!!

Does it include equipment? If I had to guess. I probably spent 3000 on fabric and notions. Then another 2500 on equipment, including a cutting table, sewing machine table and an ironing setup. But now my sewing room is fully done

I need virtually no more fabric for awhile, probably 15 projects in line. Right now I only buy fabric if I think the price is something very good and it fits with something I already own.

Now in the past 15 month or so I have made about 15 quilts...finished and out the door with another six in some stage of being done.

Last quilt show I went to I bought a couple seam rippers.

I'm with you.. I just checked and I've spent $1450 so far this year. I do not feel guilty about it because I'm a relative newby to quilting and I am now close to having all the "tools" I need for my new-found passion...along with a sizable stash. I don't run credit balances and I'm retired... Wahoo! Ahhh life is good