My daughter and I are having a fabric garage sale early this summer. I am 75 years old and I have way too much fabric to ever make into quilts in my lifetime. I love what fabric I do have and would like to keep a bit of each. Do you think it would be wise for me to keep two fat quarters (one half yard) of each so that I could make smaller items and scrappy quilts? I value everyone's opinion on this board. Everyone has a different view and I have come to respect all of you. Thanks for your help in the past. Happy Daylight Saving Day!!!

that sounds like a great idea to me. If I had some favourite ones I probably would keep all of it. after all what is it hurting except taking up a little room and if you can spare that I don't see it disrupting the world order. The way things are going now looks like we will deffinately need all our quilting stuff to be able to be covered and clothed. Isn't that reason enough to keep it?

I would sell the fabric that you really know in your heart that you'll never use. Save the ones that make your heart sing. If you have bolts then you could always cut a yard off.

I would deffinately keep my favorite pieces (that doesn't mean all of them). Maybe enough for a project that you know you are going to finish soon. I hate to see you sell your stash and have to buy more. It's getting expensive. But it's good to clean house.http://www.quiltingboard.com/compose...picnum=107076#

I would deffinately keep my favorite pieces (that doesn't mean all of them). Maybe enough for a project that you know you are going to finish soon. I hate to see you sell your stash and have to buy more. It's getting expensive. But it's good to clean house.

I see no harm in keeping 1/2 yard of the ones you really like. When is the yard sale??? lol!

Keep the 1/2 yd of the ones you really like, if you're iffy on the fabric, let it go.

I would keep at least 1/2 or 1 yard of your favs-maybe pick a few patterns you want to make, select fabs for those patterns before your sale and put them in zip lock bags-then you have a few projects with your favorites and sell the rest. By the way, would you consider posting some of them on the board here for those of us who can't make it to NY????? I'm sure you would get many takers and have the garage sale with the left-overs!!!Just a thought!

And you probably would make more money selling your fabric here than you would at a garage sale.

Early summer, maybe I should post it here for the other western Yorkers.

Thanks for the input. I had thought I would select a few patterns and keep enough fabric for those.

Is that Yonkers NY?? What about the rest of us. I'd come up from the city.

me too.

I love scrappy quilts so I would be happy to keep 1/2 yard of each piece and a few bigger pieces of any fabrics I really love and hope to use. You can make a lot of scrappy quilts with 1/2 yard pieces!

I would be grateful if u would post the fabric on here I aM pretty much homebound and there is little selection when I live. Besides we'd pay more than 1$ for a yd of fabric ! :)

I think what I would do would be to select a few patterns that I want to make, and pull just the right fabrics for each of those patterns. Then everything else would go.

One of the ladies in my guild had to sell most of her stash, and she had some very nice fabric. She sold tons of it at $5/yard at guild meetings and quilt shows, which I thought was high - but I bought some anyway. :-)

is today day light savings???
David

I would have to say that I would first pick out my ULTIMATE favorites and keep all of That.
Then I would go back and pick out many fabrics that would go with your favorites and then themes you love ... for me that would be Butterflies or Daisies. I have been collecting them so long. I personally would also keep my vintage pieces. I have very few but love the patterns. Then.. I would compare the piles, try to unload 1/2 and if you can't start with 1/4. Then in a year narrow it down further.

Some people sell on here.

Franie, is there an area just for selling?

I would keep FQs ---UNLESS you cannot figure out why you ever bought that piece!

I would plan about 20 quilts and sell the rest--depending, of course, on how long it takes you to make one quilt. How's your health? how many quilts have you been making lately per year? Do you see yourself going strong for another 10 years (realistically), or is your eyesight failing, energy waning, interest going by the wayside?

There is one lady well into her 80s who still helps make lap quilts for us to give away. I'm soo grateful for her work. As far as I know, her health is good and I think she's at least 85.

But please...why not offer it here..you will get more money and people all over the world can buy it! :)

yes, that sounds good. I too am de-stashing. today i'm taking a large bag of fabric and some clothes, dishes, etc to the charity shop. makes me feel better to get rid of some of the clutter.
now what to do with all my quilts? they will stay awhile.

Dear, I'm de-stashing as well and I figure if I ever run out of fabric (doubtful lol) I'll just buy some.
You already have great ideas from the others but I have just a thought here.

Why not sell it here?? You'd make more money than a garage sale. Maybe your daughter could help you post pics if you aren't familiar with it and shipping flat-rate is affordable for many people.
Just my thought :)

And I hope you live to be 175 and have to run out to buy more!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D:D

Maybe you would want to keep some yardage for backings, too??

My grandmother at age 77 made me sit down and learn how to make cathedral window blocks. She was making a quilt for me and was sure she wouldn't "live long enough to get this done."
She did finish it. And at least 6 more quilts, all hand quilted. LOL! I think she was just trying to get me to sit down!!

It's a great idea to save smaller quantities of some fabrics, but you may want to keep bigger pieces of fabrics that you'd want to use for borders & binding. Good luck de-stashing, and let us know when your sale is. :)

Spring forward at 2am Sunday morn. :)

I love to buy fabric from the Quilt Board, a way of helping everyone destash and others build a stash. Follow the rules and you will be fine. List 15 a week and watch the feeding frenzy begin.

Yes.

Yes, David. tonight's the night!

If you have a yard sale I have a friend in Cassadaga, NY who also sews items for basset hound rescue. I know she would be interested. I'm in NY but a little too far from you-barely across the Jersey border.

I would hope you have many more good years of quilting ahead of you. Destash if you must, offer it here (what a great idea this is that someone already mentioned), but remember price of fabric is going UP! and yours is paid for. Wishing you happy quilting.

I would sell some but keep some that you really like to make some quilts!

Sounds like a great plan!!!! You'll be making some quilters very very happy!!
I attended a clearance sale of fabric about 2 years ago....and got the deals of a lifetime. She had set out many boxes with scraps .... and charged fifty cents a pound! Some of those scraps are long gone now - made great applique blocks.

I do not see any harm in keeping a small stash out of your fabrics. Good luck with your garage sale. Jeanniebelle

I'll be 79 next month and no way am I getting rid of any more of my hoard. Before I moved I weeded out the polys and pieces I knew I would never use and donated to local group and boy scouts for yard sales, but that is it. The rest, I keep until I am gone, or it is, whichever comes first.

Sell all everything but the cotton. Keep the cotton.

With the cost of quality cotton fabrics these days I would keep everything I loved and thought I would use someday. Having to go and repurchase might become costly for you especially if you already have all the fabrics you would need to complete any type of project. Selling the ones you aren't crazy about makes good sense.

Offering what you won't use here is a great idea. A bit more trouble than a personal sale but many quilters here would appreciate your fabrics.

Whatever you decide is best for you, I wish you much luck and know you will have made many people very happy.

You are on the right track already

Sounds like a good idea to keep some of your favorites. I have so much fabric and sometimes the guilt (of not getting all my quilts made) gets to me. And I keep buying more. :0)