I agree, I'd like to shop when I retire but my grandmother is 90 and says she always planned to go shopping when she retired. Money isn't the issue...her eyes got really bad and she had to give up driving. Depending on your children to transport you and be patient while you cruise the aisles of yor favorite quilt stores may not happen for all of us. We don't live close or I'd be happy to do it for her. I've tried sending her fabric but it's not the same & I can appreciate that.

Find the joy of today and cherish the fabric for now and the future. I have had a couple of older friends pass and their children chose me to receive their stash....it's a wonderful legacy to see the fabric choices and the special pieces of kids clothes from MANY years ago. Absolute treasures. I've used old thread without any problem and love to give a nod to my friends in projects, too.

My stash at this time fits on 2 small shelves in platic containers. I"m not thinking of buying a fabric store. My ideal is when I retire and gas is 10.00 a gallon and what I have saved is to keep the house warm/cool, food, lights on, etc I can still get up in the morning and say, Self " I think I'll make a quilt or something" and the "stuff" is there to do it with. I don't have to wonder, do I have the fabric, thread, etc. I will have it. Quilt making and appliquing is relaxing to me (most of the time, depends on how many points are in the design). I have to be doing something with my hands. My kids have always said, mother why can't you just sit down and watch a movie or watch TV. I don't know why I can't but I just can't. I have to have something in my hands. I can't see me changing that part of my personality as I get older. I am a past avid counted crosstitcher and I've had to change to another form of needle work but it's all the same, I'm doing something with my hands. If I ever learn to send pictures on the board I will have to show you my pride and joy picture of counted crosstitch.

I did kinda what you are talking about. I retired in 2004 at the age of 60, didn't have a choice. I am a caregiver for my Mom and my husband is disabled. Before I retired. every pay day,I ordered form Coltilda catalog, for tools,different feet,marking pencils,you name it. I didn't order material as I just went to walmart or joannes for that.
If you are retired on an income,that just pays the way and doesn't have a lot left over as I am,then you have to plan ahead for extras. I have some old,old,old thread. In funny looking spools,wooden spools, As long as the thread has been stored properly it is ok. Mine was and I use it. I have skirts,blouses etc. of my Daughters,Disco stuff,that I am going to make into 2 lap quilts for the 2 of them soon. They are now 44 and 45.I bought them when they were 12 and 13. The mateial is perfect.
If you are lucky enough to have a hugh 401K and a big retirement form the company you worked for that is fantastic. If not like me then buying ahead is the sensible thing to do. I am glad I did.
10 years is really not as long as it sounds. The older we get the more time is so short. Buy and enjoy now and later.
Bill'sBonBon

10 years is not that long. That is about what I'm looking at too before retiring. I don't think I'll plan on stocking up on fabric. I wouldn't mind having another sewing machine with some extra stitches...but I do still have my 33yr old Kenmore & it keeps plugging along. It seems I manage to get enough extra fabric from the projects that I do. I'm finally starting to see some selvage build up for scrappy quilts & I'm looking forward to doing a scrappy quilt sometime. I hope my eyes & hands etc hold up so that I can continue to sew. If not...I'll just have to appreciate what everyone else does & I'll go fishing or something. :D

I can totally relate to the retirement stash. I have so much fabric already, but keep on buying what I like. My husband is retiring this summer and I plan on working hopefully 3 or 4 more years. I don't mind buying more, I'll have plenty when I can't afford to buy more. My only worry is that I won't have the backing I'd prefer and won't have the funds to get it, so I'll end up using all left over pieces for backing too. I've done it in a pinch and I'll just do that again. Recently I've been buying larger yardage of some that could work for backing and just put it away. I have a large piece of fabric my mother bought when I was pregnant for my oldest and making my own clothes. I never used it and it's at the very bottom of one of the many full plastic tote containers. I remember the cost was 3 yds for $1.00. About 1962 it was!! Yipes, our 46th anniversary will be middle of July. All with the same husband!

if you store thread for some time - before you use it pop it into a sealed plastic bag and put into the freezer for a day. That way you will be putting back the moisture that may have evaporated. It works well.

Couldn't you wait a couple of weeks for the garage sale. I'll be in Burlington WI in two weeks. I'd love to be able to go to that sale. If you have any left let me know. We are going to see my BIL and SIL and they live in Burlington.

It never occured to me that thread could go bad. Like an expiry date or something. I inherited my grandmother's embroidery thread which now must be in the 70 years old category and it still sews up nicely. I keep my quilting thread in a flat tackle box with lots of compartments so the thread and bobbin together have their own space. Some of it is getting on in age and I've never wondered if it would work or not, it just does.

My MIL has a big fabric stash but arthritis now keeps her from sewing like she used to. She let me raid her stash. Now, I KNOW that some fabric was past retirement age but with a careful washing it's just fine. I guess the key is that it was dark and dry.

Cathe - you made me think about one of the cutest things I read in a book (Chiaverini) with your story of your friends stash. A quilter keeps each of her UFOs or planned packs separately in a box that she has labelled with the name of a friend or family member. That way, when she goes, her things are not only designated, everyone will believe she was thinking of them to leave something to.

No way! And I lived in Knob Noster for 4 years!! We are practically related. I hope you will stop by for coffee one day! We live right in the middle of town.

I'm new to this Board, saw your posting and had to respond. It depends on your sewing machine as to how long you can use your thread. I have some pretty old thread left from a sewing business I had about 20 years ago. I have a Bernina 200. When I tried to use the thread, the machine told me it was too brittle and lacked the amount of moisture needed to use it in my machine! How about that for a machine talking back?