debbieumphress

You had four walls and a room full of fabrics and you have sold or gave it away and are down to less than 200 yards?
In the last year I have been selling just about everything I won't use because of "too much". I used to want the most fabric and now I am hpapy with a more organized room. Besides, anyone who came to visit left with a good box of fabric.
Now I am content using what I have but I feel so "empty".

My thought is I can now buy more of the newer fabrics coming out but in moderation this time, I don't buy just to use to give to someone else, I don't buy because it is on sale and pretty, etc.

I know there are stash builders out there, just wandering if anyone else is happy having a smaller, more manageable stash.

She who dies with the most fabric wins...really? Then what good was it to me? ROFL.

And last but not least, I know those buying from me are enjoying the fabrics and all. Makes me smile. :thumbup:

jean1941

I do not want a big stash just to much to keep up with I have been down sizing for the last 7 years in every way so keep building more stash?? Most of time you do not have enough in stash without buying something to go with it anyway

ube quilting

Absolutley!

isnthatodd

Debbie, I have been trying to follow your example and remove from my house whatever I know I won't ever use. I have sent lots of stuff off to people who have expressed interest, and it so far hasn't seemed to make a dent!! But I will keep working. I have discovered some wonderful fabric I forgot about while digging through the stacks :D

charismah

Well I have quite a stash myself...I worked at my LQS for a couple of years and I just bought yardage of all the lines that came in that I liked.
The problem with me is this:

1. I either don't want to cut into those sets because they are a set all from the same line....or because they are now unavailable...so if I use them I won't have any left (What a hoarder!)...so I need to save them for something *special*...This is crazy talk!

2. If I have it in my stash and I "LOVE" it.....if my LQS still has it I will leave it in my stash and go buy more. See how crazy I am?

3. My stash is so big ...I don't want to go searching thorugh it to find just what I need...so I go buy more.
OR
I find that my stash is all the same colors becuase I buy what I am attracted to...and most of it doesn't work

4. Those beautiful lines of fabric that I buy......I think I have hardly made a quilt only using one line of fabric ( maybe a jelly roll quilt or something)....because why?? I think because it's so matchy-matchy and I always have to have something to break it up.

So I am tying to think about dwindling the stash down by using it! In reality...isn't there always going to be something pretty that comes out that I will fall in love with all over again?
Probably. So I just need to use it and enjoy it until something else catches my eye.....
I signed up for a Judy Niemeyer class.....I am making her pattern called "Japanese Fan".....I pulled everything out of my stash to make it.... can tell you now..my quilt will look nothing like the picture...and I doubt anyone in the class will have something similiar to what I am making. But I am making myself stick to this plan. :thumbup:

debbieumphress

Cathy, that is funny. Maybe you can bring some to the OCtober retreat and sell it on the sale table like we had last time. Those of us wgho bought things loved it. Just an idea. LOL. I really like less. It's more manageable. If I need to see a lot, then I will visit the Houston Street Merchantile and look around, or The FLying Needle or Cabbage Rose.

This weekend Joanieu and I are going to Mckinney to meet Olga and deliver her things from me. I am sure there are LQS's there to see. If you wanna join us, let me know. I can give you time and date as soon as she gets back with me. I knew we would go there to visit Mckinney soon. Saturdays the day.
Your dot fabrics are on the way .

debbieumphress

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OMGosh. I am laughing still. Love your point of view and attitude. I have some I won't use because it is in a Collectors stash like Mark Lipinski, Kaffe, Mckenna Ryan, Betty Boop, etc. And a stash of batiks with fish and deer and other animals. So I still have fun things in my little stash. Thanks for sharing. Still gigling here.
Remember the Sable club...Stash accumulating Beyond Life Expectancy. :roll:

Chicca

After reading various blogs on "cleaning up" fabric stashes, I looked upon my sewing room and my stash. Oh what a disaster. I then began looking for ways to organize my stash. Being a lover of scrap quilts, I do not want to get rid of any bit of fabric.

Yet, facing the reality that my stash is taking control of my sewing room...I had to do something. I have emptied out 4 large totes. Either by donating or cutting down to specific sized squares, strips and so on.

At this time, it still really does not look a whole lot different in my sewing room, but knowing that I am making a dent and progressing toward an organized efficient system keeps me going.

I really am enjoying the process and feel so much better knowing that be honest with myself about whether I will use it or not...giving it away and only keeping what I will use is my goal.

nativetexan

Yes, my stash is too big too. still! i've been making tops to move it along some what. and sold books and patterns, etc. I still have a long way to go but it does feel good to down size a bit!

debbieumphress

So glad there are others de-stashing like me. It is very addicting to buy fabrics and NP3 made me see how much I spend just to put in this room. Now I have more control. At least for now. Love reading the stories.