sewingsuz

You can use some of the fabrics from your Mom for the backings, or you could sell on this board and buy what you like to go with what you have purchased or make some scrappy quilts like others suggested.

sewingsuz

Carrie , the quilts for the foster children is a great idea and they would love you.

Rhonda Lee

There is so much good advice here. Find a way to be happy about your stash and thankful you have it. I found making peace with mine helped me to use it and become more organized with it. Sometimes if I allow patterns time to jell, some of the fabric I thought would never work would find it's way into a quilt and be just the touch it needed. Good luck to you and enjoy your stash!

Mitch's mom

Life is too short to stress over ugly fabric. Just give it away.

kel_jh

Here is a great article and there are more to come in the series! It has really changed how I think about and organized my stash. http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/magazi...lting/stash-rx

zozee

This sounds like a win-win-win plan. I make doll quilts for charity and am still new enough to need practice, so that's how I practice. Kids won't judge your work, they'll feel love to have something handmade. It's great way to bust stash, learn new skills, try new designs, and honor your mom as well as the kids.

lclang

I inherited my mom's stash, had a fairly large stash of my own, picked up fabrics at thrift stores, yard sales, etc. and now I have three cupboards and two shelf units full of fabric of all ages and sizes and prints. I am happy that I saved every piece as now I am not able to shop much, and I just shop my stash and use as much as I can. Usually I don't need to buy anything, but once in a while I may need a piece or two to complete a quilt. If you sew at midnight this is also a big boost because you usually have something that will do the job. Don't be too quick to dump anything. I have used what I thought was really UGLY fabric in scrap quilts and it worked up beautifully.

Carrie in PA

Yesterday i took a break and went to the thrift store to buy more. A bit counterproductive but i found 12 shirts to add to my shirting stash which is great because that will be for a future "thoughtless" design. I also found 5 bed sheets i can play with. Not bad for $13.50

When i came home i pulled out a UFO that i wasn't too thrilled about and realized i just had to not look at it for a while. Now it's finished and ready to be washed.

I think i will just be patient with my stash. When the right pieces are there, it will all come together. I also think i need to reorganize it different then how i have it now. Everything that is 1 yard or more is rolled onto cardboard and then i sorted it by color. Anything smaller is folded and stacked. If i regroup by what i like together then i will be able to see what i need to add to it. Maybe

I wish i had a quilting buddy, i am not aware of anyone near me that quilts or even sews. We have a walmart with fabric and occasionally the woman in charge of that department is actually available but she recently admitted that she hasn't quilted in years.

Thank you everyone. I am still in awe over how helpful everyone is.

Carrie in PA

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This is the top that i finished yesterday. It was made with an old bed sheet, a shirt and a pair of pants. I wasn't thrilled with it but once i got it sandwiched i started to feel better about it and now i really like it.

trolleystation

I have the same problem, although, I have 20+ boxes of fabric from the last 30+ years. Right now I am only doing smaller pieces which require me to look through my stash as I have promised myself...no more trips to the fabric store