Fabric Moratorium 2023
#31
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,867
I was just thinking about this and decided to check - Yay! Gemm started one for this year. Thank you.
I only did moderately well last year. No online purchases, but my LQS has totes of high end fabrics at $6 a yard. When I go in for something I need like a quarter yard of orange, at least one yard of something else follows me home. I did buy a few backings, but I never feel bad about that.
I am making quilt tops faster than I can quilt them. I've had Covid for two weeks so when I feel better, I have to work on my house so that impedes sewing.
Here's wishing for a good year for all of us.
I only did moderately well last year. No online purchases, but my LQS has totes of high end fabrics at $6 a yard. When I go in for something I need like a quarter yard of orange, at least one yard of something else follows me home. I did buy a few backings, but I never feel bad about that.
I am making quilt tops faster than I can quilt them. I've had Covid for two weeks so when I feel better, I have to work on my house so that impedes sewing.
Here's wishing for a good year for all of us.
#32
Boy! The 5th and I finally remembered the moratorium. The good news is that I have been good all the way through the holiday break. What reminded me is looking at background fabric as I have worked through what I had and I thought of you. Very positive that it works that way. Worked on a quilt all from stash through Nov and Dec. All around proud of myself. Looking forward to the new year here.
#33
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: northern minnesota
Posts: 2,367
Sounds interesting. I have been trying to shop from my stash for the last couple of years. Maybe I need to confess when I fall off the wagon! I do have an aging stash with most probably 20-30 years old acquired during my later working years as a reward for continuing to work! Now, I think I have too many to stitch up in my lifetime.
#34
I have joined two stash buster groups this year to keep me looking at my stash, particularly scraps. Oh, yes, I still have UFOs and 6 kitted quilts ready for me to tackle. I have joined The Border Creek Station 2023 Stash Buster Challenge https://www.bordercreekstation.com/the-stash-buster-challenge.htm and I stumbled on one which is really low commitment and lots of flexibility. Rainbow Scrap Challenge Perhaps one of these will help motivate you to shop from your own personal stash but still make some beautiful quilts.
#35
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 2,584
Elly -- I am really proud of you for not buying during the major sale time frame for fabric! Keep shopping that stash!
Sewingpup, sounds like you have a wonderful collection of fabrics! There are folks willing to pay a premium for vintage novelty fabric on ebay if you want an interesting way to reduce your stash.
Irishrose -- i am so glad I do not have access to an LQS like yours!
Cold turkey is the only way I can go if I am going to maintain a zero increase in fabrics.... I am trying to whittle down my promotional emails so I don't see what the new fabrics are. To balance that cut off, I am increasing the "how to" blogs I subscribe to so my mailbox will still be full and I won't feel deprived of quilt connections. My moratorium does not extend to notions or quilting books and magazines. I probably should have a self-moratorium on those, too. I want to take a quilting cruise so that money would go towards that goal.
Have any of you done a quilting cruise? Are there ones you would say to stay away from?
Sewingpup, sounds like you have a wonderful collection of fabrics! There are folks willing to pay a premium for vintage novelty fabric on ebay if you want an interesting way to reduce your stash.
Irishrose -- i am so glad I do not have access to an LQS like yours!
Cold turkey is the only way I can go if I am going to maintain a zero increase in fabrics.... I am trying to whittle down my promotional emails so I don't see what the new fabrics are. To balance that cut off, I am increasing the "how to" blogs I subscribe to so my mailbox will still be full and I won't feel deprived of quilt connections. My moratorium does not extend to notions or quilting books and magazines. I probably should have a self-moratorium on those, too. I want to take a quilting cruise so that money would go towards that goal.
Have any of you done a quilting cruise? Are there ones you would say to stay away from?
#36
No cruise for me. I am too "cheap". Tee-Hee-Hee I would rather go to my group's fall and spring retreats. I don't need a big ship and an ocean to quilt. Although learning new techniques from a pro would likely be beneficial to my quilting journey. I have a friend who did a quilting cruise and enjoyed it and found it very organized and tasty!!
#37
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 140
I haven't bought fab for a long time but my problems is the free table/closet at Project Llnus.Coordinator loves to taunt me with new donations or she will say Julie, look...these go so well together and then drops everything by my sewing machine! I've made kits, lots of kits, with donation fab. I'm using it but "take home fab" is winning the battle against "already here" fab.
#38
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 140
Okay - I spent some time today (not very much, I'll be honest, but it was a start) looking at my stash and thinking I really would like to pull some of the fabrics out of the various boxes and start putting them together for planned projects. I know a lot of people talk about making "kits" and I think this is what they mean and I know there are some great ways of doing it that don't involve leaving piles of fabric lying around on the bedroom floor!
So... I'd really like to know how you "kit up" fabric to make it easier to plan and get going on future stash-busting projects. Any and all ideas are welcome!
So... I'd really like to know how you "kit up" fabric to make it easier to plan and get going on future stash-busting projects. Any and all ideas are welcome!
#39
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2021
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 593
I'm so grateful to be able to poke my nose in here when I'm feeling overwhelmed and find so many encouraging success stories and great ideas. Thanks especially to WMUTeach for the links (I looked at BCS last year but didn't get around to it - this one looks like it might work for many of my "bits and pieces," fingers crossed) and beckyj for some great practical ideas for keeping stash volume balanced on its way to being reduced!
Of course, I came here after slamming some plastic lids shut in disgust when I just couldn't get going on a plan... now I'd better go take a second look and see if I have any bread bags lying around! :-) I know I have a few of those sheet set bags - they might be a bit big, but when dealing with scraps instead of yardage, that might not be a bad thing.
Go Team Fabric Moratorium! 2023 will be our year! :-D
Of course, I came here after slamming some plastic lids shut in disgust when I just couldn't get going on a plan... now I'd better go take a second look and see if I have any bread bags lying around! :-) I know I have a few of those sheet set bags - they might be a bit big, but when dealing with scraps instead of yardage, that might not be a bad thing.
Go Team Fabric Moratorium! 2023 will be our year! :-D
#40
I’ve decided to join the Fabric Moratorium this year. I was just on Facebook looking at another quilting challenge and thinking about what fabrics I needed to buy and really had to stop myself because I truly have enough fabric to last quite a while. Since I need direction on how best to use all my lovely fat quarters, I’m seriously considering the challenge at The Border Creek Station mentioned by WMUTeach.
First step - organize stash.
Edited to add: stay off Facebook 😉
First step - organize stash.
Edited to add: stay off Facebook 😉
Last edited by marsharini; 01-07-2023 at 03:56 AM.