Our guild has a member auction of fabric, patterns, books, and other supplies once every 2 years. It is a lot of fun and a win/win/win situation -- the guild gets the money, the donor clears stuff out of their sewing room, and the buyer gets a bargain (usually). Last year there was so much stuff to auction that the officers decided to do smaller silent auctions scattered throughout the "off year". One month it was only magazines, then books, then fabric, etc. That has worked out great too.