I am with you Piper. My stash grew and grew until I didn't have room for any more. When I would go looking for something it was never the right shade or right color. I gifted my stash to a local charity and have never looked back. I now find a pattern that I want to do (I have loads of patterns) and then I go to the quilt store and get what I need. It definitely saves me money this way, and I have no guilt about the big stash that never gets used.
Originally Posted by
Piper
Nope, not just you. I'm that way too. But I think we are in the minority.
Actually, I had a substantial stash for years that I rarely tapped into. Either the shade I wanted wasn't just right from my stash and I had to buy new anyway, or I just plain didn't care for the fabric anymore. So one day about a year ago I bagged most of it up and donated it to a local church that has a quilting ministry. They make quilts for kids in need all around the world, so I felt very good about them getting all that fabric. Finally it would be put to some very good use!
These days, I have a very small stash of mostly whites and neutrals, but for the most part my new rule is to buy fabric when I'm ready to begin a new project and then USE it in that project. And I love this way of quilting!! I get to go to the quilt store (or shop online since most of my fabric comes from Missouri Star Quilt Company) quite often without guilt that I will be buying fabric that will sit around and may never get used.
Oh, and this saves me a TON of money since I'm not buying fabric just to sit around for months or years. When I buy fabric now, it gets used right away. Not sitting around, no waste. Love that!!