I have been inspired by reading this thread to join in 2020. I have been quilting for under three years and don’t have a huge stash at all. Imagine my surprise when I did an inventory in the summer and found I had enough fabric for 30 quilts! Reading all the posts here from members who have containers upon containers of fabric has scared me straight!
I have made every mistake in the book as far as my buying habits. First I went nuts with FQs.....if I loved the fabric I bought it. Busy, colorful fabrics.....that did not go together. FQ bundle on clearance? Mystery FQ bundle? I could always use the ones I didn’t like in scrap quilts. Then the LQS guilt purchases. I couldn’t leave the store without purchasing something. Often this ended up being a charm pack. Why?! Then I discovered online deals. How many purchases were rationalized due to clearance prices. And then there were the ‘I’m already paying for shipping so I might as well add this item’ or......’I just need two more items to get free shipping’. And finally the panic buys....buying more of fabric I already had because I didn’t have a project in mind when the original purchase was made and I was worried I might not have enough when I made up my mind.
The end result is I own a lot of fabric I like but don’t love and have to struggle every time to find a suitable project for what I have purchased. I hate churning out a top I do not love just to use up some of my impulse buys.
I will need to make some purchases.....I have only enough backing and batting to finish about a dozen quilts.
I am determined to use up what I have and when I finally do I am determined to have a pattern in mind for future purchases......and then buy what I love, at full price if necessary, as in the end it will be less expensive than impulse buying sale fabric.
Here’s hoping for resolve and self-discipline in the new year!