Ditto to this post! Retired in 2006 and 2011 is my year to clean it all up, use it all up or get rid of it. Only 1 month into the scheme and I feel much better already...I should be fairly floating by the summer.

I am with you ladies...we're on the same page!!! I started a thread and hopefully it's on the 'offical' page now on Ufo's & Wips Challenge, the stratedy is: finish projects, no buying new fabric! Let's enjoy life a bit and not buy into every frenzy fad. After all, 'the one who dies with the most fabric', doesn't 'win' anything...her kids just have to haul it all away to Goodwill after the funeral!
Blessings,
MaryAnna

I'm with you both on this! I'm not retired, but still feel the same way. I started a thread on the qb called" Ufo's & Wips challenge are you game?". I'm finishing up projects this year, we have a 'no buy' fabric diet going on as well. I've finished 2 quilts, and am almost done with #3 and it's only been a month into it!....yes by summer I'll feel much 'lighter' as well.
Blessings,
MaryAnna

I very carefully consider my purchases. I buy fabric on sale as much as possible. Gadgets have to be out in the marketplace for a while before I consider them. Can it be useful for me? If it costs $300 and I won't use it much I dodn't buy. If I've worn out a seam ripper I may try a new design but it gets used until it wears out. etc.
I would love a longarm but it wouldn't be cost effective for me unless I quilted for others which I have no desire to do. Plus it would have to be set up in my living room and I don't want to do that.

Maybe they should do a "Roommate" match and just match classes every semester - that way the roommates could each buy 1/2 the books and share the books.

When my hubby starts "wiggling his whiskers" over my latest purchase (waste of money) - I have been known to remind him of all the great bargains he bought from online lists "that just need a little fixing" that ultimately end up going out in the trash, or cost more to fix than he paid for it.

Cones - I have one of the older "metal" or whatever style but I can't remember where (or how many years ago) I bought it. The neck of it even got bent in a move and we just straightened it out again and it still works fine. I get discouraged at the plastic ones but I still have 2 of them and they work for general sewing, but if I am doing heavy sewing, I revert to the metal one for stability.

Marysewfun

I can remember reading an article many years ago about women's clothing being overpriced and poor quality in all price ranges. I had to agree and still do. I buy all my clothes at Goodwill now at tremendous savings. Some are brand new with tags still attached.

I think what is happening isn't exploitation... its in the manufacturing and marketing.

Almost everything you buy anymore is crap. I remember when my mom still was using the toaster they got as a wedding present 40 years later. I can't get a toaster to last more than 2 years!! We are in a disposable world now. I call shoes from payless "disposable" because they only last months.

So many things are made of plastic because it is cheap. I don't mind so much if it is recycled plastic. But mostly this stuff just ends up in our land fills.

I could go on and on and on but I won't! Aren't you glad?

I am guilty of collecting too many things myself. I love tools of any kind and tend to buy too many. But I'm getting better. And I only buy fabric for a specific project. Once in awhile I pick up a fat quarter or two but never more than that. I don't produce as many quilts as all of you but enough to keep me going ;)

I do believe there are many gadgets for the quilter to buy that they may not use. We use our common sense in buying to get what we need to do the job well. I see a lot of gadgets for sale that I know I can do without and I do. There are some people who enjoy buying gadgets, I would rather be creative and find things I already have to use rather than buy some of the flimsy gadgets that are for sale. I think there may be a tendency for the business world to want to exploit buyers be they man or woman, it is up to us whether we allow them to exploit us.

Whip up a few simple charity quilt tops and give them away to an organization that can use them. You get bonus points for using up stash that you don't like and for helping a most unfortunately person. Relieves guilt and helps someone and cleans out your house. Seems like a win-win.