Pam S

I too am a fabriholic. My husband says I need to get on the 12 step program - stay away from temptation (i.e. fabric stores) and when I do find myself in one, take 12 steps right out the door!

Mrs. Mel

Wow, Patrice. I am just in awe. How long did it take you to build up that wonderful collection? It looks organized wonderfully. (Do you use the Dewey Decimal System too?)

mochasue

When my husband asks me where I got "that" fabric my answer is:

"Fabric happens"

quiltmaker101

I am a fabriholic too, and proud of it! It keeps me out of trouble otherwise! Husbands have to realize that we aren't out gambling, drinking, going to the spa, etc. We are being creative at home!! And we make useful things with our talents!

I started my stash with a few specific quilts I wanted to make. I bought more than I needed so that I could make up my mind at home. Then I started buying fabrics I just couldn't live without. And fabrics that were marked down too low to pass on. And fabrics I might need some day, and...

You know the fabric will be gone if you go back for more later!!!

I now buy the "must haves" in at least yard and half cuts. Sometimes 3 yards. I wish I could buy bolts, but the budget can only stretch so far.

Fabrics I bought several years ago are still appearing in new quilts. That makes me smile. I remember buying them and think how useful they have been.

I read in my first quilt book: If you like it buy it. If you really like it, buy as much as you can afford. It won't be there when you go back!! Take these words to heart, and hope they never do find a cure for fabriholicism! :wink:

mimisharon

I am a fabriholic and I'm proud of it. No shame here, I enjoy touching it, washing it, and making things out of it. I, like Patrice the sister I've never met in person, I started very young........9 yo. I kept every scrap and willingly admit that I don't like throwing anything away. I have my bed frame on those rizers with tubs of fabric under it, I have drawer bins, I have baskets on shelves around the ceilings of two of my bedrooms and I use then replenish. I don't like empty shelves, my husband never ever said a word about the fabrics or threads when he could talk, because he liked what I do with a sewing machine. lol Now he can't talk he touches it and shakes his head yes at me.

I've learned to toss the itty bitty scraps, I break them down to two or three thread and put them in my mulch bed, the birds and worms love them, they help to hold the moisture in the mulch bin and they are pretty peeking out of my flower beds for the birds to put in nests.

I probably could make at least 5 queen size scrap quilts and maybe I will live long enough to do that as soon as I get back from my LQS with the next to last purchase...........for the week. I buy what speaks to me, I buy what is requested by friends for their own special project, I buy the bright and beautiful, the classy and the common, but worse..............hanging head in shame, I subscribe to a lot of magazines that mostly all have little stickie note markers on pages of projects I want to work up.

This fabriholic doesn't have time for meetings, I MUST work up some of my fabric and buy buy more. I'm doing my part for the economy. Someone send me the notes on tape so I can listen while I'm sewing???
:? :roll:

littlehud

I started just buying enough for my projects. Than I started buying a little extra if I really like the fabric. Now I spend alot of time in the fabric store just looking at the fabric and touching it and if something calls to me I buy it. Sometimes a fat quarter, sometimes a yard or two. And if it really yells at me four or five yards. It accumulates quickly. And it never fails when I start a quilt from fabric in my stash I always need another piece of fabric to complete my quilt so its off to the fabric store and here I go again. :D :D

AnnieLucas

Marcia, ROFL over "will work for fabric!" I worked at a Hancock for less than a year, and wrote checks every payday! I also bought two sewing machines while I was there and have every color thread there is I bet. Then Hancock and Joann went out of business in my town. My goodness did I load up.

I have been sewing since I was a little girl, apparel and dolls mostly, and caught the quilting bug a few years ago.

My stash is primarily in huge rubbermaid bins on long shelves in my laundry room, with a few in the closet under the stairs and then in a large armoire and bookcase in my sewing room. I dream of the day when it will all fit in one room, but that will mean a double size room, because even if I sewed up all the fab fabric I have right now, I will be buying fabric. I love fabric. Can't help myself.

I usually buy in 5-7 yard cuts now, but have been known to buy bolts....

I am brnd new to this board, and will take some pics this weekend of a few things I have.

Jim's Gem

I started with sewing craft items for craft sales, dolls, wall hangings, painted wood items that I would "dress" after I cut them out and painted, of course. I would buy all kinds of pretty fabrics for my dolls dresses. Then my friends finally convinced me to try quilting, well, I already had all the fabric buying down, though I discovered early on to be careful to check the quality of the fabrics cause many of my "cheaper" fabrics faded on the folds or have fallen apart. Now I must buy on a weekly basis or I will just die. Fat quarters just arn't large enough, unless it is for a specific project in colors that I don't really care for, I buy most of my fabrics on sale, some at terrific prices, those I finish the bolt one. But I do buy at regular price, usually a yard, 1.5 yards if I like it a little more, 3-5 yards if I really like it and if I love it, I will get all I can. Most of the time I try to use cash, cause I don't want DH to know how much I spend :roll: :roll: :)

mar32428

If I see an FQ I like, I buy it. If I see a fabric I like, I buy 1 or 2 yards depending on price. If I see a fabric I REALLY like, 3 yards and if it calls to me from across the room, 5 yards.

Once in a while I still find those "why did I ever" in my stash which then become charity quilts sewn with my ASG members.

dlf0122quilting

I would not be too worried about how to build your stash, to most quilters it comes naturally. It is like filling your kitchen cupboards with cans and boxes of food for future use. I am an avid appliquer (Yes, the "A" word) so I can get by with lots of small pieces. Unfortunately, they are harder to store, I think, than the larger yardages. Take a look at thousandsofbolts.com for great fabrics at great prices.