Arizona Sunrises

Recycling clothes that were too worn for Goodwill, leftovers from things I'd bought for other projects, super duper clearance sales, projects that were PIGS and I'd forgotten why I bought the material...

My favorite pieces are gifts from my grandma. This year, she asked what I wanted, and I told her "fabric"...and she pulled from her own stash since she doesn't quilt anymore. :) I'll admit that the patterns are interesting, but I'll find something scrappy to do with them.

weezie

I only buy fabric I really like, pattern, weight, and weave all taken into consideration. More often than not, I do not have a specific project in mind, so usually buy lots of it. I often buy the rest of a bolt if there's at least a yard left. I eventually use everything I buy; nothing goes to waste. One piece of fabric can look completely different when it's mixed with different colors and in different patterns. I can't describe how much I love going through my stash when I start a new quilt project. If I have to make a trip to the fabric store to add to what I've chosen for the new project, that's fun also. I just take a few fabric scraps to match up. Also, I always buy my fabric at sale price or with a coupon.

Mousie

I was a serious packrat by the time I got married. I'd say at least half of the boxes i brought to our new home were fabric or sewing related items. I was 19 then. I had 3 children and sewed a lot...outfits, toys, curtains, a few quilts on machine with no idea what I was doing....started having health problems in mid 30's that slowed me down and eventually became unable to work. During that time I would look at my sewing stuff and fabrics and think about giving it all away, but just couldn't bc of the memories. I finally got some better doctors and although I have never been able to go back to work, after my grandma got me interested in quilting I was overly optimistic and thought I would try to work at home and sell stuff. I jumped from one idea to the next, "stashing all the way" for my "business". My health finally made me realize that I could never sew fast enough to make any profit. I like to buy fabric too much. Those of you who feel you have a 'puny' stash? BE GRATEFUL. it will grow in time, I promise. be glad you don't have the DISEASE of "CAN'T HELP ITS". i felt guilty about the amount of fabric I had amassed but then became very, very sick. When I finally started getting to a better place with all that, I had a new perspective. Accept that I love to quilt and make for others, so expecting that I wouldn't buy any more fabrics was not realistic. I just had to slow down and keep sewing. We are on a fixed income now and i save cash (we both have an allowance), so if i want to spend a little or all that I have in the envelope, it is up to me, with no guilt. I am actually quite reasonable with it, bc i have to be. With no guilt I actually get more done. I have to say I did a lot of soul searching while sick so did not just do this by myself. It was a spiritual journey. Don't wish to be a fabricaholic, to me it was a never ending cycle of...
BUY-GET HIGH
HOME I GO-NOW FEEL LOW
SO, no 'fix' ever lasted...no purchase was the last, and although I had always been extremely moral and honest, I felt quite sneaky! A friend finally told me that I needed to go talk to someone and 'fess up'. I did, both spiritually and professionally. Even now, I know I will have to be careful the rest of my days bc I can still get dizzy in a fabric store and turn into the 'fabricwolf' or fabricstein. My plastic is paid off, I am guilt free and loving it! want to stay that way. :wink:

GailG

I basically fall into this same category. Except it's my beautician that gave me two boxes of scraps and yardage when she decided she was not going to be doing anymore garment sewing. Some of it I passed on at the church bazaar and I kept the cottons. Also no one wanted my dear aunt's stash when she passed away. Most of that has been sent on to others, but I still "hold on to her laces, zippers, etc." Why?, I have no idea.

I also find the neutrals lacking. And of course, never enough for the backing. :wink:

Grandma Cindy

Patrice - how high are those stacks and what keeps them from tumbling over. What a terrible obit that would be - Quilter smashed by stash! loollll sorry but I must have a warped sense of humor. I envy the colors being all together and you being so organized...

Shemjo

I have been "collecting" for a looong time, and now people find ME and say they have some fabric, do I want it! Well, I'm just a girl who can't say no!
I belong to a quild and they always tell me where the "good stuff" is and I have to go see for myself! And bring home treasures.
I used to buy three yards of whatever, but that is never enough! And I buy "the rest of the bolt" when ever I can. But now I will buy bolts when I can! I just LOVE to feel fabric! I walk through shops with my hands out feeling the fabric, and when I feel something I like, then I look to see what it is! It usually follows me home!
I used to have it all organized by color, but now that has gone by the wayside, and I need to start over, as soon as I finish this one I am working on right now! Wait, I have three that I am working on, oh well.....
:?

dlf0122quilting

I keep sorting out my fabrics and someone keeps going in and moving things around in the middle of the night. One night I am going to stay up all night is my sewing room and catch that critter....OOPS, I think I just caught myself.

Your collection looks so organized, wish I had the wall space left to do that with mine. I have mine in cabinets. Used to have it hanging on pants hangers in my sewing room closet and I think I could find things easier but the rail was sagging so bad I had to do something different.

I'm like you, can't pass up a bargain. My fav LQS closed but they used to sell you the end of the bolt for 25% off so I had lots of their wonderful fabrics. Now I order most on line from thousandsofbolts.com. They have some awesome deals, check them out if you still have some empty space to fill.

Mousie

Grandma Cindy wrote:
...What a terrible obit that would be - Quilter smashed by stash! loollll sorry but I must have a warped sense of humor.

well, maybe I do too, cause I just fell out when i read this! :D