How to do you REDUCE STASH
08-14-2022, 03:23 AM
#12
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Portage, Michigan
Posts: 7,384
How I have reduced my stash:
1. With open eyes and a clear mind I went through my stash and got rid of fabrics and scraps I knew I would never use. Gave away or donated. (Donated to organizations that made masks, dresses for children, QOV and guild give away table.)
2, Stop buying additional fabric unless it is for a specific project and don't buy an extra yard "just in case".
3. Make quilts by sewing from your own personal shop, your stash. The reason you have the collection of fabrics is to use them, create with them and bless others with them.. Use it!
4. Enjoy the process of trying new combinations of color, textures and patterns because of the limits of your stash rather than dashing out for more. The boundaries or constraints of your own collection can lead to new ideas and creativity. .
5. Ease up on perfection and fussy little pieces in every quilt. Using larger cuts of fabric uses up stash faster.
6. Give yourself some time.and grace.
I have been 6, almost 7 years purposfully reducing my stash. It is now manageable. Most, not all is housed in one large bedroom closet, double doors and most of the length of the room. I donate 12 - 15 quilts per year to organizations, I see a pattern that catches my interest and I make it, then give it away. I give quilts to family members so every one will eventually have one of my quilts and I give to any one that I find needs just a little bit of personal attention or as I say it a "warm hug".
If you stash is a burden, then it is not a benefit to you,. Reduce it. I am also to the point that mortality is an reality. I would like to NOT leave piles of unused fabric for others to have to care for after my quilting days are over. I would rather leave quilts.
1. With open eyes and a clear mind I went through my stash and got rid of fabrics and scraps I knew I would never use. Gave away or donated. (Donated to organizations that made masks, dresses for children, QOV and guild give away table.)
2, Stop buying additional fabric unless it is for a specific project and don't buy an extra yard "just in case".
3. Make quilts by sewing from your own personal shop, your stash. The reason you have the collection of fabrics is to use them, create with them and bless others with them.. Use it!
4. Enjoy the process of trying new combinations of color, textures and patterns because of the limits of your stash rather than dashing out for more. The boundaries or constraints of your own collection can lead to new ideas and creativity. .
5. Ease up on perfection and fussy little pieces in every quilt. Using larger cuts of fabric uses up stash faster.
6. Give yourself some time.and grace.
I have been 6, almost 7 years purposfully reducing my stash. It is now manageable. Most, not all is housed in one large bedroom closet, double doors and most of the length of the room. I donate 12 - 15 quilts per year to organizations, I see a pattern that catches my interest and I make it, then give it away. I give quilts to family members so every one will eventually have one of my quilts and I give to any one that I find needs just a little bit of personal attention or as I say it a "warm hug".
If you stash is a burden, then it is not a benefit to you,. Reduce it. I am also to the point that mortality is an reality. I would like to NOT leave piles of unused fabric for others to have to care for after my quilting days are over. I would rather leave quilts.
Last edited by WMUTeach; 08-14-2022 at 03:40 AM.
08-14-2022, 04:16 AM
#13
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Davenport, Iowa
Posts: 3,779
Right now, I'm going through my fabric and cutting it down to smaller pieces. 1 yard pieces are cut into 1/2 yard, 1/4 yard and then 2 1/2" strips. I'll keep the 2 1/2" strips because I have so many jelly roll patterns, and the rest I will offer for sale on Facebook. What doesn't sell will be looked at again to see if I want to cut it down further or donate to DAV. I have so much fabric that it depressed me to even go into the sewing room for months knowing that I'll never use it all up.
08-14-2022, 05:15 AM
#14
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Gaylord, MN
Posts: 3,941
I usually make quilts according to the fabric I have. I bought fabric with that intention "some" time ago so figure I should plan my quilts accordingly. I love scrappy so that helps as everything doesn't have to be matchy, matchy. We have a couple that are going to be married 50 years so I will gift one of my quilts to them. I like the expression "warm hug" used in a prior post. Some people just "touch me" for some reason so they get a quilt. They are always very thankful and make me feel good. I donate baby, kid's quilts to Santa's Helpers. Am looking into other places to donate. I would like to post some on Facebook but haven't gotten into that yet.
08-14-2022, 07:50 AM
#15
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Va.
Posts: 5,752
The things that have worked best for me in reducing my stash are:
1. Limiting the amount of space that is available to store fabric. When it's full, I don't buy more until there is room.
2. Shopping my stash when I want to make a quilt- it helps that I like scrappy.
3. Thinking of my stash in terms of usefulness of the fabric for a wide variety of quilts. For that reason, my stash consists mostly of blenders and when I need to replenish it, I make a list of things I'm low on- for example- lights, darks, mediums, or specific colors. That's not to say I don't also have some really nice patterned fabrics, but they do not make up much of my stash.
4. Being willing to experiment with what I have on hand. After all, it's only fabric and thread- no one will be harmed if what I make ends up being truly ugly and I will still have had the fun of cutting fabric and stitching it back together. Any piece that is too ugly for words can always be cut up and turned into a collage quilt or an improvisational piece.
Rob
1. Limiting the amount of space that is available to store fabric. When it's full, I don't buy more until there is room.
2. Shopping my stash when I want to make a quilt- it helps that I like scrappy.
3. Thinking of my stash in terms of usefulness of the fabric for a wide variety of quilts. For that reason, my stash consists mostly of blenders and when I need to replenish it, I make a list of things I'm low on- for example- lights, darks, mediums, or specific colors. That's not to say I don't also have some really nice patterned fabrics, but they do not make up much of my stash.
4. Being willing to experiment with what I have on hand. After all, it's only fabric and thread- no one will be harmed if what I make ends up being truly ugly and I will still have had the fun of cutting fabric and stitching it back together. Any piece that is too ugly for words can always be cut up and turned into a collage quilt or an improvisational piece.
Rob
08-14-2022, 08:27 AM
#16
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 9,512
Originally Posted by rryder
The things that have worked best for me in reducing my stash are:
1. Limiting the amount of space that is available to store fabric. When it's full, I don't buy more until there is room.
2. Shopping my stash when I want to make a quilt- it helps that I like scrappy.
3. Thinking of my stash in terms of usefulness of the fabric for a wide variety of quilts. For that reason, my stash consists mostly of blenders and when I need to replenish it, I make a list of things I'm low on- for example- lights, darks, mediums, or specific colors. That's not to say I don't also have some really nice patterned fabrics, but they do not make up much of my stash.
4. Being willing to experiment with what I have on hand. After all, it's only fabric and thread- no one will be harmed if what I make ends up being truly ugly and I will still have had the fun of cutting fabric and stitching it back together. Any piece that is too ugly for words can always be cut up and turned into a collage quilt or an improvisational piece.
Rob
1. Limiting the amount of space that is available to store fabric. When it's full, I don't buy more until there is room.
2. Shopping my stash when I want to make a quilt- it helps that I like scrappy.
3. Thinking of my stash in terms of usefulness of the fabric for a wide variety of quilts. For that reason, my stash consists mostly of blenders and when I need to replenish it, I make a list of things I'm low on- for example- lights, darks, mediums, or specific colors. That's not to say I don't also have some really nice patterned fabrics, but they do not make up much of my stash.
4. Being willing to experiment with what I have on hand. After all, it's only fabric and thread- no one will be harmed if what I make ends up being truly ugly and I will still have had the fun of cutting fabric and stitching it back together. Any piece that is too ugly for words can always be cut up and turned into a collage quilt or an improvisational piece.
Rob
I love scrappy so I don't have a problem shopping my stash. I do the same about replenishing. When I find I'm low on a certain color, I make a note of it and when I'm at a quilt shop or there is a good sale, I stock up a bit on that color. Mostly, I just don't worry that much about it. I like fabric. I have fabric. I use it as I can but don't stress about "having too much". Anyone who says I have too much fabric, needs to start looking at themselves instead of criticizing me.
08-14-2022, 02:38 PM
#18
Power Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Reno, Nv
Posts: 16,521
I am going to be honest with you. Every time I have tried to do this, I end up not getting much into the donate pile. I pull much of my new quilt tops I make from my stash, so I don't feel the need to waste time and money to get rid of it. The one thing I don't use much is the pre-cuts. I have bought books to try and figure out a good setting for them. But, as yet I have not made one. Sigh... I suppose I am too cheap to let that hard earned money I spent on them go out the window.
Now one thing you can try is to put the type and color of fabrics together to make it easier to see when you make a quilt top. I find half of my buying mistakes are repeats I forgot I had.
I have gone through my patterns and shared many with the Assistance League secondhand store. They support many programs in our area. The food bank, kids school lunches and they have a program that sells senior citizen crafts for free. I can see where it all goes to. You gotta love that.
Now one thing you can try is to put the type and color of fabrics together to make it easier to see when you make a quilt top. I find half of my buying mistakes are repeats I forgot I had.
I have gone through my patterns and shared many with the Assistance League secondhand store. They support many programs in our area. The food bank, kids school lunches and they have a program that sells senior citizen crafts for free. I can see where it all goes to. You gotta love that.
08-14-2022, 07:14 PM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: USA
Posts: 377
Originally Posted by Darcyshannon
I am getting ready for a major sewing studio redo. I know that I need to reduce my fabric volume as a part to make it more manageable and in tune with what I am making now. However, when I look at the unlikely fabric I still see possibilities.
Please share your process of getting rid of fabric from your stash and how it helps your creative process.
Thank you!!!!
Please share your process of getting rid of fabric from your stash and how it helps your creative process.
Thank you!!!!
Then it happened --last Thursday, I made that terrible trip to the Senior Center and found ... No Not fabric b-u-t Quilting magazines and I took all of them as the next day they were going to be tossed into the trash to never be seen again. I looked thru several of them at the Center and even found one with a froggie. Well the green satin had to come out of the box and so did the green almost velvet for the lily pads and the the brown hairy stuff for the cattails. So that's 7 boxes that are now all over my living room again. So my plan--might as well keep it in plain sight and no more duck tape because it rarely lasts 2 weeks before I have something I have to get out of the boxes and don't you know it is ALways in the last box in the last stack. I won't be buying any more tape and the stacking of the boxes Yeah I can still do that--maybe. Have great fun
08-15-2022, 04:02 AM
#20
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Maryland
Posts: 2,579
Thanks for posting everyone! I need all the help I can get. I like scrappy quilts but the scrap bins never seem to empty no matter what I make. I think I've been guilty of the "I'll get an extra yard just in case" mentality.
