My fabrics are mostly in a two china closets in our garage. They have glass doors, so I can see it easily, unless it is stored in the drawers.

I sew in the dining room and that often looks like my cutting table and the dining room table both 'threw up', too.

Love that phrase...it made me laugh!

I saw a really good, idea one time where the fabric was basically folded and put on a hanger closet style you can see it move it easily but that may take alot of hanging up clothesline or getting creative

Having got to the age of 70 3/4, I have come to the conclusion I am a FABRIC COLLECTOR who occasionally QUILTS!!!!!! Scraps breed in the night and mess your space up when you're not around!!!!:D Just a fact of life!!!! Just enjoy it.....life's too short to stress!!!!:)

I have EXACTLY the same problem!!! Last year I sent my husband off to "play" for a month thinking I would spend the entire month sewing. Instead, I spent the entire time sorting fabric and putting planned projects together in large plastic bags. My beauty salon has asked me to make some bags to display in their window to sell, so I'm ONLY shopping in my stash!!!! Maybe that will cause it to go down a bit.... Oh yeah, I also have a few UFO's that need to get finished and off to the LA'er

Gosh, it is easy to build up a stash of fabrics because there are really nice fabrics out there! With the rising prices of fabrics, I have slowed down but still have more then enough. It helps to go "shopping" in your stash before buying more fabrics for specific projects. Recently, I had 48 string blocks ready to be sewn into a quilttop when I decided a blender for sashings was needed to calm down the quilt (it looked very busy). I was about to buy more material when I remembered to shop in my stash first. Surprise! I did find four possibilities to audition on the design wall, and sure enough, there was a perfect fabric for the sashings. What a liberating moment!

wow! that's not a problem for me. I have 1 whole tub o fabric. and a plastic bag o scraps. I put together what I have or can afford and make a quilt or smaller project then in a few more months I can afford to buy nuff for my next project. Maybe get a friend to come sew with you! It's more fun some days to sew and chat and shop your stash and compare progress and projects. yea, get a sewing buddy!!

I too am overwhelmed w/my stash BUT now I look at a pattern, shop my stash and sew it up! NOTE::: did not say I get it quilted! I sew for Quilts of Valor and that helped me to get back on track. Have a gal who quilts for free for this charity so I don't have to FINISH it..just provide top, backing and binding. QoV helped me get back on the quilting wagon.

Yes, I feel exactly that way. I've had both father and father in law pass away in the last several months, and now my mother in law is in nursing care. I haven't usually been freaked about age, but now, I'm thinking I may NOT live long enough to use all my stash. Which strangely has not inspired me, but sort of stopped me in my tracks, so I understand!

First of all, I put in bookcases that I had bought at Office Max and then I took one of the removable shelves to Home Depot and had them to cut me extra shelves so that I could separate the colors and not have them stacked so high. This worked great. I also have 4 of the 9cube book cases that you can get from Walmarts. Some have the canvas totes and other do not. My projects go into the totes with pictures on the outside to show what is in there. They now have stackable drawers for these cubes so I want to get some for my FQ. I have tons of fleece that I have in storage containers under my bed since I know that I need them unless I'm making something with fleece. Having all of my fabric out to see easily has made a world of difference. I had forgotten that I had a lot of it.

Towards the end of last yr I decided that I wouldn't buy any more fabric until I got caught up with my WIP. I started with the ones that could be finished the fastest so the pile would go down faster. The only exception was if I had a quilt or embroidery project that was meant for a gift then it went to the top of the pile. I finished my DGD 3D pinwheel quilt for her birthday and found I had extra squares withe 3D pinwheels so that'll be pillows for her bed. This weekend I'm going to finish her pillows and then start on finishing my son's quilt for his birthday in April. I haven't bought any fabric since last yr execpt for what I need for my monthly embroidery club. That is learning so I do that but if I don't finish it in class I finish it the same week so that they don't pile up on me.

If having so much out it the problem, then pack away alot of the fabric that you won't use to finish your WIP or don't have a plan for yet. As you work thru your projects and reduce the pile you can slowly start unpacking your fabric or other projects. I also have projects for kits that I bought and haven't started on but those won't get touched until I finish what I started so those are packed away. For you I think you have to go with the out of sight out of mind thing so that your mind doesn't wonder to much from what needs to be done to what you want to be done. I think most of us get overwhelmed at times over something but you just have to figure out what works for you. Good luck and let us know if you find a system that works for you.

By the way, I just made it thru the Hampton Quilt show and bought no fabric. There was some that I wanted for a jacket but knew that I had bought two patterns and a fabric at the Raleigh NC sewing expo and hadn't used it so I told myself no until I make what I bought. I went home and looked for the pattern and one of the fabrics that I wanted to buy was the same one I bought last yr for a jacket.

I bought a lot of fabric before I retired because, like you, I thought I wouldn't have the money for fabric after I retired. I retired in 1998 and I'm still buying fabric; believe it or not, there is always money for fabric somehow! LOL! I'm also stuck at the moment because my stash is terribly unorganized but I love going through "my store" when I start a new project. And I, too, have lots of UFO's, and a few quilt kits. I'm just glad I'm not the only quilter who has these 'problems.' I am semi organized and hate that word, but I can see where the quilters who get a lot of quilts made are much more organized than I could ever be! In the meantime, I enjoy buying, having, fondling my fabric! It keeps me sane and gives me much pleasure to give away the quilts I do finish every now and then. Give yourself permission to enjoy what you have.

Part of my stash is organized on boards and in tubs but the problem is I have run out of room..Um until I get a sewing room that has more room I just dream and tolerate the disorganization.

Hi Jeanne, What is the pattern you most think about? Get all of the fabric for that pattern, and only that pattern, put it in a tote, and that's the one you can work on now. When you get tired,or need a change, go to the "stash room" and go through it a little at a time, knowing you have a quilt waiting in the other room, will keep both jobs separate. Good Luck!

I don't know if this helps or not but when I can't decide what to work on I go digging in the scrap bag and start making 9 patches. I can always find a use for a 9 patch (table runner, etc.) and it gives my mind time to figure out what I want to do next. (My dad called it "studying". He would say I'm studying about something). I accomplish something while I am making my next project (in my mind). You will be all right, once you figure out how to go about what you are trying to do. Perhaps you could ebay some of your stash you have fallen out of love with.

It really helped me to get all my fabric out of miscellaneous totes, tuppers and bags. Now that it is folded on shelves I have a much better idea of what I do have and can relatively easily find what I need for whatever project I'm doing. Also this way I can see that I don't have enough of something if I can't remember how much of that pretty blue and green batik I used on that quilt last summer. LOL! Now I still need to reorganize periodically as stacks get shuffled with pulling out fabric to audition for projects. And I need a better method of storing my scraps, but that's a project in itself.

So glad to know that I"M not alone.

What overwhelms me, is the huge number of fabric companies, the huge number of designers, the huge number of new fabric collections, the huge number of new rulers, gadgets, thread, the huge marketing push for us to NEED one of everything. It is this marketing that I have to take a step back from, including fabric shop newsletters, and magazines, which, let's face it, are selling more than teaching, at least to us who have been quilting for a decade.
I guess what I am saying, is that I am more overwhelmed by the push to think I need to constantly buy, more than I am by my huge existing stash. Best advice that I ever received was to get grounded by choosing a smallish (new) project, and working only on it, forgetting everything else, and regain the lovely satisfaction of completing it. And I also like to think back to when quilting was truly using whatever fabric the person could get their hands on.

I had mine ruler folded and stacked, Stash got to large to tell what I had. I put them all on boards and it is much better. I can see what I have.

Maybe you could make quilt kits and sell those. I am always looking at quilt kits online. I haven't bought one yet because there are so many out there and I can't decide what I want to try first. I have problems deciding what combination of fabrics go together. The baby quilt I recently finished I bought a set of FQ's that were already paired up. Other than than I have worked on blacks/whites. If you decide to make kits or group things together for sell, let me know I for one would be interested in helping you de-stash!

Well, here I am still sitting here reading, and haven't even gotten out of the first set of entries on this forum. Such good ideas, and so appropos to me. I am right in there with all of you, ladies. And I am going to go out to my sewing room and work on a project TODAY.......

One day last month, I asked my DIL to go out to my sewing room with me and get started on reorganizing, because I wanted to sponsor a quilting class in March. We did it, I sent out invitations to my MARCH EXTRAVANGANZA, got all the preparations in place to have three work or cutting stations set up; March 3rd came; cold and snowy (we live in a very rural area) and no one showed up except my sister who is going to be one of my teachers. Well, you know what we did. We went out to my sewing room to clean and rearrange, etc. and found one of my WIPs from about two years ago. What a joy. We started searching and pulling out, found everything that I had already done on it, figured out what needed to be done to work on it some more; and enjoyed the best day you ever heard of, just lovely sister-time that we never seem able to find. And I am out of my slump. Can't wait to get out there every day now. Someday, when I figure out how to post pics, I'll do that. And to the one who told me how to do it in a post a week or so ago, I still have your directions sticky-noted to my computer screen.....thanks.

I have been telling my husband for years that I was collecting for retirement and now it is 3 months away and what am I going to do. Work in a quilt store full time and may be taking it on permanently. More fabric than I will ever get to quilt, now its my daughters inheritance since she is learning to quilt. Grandson (21 months) also likes to help grandma sew as well. So don't think it will go to waste. Now I can be more selective on what I buy, my stash is built.

mjhaess- know just how you feel, until I get a sewing room I am out of room. and have material in totes. Maybe someday. When I hear girls talking about big sewing rooms I am green. Oh well, no sense worrying about it.

I have a 2nd bedroom loaded with fabric and can barely get in there. Thanks so much everyone for the inspiration to get in there and get it organized/ Good advise from everyone. I had to laugh over the comment from the uk about being a fabric collector and an occasional quilter. I am going to start right now and spend 15 min on this snowy day in Chicago and work on that 2nd bedroom.

My "stash" started to get out of hand when my DH insisted that I move my sewing room to my daughter's BR after he took over my son's room (they were both not living at home at the time). His thinking was that we would save on heating and cooling bills if I just had one small room, instead of 1/4 of the basement. The problem was that I would look for something upstairs, think I didn't have that particular fabric or color of fabric and go buy more. I also inherited fabrics from friends who knew I quilted and made crafts for the church fair, as well as fabrics used for crafts for the church fair because people started recognizing the fabric. Then my sister was moving to a small apt. and guess what? She gave me part of her stash, and the list goes on and on, the stash snowballed. When we lost the house and had to downsize from a 3-bedroom house to a 2 bedroom apt., I literally gave away half my fabric stash and when my husband wanted me to get rid of more, put my foot down, telling him that if we didn't have money to buy new fabric, the least I could do was keep what I had so that I could still quilt and not buy much fabric. That worked for a while, then I fell, had a ruptured C -4-5 disk, with surgery and over 4 months of rehab and while in rehab one of the therapists asked if I would like some fabric she had been given by her friend, that she was probably not going to use. Imagine my surprise when she brought in this huge bag of fabric, nearly 40 yards in all; so while I make many quilts - happily I can again - I feel I've become a fabric magnet and fabric finds me. LOL I guess I'll just have to keep quilting and sewing, oh did I mentioned we have an almost 3 year old DGD who loves dresses and would like "MiMi" to make her things, so I need fabric right? It's and endless cycle and circle, so I'm just going with the flow and quilting as fast as I can.

Oh...I feel your pain!!!! I have one quilt in progress and am stuck on quilting it machine messes up. I also have 4 placemats I am quilting for Mom. I see all my fabric ans I am overwhelmed-but excited about colors and fabric and want to go to next project.

This must be something we all do from time too time.
I am also overwhelmed, I get nothing done. I am either looking for something I have or trying to make more room, which I never have enough of ... lol

I am on a fabric diet this year and part of last year. I have told myself I have to finish at least one UFO(preferably 2) to start something new. I have been buying very little fabric. I have made my last several quilts from my stash. Can you sort of hide some of it from yourself or move it to another room? Sew in one room and shop in another? Sometimes my stash overwhelms me too.

I got into purchasing "sale" fabric many years ago ! It became so overwhelming trying to remember all that I had.
After many times of trying to organizing it all & still getting no sewing done I decided to sell lots & lots of it !!
I enjoyed purchasing many panels (years ago) that were cut & sew projects & made many for consignment shops.
But now I want to continue to make more quilts so again I am selling off my craft fabric stash.
We all sooner or later realize our fabric stash will be too much to sew in 5 life times but it sure was fun collecting our stashes.

no stash all i have is less than a yard quick work to take car of dgs and dgd so what little i had been used so trying my hand at i spy after i finish my around the world

I recently semi-organized my fabrics. It is so wonderful to go to my sewing area and pick something I likwe out of the 'Blue' bin, etc. After sorting through all that fabric, I may never have to go to the fabric store to 'feel' the fabrics.

You (and me) got there with major steps, now we have to take more steps to move away from that. I got way to many UFO's, but I am slowly whittling them down.

Maybe some purging and organizing will get you back in the groove. I like the idea of bringing a friend that will hold your hand as you organize. I understand the overwhelmed feeling. I am always looking for the perfect shade or print to complete a top and then it ends up never getting done. I am trying to relax and just finnishing quilts even if it is with less then the perfect fabric.

I also feel like I have way to much fabric. Can't remember where something is so I go out and buy more. At one time I had 4 kits of the samething because I couldn't remember having it. I won't let myself even go into the quilt shops anymore because I can't resist. Have to stay off the internet too. I go to look for something and get so tried moving all the totes, bags and under the bed storage I just give up. I have it piled so high in front of my closet doors I can't get in there to see what I have. My sewing room is my spare bed room and just dread someone saying they are coming to stay because then I have to move every thing out to my camper and shed and if they are in totes they are not making it back into the house. I don't just quilt I sew clothes to so I have ever kind of fabric.
One time I gave away and sold all the fabric I had collected when my girls were young so what did I do when I had grandchildren you guessed it bought more....sold that...now it's great grandchildren and the fabric for clothing isn't out there much anymore. I have lots of knits and 1 yard fleece. Going to someday cut the fleece into sq and use it for backing.
Good luck and thank for making me feel not alone.

My name is Pat and I am a fabricoholic~! Is there a 12 step program for this?? If there is I really don't want to do it---I enjoy every bit of fabric I have

I wish I had enough stash to be overwhelmed by.

I hope you get enough advice and motivation to get back into sewing. Good luck.

I haven't been quilting nearly as long as many of you and I feel overwhelmed, so I can't imagine how a quilter of many years must feel. Sometimes I wonder if I could ever use all this fabric, even if I never bought anything more...

I have been quilting 3 years. In the beginning my stash was shameful due to the learning curve of appropriate cutting and piecing etc,. But I must say I treasure my stash and find myself buying a yard here or there just to have on hand. If I really like a fabric I will but more. Being on a fixed income it is difficult just to go purchase an entire quil's worth of material at once. My stash has taught me design, strip quilting and my beloved scrap piecing, which I have come to adore. My quilts all have a common thread- a similar something, but certainly not cookie cutter. They are just mine, reflecting my color loves and piecing favourites. I look to my stash as an undiscovered quilt or two. I also love to piece my backs, so that to is served by all those 1 & 2 yard purchases. It is very rare, that I can just wip out the change for 6-8 yards for a backing or binding. That stash is my "treasure chest" that about once ever two or three months takes fligh, landing as it may, while I step back, squint, and choice my next quit. I know---- perhaps I"m a bit excentric. It certainly isn't the first time I have been called as such! LOL

We moved to this house 9 yrs ago and I had moved most of my "little attic" sewing room into my now sewing cave---quarter of a basement w/windows and cozy. Last week one afternoon I was bored and decided to watch something on tv On Demand. So I clicked on Hoarders....OMG...I could not believe the filth this program was showing..I think anyone could not live like what I saw, it could cause a plague!,,,

After that I went down to my sewing space to find a pack of precut HST that I bought in the last century....so I started to "dig". And the deeper I went the more I was convinced I had become a "hoarder"...and I scared myself!

Now a week later, I still have not found what I initially went looking for, but have found 2 UFOs that I will take to a sew-in, afew things to friend of daughter who is just beginning in quilting and am "organizing" better what I have..both books and fabric. And seriously concentrate on completing all the UFO s that I uncovered......
So when I finish here, back I go to wind up this adventure and get back to quilting!

I wrap my fabrics around a ruler so they fit better on the shelf in my closet. I find when I can see at a glance what I have to work with I buy less. I also enjoy starting new projects when I don't feel overwhelmed by the mess in my sewing room, so I set aside 1 hour a week to put back any fabrics I have stacked around my sewing room and cutting up my scraps for planed scrappys that I keep in small totes with the pattern. I use these as leaders and enders whenever I sew anything so that I'm more productive. I challenge myself to make at least 5 scrappys a year to keep my scraps from taking over my sewing room.

I understand the inertia caused by fabric overload. But I get some emotional pleasure out of seeing my stash. It is mine, all mine. I think alot of us enjoy, at some level, the good feeling that abundance gives us. I do. It is comforting, when it gets overwhelming, I either sell it, give it away to another quilter, or bring some to goodwill so another quilted/sewer can bring it home. If your stash is causing you some distress, downsize, divorce yourself from those fabrics that no longer speak to you.

Another fabric aholic here......

how the stash was built - having the means to buy, buy, and then buy some more and a small amount of time to start many many projects and no tome to finish or make a dent in my fabric collection.

Why the three year break in sewing -lost my best quilting friend and all sewing coming to a complete STOP, only after adding all her fabric to my already over sized stash.

Why the return to sewing - because another very good friend pointed out that your best friend would not want this for you....and to each day spend 15 minutes in your sewing room.

What the steps were to get things manageable - each winter I committ to making one scrappy quilt, one new large quilt, and projects that will use up those beautiful fabrics that look best in bags and purses, and one kit, and to also machine quilt and bind all applicable projects. For me to have several different kinds of projects to work on keeps things interesting.

P.S. My first winter I was able to discipline myself to finish all started projects or if I really did not enjoy working on the project I donated it. I no longer visit quilt shops just to randomly buy fabric. I now visit quilt shops with fabric and project in hand and only purchase fabric that I need to finish a project.

Here's the funny thing.....when the piles started going away and fabric piles getting small and gone....at first it didn't feel so good...but now it does.lol