I was standing in my craft closet one day and the question suddenly nagged me---Is this a fabric stash or a fabric cemetery? Gotta work on sifting through and donating what I will never use and also on completing UFO's.

I,too, have more fabric than I can use in this lifetime. It was Crazy Daze in a city near me last week, and I am proud of myself, I didn't even go to the fabric store. My dream is to win the lottery and build a studio for my sewing stuff.

No truer words were very spoken. I can piece at my machine, but for quilting, I move a machine to the dining area and work there. Cutting also happens there. Design "board" is the bed in another room. That room also houses two three -drawer plastic storage units. Will never use up all of that fabric in a lifetime. And my stash is nowhere near what I've seen on this board.

Yes I am a hoarder, but a organized hoarder. The stash is all on shelves and easy to see. I rarely buy for a specific project, just pull from my stash. This past year I have definitely cut back on my purchases, but have a hard time resisting a deal. Like so many, if I lived to be a hundred I couldn't use it up but I will sure try.

I know exactly how you feel, when I see the word "SALE" I can't stop myself. I am really trying not to buy fabric unless I am working on a project and need something for it.

My DH looked at me this weekend and asked if I had enough thread for the amount of fabric I had. Then he says, "Why did I have to open my big mouth?" I took the credit card and bought more thread and a few more yards of fabric, just in case I had more thread than fabric. LOL! The cycle continues!

Is there room for one more member? I gave tons of fabric away a couple of years ago, and I think I have replaced all of it. In the past month I have made 3 donation quilts all from my stash. Can't really see any decrease in amount of fabric, but I will keep at it. I have tons of fat quarters and they are great for many quilt designs. I will keep at it, but it makes me feel so good to buy fabric. I know, I know, that is part of the "illness". I also gave away stacks of magazines. I now have stacks of magazines again. I need help!!!
Sue

Yep - the deals get me, too. I rarely buy any fabric at regular price. I have just enough scraps and UFOs that it's always a dilemma for me, deciding whether to cut scraps ("tame" them) or work on a UFO, or the most fun of all, start another project!

My stash takes up one cabinet in my sewing room. That's it. I feel like it's too full now. All the fabric I have earmarked is folded on comic book boards and laying sideways. FQ's are for small projects, pillows, purses, etc.

My question in regards to this is how old is too old? I have fabric that belonged to my husband's grandmother's mother in law, fabric I have had since my 20s, etc. I am thinking maybe some of it just needs tossed. Also I was making pants for my baby grandson and used up some of mine for that. I made five pairs. I guess we could repurpose some of it for something other than quilting to get it out of those bins.

Most of my stash is, my gift to me, because I gave up smoking.

My fabric will also out live me.......I haven't purchased any in several months and don't intend to. When I get e-mails from fabric stores on the internet I will see many that I like and place them in my cart and then walk away from the computer. In a couple of hours I go back and delete them. It's fun looking, but no more buying!

I also have wwwaaayyy to much fabric so I am not buying any unless I must. I am doing a lot of scrappy quilts for charity so it will be good for someone and help me out too.

I've donated a couple bins of fabric to our church's quilting group (quilts for missionaries), donated some to charity, and tossed scraps. But, I have enough for 14 planned quilts, several bags/totes, table runners & placemats, plus pet-themed projects (guess what everyone receives for gifts from me)! I just bought a 40 yd bolt of W&N that'll be enough for the next 4 years of projects (at $5.75/yd for 90" wide). I have so much W&N now, I can't fit it in my closet yet for easy access in & out. The stash/scraps that remain will be dedicated for scrap projects.
Then, I have supplies for 'scarfs' and beading projects I have yet to begin.
With 20 good years of quilting left, my goal is at least 6 quilts a year and several smaller projects. I suppose I'm disciplined enough to use what I have as long as I don't buy more! Some of my fabrics were purchased at a fundraising quilt fabric sale where fabrics were just $1-2/yard, an estate sale of a former quilter, and a 'down-sizing' sale of another quilter. Those were simply too good to pass up. That's where my 'stash' began. Hoarding or long range planning for keeping the cost of my hobby in check???

I'm a collector and I'm not sorry and I'm not quitting. I enjoy deconstructing clothing, getting a bundle of factory cut aways, rescuing ufos and cruising flea markets and yard sales. If my production doesn't keep up with my supply (and it never will) I still enjoy daydreaming about the next project. Very, very little is retail purchase yardage and so the cost is low--not low quality, that becomes rug strings.

To all you members of FHA (Fabric Hoarders Anonymous): I wish you well and I'll be glad to come over and help you de-stash. LOL

I do not have that much, have been using alot of mine up lately and it has been great fun.

Oh, yes! I am 81 years old, and I recently went through my ????___ UFO's. I hope to finish some of them, but family and friends seem to always come up with requests for other things. When my husband and I moved to a retirement home 3 years ago, I insisted that our home there had enough space for my fabric. I have a large sewing room with LOTS of fabric and projects hidden away.
I do use some of my fabrics in projects for a craft sale here: but, I suspect that my fabrics are having babies since the supply doesn't seem to diminish.
I did recently finish a queen size raggy quilt for our youngest granddaughter, and am making a crib quilt for her expected baby using some of the same fabrics. (Yes, I bought too much for her quilt!)
Since I live within driving distance of Mary Jo's, I am making myself stay away! But, oh, how I love that store!

My oldest daughter made me promise not to will my fabric to her!

I do know exactly how you feel and it was never more apparent than when we had to downsize from a 3-bedroom house with full basement to a 2 bedroom apartment. With 2 sewing areas, one in the basement and another upstairs for quilting in the winter, I lost track of exactly how much I had, especially having inherited my sister's stash when she passed away. My dear friend inherited a lot of it but she also passed on fabrics to be used for charity quilts, so the fabric was put to good use. Now, unless I need a specific fabric to complete a project, I am doing pretty well shopping only in my stash. It was sort of "cold turkey" therapy, but it seems to be working.

I don't consider myself a hoarder, still in the collecting stage. Think I have enough to complete some of my UFO's now. I love starting new projects, but can see this will become an issue if I don't finish them. I love the challenge of learning something new, but then I tire of the project and move onto something else "new".

I also LOVE Mary Jo's, but fortunately I don't live close. My husband says Thank Goodness! I also have way too much fabric and can't resist a sale. I fall in love with fabric. My concern is I am 72 and will never live long enough to use all my stash.

Quit talking about me!!!! :)
I have threatened to unload the walk-in pantry and put all my fabric in there. Nice shelves, not too deep. Then I would have room to sew in the sewing room, maybe.

I am trying to use at least one piece of fabric from the stash when I start another project. This does not always work because the tones don't match. I have file boxes of Christmas, whites, purples, and greens. Those fabrics you pick up because they are a good buy.

Growing up with a mother who hoarded anything sewing specific I realized yes I love having a stash, which I use all of the time but it does not rule my life or take over all of my house. Therefore I love to share what I have with friends and appreciate those friends sharing with me as well. Remember whatever you bring in you must produce items to go out. I love producing quilts, craft items and anything useful for the home and family.

I also have way too much personal fabric, but I also expect to have another 20 years of quilting; I consider it my Fabric IRA. I bought it while I was working because I knew my husband would object to buying it in retirement. I did stop buying fabric on speculation (not knowing what I would do with it) about 8 or 9 years ago. At that point, I had more than a bolt of a focus fabric that I totally loved and still love, and collected only fabric to go with that for an eventual series of quilts. That collection is complete now, and one of the few additions would be a second focus fabric with the same colors. When I get off the computer, I'll be working on those.

I also have a good deal of donated fabric since I've been making charity quilts for 18 years and people know that and give me fabric, usually scraps. I use it to make between 20 and 63 quilts in any given year.

However, I have a small house and 9X15' sewing room and they are overrun with fabric. I may give some to the local guild to use for charity quilts or find a church group with whom to sew and give fabric.

There is a thing as too much fabric, sadly. Or is that just too little time? Or maybe not enough storage space?

In addition to collecting fabric, I am also a thriftaholic, so I already knew I was in trouble before my adult daughter said "Mom, it's not that I think you are going to die any day soon, but I sure don't want to be stuck going thru all of your stuff."

NO! Give it to your local guild or women's quilting groups (churches sometimes have groups) The guild can either sell it to their members as a fundraiser for community service or they can make quilts for needy organizations. We make preemie quilts, American Hero quilts, displaced family quilts, quilts for kids who are taken into child protection services, and so forth.

I love the term "fabric cemetery". Gives me more incentive to downsize!!!

My son & his family were here last week & he told me I was borderline hoarder. I no longer hit the fabric shops for the last 6 months, BUT I keep going to the for sale items on the forum. Not good for me trying not to buy. I just can't stay away from this sale section. :~( :~)

I am not quite in the hoarding category but closing in on it rapidly. lol Check this thread to read about our "wagon" and our attempts to stay on it: http://www.quiltingboard.com/quiltin...m-t209802.html

You are not alone. I come by it naturally, my mom is currently trying to downsize her house and has found stashed all over the place, yarn, fabric, thread and all sorts of crafty stuff. I have collected all my fabric in one place and it is a small stash, but still a stash of stuff that I doubt I will use. You are in good company.

well I'm trying to get some more fabric. If you do decide to donate it , you can donate it to me. ehhhhee I'll even pay postage. hehehhe

I am tring hard to do the same and put end to the fabric addiction

I just finished sorting and placing on boards my stash. I then sorted by Color and holiday/batiks. It all fits on one book case. Small but still shocked by the amount. Really trying to shop it first. Next sort is all those magazines. Now that's another story!

I cleaned out a little but it takes time....I too have sooooo many projects I want to do........never in this lifetime tho!

I just keep repeating "no more fabric, no more fabric" until the temptation goes away. And no more yarn either.

My fabric stash doesn't even begin to come close to what some of the other members have. But after getting the 80 FQs from KQ a couple of weeks ago, decided I needed to do something with all the bits and pieces left from previous FQs. before I could even put the new ones away. May regret it, but am trying to cut up each piece into 10" sqs, 6 1/2" sqs, and from 1" to 2 1/2" strips. If there's any thing left after that, it will get tossed into a scrap box that I'll give to another quilter. And since I only make scrap quilts, I should have plenty for a while. Oh, and all this cutting doesn't include my new fqs or my several fq collections, or the couple dozen fqs that I've found in various places.:)

I too have too much fabric but still buy more when we go on a shop hop. I have been putting some in the garage sale and donating some to charity. Still will not have all sewed by the time I am called to leave this planet

I started the same way nhweaver...and recently looked around and decided not to hit the yard sales and thrift stores any more just for fabric. Have to admit though I found a lovely piece of fabric at the store. Got 3 yds. giggle....

I am with you on this one. I belong to a group that makes simple tied quilts for the needy. I have started cutting my fabric into squares for this group. I believe I will start with the fqs that I have from swaps that usually had a theme. I also have finally realized there is no way I am going to use these in one life time.

If you're looking for places to donate I'm very involved with Quilts for kids in Indiana. We are always in need of fabric. PM me is you're interested.

I'm with the many of the rest of you- haven't purchased much fabric this year . Basically have only purchased to complete a specific project. My granddaughter just picked out fabric to make a professional tote - all from my stash so it saved me about $50.00 by not having to buy fabric. I did have to buy the stabilizer. She will be coming over tomorrow to start her project. I do have a bunch of magazines with good scrap quilts. Once the weed spraying is done and the haying is finished I can get back to quilting more. Good luck to all of us getting our stashes reduced!