Fabric Hoarder Confession!!
 

Confessional time ........
I have decided today, that I am a fabric Hoarder - and I am going to stop!!!! I will never in many lifetimes complete all the projects that I have hidden in totes, drawers, closets, attics, trunk of car. My goal for this fall and winter, is take all the fabric that I will never use (you know the kind, the stuff from yard sales, auctions, thrift stores,etc) and donate it. When I was first starting to hoard and quilt, I hunted down fabric - not project specific, just fabric, lots of it. Not the best quality, in colors that I do not like any longer. Even if I remove 50-100 yards of fabric, I still will not have enough years left to make the projects that are left. Seriously, am I the only one who realizes that "enough is enough'?

Yep! know how you feel and am trying to put a stop to myself too. LOL

I spent the past two weeks packing up an 82yo friend, recently widowed, for a move to her daughter's home, two states away. She doesn't collect fabric, but she has hundreds of pieces of bone china. I'm still dreaming about packing paper/boxes!!! I came away from it inspired to clean out my stuff, from extra kitchen stuff to extra fabric to garage junk. I was an Army wife for 25 years and I traveled light for most of that time. However, I've been "planted" here for 8 years and I am rapidly filling up a house and garage with "stuff." I'm with you--it's time for traveling light once again.

The only problem I have found with having a big stash is that eventually it take up most of the quilt room, no matter how big that room is. Then there's no longer any possibility of finding the space to actually make something. The only solution is to get a bigger room and start the whole cycle again.

I can't believe how much fabric I have gathered over the 6 years I have been quilting. I do not want my fabric to end up in an estate sale at some point. I have decided to use what I have and I really like scrappy quilts, so that is my focus.
Having fabric in the garage and pantry is not a good thing. the garage has it in cupboards, carts and plastic drawers - way too much. The pantry has 4 bins full. Yes, I need to use it before adding to the stash. I have even decided to use piecing as a way of using it up for backing a quilt.

I may be a hoarder (still in denial maybe) but I continue to collect when I find appealing fabric ..... but I am slowing down and being more selective. My goal is to use it all before that day comes when it will no longer make any difference.

Great post. I too am a hoarder. My aim is to donate/give away 1/10 of my fabric by the end of this year 2013. I am at present looking for good homes for it. I know that I will be happier when I do this. I think now before I buy.

I have stopped buying fabric...I have way too much! I was going to buy some today for a backing for my sons quilt. The hubby says why don't you just make another revisable quilt...great idea...and I will use my left over fabric from the front. I may beable to make the same thing...bought way to much. I don't think I have bought any since last Dec. Thankfully I have come to love scrappy quilts. So when I make a quilt, I then make a scrappy.

This so fits me...do you have trouble cutting a piece of fabric? I am always fearful I will wish I had saved it for later. I think I am ate up with goofy!

I have been on a fabric diet for over a year now and it is very hard. I still by some here and there. I don't think I have too much of a stash 5 big bins and 6 smaller ones. Most of what I have bought is coordinated or bought with a pattern in mind. I don't think I will totally stop buying because I like to add new fabrics.

I'm finding that most of my purchases lately are much more intentional.

I'm trying to round out my blenders and my light color batiks so that when I get ready to make something I will most likely have what I need on hand instead of needing to drive 45 min to a fabric store.

Previously I've "majored" in focus fabrics and therefore a good part of my stash is medium to darks.

And yes I do have trouble cutting into smaller pieces of fabric because I also wonder if I might need it later.

I spent yesterday organizing my fabrics in the hopes of finding my scallop ruler tucked somewhere in between. No luck on finding the ruler, but I did set aside all of my brown fabric because I just don't like brown any more and can't see myself using it for anything. Those of you who donate your fabric, do you just bag it up and give it to Goodwill?

I am trying desperately to not buy more fabric, unless it is a really good deal. I plan to retire in a couple years and my plan was to not have to purchase after retirement. That is my excuse and i am sticking to it.

Oh you are so not alone. I keep saying no more and if I don't go to the store I buy online I can't win. I have to stop. I joined a group in Jan. saying we were going to stop buying am I the only one still buying. I will never be able to finish the projects I bought with the fabric to do plus all the other things I have to do. I've decided since I'm retired the only other option for some time is to stop doing housework it would be nice if I could tweek my nose and it was done like from the show Bewitched. Good luck using fabrics and not getting new. Sue

I found that if I stick to the at least 2 fabrics from my stash then I have not as big of a fabric situation. unless there is a special one for a specific reason. I do have a scrap hording problem. I have a ton of batik scraps of all sizes I have not used yet. need to get rid of them. probably have 5 or so gallon ziploc bags full worth.

I also have ENOUGH unless I need something specific for a project. I have "kits" put together of quilts that I want to make and I can start one at a moments notice since the pattern and fabric are all ready to go!! I don't need to buy any more fabrics either. I haven't out grown my craft room yet..... but I am sure I would if I kept buying fabrics just to have it.

I have been fairly successful at NOT buying fabric lately. I have alot. I unsubbed from EVERY online site, do not click on links from this board for sales and stay out of the fabric stores.

We moved across country in December and I gave quite a bit away to guild friends who make charity quilts. Mine fits on shelves in a closet. I noticed the other day the piles were surely shrinking. I am very productive and make a large number of charity quilts.

My charity group had a large donation of fabric given to us and I picked out exactly what I would use. I also decided to concentrate on using my stash instead of so many scraps. I no longer save every little bit of fabric. I have a box ready for scraps and when it is full will mail it to a friend who love scraps.

It was difficult in the beginning but each month gets a little easier. I am saving more money and will use it for a plane ticket to visit my daughter back east. This is what I think of when I start to want to buy more fabric.

Yes yes yes yes yes!!!

Alison

Ugh, now that I've probably got 90% of my fabric organized, I am shocked and disappointed in myself. For instance, I didn't realize I had any brown other than maybe a few scraps left over from this or that, yet once it was organized, I have a medium sized bin of just browns. The same with yellows and reds. And where did the giant sized bins of greens and blues come from? I just cut a ton of blue last month for a new project, yet I have so so much that I didn't even realize I had. It's like that with every color.

I don't intend to buy more fabric for a long time. I even pieced together batting today and I hate piecing batting, but I am so tired of being wasteful. That being said, I still love fabric. It's just so pretty...

I live in fear of becoming a fabric hoarder so I do not buy without a project in mind. Even that way little bits creep up on me from the leftovers.

I quit buying yardage except for backings. I am making myself use what I have. Now that said.... I pulled fabric to make a quilt and just have to go buy some pale yellow fabric to give it that extra burst of color. No other yellow will do.

Me too! I am sew afraid if I use this I might be 6 inches short for another project! I think it is a disease:)

Yes, I am a collector, shop/binge fabric buyer, HOARDER. I have donated to charity twice. (Big moves! I could only take what I could bring in my car.) Excess fabric had to go. And, this last time I reduced, I saved money from my pay checks and have mailed about 30 lbs of fabric to a fellow QB'r that could really use the fabric.

I probably still have more then I NEED. And still want to get one more box out to this same person. But, I definitely have enough to play with for awhile.

The shame of it, I really regretted passing on very little of it. (Only a piece or two.) I wasted money on fabric that I had outgrown (taste changed). Too many focus fabrics. My new mantra, I will not buy anymore focus fabrics!

I was overwhelmed by my stash. It made it hard to go pick out fabrics for a particular project. Too many choices. Plus, I found that I'm really a scrappy quilter with a bit more modern flare. (Or at least I think so.) I'm still relatively new to the quilting way of life.

I am really trying to police my purchases from now on. And really only buy the amount of yardage I need. I really love working predominately with scraps. (I'm thinking that charm squares are my new best friend.) I also love fat quarters.

But, for now, I really don't need to buy much fabric. I will use all the beautiful fabrics that I really love and saved for myself to play with and make some of the quilts on my wish list.

I know exactly what you are talking about!!!!! I have sold several kits I bought and sold well over 50yrds of fabric and still have so much. And let me tell you patterns, magazines and books who in there right mind is really going to make that many or have that much money to do so. My name Christine and I am a fabric hoarder. There I admitted it too. First step done only 11 more to go right to be cured :o

I thought I wasn't hoarding fabric, even thought I don't have much fabric at all. But I just finished moving, and I have 10 good size boxes ( 3x3x4 ft!!)of various fabrics. Thought I didn't have many tools, threads, rulers, bobbins, scissors, pincushion: found 6 scissors, 4 rotary cutters, 10 blades, 4 pincushions and 2 magnetic pin dishes, 3 sets of washable markers: 2 boxes full of misc tools. WOW! All to fit in a sewing room half the size of the one I had.

Put me on the hoarder list!! That is why I have joined both the Fabric Moratorium and the stash Buster Challenges..Not perfect but doing better

I think that my extras will begin to go down quickly once I use up that 200 meter roll of plaid that I bought. Once you start backing a lot of charity quilts, the yards/meters go down quickly--very, very quickly. I am getting ready to finish up that whole 200 meter roll. I just bought it a year and a half ago--washed it all last summer, and thought I'd never get to the end of it, but am quickly closing in on it.

So, while I have a lot sitting around (a lot was donated, or I found some at thrift stores while in the states in May), I know that it will go quickly once I start using it for backings.

Well, like an addiction it is hard to quit, we need a 12 step program or something. How about a thread devoted to destashing our fabrics? Oh, hmmm, wait, that may fill up the whole darn QB since most of us are fabric addicts!:D:shock::p

I have way too much fabric, and will never use it all, but I have been very good and have resisted buying any this year.My biggest problem is, that I also have too many quilts. I love making them, and make a lot of scrappy quilts, at the last count I had in my cupboard... wait for it..... 39 quilts. All my family have at least 2 quilts each, my grandchildren have quilts for the bed, lap quilts, Christmas quilts haloween quilts, and others. So they do not want any more.I have had a couple of 80th birthday's this year, so they have had a quilt as a present, also there have been a couple of illnesse's where I have given a quilt as a bit of comfort, but they still pile up. Yet at the moment I have another 2 on the go. I will not give unless I know the person is "quilt worthy", otherwise it would only end up in their cupboard instead of mine.

This is an interesting thread. I spent last week going through my many bins of fabric and pulling out fabrics I know I will never use--inherited a big stash from a quilting buddy. I've decided that all those peach and aqua fabrics will make cute "little dresses for Africa". Yesterday I sewed three of them and honestly think I have enough fabric for 30 or so. Good use for fabric and like to think of the little girls that will receive them.

Should we start an FA?

Sounds like a great alternative, rather than giving it away. Thanks for the idea Dunster.

I relate to all of the above I have way to much fabric and patterns also kits and to think I started collecting in the 1980's I to am trying to find a good home for lots of stuff I am no longer going near anyplace that sells fabric unless it is for something that I need to finish a project oh yes I forgot to mention the thread a ton of that too

I am currently in a 12 step program called Fabricholics Anonymous. My main problem is I have been stuck in step 1 for years. I am guilty

I have about 60 years worth of fabric. The last couple of years I have been using out of my stash as much as possible. I can actually see that I am making progress. I have been working on my scraps and have used up most of them. Making some charity quilts and just making strip quilts in order to use up as many scraps as possible. I will be 80 next month so need to keep at it. I do have a quilting daughter who will inherit whatever I have left when I am gone.

There is always more fabric, always a sale, and always a good deal when you need or want one. I have told myself that I will buy only what I NEED to finish a project. I have enought fabric and projects to keep me busy for several years, at least.

I am working on organizing my stash, slowly. I have too much. I have what I call my ugly fabric. Some is from when I first started quilting, some form yard sales, some given to me. A friend was here and freaked out over the pretty stuff (my uglies). I gave her what she need for 2 quilts and she was thrilled. She wouldn't take more. SHe doesn't have much money for fabric and was thrilled to get it. I use it to make donation quilts and try out new designs which go into doll quilts for Salvation army. I have a pile of doll quilts to quilt that I have collected to use for practice for a FMQ class I plan to do on Craftsy.
I have been trying to not buy fabric for the past year and a half. I only buy pits and pieces to complete projects. I have made the last 4 quilts, only buying a little fabric, mostly from my stash. My rule for the year has been to only buy fabric with a specific project in mind. No buying just because it is pretty. I skipped 2 quilt shows because I knew I would buy too much. Saved me a lot of money. I also piece my backs out of my stash. Sometimes I make a giant block from the front for the back. I try to use up the scraps from the front on the back. I plan to donate a bunch of fabric at the end of the year. Probably to Ronald McDonald house. I have been making pillow cases for charity. Uses up a lot of fabric, fast.

I am a confessed hoarder of fabric! Guess what? There is a store going out of business ...going today with a friend...all fabric on bolts is $2 a yard...hoard is growing though I really wish I could stop! No self control it seems. sigh

I give it to the local Project Linus group.