AnnieF - my sentiments exactly.

imsewnso said it perfectly "there is always pretty fabric on sale". I have a nice size stash, too much for DH, but it's ok for now. I have decided to only buy the fabric I need for sashing or borders. I told my niece I wanted to make her a quilt and pick a color and she picked mint green, one color I have very little of in my stash. So I think I will pick out what I do have and then just buy fat quarters on sale to compliment the white background. I am making do....

Thanks for all the responses. I just find this a fascinating topic. I was given a bunch of fabric from a deceased lady's stash and have enjoyed it. But it weighs on me to think of my DH and DD having too much of anything to disperse after I am gone. I needed box and got out my Xmas fabric stash box, emptied it, and now have 3 Project Linus quilts in the works. I enjoy the feeling of "using up". We all have different ideas on this. Guess that's what makes it such an interesting topic.

imsewnso, that is what all the quilters were doing, back then, that you MUST have a LOT of fabrics. I do have a bedroom closet of fabrics to use for scrap quilts. I am not a color expert and felt scraps went together, like an English flower garden. My plan is to cut everything in specific sizes and donate the scraps from doing so. I will not live long enough to make all the quilts I really like, so scrappy charity quilts is my mission.
I do not even enter fabric stores just because I have enough and only buy the fabric for a certain baby quilt if it is deemed necessary. Lucky for me I have not had to purchase any in a couple years.
Jan

I have sewn for years but quilted for only a few years. I try to go through my fabric and purge what I don't want every so often just like I do my books and other belongings. There are churches in the area that sew quilts, and a group that sews bags for people ending up at places like Ronald McDonald houses while their loved ones are in a medical emergency. I've read on this board of many other worthy groups that make donation quilts and items. Why keep what you have no interest in using when others can use it?

Having said this, I do feel like I need to be more careful when I am turned loose in a fabric store......

My hoarding/stash of fabric is large, according to my children. My youngest son said he will put a dump truck up to the window and start throwing. I've told them I have quilting friends that need to be called first.

KathyM

My youngest gd looked at my stash one day and said "Gran will you ever use all this" I told her probably not but she can do what she wants to when I'm gone but right now it makes me happy.

I enjoyed shopping for my stash when I had an LQS nearby. Not a lot of fabric, but a piece here and there that really appealed to me. Now that I have no LQS to shop in, I just buy fabric on line for the quilt I'm working on. I don't have room for a large stash. I did make one scrap quilt entirely from my stash, and that was kind of thrilling, but other than that, I've never been able to just go to my stash and pull all the fabric needed for a quilt; I've always had to buy additional fabric for specific quilts. I have been able to substitute a stash fabric for one that isn't working, rather than having to wait and buy something, and that is a good feeling. I don't find it too worrisome to think of my children disposing of my stash, because there are so many groups that would appreciate fabric donations.

Without specific instructions family and friends may simply throw everything in the trash. It's a huge job going through a lot of quilter's stash, notions, threads, etc. Or maybe just burn it all. Not out of spite or any meanness, just not knowing what to do with it. Ask yourself this, would you want to sort through someone's massive stash of anything other than quilting stuff? I would not. But then, if you're gone it doesn't really matter to you what's done with it, right?

Several years ago, I started putting stickers on every piece of fabric I brought home showing the yardage for that piece. If I use some off that piece, I change the amount on the sticker. I've had a few garage sales and with all fabric priced the same (say $2/yd) the sale went very smoothly. I also sold quilt books the same way ($5 hardcover, $3 paperback). This way my daughter will have an easier time when I'm no longer around. Whatever is left is to be donated to listed groups.