We are five months into our fabric moratorium BUT anyone can join at any time :) The official end of the moratorium is 1 November 2011. That’s only 6 months away.

Here’s a quick summary of the guidelines/rules:
* no fabric purchases to start a new quilt top (till 1 November 2011)

“Allowed” purchases include any item required to finish an existing project (either WIP or UFO), including but not limited to:
* batting
* backing or binding fabric
* fabric (if nothing in your stash will work)
* thread or notions
* fabric purchased on a plan prior to 1 December 2010 (e.g. block of the month)

So why are we doing this – the reasons are as varied as there are people involved. Some of those reasons include:
• de-stashing
• focus on finishing WIPs
• financial constraints

Want to bend the guidelines/rules a little? Sure – go for it. Some have chosen to:
• commit for a shorter period of time
• buy fabric if a really good sale comes along
• setting a budget for how much they will spend each month
• use 1 fabric from their stash each month
• purchase new fabric for volunteer projects

Threads that are related to this are:
Original thread: http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-79756-1.htm
January’s updates: http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-86351-1.htm
February’s updates: http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-95818-1.htm
March’s updates: http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-103716-1.htm
April’s updates: http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-112659-1.htm

So now… it’s update time. What have you been working on? What have you (or have not) purchased?

Cheers

I've been really good. :) Had a few temptations but resisted.

There are 2 projects on the go. One of them is my monster hand quilting project. When I tire of that - I work on piecing a small wall hanging. The wall hanging uses fabric left over from a previous project.

I didn't consciously join in on this, but I have just realised that I have not bought any fabric this year.

I'm on the "financial constraints" "trying to use stash" list. I buy now only if the fabric is $2 a yard or less. I stumble upon those every once in a while, but I'm trying to do less and less as I have more and more stash.

My exception is batting. Even though it is a "legal" purchase, I buy it when it is less than 50% whether I need it today or not.

If I weren't so weak, I'd join. I have no will power.

Congrats to those of you who were strong enough to resist!

I make charity baby quilts, so I've continued buying in my usual way (not much and not too often), but I hope this qualifies as a reasonable exception.

You are my heros! I have tried to do this the last few years, but I am very weak.....

I have been trying to use stash fabrics but I still can't resist buying. We don't want all those fabric stores to go under, do we?

I confess. (Hangs head in shame.) I spent $24.00 on fabric yesterday. Did I need it? NO. Was this something that I could not live without? NO. Was this a matter of life or death? NO..........Then why did I buy it? I swear on someones grave that these just jumped into my cart! Once the neglected fabrics noticed that there was a cart pushed by an unsuspecting shopper, they all followed suit. When I got to the cutting table, there were 12 of these bolts sitting at attention and begging the clerk to give me "just one yard".

In the long run, I will win. I AM the human! You, my 100% cotton fabric fiends, are only a by-product that was planted by human hands. Do not mock me, or I will turn you into a scrap quilt so ugly that even your momma will remark "Isn't that special".

I'm winning. Slipped up last month, but I'm learning and growing so that's awesome!

I'm in the moratorium due to financial constraints and to destash. I also have several WIP's. However, I was at the clearance section in Walmart and saw a sheet that would make a wonderful backing. So that's how I bent the rules just a little. The sheet was only $2.00

I needed a medium brown for a paper pieced wall quilt and had none in my stash - I even checked the backsides of the fabrics. I found a camouflage fabric that had a large splotch of the perfect color - cost $1.00 for 1/4 yard. Total for this year - $1.00.

I joined in January and set the goal to use only what I had on hand for one year. I honestly didn't think I could do this! However, the Minnesota Quilt Show is in June and I may not be able to resist the temptation.

I finished a project 40" square without buying ANYTHING toward it!
Then I did some sewing for a friend, and decided that I could spend what she paid me on fabric! ;-)

I guess I have to cry "Uncle". I've lost track of my purchases. Most have been for ongoing projects, but some fabric has just "jumped" into my cart. When I finish my current quilt I'll probably not be sewing for a couple months while we are on vacation. Good luck to all who are left, you are my Heroes

Pat

ok, so my daughter asked for a r/w/b quilt for the 4th of july. starting cutting the fabric yesterday and was SOOOOO tempted to buy some additional more of a patriotic theme, so i went back and forth in my head how it was okay to go buy some today because it was 50% off. well, i decided against it and just made do! it was so difficult, but i made it through. have only bought batting and thread so far this year. and yes, i have a stockpile of backing fabrics also.

I still have not purchased fabric this year and it is about killing me. I did buy a Tin Lizzie, so, not buying fabric is much easier to swallow. I will however, be buying BOM kits from a fellow board member to complete a BOM kit that I didn't have enough fabric for...not sure if this is cheating or just being resourceful to finish up a project I bought 5 yrs ago. And to top it off, my Janome 6600P just died, every error message possible, and it will be weeks before I can take her in for assessment. So obviously, there will not be any fabric buying in my immediate future.

I've been in control......for the most part. I have been finishing up some bindings...turning them to the back. This month I hope to get started on a new project.......it's been too long without starting something new. Of course that means buying fabric as I have a black/white project in mind. Need to replenish my supply of blacks. I may trade some bright colored fabrics with my neighbor as she has plenty of blacks/whites...will see how she feels about that.

The inspiration for my next project is in the link below...first pic.......thank you, mayme.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load...220812578.html

I would be classified under financial constraints, but I had to get another yard of a yellow blender I ran out of so I could border a quilt I'm making & I found (rare for me) a bargain on navy blue polka dot cotton while waiting in line for the yellow to be cut. I bought the 3 yds left on the bolt at $2.50 yd. I think you've all said the notions were not a problem so I won't list those as I buy as I need on them. Space constraints too!LOL!

I am trying not to buy anything until a big quilt show in June, but I did buy some fabric for a quilting class but only $15, oh but I also bought some boarder fabric (on sale) for a wedding quilt that is in process. So I'm trying be good. I have finished 2 quilt tops and one is ready to be quilted and another one just needs to be sandwiched and it's ready. I also finished an applique wall hanging that I started last summer!! So I'm trying to get some projects finished. Have the wedding quilt and the class(goose track) quilt in process. So will soon have 4 quilts to quilt. Now my goal is to try and do something other than FMQ when I quilt.

I like that black and white one. Does it have a name?

Hi burnsk.
Mayme called the quilt Bright Blocks for Brooke.
I don't know the pattern name. I will be winging it...just going by the picture.
It does look like a pattern from Quilter's Cache called Squares within Squares 2, although the center square is a bit different. Mayme used a 4-patch for the center instead of a solid color.

http://www.quilterscache.com/S/Squar...res2Block.html

LOL - you confused me for a moment - Bright Blocks for Brooke - that's my granddaughters name and I just gave her an I Spy quilt for her birthday. I was wondering how you could know that. Then it hit me that you were referring to the B/W quilt that I wanted to know about. I guess I had a senior moment. LOL

Thanks for the information. I'll go check that out. Another quilt on my bucket list. :lol:

Did not join because I am stingy with my money anyway.

I was out of town and finishing a quilt. So I purchased 1/3 yard for the binding. All my other purchases have been thread or batting. So far so good. I am slowly making room in my sewing room. I REFUSE to spread past it.

I've posted a couple of more quilts. They are at: http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-122539-1.htm
Hope you give them a look. Thanks

joining.

totally went crazy with fabric & such when I came back into quilting in March.

I have several projects in mind. I should have all I need to finish them. I may need to buy some solid backgrounds. Maybe not.

Looked at budget yesterday to see if there was scootch room to buy something in classifieds, spotted "$48.00" storage payment. The storage shed is 5 x 10 x 8. Filled to the ceiling with FABRIC and crafts. :shock: :shock: :shock:

I could go "shopping" and not spend a dime. :oops:

No new fabric until the shed is emptied. :cry:

gah. Shopped at the shed, brought home 1 18 gal tote of blankets & fabric, sweaterbox of lace etc notions, a duffle with a Q UFO 25th anniversary gift for BFF dunnamany years ago, a banker's box of sewing notions & new artist canvases, a 15x12 box of empty boxes & bins. Cardboard is tossed, all is trashbagged & dated (until the spiders die).

THEN I STILL went to JoAnn's. Debbie Mumm 50%, bought 2 1 yd pcs for baby quilts, I had 2 50% coupons, bought 1 yd complimentary blender of another not on sale Quilt fabric. bought 1/4 yd strip, saving up for card trick. I never buy less than 1/2 yd (yay, me!). Have two baby gifts coming up & have no suitable fabric.

:shock: :? :roll: 8-)

I'm in for this month. :)

Sheets shouldn't count, especially $2 ones! You have my permission and blessing!
But I think I really should join this moratorium. Just went to a QS that is closing and all fabric is 30% off. Did I ever get in trouble!

Updates for June 2011 can be found on: http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-127656-1.htm