Fabric-Use-Phobia
 

I suffer from this! Anyone else?
I have great fabrics that I bought simply because I love them, without a project in mind, and now I can't bring myself to use them. I think 'If I use it, then I won't have this fabric anymore'. I find I do this more with my batik's than the other fabrics.

Oh my gosh.....you mean you do that too? Sometimes I think it is just the beauty of the colors stacked in my shelves, or the stacks of different types of fabrics....or the wonderful way you can spread the out and look at them.....but is that so bad????

I am a sufferer as well! Particularly with those beautiful batiks!! They are my addiction! Initially, they were all I had in my stash. But I found that I never made anything because they were way too beautiful and precious to cut or use! I'm getting better at filling my stash with regular fabric so I can make a thing or two-lol!!! Glad I am not alone in my turmoil!
Tanya

I suffer from the same ailment!!!! I think I am going to use my stash but it seems everytime I want to make a quilt I have to make a run to the fabric shop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh yes. I suffer to some extent with this. How many times during the hour or more that I am on here just searching for new posts, does the thought cross my mind that I should be down cutting and sewing instead of up here looking for more to drool over and give my 2cents worth? More than I care to admit. The little guy on the one shoulder says "Stay. There is more to see." And the much bigger guy on the other shoulder says "Go get something done. But if you do, you will be disturbing all that neatly folded fabric that is tucked safely behind those cabinet doors. Leave it alone and go take it out and play with it later." Those fabrics don't want to be cut up. They are perfectly content right where they are. And so am I.

Are you my long-lost identical twin sister???

What a large family we have. One of these days I am just going to do it. (I think). Always feel there might be a better pattern for this beautiful fabric. In the meantime I'll just look at it. BrendaK

you are just a quilter like all the rest of us

I am a fabric addict as well. I have some beautiful fabrics that I've had for years that I can't bear to cut. I guess I'm a fabric collector as well as a quilter. I don't have any problem cutting most new fabric I buy.

start yourself a (swatch book) -- cut a 6" square from each fabric you love (*or 12") and bind them, or use ribbon, what ever to hold them together - i use a scrap book binder- and keep your lovely fabrics...then you can look through them, touch them, admire them when ever you want-- and use the yardage without fear of never having the fabric to admire again- you can also add 'notes' of the name/line, where it came from, the price...in case you want to go back & find somemore.

yes, i have several fabrics that i'm waiting for the right special project that may never come along :)

YES! My phobia involves beautiful prints that I dearly love but can't find a pattern "good enough" for them. I use to and still do to some degree feel the same about my batiks. But at least with batiks there are more available unless it's got a pattern that might not be produced again.

I have geometric patterned Japanese (as opposed to pictorial) that I finally came to realize I'd never cut. There are 4 or 5 of them and I alternate hanging them on the walls of my quilt room so I can see and admire them.

OKAY, my solution isn't going to help your stash get smaller or your pocketbook, but I finally figured out a way that let me actually use really cool fabric that I normally could not bring myself to cut, because then it would be gone. For some reason, most of the time when I pull something from my stash, I use a yard or less. So now I buy extra. I used to buy a yard of fabric, but this year I started buying a yard and a half. Seems to do the trick because now I know I'll have a bit of the fabric left over. The other thing is that this gives you the opportunity to cut 40" strips LOF or WOF so you get the best use of the fabric design.
My sister sent me this quote: "I'm one yard away from an episode of Horders"

I have one fabric I love in that way. I have a bunch of fabrics that match it, plus a coordinating print. Whenever I see it, I want to buy more, just in case I ever use it so I won't run out. It's time to get a grip, I think!

It's much easier for me to cut up scraps than to cut into a long piece of fabric.

I consider myself a FABRIHOLIC! do they have meetings for this?
Oh, quilting guilds! Unfortunately, I'm not sure this ACTUALLY helps you overcome your addictions....it, rather, feeds it so that it, and your fabric stash, grows!!!!

When I began on this site I vowed I would never be one of THOSE that bought material with no idea of a pattern.
Well, I bow my head low and apoligize. I do buy material that goes together in a quilt. Now to find a pattern.
I have 4 batches of material that I too am still looking for that perfect quilt. I have found a pattern I liked and with that in mind have looked at material. But my stash is growing along with my admiration for all you quilters.

Me too - I go to the fabric store everytime I start a new project!

I too am in your "group" but I have started to use some .. as fabrics just keep getting better .. and some that I thought so precious.. now don't look quite so "muesum" worthy.
I have to keep telling myself .. if I don't use some of these "muesum " pieces... there won't be room for the even better fabrics.

Great responses! So glad I'm not alone. I'm really trying to use some of my existing fabrics on projects for Christmas, but haven't been too successful yet. Maybe we need a support group. Fabric-Hoarders Anonymous. :)

Excellent points. I have been repeating something similar in my head too ... 'use the fabric, there will be others just as great available'.

I may need to print this and hang it in my sewing room.

We are fabric collectors. Coin collectors don't spend there coin and stamp collectors don't post there stamps so why should we use our special fabric

all of us like our "pets", be glad you have them.

I think what we need is a " go ahead and cut it " day for those of us who haven't made that first cut into some special fabric we have been hanging onto.

oh I sure do. I try to limit my "savers". When I have enough new "savers" I will use or get rid of my least favorites. Keep in mind, I only have a one car garage that was converted into a sewing room. I can only fit as much as that room holds...lol.

I opened up my jelly roll that I love and became depressed. I loved it wrapped up. I buy fabric lines like whole fat quarter bundles, jelly rolls, layer cakes, charms and yardages of some of my fabric fabric from the line and set it up on my bookcase and won't use it. I have a thing about buying fabric lines and have them everywhere...in drawers, rubbermaid tubs, piled high on dressers and desks. I keep thinking I'll find a pattern and use them, but I can't bring myself to do it. I love my fabric and am afraid if I cut into it, I'll find the right pattern for it and it'll be too late because I used some of it for another quilt. Crazy talk here!!! Some of my fabric lines are a few years old and I need to use them. I'm glad other people feel the same way I do. Thanks for this thread!!!!

Yes, I do it as well. Some are just too pretty to cut.

I have a healthy stash of batiks...and every quilt store I go in, I get at least one more. I am really about ready to start cutting.

I will try to make a quilt from the stash and almost always have to buy something...such as a backing. Or fabric for the borders or something.

I have a whole bookcase full of fabrics that I just like to look at. I have a collection of fabric that I have won in the Fab Shop Hop. Those are my prize pieces and I am thinking of making a shop hop quilt, but don't have the heart to cut it.
We are nuts, are we not?????? Sure we are, but I like that kind of nuts! Edie

I'm so glad to know other have this affliction. Thought I may have been the only one. Should have known my friend here would also feel this way. Thank you ladies.

OMG -this describes me to a "T"! Nice to know I am in such good company! Maybe we need a 12 step program!

Yep - I want to keep all my fabric for emergencies - LOL. What little I have! But everyone here has made me realize I MUST have a "stash", so I'm working hard on that. Hmm, how do you know when enough is enough?

PaperPrincess, I love that quote, "I am only one yard away from an episode of Hoarders." I am packing up all my quilting stuff and my stash in order to move and I am shocked by the amount. It is all neatly ruler folded but its still a ton of stuff. I am going to try to remember that quote before I buy another piece of fabric. The great news is we are moving to a house with a casita for my quilting! I can't quite believe its finally true! Uh, oh.......does that mean I have room for more stuff?

I like the scrapbook idea.

I confess, I'm a fabric addict too and when I was working I could feed that addiction, however, with a disabled husband and no job, I'm happy that I have my stash (even though I gave away nearly half of it when we had to downsize due to all the medical bills) - the fabric was given to people I trust to use it wisely. I know it will take years to use, having the stash gives me the ability to make gifts of quilted items and I recently had a table at my church's Holiday Fair and sold half of what I brought. Talk about happy dance. I admit to going a little crazy afterwards with my new found "wealth", but after spending almost 5 months in a hospital for surgery and rehab after spinal surgery learning to use my hands again and learning to walk again, I felt I owed it to myself to splurge a little. However, I have to say that nearly 90% of what I purchased was on sale, so I was happy to spend and still save money. All my friends keep telling me how much happier I am since I started quilting again - so another reason for a "stash" I don't need counseling. LOL. Just enjoy and make yourself happy.

well..... all I can say is "I feel your pain"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Like your machine and happy quilt. I have never seen a machine so unique.