I went through "a phase" where I went gaga over fabric. I even started buying pattern I really (in hindsight) don't like. Then the room was full to overflowing and I became paralyzed in my mess - ahem, I mean stash. I sorted it and put it away neatly just to see what I have. The obsession sort of worked itself out and I only occasionally go on a bender. All I can say is good luck, be strong, and don't get yourself in financial trouble over a hobby.

As someone who only has a 6' cabinet of accumulated stash, try to avoid starting a stash. Those fabrics are pretty, I'm sure. However, years down the road, you may say "What on earth was I thinking?" when you look at a particular fabric.

I've made three quilts from my stash within the last few months. Hasn't even made a dent. Scrappy quilts are awesome!

Thanks for the support everyone! Good to know I'm not alone in my addiction! :D

Candace :)

We can't stop ourselves, much less you. I cantell you that your taste will change and you won't like your stash asmuch but the main way to treat this is to not GO...lol. Good luck.

Look at it this way.... Imagine if all the fabric you bought was $10.00 a yard, and how much money you have actually saved by getting these good deals! Just so you know, there's no going back.... :)

Hmmm I can't say anything as I spend more then $70 this week.

I feel your pain! I'm a newby too and love Love LOVE fabric! I've had to tell myself thatt I can't go into a fabric store until I have a project finished. Once it finished, I can go back to fabric hunting. If I have a fabric craving before that time, I go into my stash, get out all my lovely fabrics, fold them and pet them. That satisfies the craving and reaquaints me with what I have (so I know what I might need to add next)!:thumbup:

Well, I look at it this way: I don't drink or smoke or buy expensive jewelry or go on cruises, so the money I save I can use for quilting/sewing. My husband encourages me to quilt, and he never gets mad when I come home with more fabric. Of course, he does wood working and those tools are expensive!!

"Can someone tell me how to overcome this!? "

Yes, have someone else drive you around town and make sure they never give into the desperate pleading that will occur each time you come within four or five miles of a fabric store.

If you can't find someone willing to be your personal chauffeur/voice of reason, then I'm afraid you're out of luck.

Your addiction won't even begin to ease up until three-quarters of your house has been taken over by the stash...sorry!

Y'all are cracking me up!! :D

I can't help because I have the same problem - I am addicted to Moda pre-cuts - I just love them.

For me it helps if you only buy for projects that way you don't go bezerk and buy stuff you won't use

Funny! I stopped (I mean slowed down a lot) when it just hit me one day when I realized that I need to use it all up before I am gone because I don't want just anyone to come in and take this stuff. My DH will be so distraught if I go first (as I would him too) that he won't be thinking clearly and he will just give it away to anyone who comes to the door. I too picked up several yards each time I went out the door to a sale, just to build up the stash over the past 3 years. DH drove me most of the time as we did it on our day of 'running errands'. So he supported every cent I spent. And the total isn't pretty. I open my cupboard doors and just get overwhelmed at all the yardage (over 550 different fabrics with 1-3 yards each, mostly 3). I too have an addiction to something that is new and wonderful and my mind spins with ideas. With the price of gas going up, maybe that will snap you back to reality and you won't leave the yard. Of course, after you have built up that stash and are comfortable with it.
I too am encouraged by DH to quilt and sew. He knows it means more to me than going back to work. As a matter of fact, today we did a road trip and every time he saw a barn or log building, he talked about how it would make a great quilting barn or shed. If we get destitute, he says we will buy a used 14x70 mobile home and the only space he needs is a bed, small kitchen, and bathroom. The rest of the area will be for quilting. He is so funny too. Like he would get any room to breath with all my stuff.

Now, I have to downsize, well, I get to downsize for LOVE. but we all STARTED where you are now.
Sale, sale, sale, sale. yeah! more, more, more

OMG! Me tooo!! I could spend a year's salary on all that stuff! I just love it... ALL of it! :)

Need someone to go shopping with you?

Amen to that!!!

I agree. Just ask yourself: 1. can I afford it? 2. do I have space for it? 3. do I actually like it? If answers 1-3 are YES!, then GO FOR IT! #3 is important. If you don't really like it, it will never get used except as a backing, and maybe not there. As you progress and develop your fabric tastes, you may get more picky.....or maybe not. I currently have roughly 50 large drawers of fabric, after careful sorting and weeding from a recent move. This is not counting the stuff that is out in the shed. Fabriholism is a disease. Enjoy it.

I feel your pain. When I was married, and we'd fight, I would go buy fabric. (teach him to argue with me!!). Now here I am single (thats a YAYAYYY) and I have carted my "fight" stash across the country. another YAYYYY!!! You go girl, you wont be sorry. LOL. just dont starve in the process.

There is no 12 step programme for this addiction and even if there was I would not be part of it! lol

A temporary fix is to stay home and sew. Not shopping is the only way to save money.

Where do you live? I'll go with you.--See, we're no help here. We are all suffering from the same illness.
If I could sew until I am 100, I wouldn't have to buy any more fabric but I just keep getting more. I hope there
is no cure for this illness as it makes me happy.

As a quilter I can tell you..........keep going,

I can't help I didn't have much money yesterday and just walked around Joann's and felt the fabric, looked at books and magazines, etc. for about an hour and just bought the machine embroidery stuff I had the money to buy! But boy, if I had some spending money I would've been in there for ever trying to decide what to buy! hee hee

AMEN to that one!!!:)

Sorry Candace, there is no cure for what ails you. Welcome to the club.If you are just starting things may quieten down in a few years but don't count on that 100%. Happy Quilting

For some reason I thought I was the only one with this problem. I have some stash and now am going to certain kinds of fabrics to continually add to it. Altho, I have slowed down with price increases. Have fun.

When anyone gives you the solution, please share with the rest of us. We all have the fabric wants. We want more.

OH YEAH.... thats for SURE!! LOL

Then just get another one.

withdrawls
 

When I get the urge I sort my fabric. I see it all and think "Do I really need more?" Of course I do, so i lie to my self and hold off for awhile. The problem is then I feel I did so good I deserve to buy and buy way to much. I figured out if I see something I want buy it. The withdrawls cost me even more.

No known cure............
 

Sorry, but there is no cure...... we are here to support you and help you justify your addiction.
Now my "excuse" is - I am saving for retirement because I might live far away from a quilt shop.

Happy Quilting ~!!

I started like this too, buying everything in sight that appealed to me until I had a stash that was very large. I put the fabric in color categories and type-of-fabric categories, like floral, etc. in decorative boxes of the same color as the fabric. I does become a compulsion, for sure but now I look at what I have and realize I won't live long enough to do all I want, SO I have stopped buying except very small amounts from the quilt shop. It does no one any good if it's not used, so I am doing Linus blankets all the time and I vow to get a manageable stash and be much more balanced in the future. The cost is just getting too high to buy on a whim, at least for me.

when are you going again? I'll drive!!!! :)

I have always thought that quilter's need their own recovery program !

In Monroe Mi. Small antique store has old Singer treadle machine in very good condition. All it needs is a belt and a little TLC for the cabinet. $89. They also have a smaller machine by Gaylord? Not familiar with that name but looks like a Singer only smaller. Nice small cabinet. Seems to work just needs cleaning $79. If I didn't have insurance bills and vet bills coming up both would have a new home even tho I have no place to put them

A stash is also built by going to thrift and consignment shops. Sometimes sewers downsize by donating to or selling through these shops. And then there are yard sales to grow your collection of fabric. And please do not forget the ready-mades available through those shops.

I confess I like using quilting and quilting techniques in conjunction with garment construction (see the latest "threads" magazine #160, "Sophisticated Deconstruction" for example ). Garment construction means buttons and zippers, etc. Thrifts and consignment shops are great for this too. And then I've bought garments that didn't fit me or anyone I knew; but, they had great sewing ideas enshrined in them. I keep them in my "sample garments" box. A soda and a quiet time makes going my SG box a real pleasure.

May I quit confessing?


Happily, Another Enabler

Hi,
Start by only buying what you have a pattern for and plan on making. I find that by buying just because it's on sale with nothing in mind, that it barely gets used. It either isn't enough for what you want to make or you can't find the right blend of fabric to go with it. My stash is mostly left over pieces from different projects. You'd be surprised how quickly that grows, so my advice is to start slow and finish what you start. You'll have more money to work with when you get to your next project. Just my opinion.
Sandy

I can't help you --I just donated 95% 0f my clothes and shoes and 1/2 of my household furnishings to have room in the moving truck for all my fabric and accessories My son thinks I have to many machines that I should sell a few Well now I am certain the hospital sent me home with the wrong baby 37 yrs ago