How much will I spend this year on fabric and supplies?
 

I have just read another thread and it got me thinking. I have today bought my first thing related to sewing this year. How about we keep a log of what we spend and tally it up at the end of the year? Also it would be good to see what we bought and what we used - or not as the case may be. My DH kept a record of the costs he incurred on the last bicycle he did up, it was really interesting.

Any one up for the challenge?

Absolutely never ... I'm in complete denial :) Have no desire to put a value on this hobby that makes me so happy.

But I have made a 2012 'resolution' to reduce my stash! A 50-50-50 resolution - 50 yards, 50 pounds, 50 weeks.

Yep, complete denial! If I write it down, then I have to acknowledge what I spend and I'm not ready to do that yet. . . or ever!!!

I really don't care how much I spend. I love quilting so I will never been a monetary value on it. Plus, I am a new quilter and still buying things.:thumbup:

Oh I don't think it will stop me one bit!

This is what happened to me. I took early retirment/social security. I can only afford to continue quilting since I have a huge supply on hand. You just never know :)

Buying stash/books/tool/quilt show tickets/travel/shop hops/classes is a staple for me, like groceries. Two kids that were in college the same time plus one medical school and one law school that DH an I paid all costs for, so I know I can spend what one tuition cost per year and still be saving money. Life after kids are raised is really grand.

"But I have made a 2012 'resolution' to reduce my stash! A 50-50-50 resolution - 50 yards, 50 pounds, 50 weeks."

Love this challenge .... only the first week of the year, so I've got time to join, right?

Keep track of how much I spend? Heavens NO!! I already have a UFO list making me feel guilty enough.

But, I have successfully shopped my stash for over a year now, only purchasing fabric to finish stuff. Gizmos and gadgets are my current weaknesses...I mean learning new techniques that require new gizmos and gadgets is practicing my craft. Whew...turned that around. :)

Nope -- but I do like the 50 50 50 reduction plan.

I am too afraid. I have cut way back lately. I am trying to use a lot more from my stash. I am doing the 50 state paper pieced stars group on here and my goal is to try to do it with only fabrics from my stash except for the background. I do like the 50-50-50

I think no matter what I do my stash will multiply. Seems for every yard that is "consumed" two find their way into my stash.

Sorry, my resolution for this year is to only use fabric from my stash (which is VERY LARGE) and to actually make quilts from some of my many, many patterns and books.

Gosh I am already behind on keeping tally- oh wait that was before New Years so that didn't count, hhhmmmmm this could be very scary for me .... although I kind of , sorta,maybe, promised son to use 20% of the fabric I already have in the house , so that might help keep the tally down :)

Never!!! I would start to feel guilty if I did that. I just signed up for 4 classes at my LQS, and I will need to buy supplies.
Then there are all my UFO's to finish, and don't forget my Dear Jane. Oh, I'm beginning to scare myself. I try to only think of one project at a time.
Sue

Good idea! I am going to keep track. Let's see to date in the year 2012 I have already spent $310.00...yikes!

I do track my fabric purchases (yardage) and what I use for the year - it's scarry, my goal is to use more than I purchase. I don't need to know the dollar amount along with the other "supplies" that I must have cost.

I already keep an Excel spreadsheet to track my thrift store fabric purchases. It tracks the date, number of yards, total cost of the piece, price per yard, /color/description and mfg if there is a selvedge. I had not thought of tracking my LQS fabric purchases. Good idea for me. I also think I will add a spreadsheet for notion, thread etc. Can you tell I used to be a bookkeeper?

How can you put a price on happiness?

I have to join as I need to see in black and white what I'm spending on quilting. The other day I had to move some of my stash that's in large plastic totes and realized that I have much too much fabric and I need to de-stash right now! That was only the stuff I had in my sewing room, not what's in the closet or the huge cabinet in the hallway.

My plan is to turn all the pieces in those totes that are less than 1/2 yard into strips or squares and make as many quilt tops as I can. Larger 'ugly' or "why did I ever buy this fabric" pieces will become backings. They will be donated to my guild's charity group or to HeartStrings. If I stop to quilt each top it would keep me from the big de-stashing I need to do.

Keeping an accounting of what I buy this year will be interesting . May in Jersey

It won't deter me from buying, but it would be interesting to know how much is spent. I'm up for the challenge.

Amen!

Last year, I totalled up all my quilting-related purchases and then just about cried because if I had not bought all the stash and stuff, I would have come close to buying the Innova longarm that I wanted so much! That was a shocker!

I will try to keep track. We have a very tight budget and things are getting even worse for us. So I need to go back to the days of tracking everything I spend.

Kat

HaHa! Good going!

I have a checking acct. that I use for all my paypal and quilting purchases. So I can figure it out IF I wanted to, but I think I'd be shocked on what I spend - well maybe I wouldn't be too shocked.

Sure, I did it last year for my first year and I'll do it again this year.

I don't seem to have an unlimited supply of cash and I like to control how I spend it.

Knowing how much I spend on quilting or whatever other place I choose to put my money is not going to make me feel guilty or miserable or worried, just informed and in control of my assets.

- I'm just a "bean-counter" and I can't help it! Don't shoot me!
:o:D

I started keeping all the receipts starting in Jan 2011 - but then on this fall decided I didn't really want to know! Might make me think I spend too much. Thankfully my DH is supportive and encourages me when we go to quilt shows.

So far I haven't even bought one thing.

I like your style