Ladies and gents; This past Wednesday, I decided I needed an accountability partner, one who DOES NOT quilt, for my own sanity. I drove 3.5 hrs out of my way to go to a fabric shop to buy fabric, of course, and left only b/c I realized that I really did need some $ for food purposes on my business trip. I have quite a bit built up in my stash, minus batting, and need to do some making of quilts and things before I can even think of justifying buying more fabric. This is not from DH but from me. I think that I somewhere crossed a line within myself in regards to my fabric buying and so asked a friend a church to be my partner. She is more than happy to help me out and she does not quilt so this will help me. We contracted that I would call her before doing any fabric shopping so we can talk about it and she can rake me over the coals and tell me, truthfully, that I don't need any more fabric. Sorry this is long but I needed to tell some people that may understand why even if no one agrees. i am actually interetsted in others' reactions/thoughts to this posting.

Chris

LOL!!!
Many of us have a similar issue. Sometimes I just NEED to buy some fabric. Unfortunately (well not really) my church friends are the ones I go fabric shopping with!!!!
I am trying really hard to keep it reined in for right now. I have another daughter getting married in October and I need to save for a big wedding!!!

You have more will power than me!!! :lol:

Just 2 funny.. I was showing hubby some online photos of others sewing rooms the other day. One had an entire wall with 3 units of shelving. The entire wall was packed with stacks of fabric. DH's reply was, she'll never use all that in a lifetime, and you're nearly that bad... Whoa there! I don't even have a real sewing room dedicated to just that. Granted, I have my fabric stash but nothing compared to a full wall. (yet)


It seems though, that there is always just something that jumps out at you that you absolutely MUST have, you know.

Good luck in your fabric 'diet'...

ditto sign me up

Chris,

Ditto!! Of course, I made the decision today because I ordered an embroidery machine (whoops!) so the $$$$ is still being spent.

I have made the decision of "NO NEW PROJECTS" until I finish (completely) at least five. I am allowing myself batting/thread as needed - but NO FABRIC. (we'll see how this works after getting that new machine...)

I did the total opposite. I had a good friend whom I used to quilt with. I actually taught her to quilt. The first few times we went fabric shopping she always got a few fabrics, only fall colors, browns and greens. Very muted. Pretty, but not in abundance, and definitely not for me. Many times I got fabrics and she came out empty handed because she couldn't find anything she liked. It got to the point that I stopped asking her to come with me, because she got nothing. She still quilts, but all the quilts look the same to me. We are still friends, but our styles are so different, she can not sew in the same room as me. She even stopped coming to the guild meetings, because she only likes one kind of quilts and if there is no nature, pine trees and leaves, she wants nothing to do with it. I tried to open the door to other possibilities, but he closed the door to that.

Gee, wouldn't it be awful if you lost her phone number? lol.
Actually, I think you have done a good thing if that is what feel you need to do.

Carol B

I'm thinking that I would lose a good friend if I tried this. The first time she tried to tell me that I shouldn't shop, I would say something like "who the hell are you to tell me...". I hate when other people try to tell me what to do, even if I know it's in my best interest. Better I just continue to shop. :D

Friend and I made an agreement on a moratorium on fabric buying - for the most part it's working - we kind of modified it a bit so we wouldn't feel guilty if we needed to get something for a particular quilt we're working on, etc.

It's not that we weren't using the fabrics we had in our stashes but that the stashes were getting HUGE - I have enough fabric for quite awhile and if I get all it used up THEN I'll think about getting more... but it was getting ridiculous! LOL

Ok, I have a solution for you all.

I am just starting out, and have NO stash at all. PM me and I'll give you my address. That way, I'll get a stash started, you you all won't feel guilting about buying more fabric! WIN - WIN....hehehe

Carol B

I can help with the guilt relief myself. ;)

chris_quilts,

I understand and I say good for you to recognize you needed to reign it in.

I bet once you get into using your stash, it will get easier. I love to shop my stash, it is almost as good as hitting the fabric stores.

Good luck. You can do it.

I wish you luck on your journey. You have made the right decision for you. Buying fabric because it is a good deal, you know you will make something with it, because you had to have it, its pretty, can all lead to too much fabric, not enough time, and no way to make all those projects you have in mind. It can quickly get out of hand and usually does. Hooray for you in seeing a problem and taking control.

You are NOT alone. I had to cut myself off from online fabric shopping last year for 6 months. I have a recommendation: If you get the urge for new fabric ~ made a trade with someone. I have met two people on this board I've traded with. It's super fun even getting a few surprise squares in the mail goes a long way. Also once you get going on your projects from your stash/scraps you'll have a lot of fun - then you can buy only what you absolutely need to finish a quilt. PM me if you ever feel like trading something because you just have to get something new.

I love to buy fabrics too. When I see something that is just 'really pretty', or if it's purple or yellow (which are really hard colors to find around here), I like to buy! I really don't need any more material right now, except for backing fabrics when I get a quilt made that needs one. I try to just avoid going to the fabric store. I know that if I do, I'm going to buy something. I wish you alot of luck with your plan. I really hope that it works for you.
Marilyn

I understand just how it is...my word for this year is FOCUS. Focus on what needs to be completed and focus on making a sizeable dent in the fabric pile (mountain). Then I can shop for more.

I've also been trying to not buy fabric on impulse just because I like it. I don't have a stash anywhere NEAR what a lot of people seem to have but it's bothering me. I need to plan some quilts for what I have and get it cleared out.

I've only bought fabric for two quilts in the last few months and the one I am working on now is from what I already had.

Good for you and hope that you make some great quilts to share from your stash.

I have the opposite problem. I make mostly scrappy quilts and find that I don't have enough of a stash to have the variety I'd like. Good luck on your diet and the idea to keep yourself accountable to somebody.

Wow, I salute you.

I've seen on several blogs that there must be a group of folks who are stashbusting - they report their use/gain of fabric each week.

Now me, on the other hand: I needed to give detailed directions to some "city" folks to the Mennonite stores that are local to me, so HAD to drive to them so I could mark mileage and landmarks. You don't think that I was going to drive "all that way" for nothing, do you??

And I just sent another friend a message that the shop in Watkins Glen (45 minutes away) is having a fat frenzy later this week. $1/fat - now that's such a bargain that it'd be crazy to pass up, right?

The reason that I started weaving was because you have to complete the one on the loom before you can start another.....or buy another loom. Eleven looms later, I needed another building. So I bought the second building. Maxed out the cards and here I am.

So when my parents passed away I figured I had 26 years to weave up this fabric.

On the road to recovery...I sold the second building and am down to 6 looms. I'll post a picture of my partial stash. It is all hand-dyed for the rag rugs.

I joined a stash busters club to try and whittle down my stash. We agreed that since we were "Busting" we wouldn't buy anything unless it started with a B---such as Batting, Backing and Binding. But then there are other things that start with Bs also. If fabric is on sale that makes it a Bargain. There's also Books, Blues, Browns, Beiges, Burgundys, Blenders, Batiks. . . . . . . and so goes my addiction.

Marilyn;

I have no idea how far Parsons, KS, is from Alden, KS, (about 20 minutes north of Sterling on KS 14/96) but there's a fabulous quilt shop there which is where I spent my last fabric money. Lots of pretty fabrics there and some gorgeous purples and yellows. I will have to buy the batting but am planning on piecing backings and just use fabric from the stash for bindings usually. Not that you need to know where another shop is but it is an awesome shop nonetheless.

I fell off of the wagon big time on friday. A lady contacted one of our guild members about selling her stash. She is no longer able to quilt and is downsizing. I was good and did all of my three loads of laundry and my friday morning chores before I went. I guess I was hoping that others had beaten me to the goodies. I was wrong. I was only the third customer. I spent $100 and came home with a little more than 50yrds of great fabric. All of it had already been washed and ironed.
Yesterday I put together two Linus quilts that only need the final machine quilting to be completed. I also quilt with a group at our local senior center. They are constantly being given fabric and other goodies when someone downsizes or passes away. They have a 10x10 closet full of sewing supplies. They gave me two huge bags of batting and a pile of plain fabrics as they know I make Linus Quilts. I used some of the batting and fabric along with some of my friday purchases to make those two Linus quilts. I will label them as being from the Senior Center.

Thanks for all the support so far. This will not be an easy diet but I am seriously planning on only buying batting and thread for the time being. I will piece my backs for the time being.

I am making a sampler quilt with a black background for the main fabric. I allowed myself for purchase enough of 3 different blacks for the background, borders, ect Then I went to my stash and pulled 75 batiks to use for the colors!

I am trying to use some of this up. I almost feel sorry for the fabrics that keep getting passed over, they want to shine, too.

I think that's a very wise idea. If you feel any part of your life is out of control, getting a buddy to help you out is a good plan.

I need a buddy to guard my refridgerator and slap me every time I get near it.

I like this idea....."shopping in your stash"....I'd get my shopping fix and it doesn't cost anything. Heck, I can even "shop" in my jammies!

:lol:

I really give you a lot of credit for recognizing that things were getting out of hand. Shopping of any kind can quickly become a panicea for all of our troubles. I know it is for me, so I try to be very carefull. For me it is very hard to go into my lqs and buy only what I need so I am focusing on not going until I absolutly HAVE to have something. Also, I don't even look at online stores rite now. Sometimes it feels like the minute I walk in the door of my lqs, good sense and my better judgement fly out my ear. After watching Hoarders, it really made me stop and think about how that could happen. I'm with you, time to trim down the old stash a bit.

We are all in the same boat. I swore I'd make into quilts, the quilt tops I have done already. Then I came upon some really nice quilt blocks, done a couple of years ago for a class, and just couldn't see making them up with "just anything from my stash". So off to the quilt shop. $165 later I have the finishing touches for them. Oh, I need a sponsor!!!!!!!

I really, really wish my mother would come to her senses like you and get a "friend" to help control her shopping. Not only is she a shopping addict, she's a gambler:< I spend a lot of time worrying about her future.

For me, I don't have a huge stash. I've got a 6 drawer dresser and a wall of fat quarters. That's a lot for some people and not so much for others:> I am also in the mode of finishing up UFO's etc. before I allow myself to buy more. Although I've not put a restriction on thread. You can never have enough thread;>

For all quilters struggling with buying more fabric when the closet and shelves are full, you do have lots of company. Stashbusters devotes itself to this topic and encourages and supports members to use up what they have. There are over 5000 members so you are not alone with your fabric difficulties. Quilters naturally love fabric, colour and texture, so it is easy to understand our addiction. Check out this website for others struggling not to buy more. They also share great quilting tips, patterns and anything else quilt related.

http://www.stashbuster.com/

I, too, have had to STOP! I keep acquiring and not using it - even tho I've got great intentions. After watching an episode of Horders, I decided I didn't want to be like them, but I've got a good start on it. So I refuse to even go near a fabric store of any kind -- no will power.

However, when someone mentioned the Alden, KS shop it did cause me a moments pause. I'll be a reunions at Chase and Raymond, KS over Memorial weekend, and that's a wonderful place to stop! But since by DH will be with me, I'll probably resist.

I've also been clearing my mother's house, and it could be considered a fabric store, so it's hard, hard, hard to keep resisting.

I did have one lady who inherited her mother's stash come to me and want me to weave up some rugs out of the stash. I convinced her to put some of the larger, lovely pieces, in a sale and sell them to other quilters.

I wove and wove. We did a 9 x 12 and two 8 x 10's and a bunch of little ones. Finally all 5 tubs were empty.

My friend and I usually shop together. When we are trying not to buy something we remind each other to keep our hands in our pockets! Somehow, if you touch it, it always comes home with you!=)

Congrats! Some times accountability is the answer. My BFF and I are holding each other accountable for finishing projects. When we sew together we get things done and in between we check on each other so we dont just slack off.

I look at those tubs and tubs of fabric in the pictures and think...look at all that money wasted they are never going to finish all of that.

When I go shopping, I go with a list and CASH. Lock your purse in the trunk of the car. Then if you really really really want it, you have to walk out to the car, dig out your purse, get the cash and come back in.

If these are your true feelings, then I say Congratulations to You! I myself have a large stash and it hit me recently that if I kept purchasing just because, I may never use this stash. I'm talking patterns & fabric, but mostly fabric. So this year I put myself on a strict purchasing diet. And you know? It has not been bad at all. I have gone online & filled carts but when it came time to make that final purchase & push that final button, I had to ask myself, "Where are you going to put this?" That alone kept me from going another step further. My shelves are literally crammed full in my sewing/quilting room! There is not room for 1 more yard. So until I get some of it used.. it is NO BUYING FOR ME! And I am fine with that. For now. I must use up a lot by the time for the Houston Show this Fall though. LOL I Shop & Shop there every year. LOL So good luck and stay disciplined.

Thanks for the site! I just signed up!

It helps that my sponsor doesn't quilt nor does she want to learn. She also doesn't understand my obsession with fabric.

If the shoe fits . . . . lol