I really don't think there's any such thing as "Stash Management"....

I kind of went totally wonko when I first got my SS checks and getting my room set up and got a lot of stuff for my stash that I wish I hadn't.

Right now I'm sorting and organizing and giving away....
I'm sorting fabrics that I bought that 'go together'... like I bought 2 or three fabrics that I want to use for a quilt - I'm putting them together and tying the bundle.. (that way next year when I see a fabric I won't go, 'what was this for?'

So far I have something like twenty-five bundles - ack!! and I'm not finished! .... these are bundles for quilts that I really, really want to make..

Then I'm going to put things like the batiks together, the kona colors (except for the ones already bundled with something else) etc.

(while sorting I started having an idea for a dresden plate made with batiks and put on all different kona colors!)

I also have bright and cheerful stuff and some flannel and some homespun that I got for lap quilts for the nursing homes that I need to work on... and I'd really like to get some 'soldier quilts' done...

One thing I can't buy is TIME!

I'm giving away some stuff that I got at the beginning of this quest that I know will just keep getting shoved to the back so to speak... there's nothing wrong with it and it's not 'nasty' or ugly, it's just that I've found stuff I like so much better that I'll never get to it, and I'd rather somebody get some use out of it.
I've found a few outlets around here to get some bargains - but you have to be careful - they sell the good stuff right along side some cheap stuff - and for the same price...
And then the quilt shops have sales! of the older stuff - and you can get some great prices...

I am thankful tho, that I did go bananas because I already see the pricing going up and up and I know that I won't be spending 8-9-10 dollars a yard for fabric. I even have some backing that I got for $3 a yard that is now selling for almost $6 a yard - same stuff/same fabric place...

One thing for sure, I DO NOT NEED ONE SINGLE PIECE OF ANY KIND OF FABRIC!!!!
none
nada
zilch

8)

To quote my friend who used to sell Stanley home products....it's not what you need in life that makes you happy, it's what you want! And I want lots of fabric :) :) !

Janeen,
I'm with you on "stash management".
I had my stash pretty much under control and then my very kind neighbor gave me 3 sacks of fabric pieces from a quilter who is now in heaven.

Now I have fabric everywhere! And pieces that I truly have no idea what to do with.
I'm looking for VERY EASY scrap patterns that have some shape to them, not just checkerboard or squares in a row, but not too many triangles.
See, I'm very picky and scared of trying too much.

Have you ever gone to the Quiltville website? She makes really fun scrappy quilts and uses every little bit of fabric that she can use. I've made a couple different ones from her website and I just love making those kind. They are fun and not difficult. Scrappy is my favorite.

Yellow brick road,turning twent and irish chain are some easy ones. There are a lot of them, chinese coins, rail fence, log cabin........no triangles in the bunch :D

I know exactly how you feel--every word. :shock:

I'm really really really (if my students did that I'd holler) hoping to get a LOT of fabric used up this summer, but something tells me if I make 4 quilts, 10 table runners, 8 wall hangings, and more, it won't even make a dent in the stash.

I had made the goal to not buy one piece of fabric this year....I made it to the middle of January and haven't stopped.

One quilt really doesn't take much fabric, a wall hanging even less, and a table runner only needs 3 fat quarters. Oh boy.

If only it weren't so much fun to buy.

I need a bigger sewing room.

That's one of the reasons why I like FQ quilts. They don't take much fabric and if you are WANTING to make a quilt and don't want to spend much on fabric, FQs are the way to go!

But, Terri--fat quarters at the qulting shop are $2.50 each! That's $10 a yard! Soooooo, it's better to buy more off the bolt. Say half a yard, or a yard, maybe 2! More fabric.... more...fabric....more..... f-a-b-r-i-c......


:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

True, but I stash fat quarters or will by 1/2 yard to make 2 Fats.
Once in a while, I would find end cuts at shops (not that I can get them now), but they would be just enough to equal a fat.

I just got 2 packages in yesterday from shops that I ordered from. One of them had a pack of 4 fats for $2. Was a great deal, but couldn't pick colors I wanted. Good thing it was only $2 because I'm really not liking the colors they sent. I'm sure I'll find something to make with them, or maybe swap.
I did come across a site that had batiks on sale for a good price. Thought of you when I saw it, knowing how much you LOVE batiks. Can't for the life of me remember what the website was. :(

here here!!!!! :)

I looooooooooove her website!!! I almost have the latest Mystery quilt by her completed!!! I am now about to start the final step.. putting the quilt together!!! Bonnie really inspires you on her website on what to do with all your scraps!!! I also loooove her crumb quilt !! I am working on one for my boyfriend in between other projects... I have about 45 7" blocks completed now. I still have another 25 to complete :)

What a treat you got! Two days ago I was looking at some free stuff on QNN TV. There was a free quilt pattern presented called "Chicklets". The woman showed you how and then gave you her web site to download the pattern. She made it look not so hard, you could bookmark it and have it as a reference to view the video in times of trouble. If I remember where I saved it all to.... I will post it for you.

LOlloooll - how logical are you and cost efficient. Don't we all have great reasons why we have such a stash, it's cheaper. When I resumes quilting last August, I swore to myself that I would not buy more until the last was done, RIGHT? I have a cupbord with glass doors and right now there are over 11 projects ranging from quilts to aprons saying PLEASEeeee, me next.. Oh yes and there are probably 7 or 8 in the back of my Tahoe, which is now a sewing room on wheels.. I got tired of not having a choice of what to work on when visiting my friends at the quilt shop. I prefer to work around others, I do not get much done at home because of that.. Enough rambling for this square..

this post caught my eye as we are getting ready to retire/move---sometime in the next year or so.

opps--hit the enter button before I finished with my post!

Anyway....I have been cleaning/organizing my sewing room and trying to get rid of the 'excess'. I started putting fabric in totes and labeling them as to what type (baby/floral/TOT,etc) and find myself inspired by the fabric...and now I am putting them together so I have everything ready to pull out when I want a new project