Had fun reading the posts and had LOL's! So happy to hear you were able to destash and I congratulate you on that:-)
All my stash were for possible quilts. Like you, when I want to start a pattern I find I am short on some and no longer available. I have donated 3 large bags of scraps to a camp that makes quilts for children. There was enough in there to make about 4 quilts. I could have made scrappy quilts but never seem to have the time. Yes, destashing is necessary but very hard to do. As I look through my fabrics I get to enjoy the eye candy over and over again. Have started some quilts for donation for abused children. Now if I could only stay away form LQS!

My stash building is only what is on sale.
Mostly I collect background fabrics, batiks, and backing.
These I know I will use.
My favorite colors only if I LOVE the fabric and it is useable for many different blocks (small prints).
The colors have to be very adaptable to other colors, like basic greens and blues and roses, odd shades of colors are not good choices for a stash.
I also collect red, white, and blue for charity quilts.

Just so y'all know, I'd be more than happy to help any and all of you downsize your stash. Feel free to send me anything you don't think you'll ever use. I'm just sayin'..... ROFL!

I agree, I am having to stack on the floor any new fabric so am on "vacation" from just purchasing fabric. If I buy now I have to have a pattern or project in mind!!! :D :D :D

Debbie...I love what you wrote...'She who dies with the most fabric wins...really? Then what good was it to ..(her)' It has been good for me to read all your comments and makes me think I too, need to use what I have before I buy any more. The problem with that is for example, I made a Turning Twenty (more on that later)quilt with FQ's and now I need something to put on the border. Will post pics on Pic section. But thanks everyone for reminding us that we can only sew a certain quantity of fabric in our lives.

As a newbie (less than 1 year) I only purchase for quilts in progress. My apartment is small so no room although I admire seeing everyones sewing spaces and gets lots of ideas, I like mine uncluttered and I seem to be more creative that way.

I can so relate to your "Stash Situation". Last year we had to leave our 3-bedroom home of 33 years and down-size to a 2-bedroom apt. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do, especially since I inherited a lot of fabric when my sister passed away. She mostly made pillow shams to sell, so she had a lot of cheater panels, but a lot of racing car theme fabric. I had fabric everywhere, my bedroom, my upstairs sewing room and my downstairs sewing room. I moved part of my sewing room upstairs in the winter to save on heat. I had been purging some of my fabric to a friend who belonged to a group that made quilts for babies and children in local hospitals. Then my BF helped me with the bulk of my plastic bins of fabric, but I still had over 25 bins to move. I have since condensed those bins and reorganized them, but my goal now is to use it up. I made a family reunion quilt for the July 4th reunion and used only fabric sent to me and my stash for a king size quilt. I was very proud of myself. It was a hard thing to do, to purge, divide and conquer, but it was necessary. At least with stacked, clear bins, I pretty much know what I have and how to get it, even if it means moving a few bins. I still have a stash, but now it's not so overwhelming.

I am one who, like you, would buy because I liked the fabric. My stash became of storage problem plus, I never felt good about all the money spent on fabric that probably would never be used. I intend to buy only what I need for a the project I am currently working on. The stash gets big enough with out leftovers.

I find this same thing-finding something that I could have used and then bought because I didn't remember I had it!
yes, I, too am downsizing and donating and giving. because unless my life expectancy is about 225 years I will never use all that I have gathered :-D

someone once said that she who dies with the most fabric was not sewing fast enough......so i have more sewing time on the calendar and i have not been buying except for one piece for binding a 1930's quilt (i do not have any 30's except for the pieced, appliqued, embroidered top my grandmother left me.binding is to complete it.) this is the year for finishing all works in progress. on new years eve i plan to sort all remaining fabric.

Wonderfully said Debbie! Now if only I could convince my daughter of this!!! LOL

OMG! I'd have cardiac arrest! I have around 300 yards and love to play with it. I'm buying less and less now which is a good thing and trying to incorporate the old and new to use up, but still can't resist an awesome sale.

I'm sure it's tough to downsize like that. I don't think I could mentally go from my current stash down to 200 yards in a short time, but I think I can do it over a 4-5 year period.

I am not destashing. Did that already. Got rid of everything I didn't love to my sister's neighbor (she makes braided rugs). My stash is still huge. All the children's novelties are in a bag to make quilts for hospital auction. The youngest kid in my family is now 6, so I don't really need that stuff around. I don't want to donate any more to charitable use or give it away.

I have to say though, one of the problems I am developing is too many finished quilts (according to my mother). I will actually have to make or buy something to start storing quilts. What a problem to have!

I think I am a member of the SABLE club. I am working on destashing it, bbbbuuuuuuttttttt.....

Honestly, I did a lot of shopping while on vacation. I do not need anything for a LONG time. My stash consists of yards and Yards of fabric, over 300 fat quarters, some jelly rolls, layer cakes, batting and backing and not room for more. Oh yes, a drawer full of 2 1/2 inch strips, a drawer of charms and squares, and a drawer of unfinshed projects. I am not going shopping again for a long time. Yesterday I cleaned my closet and had a really had time getting rid of things I knew I was never going to use or give away. I felt guilty but finally go rid of a trash bag full of stuff. It felt good when done.

i don't have a big stash. i have purchased some very lovely fabric and i still have some of it but not too much, probably about two bins maybe. i guess i am lucky. most times when i start a quilt, i can find several colors that just blend right together or good enough to make a very pretty quilt top. i just always seem to need muslin and can't seem to keep any of that around. i just don't think the fabric is near the quality it used to be so i am very happy that i have a little extra on hand. i plan to start one of those dear jane quilts soon so i haven't decided on a background color for that. i may just mix it all up and see what it all looks like in different colors.

I have a very large stash,way beyond my life expectancy and I love every little inch of it. Sometimes, a moments of pure insanity, I think I have too much. Then I get calm and think of all the wonderful things I want to make with the beautiful fabric. So many friends, so many loved family members that need quilted projects. Silly people, they don't even know they need them. I don't buy fabric anymore unless I need something for sashing and even that isn't necessary. I take regular trash from my DH about the size of my stash and then in the next breath he suggests that his sister would really love to have a lap quilt for the winter. So to each his or her own, I'm happy with my stash and it makes me happy. If beautiful fabric brings happiness how can that be so wrong?

Me too!

My stash is larger than it needs to be but last week visited 2 quilting friends and their stash is even larger ... and I had 'stash envy'.

I'm considering selling off some of my fabrics too. Many are full or near full bolts that I bought on ebay. So you may see some showing up here, LOL.

I'm slowly using or getting rid of mine as well.

I don't want a big stash because then I won't know what I have. I also don't have the room and I do not like a messy room to work in.

Do you need my address?

I don't have a huge stash, just enough and I usually think about it before I buy.

You could study Welsh quilts. They were made of whole cloth with prints. You just quilt around the design. I hope this helps you 'save' and use some of your stash. You are so good at FM, I'll bet you could do amazing things with this idea. (I hope you don't mind my editing your comments, but there it is... :oops: )

I Love, Love, Love my stash. Oh, I occasionally get a case of the guilts when I discover another bunch and I tell myself "no more". But it makes me happy and it doesn't hurt anyone. I love pulling from it when I see something I want to make. I am definitely a charter member of the SABLE club. Who has more fun than a quilter with lots of fabric?

I do not have a big stash, I have undone projects! Really, My stash is small when I see pictures of everyone elses sewing room pictures. Mine fits in a box. But I have been buying up projects that fit into another box a little larger. So is this just adding to my stash or more UFOs?

Whatever you have, is your stash. It may not fit someone else's idea of a stash, but it doesn't belong to that someone else. No one can tell you that your stash is too small - except you - and no one can tell you that your stash is too large - except maybe your significant other who is being buried by it. ;) If it truly fits your needs and you aren't going into debt to feed it or running out of space to put it, then it's fine. If YOU are bothered by it and feel it's too large, then you need to destash. If YOU are bothered by it and feel it's not adequate for your needs, then you need to hit some sales as the budget allows.

My stash accumulated with sewing clothing, mostly for my boys, so it's not a great stash for quilting, unless I get into scrappy quilts. But that's okay - I live near a good LQS, and I don't have room to stash quilting fabrics right now.

I have a great feeling of satisfaction when fabric from my stash is made into something!
The more the better! ....and the smiles get bigger!
Jeannie

I loved reading all the posts. A stash is a stash is a stash......no matter the size. ROFL

Or condition of the room? :roll: :roll:

Some good thoughts here.
A year or so ago, I decided to STOP buying new material unless I absolutely had to have something to complete the design of a quilt. My stash had gotten out of hand.

Thus far, I haven't had to buy any new fabric. And my DD and a friend of hers have both given me fabric to make quilts for them. So my goal of poking a dent in my stash hasn't really gotten very far!

Ok well, that's why I de-stashed. ROFL.
I love my room now and you know it. Thank you so much. Everything has a place...jellyrolls, fq's fabrics, books, etc. Even my Peggy Sue doll. ♥♥

Murphy's Law!

OK, I confess. I'm going with a couple of friends to a discount store in Somerset, KY on Saturday. It's a pretty good road trip, so I intend to get all I can while I'm there. The last time I was there, they had 2 tables that were about 25 feet long that were piled at least a yard high on both sides with folded top quality fabric that was on clearance for $2.25 a yard! I have every intention of getting as much as possible. I need a 12-step program..... *hanging head in shame*

(Anonymous)

Get it now, fabric is only going to get more expensive!

moving to a smaller home so have to destash. found some beautiful fabrics i didn't remember i had. no more shopping for a while.

i have a reasonable stash, but nothing that is out of control. My thought is my LQS is my stash, they keep it neat and pretty, new and fresh and I dont have to pay to clean it, store it, organize it, fold it, etc.

What a wonderful idea. Using an LQS as a stash. Love it.

I was looking here last night and I think I even have a stash of quilting magazines and books. Those are part of my stash. The only time I pay regular price for a quilt book is if it is being sold at a quilt show and I want it signed by Eleanor or Mark or Kaffe or Ricky TImm's. LOL. Otherwise, sales are it.

I downsized 3 or 4 years ago and am very pleased with a "smaller" stash, still have enough that I could make about a dozen quilts without batting and it's more manageable

I am thinking of selling some of my older fabric that I know I will not use at the coming quilt show that my group put on every two years. Like Debbie I want to get newer fabric that I know I will use instead of storing it up.