We bought a new bed and we had to clean our bedroom out to bring it in..... My husband had to box things up and he went on a hunt for all things I had hidden for years -- mostly fabric as it turned out. Everything went to the dining room for " a while". The w hile ended at Thanksgiving and now all is revealed to all who live here or who need to use the upstairs bathroom. Most are impressed with the height of the boxes but not my husband or daughter. I tried to explain that I do NOT buy anything else like shoes or clothing but my last quilting friend moved away and had to move her stash so I have no supporters but my grandchildren and they are waiting for their quilts !!!

I sent fabric home with cousins this weekend--trying to get rid of more fabric. Before long, I won't have any left, which is fine with me as I can't quilt much any more. I loved doing quilting, and especially applique, but I have to admit that "my time is coming" to cease quilting at all. What a ride, though! I count my applique class with Pat
Campbell as THE BEST class I ever took! What a wonderful class that was! She was a fantastic teacher.

Congratulations for having a new, improved sewing space AND are working on more of sewing's joys - seeing what you've really got in your sewing space. AND can find it.

After the huge live oak tree took the roof and a substantial percentage of the ceilings off of our house at the tops of walls, it took a year of living in the rv until we could begin moving in.

My sewing room took the tree's first hit and the second one. The hurricane wind and rain snapped the tree; the tree fell - snapped at the base; the wind picked the top of the tree out of the house and dropped the tree into the house a second time. I guess to make sure nothing was left undamaged.

There exists a new to me sewing room. It is arranged to my order: lighting, color, shelves, cabinets, and on.... All of the bits and pieces are with the related machines. But the best, the very best is the fabric arranging business. Not having to do constant fabric search and rescue missions; discovering that I do have something that I need for a sewing project. And then there is the joy of liking and my interest in what I can now find.

May every person who sews never meet a huge tree like we did; but, may every person who sews feel the joy of whatever their version of the newest, latest, greatest place to sew and stuff to sew with.

Pat

The Fabric Diet
 

I recently moved to another state and had to store my stash for nearly a year. We are in the midst of finishing my studio space, (our new property has a small detached workshop that I claimed!), and unpacking everything when you haven't seen it in a year is an eye opener! I've been quilting for over 40 years so I've been through a lot of phases before I settled into "my style." Over the years I've had several large purges that have benefited my local guild. For about the last five years I've become pickier about what I buy since I've finally figured out what I will realistically use. Now I only buy what I really love and my fabric costs have gone down considerably.

If I were you I'd see this as an opportunity to be more creative with what you already have. I unsubscribed from all the fabric and craft store emails so I no longer feel bad about missing something I didn't know about! I call it my fabric diet.

This is exactly how I think!! My sister gave me a small KB Knit Loom for Christmas so I' m going to learn a new craft for the many hours of sports I watch on TV. Sometimes I want to sit on the couch instead of always in my sewing room.

Ladies, you are making me glad I don't have much of a stash! I visit friends with fabric everywhere and it just seems overwhelming to me. I know, I am in the minority and my quilty friends tease me. When we go shopping together I leave the stores usually with a gizmo. Fabrics are beautiful and they are just as far away as the local quilt stores. I rarely buy on line. but, that is what is nice about quilting. There are no rules and one size does not fit all!!!

I skipped all the sales, bought nothing, deleted all the ads without looking. I have enough projects, will use what I have and will gladly shop to fill in for a project I am working on when I need it. But no price (even free) has me tempted until I get out from under these projects! I do wish all of us on the qb lived close together and could share our excesses with each other easily! Nothing is more fun than sharing with friends!