I can relate to having fabric everywhere. For me, I find going through my stash, separate the colors refold, etc. Makes me want to quilt. Seeing all that fabric of mine, I start thinking while organizing, what I might want to make. Ok, that's the best I can say about cleaning and organizing in my stash! If you are going to make Christmas gifts, you may want to choose some of those fabrics to create something wonderful.

Is your stash organized? By color, maybe? By size of fabric piece?

Browse the internet for photos, then Shop your Stash to get started on a new project.
A simple quilt to start you off, may just be the push you are looking for.

Susan
NJ

My stash is pretty organized. i just want to get more straight with my smaller pieces of fabric. But I can deal with that right now. But I did look at a bit of it today. There is a particular pattern I like and I can readily make, I just want to make it larger next time. I think some of my weekend will be spent cutting out a few kits of this particular pattern. I do need to shop my stash more and that will cut down on my overwhelming fabric hoard! LOL

Well, my advice is this: Either clean the house (windows, scrub floors, weed the stack of mis-matched socks) or quilt. To me it's a no-brainer, but I know there are some ladies who love house work.

If only those were my 2 choices!! It the working that keeps me from quilting as much as I'd like. Believe me, I have thought of quitting since the pay is not much at all and the stress is high, but it is a job! I did work on a block today that I really liked, so maybe I will do one or two of those a night until my mojo gets back to working!

I have times like this also. If I haven't been in my sewing room for a time (sometimes I have to pack it up if kids come). It helps me to get in there tidy up, sort through projects I might have forgotten and before I know it I am eager to start something.
I for one, spend too much time here reading about everyone elses projects sometimes.

when I get that way I watch a few tutorials and get motivated ... Missouri Star Quilt company has a lot of good ones and a few that would be great for small Xmas projects.

I think that especially with the price of fabric going up so much, that most of us indulge when we find a great sale. Do some small projects as suggested then look at your stash and see what goes together and the yardage of each. Then look at some patterns that you have been wanting to do or find some new ones where your stash will work.

This could have be written by me, except for the new quilter part. I am lacking motivation right now and have way, way, way too much stash. I have been giving away my stash because of my guilt over how much I have and how I'll never make a dent in it. I gave 14 kits to a gal on this board last year and finally made a dent. Finally. But I have whole fabric lines that I'm not crazy about anymore and am having giveaways on my blog to give some of them away so I can further reduce my stash. I've done a pretty good job so far.
But I haven't found my motivation. I was putting out quilt after quilt for so long that I think I burned out. I did my Craftsy BOMs and cut 2 1/2" strips for my binding for one of my 9 quilts that need to be bound, but didn't bind it. I told myself I couldn't do anything else until I bound all my 9 quilts. Too much to put upon myself. I have to change that. I have BOMs that I can do that I'm behind in and quilts I can pickup and complete and new ones to start, but no motivation. I go in my sewing room and can't even clean it. What is up with me? I'm like you. I don't know what to do. All I know is I'll continue to do the Craftsy BOM for sure. It might take until a snowfall for me to quilt. I love to quilt when it's snowing, so I might be reading books until then. So, you aren't the only one. And I don't know how to fix it either!

Start one block at a time. I get the same way. Sew many quilts, not enough time. Good Luck

I keep singing the praises of the Potato Chip Quilt and variations. I keep going back to it because it's quick and can be varied. I have made dozens for Project Linus and never get tired of it. If you read this post I started, I think it will get your juices flowing and you'll be moving pieced tops instead of fabrics!
http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...g-t187679.html
God luck and Godspeed.

Try making small items at first. Things that you can finish in a couple hours or so. Pretty soon you'll be motivated to get going again. Don't rush it, take your time and enjoy as you go.

Tanya, yeah, we all get that way! Could be your stash is overwhelming you with choices right now. Plus you're working full time, which may not leave you too much time to get motivated let alone start or finish a project!

Quick patterns are a good idea to get you re-started. What helps me get motivated is taking out one of the fabrics in my stash that I HAD to buy because it was calling to me from the shelf, begging me to buy it. Then I search my stash for fabrics that will go with it. Deciding on the pattern is the hardest part of the process...but once I do, I'm off and cutting. Then I sew nothing else until the quilt top is done! I learned that interrupting one project for another kills all my enthusiasm for the interrupted one.

Good luck to you!

Tanya,
I slept on your problem and I think you might try this method. Bonnie Hunter at quiltville.com has a great system from cutting up scraps but I have advanced it for my use. You have probably purchased "borderline" fabrics since the price was so great without any real plan for their use. I am currently cutting up some of these "just because" fabrics into my own personal layer cakes and jelly rolls. I also cut 1.5" strips if the last piece won't cut into a jelly roll. I have been doing this for about a week now and I have several stacks of layer cakes with their matching jelly rolls tied together with the last strip which was too small for my use. I've even coordinated fabrics in my stacks. Left overs will make great scrappies!
I love precuts but their price bothers me. This making my own for the cost of yardage is really, really satisfying to my "I love a bargain" self!
You know, I am DYING to start on sewing these together! I am having to force myself to keep cutting. (My raised cutting table is on the screened in porch and won't be comfortable to use this winter.) At night, when it's too dark for my old eyes to cut out there, I have started several projects and am having more fun than ever! I have my stacks where I can see them and they are uber MOTIVATIONAL!! It could be that the cutting process is slowing you down. I think that has been the hurdle for me.

Thank you for all of this insight! I can see several solutions to my problem. Some of the web pages, blogs and quilt ideas have hit the bullseye for sure!! I did come home tonight and cut out 1 whole kit for a project. Not much, but it made me proud. I was looking at web patterns after and found a few more that I want to try to make into a kit. I am hoping that the kits will cut down on my "all over" stash and knowing that I have all the fabrics to complete a top and binding will really help get me moving along. Feeling better after all of the wonderful advice! Thank you each so very much for helping me with my "problem". Oh and I went to the shop today for 1.25 yds of black kona and saw a red just because fabric. I was going to by 2 yds only for around $12 total,but sure enough it was on super sale!! So I got all 7.5 yards for almost $15 w/ 70% off!! Now how was I supposed to resist a sale like that?? I really need to stay out of that store!!! Lol

I know what you are feeling. I have several projects but cannot seem to get interested in them. This time of the year I just want to be outside because once the temperatures dropped, there is no going outside. Maybe I just need to let my mind and body do what it wants to do at this time and not fight it.

Many, many thanks for you and your spouse for being "on duty" 24/7! I am guessing you are not wearing the uniform, but your sacrifices really help your family! Keep buying that fabric - when you return stateside you'll have memories of Germany and where you bought it!

Thank you so much, TX GMimi! I did wear the uniform some years ago, but got out to be the stable on raising the family. It was a tough decision for me, but the right one. My husband and I are extremely proud of our military service, so much so that he is 4 years beyond his required 20 years! We raised our kids to believe in serving their country in whatever capacity that they can. That is so important to us-service to your country. Thank you for your kind words! We greatly appreciate them! I love all of te fabrics I bought here and will cherish the shopping trips my friend and I made to get them. Great memories!

I have to say.......I'm so excited the shop is moving closer to me!! I'll be there next friday to take advantage, but it's an hour for me!! Did they get anything else in? I was there last friday and it was slim pickings. I did get 9 yards for $30 of a beautiful Robert Kaufman print though.
On to your question, don't worry once a quilter always a quilter! I didn't quilt for 3 years due to a divorce and I was working 60 hour weeks. I met my husband during that time and he didn't even know I quilted til we were moving and I wasn't working anymore. Just some advise, when I retook it up I found I didn't have enough fabric for quite a few projects and I can't find the fabrics now, so if you have fabric collections in your stash look at a few patterns and just make sure they can be used later for whatever might strike your fancy! happy quilting!!

I have and enjoy a large stash. One of the things I enjoy about my on-line quilting connections is getting a lot of inspiration. I have QuiltPro and love designing new quilts, sometimes beginning from traditional blocks that interest me. That said, many quilters reach periods when nothing really grabs their interest. What we say in my guild is, "Don't force yourself, come back to it later." This just about always works. Sometimes one member of the group will have a new idea (or buy a new pattern) and a lot of new quilts follow. This site and many others have great ideas for getting started. I rarely run out of interest in quilting, but sometimes I just don't want a major project. That's when I go to making lap quilts for shut-ins and quilts for kids in out of home placement. Right now I have a bum shoulder. While it heals I am going slightly batty and am designing 2-5 quilts a day. ARGH!

I got some new motivation today in the shape of a homemade big board! My husband made it for me after all of my fussing about my regular ironing board and decided to quiet me down. I think that he should have used double layered batting but I am satisfied with it. Inspired in fact since now I can lay my fabric open to the half way point for ironing! Happy, happy!!!