lindaschipper

Only wish I had bought shelves for my fabric instead of dresser's to use for fabric, my stash would be so much easier to see and use. From time to time I sell off on Facebook and then go out and buy more becuase I "think" I need it. Seriously doubt if any of us keep a totally neat sewing space where we can see everything available for use in our quilts. If I could stop buying fabric and just use up what is already there, I'd be a rich woman.

mmunchkins

Perhaps you could modify your fabric holding dresser to make them into shelves. I would start by removing the front of the drawer. Then fold your fabric into very long pieces. Slide the long pieces into the new shelf you have created. You should end up with fabric that is stacked sideways. You probably need to use some kind of insert for each fabric because it not be very handleable otherwise. I bought big pieces of foam board from Hobby Lobby and cut it to fit my shelves. It is kind of complicated to describe.

carolaug

I hear yah....I stopped quilting for a while. I think last quilt was in 2018. I did the whole mask thing and that wore me out. I recently decided to go though my sewing room and as I did , instead of donating a few Jelly rolls that were Christmas fabric. I decided to put an Irish chain together. First...cant believe how much I had to relearn, 2nd..decided I will get back into making stuff. I have so much fabric and thread it is crazy, but thankful I have it and bought it when prices were so much cheaper. Now I just have to start making things to reduce the stash.

After I pieced my quilt top, I decided to make a table cloth out of it. Then I decided I am going to use up all of the scraps. I made 5 pot holders and a revisable quilted table runner, made twine with scraps and then made into coaster, along with sewing fabric into two towels. I am so proud that I have no left over scraps from those jelly rolls. I am going to try and do that from now on instead of saving for later. I then started to clean up my sewing room. Its so overwhelming, but I have found so many tools, which was rewarding. . I do not need to go shopping for fabric, batting, thread in my lifetime or pretty much anything else. I did buy a cordless iron, which I am not opening until I am done going through everything. I also purchased a pegboard from Ikea for my closet, should be in tomorrow. I will hang many of my tools and templates. Fabric is the hardest as there is so much. The other struggle is all of the Cutting dies, I love having them, but they take alot of space. I can not work in clutter, I find myself just not going in that room when it becomes cluttered. One mistake I have made so far is that I have not been labeling. I will do that in a few weeks. I am trying to remove as much furniture, book selve, fabric etc. that are on the floor I have a sweet sixteen quilt machine which takes up space in my small sewing room. I am debating on getting rid of my sewing table, sewing machine that drops down. Its small no drawers, I love it but it takes up space. I have a craft table that goes up and down and thinking of using that instead and the other craft table for cutting and ironing. that leaves the Sweet Sixteen table. Can't wait till this cleaning project is over. I will be teaching a friends 10 year old to sew once done. I also have been creating her a space. I just got a new chair and pulled out my old sewing machine for her. Good motivation to get this done. It is not an overnight process, I thought this would be done in a few hours...its been several weeks and work on it most days. few more days and it will be done. Thanks for listening...love all of the ideas that I read on this site.

joe'smom

Shelves can be very inexpensive if you're not overly concerned with appearance. I have to have all of my stash where I can see it, because I can't be bending looking for things. Of course, this limits the size of the stash, so I usually have to buy additional fabric for projects.

Looking on the bright side, you know light won't be fading your fabric over time.

Gemm

Carolaug,

This wonderful commitment to "using up" is an inspiration and I'm sure I am not the only person who would love to see pictures! Those of us in the Fabric Moratorium thread are always looking for good ideas and stories about stash reduction - maybe you'd like to come check it out. :-)

Quiltah Mama

Carolaug, so happy to read your post. Glad your back to quilting and inspired.

I have been reading the threads on here related to stash size, prices of fabric, and how some stocked up their stash in preparation for retirement and a fixed income budget. I reorganized my fabric this weekend, and found just what others have mentioned, the same fabric in two separate purchases...... but not many blenders or solids. I never realized this until my reorganization. I am heading to my mid 50's, and I like the idea of bulking up my stash for retirement, if l start now, a little at a time, I feel I should be able to sew for many years to come. Also, fabric prices in my opinion will only continue to rise. So gotta plan now for many years of sewing.🤓

KalamaQuilts

the problem with building for retirement, is tastes can change. I still love 1800 reproductsions, but if I had a stack of fossil ferns which were madly popular, or i spy type fabrics, they might as well be compost in a quilt room. I quit buying fabric in 2001, so before bundles and cakes and rolls. they all seemll Very fashion forward colors and prints, what I'm seeing in the shops now; those type of things will look more dated in 10-20 years than even the blues and mauves of the 80's.

What I see going out the door in boxes here is fabric yardage bought because it was on sale. That is no reason to buy for art.

You would be Far better off investing your money in a fund. My 2 cents and worth what you paid for it.

cashs_mom

I guess this would be true if you followed the latest trends. I tend to not do that. If I loved it 10 years ago, I probably love it now and will use it when I'm ready for it. I don't have many "what was I thinkings" and use those for practice for FMQ or quilt backs. Or I use Bonnie Hunter's theory that if you don't like a fabric, you just haven't cut it in small enough pieces yet.