quiltingbuddy

I have a decent stash but still find myself buying for more stash on occasion. I love going into my stash closet and thinking "I'm in the mood to start something new, I wonder what will speak to me today." It's a whole new spin on the idea of a mystery quilt because I probably intended some of those fabrics for something entirely different than what they turn out to be together. Of course I often have to supplement with a new piece of fabric for borders or binding or something and that just adds to the surprise. I love it!

robinred55

I just reorganized my stash and realized there are many fabrics I may never use. I love planning then shopping for the fabric I need. It's about the joy of anticipation when I start a new project. I'm considering donating some of my fabrics to the church also to make quilts for charities. I just bought a couple of new ranges of fabrics and we're getting new living room furniture and I need to make lap rugs to go with the new sofa. I get really excited with new projects on the boil.

Madan49

I used to have a HUGE stash... one I thought I couldn't possibly ever use up... but I DID! But then word got around about the number of charity quilts that I do, and how many scrappy quilts I make, and I became the recipient of lots of other people's scraps... and YEP.. got lots of stash here again. LOL! I still have to buy lots of background material and backing and batting, but I have scraps enough to do what I do now. I think if I were still shopping like I used to, I would concentrate more on those purchases than the impulse buying I did "back in the day", but still and all, I did use everything I bought back then eventually, so nothing went to waste either. Hang in there... you may use it up!

pocoellie

You may be one of the few that "needs" to buy for whatever project you plan on working on, or like someone mentioned maybe it's because most of your stash wasn't picked by you. I have a large stash and do use my stash, just not fast enough to get it all sewn up before I die (LOL) unless I live to be about 4,000 years old. LOL I love scrappy quilts but I can either do scrappy or cut up my yardage and my yardage wins, but I have 2 quilting friends that get all of my scraps. A stash is great for me, because the nearest fabric/quilt shop is 100 miles one way, so needless to say, it's not very often I go there. If you don't want the stash you have now, you could either sell it on here or donate it to a place that makes quilts for charity, then buy the stash(if you want one)or just the fabrics for the particular project you want to work on.

sewmini

What is a stash good for???? LOts and lots of reasons but for me it is good for making quilts without going out and buying fabric wen not in the mood for shopping but in the mood for quilting. I enjoy buying and using good fabric but I usually buy when it is on special and can get the best price for a good fabric in a color I like. I enjoy seeing the shelves filled with nice fabrics and picking from those fabrics what I will work with next. I like the eye candy that pretty fabric provides an it just works best for me to have a stash to pick from rather than go out looking for fabric when I want to sew something.

BETTY62

You are not alone. I often wonder why I have one since I haven't used anything from it in a while.

jo bauer

I love my stash! I don't care if I ever use it all or not. When I die it will be one heck of a "yard" sale. Actually it will go to charities that quilt. Everyone makes good points here and I can't say that I haven't stood in front of the shelving and thought that it would be impossible to use it all up. I make both scrappy and planned quilts. I take all the left over fabric from a planned quilt and pre cut it for scrappy quilts, different sizes of strips, squares, triangles. I start with the biggest piece I can get (like, maybe, a fat quarter) and then put it all in bins dedicated to shape and/or size. However, my addictive vice is fabric. I can't pass a quilt store, sale or new line of fabric. And you think I'm bad. I'll never forget the day, many years ago now, that DH spent $300 on fabric (all by himself). I had 1 yard in my hand. You better believe we ate noodle casseroles, soups and chili, hamburger, pb&j, tuna, etc. for months on end. He finally bought himself a long arm this spring. I must say I'm blessed to have someone who shares my addiction.

sewbeadit

I agree with Terri D. and ghostrider. I think if your stash was what you picked out and bought it would be different for you. Also I too live out in the woods and every store is far away so is necessary for me to have a stash so I don't burn 4.00 a gallon running to a far away store, I also buy on the net. I have tons of fabrics in my stash that I just love because when I bought it I loved it and I get excited being able to use it, saves time and money for me.

Cybrarian

I agree with TerriD. My stash is my personal taste in color and fabric styles (not a civil war, reproduction or normally scrappy type quilter). Love the suggestion to bag up and donate what is just not "you". Fabric will be put to good use, guilt is avoided and space for your fabric tastes is made. Win, win!

Annaquilts

This is the first thing that also came to my mind. I use stash I picked out more frequently then stash I did not pick out. Also stash I picked out, I picked out with a project in mind and I picked it out because I liked it. By the way almost all quilts I make are scrappy.

Try and organize the scraps in groups of either types ex. civil War, 1930, kids prints, floral, colors, etc. It is easier for me to work with scraps that have a theme and then lay them out with a design and color way in mind.