Does anyone not keep a big fabric stash?
 

I'm new to quilting and hoping to use it mainly as a weekly relaxation session, rather than a super time consuming hobby. I'm planning on working mainly with squares and borders and buying as little fabric as possible. I will have some scraps to save and I like the idea of tupperware boxes organized by color with leftover fabric. On the other hand I love really scrappy quilts so it would be nice to have that level of variety someday.

How unrealistic am I being?

I don't have a stash. I buy what I need to make a quilt and have very little leftover. I save some scraps, but do not have tons. If I want a more scrappy look, I buy lots of small pieces of fabric. It works for me.

i admire people who can stick to getting just what they need when they need it. :thumbup:

as my own stash grew, i was proud of my collection.
now i'm just overwhelmed by all of it.
i am determined to downsize what i have and to buy new only when i absolutely need it for a specific project.

whether it's small or huge, they key is to control the stash - and to not let the stash control you.
do what feels right for you.

I no longer have a stash. I just sold 3 boxes of fabric and donated 2 bags. I found myself overwhelmed and still didn't have what I needed. I had bought a lot of fabric from yard sales and thrift stores. I only kept fabric that I felt I would use. I agree with PatriceJ, control is the key. Don't be in a hurry to build a stash (my mistake).

I purge often. I dont buy for "stash".

Sandy

Another 'non-stasher' here. I buy for projects only with a bit extra for those cutting/sewing mistakes that are bound to happen. Those leftovers are the only stash I have. I'm also not into scrappy. But there are times when I want to try a new technique or check a new block measurement, so having a variety will help with those situations. And then there is the repair factor. Had made a quilt for my niece and their dog ate a hole through the quilt. Good thing I still had those left overs and was able to fix that problem.

Do what works for you. I also simply don't have room to store a bunch of fabric.

I don't have a stash for many reasons. I just buy what I need for a project. I really don't have the room nor the extra money for a stash. Someday things might be different and then I might be tempted.

I don't have much of a stash. I've always been more of a project buyer. I've bought plenty of fabric because it caught my eye, but try to use it. On the other hand, my scraps, after sewing/quilting all of my adult life, were becoming out of control. I recently finished a queen sized scrap quilt & pieced the back from scraps as well. I have a bunch of scrap blocks that I work on from time to time to tame my scraps that will be put together someday QAYG.

I think you are very realistic. That's how I started, buying just a little bit of different fabrics so I could learn how to quilt. I first pieced and quilted placemats, pot holder than.....


Our decisions change with times and I found out about connecting thread and I bought some fabrics from them, than I bought some yardage while on a trip in the U.S (I am from Canada)
For the last 2 to 3 years, I have not bought any fabrics and I am working only from what I have (not much) and having fun (most of the time) trying to make scrappy quilts and I enjoy it very much. I am a part time quilter and I have many other hobbies.
so
You are really realistic in my own opinion. do whatever you enjoy and have fun doing it.


if you want the rest of the story here is the beginning of my adventure in quilting....
http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...ol-t98259.html

I'm a stasher.........between what I already owned and what I inherited from a dear friend who passed away from a brain tumor, my sewing room looks like a quilt shop. I like the challenge of working from the stash and haven't bought fabric in many months - except for when those two LQs closed and I just couldn't miss paying less than cost for fabric. My room is organized (although not excessively) and it's my happy place. A large part of that is the feeling that I'm still playing with my friend by playing with her fabrics.

I like buying fabric- Especially from on the quilting board.
I promised myself at $15.00 a yard - I'm done buying and will only use what I have.
I didn't realize that the price limit was coming soooooo quickly. LOL

I like to buy 2 or more yards at a time. That way I have enough of what I want to use.

Some people have stashes and some people only buy for the project they're working on, whichever works for you, is what really matters. Your idea of quilting as a "weekly relaxation" may change as you go. Me, I have a stash, which is a good thing, because the closest fabric store is 100 miles away, so needless to say, I don't go very often.

I`m in the same situation.....my stash is quite big and overwhelming....this year I was fortunate enough to buy a lot of fabric from a lady that was downsizing and I got a part of hers for a great price ....now I neeed to get working so I can use a lot of it.....I cannot buy for a while until I have used up part of it...I will only buy backings...

I do have some stash, but am cutting up pieces, and putting in bins...a la Bonnie Hunter style. Do check out www.quiltville.com. Lots of ideas for organizing those scraps, and great free patterns for them!

Im a stasher.... I love being surrounded by my stash... I love the idea at 2am i can shop from my stash and not have to stop if im on a roll because i had to wait for LQS to open the next day..

I do get overwhelmed with scraps but the hunt for new scrap patterns is enjoyable...

Everyone is different.. which is why we are an awesome group.. How boring would it be if we all did and likes the same things?!?!??

LOL... now ladies, I AM A STASHER and proud of it.. as I have over 10,000 yards now and at one time it was over 15,000 yds.. I would spend much more right now if I could.. you never have enough fabric, I don't have to go buy fabric , I have most colors and designs... and over 125 bolts of batik fabric alone... Love it..

I did not start out with a stash or even want one, but as they say, life happened. Bought a little extra, just incase I messed up, didn't need it, found a pattern I wanted to use but wanted to enlarge it so bought extra, didn't need that much extra, got home with another pattern and fabric for it, set it aside, when I finally got back to it decided I didn't want to do that pattern. It just lowly acuminated over the years. Now I do keep certain fabric's on hand and watch for them when they go on sale. Like backing fabric, muslin, solid black, flannel for baby quilts, I'm sure you get the Idea. Most good working stashes I have seen are like a good kitchen pantry, filled with the basic ingredients to make a great meal. You just have to shop for those few ingredients to make the meal special.

Color and fabric excite me. I have a stash but not a gigantic stash. You live in an area with great fabric shopping opportunities. Just keep yourself out of the stores and online stores if you are tempted. I can't say I regret my stash because I love it. However, I have slowed my purchases down by not looking at sales. Hope it works out for you.

My mother in law, and an avid quilter, will buy a small amount of something extra if she fall in love. no more than a 3rd of a yard. This keeps the space she needs for her stash at a minimum , but also allows her to make the scrappy quilts she loves. I myself have a bookcase loaded with crates filled with fabric and always seem to want or need more.

I wish I could just buy as I go. But I guess I can't so I have a stash but compared to most people here, it's definitely not a big one.

Me, too. I'm organizing my stash now and it's taking a lot of time. However, like you, I picked up a bunch of fabric at a low price from a woman who was moving and had stopped sewing a few years before. Half of that has already been donated, and I'm now working on her Christmas stash and panels. A lot of that will be donated; I plan to keep the fabrics that can be used for non-Christmas winter quilts.

The one good thing about all that organizing is that it's forcing me to review my entire fabric collection. As I go through it, each piece is measured, folded and tied up with a tag on it telling me the yardage. I've also put aside several 'kits' of fabric for my future sewing pleasure.

The bad thing about all that organizing is that my house looks like a fabric store exploded!

I only buy what I need for specific projects. I always get just a bit extra for mistakes and now have a bunch of small amounts of leftovers. I haven't been a fan of scrappy but will be looking for a pattern to use it in.

Ditto.........

I used to thinkI needed a 'stash.' Well, it got to where I was swimming in fabric. So, my DH pleaded with me to please try to get what I now have on hand before buying any more.
So,I am trying to follow that rule. It is so expensive I don't think it is financially smart to have something you may not use. Hopefully I can get all of these projects completed this year and go pick out fabric for a special project! That is my goal.
Mariah

very very small stash here. I don't have alot of room and sometimes I don't have alot of money. So they seem to go hand in hand. I usually buy what I need for a project.

It's not a stash, it's a future quilt pile. LOL! :D :D

If I didn't have a stash. I would not be able to do what I love most in my hobby world. With having no fabric shop near me and wal mart run out from under us craftys and the cost of fabric these days. that levers me to work with my stash.{yes I do sometime have to got something to go with what I have, but the biggest part of it comes from my stash} My family are not happy about the room ful of fabric. but they are not unhapppy with the quilts that cover they butts or when they know that our family has been able to help some family in need with some quilt hugs.

I have a very small stash. I would buy fabrics for a project I have in mind. It's just more fun for me that way.

I hear folks say all the time that they don't have a stash. I always buy more than what I need, therefor I do have a stash. It is to each his own I guess. I love scrappy's and if you belong to any groups where you do projects like round robins it is always nice to have some extra fabric on hand.

No stash for me. I buy what I need for a project. Not that I exclusively sew kids quilts for donation I might buy enough of a fabric to make two quilts.
I always thought I was weird for not having a stash. But I don't really understand how people know how much to buy of a fabric if you don't know what you're going to do with it.
SVAL

I have to say that I admire anyone that doesn't have a stash. My reasoning? I have quite a large stash, and yet any time that I get ready to start a new project, I have to go buy more fabric, because there isn't anything "just right" in my stash. Then, when I get to the store to buy what I need for a specific project, I always find something I just have to have, but it goes into my stash because I don't have a project in mind for it. A vicious cycle. I have a couple of friends that shop from my stash and I'm always happy for them to take stuff.

I find I love to look and touch fabric. The vibrant colors are're coming out with are so beautiful. Even my sister loves to look at all my fabrics and she doesn't even sew anymore. As I have few fabric stores nearby and with the way this winter has been I can't just go out and pick up fabric for every project so I try to keep a good supply around to choose from. Just got my latest shipment from Connecting Threads the other day and found I'd run out of my comic book boards so ordered more of the two sizes I use. I went ahead and folded what I had up using the ruler method which I find I do like except that they won't stand up on their own this way. Have another smaller shipment coming this week with some fabric I needed to finish a baby quilt I'm working on as I found the fabric I chose wouldn't work now. Then afterwards I came up with an alternative border idea which I'm using instead so the fabric I purchased will go in my stash for something else.................someday.

I now have a stash but very small compared to many quilters. But way before I began quilting I bought fabric I saw and loved, knowing I'd make something (clothes) out of it sooner or later, and sometimes my clothes making stash got pretty large. Quilting fabric is just an extension of that love of fabric which results in "collecting".

Do whatever works best for you... I do stash fabric, mainly because I buy when I find it on sale, clearance, and any other really good deals. I could not afford to just walk into a shop to buy for a project, paying full price-- so I stash it when it's cheap and then "shop my stash" to make my quilts. I also stash nice 100% cotton shirts for quilting.... lots of good fabric there for $.50 to $1.00 per shirt!

Sometimes I just see a fabric like and think wow that is so cute or gorgeous or stunning and I usually have my fabric coupons with me. Wednesdays I can go to Hancocks and get a 15% discount (sr. citizen). I try to limit my purchase limit at $20.00. They have a table with huge discounts on also up to 90%. I have 8 quilts planned and working on all of them. A little at a time.

I love fabric and I just can't stop buying it. My stash is huge and I have several orders coming in this week. Right now I am setting here dreading that I have to go iron all the new fabric I have finished washing. I don't just buy fabric for quilting but for garment sewing also. Love making things for my three year old DGD.

I think you gotta do what works for you. I am a stasher - if I see something I really like and I have the money, I buy a couple yards of it. A lot of times, I will flash vision a quilt with some fabric I see in the store, so often I have an idea of where I want to go with it, but sometimes I buy fabric just for the pleasure of having a piece I really like. Some of my best quilts have come from my stash - sometimes I have to buy fabric to go with what I have, and sometimes I can cobble something together without leaving the house or ordering anything.

I have a quilting budget that I set side because I went for many years feeling like I couldn't spend money on the things I really wanted. I don't spend all the money each month, but I probably get pretty close because I'm trying to build up my stash. I got so depressed when I felt like I couldn't buy any fabric that my creativity just dried up, primarily because I didn't have a decent stash to pull from - lots of focal fabrics, not a lot of blenders. Now I try to split my funds between the two a little more evenly. I seem to have a Kona cotton fetish I can't shake lately; I'm buying it by the bolt!

When I was working I bought for 'stash' since I never got anything sewn with it. I jokingly referred to it as my 401S (for stash). Now I'm retired, I still prefer shopping to sewing... hard habit to break!!! Luckily I stashed money in the 401K.

I don't have a stash. I do have some scraps left over from projects and about 10, one yard cuts that I bought at a buy one get one free sale but that's it. I find it hard to decide on fabrics if I'm not shopping all at once so I buy what I need for each project and save anything that I can make a 2.5 inch strip or 5 x 5 square and will hopefully make a scrappy quilt with it one day. My taste change often. Also I usually have a pattern then go shopping and the fabrics jump out at me.

Like so many others, I live with my stash rather than the other way around. When I worked, I bought fabric just because I liked it - usually 3-5 yard pieces. Now I'm not working and have more fabric and patterns and books than I could use if I live to be 500 yrs old. Do I regret it? No, I don't regret it. But, there's no longer even the space available to sort out what I have (last year I did donate a 55 gallon drum of fabric, so that's some gone). My main goal now is to deal with my UFO's and let the rest multiply in the closets... If you can keep this hobby in check, you will have a great time with it. Or like some of us you will live in your own private fabric shop. Joyce in DE