I actually, really did purge my fabric bins yesterday !
 

We are moving in two weeks. My sewing room is full. Full of fabric and books and magazines. Yesterday I went through each of the bins carefully and only took a very few pieces of fabric out of the bins for an Indian Reservation. Later after lunch, I thought once again about all that fabric I will never ever use. So much of it is fabric that I actually don't like anymore. I asked DH for a nice size box and filled it quickly. Then I got another box and filled it to the brim. I still have many more bins to go through and DH is in shock. He is wondering about how are we going to give it to them. I went through my lace and ribbon bin and remembered all the quilt books downstairs that I was going to sell and I'm sure they will like that too. So my big charity this year is all the fabric I don't want to use anymore, my books and notions that I will not use. I am now searching the Internet for shipping methods. I want to say one thing about this purging: I FEEL GREAT. I believe this will be a yearly event, it feels that good.

Good for you! I'm sure they will be thrilled with your donation!
(And you'll feel a lot lighter!)

Watson

Wow, Wanna! That's a great feeling for you! Not to mention it leaves that much less clutter in your new place. They will be thrilled with the donation and you have the opportunity to rebuild stash with things you actually like.

I find it funny how we buy fabric and then later one "don't care for it". I have a few dresser drawers full of stuff like that. I need to either use or purge. Maybe I'll keep your good feelings in mind and get the "toss it" bug!

I agree with you, it does feel good to purge. I am donating a lot of my old Calicos to the women who sew those pillowcases dresses for girls in Africa in my church's group.

Good for you! If you find the info you need, could you please pm me? It sounds like a great idea. I am trying to do the same here but after the move so it's great that you were able to find the energy to do it now. Bravo!

Check first to see if they can use it before you send it over.

congrats ! I bet you feel great.

I am also getting a box ready for the organization that makes dresses for African little girls. It's a good feeling.

Lucky you have outlets for your purging...I must live in a vacuum here! No one wants any of my excess. I have taken to guild mtgs, brought back home; called older adult center thinking they may have a group- NO; my church does not have any crafty/sewing groups- nearby one, which I called, didn't seem enthusiastic, so I did not bother; practically gave away at my garage sale...very few takers....my next thought is a women's correctional center-read somewhere that some do teach the women quilting/sewing...will follow up on this idea tomorrow. Most of my overload is books, patterns, some fab, and several GO and Sizzix dies that I dup/purchased. I will try guild again in sept when we start up again.......

Actually, why don't you just give all of it to the Indian Reservation. I know that Jo Kramer of Jo's Country Junction was talking about that the other day. Here is the address from her blog: I am also supporting Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Read a blog post I did about them here.
You can send items directly to them at:

If via UPS/FedEx:
Parents Resource Center
Wounded Knee District School
201 Main Street
Manderson, SD 57756

If via US Mail:
Parents Resource Center
Wounded Knee District School
P.O. Box 350
Manderson, SD 57756

Jo also has another group posted on her blog: http://www.joscountryjunction.com/de...ace-to-donate/

Pine Ridge Indian Reservation would be a good place to donate sewing items and fabric. One of my friends has been making baby quilts throughout each year and boxing them up with knitted items for babies. The hospital coordinates the quilts and other items for the babies so the mother has something of a start for caring for the child.

Pine Ridge Indian Reservation has so many people living in poverty. Donations for heating homes are gratefully accepted. My sincere apprecitation to caspharm for the above information. Teaching someone to sew opens opportunity for independence.

I took 4 boxes of fabric, each weighing about 30 lbs, and a box of books weighing 45 lbs to the UPS/post office to mail. It cost me $265 to mail to the group listed above. If I mail again, I will pack larger boxes and have the USPS pick it up at my home, it's cheaper.

thank you so much for this posting. A man from maine named hammond, wrote a book , not forsale, just recently about pine ridge area and i make hats and mittens and send them to appalachia every year and now i will send some to them too. I wonder if they take yarn too. I have gad lots given to me. Thank you again.

My stash could use another purge. I recently gave a large bag of fabric to a little girl that had just received her first sewing machine. I am currently creating quilts from my stash only. It is amazing how quickly our stashes can grow.

My niece comes over every once in a while and now with school starting back up, she'll be over every morning. I take her to school since mom has to be to work earlier. She can pick through some of my stash, then I box it and give it to mom the next day.

Great idea. Depending where you live check with your 4-H extension office. I know we have two 4-h's that do sewing and home crafts and take fabric to use in teaching their kids. Many times they donate what they make as practice. In some areas kids have little and can't afford to buy fabric so they out reach for those kids and get them involved. Also some middle and high schools still have home-ec. And sometimes the teachers take donations of fabric for the sewing class.

What a nice idea for you to give your unwanted fabric and books to the reservation...I bet it does feel good to have a lighter stash. Good luck with your move.

Good for you...I need to do that...

I can tell you from experience it would be better to donate it now than after your move. As you will have all these boxes all over the place you have to walk around. Plus you have to pay to have them moved.

I am looking to downsize in the next year and a half and have been slowly giving away fabric that I've realized that I'll never use. We have a fabric pool in our Quilt Show in October that I've been funding and just bringing in zip lock bags of pre-cuts to my guild meeting has been working well. I'm glad to hear that other people have this problem. I'm finding fabric on my shelves that I haven't seen in 10 years, and so obviously had no plans on using in the near future. I am finding it hard to let go, but know that I just won't have the space when we move.....so doing the hard work now.

Whenever anyone brings something to our Tuesday sit and sew, some of the ladies are all over it like ants at a picnic. I do my best to stay far, far away.
Thanks for the donation info listed previously.

Oh I wish I lived close to you. Our little guild could use any of your excess or 'get rid ofs' We don't have any money as we are all elderly and on fixed incomes, so it would be welcome.

I am giving some of my stash to a woman I met on FB who has lost everything in the Louisiana flooding. God has blessed me with more fabric than I will ever be able to sew. I feel I should bless others for Him. I just hope she likes what I am sending.

I am sure she will feel blessed to have that fabric, in situations like that, fabric is not seen as the #1 priority. It can however have that soothing /therapeutic way of seeing someone through a difficult situation. The items made from that fabric can be a great comfort. I bet she will think of you and your generosity everytime she sees a piece of the fabrics you send.