elly66

Good job on using and shopping your stash first.
Good luck on your temptation tomorrow JJBlaine.

I went to Joann mid week to avoid their sale this weekend. I thought it might be too tempting for me. Just purchased what I went in for.

Instead I started my DWR yesterday. I realized I didn't have enough fabric for the wedges (used charms for that) so pulled what I could from stash. I also ordered two packs online as the closest quilt shop is 20 miles away. But only what I needed and no other fabric so I've also been busy patting myself on the back.

OhCanada

Good luck JJ!

I whipped up a baby quilt, decided I need to have a few in reserve for shower gifts. Shopped my stash and found a charm pack that was super cute. But I had nothing suitable for a border, can you believe I have no greys in my stash!
Found this cute polka dot for $4.99 meter. Then I thought, oh no, I don’t have anything suitable for the binding. But decided to use the border print for the binding as well, gives it a modern look and is cute against the backing fabric.

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rryder

that's really cute OhCanada, and congratulations on shopping your stash!

Rob

Altairss

Well time to come up with a plan, my big sister wants to go to the sew expo the first part of March. I was thinking of taking a few blocks with me to get some backing that will match. A list of what I need to finish the quilts I am already working on. But what else I want to stay on track and not go crazy lol. What do you when faced with such temptation? I want to save up for a frame so I am really trying to be good

Teen

Great job everyone on shopping the stash!

OhCanada.....that is darling! Your improve binding looks perfect. I need to make a couple of baby quilts to have on hand too. Thank you for inspiring me!

i haven't shopped for anything, nor on-line. Mystery quilt was all scraps and I have backing for it to finish it up. Still working stash for SBS and I don't foresee buying anything more for that monster...If you recall, the 2 focal fabrics are on the bolt in stash so I will use one of them for backing and binding.

I'm good for awhile; however, My next "fresh" quilt will need WOW so I'll be shopping for that.

JJBlaine

I had a bit of a revelation today.

For months now, I have been trudging along, cutting anything less that a yard down into strips and squares and crumbs. More than once I thought I was wasting my time, and ruining perfectly good pieces of fabric (which I wasn't using anyway), and thought about giving up. I've managed to empty four or five boxes of scraps and turn them into lovely little stacks of ready to use squares.

I'm redecorating my mother's bedroom, and today I was on a mission to find fabrics to make her a new quilt to match the new paint,as well as a few patriotic prints for a quilt my son requested. I planned on stopping at several fabric stores, and I was somewhat concerned that I would not be able to resist temptation, and I would come home with all sorts of pretty fabrics to add to my collection, especially with the holiday sales.

As I browsed, I thought about how, out of the last 6 quilts I have made, five were reversible. So out of 11 floppies, 6 were born out of those pre-cut scraps, 5 were UFO's, and 1 started with a panel I had in my stash. Out of all six, I only bought 2-1/2 yards of a solid fabric, and thread. Even the batting has been pieced!

Despite this, I've barely made a dent in my pre-cuts, UFOs, or my stash, and I still have a couple more boxes of fabric to go thru and cut. I haven't even touched the roll of W&N I bought last summer! Thanks to my new Nickel Quilts Book, Pinterest, and the amazing inspiration I find here on this message board, I already have a slew of ideas for many more quilts using what I already have.

It was kind of a magical moment for me. I felt myself relax. I was no longer mentally making calculations as to how much fabric I could realistically afford to buy while simultaneously imagining what quilt patterns it would be perfect in, and thinking about who I know that would love this potential quilt. I stopped making rationalizations about how this or that fabric *might* go well with something I have in my stash, and I quit looking around for other fabrics that coordinated.

For the first time, I just wandered around and enjoyed looking at the fabrics around me the same way I might go to a museum or watch the sun set, for no other reason than for the sheer pleasure of it.

Quilty-wise, I only bought what I needed. I did decide treat myself to two yards of fleece with penguins on it to finally make myself the robe I've been wanting for years. Much to my surprise, when my mother went to reimburse me for the fabric for her quilt, she told me she would pay for the fleece too! Woohoo!

Eve de La Garouste

Just curious. How many of the folks that joined last year were able to make it through November?

it's February 18th, and I did'nt buy any fabrics this year

Teen

JJ....lovely story of enlightenment. So very proud of you....and will look forward to the beautiful quilts you create from stash.

Eve...I wasn't a member of the board last year but I can speak to this year....I bought fabric (precuts) at the Road to Calif. and 1 of 5 fabrics needed for the Baltimore Album quilt I want to do, which was the only fabric I committed myself to buying. I will say, in the past prior to making this commitment, I bought fabric for "whatever" every week. Enough that my LQS had a luncheon in December for her top 10 customers (ones who spent the most) and I was one of them...yikes! So, this has curtailed my purchasing immensely. Good for you on your success, as well.

petthefabric

Shopped stash for charity quilts and easily found 6 quilts. Already cut strips for 2 quilts.

rryder

Petthefabric- good job!

Eve-third year here for me. I still sometimes fall off the wagon, but I’m much more mindful of what is already in my stash. Now I usually only buy if I need something to finish a piece, or if my stash is missing things like neutrals and lights that I use frequently. Even with the occasional “just because” purchase, my stash is noticeably smaller than it once was and it is more versatile because being in this group with it’s “shop your stash” focus has helped me think about what is useful to have in my stash.

Rob