Iceblossom

I knew there was a crew out there just waiting to share or in need of some encouragement! Glad to see everyone new and returning.

For those that haven't seen my other postings, I'm planning on moving this year after more than 20 years in the same house. I've been working on reducing my stash for about 10+ years, in the "she with the most fabric" race, I had already placed. I still love and desire fabric of all sorts, but I'm finding I'm happier with a less overwhelming amount.

This year I get to put a lot of the things I've been working on to practice. I will be moving fabric, but I will be moving less fabric than I currently have. It's time for me to switch to plastic tubs instead of my cardboard so my first big decision is a brand/size of container. I'd like something about the same size as my banker boxes that will fit on shelves well with easy but locking clasps for the lids. I'm going to buy the number of containers I think I need for my mental vision of "enough fabric to make me happy". Pretty sure I have a bit more fabric than that! Maybe when I am faced with the actual size and weight and cost of moving, I might "need" less than I think.

retiredteacher09

Snooze2978: Wow to your stash and organization! I would love to shop your stash.

Here is a top which uses batiks donated over the past years to my church quilting group. They will finish the quilt and donate it. The top measures 60” by 80”. It didn’t put much of a dent in the donated batiks. 🙂. After I pulled fabric for this quilt, I decided I needed to sort the batiks by main color. It took me quite a while to finish sorting but it’s finally done. It really made it easy to start on my current batik top because they were organized.

Bull’s Eye by Debby Brown. It’s a Cutie pattern.

WMUTeach

What a good pattern to use for scraps. So often I see questions about a "man's" quilt. I think this would do beautifully. It could also be a fun an I-spy for a child. Good choice and thanks for sharing with us, retiredteacher09.

Lena1952

I've only been working on my stash for 3 years but I haven't seen much of a reduction yet LOL Does this give you a clue as to how much fabric I have? The past year I took care of my dad who declined rapidly with Parkinson's and dementia, leaving me with little brain power to sew anything. But I did spend hours when not on duty with dad, rearranging fabrics and tidying. I touch every fabric I owned and I can honestly say it helps to have it neat and visible. I have my yardage fabrics in color groups so when I need a gold for example I can just shop that area. I am currently working on a scrappy green top and I am wondering how I needed up with sooooo many greens! Or fabrics in general for that matter. Those scraps seem to multiply by magic. My mom once told me that in order to reduce the amount of scrap accumulation one MUST neuter fabrics before bringing them into the house. I think she was right! LOL.

Thanks for the thread to help keep me on target and to let me know I am not alone.

petthefabric

Lena; sorry to hear of you dad. There have been seasons in my life that came upon me by surprise. How do we deal with them?

Yardage accumulation happens; deliberately or by accident. I've bought fabric for a project then the project didn't happen or I found something better. Into stash.

Downsizing is either use it up, sell it or give it away. Each of my quilts has used up 5-8 yds. Considering I have 000's it adds up to hundreds and hundreds of quilts. It takes a long time to make a dent. First I noticed I could put fabrics back on the shelf without having to wedge it in. Finally it got to an empty shelf. Then I started giving it away. I've sold some. Now it's divided into two groups; give away, sell it or charity quilts is the first. The second is my creative stash for my enjoyment. It's still 000's of yards.

It takes deliberate choices. The joy is in the using and the recipient. I only need so many around my house.

happylab

IceBlossom, thank you very much for hosting this thread this year. FYI, I’m in again this year.

My goals this year:
1. Go through my stash and finish the project.
2. I have several projects I plan to start this year and plan to use my stash only.
3. Plus quilt some of my UFOs, which will use up some of my backing stash.
4. Finally have my out numbers be larger than my in numbers for yardage. Yes I’m counting my BHMQ-21 (this year), as part of my stash use for this year. I plan to keep track of my yardage each month. I will count it as I fully complete my project.

Happy sewing/quilting everyone.

elly66

I'd like to join. I took the year off and from the look of my quilt room I shouldn't have. Really need to get this stash under more control. Thanks for moderating ice blossom.

retiredteacher09

WMUTeach: Thank you for the compliment and I agree it would be a good man’s quilt or I Spy.

happylab: I have kept track of yardage out/in for several years. I did bring home a lot of fabric from my church group in December but I don’t count that fabric as an ‘in’ because I didn’t buy it. 🙂

jmoore

I like the idea of keeping track of yardage…now would be a good time to start as each January I go through and reorganize my stash. I spent a half hour yesterday organizing my modest half yard - yard sizes by color. I will definitely start keeping track of what goes out as that seems easier.

I was fortunate to find a piece of backing in my stash for my BH Frolic quilt that works “good enough.” This is my only UFO and I am tired of looking at it so I just want to get it finished and donated or gifted. You can see the dark blue on the roll bar…

craftymatt2

I just need to be a better listener, everytime I say i will not buy more fabric, I buy more, I need help, serious help, LOL