I have fallen off the wagon a couple times, but was able to get back on and a new determination to behave. I think this end of the year I am going to start some sort of a "fabric diary" that will start with the amount of fabric on hand for a certain project, then at the end a total of the fabric used. As far as using a spreadsheet, I know I would not be successful in using one. My intention is to keep the "diary" right on the corner of the cutting table so there is no "out of sight out of mind".

I am terribly behind on the quilts that need to be finished, 2 actually have a deadline. But this illness has cast me to my bed for the better part of the week. The doc called in a Rx for a Zpac, so I should start improving, congestion has already lessened. Now to just get my energy back.

I hope everyone who has been ailing is feeling better!

Conchalea, thank you for offering to continue with the moratorium next year. It has been a great success for me. I am now able to browse fabric on line without being in serious danger of buying just because I like something.

It's been nice thinking about the past year and our successes and our scores! LOL, it was Juliasb who got the great deal with the Joann penny a yard thing wasn't it? Some other great purchases by others, can't help but be happy for the good hauls. After all, as I say there isn't anything wrong with collecting fabric, it's just that I've collected enough. Sort of. When I'm not tempted anyway :p

I still love and covet fabric. I'm still using up and giving away fabric at a tremendous pace. But it's getting easier not buying fabric just for the sake of that fabric.

That bag of hand-dyes... I thought because I could feel they had been treated that they were color treated but no... as I said in another post they are running like thieves in the night. My car has been in the shop the last couple of days and I've been at home boiling fabric. Since I don't know how or what it was made from, basically I'm heat setting the "stain" or the colors and removing the excess dye.

I start with a prewash of like colors, it removes the starch that was all that was in there. Then I boil a big canning pot of water, takes a long time to get that up to temp. I put several pieces in my large pyrex bowl, scoop out boiling water onto them, and refill the pot. Takes about 8 minutes or so to reheat the water to boiling. So just before boiling I dump out the bowl, rinse it and put the next group of fabric in in. Ladle in the water and then it's time to rinse the last batch until it comes out clean. They get put to the side until all the batches have been "dunked". Then they go into a boil of water, salt, and vinegar for 15 minutes of boil. I don't know what dyes/inks/processes were used and although most of the fabric is definitely cotton, a couple of pieces may be rayon and they require some different stabilizing. After the vinegar bath, again they are rinsed until clean. Finally they are microwaved for 8 minutes on high and again, rinsed until clean.

Once all the little batches are done, it's in for a final wash in the machine. My color catchers are coming out very well.

And then it's time to iron. I've mentioned before that I hate ironing and the dryer just stopped so I guess I'm just going to go iron and grumble to myself.

Years ago when tie dye was all the rage, I went through all that mess. I even died a set of sheets for DH and I. I went through so much water rinsing till the water ran clear, did the vinegar thing to set the color. Then I noticed at a later time that some of my DHs tee shirts had a hint of color to them, finally figured out that the color was rubbing off on the shirts. That ended my dyeing life, no more of that for me. And I think the sheets got donated to some lucky charity. I can't be bothered with all that work, if I don't have the right color in stock I'll find something else that will work. I grew up in the 40s and 50s and having to heat water on the stove to take baths, and having the old wringer washer to do laundry, not interested in going through that again.

As far as ironing,. I got one of those Rowenta steam generator irons just like Donna Jordan has. I also have my nice big ironing table that I used to use for home dec sewing back when I made window treatments for people. Now it is just heaven to iron.

I think I have spent more time off the wagon than on, although overall I’ve done better in 2019 than I did in 2018. The last few months I’ve done a lot better with walking away from impulse buys. I was excited to find I had all I needed for the Bonnie Hunter mystery in stash (full disclosure I did buy one aqua and the green because I loved them). I’m also planning my quilting a little ahead and already know-and have most of the fabric for-my next projects.

the only fabric purchase I have is to get a background and backing to go with the homespun for my sons going-away-to-college quilt. That doesn’t need to be done until next fall so I have plenty of time to research and make a well thought out purchase...no more impulse buying for me! (Fingers and toes crossed)

I think I only made two impulse purchases and I used half of one for the sunflower quilt. The other is the most expensive fabric I have ever bought, so I really need to it after Christmas. It will be a quilt for me - the two color bargello - so that's even more reason to use it.

Thanks,Conchalea, for all your work. This moratorium has been great for me. The only fabric purchases for me this year were those to finish projects and that gorgeous Split Rock panel, which is becoming a wall hanging right now. Being mindful about purchases is the most important thing for me, and shopping my stash first. Strangely, I am not counting down to Black Friday and the end of the moratorium for this year. If there is a great price on solids, will get some silver for the background of my Sugaridoo quilt.

I've enjoyed everyone's efforts to use stash this year, & sympathized with falls off the wagon. Today my younger daughter took me to a quilt shop very close to my house. We didnt even know it was there until she had it pop up on her FB feed. It's very close to my house (almost dangerously so!) My birthday is in 3 weeks & she bought me a science FQ & a ziploc baggie stuffed with scraps. Last night I sewed 8 string blocks & my longer strings were running low. Now I have a few new ones! I plan to cut shapes from these string blocks to make some patchwork-looking wall hangings. I saw some on Pinterest & got inspired.

Conchalea, please post a link to the patchwork looking wall hangings. They sound interesting. Or, you peaked my interest. lol. Congrats on your pre-birthday day with your daughter. It sounded like fun.

Those are cute Conchalea! Thanks for leading us through the year.
Iceblossom that's quite a process. Surely the color catchers should be pristine:).
While I think I've done pretty good for the year, I'm thinking it would be good to have a written accountability too so will find a place to tack up a piece of paper in my quilt room that I can easily see (and not lose:)) at least with the amount of yards from my falls.