I’m trying to finish the binding on a ( Christmas quilt) my (left thumb is giving me grief) but, I used 18 1/2 yards of stash fabric for the top and a 3 1/2 yard 118” wide backing I also had. All I had to purchase for this quilt was a king size batting.
ive been going through things, and trying to put together a plan for the new year. I do have totes of scrap batting I’m going to try to start using up too... 2020 moratorium here I come. ;)

Last weekend at LQS anniversary sale (10th) I bought 10 FQ's, picking neutrals and grays. Started a chemo quilt and am using almost half of them in it, the rest stash...Win win.

Congrats, CK on the usage of what's on hand. I used up some odd pieces of batting too on some of the last quilts I made. I still have 4 to quilt, but they can wait. This week is prepping for 2 of the DGKs coming for the weekend to do our annual gingerbread party. I usually have all 6 here, but the 2 younger ones, 15 & 18 are no longer interested. The 2 oldest, 24 & 28 are out west and not coming home for Christmas. So that leaves the 2 locals, 21 & 24. They don't want to mess with tradition, so party we will have, even if it is only the 3 of us. So I need to get food in and clean up the house a bit and make up guest beds.

I am also gathering my thoughts for the 2020 moratorium. I managed to fight past all the bargains, only fell to a couple. Bluprint had some great deals on some batiks, and I got some bamboo knitting needles for $2 each for circulars. And I ordered dish rag yarn from createforless.com for the year's upcoming knitting and crocheting for next
Christmas charity giving.

I have a friend who did this for all of 2018. She did not buy one single piece of fabric and made a nice dent in her stash. She loved doing it, but couldn't wait to buy a piece of fabric!

petthefabric: Way to go using stash this month especially.

oksewglad: Yes to a win, win!

I worked a total of 12 hours over a weekend at a LQS for the owners because they gave their employees the weekend off if they wanted to attend their daughter’s wedding. It was exhausting. However, when I get paid, I will support the LQS by spending my earnings there. Lol! I’m making a list of things I would like to buy. Some of the money will go towards fabric for my first grandchild (boy) due mid February.

Congratulations on the new baby! Grands are the greatest.

Have the tumbler blocks (6" cut) all cut out and the first 4 rows sewn. I figure I will have 4 7/8 yds in the top and binding using just 2 fq's of my new purchase or 4 3/8 yds of stash. When local box store was selling out last spring I bought some nice fleece blankets for $12. Will use one of them for the soft backing, but not included in my yardage usage.

Another top done from stash. I really like my Crazy Quilt die and am glad that I made kits over Labor Day. It makes it easy to grab a kit and sew.

66” by 80”. I don’t know why I didn’t get my math right for the border widths. I rechecked my math several times but I guess the mental part of my math wasn’t up to par this afternoon. Lol! Oh well. I’m going to leave it too narrow for the width (should be 70”) and I cut the length down. Ready to give to my church group to finish and donate.

p.s. The border fabric needs a good press. :) It wrinkles easily.

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Oh the "irony" of it! Seeing how quick you've turned out tops, I need to make up some kits too. Great idea!

retired, the brights really pop on the gray!

I have been inspired by reading this thread to join in 2020. I have been quilting for under three years and don’t have a huge stash at all. Imagine my surprise when I did an inventory in the summer and found I had enough fabric for 30 quilts! Reading all the posts here from members who have containers upon containers of fabric has scared me straight!

I have made every mistake in the book as far as my buying habits. First I went nuts with FQs.....if I loved the fabric I bought it. Busy, colorful fabrics.....that did not go together. FQ bundle on clearance? Mystery FQ bundle? I could always use the ones I didn’t like in scrap quilts. Then the LQS guilt purchases. I couldn’t leave the store without purchasing something. Often this ended up being a charm pack. Why?! Then I discovered online deals. How many purchases were rationalized due to clearance prices. And then there were the ‘I’m already paying for shipping so I might as well add this item’ or......’I just need two more items to get free shipping’. And finally the panic buys....buying more of fabric I already had because I didn’t have a project in mind when the original purchase was made and I was worried I might not have enough when I made up my mind.

The end result is I own a lot of fabric I like but don’t love and have to struggle every time to find a suitable project for what I have purchased. I hate churning out a top I do not love just to use up some of my impulse buys.

I will need to make some purchases.....I have only enough backing and batting to finish about a dozen quilts.

I am determined to use up what I have and when I finally do I am determined to have a pattern in mind for future purchases......and then buy what I love, at full price if necessary, as in the end it will be less expensive than impulse buying sale fabric.

Here’s hoping for resolve and self-discipline in the new year!