Basically I think its all okay as long as we are mindful of what we are doing, its that impulsive stuff that gets into the most trouble. And using stash is the best. Its mostly guidelines to help us think and pay attention. I think its fun to see how people are using stash more, avoiding buying and rethinking things, everyone is doing such a good job.

I counted my completions since the first of the year, and I have made 14 quilts so far, with 2 more to be assembled. All of them have been from some form of stash, with only a couple backings purchased. My stash of precuts has slimmed down a little, but there are still too many to count. I guess I need to start staying up at night instead of sleeping.:D I don't have a problem with stacking up tops to save for a "rainy day", since I have my own longarm to quilt my quilts. I make sure I quilt them as soon as they are finished. I have a friend who loves to do bindings, so she binds my quilts, and I quilt hers.

Hi grann, it sounds like you are on the fast track of reducing your stash!! And what a great deal you have with your friend! It's a super win-win for both of you!

What a great idea!

The only problem I have with the deals with my friends is that the one quilty friend that I sew with buys me fabric when it is a good price, in exchange for my quilting her quilts. She and I have pretty much the same taste, so I usually love the fabrics she brings me. But it is not helping to reduce the stash. I have started looking at my stash to find a backing fabric and then search for something to go with it. It is working well so far.

I too have been looking at stash the same way gof6. Or I will look at larger pieces that are suitable for a wider (6") border or two and build the a controlled scrappy around that.

Conchalea, you are too funny! :D

[QUOTE=Conchalea;8243591] Buying fabric to hoard & pet & croon 'my precious' to is what we're trying to avoid. Use it before we lose it!

The thrift stores have not been giving me fabric this past week, the hubby however has scored on some new shirts. They shut the plant down for the entire weekend so we had more time together than we had thought over the weekend which means I had less time to sew, but fortunately for me, I have no deadlines and love spending time with the hubby.

So I am where I planned to be on the purple quilt, which isn't quite the same as where I had hoped to be but still made it through all of the stage. Just finished pressing the last 8 sets of sub-units. Today at group I'll be pinning the purples to the sub-units, which will finally make complete quarter blocks, it will go fast until I run out of pins. Don't think I'll have anything to work on while I'm at my mom's so maybe I should grab my knitting time waster. Short form of the story: I bought yarn at the thrift store so that I could knit during the middle of the night when my insomnia was bad and I can't see because my specialty contacts are out and I am fully legally blind. Nothing fancy, just single knit stitch not overly well done. I'm actually pretty impressed with myself for knitting while blind, but it is just something to do and will eventually be a dog blanket.

I'm feeling a bit like a revolving door since hubby and I went out to Mom's on Saturday before Easter. But I think it was important to do something as this was the first year my Aunt didn't have Easter just down the road and my brother went to visit his long distance GF so Mom was alone.

Speaking of my precious-es, I'm taking that vintage football fabric to show off to the group. Usually I'm willing to share but until I know what I'm doing with this one, it's staying intact. I'm thinking I'm going to make my lucky football dress and that I have just enough for a nice full skirt and either a simple shirtwaist style top (but it has been serious decades since I last made a button hole) or maybe just a simple jewel neck line with scoop sleeves and zipper down the back or side. Definitely retro style.

Time to finish packing my bags and car and get going on my day!

Well AnngelAnne, #925, you should be proud of me. LOL. I bought 11 yards of backing fabric. 8 yards I expect to make a set of king size sheets. Once I make them, I would have save 50% in cost. Plus I get sheets in the colors I want. The other 3 yards I will use in future as backing or binding or quilting projects. I just fell in love with the purple fabric.

I’ve been busy finishing up a UFO Afghan I can’t remember when I started. Then I’m working on swapping out 2 blocks patterns on the new QAL = Baskets, Birds and Blooms by quilting the past quilts. We are in week 2. I don’t know how many weeks. Tomorrow is cut out fabric day and the rest of the week sew. Oh I will also start hand sewing binding on 4 UFO projects. Oh well take care.

Oh Happylab, not only am I proud of you, but your comments couldn't have come on a better morning. Working on some inner turmoil here, and reading what you had to say actually gave me some kind of peace and a run away place for awhile, almost as if the accomplishments were my own. As I am cleaning thru my craft room collection, I have one bin I am putting all unfinished projects in. I have a lot. Life tends to get in the way, and though I like my full time job, and need it as well, so thankful for it, it doesn't leave a lot of time for fun stuff. I keep saying I am getting too old to be working so many hours, but life makes it necessary. You write in such a way I can almost see you smiling at all you have managed, and I feel the happiness in your words, guess that is why I found the peace. Crafting is my run away place. As I can't afford much and definitely have plenty to work with, the moratorium has helped in a lot of ways too. Love to see some of your work, Happylab. And to make your own sheets, what a savings and as you said, you get what you want for colors. Smart cookie!!!