I can say that (so far) in April I have resisted all temptations to add to my stash. Unfortunately, I have not resisted temptation to add to my small vintage Singer machine collection. Of course, who knows how the negotiations will go for this gorgeous machine ........

I like your comment about not "adding to my stash". I have been shopping three times in April, but not adding to my stash. I calculate, shop, cut, sew a new quilt and only have scraps left over. I am getting better at calculating what is needed to make the quilt before walking into the quilt shop. That sure makes a difference in what ends up as stash.

Congratulations on not adding to your fabric stash and the new vintage machine. A different kind of stash it sounds like. ;)

WMUTeach, Still no additions to my fabric stash but I am now the proud owner of a 1881 Singer 12K fiddlebase hand crank. So my sewing machine collection has grown. In my defense, I have been wanting a fiddle base for almost forever. Hubby said no more sewing machines and promised to get my Singer 99 rewired so I won't be tempted again.

I have recently pulled a few pieces out, realized I won't use it and I'm starting a bag to go back to Project Linus. The giveaway table is my downfall. But what came OFF the table, can go back ON.

Good thinking, RFF. Consider it "repurposing". :) A good way to gently clear the stash.

I went to my quilt group meeting on Monday night and did not bring home anything from our give away table! Whoo Hoo. The best part is we have started leaving UFOs, in brown grocery bags for someone else to take and finish any way they want. I left a bag and someone took it. Win, win for me! This bag of beautiful elegant triangles and other coordinating pieces was given to me two years ago and I just have too many other pots on the stove to add another UFO/mystery quilt to the stove. Off it went to another home. One loss and no stash gain for me.

RFF..... stay away from the table! ;)

As I am finishing up my "Tropical Eclipse: Eye Protection Required" quilt from tropical prints, I found a huge piece (8-9 yards) of a very nice but poly blend of some sort, hot pink and floral. One of the ladies at my sewing group is going to make matching dresses for her and her granddaughter.

In case you missed the picture in the virtual weekend thread, here are a few blocks plus the border and the calmer back... I will have 5x7 blocks and am making one more extra block before I layout and assign spots.

Another lady in the group is making a top out of flannels and I mentioned I have a nice large piece of mottled grey that should be big enough (4-6 yards, she is making more of a lap quilt size) and make a good back for the fabrics on top. Will bring that this next Tuesday. I don't really like working with flannels -- not so much the fabric but the amount of pet hair in my household -- and as we were packing for the move I gave away a large bag of them. This piece was hiding in the "pieces big enough for backs".

So yardage is being used and going out and not coming in!

Trying to set up my basement for the non sewing things, like shelves for the 500-600 or so vinyl albums and other organizational stuff before we set up the new (used) long arm.

No chance of feeling gloomy in a room with that quilt, Iceblossom! Way to go for finding a home for so many of your stashed fabrics, too. :-)

Congratulations on your new non-fabric addition, Sync, and well done to those of you who have figured out how to make the Guild free tables work for you. I'm still failing in that area - someone brought in three totes of fabric yesterday including some still-folded batiks and tone-on-tone fabrics... I keep telling myself that I don't need it but my arms still reach out and grab it!

On the bright side of things, I sewed on two hanging sleeves during the meeting so I'm that much closer to being able to start a new project using up some of that stash!

P.S. I've learned that hanging sleeves are a good place to use up fabrics from your stash that you can't see yourself ever using... not sure if I mentioned that before here, but it's felt like a small victory to me. :-)

I used my birthday exemption. Nice to see NEW occasionally

That is one happy quilt iceblossom. I love it.

Happy birthday pet the fabric.

Doing good after my purple fabric fall from the wagon. I've been busy sewing and not shopping thankfully.

I have one project being sewn into a quilt top and another about halfway done. I am fixing a few mistakes on another so I've been busy using my stash.

The only problem now is it's time to clean off the quilt machine. I have packed too much on top of it. We are preparing for a yard sale (how does this stuff accumulate so fast?), and that seems to be where we put it all. I have one path into my quilt room and I must say I am tired of that nonsense. A positive in a sale is I have found things in the quilt room that can go. Close to ten yards of fabric I won't use. If it doesn't sell I will donate it so it can be used by someone at least.

My husband's cousin has taken up quilting at 70 and I might see if she wants any of these. Looking forward to visiting with her this summer to see how it's been going.

Sharing fabric with a new quilter of any age and selling some at your sale are two good ways to deplete your stash! Good for you! Yeah to you, elly66! Congratulations!! Sounds like you are expanding the path through your sewing room. ;) I have been there too. It does goes away.....eventually.

Felt I should check in somewhere... have had a few weeks of not getting much done in general but no fabric buying to report!

I got my my "Eye Protection" blocks done and laid out, also got the border cut. Maybe can't quite balance the colors very much but I don't think it matters. This will be for the porch and picnics and car trips and dog feet...

I do want to make some calmer examples and take some pictures for a "how to".

Been having a lot of problems with both my eyes and my contacts, I am past due on a vision appointment. Signs I know I could read easily when we moved here (10 months or so now) are now unreadable... recently have had quite the loss of near vision as well. My vision has been pretty stable for maybe 5 years but requires a tweak every year -- or just to mess with me can have a rapid change period. Think I'm in a rapid change right now. We do have a vision appointment made for me for once the insurance at hubby's new job is active. Will be closer to July than June, but at least appointment is made.

Tomorrow is Project Linus and I have my bag of materials to go BACK on the table. As well as 3 finished donation projects.

Bad news is we went on a family weekend to Lancaster PA and I hit the fabric shops. Got some great bargains - not that I needed the fabric but "it followed me home"

I am noticing a pattern to my purchasing - it's something I "allow" when I'm away from home. Don't know what the solution is because it's part of my souvenir shopping. And it's just so lovely to use and remember where I was, the people I chatted with....

But lately I've need doing donation quilts that are Fabric Forward - simple pieces.and it gets done fast

For those of you who are struggling and need quick ideas for using up the stash on hand, I have been following Hailey Stitches on YouTube. She does simple often patterns that often are charm packs (we can all cut 5" squares) that are easy and fast. Good for donation or a quick baby or throw sized quilt. Her patterns are free and arrive as PDF's that have good directions and that are nicely illustrated. Her videos are clear and would be perfect for a new quilter to follow. Give her a Google - Hailey Stitches. Just a way for getting excess stash out the door constructively. ;)

Here is another one that could be used to "eat up" some stash quickly and easily. They just keep popping up in my mailbox. Wish I had more time to use them myself. After July 2, I will be nose to the needle and creating donation quilts again. (Teaching two online classes May and June.)

https://carriedawayquilting.com/wp-c...ayQuilting.pdf

I just printed out that pattern! I don't recall if it came up on Facebook or on Pinterest. I'm really excited to try that quilt pattern!

I found this quilter and her patterns on Facebook and subscribed. Now they come about once a week or two. I'm not a Pintrest gal, but the quilter may be there too. Enjoy!

I put myself in temptation at my favorite shop but succeeded in buying some gift fabric and not keeping/getting any for myself! It is packaged and taped shut and beyond my temptation, but I sure did like the little bird track fabrics in one bundle...

Likewise, I went to Joann and bought some thread (which I needed) on sale and didn't pick up even a single fat quarter.

Rawr, I tell you -- Rawr!!

Good for you, IB. Now that is a clever way to shop but not add to your stash. Buy for someone else! Yeah!

Hi Fabric Moratorium Friends!

So a few months ago I mentioned this challenge quilt I was doing. It has definitely been a challenge but I have learned so much from the process and I'm really glad I made it. Unhappily, it didn't make it into the quilt show because of one of the lessons I learned so this is my personal show for this quilt. I think I'm going to call it "The One That Got Away From Me."

I tried all sorts of things that I either discovered through YouTube or just random experimentation. Some worked really well - some were a bit less successful but still managed to make the cut. A few trials ended up in the trash. What has resulted is something I really like and it will be gracing our wall as soon as I get a dowel that will work. :-)

Important lessons I've learned:
1) Remember to check your measurements regularly!!! I self-disqualified my quilt by slowly expanding its width by 3" over the allowed limit thanks to my endless creative experiments (finished quilts were to be 16" x 24" - this ended up as 19" wide). I did seriously try to figure out a way of cutting it down but just didn't like the options I tried and I realized I was happier keeping it as it was than changing it just to have it on display at the show. I was affirmed when I went to the show and saw the other challenge quilts - while there were some spectacularly lovely and exquisitely-crafted ones, I think it would have looked like it belonged there. :-)
2) My stash might be pretty small but it is awesome! I stuck to my guns and bought only one thing for this quilt, which was a dollar-store glue stick to help me with the placement of some elements. Absolutely everything else came from my stash - I made frankenbatting and and made a _huge_ mess digging through all of my boxes of fabric to find things that "might work". I think I am most pleased with the three small butterflies that came from tiny pieces I got in a scrap bag at the thrift store a couple of years ago. They were meant to be among the little wedges of a double wedding ring quilt as far as I can tell and were about 1-1/2"x2". There were only four wedges of this fabric and three of the wedges featured these adorable butterflies. I also found I had saved a piece of Wonder Under from the early 90s and that was hugely helpful for some of my ideas. Of course, learning that even tiny pieces of fabric can be useful isn't going to help me destash but we'll cross that bridge later. :-)
3) Stop being scared of trying new things in quilting! To quote the Quilting Marine, "It's only fabric and it's only thread." Maybe I'll make mistakes - so what? I've played around with landscapes, applique, free motion quilting, trapunto, and have gained so much confidence and willingness to take risks through the process.
4) Parchment paper is awesome when you're working with fusible stuff... and when you forget to use the parchment paper, the trick of using a Bounce dryer sheet to rub the goop off your iron works pretty well. :-P

I've quoted my original post below for reference. :-)

You should be very proud of your finished product, Gemm. I am particularly impressed with your sky. We may say the sky is blue and well it is but it is rarely just flat blue. It is all shades and variations of blue and gray and white and sometimes other colors too. The wavy quilting creates an easy movement that is perfect. Quilt on, my dear, and keep taking on new challenges for us to enjoy.

Wow -- just wow!

I am so impressed with your finished project --plus the using of scraps. And the knowledge you gained/lessons you learned in so many areas. Maybe you need to learn a little bit more about how your quilt fits among the spectacular ones! :p

I don't think you mentioned your time line, it would have taken me months just to come up with a concept much less produce a work of art.

Gemm: A beautiful work of art!

Gemm, that looks fantastic.

Gemm - that is awesome! (capitals, bold, and underlined!)

And I feel so blessed being the recipient of it!

Hmmm... timeline for the challenge quilt? I think the challenge was introduced at the end of January? My original idea was a jungle scene complete with a multilevel river with several waterfalls. Many things changed during this process! I certainly didn't work on it steadily - I have a photo of my first unsewn landscape layout in mid-February so I'll say about 2.5-3 months. :-)

Gemma, unbelievable work, absolutely stunning. Great use of stash. I can't figure out how you cut the birds in/by the pond, how did you ever cut their beaks. Wow, very intriqet work.

Well, nothing quite like the prospect (threat?) of having visitors to your home to get some projects done! I've had this quilt laid out in blocks on the guest room bed since before Christmas but other things have been taking priority and being able to keep that room's door closed has made it easy for me to forget it (out of sight, out of mind). Knowing that people are going to want to use that space this summer made it imperative for me to address it and I spent most of the day yesterday putting it together. I don't have time to finish it completely right now - I need to focus on getting things put away rather than extending projects - so it will get folded up and put in the UFO box for now. I know it's not exactly "stash out of the door" but it's a step in the right direction! As is usual for me, most of the fabrics were thrifted/gifted/old stash. I did end up having to buy a couple of pieces of dark blue (the bold polka-dot is one of them) but managed to find those in the sale section of a local fabric chain store).

For those of you who are BHMQ fans/followers, it made me laugh that she decided to use indigo in her last MQ just after I'd decided to use all of mine in this quilt! I've never made one of hers but I'm glad I was able to provide her with colour inspiration (never mind the fact that she had a great trip story for it - I'm sure it's all thanks to me!). ;-) :-P

Edit: current finished size is somewhere around 56" x 70".

Nothing like the clear fresh look of blue and white, Gemm. From your stash, gifted fabric, or from the sale table, your finish is built from crisply cut logs and I like it seeing that old traditional block one more time. You are one step closer to the finish. Enjoy your guests this summer. What ever motivation works to get us moving is good enough. Right?

Great Log Cabin, Gemm :) The wonderful thing about fabric is it has so many uses that are just perfect... so yeah, that would have gone great in this past Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt you show that it didn't have to be used that way at all!

While I rarely make multiples of the same quilt, I just love me some Log Cabins...

With my current vision problems I haven't done much sewing. I did get the Tropical Eclipse: Eye Protection Required (which I consider a log cabin variation) blocks put mostly together, still need to add the borders which are cut. I'm making a tutorial of a calmer example blocks and since my sewing group is cancelled tomorrow, maybe that will be a good day to finish that.

I finished my project to make a good mattress pad for my water bed by putting together two pads. It was a lot more work than I thought it would be, had to zig zag down the edges I was cutting and piece together a part for the length, and deal with elastic and nylon sides and all sorts of issues. Why didn't I just buy one? Well water beds aren't just all that popular anymore and Amazon had exactly 2 options for me. One is basically a flat piece for the top and elastic straps -- I already know that doesn't work well for me and reading comments doesn't work well for most people. The other was I think $60-80 with $20 shipping. Other sites all started around $100 (plus shipping). I had one that was perfect length but too narrow and I had another that was too short that could be sacrificed.

Gemm that is lovely! And mostly from stash too. Nicely done.
I am just continuing with sewing and no purchases. I have a quilt top loaded on the frame and loaded the backing on only to find its too short. So this morning I will delve into my larger pieces and see what I can find.
I also finally started a lone star in purples so between the two of them its keeping me busy using stash.
I did complete a small cathedral window top and have backing already picked out. This project when done will use around 9 yards.

That's a beautiful log cabin quilt, Gemm! Well done.

This thread has be silent for a while so I am jumping in with a small success to use up what is in my sewing room. Not fabric but batting scraps. This week at a small quilt group meeting they mentioned that they needed to cut batting for baby burp cloths. Well, I had a solution. I have a pile of odds and ends of batting scraps that are too small for "frankenbattng" but too big to just chop up for dog beds. Solution... cut them up for the burp the cloths. So far 25 and I still have plenty to double that amount or more. It will be satisfying to have that pile out of my space and being used purposefully. They all go to one of the women's shelters in my town and one of the homeless residences for families.

Good use for batting scraps!
I have really been trying to not purchase any more fabric until I need some for a project. I have found that it helps to not respond to fabric emails! Tempting, but no. However, the local quilt shop had a one day sale of 45% off solids and blenders. I found a line of fabric that I love, so I bought a yard of each color. I do love a group of related fabrics.
Side note: I think I can use the new fabric for an embellished-jewel project as it is stiffer than regular cotton fabric!

WMUTeach- batting scraps can also be used on a swifter

While I had my vintage machine set up for zigzag, I made some franken-batting... multiple times I tasked myself why I was doing it. Main answer is that the blocks I'm suing were thrift store blocks to start with and the batting got moved with me so I might as well.

I'm not being very productive right now, both in terms of quilting and stuff in general. The original vision appointment I made would have been last week, but the specialist left the practice. Still have to wait until July 5. After 5 years or so of pretty stable vision, this is hitting me hard and I'm starting to flounder... still will have to wait 1-2 weeks after appoint for contacts to arrive and am expecting to need prescription readers and distance glasses both :(

Yes, I thought I had mentioned that. Perhaps it was on another thread. I periodically cut a couple dozen swiffer pads. I use one side, flip it over use the other side and in the trash it goes. No guilt. I had accumulated so many batting scraps that It was quite over whelming and I just don't dust and clean THAT much. ;) Now babies can spit up on them and in the wash they will go.

I'm curious about these burp cloths - are they basically larger potholder-type things with three layers still? If so, fancy-dancy and a great idea!

The group I am working with makes a lot of items for homeless women or women in shelter. They often come with babies and none of the little things that make life easier for them. The burp cloths are flannel on both sides with the batting inside. Easy to wash and well, they make the mom feel special her baby cared for. I have no idea who came up with the pattern the group uses. It is a very long oval with a lit of bend on one side to fit comfortably around the mom's neck/shoulder. One of our older participants like to use her embroidery machine to put little animals on one end of the cloth. They are very reminiscent of something from the 50's or 60's. She only does a couple a month. But at 90+ we just say thank you and admire her willingness to keep sharing her talents with young moms in difficult circumstances.

Just finished a Black Whit Grey with a splash of color for project Linus challenge. I used up a lot of scrap...and they still keep multiplying ! Still needs to be quilted. I have another project on the longarm and I've been stalled so... My quilt top production exceeds my quilting rate. But I didn't buy anything... recently...