Hoping I may still join in. My goal for the past 2 years has been to only use stash but I've found that more fabric comes into my house than actually leaves. Much of the incoming is from the free tables at groups I belong to. I can use encouragement.

JaneSmith, you are not alone in your quest to use more -buy less. I’ve been on the a fabric moratorium for about 5 years. Some times it works and sometimes it doesn’t. But we try. I will admit, I haven’t purchased as much since I retired from the quilt shop. Working at the quilt shop was like an alcoholic working in a bar. LOL I can’t say I made a lot of money but boy oh boy did I buy fabric! And that was while I was on the moratorium. I have no more room to add fabric. As the cost goes up, I’m liking my stash more. It’s been fun to check my collection to see if I find things that work together to make a quilt. And I’ve actually been surprised and pleased at how they have turned out. Here’s my theory: if I don’t like the quilt when it’s done, I can donate it to our community. They will be warm and/or comforted and had the fun in the making. It’s okay to purchase what you need, as I have been encouraged several times by other members. Just check your stash first before buying. Using WMUTeach’s method of keep track of what comes in and goes out of your stash seems to help me stay on track.

JaneSmith: Welcome! I understand about more coming than going out. However, I did use some of the fabric I brought home from church that was in a recent donation. Wahoo!

JaneSmith, this is a crowd, a team, a group of quilty friends who have been in your shoes. We all love fabric and want to shop for the beautiful choices out there that catch our attention. But we acknowledge that we have plenty of fabric to keep us quilting for the rest of our days. Some are still deep in their stash while others have been working on crawling out from under their fabric mountain for years. Welcome to the group! You'll fit right in!

I was so proud of myself this morning. I need to make a 3 yard donation quilt. The focus fabric is a piece from the free table at club and I pulled 2 yards of stash to go with it. Yeah! Later this morning someone came into our quilting workshop with more free fabric and 3+ yards of it came home with me. I can't get ahead this way but I'll keep trying.

Such good thinking.

Why do I collect fabric?
Is it a "rush" for feel good hormones? I think that's addiction. Been there, done that.
Am I rescuing fabric from anialation? (sure that's spelled wrong). Is this co-dependence? Probably been here too.
Storing up for lean years. Is this lack of faith? or fear? Been here too.

Found some fabric pieces in my possession that I'll never use. But I've held onto them. Why? Made a stack to take to the free table tomorrow. My students rejected them too. If no one takes them, they'll probably go to animal beds. They will have found their ultimate purpose. I must let them go.

I'm sure I drove my mom crazy with the "why" questions.
I've been accussed of being analytical. Yeh. I'll own that.

Welcome to the group JaneSmith. We are here for our own reasons which can differ some, but we are trying to curb our consumption or at least collection. Sometimes we succeed in our battles against temptation and for use, and other times we fail. Sometimes we need something to make the other somethings work, or for a project we want to make but just don't have the fabric in stash. Sometimes we need a good dose of retail therapy and have a couple exemptions for those.

We are not very far away -- if you ever come to Peoria you might let me know and stop by to see my "ready to go tote". Won't solve your problems but it might reduce my stash load :p

Well, I went to one of my donation quilt groups yesterday and one of the gals had gone to a yard/garage/estate sale and came home with SOOO much fabric that she brought it to us to make use of. I haven't counted yardage but I did find several cuts that should be big enough to backing. A yeah to that. I did only take what I know I could use in the next few quilts or UFOs. Otherwise I will return the fabric to the group. I am not, not, not building a stash of what I don't want, just because it was free. ;)

I enjoy reading about members using and buying fabric. Plus the members who have restrained from going to fabric stories to buy fabric.

I instead have been buying some precut and uncut quilt kits from quilt stores off the internet. At the same time I do buy opps FQ’s kits to go along, in case I have miscuts. I have now bought my quota and need to get to making them fit my beds. I do buy extra fabric to help ensure they fit my beds. The excess yardage will go to my stash/scraps containers.

A few weeks ago, my niece asked for a Barbie doll quilt for her daughter. I checked several local quilt stores, no success. So I just googled for the cotton fabric and found several choices for the twin size quilt. So I bought the fabric. I probably have enough for the top and backing. I’m thinking of using the disappearing 9-patch pattern on 1 side. I’m thinking to use a panel on the back side with other coordinating fabrics to get the backing to the desired size. Then quilt both tops together for a reversible quilt. At least that’s how I plan at this moment. And if I have enough fabric make a few pillowcases.