hopetoquilt

I have recently read many threads about people who are overwhelmed by their stash or others who feel they must invest in huge amounts of fabric to build a stash. Building a stash is not a requirement for quilting. Some people love having a stash and find it incredibly great for their quilting but for others it is an obstacle or headache and spend forever trying to store, rearrange, sell and donate fabric or try to use it up.

I started building a stash with leftovers and found that having that much stuff just made me nervous. I am currently using up all that fabric (and it isn't even all that much) on scrap quilts and have decided to just buy what I need for each quilt. I always buy a bit more than I need just in case I mess up... And when that pile starts to build, I will make a quick scrappy quilt.

Remember to do what works for you. Just a different point of view.

NikkiLu

I went to a garage sale years ago and saw tables piled high - 3 foot high or higher - with double knit fabric. The entire garage was full of double knit fabric. Don't know what the inside of the house looked like or if it had a basement. But, I did hear the "lady" having the garage sale say to a customer or acquaintance: Daddy let Mother buy all of this fabric because it made her so happy.

quiltstringz

I agree you don't have to have a stash! However I do, it seems I just can't pass up a great deal. Most of my stash comes from sales, very little of it I paid full price for. With the price of fabric going up so much I figured it as an investment - course that only works if I use it! Luckily I made good choices and both my mom and I are able to pull our backs and most of the time 75% for our fronts from it. That said it is a lot of work, investment not only of time but also $. Kind of wish I just bought for each quilt as I go along

Judith1005

It is definitely ok to not have a stash. I have a small stash and it takes up way more room then I'm comfortable with. And it does keep me from buying more fabric. 1, I don't have anymore room to store it, 2, I don't NEED it, 3, and sometimes, it does keep me from creating. (Sometimes, just too many choices.) And, the worst, what I loved before, I don't love all of it now. My tastes have changed. But, I am not made of money so I will find a way to use it. And, I will probably fall back in love with it by the time I'm done. lol (Or, at least I hope so.)

I have cleared out my stash twice before donating my unwanted fabrics and scraps to charity. And, I have only been sorry to have given up just a few pieces that I probably can use now. But, that's ok. I just think about all the good that the charity's are doing for other people and move on from that thought.

Do what your comfortable with. And enjoy your the time you do spend creating.

SittingPretty

I was trying to build a stash, but then most of the people I make quilts for have special color or pattern requests. Seems I have to buy, anyway. Also, I used to crochet and designed many of my own patterns and for a magazine. The arthritis in my hands makes it hard to do much crocheting anymore, but I have a large stash of yarn and thread. I think I had almost every color that Red Heart made. I've started giving some away, and some I'm trying to use up with a little crocheting here and there. If I had a large stash of fabric, I could end up in the same predicament with that. I think I'll start doing what "hopetoquilt" is doing. Just buy a little more of what I need, save the leftovers and then make a nice scrappy. I do like to buy remnants, tho. Makes me feel so thrifty! (lol)

lots2do

You are absolutely right. I have a healthy amount of fabric but am trying to be reasonable about what I really need. We are hoping to downsize to a life between two smaller places in the coming years so this is an incentive to not go fabric crazy.

Country1

I have a large stash, which I consider to be both ours, but DH doesn't see it the same. Anyway, he is making his 1st quilt and says he doesn't want a stash, he only wants fabric for what he is working on. We love doing things together but we have different ways of doing some things. It works for us. So if you choose to have a large or no stash, it's personal choice. So do whatever you choose, it's your space, to do whatever works best for you. (DH has COD and I think that adds to he's not wanting a stash. He doesn't deal well with clutter)
Country1

Briarberry

Thank you for posting about this topic. I have a very limited budget when it comes to fabric. I have a small stash and it works for me. I have made some great quilts and plan to make more. I am quite shocked when I see the amount of fabric some people have. I suppose it's what you are comfortable with, personally I'd rather keep the stash down and use up what I have before getting more.

petthefabric

Thank you for starting this. It's really important to find what works for you. I do art quilts that require a little piece of this and a little piece of that. And it's a minimum of 1/2 hr drive to a traditional quilt store. Making an art quilt requires a lot of auditioning. Most of my stash is 1/2 yd or less. So I'm glad to have my stash. And even though I'd not even come close to the winning of the competition (He who dies with the most-wins), it is pretty extensive.

NJ Quilter

No stash to speak of here either. I buy for each project. I'm not into scrappy. I do overbuy for each project so I have room for error (or sometimes I just miscalculate by a bunch!). If I need to do a block for a hug or a swap I can usually manage that out of what I have left over. Otherwise, I use up my scraps on some other, non-quilting project. I just don't have the room to accumulate lots of fabric. And I know, with respect to other aspects of my life, my tastes change over time so I'd look at a fabric down the road and it would fall into that 'what was I thinking' category!