afraid-to-use-my-fabric-stash-itis
09-23-2018, 05:19 PM
#1
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Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: New Brunswick, Canada
Posts: 471
afraid-to-use-my-fabric-stash-itis
I suffer from "afraid-to-use-my-fabric-stash-itis". I have all of these beautiful fabrics....fabrics that I purchased for the express purpose of using them, and I hesitate to do so. I always think "Maybe I'll want to use this fabric in a *different* project in the future and I'll have used it for *this one*....". Ack!
Anybody got a cure? A 12 step program? Something???
After all, I didn't get these fabrics to just sit on my shelf and look pretty!
I want them to look pretty in a quilt!
Anybody got a cure? A 12 step program? Something???
After all, I didn't get these fabrics to just sit on my shelf and look pretty!
I want them to look pretty in a quilt!
I pet my fabric all the time. God forbid I should cut any of my favorites.
09-23-2018, 06:04 PM
#3
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: SW Michigan
Posts: 4,748
Originally Posted by NatalieF
I suffer from "afraid-to-use-my-fabric-stash-itis". I have all of these beautiful fabrics....fabrics that I purchased for the express purpose of using them, and I hesitate to do so. I always think "Maybe I'll want to use this fabric in a *different* project in the future and I'll have used it for *this one*....". Ack!
Anybody got a cure? A 12 step program? Something???
After all, I didn't get these fabrics to just sit on my shelf and look pretty! I want them to look pretty in a quilt!
Anybody got a cure? A 12 step program? Something???
After all, I didn't get these fabrics to just sit on my shelf and look pretty!
I want them to look pretty in a quilt!
09-23-2018, 06:22 PM
#4
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Lake Elsinore, CA
Posts: 15,143
We just have to keep reminding ourselves, there's always more pretty fabric in the store.
When I first started quilting I had a very small stash, and I actually used it. Now that my stash has grown to an unmanageable size, I have more trouble getting motivated to search through it to find the right fabrics for a given project.
When I first started quilting I had a very small stash, and I actually used it. Now that my stash has grown to an unmanageable size, I have more trouble getting motivated to search through it to find the right fabrics for a given project.
09-23-2018, 06:29 PM
#5
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC
Posts: 8,095
Perhaps you suffer from my fabric mania - I only sew as an excuse to buy fabric.
It's kind of like money, though. You can't take it (money or fabric) with you to the hereafter. So make sure you do good things with it while you can.
It's kind of like money, though. You can't take it (money or fabric) with you to the hereafter. So make sure you do good things with it while you can.
Last edited by cathyvv; 09-23-2018 at 06:31 PM.
09-23-2018, 06:46 PM
#6
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Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: New Brunswick, Canada
Posts: 471
Originally Posted by cathyvv
It's kind of like money, though. You can't take it (money or fabric) with you to the hereafter. So make sure you do good things with it while you can.
Oh gosh, that's so well said!
I'm so happy to learn I'm not alone!
09-23-2018, 07:18 PM
#7
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 41,458
I have a couple fabrics waiting for that “perfect” quilt. For the most part I use my stash because colours change and if you wait too long, you have trouble finding a out of date colour if you decide to make a quilt bigger.
09-23-2018, 08:06 PM
#8
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Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 9,300
Pick 4---any 4--the first 4--that grab your attention, and take them off the shelf.
Rank them in order of stars---4 stars for your favorite, down to 1.
Take the 4 star fabric and set it aside.
Go to Pinterest or your bookmarked favorite quilts. Pick a pattern that would show it off well.
A sofa size or smaller, not huge. You have stash to move on to, remember!
Give yourself a deadline to finish it. Thanksgiving, maybe. Then start cutting with the finish line in mind.
Shop your stash for other fabrics to put in this quilt. Don't overthink it. That's our problem. Give yourself 24 hours to decide what to do with it, and start cutting before hour 25.
Rank them in order of stars---4 stars for your favorite, down to 1.
Take the 4 star fabric and set it aside.
Go to Pinterest or your bookmarked favorite quilts. Pick a pattern that would show it off well.
A sofa size or smaller, not huge. You have stash to move on to, remember!
Give yourself a deadline to finish it. Thanksgiving, maybe. Then start cutting with the finish line in mind.
Shop your stash for other fabrics to put in this quilt. Don't overthink it. That's our problem. Give yourself 24 hours to decide what to do with it, and start cutting before hour 25.
Last edited by zozee; 09-23-2018 at 08:08 PM.
09-23-2018, 08:31 PM
#10
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 15,912
Never had this itis. I sometimes cut fabric into scraps if I need scraps. LOL I buy it to use so what difference does it make what I use it for. When my granddaughter was little I'd find lots of fabric with a big hole in the middle of it. She used the part she wanted. We should all use the little girl in us sometimes.
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