Fabric Moratorium 2023
12-31-2022, 03:23 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2021
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 589
Fabric Moratorium 2023
Hi and welcome to another year of focusing on reducing stash in the Fabric Moratorium 2023 thread!
I'm the owner of a not-too-large-but-still-too-large-for-my-storage-space stash and have loved the stash-busting ideas, support, and company on this thread in the past and am looking forward to continuing this journey with you. Everyone is welcome, no matter where you would place yourself on the fabric-collecting spectrum!
The following is heavily borrowed from Iceblossom's intro from last year because it covers pretty much everything. :-)
We have general guidelines, but please just do whatever makes sense for you. Although we call it the "Fabric Moratorium" the main idea is to not add to our stash and hopefully reduce it, so any efforts in that direction are worth celebrating.
Here are some general guidelines:
As the year progresses, post your updates here so we can encourage, commiserate with, and support you! Post tips on how you organize and use your stash, ideas and projects you are planning or complete from your stash, as well as your deep thoughts about stash, purchases, and fabric in general. :-)
Also let us know about falling off the wagon, as everyone enjoys a great excuse to purchase fabric! Some members have come up with creative exemptions such as trips, birthdays, quilt shows, receiving the Covid vaccine... I'm sure our imaginative followers will think of others.
Pictures are always wonderful!
As stated these are just guidelines; there are no Moratorium Police here! Please do whatever makes sense for you and your stash. Just start using all that gorgeous fabric in your stash; after all, that's what you bought it for!
Here's to a stash-busting 2023!
I'm the owner of a not-too-large-but-still-too-large-for-my-storage-space stash and have loved the stash-busting ideas, support, and company on this thread in the past and am looking forward to continuing this journey with you. Everyone is welcome, no matter where you would place yourself on the fabric-collecting spectrum!
The following is heavily borrowed from Iceblossom's intro from last year because it covers pretty much everything. :-)
We have general guidelines, but please just do whatever makes sense for you. Although we call it the "Fabric Moratorium" the main idea is to not add to our stash and hopefully reduce it, so any efforts in that direction are worth celebrating.
Here are some general guidelines:
- No fabric purchases "just for your stash" from January 1 until U.S. Black Friday (November 24, 2023).
- When you start a new project, shop your stash first. If you don't have anything that will work, then feel free to make a purchase. Hopefully at least some of the fabric for every new project will come from your existing stash.
As the year progresses, post your updates here so we can encourage, commiserate with, and support you! Post tips on how you organize and use your stash, ideas and projects you are planning or complete from your stash, as well as your deep thoughts about stash, purchases, and fabric in general. :-)
Also let us know about falling off the wagon, as everyone enjoys a great excuse to purchase fabric! Some members have come up with creative exemptions such as trips, birthdays, quilt shows, receiving the Covid vaccine... I'm sure our imaginative followers will think of others.
Pictures are always wonderful!
As stated these are just guidelines; there are no Moratorium Police here! Please do whatever makes sense for you and your stash. Just start using all that gorgeous fabric in your stash; after all, that's what you bought it for!
Here's to a stash-busting 2023!
01-01-2023, 05:14 AM
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Carroll, Iowa
Posts: 3,385
I can still honestly say I have only bought 1 piece of fabric for a backing since Nove 2018. Haven't used much either but did just finished a 47 x 55 quilt for a friend's doggie using orphan blocks, strip leftovers from past quilts and a few scraps from the scrap bin. Hoping to find a scrap backing for this quilt. I've also given away a large tub full of fleece, laces and ribbons to destash the sewing room.
01-01-2023, 07:24 AM
#3
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 2,569
This year, as the last, I will be a lurker. I am learning from you all. But when I am stressed out, I tend to go fabric shopping. I will shop my stash first for project finishes. I have made a list of 12 UFOs I hope to finish this year so if I can do that, at the rate of one a month, I will be thrilled.
Day 1 -- no fabric purchases as of 9:23 CST.
Happy New Year everyone!
Day 1 -- no fabric purchases as of 9:23 CST.
Happy New Year everyone!
01-01-2023, 09:13 AM
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2021
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 589
So glad to see success stories being posted already! Way to go!
I haven't managed to use up any of my stash since I woke up this morning (/eyeroll), but I have had a bit of an epiphany - since quite a lot of my stash has actually been thrifted, I'm working at clearing out other people's stashes, too! WMU's comment in last year's thread about using fabric that is given to her made me think of it. :-)
Love to have people here, successful or not, active or lurking. Looking forward to a fun year together!
Edit: I also haven't bought any new fabric this morning, so there's a win!
I haven't managed to use up any of my stash since I woke up this morning (/eyeroll), but I have had a bit of an epiphany - since quite a lot of my stash has actually been thrifted, I'm working at clearing out other people's stashes, too! WMU's comment in last year's thread about using fabric that is given to her made me think of it. :-)
Love to have people here, successful or not, active or lurking. Looking forward to a fun year together!
Edit: I also haven't bought any new fabric this morning, so there's a win!
Last edited by Gemm; 01-01-2023 at 09:16 AM.
01-01-2023, 10:30 AM
#5
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 193
I'm in. I'm determined to shop my stash this year. I find it odd that as soon as I find a 'new' pattern I want to sew or someone asks for a quilt, I immediately start looking at all the pretty fabric to purchase for the project...sigh. Right now I have 2 particular quilts in mind for 2023 and am determined to shop my stash BEFORE buying anything.
01-01-2023, 10:33 AM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 542
I am in. I have been pretty good the four years since I retired from a job I had near Lancaster PA. (Fabric places galore). Will post My success
when we get back from a holiday cruise where I have stayed clear of fabric shops, et al.
when we get back from a holiday cruise where I have stayed clear of fabric shops, et al.
01-01-2023, 10:56 AM
#7
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Oro Valley, AZ
Posts: 4,114
I have been lurking on this thread for the last couple of years and have been encouraged by every one, so I'll be joining in. My dear Hubby has been very helpful with pushing ...... ummmm ...... I mean cheering me on with organizing my stash so I at least know what I have to work with my quilts. I have added a picture to show part of my stash .... <sigh> there is still a lot more to organize .......... but as you can see I doubt I will NEED to use the services of a quilt shop for a while.
Hmmmmm ...... not sure why the picture loaded sideways
Hmmmmm ...... not sure why the picture loaded sideways
Last edited by Sync; 01-01-2023 at 10:58 AM.
01-01-2023, 11:03 AM
#8
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: West Central Texas
Posts: 2,586
I'm in for this year as well. I sort of lost my quilting mojo the past couple of years and starting in September decided to finish some UFOs and such. I have a substantial stash and was just given 4 large tubs of quilting fabric and some completed blocks. My goal this year, besides working from stash, is to make 3 simple charity quilts a month through September and then donate them to Meals on Wheels or some other organization that works with the poor. That is in addition to quilts I make for our church group. I really need to use up all this fabric. Posting here should help keep me accountable.
01-01-2023, 11:41 AM
#9
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 2,569
Sync -- that is a beautiful stash!
Belfrybat -- donation quilts, if you can get three done a month, are a wonderful way to be creative and whittle down the stash!
If anyone in here wants to keep your stash balance equal but still want new fabric, join the Birthday Swap -- cut up 50 different fabrics into 2.5" squares ("candy" square) to send as birthday presents to about 20 people (so far we have 15). For your birthday, you will be receiving 50 new squares from all your birthday swap buddies. You don't have to buy new fabric but you get the joy of sampling lots of other fabrics. And there are a ton of things you can do with those candies! Here's the link to last year's bday swap with all the pictures of people's bucket list candy quilts or even completed quilts. 2022 - 2.5" Birthday Swap Using candies is a great way to use up your stash!
Am I allowed to tell you all about it in this board? If not, I will edit the paragraph out. I'll pm Gemm.
Belfrybat -- donation quilts, if you can get three done a month, are a wonderful way to be creative and whittle down the stash!
If anyone in here wants to keep your stash balance equal but still want new fabric, join the Birthday Swap -- cut up 50 different fabrics into 2.5" squares ("candy" square) to send as birthday presents to about 20 people (so far we have 15). For your birthday, you will be receiving 50 new squares from all your birthday swap buddies. You don't have to buy new fabric but you get the joy of sampling lots of other fabrics. And there are a ton of things you can do with those candies! Here's the link to last year's bday swap with all the pictures of people's bucket list candy quilts or even completed quilts. 2022 - 2.5" Birthday Swap Using candies is a great way to use up your stash!
Am I allowed to tell you all about it in this board? If not, I will edit the paragraph out. I'll pm Gemm.
