Irishrose2

I was just thinking about this and decided to check - Yay! Gemm started one for this year. Thank you.
I only did moderately well last year. No online purchases, but my LQS has totes of high end fabrics at $6 a yard. When I go in for something I need like a quarter yard of orange, at least one yard of something else follows me home. I did buy a few backings, but I never feel bad about that.
I am making quilt tops faster than I can quilt them. I've had Covid for two weeks so when I feel better, I have to work on my house so that impedes sewing.
Here's wishing for a good year for all of us.

elly66

Boy! The 5th and I finally remembered the moratorium. The good news is that I have been good all the way through the holiday break. What reminded me is looking at background fabric as I have worked through what I had and I thought of you. Very positive that it works that way. Worked on a quilt all from stash through Nov and Dec. All around proud of myself. Looking forward to the new year here.

sewingpup

Sounds interesting. I have been trying to shop from my stash for the last couple of years. Maybe I need to confess when I fall off the wagon! I do have an aging stash with most probably 20-30 years old acquired during my later working years as a reward for continuing to work! Now, I think I have too many to stitch up in my lifetime.

WMUTeach

I have joined two stash buster groups this year to keep me looking at my stash, particularly scraps. Oh, yes, I still have UFOs and 6 kitted quilts ready for me to tackle. I have joined The Border Creek Station 2023 Stash Buster Challenge https://www.bordercreekstation.com/the-stash-buster-challenge.htm and I stumbled on one which is really low commitment and lots of flexibility. Rainbow Scrap Challenge Perhaps one of these will help motivate you to shop from your own personal stash but still make some beautiful quilts.

ibex94

Elly -- I am really proud of you for not buying during the major sale time frame for fabric! Keep shopping that stash!

Sewingpup, sounds like you have a wonderful collection of fabrics! There are folks willing to pay a premium for vintage novelty fabric on ebay if you want an interesting way to reduce your stash.

Irishrose -- i am so glad I do not have access to an LQS like yours!

Cold turkey is the only way I can go if I am going to maintain a zero increase in fabrics.... I am trying to whittle down my promotional emails so I don't see what the new fabrics are. To balance that cut off, I am increasing the "how to" blogs I subscribe to so my mailbox will still be full and I won't feel deprived of quilt connections. My moratorium does not extend to notions or quilting books and magazines. I probably should have a self-moratorium on those, too. I want to take a quilting cruise so that money would go towards that goal.

Have any of you done a quilting cruise? Are there ones you would say to stay away from?

WMUTeach

No cruise for me. I am too "cheap". Tee-Hee-Hee I would rather go to my group's fall and spring retreats. I don't need a big ship and an ocean to quilt. Although learning new techniques from a pro would likely be beneficial to my quilting journey. I have a friend who did a quilting cruise and enjoyed it and found it very organized and tasty!!

beckyj

Before going to Linus meeting, pull from stash 2 -3 bundles of fabrics that would make kits, tie nicely and take. When at meeting offered fabric, pull out yours and offer to trade or keep what you have. Go home with no extra fabric.

beckyj

to male quilt kits pull out fabrics that look good together. I bundle them up together and tie. It should fit in a bread bag size bag. You will have enough for a kit. Think about what pattern will work. Simpler the better

Gemm

I'm so grateful to be able to poke my nose in here when I'm feeling overwhelmed and find so many encouraging success stories and great ideas. Thanks especially to WMUTeach for the links (I looked at BCS last year but didn't get around to it - this one looks like it might work for many of my "bits and pieces," fingers crossed) and beckyj for some great practical ideas for keeping stash volume balanced on its way to being reduced!

Of course, I came here after slamming some plastic lids shut in disgust when I just couldn't get going on a plan... now I'd better go take a second look and see if I have any bread bags lying around! :-) I know I have a few of those sheet set bags - they might be a bit big, but when dealing with scraps instead of yardage, that might not be a bad thing.

Go Team Fabric Moratorium! 2023 will be our year! :-D

marsharini

I’ve decided to join the Fabric Moratorium this year. I was just on Facebook looking at another quilting challenge and thinking about what fabrics I needed to buy and really had to stop myself because I truly have enough fabric to last quite a while. Since I need direction on how best to use all my lovely fat quarters, I’m seriously considering the challenge at The Border Creek Station mentioned by WMUTeach.

First step - organize stash.

Edited to add: stay off Facebook 😉