Three Dog Night

I belong to an informal group of quilter's that meets for an open sew date weekly at our local quilt shop and we are getting together in May for a "stash clean out". We all bring fabric, notions & patterns and put out on tables & shop. Last time we did this I got rid of a lot of stuff & restrained myself on bringing more stuff home. There were a couple of things mostly fat quarters but not much. Anything left after the swap goes to a local groups who make charity quilts. I take UFO tops that I no longer love enough to quilt and bind to our local Project Linus where they will be finished and passed to someone who will hopefully love them. I know I will never get rid of enough to make even a small dent in my stash but I keep trying.

joe'smom

It's my nature to be a 'cleaner-outer,' while my husband is a packrat. I have continually culled my patterns, fabric, kits (made up from stash and purchased) and finished unquilted tops over the years. There is no virtue in this; it is just really easy for me to get rid of stuff; in fact, it makes me happy. It helps that I have an accommodating friend involved in several groups who is happy to take my stuff and distribute it. It also helps that our house is small, so there is very limited storage space, and that I have to avoid bending, so putting things in bins is not a temptation. My latest 'rule' to help myself limit purchases is to put bundles off-limits. I realized that it was the group of fabrics together that appealed, but when looked at individually, there was no desire to acquire them. Good luck to all of you aspiring to clear out your supplies!

Onebyone

I took two bins of fabric to the guild fabric sale this morning to add to the tables. All yardage so it was easy to lay out. I am sure I will see quilts at show and tell with some of my fabric in them. Most of them will be donation quilts. Better than see it in a bin for years. The guild made money from it so it was a win. Two bins full out of my sewing room. Hasn't made a dent.

pocoellieagain

I have a large stash although I rarely buy new fabric, but then people will donate sewing/quilting related items to our little quilting group and we go through everything and donate what no one wants, somehow or other I end up with more fabric, lol. I donate 2 quilts a year for our local humane society, and also an organization called Sleep in Heavenly Peace, which makes beds for kids 3-17 that don't have beds to sleep in. Last year I donated 7, in July I will donate 9 or 10, I had 4 more for them but a family in the next town over had a house fire and lost everything, so they got 4.

beckyboo1

I'm on the other end of the stash. My mom used to laugh and tell me "someday this will all be yours". Well, she died rather suddenly and I am overwhelmed with what to do with all the fabric, notions, patterns and gadgets. I have found so many tops that need to be quilted, blocks that came from all over the world from a yahoo email group she once belonged to. I've finally decided to just get rid of any partially done projects that don't have the rest of the pieces nearby. I haven't quilted myself since she died and I have plenty of stash myself so I can't take on most of it. I think you are all smart to be thinking about thinning out your quilt rooms now. Mom just thought she had more time to do it Life, and death, are unpredictable.

Onebyone

My daughter took a bin of neutrals and solids. She has very different taste in print fabric than I do. She makes teacher and church gifts. She was hesitant to take the bin, too much to keep she said. I have no idea how I raised her to think that!

WMUTeach

Although I am not by nature a "leaner-outer" I have learned to take pleasure and be happy when I lighten my load and bless others with what I don't use or want.

I started about 7 or 8 years ago and dumped all of the fabric that I did not like on the give away table or donated to Goodwill That helped with that over powering feeling of chaos.

I spent time looking through the books that I have and....Never used, too complicated, redundant and away they went. (I donated to my library that has a book sale every two months. The quilting books disappear quickly as do knitting, crocheting books.)

I then pulled in the reins on purchasing any fabric. I shopped my own stash first. I only purchase what I need to finish a quilt. Still doing that since just before Covid, perhaps?

About once a year I will purchase all that is needed for one special quilt. For me, that calms down the desire to purchase eye candy that has no place in my stash or that is without a plan.

Acknowledge you taste, your style and that is what you will use because it makes you happy or content or pleased. Consider getting rid of what is not "YOU". Of course, when making for others we honor their "vibe". New quilts/patterns to try? Sure I love to try something new but I make it with a plan to give it away.

For me, the purposeful de-stash process took time. Start where you are and where you are comfortable. When I moved into my condo, I had 7 of the big Rubbermaid bins, and a double wide closet full of just fabric. I am now down to one bin that holds all my white/cream and the double wide closest is much less over stocked. I am at peace for the moment.

Cedar

Im there too and its odd. Part of me is like "This is the quilter's dream. I have everything I could want" and part of me is just trying g to figure out what I have and make sense of it all. I have no clue how to approach it with discernment yet a d actually make decisions on what I will and won't use.

Onebyone

I finally realized I couldn't stop and think about the fabric. All are too good to get rid of if I examine each one. That gets me nowhere and wastes time. I will keep a good stash but not to the amount I have to have bins to store it all.

stitch678

For years l envied those with a large stash. We had a tight budget and fabric for something other than sewing clothes for kids and myself seemed frivolous. I even made a sporty faux suede jacket for hubby. These days, l'm always happy to accept anyone else's offerings of scraps and orphan pieces, even though we can now afford the luxury of " hobby supplies". I love my stash. It's mainly pieces less than a yard, as l've become a scrappy quilter over the years. Our daughter knows the quilting groups l belong to, so the fabric will go to good causes. I make sure l don't bring in more fabric until l've made and given a few quilts. Then l find l'm out of background or blenders...never a problem with my supply of novelty fabric and prints... those always seem to drift my way when people are destashing 😆