OOPS, Stash no long fits allotted space

I have spent so much time helping my quilt club this year and working on a couple of large hand quilting projects that I have not been able to dwindle down my stash. I have two bookcases, several project boxes, and some fabric drawers allotted for stash fabrics, and that is really all I want to have because I am working on decluttering my house. (Notice in picture how the top shelves still have space. I can't reach them. I have to wait to a son comes home on weekends if I need something from there. I don't get on step stools or ladders when I am by myself.)

When I went to the quilt show last weekend I was really good and only bought one really beautiful kit to make a Kaffe Fassett Carnival S Block quilt and the backing fabric, two fat quarters, a 3 yard kit for a Christmas gift, a Happy Day gift (already given) and a Project Linus kit. All which fit in the project boxes I recently emptied.

The problem came when I took my coupon for a free fat quarter over to Fabric Fanatics. A quilt shop totally dedicated to batiks, and my favorite of all LQS. They had grab bags of 40, 2.5 inch strips for $8.00. A $30.00 value. I bought four bags. When I got home and opened the bags (they were sealed with several rounds of packing tape) the strips were so beautiful I couldn't wait for them to open on Monday so I could call and purchase the rest of the bags. Turns out they had 4 left. So now here I sit with 320 strips and no place to put them. I am currently looking around the house for a nice basket. I figure I could wind the strips up into the basket until I am ready to use them.

I am determined not to work on any of my projects until the group quilt is done. We still have 4 blocks, a row of leaves, and 1/3 of the inner border to finish hand quilting. Then I will bind it. My hope is to finish it before I leave on a cruise Sept. 1 so that when I come back all my quilting time is for ME. ME, ME, ME!!!! Well, really for me to make Christmas gifts, but that is for me since I like to do for others.

Ya know what?? I think several of us peeps have this problem.. If we all lived closer, we could buy a ware house and fill it.. Just sayin'. I can't stop finding "treasures" everywhere I go.
But if ya really need to down size. Think of me!! I'll find a spot for more!!

See I have a problem with deals like that. I would actually buy one bag, go to my car to check it out. I would then go back in and buy the rest of them if I had found something like you found in yours. It is an addiction. I love it.

I love your photo's.

Even trying real hard to stick to my self-imposed fabric diet, I probably would have snagged all those batik strips as well. Great price for them. I'd love to see a quilt shop dedicated to batiks out here.

I have a solution for you. Looking at your bookcases it looks like you could add another shelf or two. This would make room for your new strips and a little extra. ;)

:icon_rofl::icon_rofl::icon_rofl::icon_rofl::icon_ rofl::icon_rofl:Oh no! Too much stash? Is that possible? I'd like to help you out. You can get rid of some of that by sending it my way. I still have a Betty meager stash and my cupboard needs filling. Hehehehe! :icon_rofl:

I'm willing to help you out with your problem too. My home address is in a private message to you. :icon_rofl:

You can send some of it to me too.

I read the first part of your post to my son (aged 13) and pointed out my stash storage areas as I read it out. I've got the same problem, but I've been clearing away items from my house that I no longer use so I now have some space for your stash!

LOL...I would post my address like the others but I must confess that I am organizing my personal stash! lol My dilemma is my health and my taste has changed over the last couple of years. I just don't want to work with some of my stash any more and I've decided that my time is unknown. Therefore I'm destashing what I'm not liking to work with any more, selling it off. I have my personal NICU/PICU stash, donated stash, then my keep stash by mfg/designer/series. It's very refreshing to purge...

The part of your post about clearing away items you don't need or no longer use.....I am/have been doing exactly the same thing! :D Moving things that I need or really want to keep from one room to another to make room in my sewing room. Now if I could just talk my DH into getting rid of that monstrosity of a treadmill that sits smack dab in the middle of my sewing room I would be a happy camper (quilter)!!

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Originally Posted by Sheena

You can send some of it to me too.

I read the first part of your post to my son (aged 13) and pointed out my stash storage areas as I read it out. I've got the same problem, but I've been clearing away items from my house that I no longer use so I now have some space for your stash!

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I wouldn't have been able to leave the batik strips either...batiks are my weakness. It looks like you are really organized already, maybe find room for another bookshelf?

Oooh I am so jealous of your great find!

I was in a World Market store this week, and I don't know if you have one of those near you, but they had some beautiful baskets!

Susan

Thank you all for your great suggestions. I still haven't put the new items away. I am still looking at them.

It does look like I have space for another shelf, but I really don't the way the bookcase is made.

I could buy a new basket at World Market but that is bringing in something I won't need once I use the strips.

The true solution is to find time to quilt more and use up the stash. If only there were three extra days in a weekend.

sounds like a good problem...cant wait to get back at it..youll have room in no time :)