I Think A Reality Check Might Be In Order

I have way more fabric than I will ever be able to quilt up or make up into garments. I love every inch of every one of those fabrics. I chose them with love and big plans for each one. I am now 64. I don't feel 64 but I am. I sew and/or quilt every day. But there is still no way that I can use up all the fabric and quilt kits I have even if I never buy any more. I have 4 quilts that are not finished and one new one that I am working on. I made 3 garments last week and hope to make that many this week. I plan to sew a box full of doll clothes for my granddaughter's birthday the end of this month and have decided to sew all my own fall and winter clothes this year. I also plan to applique some fall and winter t-shirts and sweat shirts for myself. Reality check---nah, too much to do...........................

Welcome to my world!!!! I'm 67,,, and in the same boat... in my head,,, I am going to use it all up... in reality... not so much,, but still cannot resist a great price... I see a lot of charm packs being sewn into simple 5" square quilt tops...LOL
Try adding a 5 year collection of fabrics from the "home dec" sample books that I was given free reign to take what I want....yikes...:)
Oh and I forgot to mention I have equal amount of yarns as well...:)

Join the Shop from your stash group! http://forum.missouriquiltco.com/gro...challenge.html

I'm working on the Rose group right now, but there is no time lines, just motivation :)

HI Janbee!
I am also 64 and have a whole bedroom filled with fabric and such! Knowing I cannot possibly live long enough to use it all up, I have a pact with my GF who is only 54 that if I die she is to come to my house when my family is at the funeral and get all my stuff out of my sewing room! I've told her she needs to bring a truck! I didn't want my family to know all that I had hidden away! She knows where all the gems are hidden!! And I am to do the same for her if she decided to beat me to the grave! She said her DH will not be able to stand the shock of what is hidden in her sewing room!! We are both nurses and have a bizarre sense of humor!
Good luck using up your stuff!!

Well, I'm planning to live until I'm at least 150 years old . . .

You could always post some of your kits and such. Some here might be willing to buy them off of you. Of course you would probably use the money for more fabric- but that's the circle of life or something, right?

Isn't it like retirement money? Better to have too much than too little? :) And just like money, you could leave it to a favorite cause in your will; or a favorite younger quilter!

How about you join the i don't want it group? You could trade for something like some fat quarters or just for shipping. A furry thing just took over my life but I was planning to take pics for the group soon.

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Originally Posted by verenaerin

You could always post some of your kits and such. Some here might be willing to buy them off of you. Of course you would probably use the money for more fabric- but that's the circle of life or something, right?

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Selling is not allowed on the forum.

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Originally Posted by K. McEuen

Selling is not allowed on the forum.

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Oh, sorry, not trying to cause problems. Maybe a swap like suggested above.

Well, at 61, I've just added to what little stash I had going. But, then again, no fabric stores of much ado close by. And all the itty bitty stuff is out the door come Wednesday. I stand in awe, seriously!:icon_drool:

Just went through ALL my fabric. It was an eye opener for sure. I had so many scraps, I cut them into squares or strips and labled them in plastic bags - then to Good will to be used for crafts or to sell to another quilter. I wound the lengths on comic book boards and placed them all neatly in bins on a shelf in the garage. It actually felt good to do this and I found much fabric I had forgotten about. I try not to look at the DD but some of those fabrics are just wonderful. Lost cause I guess.:D

I keep finding fabric in my quilting room....I don't know how it gets there. I just found 5 charm packs that I didn't even know about.

There have been several days that I just could not stop myself from adding to my fabric collection. And now I have more projects than I can keep track of. :) My plans are to live long enough to finish all projects, I just might end up to being the oldest women in the world still quilting :)

About 15 years ago when I was first getting interested in quilting, I worked with a quilter who was in her early 60's. She made the statement one day that she was not buying any more fabrics or books because she "could not possibly live long enough to finish the projects she already had". It shocked me and made me a little sad for her. Now, 15 years later, I totally understand where she was coming from. She retired shortly after that and moved away. I have always wondered if she seriously attacked that stash of fabrics and patterns.

I'm 67 this month, and my entire stash fits in a 2X4 plastic tub from Wal-Mart. Haven't a lot of income to flash around, so it doesn't grow as fast as I can use it.

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Originally Posted by Carrie J

Well, at 61, I've just added to what little stash I had going. But, then again, no fabric stores of much ado close by. And all the itty bitty stuff is out the door come Wednesday. I stand in awe, seriously!:icon_drool:

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Where in NE Texas are you??

There is a happy medium to aspire to. Go through your stash and keep ONLY what you really love so you can get excited about each project in the future. Give the rest away to Goodwill or church groups or join the I don't want it you can have it group here. Downsizing can feel so liberating!! Provided of course you don't immediately start restocking your stash. I find if I have too much fabric I am zrltressed out and feel guilty knowing I couldn't possibly use it all. This solution has worked great for me.

So, if we collect coins or stamps instead of fabric, would we worry about selling them?

Move over in the boat... I'm joining you :D I'm 32 and have only been actively quilting since Apirl. I've got enough materials for 36... well, now 37 projects!!!! I'm sure that I'll get thru my list over the next year or so, but it seems for every one project I check off the list... I add three more! Not only do they get added to the list, but I plan it all out and buy the supplies. I don't have a "stash" per-say, all of my stuff is for planned projects. I've tried to avoid buying something just because I like it, knowing that I'll end up sitting in my closet for eternity. At least, that's what has happened with my knitting and yarn stash.

I'm going gung-ho and marathon sewing to get Christmas gifts done for this year, and then I've got a stack of no-deadline projects to work on at the beginning of the year. I'm really starting to think I need to completely close down to shopping, reading magazines, watching tutorials, etc. until I get my project list under control. Totally easier said than done, but I'm determined now!

If you have too much fabric it means you're not sewing fast enough.

Really now...is there even such a thing as too much fabric???

I like to have a good variety of solid and blender fabrics, (always buy on really good sales) but do not buy focus type prints until I have an actual project. That's when I shop for the focus fabric, and everything else comes from stash. I am not much of a pre-cut buyer as I just don't like the limitations. I have a limited space to store fabric, and have no intention of branching out to the rest of my house. I am thinking about retiring in the next year, so the devil on my shoulder wants me to stock up - but my practical self keeps it in check - sort of.

I look at e bay a lot, because there are many women in the same situation. They finally admit they will never use all that they have and decide to list and sell all that they no longer want.

I limit myself to buying fabric I truly love and not the ones I just like...I know that if I love the fabric I will make it into a quilt at some point. So far so good, I just hope my hubbie never totals up what it has all cost :0/

There are more than a few of us in the same situation. Just found out that my Guild is having a Garage Sale beginning of new year and I'm definitely reserving a table to sell some of my fabric at = fabric will be priced very low but at least I'll part with some that I'll never use and get a few bucks at the same time. I promise I will not use that money to buy new fabric.