Saturday, April 4, 2015
Thoughts on Stash
Used This Week: 0 yard
Used Year to Date: 30 yards
Added this week: 10.25 yards (Henrique's fabric plus .25 for POD)
Added year to date: 48.25 yards
Net added:18.25 yards
I added a lot of fabric this week. I really don't need a whole fat quarter bundle to make my nephew a quilt, but it was a line I'd been looking at for a while, and I found a good sale on it. A lot of the leftovers will work in my Talkin' Turkey quilt too. See me rationalize. But the reality is: I need fabric if I want to quilt, and I intend to use it all.
Here are my thoughts on keeping a stash:
1.Don't buy fabric unless you intend to use it in the next two years. Be realistic. See how many quilts you actually make each year, and don't over-buy. Too many quilters I know become fabric hoarders as their tastes change.
2.Don't buy fabric unless it is on sale. The exception to this rule is if it is something you need NOW to finish a quilt. There will always be another sale. There will always be more fabric. It is ok to walk away from that beautiful print. There will be more beautiful prints in your future.
3. Don't accept scraps unless you make scrap quilts, but don't be wasteful and throw away scraps. Someone else would love to have your scraps. Be generous with fabric you know you won't use.
4. In a perfect world fabric in equals fabric out. To help with that, only have one kit in your stash. Only have one precut in your stash. If you buy fabric to make pillow cases, don't buy more until you make the first pillowcases. It sounds harsh doesn't it? I try my best to follow this rule, but right now I have one kit waiting, one kit in progress, four charm packs and one FQ bundle.
5. If you bring fabric home, it is your responsibility to use it or find someone who will use it. I don't like to be wasteful. It takes water and energy to grow and process cotton plants into cotton fabric. I don't want fabric I buy to end up in a landfill.
I follow these rules about 80% of the time. That way when I splurge and break them, I don't feel guilty.
To see more stash reports: http://www.patchworktimes.com/2015/04/05/fabric-report-week-14-2015/
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Not only do both of my guilds make charity quilts, but, one also has a freebie table, so, I tend to donate to all of those. I purchase lots of fabrics for charity quilts, and frequently let others make the quilts, since they have more time, and less fabrics. I do seldom buy fabrics that are not on sale, unless it is for a specific project.
I agree with your rules and mostly stick to the same ones. However, I do make lots of scrap quilts and never turn down an offer of any scraps from anyone!! It is a free quilt in my mind, even though the batting and sometimes the backing fabric has been purchased, unless of course my generous scrap givers endow me with large scraps or FQ. You really haven't added too much YTD this year.
I think I need to frame these rules and try my best to live by them Laura. Currently I am turning into a hoarder. And your rule with the two year timeline makes so much sense - people's tastes always change and grow as new ideas and designs come out.
Post a Comment