Thursday, December 5, 2013

considering the hoard

FabAnon

on a day when 10.75 yards of my favorite fabric arrived in my mailbox, i ordered some "rare finds" on etsy, and spent half my morning reading about fabric selection and stash building (parts 1 and 2) at blue elephant stitches, ironically i also happened apon yet another of rebecca's brilliant ideas: fabriholics anonymous. she's come right out and admitted the problem many of us have with fabric buying, not only admitted it, but pledged to do something about it! brave, brave girl.

liz and i talk about this from time to time. we joke our friendship is built on our naughty buying habits. well, it did start that way. and i had another conversation with someone (amandak, maybe?) a few months ago about this very topic and perhaps the need for some help from each other in our community to stop the madness and the enabling. rebecca has addressed the issue and fleshed it out for us with some great guidelines for a 6 month fabric fast. i borrow from her page:

GOALS:

- To use the Stash I already have!

- Finish UFOs without distraction by shifting to other new beautiful fabric.

- Stop the insanity of constantly buying the latest and greatest fabric.

- Save the $$ I spend on stashing.

- Destash the fabrics that I realize I am never going to use.

FABRIC FAST RULES:

1) No fabric purchases for 6 months beginning January 1, 2014.   

2) At 6 months reevaluate status and decide whether to keep going for full year.  Evaluation July 1, 2014.

3) Create a UFO list and complete them!

4) Exceptions

  • Backing: purchasing a backing to finish a quilt top is permissible.  However, attempting to use fabric in your possession for a backing is preferable.
  • Books and Magazine purchases are allowed as they are not fabric.  Notions acceptable too.
  • Swap Mama Fabric: if hosting a swap you are permitted to by fabric to execute swap duties, but you may not join a swap simply for the sake of being able to buy fabric!
  • Quilts for Publication: if you are making a quilt for a publication and need certain fabric to execute it correctly then that is a major exception - who can blame you?

there is a link up on her page if you want to join in and pledge publicly. i'm pretty sure know i need to do this, but am not quite brave enough just yet. i'm thinking if i modified the rules a bit, i could do it.

my list of quilts i want to make as soon as i'm done with the kids' quilts for Christmas is already about 6 projects long. and i have the fabrics for them, too. there is just no end in sight to finding more projects and more fabrics to buy. fortunately, i'm not aware of any lines coming out that i'm dying to own. but i'm sure that's only because i don't know about them.

 i guess it's just time to come clean on this. i missed the "show me yours, i'll show you mine" confession link party this summer, so this is where i personally stand with my own stash & addiction:
 
 i was doing pretty well in my bawthroom sewing area, had the table all cleared off and everything stacked on the shelf. but then i cleared out the dining area and it all ended up on the table. there are several boxes under the table, too. no more room there.  i'll leave the actual amounts here to your imagination.

i'm not even going to try to classify all this garbage. the majority of what is on the shelves, i purchased online or at my local store in the first 6 months or year of becoming a new quilter. i just wanted pretty fabric and bought a ton of it. patterns, too. looking at it now, i know there is a good portion of it i won't use the way i originally intended to, if at all.

i've changed a lot as a quilter in the last 3 years, or at least i understand myself and my style a lot better than i once did. i could eventually use all of this, even if for charity quilting, which i'd like to do. but the reality is there is a good chunk i'm not so excited about anymore. i destashed bits of it in Lucy's fugly party earlier this year, but i could realistically get rid of more if i made myself.

my weakness has been precuts (!!!) and sales, online or in person. I've actually gotten a lot better at this, but many of these pieces made their way to me when they went on sale somewhere. maybe it's safe to say that i don't buy a whole lot of fabric anymore, but that i once did and that's my main problem.

so that's the ugly truth hiding away upstairs. let's look downstairs in my public space:

 on the shelves are 4 wicker baskets containg some bits of fabric: liberty basket, purl soho basket, epp project basket, and stuff that just needs to be put away. not much here and acceptably organized.

under the table are several project or scrap boxes: hst diamond project box, 4sq baby blankets project box, epp project boxes (one fabric, one paper pieces), triangle binding scraps box, selvages box, string stuffing scraps box, "paris daydreams" project box, "twirly" project box. each of these boxes is either a project i'm right in the middle of making or is a permanent site for a long-term collection that is slowly building up over time. i'm okay with all of these boxes. this is within the healthy realm, but it needs to move upstairs and out of sight simply for the sake of our home's aesthetic appearance.

oh, there is also the bag (on the right) that contains my pull for penny patch 2.0 and baby boy quilts for my two newest nephews. i ran out of boxes. all of these fabrics are spoken for.

so the downstairs looks pretty good. it's the huge hoard, and let's face this, too - it's a hoard, not a stash -that is the real problem.

if i look at my purchasing over the last 6 months or so, it has become more responsible, but is still on the unhealthy side considering what's sitting around. i almost always only buy for a specific project these days. the three exceptions to this type of more responsible purchasing are favorite fabrics, zakka, and stash-building.

1) i've found lately that i'm coming close to running out of some pieces i really like and know i will use more of them if i can get it. so i go look for it when it runs low. this is fairly intentional and reasonable stash purchasing.

2) my new little collection of Japanese/cute novelty prints for patchwork, please! style zakka projects is perhaps the biggest exception to my healthy buying. i've been gathering a little pile of these fabrics, mostly in fat quarters, for a few months, here and there, online. i probably have enough to fill one project box.

3) i've bought a few quarter yards and precuts of fabrics purely for stash after considering them several times before purchasing. it was more thought out, but not really "necessary" buying.

fortunately for me, i haven't traded any real necessities nor have my children done without so i could acquire all these fabrics. all spending has come from a regular personal discretionary fund of my own. the fact that i can technically afford all these fabrics in no way justifies my purchase of them, my consumption for the sake of consuming. oh, i did have plans for a large number of these buys, but i can't produce fast enough to keep up. penny patch did make a small dent in one corner of the old stash shelf. but there needs to be more of this happening. perhaps what i need to aim for is getting all unused fabrics to fit on my shelving before i consider more purchases and new projects.

so to what am i willing to commit?
i need to work from stash. honestly, i have enough to keep me busy for months with just the few projects i want to do next year once . . . you know, my 7 current projects are done. let's revisit rebecca's list with my comments and modifications in color:

GOALS:

- To use the Stash I already have! check! use the items from my stash that i really love before getting new stuff. i'm gong to have to discern between what i will likely use and what will be put away for charity.

- Finish UFOs without distraction by shifting to other new beautiful fabric. check!

- Stop the insanity of constantly buying the latest and greatest fabric. check! the only things i'm aware of that i really want are the new anna maria horner line and the blender true color fabrics from amh and heather bailey. lucky for me, they aren't moda and will likely be around for a bit.

- Save the $$ I spend on stashing. check! while i whittle away at my stash, i should be spending my fabric budget on some worthy projects and causes instead.

- Destash the fabrics that I realize I am never going to use. i am torn on this one because i feel i can use any fabrics i have for charity quilting. and I'd like to do this, eventually. i will have to think on this more before making any commitments.
FABRIC FAST RULES:

1) No fabric purchases for 6 months beginning January 1, 2014.   ouch! okay. i can do it for 6 months.

2) At 6 months reevaluate status and decide whether to keep going for full year.  Evaluation July 1, 2014. check! great idea! it's not forever, there is an end in sight!

3) Create a UFO list and complete them! already working on this. find some of the cool link parties for motivation.

4) Exceptions oh, yeah, i have some of these!

  • Backing: purchasing a backing to finish a quilt top is permissible.  However, attempting to use fabric in your possession for a backing is preferable. definitely agree!
  • Books and Magazine purchases are allowed as they are not fabric. actually, i have more than enough of these. i'm waiting for lee's vintage quilt revival this month, and then no more until i have begun using the books i have.  Notions acceptable too. agreed! i tend to buy these on an as-needed basis anyway.
  • Swap Mama Fabric: if hosting a swap you are permitted to by fabric to execute swap duties, but you may not join a swap simply for the sake of being able to buy fabric! i'm not a swapper, no issues here.
  • Quilts for Publication: if you are making a quilt for a publication and need certain fabric to execute it correctly then that is a major exception - who can blame you? not me either! however, i retain the right to shop in the middle of a project for more bits that might be needed for that specific project.
  • there are two kinds of fabric that i now know i use that i don't have stashed: low-volume and solids. so i will retain the right to determine if i need any more of these two types for specific projects. if i find any i really like on a bargain sale, i will consider at length my desire for them before giving in.

there. that feels reasonable. i can commit to this. i guess i better go sign the roster.

how do you feel about this, friends? where do you stand? how about only commiting to the fast until either your current quilt is done or for only 3 months? could you maybe at least think through your own habits and decide on some few ways to be more responsible?  i hope so! let me know if you need a sounding board or cheering section.

and thank you rebecca lynne!

11 comments:

  1. I have really been trying to use fabric from only my stash. There are times that I need certain fabric for a specific project i.e. recently I bought fabric for a diaper bag and notions to go with it Notions we always need so that is an exception:) Books I try to stay clear of unless it is really informative and I can honestly say to myself I will use it. (I am thinking of getting Lee's book too;) Magazines I did have a subscription to APQ that is cancelled now. I did buy the recent issue for their QAL though. Oh and backings we all need from time to time! i.e. had to buy one last week for the Metro Rings quilt.

    Sadly my taste has changed over time as well. I have a lot of FQ's that I am finding aren't enough fabric for most quilts or sewing projects I do lately. I vowed to only buy 1/2 yd-1 yd cuts from now on because I have been hunting down more of a specific print otherwise that can take hrs sometimes due to no selvedge being on the fabric:/

    So these are my issues as of now:)

    I am sort of stuck too. Not knowing if I can commit to not buying for 6 months. I do see myself buying Sarah Jane's new line for some girly sewing,but I think I really need to buckle down on a project first off for that! I also want the Patchwork 318 book that is out of print but I have more than likely found a source that can help me with that lol

    It helps that I don't have a ton of money for fabric in the first place! I do have some though hehehe Commissions do help with fabric purchases as well. Hey I cancelled my Solids club membership for Pink Castle too!!

    Anywho,rambling on and on here. Great post Hydee! Hope you get more feedback on this subject:)

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  2. I have nowhere near a STASH like yours ( notice I am not saying hoard. :-) ) The price of pabric just does not allow me to do this here in Europe. ( luckily maybe?)
    How about swapping fabrics with other people destashing? This way your unwanted fabrics will get a new home and you will receive some new fabric, what would feel like shopping but really isn't, and you could finish more projects with the other beautiful fabric you already have. Maybe this way the pledge is more bareable???
    And I personally believe that keeping fabrics for charity sewing is totally justifiable!
    Esther
    esthersipatchandquilt@yahoo.com
    ipatchandquilt.wordpress.com

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  3. What an interesting post! I'm thinking about doing "show me" 2.0 next year so it'll be interesting to hear where you're at with all this then.

    For me it has been an intentional "stash up" year, but now it is probably time to slow that down. I agree with you that sales can be very enticing...

    I think one thing that helps me is to keep my stash really organized so it looks attractive and enticing to me - like at the fabric store! In fact, my 4-year-old recently asked my husband why I have a fabric store in my sewing room. :/ Thanks kid!

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  4. I LOVE this post with your great photos! Your space looks just like mine in terms of quantities of fabric, containers, piles, etc. I've been thinking lately that if it takes approximately 10 yards of fabric for a bed-sized quilt, could I actually make one per month in order to reduce my stash size noticeably in, say, five years???!!! Gah! I am a sucker for the beautiful new stuff, still like my old stuff (except for the poor-quality goods I bought before I knew better!), and don't think I could part with anything at this point. My mother always consoled me that "fabric purchases are cheaper than therapy and give you LOTS more satisfaction!" I repeat this to myself right after beating myself up for gluttony! I belong to a sewing group where we pay $25.00 and get 2 1/2 yard of fabric (monthly). We sew up something - anything we want - and bring it back the next month. It is great fun to see how each person has used the fabric.... so, I can't stop with THAT group! No promises from this old gal beyond: I will TRY to cut back on purchases and use more of stash!

    Thanks again for such a great post!!!
    Liz
    boltonia55@yahoo.com

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  5. You are a mighty, mighty fabric purchaser. I am proud. But even I am in awe of that much fabric and think a teeny tiny break from buying would be okay *grin*

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  6. Great post Hydee. I will be supporting you all the way next year. I am joining up too. I definitely have enough fabric to keep me busy for 6 months, and I have definitely fallen into the trap of "I really need that new line". I know that it has become my big weakness and I want to control it - and use my money more wisely too. And with the fabrics that I have fallen out of love with ... I think put into scrappy quilts with other fabrics I still love they will look great!

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  7. I've now read this post 3 times. I seriously kept thinking about it. For some reason this whole concept is really fascinating to me. I don't have a huge hoard, but I do have fabric I don't really care for that I'm not sure what to do with. I love challenges so I think this would be a good exercise. But I think my goal for the new year is to purge what I'm not going to use, and use up things I'm lukewarm about to get them out of the way. From there, I think it will be easier for me to add things that I'm actually excited to use.

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  8. I'm with Michelle. I've read this post more than once and I'm the kind of quiet you get in church when the preacher is saying something you need to hear that is just *getting* to you.

    I'd love to join in on this but I know that it won't work for me. I'm a bad dieter! As soon as I make myself a rule, I break it. I'm a better lifestyle-changer. I'm more likely to follow "eat more vegetables" than "eat fewer cookies," if you get my drift?

    I think I have a post brewing about my stash attack plan. My stash isn't OUT OF CONTROL but I have fabrics I'm not getting to use and that makes me sad. And buying more fabric is only more fabric in between me and the ones I'm not using, right?

    This is all to say you are so smart and thought-provoking and I can't wait to see how this works for you.

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  9. Having a hard time committing but love that you added a couple of comments to make it work for you. Still on the fence but know I should sign up. I will be watching to see how this all works out!

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  10. I love your thoughts. I am fabric dieting in 2014 too and I can totally relate to your comments about being able to afford fabric not meaning you have to buy it - I use my discretionary spending money on craft supplies mostly, but I have so much more than I need!

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  11. I'm a Fabriholic, too. Thanks for your post, and for joining in on the diet. I will be checking back in, as I so resonated with much of your post on this topic.
    I, too, have enough money to buy, but am committed to "getting all unused fabrics to fit on my shelving". My Sweetie said my initial goal is to get everything to fit into one room's worth of storage space (instead of stashed in 3 different closets).
    Happy New Year = happy new us, yes?

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