We all talk about our need to amass fabric. So please confess your dirty little pleasures for fabric purchases or aquisition.
Do you plan your purchases for each project? Do you buy on impulse? Do you wait for a sale?
Where is your favorite place to shop?
What's your best bargain or purchase that still makes you smile whenever you think about it?
Tell us -- how many yards of fabric do you estimate is in your stash?
Any advice on maintaining a stash?
12 comments:
De-lurking to talk about stashing...
My favorite stash buys are shopping the end of bolt bins at a well-known quilting retailer in the next state. I find many popular current fabric pieces for a lot less.
I like combining coupons with sales both online and in-store, too.
When I see a fabric or group of fabrics, I "know" what it will become immediately. If I'm not going to use it, then it gets stashed for use later.
Beautiful, heavy-weight, natural linen, 60 inches wide. I got it for $2/yard at IKEA!!! It's my favorite. I bought as much as could fit in my suitcase. . . and I still smile every time I think about it!
I have bought way too much fabric on impulse, so my stash is bursting at the seams... lol I worked in a fabric store for 3 years - and seldom had any paycheck to show for it!
I mostly buy fabric now with a specific reason or purpose - mostly to supplement or finish a current project.
My latest burst of stash building is from shopping at thrift stores. Our local store has 29-cent racks. I pick out all the silk, linen, and wool that I can find, take the clothing home, wash them all regardless of care instructions, then throw on a movie or two and spend a relaxing evening deconstructing them. It's a great way to build my natural fiber stash at fabulous prices!
My only stash building these days consist of white fabric to paint or dye and those lovely sheers, found in the gown section of Joanne Fabrics! I use the sheers as overlays to mimic water, sunlight and special effects for my painted cloth!
I love buying specialty fabrics at quilt shows, such as hand-dyes, wools, silks, etc. I love to be able to see and touch them before I buy. I also find lots of 100% wools at the thrift shops--it's really hard to pass one buy while driving around the countryside...
I don't havea huge stash, as I tend to buy and use, but I'm sure I have 50 yards of fabric right now. And 30 projects going as well...lol...
All you have to do is to look at my workspace posted awhile back on my blog to see how my "collection" now owns me. I have been collecting for years and never pay full price:)
Wow, this couldn't have come at a better time...I just posted on my blog that I am DETERMINED to clean my studio, which must include de-stashing!! there is no room to work, therefore, I have no choice, lol!!!
I am starting with my ribbon and lace....
Figure I should start small!
I rarely shop with a purpose in mind, which explains the chaotic amount of mis-matched fabric!!!
About 6 years before I started quilting or had used a sewing machine, I had the opportunity to spend 4 weeks in Hongkong. It was pure magic. I returned with several large pieces of beautiful silk fabrics, and no idea what to do with them. A few months ago I used a little bit of it for the first time. These silks are definitely my most loved fabrics.
Lorchen
I am in purging mode. (Anyone who wants to purge but keeps procrastinating about it, just watch one of those TV shows about hoarders. I did and scared myself. I could see myself being featured in a few years if I didn't nip it in the bud.)
I can't concentrate on making art when I have too much clutter around (things that I will never use) distracting me. I am determined not to buy new without ridding myself of part of my stash, either by making something with it or giving it away.
This week I gave away 10 quilting books, a large bag of yarn, and at least 30 yards of fabric It went to the thrift shop, SARAH's Cupboard. These are good-selling items in this particular shop.
I then bought three 1/4-yard pieces of fabric for a quilt I'm making as a wedding gift, and two new art quilt books.
I had thought of trying to sell part of my stash on e-bay, but I just can't be bothered. It makes me feel good to give my stuff to a worthwhile organization. SARAH helps mentally and physically handicapped persons on the Connecticut shoreline.
And I feel good about getting more organized.
I am a dyer, seriously, so stash just takes on a whole new meaning.
But my best deal ever was for embroidery threads - a whole store full! Just happened to be at the right place at the right time - the ex-owner of a recently defunct commercial embroidery shop was storing her remaining stock in the warehouse of the company I "work" for, and one day she was informed she had to get her stock out of there immediately. I bought the whole thing for less than the cost of 10 yards of fabric!! I filled the back of my Cherokee 3 times, top to bottom, side to side, to get it all home that day. That was a real fun day!
I am still working through stash I have from the mid-1970's!!! But I continue to buy. My favorite buy was 1.5 years ago when I bought am entire bolt of yummy tan/brown print for my DJ quilt. I bought way too much... but I am in love with the fabric, so it doesn't matter. I'm now at the point where I buy a minimum of 2 yards no matter what I buy. Right now I am searching for a fabric I just HAVE to HAVE for my redwork owls quilt. I'd buy a bolt of it if I could just find it, but nobody seems to know what it is.
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