State of the Stash 2019

As with last year, my cup runneth over with stash…

My stash (sans 7 bins of cat fabrics, 1 of panels and 1 of Asian prints

)

This year, in regards to fabric, I tried to buy only what I needed for immediate use, but:

I bought several wide backs and haven’t used them all yet… (I have 5 left out of about 15 purchased this year)

I bought fabric for a few One Block Wonders this year and have only made one of them (and it is actually started but not yet completed)… (an OBW usually takes about 4 yards of fabric minimum to make, and I usually buy an extra yard or two so I have the original fabric for borders or a strip on the back).

I have been working on several quilt-alongs and BOMs. All of them required fabric… some of it is now gone – one was sold (I made two of the same quilt, and they provided me so much fabric for each that I had enough for two in just the one kit, so I sold the second pattern and all the fabric for it)… I’ve got lots of leftover fabric from some quiltalongs that will be going to new homes very soon, so I’m not even counting that… but the fabric purchased as borders that I changed my mind on are a problem.

I’ve been ‘better’ this year about not acquiring fabric ‘just because’… I have bought almost no batiks just because I liked them, nor have I been purchasing prints or tonals ‘just because’… I have tried this year to limit my purchases to what I needed for current or ongoing projects… but sometimes I did buy a little too much. I hate having to go back for ½ yard because I was being too frugal initially, and then finding it’s from a different dye lot and doesn’t match.

I think I’ve got a finished quilt stash problem as well… my stash of completed quilts rivals that of some professional quilters who travel around doing trunk shows. I could definitely do a trunk show of my own, but I wouldn’t have a theme or cohesive style to show. I flit from project to project, style to style, technique to technique. Sigh. I need a bigger family to gift all these quilts to, but sadly I was not blessed with a large or close-knit family. My sister and I never speak (her choice, and I have no idea why).  I made her a quilt once, when our parents were still alive and she was still occasionally speaking to me.  She took it.. never really said much about it though she did thank me for it… I suspect it’s probably a cat bed now. My cousins all left the state, one is dead, the other two are pretty much MIA. Most of my close friends have already gotten quilts from me, or are quilters themselves and don’t want any more quilts...My friends who are not quilters have already all received multiples from me. My quilt cabinets (I have 4) are full, the guestroom bed and desk are piled with quilts and I've got a few stacks of finished quilts in the studio.  I gave 12 to Paradise Fire victims, 6 to the Ventura Modern Quilt Guild for the Thomas fire victims last year, and there is still no visible reduction in the piles. Sigh.

My thread collection has not grown considerably at least… I buy to replace and little more (Aurifil is expensive, though I've discovered Bluprint (Craftsy) thread is good too and my 770 likes it better, and it's less expensive).

Machines are another problem area. I bought a used 440 earlier this year (to replace the two 440s I traded in for my 740 three years ago and regretted the loss of. Have I used the 440 yet? No! I bought a 770 (purchased but not yet received – it isn’t going to be delivered to the dealer til Sept or October)… I did at least promise to trade in my 740 for it, so at least it won’t result in an increase in machines… I’m a bit overloaded with 2 FW’s, a vintage White in a cabinet (my mother’s machine, kept for sentimental value, a 1924 Singer 99 (my grandmother’s machine, can’t part with that), a 350SE (my travel/class/retreat machine) and my 740 (soon to be 770, my home machine)… it’s gotten out of hand!

So, that’s the state of my stash. IF you got this far, thanks for reading, if not and you just skipped to the end, that’s okay too. I’d really like to reduce my quantity of ‘stuff’’ again – maybe it’s time for another big ‘stash reduction sale’? I made about $3500 at my last sale, spent a chunk of it on a purple FW, but maybe this time, I’ll just bank it… DH wants to retire soon - it can go into my IRA and encourage him to take the plunge.