November 07, 2010

Stash Report of Sorts

I enjoy reading Judy's Stash report every Sunday. I think she intends for participates to report "stash reductions". Or maybe it's increases! Or maybe it's a motivation tool to make us more accountable for fabric that sits in your sewing space, unused. I'm not sure how it all really works.

I just know I don't have any organized type of fabric accountability going on in my sewing life at the moment, or how much yardage I may buy in a week or a month even. Maybe I should though.

This past year I did purge a lot of fabric from my sewing space. Bags and bags of it. You probably remember that posting. Then I reorganized what was left. It certainly was a self revealing moment in my life to go through all those fabrics I had purchased over the years. When I was done, I couldn't decide if I was happy, or depressed.

Here is what I have now with no rhyme or reason. I just couldn't part with it. There is more than you see in these pictures. There is a drawer with nothing but Civil War prints in it, and top shelf in the closet is loaded with backing fabrics, and there are plastic bins with fabrics & patterns all organized together ready to be cut. There are quilt kits too---a whole shelf full of quilt kits! So, perhaps I should refer to this as the "tip of the fabric iceburg"?
Three plastic drawers of fat quarters and some half yard pieces of fabric too.















And here are more fat quarters of batiks and 30's prints.
















and more fat quarters here in this drawer. If I see, buy or create from left overs another fat quarter. Smack me please!



These are yards of fabric. Somewhat organized into colors or themes.



I wonder if this qualifies as "Stash Reporting". I haven't a clue as to the amount of yardage here, and honestly I probably don't want to know. When I use some of it, I don't know how much I'm using either. I just know when it's gone, or if there is a little bit of it left I throw it in the stacking baskets under my cutting table, or into the trash bin next to it. My aim is not very good sometime and then it's on the floor too! When the fabric basket is overflowing I dump it all into a plastic bag and give it away. I figure since it's been in this state of unorganization for months, and I haven't found a use for it, it's probably not worth keeping. Once in a great while I will dig around in the bin looking for strip that caught my eye which is hanging over the edge, or I feel in the mood to cut 2-1/2 strips from some of the left overs there ala' Bonnie Hunters "organize your scraps" idea. But, my organized strips and cut bins are overflowing too right now.

Used this Week:
Used year to Date:
Added this Week:
Added Year to Date:
Net Used for 2010:




4 comments:

onlymehere said...

I did this a year or so ago with the knits I have. I used to sew my kids t-shirts and pajama pants and such and used knits. I never sew those now that the kids are older. I kept some fabric to sew for my grandbabies but I still haven't used it and the oldest grandbaby is 2-1/2. I know though if I get rid of it that I'll find a use for it and wish I had it! I say as long as you're using and loving your fabrics then you're okay to leave a few there to just love and admire, lol! Works for me!

Rebecca said...

OMGOODNESS!! I know where I go for fabric ...lol and I thought I had a big stash. Can I come over to play???

correspondent said...

Hi there,

I came across your blog and thought I'd let you know about Space Bag vacuum-seal storage products. They could really help you organize your extra fabric. The bags are airtight, so they will compress your fabric down to a manageable size and protect it from dirt, mildew and bugs.

Feel free to visit www.SpaceSaversCommunity.com for a discount on Space Bag products. The Space Savers community also has articles with tips for getting organized and saving space around the house. Just use the "contact us" form on our website if you need to get in touch.

Best,
Space Savers community correspondent

Candace said...

I like how you have your fabrics organized. I especially like the little bolts of yardage. I am trying to get things finished and then get 'really' organized in my sewing room, and I am getting some ideas from your methods.