Quilting Fabric Stash Resolutions
When I look back on the last couple of years, I have changed how I view many things in my life. Like most of you, I have prioritized how I want to use my time. I cherish every moment with family and friends and don’t want to take a single moment with them for granted. I am certainly looking forward to making future memories especially with my grandchildren. Slowing down and enjoying a simple pleasure like hand sewing is also on my list. I am starting my a new English Paper Piecing project that will be my handwork for a while.
As a quilter, I have also changed many of my views on “my stash”. Having been a quilter for many years and because I buy fabric faster than I use it, my stash has exploded into something almost unmanageable. It has taken over several closets, drawers and bins. Even though I tell myself to stop purchasing new fabric before I use up some of my stash, it is hard to resist those little precut bundles of fabric strategically placed by the register. Precuts appear so small until you get them home and have to stack them onto of all the other yardage and precut bundles that are waiting to be used.
This is not a picture of my stash. It is far too neatly folded and in order to be mine. Since the purpose of a stash is to have fabric to pull from for patterns and projects, my first “stash resolution” is to neatly fold and organize my stash. There are several YouTube videos on the subject. I especially enjoyed one by Terri Rowland from T Row Studio. I followed her method for folding my fabric. Once the fabrics were all neatly folded, I needed to decide on a method of organization. How do you organize your stash? A quilting friend suggested the fabrics be organized by color. I liked the idea that all my yellows would be together in one place. The same holds true for each of the other colors – reds with reds, blues with blues, etc..
I am truly amazed at what a wide range of fabrics there are in my stash. Bright and colorful reproductions and Lori Holt fabrics are on my shelves. Even brighter and more colorful Tula Pink and Kaffe fabrics are present as well. This will definitely date my collection but on the more muted colorways, I am finding Civil War prints mingled with Thimbleberries and a mound of cream colored neutrals. And of course there are the novelty fabrics, preprinted panels and batiks. As I handle each piece of fabric, my mind is flooded with all the memories of why I bought each particular fabric. Most of the time it was for no other reason than the fact that I really liked it.
So , back to my opening statement. Being confined during the pandemic was a time that we all can look back on as a true learning experience. Spending more time with family and friends is a priority for me. Having all my fabrics and sewing supplies organized will be a big time saver. But being a good steward of what I have is also a lesson that I am continuing to learn. Now that my “stash resolution” number one is complete, I will be moving on to “stash resolution” number two – finding ways to use the fabric I have in my stash!
Friends have suggested several YouTube channels for me to watch about using up your stash. I promise to keep you updated on my “stash resolutions”. Do you have any suggestions on using up your stash? I would enjoy hearing all your creative ideas. Send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you.
