Happy New Year and no more fabric?

1 Jan

Check out my etsy shop for a great sale; 30% off all vintage sheet fabrics.

OK it’s a new year and I have a stack of sewing plans but I don’t ‘really’ need any more fabric for them,  Here is a idea of what my fabric stash looked like in September:

fabric

It’s even messier now and needs a good tidy but what it doesn’t need is more fabric. So I’ve decided to join in the Fabricholics Anoymous programme organised by Making Rebecca Lyne.

GOALS:
– To use the stash I already have
– I only have a few unfinished things – all paper pieced blocks awaiting inspiration
– Not to buy the latest, greatest, newest line (even if those Charley Harper prints still haven’t made it to my stash!)
– Save the ££ I spend on stashing. My little brother is getting married at Easter and we’re taking the opportunity to have a few extra days in London with the children but need every penny to pay for travel, apartment and sightseeing.  Any additional savings will go towards a family summer holiday (we’ve not had one for almost 4 years).
– Destash the fabrics that I realise I am never going to use.
FABRIC FAST RULES:
1) No fabric purchases for 6 months beginning January 1, 2014 (see exceptions below)
2) At 6 months re-evaluate and decide whether I can keep going for a whole year.  Evaluation July 1, 2014.
3) Exceptions
  • Vintage sheets/pillowcases – these are essential for my shop and therefore for funding our trip to London
  • Backing: I can buy fabric to back the quilt for my brothers wedding gift (fabric for the top arrived yesterday and solids were ordered yesterday) I will however try to use any leftovers from the top for the backing and binding.
  • Books and magazines: I have an existing subscription and will not buy any books or magazines.
  • Notions: I can buy these if absolutely necessary although I have a good stash of these so hopefully won’t need to.
  • Swaps: I can swap fabric if necessary.
  • Commissions – I almost always use fabric from stash for commissions however if essential to earn money I will buy fabric for a commission.

I think that’s it, hopefully I can do it without a problem, there are lots of other folks joining so mutual support/peer pressure will help.  In fact only yesterday I persuaded Amy not to stock up on non essential solids, I think she thought that as it was still 2013 she could do it 😉

Fabriholics Anonymous Button

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12 Replies to “Happy New Year and no more fabric?

  1. Ooo you are brave – I read that and thought about it then decided that when it’s overflowing from my new cupboard I’d think about it!

  2. Good luck with it Mary. Your stash actually seems quite small compared to mine which really makes me think I should be doing this too! I’m not convinced I’d manage though but I do plan to try to buy a lot less.

    I never get time to sew at the moment so I just buy and stash which results in an ever growing stash! When I get all my fabric out to pack when we move house I’ll try and photograph it all and blog it.

    Hope you all have a lovely holiday in London and manage a summer holiday too x

  3. Your braver than me! I really need to stop buy fabric and just use what I’ve got, but you do have a very good saving reason to stick to it!

  4. I’m trying so hard to resist the temptations of sale fabric in an effort not to add to my stash. My weakness is “bargains” so it is proving difficult. I’m going to try a fabric fast until Easter, with exceptions for Liberty lawn from the Lancaster factory shop and a quick look in the Abakhan sale tomorrow.

  5. Good luck with that! Whilst I can commit to not buy fabrics for quilts (I don’t actually make that many of them), bags are a rather different matter, and I have quite a lot of them to make in the next wee while! I’m hoping I’ll get a good few from stash, but I don’t tend to stash that many big pieces needed for bags!

  6. I’m going to join in with this when I get around to blogging. Will ignore that I’ve just bought some fabric (from you!) but actually I do need that for something so maybe that counts as essential not just purchasing for the sake of it!

  7. Good luck! I too am going to try and sew mostly from my stash. I have pretty much been doing this since October. I am due for a purchase of batting and that will be rather expensive since I buy from the bolt. I can’t wait to hear how it goes for you!!!

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