Hmmm, this reminds me of the saying, "You can never be too rich or too thin." I guess you'd add ". . . or have too much fabric."

Seriously, the line between collecting and hoarding is when it consumes your thoughts and interferes with other aspects of your life--ignoring personal hygiene, family members, unable to move in your home because of your collection, inability to bring yourself to actually USE the fabric, using money earmarked for bills to buy fabric. Over the top stuff like that.

We all kid that we are addicted to fabric, but I think we all know where to draw the line.

30 cents a yard? Great deal--I hope you do wonderful things with it.

I plan on winning in the compatition regarding who dies with the most fabric!
dian57 comes close to the right answers as there is always room for more fabric, even the ugly as has been proven recently.
Jayne

I do intend to use it, (Lord willing) - so, how many quilts can you make in a year? I read of one lady who averaged a quilt a month - BY HAND! I don't come close to that, but I probably could do one every two months. Wouldn't it be great to use up the last piece just before you breathe your last? To be able to be productive all through life!

Hummmm - how much is too much? Well, if all 12 drawers are full, and the box I store backing fabrics in is full, that's too much, and I make sure my next quilt is from my stash, LOL.

I usually buy for a specific project, but I always over-buy on the yardage, so that my "scraps" are large enough to incorporate into another quilt. I don't save tiny bits of scraps.

I think as long as you use (or have used) what you have it doesn't matter. Mine just keeps growing, but I do use out of just about all of it.

beverly

I was going to say you never have too much fabric, but then Dian57 brought me back to my senses :).

I got rid of most all my fabrics 3 years ago. I was the manager of a huge fabric store 35+++years ago for a long time, and got anything I wanted for free-you can imagine what I accumulated. I moved many times, always dragging boxes of fabric from house to house. After downsizing, and DH grumbling(again) about moving the fabric boxes to get to the Christmas decorations, stored under the stairs, he made a very good point - I always buy new fabric for anything I wanted to make. If I found I was going to sew alot again, I would want all new fabric. He caught me at a weak point and I donated almost all I had, including 100's of patterns.
So, I have very little stash for quilting, I have to buy for everything, the B'day blocks, the Lottos, everything. It is liberating, actually......because in reality, I want to buy new fabric ~lol ~.
I do miss some of my favorite yardage that I just could never find the perfect thing to make out of it.
Maybe I could have gotten .30/yard - I could've bought a new sewing machine for all I gave away!

Oh, I forgot to say - I try to average 16 quilts a year. I have the time and resources to do the Quilts of Valor, and the Quilts for Kids. I do at least one of those a month, usually. Then several larger projects are ongoing for me and for family gifts.

My current personal challenge project for me is a large Tumbling Blocks quilt in batiks. The layout is a bit frustrating because it's almost scrappy, but not quite. I either need to edit some colors out, or add in some colors, LOL. Time will tell.

Okay, so who has been snooping around my house, Karlene?

Collecting fabric is much nicer than collecting old broken water heaters or something. I don't consider myself addicted - I just consider myself blessed.

I think if you have more than you can remember, organize, and effectively 'shop' from, you have too much.

When you have to add on to the house to store it all?

I'm not that far gone yet! I like to shop my stash when I start a new quilt. Makes me feel very frugal, thrifty, and "green." It's funny but my really close quilting buddies and I never show our stash of fabric to each other. Mine is within reason, but one of my buddy's I know would shock us all - LOL! I know that because I'm usually with her (waiting on her) when she's shopping.

Teresa

Forgive me; I do rattle on.

Magothyrivergirl; I can empathize with you. When I was stationed on the east coast in the late '80s I worked, part-time, at a fabric store for about a year. I decided I should escape the maintenance complex and be around something prettier than reports and engine parts for a while.

Don't get me wrong, I loved every minute of my USAF career; it was my "real life," but after catching myself one day with bo0ts propped up on the de$k, discussing should-be-kept-quiet TDY escapades with "the guys," and doing everything except spitting, I thought, I need to hang out with some creative women more often!

I spent every penny of my "second job" money on fabric, patterns, tools, etc. from the sh0p, and at a great disc0unt. It wasn't work; it was mini-vacation...

I'd leave my real job in fatigues and combat bo0ts, run into the sh0p with a carry b@g and immerge in a dress, heels, and makeup. Taa-Daa! I got to be a total girl and play with fabrics six hours a week! (I now long for the days when I could work, dance, and walk in heels, LOL!)

I loved that job!

At that time we had to "throw away" patterns as the companies changed them. We'd receive a list of patterns to pull and toss into the dumpster. We weren't allowed to disc0unt them; we weren't allowed to give them away.

The manager was disgusted by the waste and made a "second dumpster" to hold the "pattern overflow." It was a large, clean box right by the back door. Once the store closed it was a free-for-all. I had two large boxes of patterns.

I finally realized I'd never live long enough to sew them and offered them, at no charge, to several of my sewing friends. I still have about 15 of the patterns, but that's all I kept. I now have five "pattern boxes" filled and sorted into categories. They fit on one-half of a shelf of the smaller closet.

I also had a huge box of discounted fabric, beautiful fabrics I bought for pennies on the dollar; 75% of that was given away, too. Just how long could I continue to drag all of it from continent to continent? The USAF did have a weight limit on how much "stuff" they would move, LOL.

I'm still using several of the rulers, tools, needles, blades, books, etc. I bought while working there.

One young friend took most of my fabric; she has actually sewn the fabric and made beautiful things from it.

Now I'm "sedate, settled, married" (to a wonderful guy - a 'souvenir' from that same base! LOL) and living in a house that we're remodeling. I have a dedicated sewing/craft/tea room! Downsizing and decluttering is my motto.

I have one dresser drawer that holds flannel for quilt backings. One drawer holds quilt pattern booklets and machine accessories. I have one mid-size Rubbermaid container that holds "fabrics with a definite purpose", one small container with "works in progress," and about 50 fat quarters.

This is still too much fabric, IMHO, for my stash, but I'm working on using it up and sharing the fat quarters. I share this quilting and storage space with other interests, too - beadwork, scrapbooking, a thousand or so books, and "tea time" space. I love my room.

Now I'm a "purchase for the project only" type of gal. I don't spend that much time sewing since we're still trying to beat the house into shape. But someday...

Caroline, I so very much enjoyed your post. You know exactly what I experienced!
I was a Navy brat - moved & went to many, many schools growing up~overseas, across country, etc. You never got to take all your belongings, so as a kid, you did not get attached to "things". I think as an adult, I wanted to keep my fabric, because it was mine and I could. I can get rid of almost anything else and not feel bad.
I am curious where you worked ~ I am on the East Coast ~ just wondering.....
Thanks for sharing your story & you kept the best souvenir of all- very cool!

I was stationed at Dover AFB, DE for three years and worked at So-Fro Fabrics for a little over one.

I dated "Wes" then, at least when we were both on the same continent. We were both TDY a lot; out of the three years we "went together" we actually saw one another about one year total.

Then I PCSed to RAF Alconbury, England at the same time he went to Honduras. About a year later I was honorably discharged (nearly 9 years service). We married in Dover. He was stationed there for three more years.

For the first 10-12 years that we were married he was gone at least five months out of every year. It was quite a shock when he changed j0bs (from Securtiy Police to Training Manager) and suddenly never, ever, went anywhere. He had weekends off; he had holidays off; he never, ever, left.

I told him one day "I love you; I like hanging out with you. I knew when I married you we'd be living together. I did not realize it meant I was going to see you every...single...day for the rest of my life. LOL

We've adjusted.

He retiret a couple years ago and stepped into a civil service j0b, on the base, with the Security Police. He's happy. He loves it and as a civilian he's no longer gone for months at a stretch.

A woman should never spend 15+ years of her adult life single, completely independent and unattached, and then decide, at age 36, to marry. It's a major shock to the system! LOL

One of the first, and biggest shocks was when I saw his sox in "my" laundry hamper one morning.

"Why are his socks in my hamper? The audacity!" I thought to myself. Then I remembered. "We're married; he lives here; it's his hamper, too." Deep breath!

I was not use to sharing any space, at all, for any reason. Those sox let the "married" concept sink in.

The only reason why I don't have more fabric than I do is a limited budget. I have 5 tupperware large bins full and a work table full of newer purchases that I haven't room in the bins for. (I put specific colors in specific bins) but I have no room to cram any more in to the ones I have. I also have a large bag full of decent scraps. Since I'm not working I don't impulse buy like I used to but if I wasn't worried about the money I would have LOTS more. And when I do buy, it's on sale. Hey, I don't gamble, don't spend on clothes, makeup, hair, nails, shoes, vacations, etc. My idea of splurging is to go to Walmart and buy a box of hair dye and a new 6-pack of underwear, so I ain't feeling guilty about what I have and what I would like to have.

This has been fun to read! One of my best friends worked in a fabric store and I was always in awe of her stash in her basement! Through my married life, DH has given me different gifts to try and accommodate my sewing. One Christmas he have me a lovely sewing basket. Another year he gave me a wooden chest. Then one year, he moved all his clothes into my closet and made his closet into a sewing area for me. When we moved into our first house house, (not a townhouse) he made me a sewing area/closet in the basement. I think he has given up after that. No, I guess that's not fair to say - he has let me set up in the dining room area and I really only have to tear down at Christmas time.

I've been sewing out of my stash for the last 4 years or so, so it was a real treat to get new-to-me quilt fabrics! I try to take some of my more ho-hum fabrics and combine them with some of the real beauties for hopefully a good result.

I read one time about a quilter who was told she needed to downsize her stash at home. One of the suggestions that I never would have thought of was to take and lay your fabrics flat on top of your boxspring, covered by your mattress. They said it is a great way to store/conceal your stash!

I agree that this is a fun read. I decided that perhaps my need to accumulate fabric is partly because I grew up in the depression years when a person developed the philosopy of useup-makedo-and don't throw away. It is a difficult pattern to get away from. As our ability to accumulate becomes greater it just reinforces the need to be ready for the rainy day. Jayne

Karlene - this was a fun question, maybe because we really will make room for what we love. Your DH also sounds understanding~my DH only wants a Binnacle cover for our sailboat (A Sunbrella cover to protect the wheel and the instruments). I think this is the year I may actually make it - I bought all the zippers, drafted a pattern, just can't find the motivation, although we really need one~LOL. This would make him soooo happy.

Caroline, we are only about 50-60 miles from Dover - a good place to shop - no sales tax! I remember So Fro fabrics!

I keep separate Laundry hampers - I don't want his dirty socks in my hamper!!! Even after all these years!

I also want to thank you both for your service to our country to keep us safe :).

Omgosh.........Karpet! Sharing how to hide even more fabric was entirely too enabling for this fabric junkie. I work hard on not hoarding things, because I have a tendency to in certain areas, and fabric is one of them. There is always a use for fabric in one way or another. I am doing pretty good about not buying new fabric, unless it's necessary and try to use from my stash. In that respect, the issue is 'sort of' kept under control. However, that being said, I cannot get rid of fabric unless I use it. In that respect, it gives me angst. LOL.

I did manage to part with maybe twenty yards of hideous pink and blue double knit, I inherited a few years back with some quilting fabrics. I am almost embarrassed to admit, I considered making some throws out of it and then came to my senses.

Diane57 says 'We all kid that we are addicted to fabric, but I think we all know where to draw the line'. Uhm......no.....not all of us. LOL.

Just thinking...if I got rid of some of that polyester knit, and some of that other "good" stuff that I know I will never use.....I'd have room to store my quilting fabric nicely, not all crowded.
I have been inspired by these posts. It's like therapy, just reading your thoughts.

Well like Caroline i also worked in a fabric store,i worked there 10 years,so i'm sure you can imagine my stash.My sewing room used to be the master bedroom,so i have the MB closet that my ds put shelves throughout for me ,then i have 2 of those pantry type cabinets from home depot,one is double door,the other single door.The single door hold mostly cross stitch stash,the other holds all fabric,and the master closet hold mostly fabric,with a corner for the batting,bags of stuffing and that sort of thin.

The MC also holds those big tubs on the floor that hold my wood for tole painting,plastic canveas stuff,my patriotic fabrics.and other odds and ends.

Now having said all that i've reached the point in my life that i no longer do all those things,still sew,only not as much,so i've been selling off some of my stuff,especially books,patterns,and fabric,and will also sell off my tole painting stuff as i can't do that anymore.

All the nodes they took out of my arm during the BC surgery left my right arm compromised,and i can't do many of the things as i used to.It's been a real wake up call for me.Plus i'm now 72,don't work or go out a lot anymore so i only need so many clothes,and the GK's are all grown up.So i've been weeding it all out,and believe me it's not an easy job.

If i had it to do all over again,knowing what i do now i would do it totally different.But can't cry over spilled milk.Life goes on and we get smarter(hopefully).
Kathi

I'm pretty ruthless about paring down my stash when I need too. Last summer I advertised on my neighborhood email group and got rid of about 12 yards of ugly-to-me fabrics. A young 12-y-o took it all. She was going to stay with her grandmother and learn to quilt.

Most of those fabrics were large scraps (nothing under a 6" wide strip) which had been used for quilts for others - in other words, fabrics I would never have chosen for myself. But some were full yards that I simply fell out of love with, and knew I would never use.

These scraps dragged me down and depressed me. I hated the waste, but really couldn't bring myself to use them either. I'm very happy they found a good home. I'm even happier I don't have to look at them anymore!

Well, for me there can never be too much quilting fabric. I've been doing the Round Robin challenge, and just discovered that while I had a lot, there were still some centers that I needed to run out and buy more to accommodate what I WANTED to do. And I am always one to buy more than I likely need, in the event I run out and have to find a way to "make do". In fact, before I logged on here, I just got back from JoAnn's where I bought 1/4 yd. of a fabric I needed two 5" squares from to finish a RR quilt center.

My stash is stored in 2 underbed storage bins on wheels that fit under my queen-size bed. Then there is a large rectangular laundry basket that is full in the closet, stacks and piles on one sewing cabinet in the bedroom, more stashed and stored away in the basement, and currently about 15 yards or more on the sewing cabinet in the living room. More in 3 tubs in the living room, all dedicated to various swaps that I am currently working on. I keep out what I am currently using/selecting from, and will hopefully put it away at some point this week so that we can have a "fabric-free" Easter (but don't tell my husband; he thinks it's possible, but I say it isn't likely to happen!).

Will I ever stop buying fabric? Unlikely. It is my medium of choice for creativity. It is my canvas; my paint. Without it, I am lost. It calms my nerves and de-stresses me. It makes me feel good.

And it's cheaper than paying a therapist every week for God knows how long, just to find out that my problems all begin and end with "my mother".....

What an excellent question!

Odessa

I was reading parts of these posts to my hubby this morning. He said the question should actually have been "How do you know when you have ENOUGH fabric in your stash?"... As he said, you gotta have the tools to do the job! Love that man to "Pieces"!

As for my "tools", I've been collecting 1/4 & 1/3 yard pieces of all different colors when they're on sale, and only purchase larger pieces using coupons (or on sale). I have about 10-15 large pieces (well, maybe a few more than that, come to think of it) purchased with particular projects in mind (not all quilts). There's a big length of quilt-wide WOW backing that I use for a lot of projects(irresistible at about $2/yd), and about 6-8 baskets full of my small pieces, sorted by color or type. The large pieces are in big plastic storage bins under the cutting table and stacked in the corner. I also have some flat, shirt-sized boxes that have pieces of specialty or novelty fabrics in them.. like the shiny black for Raggedy Andy's shoes, squares of felt, etc.

We just moved into an old farmhouse, so I now have a whole room for my "creative stuff", but few shelves yet on which to put them. But I'll get there! And with more shelves, I can add more stash!!! What an incentive!

Kay, when you build your shelves think about depth. I moved into a house with a wonderful full wall of shelves - 12 feet wide by 11 feet high - but the shelves are only 8 inches deep so 12x12 storage cubes don't fit flush with the face of the shelves. This wall is a great feature for the room but would be just a bit more storage-friendly if the cubes fit better. I use the big cubes on the bottom row, then smaller plastic bins on some of the other shelves. Mostly these shelves hold books, but also projects, fabric and other craft materials. They aren't pretty, but they are useful!

As for the idea of 'too much fabric': looking at my fabric is part of the creative process for me. I often buy pieces that I don't have a current plan for, simply because they appeal to me or inspire me. And I buy fabric for planned quilts, then end up not using all of the pieces, especially fat quarters. One reason I love the birthday block exchanges and the monthly lottos is that it gives me a chance to find something fun in my stash that I haven't used yet.

Kate