Oh, I have a bunch of pieces that I never use because I'm saving them for something "special"! Except no project ever qualifies as "special" LOL

Donna

I have that same problem. Fortunately I have a daughter who quilts and has limited funds. So, next trip by car and she takes home half of it at least. I just hope she likes it as much as I did when I bought it. That leaves me with lots of room to buy more!

I have loads of stuff ... and now friends who are cleaning out closets, deceased relatives houses, etc. are giving me boxes of stuff. YIKES!!! Too much stuff! Fortunately, I have a friend who quilts for Interfaith Quilters and they are always needing stuff, so I have a couple boxes ready to give to her. Still, it is tempting to keep it ...

I was even thinking of maybe just giving away everything smaller than a 1/4 yard--maybe I'll sleep on it.

I have a lot of "impulse" pieces. I loved the colours etc. in the store and it came home with me, but the problem is figuring out a plan to use it. I too, have a daughter who loves to sew, quilt so she may be getting some presents.
Theresa

You need friends, relatives, and/or groups in your area to exchange with. I can see getting tired it after a while.

Fabric you want to get rid of? Wow! I haven't bought fabric just because I liked it for a very long time as I was determined to use what I already had! I've done this for a couple of years now. If you don't care for the fabric anymore, use it for donation quilts!

I've donated 5 tops, completed and given 13 quilts (UFO's and new), made 7 new tops and have 2 more UFO's I want to complete for this year. Now you know why my stash is getting smaller.....but there's still enough for more quilts. :-)

SharonG/FL

For those with lots of smaller scraps (like less than 1/4 yard)...Bonnie Hunter has a ton of free scrap quilt patterns on her site Quiltville.com. Her method is to stick with color families or values and the more variety the better! I've cleaned out a lot of my scraps with her patterns.

I have a bunch of floral prints that are beautiful, but like Theresa, I have trouble figuring out where to use them. Maybe I'll piece them into backings.

Donna

Here is a link that might be useful: Quiltville patterns

Thanks for the good suggestions. I think I'll sort through it all and pick up a few more shoe box sized plastic bins to organize better. I think that's part of the problem too. But it's a good problem! Because I still do love fabric.
I like the charity quilt idea--I've made a few Linus quilts in the past with the quilting group I was in a few years back--Now I'm feeling inspired!
Thanks!

I save my small pieces of fabric for use in a future Crazy Quilt. Fabric that I have gotten when people have passed or cleaned out their quilt rooms .... most of which I would not be using.... so I donated some to local library's children activities, to family and to friends. I am fortunate in that my sister enables my quilting hobby by buying me lots of fabric. I have a pretty good stash right now, and plan to try to work from it for the next couple of years, always good to have a stash. Hope you fall back in love with your stash.

Best to you,
Sandra

It's a sickness. When my sister was here recently, I opened up the closet and she said quite a few bad words in exclamation. But she doesn't quilt. And it doesn't dawn on her pea brain that every time she drops an "I need another quilt" hint that I can't afford to rush out to the LQS to buy expensive new fabric. That goes for all the others who think the same way. Why does a man have a garage full of tools and gadgets that he "might need someday"? Why does a foodie have a kitchen full of gadgets and pots and pans still in the boxes?? And yes, I have stuff that I look at and wonder "why??" but I'm not getting rid of it. When I was working it was nothing to go out every week and drag home 5 to 10 yards of fabric. Now that I'm not working I'm so glad I did.

The last few years, i have put myself on a fabric diet, so i really havent bought much new and all the quilts i have been making are charity quilts. so i do look at those bins and try to work out of them. The last one i made this month was a Friendship Star, using all my purples. Turned out pretty well.
I have several patterns in mind and the fabric is sort of matched up. Come Jan., I'll be at it again.
Theresa

I never know when I will get inspired to make a quilt and it is nice I can go shopping in my stash to see what I can find. As I am fond of scrappy quilts there is much to choose from. Even though by its self a piece of fabric may not jump out and say "here I am" when it is blended with something else it works... and that is what I feel makes a quilt.

You can always use up some of it for non-quilty sewing. A pillow case takes almost a yard for the main fabric, and a quarter yard for the top part, and the fabric will find a good home to family, friends or charity (there is the One Million Pillowcase challenge and many local quilt shops will collect for charities like cancer, hospitals, etc). One yard will make 4 backings for placemats. Also, tote bags take up about a half yard or more for outside or lining (lining is a good place to use up ugly fabrics!). And drawstring bags, lined or not make wonderful/easy gift bags for the holidays or year round. This is one of my favorite patterns:

http://www.incolororder.com/2011/10/lined-drawstring-bag-tutorial.html

Here is a link that might be useful: One Million Pillowcase challenge