Everything Must Go!

No, it's not a Black Friday sale.  I've only gone out in the predawn hours one time on Black Friday and that was for a huge sale at JoAnn's Fabrics.  Hey, a girl's gotta have priorities!  I may be off work this Friday, but I'm definitely not setting foot anywhere near a retail outlet.  There's not a deal around that would make me camp out overnight in the cold, nor deal with the crowds.  No way, no how!

No, I'm already thinking about New Year's resolutions.  I know, I know, we haven't even had Thanksgiving yet, but I'm a planner, a ponderer, a list making kind of gal.  Bear with me, okay?

So, 2011's resolution was to make one quilt, any size, per month for charity.  I completed seventeen and divided them between three charities, so I'm happy.  It's tempting to up the quilt quota for next year, but the idea just doesn't hold much appeal.

Now, most quilters maintain a 'stash', a bounty of gorgeous fabrics acquired from a LQS, the internet or swaps with friends.  A stash can range in size from modest to the 'I better start sewing this up or open a quilt shop'.  My aunt Patsy, you know the crazy one who's first quilt was all curves, she only buys fabric by the project.  She finds a pattern, she buys the fabric.  Let us pause for a moment and say a word of prayer for this obviously ill woman.  There's absolutely no stash in her home.  I can't believe we're actually related.

A quilting co-worker and I were discussing our conspicuous fabric consumption.  We buy just because it's pretty and we simply must have some.  We concluded that we. can. never. die.  At least not until we sew up all our fabric and kits.

Behold, my stash...

Those bottom canvas boxes are kits, the whole kits and nothing but kits, so help me Dear Lord.  Fat quarters, Bali Pops, charm squares, Jelly Rolls.  I didn't even show you the boxes of scraps!  Frankly, when I look at all I've acquired, I feel a bit sheepish.  Well, okay, a lot sheepish!  Seeing it all in this light has helped me set 2012's resolution. 

I'm going on a quilting diet.  No fabric purchases, no magazines or books, no patterns.  Just thread and needles...for the entire twelve months of 2012.  Just the thought makes me queasy and holds as much appeal as delivering a 10 lb infant through my left nostril.  But somewhere, my quilting sisters, I have lost that 'make do' attitude upon which quilting got its start.  There's fabric calling to me from the depths of shelves and the inside of cabinets...not to mention some fairly good looking fellows.

Hubby wonders why I smile every time I open up the cabinet.  Hello, Hugh...Colin...motorcycle gang of really hot, ripped babes.  Sigh.  Maybe this won't be so difficult, after all.

Happy quilting, y'all!