Tuesday, November 22, 2011

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!

8 comments:

  1. Hahaha! I have pictures of Robert Pattinson decorating my sewing room walls. So pretty ((sigh))

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  2. Z, I just don't get the attraction, but hey, whatever inspires us, right?! LOL!!

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  3. Congrats on keeping with your quilting goal for this year. I'm thinking my only adventure to a store on Friday will be to JoAnns for some $1.49/yd flannel!! Yeah baby!! I 'heart' your stash!! Good luck to you next year on not purchasing anything and using up your current stash! I don't think I could make a whole year and not purchase anything.

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  4. Absolutely! Who knew hunky guys could serve as a muse?

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  5. Samantha, maybe I've blogged it before, but...my one and only Black Friday experience was to JoAnn's. I had one kid in a car seat down in the cart with bolt upon bolt stacked on top and another in the seat up front. Bad, bad mommy, but it was sooo worth it!! Thanks for following my blog!

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  6. That is quite a lofty goal for the entire year! I might be able to commit to a fabric diet for a month, not not 12! Although, I, too, am guilty of a large stash (including a few kits). But I love my stash dearly. What is your philosophy on entering giveaways that you really love? Do you make an exception for those, or is that not in the right spirit? Your stash is so well organized!

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  7. Elisa, I don't do giveaways much, so I think I'll be okay. I didn't even think about those when I blogged this. Oh, well! I guess we'll see what kind of willpower I've got. As for the stash, we have a mouse problem a few years back..I took EVERYTHING off the shelves to catch the little sneak then decided to tidy it all up when I put it back. At least it all looks good while it sits there mocking me ;)

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  8. Hmmmm....I wish you luck. I need to follow your example but....I am doing a BOM at the LQS next year. It is a first for me. I know I will be buying the fabric to complete it.

    Otherwise, I think I am in. I follow another blog where she does a "stash report" monthly. She tells what she used and what she added each month and the net effect. She also does it for patterns. She counts what anyone gives her as added, too.


    Just a thought for you to help keep you on task. I plan to try it. It should be rewarding to see what I have used total by the end of the year. I hope.

    I admire your organization. All of mine is in totes or drawers and ends up everywhere when I go looking for something.

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