Stash is Not the Problem

All over blog land I see the badges that Kim creates each month, badges for those who have taken the pledge to purchase no new fabric. There are, of course, some clauses, some conditions that people will cite as exceptions, the most popular being the need to purchase additional fabric to complete a project. I'm impressed with their commitment and their determination; I'd probably be impressed with their stashes, too.
. . . .
Buying more fabric isn't my particular problem. Rather, it is starting new projects! For example, the project to the left is something I started yesterday. I'd been dazzled by the Disappearing Nine Patch quilts that people have blogged about and had been thinking of doing one. Sometime. And then it turns out that Diana is adopting a little girl from Central America and, of course, I want to make a quilt for this wonderful new person. So yesterday I grabbed a pair of those charm packs that I've been wondering what to do with, and started my project. I did buy a small amount of yardage to accompany the charm packs, so I'll be able to put borders on this as soon as it is finished.
. . . .
But, as I was saying, it isn't a voluminous stash of fabric that is my bugaboo. I really only very seldom buy more than a FQ without a plan. My problem, my weakness, isn't busting stash but rather it is busting blocks. I'd start talking about blockbusting, but a movie rental chain has pretty much claimed that name.
. . . .
I sign up for swaps. I run swaps. I enter lottos. I accumulate sets of blocks. These are the Amish Star blocks from a recent birthday block swap, put together and waiting for a border (do you get the feeling I'm in for a weekend of "border issues"?). I've only had these blocks since February, so this is pretty near record time for my getting something together.
. . . .
My plan at present is to try to get block sets made into flimsies and then store the flimsies until the appropriate occasion for finishing the quilt appears on the horizon. Flimsies are easier to store than completed quilts.
. . . .

Sets of blocks abound. Here we have appliqued animals and things from the Farm Swap; we have miscellaneous small blocks from a Halloween mini-block swap of about eight years ago; we have more applique blocks, these from the Garden Theme swap; and the terrific Coffee and Cream Churn Dash yield and the glorious Almost Amish batiks on black. Back in the upper left corner, you can't really see the Assorted Chickens. And these are just some of the collections of blocks waiting to be made into tops.
. . . .
And a conflict, of course, has to do with the scraps that live in two great big Rubbermaid storage bins -- one batik, the other not -- that lurk, piquing my interest. Which would lead to making more blocks that will need to be made into more projects. Ah, well, there is never a lack of options!

Comments

Kim West said…
No, my stash isn't anything to be envious of me. My fabric diet helps with two things; completion of older projects and not starting with new projects.

Before I would buy fabrics just because and then start new projects. This helps me use my fabric $$ budget to buy fabrics that I have been putting off because I didn't have the $$ since I bought new stuff for new projects.

I don't always stick to it, I do binge on my diet occasionally, but not as often as before.
Nicole said…
I have the same issue. I keep starting projects, and get the blocks done, then completely bog down when it comes time to set them together. And borders...ugh. I hate doing borders--so boring!
Anonymous said…
Oh man, I had forgotten about those coffee and cream churn dash blocks. They are in my sewing room somewhere.......

Kathy B
Ms. Jan said…
You REALLY need to come to Santa Rosa in August and the Sharyn Craig lecture "The Joy of Sets" and her workshop "Sets Education." You could get great ideas and I'd get to see you!!! Win-win-win.
LoieJ said…
My problem is not starting what I don't finish (I have three quilts almost finished on hand) but rather buying stuff for a project that doesn't even get started. Especially I buy tools and then I'm bogged down in the unfinished quilt, so the new tool doesn't get used.

Now I'm saying: no new hobbies.

I'm also trying to keep a notebook of the ideas and where I saw them so I can remember what exactly I was interested in doing.