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Is it possible to change habits? (Moderated by Deepika, EleanorSews)
Posted on: 10/23/08 1:35 PM ET
I hoard fabric. Is it on sale? Pretty? Do I have that color? I'm stressed I deserve a treat.
I have been working this past year on letting go and have gotten rid of quite a bit. Sadly, I still have 16 boxes plus 15+ of the tall bolts.
I have a small place. (i.e. 1 closet). The boxes & bolts sit piled up in my study/dining/sewing room. Most of the time when I sew I feel them lurking there. Staring. An overwhelming stash that I will not be able to get through. Which makes me not want to sew.
I love the fabrics that I have but they are becoming a negative in my life. I dread looking at that part of the room stacked with boxes & bolts.
Any suggestions on further weeding the stash. How to priortize what to keep. What to let go of. Which fabrics do not hold up to the test of time. How to cope until the stash is controlable and in balance with the house I live in.
Is there a What Not To Hoard duo to come save me?
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I have been working this past year on letting go and have gotten rid of quite a bit. Sadly, I still have 16 boxes plus 15+ of the tall bolts.
I have a small place. (i.e. 1 closet). The boxes & bolts sit piled up in my study/dining/sewing room. Most of the time when I sew I feel them lurking there. Staring. An overwhelming stash that I will not be able to get through. Which makes me not want to sew.
I love the fabrics that I have but they are becoming a negative in my life. I dread looking at that part of the room stacked with boxes & bolts.
Any suggestions on further weeding the stash. How to priortize what to keep. What to let go of. Which fabrics do not hold up to the test of time. How to cope until the stash is controlable and in balance with the house I live in.
Is there a What Not To Hoard duo to come save me?
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www.pinkededges.com
Posted on: 10/23/08 1:54 PM ET
In reply to Cat MacGregor
I had to put my stash in the attic so it wouldn't overwhelm me . . . At my old house I had a closet and a dresser dedicated to fabric--it's much better for me if I can't see it.
I decided to go through my fabrics recently and removed all of the fabrics that were not colors that me or my children like to wear b not high enough quality for me to want to sew with c. too dated for me or too juvenile for my kids and d. not that appealing to me anymore. I did get rid of a shopping bag full of fabric to donate. I have a written list of which fabrics are in which boxes (I give the boxes names, rather than numbering them for some reason).
The upside to my husband's business going from thriving to struggling in a matter of months (he's an architect and the construction industry, at least here where we live, has come to a screeching halt) is that I no longer cannot add to my stash of fabric and have been sewing more for myself and my family. I'm actually grateful that I have a stash--it's a resource--I can make jackets and mittens and pjs for my kids and clothing for myself and holiday and birthday presents for friends and family without spending money. And sewing keeps my mind off our economic troubles.
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I decided to go through my fabrics recently and removed all of the fabrics that were not colors that me or my children like to wear b not high enough quality for me to want to sew with c. too dated for me or too juvenile for my kids and d. not that appealing to me anymore. I did get rid of a shopping bag full of fabric to donate. I have a written list of which fabrics are in which boxes (I give the boxes names, rather than numbering them for some reason).
The upside to my husband's business going from thriving to struggling in a matter of months (he's an architect and the construction industry, at least here where we live, has come to a screeching halt) is that I no longer cannot add to my stash of fabric and have been sewing more for myself and my family. I'm actually grateful that I have a stash--it's a resource--I can make jackets and mittens and pjs for my kids and clothing for myself and holiday and birthday presents for friends and family without spending money. And sewing keeps my mind off our economic troubles.
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Kim
Posted on: 10/23/08 2:46 PM ET
I'm very much the same way. My parents are getting very annoyed. My problem is the internet. I've recently purchaced my last fabric order for some time thanks to the dramatically dropping canadian dollar. I liked it being near parity. 
I'm gonna save up and get a few more patterns I like in a month or so. But for now i'm gonna stick to buying anything i want from fabricland and maybe a few investment peices depending on how the economy goes. If the dollar keeps sliding i may forget about online shopping entirely.
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I'm gonna save up and get a few more patterns I like in a month or so. But for now i'm gonna stick to buying anything i want from fabricland and maybe a few investment peices depending on how the economy goes. If the dollar keeps sliding i may forget about online shopping entirely.
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I've lost count now, the walls are now fabric.
Posted on: 10/23/08 5:23 PM ET
In reply to Cat MacGregor
The internet enabled my fabric buying so that I have a large, for me, stash. It is about 280 yards. How do I know? I organized my stash with a both a spread sheet and a card file with all my fabrics sampled and listed by bin number.
Part of the reason is that I was buying fabric that I already had. How many pieces of black wool did I need? There were also several people who blogged about their organization and inspired me. I wanted to know how much I really had, and that in itself was a deterrent to buying. It also is an inspiration for sewing. I can easily find matching fabric in my stash and plan capsule wardrobes. I can buy only what I need to fill a hole in a plan. I can also see how much I have sewn by posting yardage out.
My business is pretty depressed too, landscape design is not in great demand either in this economy so I need to sew from my stash and be smarter about my purchases.
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Part of the reason is that I was buying fabric that I already had. How many pieces of black wool did I need? There were also several people who blogged about their organization and inspired me. I wanted to know how much I really had, and that in itself was a deterrent to buying. It also is an inspiration for sewing. I can easily find matching fabric in my stash and plan capsule wardrobes. I can buy only what I need to fill a hole in a plan. I can also see how much I have sewn by posting yardage out.
My business is pretty depressed too, landscape design is not in great demand either in this economy so I need to sew from my stash and be smarter about my purchases.
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www.nancyksews.blogspot.com
Posted on: 10/23/08 5:37 PM ET
In reply to Cat MacGregor
i can relate. i can hardly get into the sewing room and i just ordered some more!!!!! i just love colours and can imagine the uses for each purchase but i have more dreams than time. lynne
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alfalfa
Posted on: 10/23/08 5:38 PM ET
In reply to Nancy K
How long did it take you to organize all that? i've got near 1000m and just look at the disastor and its hard to think i could even begin organizing that chaotic mess.
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I've lost count now, the walls are now fabric.
Posted on: 10/23/08 5:40 PM ET
I'm so jealous of your fabric stashes! I barely have any fabric, and am desperately searching websites for discount decent fabric to sew with. Right now, I'm looking for cotton prints for aprons for Christmas projects, and knits for Ottobre patterns for my kids. Maybe it's because I've only scrounged fabric for a few years... but my collection is desperately woeful. I love hearing about all of your stashes!
Posted on: 10/23/08 5:55 PM ET
In reply to Hanfaith
Dont' be jealous, you can still see your floor. I've only been collecting for 3 years since 2005. I work at a fabric store so I'm seeing it a few times a week which is why i have so much. I've got to stop though, i know how much i have and how LITTLE time i have and the economy tanking is my reason to use up my stash.
I respect those that have been able to stop buying stuff.
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I respect those that have been able to stop buying stuff.

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I've lost count now, the walls are now fabric.
Posted on: 10/23/08 7:19 PM ET
I'm working on organizing my fabric like Nancy K's, because I was starting to find myself buying stuff I already have, or thinking I had something, starting a project, and then discovering I had less than I thought.
What I'm doing is, I bought a flat of identical cardboard boxes, and then I pulled all my fabric out of its random bags and piles and stashes and got it all together. It's a very large pile. Now I'm working my way through it. For each piece of fabric, I do the following:
1. Snip off a sample.
2. Staple the sample to an index card
3. Write on the index card
-the fibre content
-when I got it (assuming I remember!)
-an estimate of how much there is
-the name/number of the box I put the fabric in
4. Use a piece of cardboard to ensure I fold the fabric precisely the same size (a tip picked up folding T-shirts when I worked in a clothing store)
5. Place in the box - I have the fabric all on its side so I can look in and see everything like it's a file cabinet.
6. Full boxes are stacked in the closet with the numbered side facing out.
Even with it all out where I can see it right now, I still feel temptation for new fabrics. I love beautiful things, especially beautiful things that I can touch and that I can make into more beautiful things, and I love the flocks of ideas that come flutter around a new piece of fabric. It's a pleasure that's very hard to say no to.
I don't love what's happening to the Canadian dollar, so not much more internet shopping for me. Now if I can just stay out of fabric stores...
I think one of the things that makes me snatch up beautiful fabric even though I know I won't have time to make anything with it anytime soon, is the sense of urgency I've developed from shopping for clothes. I seem to be the most common plus size there is, and it seems like whenever there's anything nice, they have it in every size but mine. Shopping for fabric, I need to remember, it's not like that. Everything is my size, and unless a fabric is incredibly unusual or a ridiculously good deal, I'll be able to find something similar when I /do/ have time to make whatever it is. I think for me it's going to be a matter of getting out of this mindset of scarcity. Cuz let's face it, my stash is not scarce!
------
What I'm doing is, I bought a flat of identical cardboard boxes, and then I pulled all my fabric out of its random bags and piles and stashes and got it all together. It's a very large pile. Now I'm working my way through it. For each piece of fabric, I do the following:
1. Snip off a sample.
2. Staple the sample to an index card
3. Write on the index card
-the fibre content
-when I got it (assuming I remember!)
-an estimate of how much there is
-the name/number of the box I put the fabric in
4. Use a piece of cardboard to ensure I fold the fabric precisely the same size (a tip picked up folding T-shirts when I worked in a clothing store)
5. Place in the box - I have the fabric all on its side so I can look in and see everything like it's a file cabinet.
6. Full boxes are stacked in the closet with the numbered side facing out.
Even with it all out where I can see it right now, I still feel temptation for new fabrics. I love beautiful things, especially beautiful things that I can touch and that I can make into more beautiful things, and I love the flocks of ideas that come flutter around a new piece of fabric. It's a pleasure that's very hard to say no to.
I don't love what's happening to the Canadian dollar, so not much more internet shopping for me. Now if I can just stay out of fabric stores...
I think one of the things that makes me snatch up beautiful fabric even though I know I won't have time to make anything with it anytime soon, is the sense of urgency I've developed from shopping for clothes. I seem to be the most common plus size there is, and it seems like whenever there's anything nice, they have it in every size but mine. Shopping for fabric, I need to remember, it's not like that. Everything is my size, and unless a fabric is incredibly unusual or a ridiculously good deal, I'll be able to find something similar when I /do/ have time to make whatever it is. I think for me it's going to be a matter of getting out of this mindset of scarcity. Cuz let's face it, my stash is not scarce!
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Tricia
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The advantage of being a beginner is, nobody has told you "That can't be done." This is also the disadvantage of being a beginner.
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The advantage of being a beginner is, nobody has told you "That can't be done." This is also the disadvantage of being a beginner.
Posted on: 10/23/08 8:29 PM ET
I recently realized that I have so much fabric that I'd need to move to a bigger apartment just for the closet space, should I sew it all up. Realizing that has kept me out of the fabric stores for the past couple of months. I have stacks of boxes in my bedroom and in my closets and in a storage bin in the basement. I will NEVER sew it all and even if I did, I would never be able to WEAR it all. As it is, every time I finish a garment, I need to discard something already in my closet or my drawers just to make room for another piece of clothing. There simply isn't room in my apartment for all of this cloth--sewn or flat. This is totally irrational behavior.
I fear I am going to turn into one of those crazy old people who hoard---just thinking about the poor person who would have to clear out my apartment should I expire has embarrassed me to the point where I feel I MUST cull. I'm trying to be a moderate person. Such excess embarrasses me. I can't stand the pressure of feeling like I NEED to sew it all up some day--it's overwhelming.
I am ready to reduce and stay reduced. I'm tired of trying to keep it all tidy. I want room in my fairly good-sized, one bedroom apartment for other things...like the ability to simply walk around the bedroom without having to turn sideways to get around a stack of boxes to get into to my closet. My problem is getting it out of my house without a car. Getting it under control is going to be such a pain in the neck I won't want to get in the same position again.
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I fear I am going to turn into one of those crazy old people who hoard---just thinking about the poor person who would have to clear out my apartment should I expire has embarrassed me to the point where I feel I MUST cull. I'm trying to be a moderate person. Such excess embarrasses me. I can't stand the pressure of feeling like I NEED to sew it all up some day--it's overwhelming.
I am ready to reduce and stay reduced. I'm tired of trying to keep it all tidy. I want room in my fairly good-sized, one bedroom apartment for other things...like the ability to simply walk around the bedroom without having to turn sideways to get around a stack of boxes to get into to my closet. My problem is getting it out of my house without a car. Getting it under control is going to be such a pain in the neck I won't want to get in the same position again.
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I am going for a level of perfection that is only mine... Most of the pleasure is in getting that last little piece perfect...Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just keep showing up and doing the work.
Chuck Close, painter, printmaker, photographer
Hope has two lovely daughters: Anger and Courage
St. Augustine
Chuck Close, painter, printmaker, photographer
Hope has two lovely daughters: Anger and Courage
St. Augustine
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