The Solution to My Fabric-Stashing Ways

I love fabric. I love buying fabric. I love organizing my stash of fabric. I love talking about fabric, educating myself about fabric, and admiring my fabric.

Lizzy House’s Butterflies. Yeah, I love this fabric—especially at $20
for 11 fat quarters at Massdrop!

I own yard upon yard of fabric, but in my mind, my saving grace has been that I don’t have as much fabric as my mom. Man, does she have a problem. Her fabric is squirreled away in drawers in the guest room and my old room. It’s in boxes under her bed. (A stash that is stored in three separate rooms = a problem!)

Back in November, I was at my parents’ house for the first time since I’ve begun quilting. My mom was looking for some jelly rolls that she had bought and wanted to show me, so I went on the search with her. My mom discovered the jelly rolls. I discovered that I own more fabric than she does. Bah!

What had me disillusioned for so long was her method of organizing her fabric. As a more traditional quilter, she buys fabric that coordinates. She often has a pattern in mind when she makes a purchase, and different cuts that will be used for the same project live together in one of her storage spots. As a more modern quilter, I buy fabric because I like it, because I know it has potential in a future project of mine. And my fabric primarily lives in a dresser in my guest room—all the colors and different designs cohabitate.

Clearly, my mom isn’t the only one with a problem; I need a solution to curb my fabric-stashing tendencies. Then an opportunity presented itself, one for which I could buy fabric for other people.

I recently took on a board position with my guild. I research speakers and workshops, schedule some cool stuff for my fellow guild members, and handle the logistics for those events. I also get to buy fabric—I’m in the fabric-buying game without adding to my stash!

At each guild meeting we offer two raffles—for cuts of fabric, new book releases, notions, all sorts of good stuff. I have the pleasure of making the necessary purchases. Before you think blowing someone else’s money on fun stuff is a dream come true, I need to set you straight. I can’t buy everything and anything. We use the proceeds from these raffles to finance some of our activities. I need to find popular fabric—the bigger the cut, the better—at good prices. And have I? You be the judge ...

Three one-yard cuts of Jen Kingwell’s Gardenvale that were raffled off
earlier this month. If you want some for yourself, this line is still
on clearance for $5.38 per yard at the Fat Quarter Shop.

These cuts are designed by (from left to right) V and Co., Kate Spain, and
Amy Sinbaldi. I bought them all at 30 percent off. Woo hoo!

Do you have any purchasing advice for me? I keep tabs on some online retailers that have good deals, including the Fat Quarter Shop, Quilt Home, and Massdrop. I also use my coupons at my local quilt shop and Joann’s for guild purchases. If you have a source for sales that you’d be willing to share, my guild and I would be most grateful! : )

Amy Sinbaldi’s Paperie is my favorite recent purchase. I hope to win it
at the March meeting!