Using the stash

As part of getting organised I need to reduce the amount of stuff I have . I have so much material - more than enough for one lifetime so this year I am going to use some of it. I'm not going no buy as I still need a regular fix but hopefully by the end of the year there will be more out than in.

My first weeks report then.

Out. 1 1/2 metres

In. O

I actually cut into a holy fabric this week. You know the one. You love it and keep getting it out to use and then return it to the cupboard. Well no more. Time to use it. Here is just a glimpse of the start of the project I am using it in.

 

 

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Bust the stash.

 

This sums up my week. Don't know why but I found it hard to garner enthusiasm for anything.

It was not all blah. The joy of dahlias from the florist

 

and then today this beauty I have grown.

 

Last night a family engagement and the party was by the beach. The Ocean at night is one of my favourite things. I need to get there more often.

 

If it hadn't been raining I would have gone for a paddle. This week will be better.

 

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Stash report and a finish.

Shops being closed over the Xmas break was certainly helpful in curbing my buying. The fabric in is for a WIP that I can now move forward on.

 

I did have a finish this week. A lap sized disappearing nine patch. My word for 2015 is simplify so this quilt is for me perfect. Not everything I make has to have hundreds of pieces or fabrics. I see some simple quilts in my future

 

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Bust the stash

10 weeks ago I decided enough was enough and I really needed to start taming the stash. So once again I began tracking my purchases and usage. As you can see it is not working at the moment.

 

The scary thing is I have been buying less so in a weird kind of way you could say it is working.

Part of the reason for the purchases in this weeks report was a sale on the last trading day of the year of my local quilt shop. They also had books at 20% off. I purchased a book from Laundry Basket quilts that uses antique quilts for inspiration. It is gorgeous. I may have started one of the quilts from the book today. The good news I will be able to make it totally from stash.

 

 

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9/2/14.

Classes started back this week so of course some new fabric was bought. The good news is I also used some stash fabric. The light fabric is one of the new purchases. It was perfect for fussy cutting I am sure you will agree.

So to the stash report:-

Fabric in. 2 1/4 metres.

Fabric out. 1/4 metre.

Net position. 16 1/2 metres in the red.

 

Rather than close on this here is a gratuitous photo of Cleo.

 

My how I love her.

 

26/1

A busy week but now a few days off work.

Fabric was bought this week to use as my neutral in my hexagon quilt. I have lots of star fabrics but my basics especially in yardage are lacking. Fabric buying this year will focus on remedying that.

To the report then.

Fabric used this week. 1 metre

Fabric in this week. 5 metres.

Net position. 15 .75 in the red.

This is the progress I have made so far on the hexagon quilt I purchased fabric for. Hopefully a lot more will be completed in the next two days.

 

14/1/14

A busy few days has kept me away from the blog so time for a little catch up.

First up some photo a day prompts.

8/1 was lucky number and mine has always been 6. It was also our number when we were bidding on this house.

 

9/1 the prompt was natural. I chose this home grown dahlia.

 

I then missed a couple of days. Yesterday the 13/1 the prompt was something that makes you smile. Cleo from the moment she came into my life has done just that.

 

The late stash report is not good. In my defence most of the fabric was ordered before Xmas but not received till last week. I love these shot cotton modern solids.

 

The report then:-

Fabric used this week. O

Fabric in this week. 12 metres

Net position. 11.75 metres in the red.

Oh well plenty of time to make a comeback.

 

5/1/14

In keeping with this years mantra of reduce I am going to give the weekly stash report another go. I will still buy fabric but my aim for the year is to use more than I buy. So the totals for week 1 are

Fabric used 1/4 metre

Fabric bought. 0 metres

Net position. -1/4 metre

Part of my strategy to use up the stash is to start using Bonnie Hunter's method of having fabric cut intro useable strip sizes. The theory is if some of the work is already done you can get to the fun bit of sewing quicker. I can't bring myself yet to just cutting up the stash so it will be a gradual process. For example as I am cutting strips for her Celtic Solstice quilt I am also cutting strips in all her suggested sizes. I can see from this mystery how much quicker things would go with pre-cut strips. By this time next year I should have a selection ready to start.

I am also trying to use leaders and Enders so that progress is being made on a secondary project. I find it tedious to be cutting for two projects at once so on Sundays I will have a clean up of the fabrics used during the week and get some components ready to feed through my machine. This little pile was all I managed today.

 

Finally today's photo a day prompt was "found". The gorgeous Ally is rarely seen during daylight hours so when I saw her sunning herself I managed to snap a photo.