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    Old 09-23-2018, 05:19 PM
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    Default afraid-to-use-my-fabric-stash-itis

    I suffer from "afraid-to-use-my-fabric-stash-itis". I have all of these beautiful fabrics....fabrics that I purchased for the express purpose of using them, and I hesitate to do so. I always think "Maybe I'll want to use this fabric in a *different* project in the future and I'll have used it for *this one*....". Ack!

    Anybody got a cure? A 12 step program? Something???

    After all, I didn't get these fabrics to just sit on my shelf and look pretty! I want them to look pretty in a quilt!
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    Old 09-23-2018, 05:25 PM
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    When you find the program please le me know too. I pet my fabric all the time. God forbid I should cut any of my favorites.
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    Old 09-23-2018, 06:04 PM
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    Originally Posted by NatalieF
    I suffer from "afraid-to-use-my-fabric-stash-itis". I have all of these beautiful fabrics....fabrics that I purchased for the express purpose of using them, and I hesitate to do so. I always think "Maybe I'll want to use this fabric in a *different* project in the future and I'll have used it for *this one*....". Ack!

    Anybody got a cure? A 12 step program? Something???

    After all, I didn't get these fabrics to just sit on my shelf and look pretty! I want them to look pretty in a quilt!
    I have the same problem.
    dluvs2quilt is offline  
    Old 09-23-2018, 06:22 PM
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    We just have to keep reminding ourselves, there's always more pretty fabric in the store.

    When I first started quilting I had a very small stash, and I actually used it. Now that my stash has grown to an unmanageable size, I have more trouble getting motivated to search through it to find the right fabrics for a given project.
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    Old 09-23-2018, 06:29 PM
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    Perhaps you suffer from my fabric mania - I only sew as an excuse to buy fabric.

    It's kind of like money, though. You can't take it (money or fabric) with you to the hereafter. So make sure you do good things with it while you can.

    Last edited by cathyvv; 09-23-2018 at 06:31 PM.
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    Old 09-23-2018, 06:46 PM
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    Originally Posted by cathyvv

    It's kind of like money, though. You can't take it (money or fabric) with you to the hereafter. So make sure you do good things with it while you can.

    Oh gosh, that's so well said!

    I'm so happy to learn I'm not alone!
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    Old 09-23-2018, 07:18 PM
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    I have a couple fabrics waiting for that “perfect” quilt. For the most part I use my stash because colours change and if you wait too long, you have trouble finding a out of date colour if you decide to make a quilt bigger.
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    Old 09-23-2018, 08:06 PM
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    Pick 4---any 4--the first 4--that grab your attention, and take them off the shelf.
    Rank them in order of stars---4 stars for your favorite, down to 1.
    Take the 4 star fabric and set it aside.
    Go to Pinterest or your bookmarked favorite quilts. Pick a pattern that would show it off well.
    A sofa size or smaller, not huge. You have stash to move on to, remember!
    Give yourself a deadline to finish it. Thanksgiving, maybe. Then start cutting with the finish line in mind.

    Shop your stash for other fabrics to put in this quilt. Don't overthink it. That's our problem. Give yourself 24 hours to decide what to do with it, and start cutting before hour 25.

    Last edited by zozee; 09-23-2018 at 08:08 PM.
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    Old 09-23-2018, 08:15 PM
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    This is one 'itis' I've never suffered from.
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    Old 09-23-2018, 08:31 PM
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    Never had this itis. I sometimes cut fabric into scraps if I need scraps. LOL I buy it to use so what difference does it make what I use it for. When my granddaughter was little I'd find lots of fabric with a big hole in the middle of it. She used the part she wanted. We should all use the little girl in us sometimes.
    Onebyone is offline  
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