My time

There is only one simple solution........send me your stash, lol!!
It sounds as though you fabric is to distracting. Now this may sound silly, but what if you covered your bookcase filled fabrics with a sheet or something. It might help you stay focused at the project at hand.

cricket_iscute

I also have a huge stash, and I know how you feel. I keep most of it in a different room, away from the sewing room. In the sewing room, I have only what I expect to be using in the next 3 months or so. There is a lot there because I do a lot; I have finished two adult-sized quilts this week so far, and that includes the quilting. However, the fabric doesn't bother me too much since it is all organized. In the fabric room/shed, it is organized by color. In the sewing room, it is organized by project. When I finish one project, I start another, even though I usually have a few going all the time.

So my advice is to organize your fabric, and then get it out of sight. Put it behind curtains/a design wall if need be, since it seems that seeing it is what stresses you.

Meg Jewell

Hi People! Your stash problems crack me up! I have been looking on line to buy scrap bags but they are usually not pretty, you know ants, or monkeys mixed up with fire trucks and front end loaders. I like soft pastels and or colorful repro fabric from 30's, 40's (yup, baby boomer) and 50's. Fixed income so I try hard to stay out of quilt stores. I enjoy making American Girl doll clothes. I am new to this website, but read it every day for inspiration. Is it okay to ask if anyone would like a beautiful new doll dress, hand embroidered and made with love for a bag of pretty scraps? I'd be happy to pay for postage. I am making my first big quilt although I have made lots of doll quilts. It is an applique butterfly on blocks just like my great-grandmother made and I have used up all my scraps so I'm not overwhelmed. Actually I am underwhelmed. Best wishes, Meg Jewell

joyce888

I know exactly what you're talking about. I did get over half of my stash on comic boards but haven't finished the remaining yardage. I keep buying more and more fabric and planning more quilts but I'm getting farther and farther behind. Some days I'm overwhelmed and other days it doesn't faze me.

MimiBug123

i felt that way, too, until I got the fabric into some sembalance of order. I can now go in and find the piece I need and carry on. When I had to dig through boxes, or go to 3 different closets, I didn't really want to do anything. I now have it on shelves, ruler folded and grouped by color. It is so much better this way!

jfowles

WOW, I feel a little bit of what you have described. I keep buying precuts because of the great daily deals from MSQC. Other than that I have been trying to stick to buying what I need to finish the project at hand. So many jelly rolls, layer cakes, turnovers, charm packs, etc, etc, etc, so little time!!

w7sue

Thankfully, I love to make scrappy quilts. I don't usually buy patterns anymore - have hundreds of them (both loose and in books). The only fabric I buy anymore is to put borders and/or backs on a quilt. I make it a practice to use any leftovers from the front onto the back - less to put away. If I purchase fabric for the back, that also means there is a bigger backing piece left over when I use the leftovers from the front on the back. I probaby have about 10 UFO's and my general rule of thumb is to finish one before starting on a new quilt. If I remember correct you are in Oregon - I would love to come play in your fabric store ...

owlvamp

Okay to all of you overwhelmed. I will send each of you my address and each of you can send me a goodie box full of your choice fabric. LOL I love boxes and I don't see anything wrong in sending one out. That will help you and move some fabric out. I have no charms, jelly rolls or layered cakes. It will help me and give me a stash. So PM me ladies and I will help you all out. Sounds like a win win .. LOL
Hope you all find solutions to your problems. That's one I don't have.
I'm sure you'll create something beautiful.

craftyneedle

Two other gals and I went to an auction and won several hundred BOLTS of fabric which we split 3 ways at a cost of about $50 each. Added to my already overflowing stash of fabric, I suddenly realized -- to use up all this, I'll have to live to about 150 years old! Talk about being overwhelmed. Then my old standby machine died. So I set aside many of the yards of fabric and sold it at our quilt meeting (about 35 members). They were glad to get quality cotton at $2 a yard -- and I have a good start toward a new sewing machine! (I still have an overflow of fabric. though. Guess I'll have to have another sale.)

GrandmaDD

dear sweet ladies (after my own heart), I so understand all you have shared. I, too, watch Hoarders once in a while, then eat a Tums to settle my upset stomach and look around my house to see where I can eliminate some 'stuff'. My oldest daughter recently started bringing her 'mentee' to learn to sew and quilt. They both have free access to my stash and I so enjoy watching their delight in so much to choose from. And I never tire of making scrappy quilts. My daughter knows now what she will have to deal with after I'm gone but until then I probably will not spend time organizing, just sewing on one of my 7 working sewing machines. (I used to travel in an RV, but had to buy house again to put my stash in). I don't buy much anymore as prices for cotton has gone so high. 99cent FQ's at JoAnn's are a thing of the past, I'm afraid! Just so happy to know I'm not alone.