Dee

You need help. Surely someone can help you-like fabric or not. You don't want to ruin your happiness in sewing. I use to sew for people and I got so overwelmed that I didn't sew or look at my stash or machines for over 2 years. I will never do that again.

gingersnaps

I wish that I could afford to buy it from you, we are a very small group, and we just burned through the material that we had buy making 55 quilts for flood victumes here in Roundup MT and two homes that lost everything in fires, but our funds are depleted for sure. I wish you the best luck in what ever you do. Ginger

psychonurse

You need an assistant for sure. When you sort and get it ready to be washed, only what you are keeping, take it to the laudromat, at least it is all washed and that part is finished at one time. While you are waiting for it to wash. you can be using their long table to cut some of your own stash for personal use. Only wash what you are keeping.

vickig626

As a fellow blanketeer, our group pitches in to help our coordinator since we know we works so hard for the group. She brings donated fabric in on our meeting dates for the group to pick from. That helps keep her storage issues down. Not sure what she does with the non-usable fabrics but probably donates elsewhere.

A suggestion -- definitely try get a laundry to donate the machine so you can wash the fabrics.. Then bring the fabric (or at least some each month) to the group and have 1 or 2 people do the ironing. You definitely don't need to do everything yourself.

That's why YOU'RE the coordinator....

yourstrulyquilts

I made some PL quilts, and the fabric I received wasn't washed. I don't wash my fabrics, except for flannel, dark colors, and something I think might shrink a lot. But if you HAVE ti wash it, then just 'swish it a few times in the machine, then dry it. There will be less fraying, and ironing involved. And Bless your heart for being involved in Project Linus!

JoanneS

I think you should ask for some help to sort and prepare fabric for PL. There are probably people who would be happy to sort and/or iron if they knew how much you are doing. If you don't ask, no one will no how many hours you are devoting to this very important task.

May in Jersey

Been there and done that with the big donations my guild often gets. Keep up the good work and hopefully you can spend time making PL quilts instead of sorting donations.

jaciqltznok

there comes a time when too much of a GOOD thing can become a bad thing....you need to have a backup plan so you can say " at this time, I believe this donation would be better suited for XXXXX" and just walk away...when it becomes WORK...it is not fun any more!

Another thing you can do is to PLAN what you are making...and only wash the fabrics in yardages that you need...say you need 3 yards for a backing...then only cut and wash 3 1/4 yards and let the rest GO!

Our group that sews for a children's hospice learned all this the hard way...the same way you are....now that we are losing the sewing room of the Bernina shop(she is closing), we can not accept anymore donations at all!

willferg

"there comes a time when too much of a GOOD thing can become a bad thing..."

This is exactly my point! Thanks for understanding me. I guess I wasn't clear in my post. First off, I'm not the coordinator, I'm the assistant, and since I quilt, the fabric comes to me. I DON'T mind sorting it, I enjoy that part. I only wash and iron what's being kept by me to use.

My complaint is that this abundance of wonderful fabric has made me lose my urge to sew. I can't turn fabric away because I love fabric, but I guess I've reached the point where I've eaten too many sweets and now I have a stomach ache. You are so right, this is a lesson I am learning!

By the way, I absolutely do share the fabric with the other quilters in our group, but they tend to take very little since they have their own stashes. I also send large amounts to other nonprofit groups I'm involved with. And I donate all the non-quilting fabric to nonprofit stores.

I guess I just need to purge my own stash so I don't feel so overwhelmed...

BuzzinBumble

You are an amazingly, incredibly giving and deeply thoughtful person! Now... step back before you burn out, delegate as much as possible and on a regular basis give yourself a break by taking care of your own well being first!!