My Stash

Here's what I've been working on since January 1. I'm still not finished. There are four more shelving units to the right of these. It takes a serious amount of time to get organized. I sure hope it will be worth it. My friend, Peg, has been helping me fold and stack fabric whenever she has time. Without her, this wouldn't be this far along. I guess this explains why I haven't been sewing much lately.

I just found out that Sew Mama Sew was asking about stashes. Here are my answers to her questions:

What do you usually sew?

Quilts, all sizes

When you shop for fabric, what size cuts do you usually buy? (i.e. If you see something beautiful, but you don’t have a use for it right away, how much do you buy?

Usually at least two yards. If I love it I'll get the rest of the bolt. I don't need a project in mind.

Do you buy on impulse or do you go out looking for something you need?

Usually think I'll only buy what I need and always end up buying fabric for something I think I'll make in the future.

Are you a pre-washer? If you are, do you wash your fabric before you need it, or only when you’re ready to use it?

Yes, I prewash everything as soon as it comes in the house. I serge the top and bottom of my fabric to keep it from fraying and causing a mess in my washing machine and my septic system

Do you iron it?

I partially dry my fabric and then iron it dry.

How do you sort it? (color, print size, collection, etc.)

I sort by color then by project

Do you have any special folding techniques?

I use a method I found on the internet. I can't remember where

How do you store your fabric?

On metal shelving units in my basement

What tips do you have for building up a well-rounded stash?

Just buy what you like

When do you say enough is enough?

I said enough on January 1 when I started folding and sorting my messed up stash

What are some of your favorite stash-busting projects?

If I had any, my stash would not be out of control.

Do you have a current favorite print in your stash? Let’s see it!

They are all favorites it would be liking picking a favorite child

What’s your definition of the perfect stash? (Consider sharing a picture or two of your stash & storage, or direct us to a pic on Flickr!)

When I can go to my stash at 11pm and find exactly what I need.