As we go into another year, I find myself looking around my studio and thinking why do I have all this stuff!!! Contrary to popular belief, I do not want to die with the most fabric. I don't believe a huge stash is necessary because I find myself going to the store to buy fabric that matches whatever I'm working on. Don't get me wrong l will keep a stash, but I find the fabrics in my stash that I am using are solids or fabrics that read solid. I become bored or lose my taste for pattern fabrics such as Florals or the new trend i had to have. So, what do I do with them? I could cut them up into very small pieces and make a scrap quilt. I love scrap quilts they give you permission to not have to be perfect when selecting colors and somehow, they come out looking beautiful no matter what you do with them as long as the colors are mixed up and there's no two same colors touching each other. I think you might guess where I'm going with this. yes, I love scrap quilts, but it drives me crazy trying to sew them so two of the same color or patterns are not touching each other. Although I have a significant number of scraps most are in three categories primitive/Civil war era, traditional, and 30s. oh my 30s those are mine and no one is allowed to touch them or cut them. I'm making something with them what? I don't know but when I do ill have enough to make several of it! Let's just say there are fabrics you like, love, and then there is the obsession that's my 30s.
if there was one bit of advice, I could give a new quilter it would be don't fall for the "you need a stash" it's a marketing technique started long ago to get women to buy fabric they didn't need but might use someday. Buy what you need and only what you need per project.
Now there is also the problem of ufo's. Every year I say to myself I'm going to get this ufo ahem several ufo's finished. Do I get them all finished no I don't, but I do try to get at least three finished before I start another project. In my defense most of my ufo's are finished they are just not quilted and bound. Being a professional long-arm quilter, I don't get my own projects finished as I should. And so, into the new year I go challenging myself to finish those ufo's before starting another and if a ufo is over 5 years old give it to someone else to finish or donate it. And so, I proclaim this is the year I will create something with my 30's fabrics and finish my ufo's and if I don't there always next year......