Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Stash includes more than fabric!

I'm posting a bunch today because I'm so eager to share - I love this new way we've found to share our passion! Judy says I need three stash-related entries in order to be admitted to the Stash Quilts ring, and if I'm counting correctly this one makes three.

I collect more than just fabric. I collect quilting books. I've put them all on a spreadsheet that I can take with me on my PDA because I've been known to buy two copies of the same book - several times in fact. Once I wanted a book so badly I bought it 3 times before I remembered I'd really bought it and not just planned to buy it. The spreadsheet has 873 titles listed . . . and counting . . . because I have three new books that aren't listed yet. And that doesn't include any of my longarm books or other books of quilting designs I keep upstairs in the longarm room!

I also collect quilt patterns. I've lost count of how many patterns I have - and I keep buying them. Plus quilting magazines. At one time I had subscriptions to 10 different magazines. I've now cut back to only four. When I had over 15 linear feet of magazines I begged for a filing cabinet for Christmas. I went through all the magazines, tearing out articles of interest and every pattern that remotely interested me. Now I have a full filing cabinet and two more years of magazines to go through!

I also am a sucker for kits. My favorite quilt shop is owned by a great lady with a fabulous sense of color and fabric combination. I adore everything she puts together. And she always puts together very generous kits for each of her class samples. Plus I'm a sucker for kits on Jan Patek's and other websites. So I put all my kits onto another spreadsheet labeled "PIGS" - projects in grocery sacks. Mine aren't in grocery sacks - they are in stacking drawers all over the quilting room - but I like the name anyway. As soon as one is started it gets moved off the PIGS list and onto the UFO list. The PIGS list is currently at 58 kits - ARGH! And the UFO list has 46 items. At least I can say that only 17 of them are unfinished tops - the rest are just waiting for me to find time to quilt them.

I tell my family I have to live to be 500 years old to use up this fabric and finish all the projects. Someone at work who obviously doesn't know me at all well asked me why I wanted to retire. "You know you'll probably be bored stiff" was her comment. Good gravy - she obviously doesn't know any quilters!

I tried to post pictures of bookshelves, kit storage and more but blogger doesn't seem to be cooperating. Tomorrow I'll try to edit this post and add the pictures.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

ok, so will you share where your fabric quilt shop is????? I want to see the kits too!
You are going to have soooo many quilts to make once you retire!
have to admit to having your obsession with quilt books too! mine are on an excel spreadsheet with the location of where they are on the bookshelf....
I too was buying the same book over and over ...this cured that problem!

Anonymous said...

Hi Patti! I found you from a comment on my blog! thanks for visiting...I love how your fabric looks on that lime green shelf! I am in the same boat as you, way too much fabric, and the new stuff that comes out makes me want to buy more, instead of using what I have...I'm working SO hard to keep my spending to things that help me use the fabric I already have :c)

The log cabin quilt you posted about IS paper pieced..I wouldn't want to work with strips less than 3/4" wide :c)

Bonnie

Anonymous said...

Hi Patti - welcome to the group! There is no explanation for the fabric obsession, is there? It just NEEDS to be in our closets :) Your autumn wallhangig is great - I love those turkeys!

Anonymous said...

you are in good company here for encouragement on using your stash-nice you are so well organized!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing how you became a quiltaholic and welcome to our group! Hopefully we'll inspire you to use up that stash and stop buying new fabric (for awhile anyway!) :) Love the name PIGS for project materials gathered, but not actually started. Good one!!! I guess I have some PIGS too!!

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't want to count how many quilting books I have but I'm pretty sure you have me beat. Your quilts look great.

Anonymous said...

Welcome to the stash ring, and WOW! That's a lot of books! I'd love to play in your quilting library...

Anonymous said...

I could spend days just looking through your stash of fabrics and books. And all so neatly arranged! Welcome to the group, it's great to have you here!

Anonymous said...

Me thinks that JudyL has met her match when it comes to FABRIC!!! LOL...WOW...and it's all so NEAT and FOLDED and SORTED...AND 880 BOOKS? OK...I am bowing down to you! YOU WIN! ;o)

Welcome to Stashbusters!
Hugs
Laruie

Anonymous said...

I thought I had a lot of books and magazines, but you win hands down! I'm enjoying reading about your stash and pigs etc. Makes my acquisitions look very tame :-)