Fabriholics Anonymous

I said awhile ago that I may have a fabric addiction.  I even said that an intervention may be necessary.  Well, the blog-o-sphere has provided an answer:

The Elven Garden posted about a 12-step program for Fabriholics, to start on January 1st, 2014.  Step one, buy no new fabric for the first six months of the year.  I got to thinking about that...

1)  It has given me great joy to make aprons for family members from my fabric stash.  Sure, I bought a couple pieces of fabric specifically for this project, but I tried really hard to use what I already had. And it made me happy to use things up.  (What a concept!)

How long I have wanted to make this coat!

Used to have a dress from this fabric; still plenty leftover

2)  I have a lot of garment and home-dec fabrics.  While some of these might be usable in quilts or piecing projects, I either have to start sewing garments again, or start purging.  I glanced through my swatch notebook.  I had an idea from The Sew Weekly in mind: how many weeks' worth of sewing-a-garment-a-week could I manage with my available fabric?  Would I have more than 52 items?  (That's a whole year of sewing a new item every week!  I already have a day job, thank-you-very-much.)



3)  How many UFOs do I have?  How many "projects" do I count (because I have purchased the materials and am holding onto them along with the pattern for that elusive someday) in addition to those UFOs?  Can any of these be disposed of?

4)  And what if I have to move?  Would I really pay to transport all of my fabric?  (Sweetie has said a reasonable short-term goal is to just get all the fabric in the same storage location, rather than spread out over 2 different rooms and the garage attic.)


Ok, I'm taking the plunge: signing on to the Fabriholics Annonymous challenge for 2014.  There are rules.  Not joking around here.

 

GOALS:

- To use the Stash I already have!

- Finish UFOs without distraction by shifting to other new beautiful fabric.

- Stop the insanity of buying fabric when I'm bored or feeling uninspired.

- Save the $$ I spend on stashing. (I have a wedding coming up; maybe some extra cash would come in handy there.)

- Destash the fabrics that I realize I am never going to use.

FABRIC DIET RULES:

1) No fabric purchases for 6 months beginning January 1, 2014.   

2) At 6 months reevaluate status and decide whether to keep going for full year.  Evaluation July 1, 2014.

3) Create a UFO list and complete them!

4) Exceptions

• Backing: purchasing a backing to finish a quilt top is permissible.  However, attempting to use fabric in your possession for a backing is preferable.
• Books and Magazine purchases are allowed as they are not fabric.  Notions acceptable too.
• Swap Mama Fabric: if hosting a swap you are permitted to by fabric to execute swap duties, but you may not join a swap simply for the sake of being able to buy fabric!
• Quilts for Publication: if you are making a quilt for a publication and need certain fabric to execute it correctly then that is a major exception - who can blame you?

Modifications?  Well, since I am committing to sewing some garments and home-decor items in addition to quilty projects, I think the "backing" exception might go for "lining" as well.


I wanna have less fabric.  I am looking forward to both starting some new projects, and finishing some UFOs in 2014. 

Feel free to join in: the more the merrier!