this is your brain on fabric... dealing with our addictions

[val_for_design]

Refreshing the debate!

My housemate moved out a few months ago, and I decided to live by myself. I started telling friends, my parents, and myself that I like living alone (and it's true!), but the main reason is so I can have a dedicated sewing room. I need a wardrobe/rack/shelving unit, but otherwise everything is in there. Ironically, the sewing room is larger than my bedroom!

I pay just over (Australian) $1000 per month for the luxury of a sewing room...

That's dedication.

[kitschbitch]

You are hardcore, val_for_design.  Hardcore.

[RonnieCat]

My yarn stash came down off my top bunk so I could rummage through it for materials the other day, so I decided to take a picture. It's still taking up most of my bed and not leaving me much room to sleep in.

My bed



My duct tape dress form that I think isn't the same size as me anymore tied to the bedpost with the sash of my bathrobe (and a belt I crocheted now being used with the bathrobe)



Oh, and my 20 or so yarns of gorgeous black and red plaid on the foot of my bed <3





YARN EXPLOSION



Oh, and way back in this thread I posted about buying some handles and yarn to make a purse? Two years ago. I just started working on that tonight. That yarn has been set aside in a bag for TWO YEARS.

I have problems

[MareMare]

This is such a funny thread! I have serious problems with both yarn and fabric, but I really go crazy with soap making supplies. And a lot of this stuff isn't good forever, it has a shelf life! I was just inventory-ing my essential oils and fragrance oils...and I have over 20 essential oils and almost 50 fragrance oils. And I don't buy small amounts either, probably only 10 of those are 1 ouncers, the rest are either 8 or 16 ounce bottles. And I went on a major cleaning out a few months ago and got rid of bad ones and gave away ones I didn't want...probably 30 bottles worth. Yikes!

[try.fail.repeat]

MY name is Rachele,

 I am a fabric/yarn/thrifting for clothes to recon into other clothes/button/paint/ you name it I hoard it addict.

It's pathetic. I seriously spend more time buying new stuff to sew with than I actually do sew!

[Retromiad]

I can justify my yarn stash, because I do actually get through it regularly and need to replace.  I do plastic canvas so I need to have a colourful range on hand.  However, I have NO EXCUSE for my GIGANTIC fabric stash.  The main reason being that I don't actually do that much sewing, lol.  I buy fabric and I buy patterns.  Every once in awhile I'll make curtains or an apron or something.  But my intake is much bigger then what I use.  I mean I have ugly yellow curtains that I don't even KNOW why I'm keeping them.  I'll certainly never hang them in my house.  lol.   

I have several gorgeous christmas fabrics.  I don't use them because I don't feel any project is good enough.  Last year I finally made a table cloth out of one, reasoning that if I needed it would be easy to reuse!!!  What is wrong with me?  hahaha  Seriously, I need a psychiatrist or something.

[dollbecky]

I have a problem
I refused to join my husband in USA unless he let me bring at least half my stash ....he shipped it over in the end
Now I live in LA ...and am only allowed in the fashion district 2/3 times a year (did I mention our tiny grad student apartment) but the biggest sign of my crazy craft addiction is my yarn and roving stash ....I dont spin or felt or knit ....but I always want to learn and yarn is so pretty and roving is so yummy and and and ...help me !!!!
I have craft supplies for crafts I dont even do  **head in hands**
Oh and I work in a bookstore that lets me order any book I want and get 33% off ..I have many many craft books

[Linnybelle]

So my problem is fabric.  And it manifested itself very nicely tonight.  I pulled out my three bags of purple fabric to start something for a friend and hesitated... that's right, hesitated... before I could make myself cut into any of it.  I think as of right now I have at least two to three bags of fabric in any given color of the rainbow in a huge trunk in my bedroom and I still have trouble using it.

Lately though, I've been getting better.  I made a few scrap quilts and finished up some projects.  I think Christmas this year will be good for me.  I'm planning on making a bunch of things,  hopefully getting rid of some of this enormous stash.

And then of course, I'll just have to go to the amazing quilt store in my town and get more...Wait...

[kstaron]

gods don't let me loose in a bead store! I can spend hours in there.  And fabric, well I can always come up with something I'd like to do with it, if only I had the time.

I've pretty much put a moratorium on craft supply buying unless Its for
1) a project I'm currently working on RIGHT NOW, as in I need glue and 4 buttons or it ain't getting done
or
2) It's on my needed supply list for a project that id actually on my to do list with a desired completion date of under two months

Still slip up and buy some really great deal fabrics but I'm managing to stash bust more.

[qazicat]

I also have been trying not to buy any more fabric for my stash unless it is for a project that I am currently working on.  I have a had a few slips and have bought a few fat quarters,   but I have been using more than I am buying.    Despite having done my best this year to stash bust,  (and I have been very busy all year),  I have hardly made a dent in the stash.