FINAL Stashbusting Report--Woohoo!

Wow--my closet sure doesn't show it but I busted a net total of........

358.25 YARDS!!

I didn't post a report all of December cuz I was busy!! Sewing lots of purses, sling totes, tote bags, fabric baskets, quilt for in laws, class samples AND vacationing AND had Christmas! LOL But I kept tally all along. Here's the final report:

December in: 0

December out: 17.75 yards

TOTAL YTD in: 39.5 yards

TOTAL OUT: 397.75 Yards (I was really hoping to hit 400, but ran out of time)

TOTAL NET OUT: 358.25 Yards!!

My friends are all amazed at this former Queen of Quilt Shopping!! I really had to use restraint in not buying fabric, just because. I did break down at Paducah and bought a bit of new fabric and my favorite quilt shop in Pawley's Island had a 50% off sale and how can you pass that up? The only thing I don't count is if fabric has been given to me (a friend bought me a jelly roll and hubby surprised me for Christmas and bought me some--I really didnt' think he would). But I count everything else. Oh wait..I don't count it IF I buy it to make a gift and then make it within a month, so it really never hits the stash. I know that in Stashbuster's, you can have 'legal' buys of the 4 "B's"...backing, borders, backgrounds and bindings..but I even count those, unless it's a gift and only had to buy something twice because I had nothing that did not work.

It all really doesn't matter, because I do this for me. I am out of room in my closet and really do have a nice workable stash. I think another year of really sticking to it will be good for me. I love the new fabric, but I have pretty stuff too. My original thought was to get it all way, way down. But the more I think of it....the reason I can make so many quilts without buying a thing is because I do have a nice variety. And I love that I can pretty much make whatever I want without too much effort. Oh, a few times I sure wished I could have gone out and bought something, but it made me be a bit more creative. And I love the challenge of making quilts with what I have. Okay, I have a lot, so it's not too hard. Some of my friends that are newer into quilting don't have that luxury of shopping a stash. I tell them that I couldn't do it either if I hadn't bought so much along the way. AND that they are the ones who need to keep the quilt stores in business. I did my share..now it's someone else's turn! LOL

All in all, I keep track for myself and actually enjoy the challenge. I might think different later when fabric starts getting depleted to the point that it's more work that it's worth. So..for now, I'm going for another Stash bustin' year. At one point I was trying NOT to buy ANY fabric at all, for any reason, but that is just too much. So..keeping it under 40 yards is a real coup. It's actually only 10% of what I busted, so that's good. I wonder if I can hit 500 yards this year? Wow, that's a lot...but who knows? Who thought I would have used almost 400 yards?

Now....here's a picture of me covered in the new fabric hubby got me...and I did not ask for it and he knew what I was trying to do. I asked him about it and he said he just loves the look on my face when I get some new fabric. He said, "I don't get it...but to see your face, it's worth it!" I guess since when you have been a little lean in new fabric, it makes you appreciate it when you do get some! He loves Fat Quarter Shop! heehee..me too!