2008 Fabric IN - 149.00 yds
2008 Fabric USED - 129.00 yds
2008 $ spent for sewing supplies, books, DVDs, retreats - $1,579.66
Fabric IN would have been not been so great had not some generous soul given me about 50-60 yds of his mother's fabric after she moved. I have every intention of using it though!
Fabric USED is doing pretty good, but USED is not the same as "out the door."
OK - one more disclosure. For the past few days, I've been collecting all my quilt-related books from under and next to the bed, those my friends have, a few in my car, those in the upstairs bookcase that I like a LOT, and those in the downstairs bookcase that I don't like so much but can't bear to give away, and the totally out-of-control PILE next to my TV-watching chair, from which I hardly watch TV any more because DH is clicking away on the TV remote control and driving me crazy! (breath) The disorder was depressing! It's been a job, trudging upstairs and downstairs, carrying books, logging them on the computer Excel spreadsheet, and sorting them into various categories - the only way I can begin to get them organized. I only had ONE duplicate book.
Total number of books .... drum roll please ... 320!
Soooooo, I've admitted my weakness -- how about you? Are you Stashbusting? Are you brave enough to track your costs, or your fabric use? I am guaging my age, vs. how many quilts I can make in a year and let me tell you, there's going to be a lot left over when I leave this earth, even without bringing any more INTO this house!
I am a quilter - a retired widow living in the Nebraska Panhandle. I am surrounded by beautiful semi-arid ranch country, and treeless hills and fields under incredibly wide blue skies, located far from the upheaval found often in large towns or cities. I am blessed to have delicious time to quilt and to appreciate my peaceful moments in an unpeaceful world.
You have an impressive number of books! And I think I'm pretty close to that too.
ReplyDeleteYour other stats are pretty impressive too, but I think I'm more impressed that you're actually keeping track of all that! Frankly, I don't want to know! It all seems to come in and nothing leaves. That will be a problem for someone! hee hee!
Wow - 320 books is amazing. One of our quilt group has a weakness for books and every christmas she chooses one for each of us ( we number about 20 ) and wraps it up as a pressie for us. She is slowing down with her quilting now - I think she's well into her 80's and she says she's downsizing while she's still able. I LOVE your shirt quilt too.
ReplyDeleteAs far as books go, I have 3/4 of a shelf full and that's probably enough for me!!
ReplyDeleteI do track fabric in and fabric out during the year and the cost of fabric bought. I only count yardage as USED when it is in a finished quilt ... and I mean finished, bound, labelled, the full works.
It is great that we can each find a system that works for us :)
I can't top you in books, but I probably could in magazines. That is my weekness. How do you track your fabric? It is so interesting to see how much everyone is using. Since I do a lot of scrap patterns, I have found it difficult to keep track of fabric used.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I don't think a windfall like a 60 yard gift really counts as fabric in. ;) Do you count magazines as books? I love quilting books and have learned most of what I know about quilting from them so I can totally understand having that many.
ReplyDeleteGoodness, You managed to sort out all that stuff. I cant even begin to imagine where you must keep it all. I have a small office/craft room and stuff is now overflowing from it.
ReplyDeleteOh, the money is something I haven't kept track of. Maybe for next year. I'm afraid to count my books....
ReplyDeleteYou did well stashbusting! :)
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to let you know the post (http://birdwomanau.blogspot.com/2008/11/have-tissue.html) Those "writings" are the webding font. What it really says is:I don't ever want it to feel like a job,so I want to move on when it still feels exciting and fresh
David Tennant
Have a wonderful day! :) Happy STashbusting!
Linda
I have never totaled up what I spend on quilting. I'm very afraid of what that total might be. You are very brave to look straight at the numbers involved.
ReplyDeleteWow. I am too scared to do audits such as that!
ReplyDeleteI once kept track of all my spendings & incomings for my dolls, & gave up in case Gom found the books!
My brother has just been staying here, & complimented me on my 'tidy' office/sewing room!! I was stunned, though I have seen his 'office/library', so I know why he said that!
I'm like Sharon, I don't really want to know how much I've spent. I'm doing okay on using my stash, not great, just okay. I agree with others that your 60 yards of gifted material shouldn't count.
ReplyDeleteI do intend to buy less fabric and use more stash in the coming months. But, like most everyone else, there is no way I can possibly use it all up in my lifetime. Unless someone invents a way to make (and complete)a full sized quilt in an hour I'll just plain run out of time.
I've been trying to buy less. its been good. the one thing that really helped clean out my stash is find fabrics and pair them up with either unfinished quilt tops or vintage quilt tops. So now I have no excuse to not get them finished... I really don't have many quilt books. I don't like following patterns, So I only recently bought a couple showing old vintage quilts... just for color combos and styles... like political quilts etc... My goal is to make a top in the new year using up everything in my scrap bins... I'm feeling a crazy quilt coming on!
ReplyDeleteWell, I thinned fabric and sold/donated books last year, and my stash is still fitting in the same amount of closet space, so I guess I'm doing OK. That doesn't mean that fabrics doesn't come in on a regular basis, but I've been sewing like a fiend, so I'm keeping up. I'm by no means reducing the total stash volume - as long as it only takes up one closet (and DH doesn't have reason to look in there!) it's all good.
ReplyDeleteElaine,
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice collection of books that you have- there are so many wonderful quilt books out there - I have both a large number of books and magazines.
There are so many beautiful fabrics to choose from...it is easy for some of us to become fabric collectors :D)
I agree with the rest that a gift fabric is not the same as adding to the stash( though in the case of storage it would have made some difference I am sure).
I am also sure no matter how long I live, I would not run out of most everything that I need to make quilts( except quilt batt).
However, I love fabric so I guess I will struggle with how much I own and buying more- it is a challenge for lots of us I guess..
There are worse things to collect..:D) Like others I am slightly afraid to think about how much money I have spent on quilting
I do keep looking for ways to store it better- I get all tidyed up and then I start another new quilt and of course I have to check out the stash. I do think that is one good thing that I do these days is build from my stash. Occasionally I go looking for a specific piece to complete a quilt but I usually can make the bulk of it from the stash.
Keep on building your beautiful quilts- your shirt ones are lovely..
Regards,
Anna
I will say one good thing about moving is clearing out some stuff. When I moved this time I gave about half my "beginner" books to the guild in the UK. As for fabric, the book on making over you sewing room that I am reading now wants me to measure the piles of fabric. That is worse than stepping on the scale at a weight watchers meeting!
ReplyDeleteHey Elaine! I been keeping up to date on Western Nebraska via your blog. I am going to be out in that area till Tuesday. Actually going home through Alliance, if you want to do lunch or coffee let me know. gap_number_02@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteJamie
Love the mission star quilt does it have a home? I think perhaps I need to start a fabric/books/patterns/$$ spent diary! I was a bit of a hog this year & even with my prolific piecing I don't think I did nearly as well as you & with all that donated fabric,kudos, Elaine, you are a Stashbuster worthy of the name!
ReplyDeleteRoslyn
But look at the wonderful, terrific tops you've made this year inspiring us all. If those plaid shirts had not followed you home, we would be less encouraged. At this time, I am making a dent in my backing fabric, my batting bin, and several tops that have been waiting. I've no idea how much fabric has come in or gone out, but I am having great fun.
ReplyDeleteLike others, I'm v impressed that you keep track of such things and have the nerve to face the numbers. I haven't bought as much this year, but then it's also been a rather fallow year in terms of piecing.
ReplyDeleteOne way I reduce the incoming is that I share it before it even goes into my stash: my sister receives orders for me, cuts a quarter yard or so for herself of the fabrics she likes (unless i specify otherwise). This defrays postage costs. What arrives in Germany, I generally share with a quilting friend here. This way, i get smaller amounts, but still lots of variety.
Seeing the number of books you own gives me a clue about how you manage to make such a variety of fabulous quilts. Maybe I actually need more books :-) I've only got about seven and only one of those is a big fat compendium.
I was quite impressed with your fabric calculations! Although I am glad that I have not kept track ;)
ReplyDeleteIt would be cool to know but that information could get into the wrong hands...KWIM?? Books?? WOWSA!!! That is a lots of books! My addiction seems to be magazines and patterns. I am trying to contain myself but keep telling myself that the magazines are a better value if I actually USE the patterns in there rather than buy more ;)