Rambling thoughts

I'm warning you, I am on sinus meds and I'm not thinking straight.

Do you have a stash? If you do, do you know how much is in it? I don't mean "lots" or "too much" I mean really know how much is there. Having just moved and touched every single piece of fabric you would think I would know but I only have an estimate. When I folded all of my fabric getting ready for the move I did take estimated amounts and added them up. I took the size of the ruler I used to fold it on and multiplied it by how many wraps it took that is a pretty good idea of the length. I do know, if my husband knew how much money was represented in there he would pass smooth out!

To be honest I have not purchased much fabric in the past year. I have known for over a year I would be moving and I had great friends who would remind me if I bought it I would have to pack and move it, so I tried to be good. I also know for the past 2 years I have volunteered at a quilt shop. At first I wouldn't take money or fabric as payment as I really did it all for selfish reasons; I wanted the shop to succeed so I could have a local quilt shop. After a while the owner kind of relied on me being there and it became more work than pleasure so then I started getting paid in fabric. I have LOTS of fabric from that. I can tell you exactly which fabric I got from the shop because it is not my style. LOL I am such a civil war repro gal that Amy Butler and Kaffe just made me uncomfortable, but they kind of grew on me.

So after 18 years of quilting and 14 years of dyeing fabric and 2 years of working in a quilt store I have what I consider a very large stash. Some would consider it a HUGE stash. I have not added to it much in the past year, and I plan on doing the same this year. How many shops have gone under because I haven't shopped much and how many more will close if I continue in this direction? LOL

I remember when I first started quilting in the early 90's, reading about "quilt artist" and their "studios" and that they had to have a stash and a large one at that so they would always have what they needed without having to run to the quilt shop, besides quilt shops aren't open at 2am.
(whew what a sentence)

I bought into that thinking for a while and bought fabric, any fabric. I bought for in case I might need it at 2am. I bought because I lived 2 hours from the nearest quilt shop and it was not feasible to go to the quilt shop at the drop of a hat.

I was not alone in that kind of shopping. LOTS of quilters had this same idea. I think for several years quilters were in a buying frenzy. Shop owners fed this frenzy by always reminding us "If you see it you better buy it because it won't be here when you come back next time." We had to buy it then, we didn't want to miss out! I think that explains some of the "what was I thinking" fabrics.

I think I need a nap...I'll finish these thoughts later

maybe

Diane