Sunday, February 7, 2010

Stash Report Week 6

Well nothing was busted this week except for some water soluable stabilizer and perhaps some cut away as well since hand towels don't count.. smiles. Perhaps next week. There are a couple things that I would like to try to make at a very slow pace that is. This coming week is Keith's birthday so I would like to "TRY" to make a special Birthday place mat. I already have a pattern in mind and there is an embroidery pattern that I think would be perfect to go some where on the place mat. Whether I make it that far is a different story. It really is the thought that counts. As soon as we (Keith and I) Figure out what (1 color and 2 size) blocks we are going to use for our super secret Christmas projects there will be some busted stash.. Things will be embroidered and put into a WIP project box. In an effort to organize the sewing room we have several of those art bins from Joanns designated as project boxes.

Fabric that was added was already confessed to earlier in the week it all belongs to Thimbleberries Club that I'm hoping that others are working on too. I signed up for it prior to deciding to start stash busting. I don't know what my group is actually doing because they are in San Diego but maybe I will find an online support group working on it too.

Fabric added this week: 3.6 (There is actually more because they sent me the first trimesters fabric but it was packed nice so the others will be counted as I get the pattern books)
Fabric added year-to-date: 25.45

Fabric used this week: 0.0 (towels don't count but I sew'd)
Fabric used year-to-date: 2.25

Net Fabric Used: -23.2

I have a question for the other ladies working on stash. When do you count it as busted. When cut or actually sewn. Being my first year doing stash busting do I get to count UFO's that have been added to the flimsy pile as busted stash as long as they haven't been counted before?


10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Heather, I think you could count with whatever method you like best. Some count when their fabric is cut, and others wait for a finished quilt. I count my fabric when it's a flimsy (completed quilt top), and when it's a finished quilt, I will count the backing and binding fabrics. I do count UFOs because that fabric has never been counted before. Just be consistent and count the same way every time, and you will get a good idea of how much fabric you are using. It's amazing how fast it adds up! Take care, Dianne B. in England

quiltin cntrygrl said...

Thanks Diane I appreciate it!!

SpinningStar said...

I count the stash as being used when I cut it, since it probably won't be used for anything else. And, I'll count my old UFOs when they get completed for the same reason that Dianne mentioned. But, I plan to just to figure out the UFO as "yardage", not try to backtrack and figure out what was the actual fabric used and trying to figure out all of the seam allowances! Have to keep it simple!

Many of us count any fabric that is busted. We make totes, placemats, pillowcases, clothes as well as quilts so all that is counted as fabric that was busted. So, unless your towel fabric was from a separate secret stash - count it as busted! There are some ladies that are tracking spool usage since they are trying to clear out all those partially used spools of thread.

And some of us are reporting exercise results, since confessing to this fun group of fellow quilters does help keep us on track.

The hardest part is being organized enough to track what you are using. A good notebook or spreadsheet is essential.

KatieQ said...

I'm glad you were able to embroider some towels. I love to do machine embroidery, but I find that I either set things up to quilt/sew or to embroider. Since I am determined to finish up as many UFOs as I can this year, my Designer SE has stayed in its case since Christmas.

I also have towels that need to be done and a ring bearer's pillow to make for an April wedding so I will have to put my quilting on hold for a while. What kind of machine do you use to embroider?

InfinityQuilter/Knitter said...

The first year I counted it out when the top was done, but that took too long for me. I need to see results, so I went to counting when I cut it. That's much more satisfying to me.

Darling Jill Quilts said...

I count mine when it's cut. As long as you are consistent with when you count it, you will be fairly accurate. :)

Lori in South Dakota said...

You count however it works for you. Me, I count when it's "done done"--as my tops have a habit of laying around and being forgotten!

Kathy said...

I count stash as busted once I cut it. As for UFO's and counting as long as they haven't been counted previously.

the writer said...

I'm counting when I have a top finished.

When I get the backing done & am ready to quilt I'll count the backing fabric only.

But, like everyone has said, figure out what works for you & then stick with it.

Last year I got frustrated with reporting about 1/4 of the way into the year because I was going completely in the wrong direction (adding a lot more than I was using). . .but I'm hoping to be able to keep up with the group this year.

Of course, it helps that I have realized that I own more fabric than I could possibly use in the next 50 years so I either start using it or it will end up on the "free table" at a yard sale after I'm gone. . .and I spent way too much on my stash to let that happen!! he he he

Miss Deb said...

The first year I counted it as I cut it. But found it only increased my UFO's. This year I Decided to only count it when the top is done and matched to the backing.