I look through my stash, and there's really only a few pieces that shout out to me as ones that I love and want to keep. I hate accumulating lots of stuff. Do you keep it in thinking that if tastes have changed in a year, they will change once again?
curious.
I'm learning that I'm the type of person that needs to buy for the project I"m about to embark on, not buy and then save it for future use.
I keep the stuff that doesn't speak to me - that way when I'm drafting a block or toying with a new idea I can practice without using precious fibers. And yes, my taste is always changing :)
ReplyDeleteI keep them, sometimes they crop up as being useful somewhere, as an accent or for a non-quilting project - party bags, library bags, or a gift, or swap, something to sell...
ReplyDeleteAs for my personal taste, definitely constantly changing.
my tastes have changed quite a lot, and they continue to do so. i tend to pass on fabric that i no longer love. sometimes i wish i hadn't, but i try not to look back. there is so much fabric to use, so little time! :) if i keep it, i feel obligated to use it, and i won't LOVE the finished product. so i'm trying to only use what i love. trying is the key word.
ReplyDeletethanks for the comments. Amanda, you hit the nail on hte head...I don't want to invest so much time and effort and not LOVE the fabrics that I'm working with.
ReplyDeleteHmmm. Maybe I need to swap or giveaway...
Interestingly, my taste hasn't change in the 10 years I have been collecting fabric. I may like a new collorway but I still love my fabric stash. Anyway, here's a suggestion - try a scrap quilt. Bonnie Hunter at Quiltville Quips and Snips offers lots of free patterns. I just finished the Pineapple Blossom pattern -see Girly Girl quilt on my blog if you like.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is the biggest problem with quilter's - love in one moment can turn to dislike and disuse weeks, or months later and the fabric sits on the shelf...
ReplyDeletesome things that inspire me to use those not so "lovely" fabrics - make a quilt or two or three and give to charity -- check your local quilt guild for a program that accepts quilts for that purpose -- make tote bags to use for grocery store buys, get rid of the plastic, make draw string bags and donate to your local women's shelter or to the food bank or to homeless shelters, they can use the bags to carry and store things better than in plastic that tears and falls apart. Make a supply of 'gifty' things as just in case gifts - placemats, tablerunners, tea cozy, etc. It all gives you sewing experience and you don't have to keep it!