| The past few weeks I have been sorting through my | | | | It's a novelty fabric, floral design, kid's theme or |
| overwhelming collection of fabric. Yes, for most of you | | | | Christmas print and I love it, 1-2 yards. |
| this may only take a few hours or a couple days, but | | | | What's my theory behind these guidelines? If I am only |
| for my toppling stash, it can very easily take a couple | | | | purchasing a yardage amount for a project, I like to |
| of weeks! :) As I am sorting different pieces into piles | | | | have a little extra. That way if I make mistakes such |
| for projects, several thoughts are running through my | | | | as figuring wrong measurements or cutting wrong |
| mind - Why did I ever buy this fabric? Why didn't I buy | | | | sizes, I'm still ok. A solid, marbled, textured or tone on |
| another yard of that? Oh, I wish I had the coordinate to | | | | tone fabric is perfect for embellishing with embroidery; |
| this floral! I'm tired of this fabric; it has sat on my shelf | | | | for obvious reasons - the designs will show up on |
| for over 5 years and I still haven't used it. | | | | these fabrics versus a busy print. Not only are these |
| Often I will end up with more fabric than I need for a | | | | pieces great for embroidery, but they also work well |
| project or not quite enough for what I am wanting to | | | | for blending or coordinating novelty and floral print |
| do. What are my guidelines for buying fabric? | | | | fabrics. A fabric that is an obvious or busy print is |
| Everyone has their own ideas, but here are a few of | | | | more limited and can't be used quite as many ways as |
| my thoughts... | | | | a solid, so I try not to buy as much of it. It can easily be |
| When I first started sewing and buying fabric, I had a 3 | | | | incorporated with several solids or tone on tone |
| yard rule. It didn't matter what it was, if I liked it, I bought | | | | fabrics. |
| 3 yards. In my mind this gave me enough for several | | | | This lets me get the fabric I need, while letting me |
| kinds of garments, lots of quilt blocks and borders and | | | | purchase some fabric for future use. It keeps my |
| plenty for cutting and stitching errors. Several years | | | | fabric stash in check, but doesn't let it dwindle down to |
| later, I knew my 3 yard rule had to change. Not only | | | | nothing! There are still times when I enter a fabric store |
| was I running out of space to store all my fabric, but | | | | or go online and buy more than I really need. Or as my |
| my checkbook just couldn't handle the expense. | | | | mom used to say when I would come home with a |
| I desperately needed to develop a new strategy for | | | | sack full of fabric or another box of fabric arrived at |
| buying fabric, so I came up with the following rules: | | | | our front door, "You just can't stand it; you just had to |
| It's a piece I love & can use in various ways, 3-4 | | | | buy it!" But when starting a new project, I try to use |
| yards. | | | | fabric from my collection with maybe only needing to |
| It's something I like & don't have anything that is | | | | buy a piece or two to blend in with what I already own. |
| similar, 2-3 yards. | | | | Do I regret having the fabric that keeps my shelves |
| I absolutely love it, but don't have any idea what I'll use | | | | overflowing? No, definitely not! Maybe I went a little |
| it for, 1-2 yards. | | | | overboard, but I have found it very useful to have |
| It's unique & different, but not my favorite, 1/2 - 1 | | | | multiple pieces in several colors of prints and solids. I |
| yard. | | | | can pull out pieces and coordinate the colors I want for |
| It's on sale for a fantastic price & can be used in | | | | whatever project I am currently work on. I may only |
| a hundred different ways, whatever is left on the bolt. | | | | need one or two additional pieces to complete it or |
| Now, with quite a fabric stash built up, I don't always | | | | perhaps none at all. |
| buy following these guidelines. Over the years my | | | | The next time you are ready to buy yards of fabric, |
| taste and thinking in fabric has changed. Some fabrics I | | | | keep in mind what you are going to use it for. Is it just |
| have used and am now tired of trying to use in new | | | | something you love and will not really use? Or is it a |
| projects. A few are dated in the sense that some | | | | marbled or textured piece of fabric that can be used |
| prints and colors are popular for a time and then go | | | | to stitch embroidery designs, blend with floral or novelty |
| out of style. I have also developed more of a feel for | | | | fabrics or used as a quilt backing? |
| which fabrics I will be more likely to use and what | | | | Do keep in mind that your fabric buying habits and |
| projects I can create from them. | | | | ideas will change. There will be times when you are |
| I still love fabric and will indulge in several yards here | | | | sewing more projects with prints versus solids or |
| and there, but not to the extent that I did in past years. | | | | batiks. Or perhaps two or three colors will grab your |
| I try to keep in mind the following: | | | | attention for several months. There are most certainly |
| I'm using it for a project right now, whatever I need plus | | | | no rights or wrongs in purchasing fabric, just different |
| 1/4-1/2 yard extra. | | | | ideas. Thinking about what you are buying and the |
| It's a solid, marbled, textured, or tone on tone print that | | | | reason for it may help your stash to be put into quilts |
| can easily be used to stitch embroidery designs on, | | | | and other projects instead of just sitting on the shelf. |
| plus many other uses, 3-4 yards. | | | | |