Stash Reduction, July 2020

I'm continuing to make progress on using/downsizing the stash.

The month of July saw 

• 78 masks were delivered, for a total of 9.75 yds
• one comforter was redone using 8 yds of interfacing and 1 yd of fabric for binding
• My quilter's trek quilt was completed for a total of about 6 yds of fabric
• 3 F2F blocks were completed using a total of 1 yd of fabric

Total used in July - 25.75 yds

That brings my total for the year to 108 yds gone from the stash.   

Left to go for this year - 92 yds

Gratitudes:

1. For the provision that helped on the mortgage, even tho it wasn't what I'd wanted

2. For how i know the Lord will lead as I consider what i'm supposed to do next work-wise

Stash Reduction Progress, 2020

One of my goals for this year was to downsize my stash by at least 200 yards.   At the beginning of the year I had imagined doing this by going through the stash and sorting out what I didn't want and then selling it. 

And I did go through all of my novelty fabrics and part of my Christmas fabrics, well the two xerox boxes full of them, and sorted out half to get rid of the novelty prints, and a grocery sack full of Christmas to start with (more to come of these!).     Some of the novelty prints did get listed and sold.   Also managed to get thru the two+ totes of precuts and weeded out some of those for selling.

But then C-19 hit and my focus ended up being changed as people began asking me to make masks for them.   I've still managed to continue downsizing the stash and am starting to see a wee bit of difference in some of the piles in my stash.

For the months of April through June, a total of 434 masks were made and delivered for orders/   Each mask takes 1/8th of a yard of fabric.   So during those months I used 54.25 yds of fabric from stash.......yeah for making a difference.

Adding this total with was already gone (28 yds) gives me a total of  82.25 yds gone from the stash...woohoo........

Now to keep the progress moving so that number can continue to increase.

Gratitudes:
1. The new HVAC system sure feels good with the high temps and heat index here in N Tx right now.

2. Hopeful positive news on the sale of the company I work for.

Masks and Stash-Busting

One of the things that I had decided to do at the first of the year was to downsize some of the stash.....but had not thought I'd end up making a dent in my stash the way that I have this year.


Like many quilters, I've been busy making masks as a result of the pandemic.   They've been traveling to both coasts and lots of places in between.  there are two basic styles, altho several different patterns, for the masks that everyone is making.   Because elastic has been at a premium, I've been using t-shirt yarn for ear loops and ties.

 Pleated - with either ear loops or with ties.














And fitted - these I customize the fit by adjusting the side length to fit the wearers.


Current total of masks made is 310 masks made from cotton.   Each one takes roughly 1/8th of a yard of fabric.  So that means I've used almost 40 yds of fabric for them.   Mickey Mouse has been the most popular 'type', but lots of dog and cat prints as well have gone out of here.

I don't know how many more people will want to order, but I'm hoping to stay current on on future orders.

In the meantime, I'll actually have time to start working on other paying projects.

Gratitudes:

1. For the income that the masks brought in

2. For the stash that allowed me to make all of the masks.

State of the Stash, January 20, 2020

Things have gotten out of hand around my house and are really starting to drive me nuts....and when that Work on downsizing and organizing the stash started this past week.  My goal is to organized everything once again as I downsize and get rid of things that I'm unlikely to use.  Some will be donated, some sold, and some given away.  A move is possible in the future depending on what happens job-wise, so I'd really like things to be better organized before that.

To hold myself accountable, I'll post here at least twice a month on how I'm doing.  All that is going out from the stash is being measured in inches.

This week I tackled most of the boxes of clothing and non-quilting fabrics.  Not done were the box(es)/tote(s) of fabrics that have been bought over the years for totes.  5 xerox boxes were emptied for reuse as I work with the quilting cottons, what remains has been better organized.

Also tackled were 3 paper grocery bags full scraps that had been previously pulled out (now given away) and a couple of boxes of quilting cottons.  All solids are now together in one tote.........and I've realized I don't need to buy black or white Kona for a long time with the equivalent of about 6-8 bolts of black and 4 of white on hand.....oops.............


Fabric Out for January 20 - 17.778 Yds
Fabric In for January 20 - 2 yds
Fabric pulled for donation - 115 yds+
Fabric ready to be sent off - 5 yds

Total In/Out since January 1st - 15.778 yds

2020 Goal - 250 yds

To go till goal - 234.222 yds

Linking up with quiltpaintcreate today:

Gratitudes:
1. For the fun of working with the fabrics in my 401F

2. For being able to pull fabrics for paying projects and gifts from my stash

The Never-Ending Stash

There are many days wehn i wonder if I'll ever come close to using up my stash in my lifetime.....Why you ask?  

Well as an example, I started with one yard of a cute cat border print.  Had to buy a yard to get enough to put on the sweatshirt shown below.
Used all but about 7 inches or so and of course, can't waste fabric.    So I pulled a few scraps from my scrap basket and made a block to go with the leftover fabric.    Put the two together to make the top of a snack mat.  

The waste triangles from the block became a block that will find a home some where.   And I still have a strip set in the black and blue to do something with as well.

Same thing on the B/W prints I used on the towels set.  After embellishing the towels, I had enough left for the mug rug.  

Will take me forever to use what I've got in my stash.......probably.....but that's why I call it my 401F, and we won't even talk about my 401T (thread), altho I've worked down some on it.

Gratitudes:
1. Interesting phone calls

2. Friends who will let me stay with them while i'm out traveling!

Stashbusting in 2009

Back in 2007 I had decided to really focus on finishing UFO's and to work from my stash as much as I could. Being without a FT job made the latter part of that a necessity. So far this yr I've finished up 21 UFOs, have one more ready to bind, and have about 20 more that will be going into next year.

I've also managed to use a hefty amount of fabric from my stash so far with over 500 yds gone. I had approximately 100 yds come back in for about a 400 yd usage so far this yr. That usage came from using it in my quilting and through donations to others. The sad thing is that I'm just now starting to see a small difference in how many totes and boxes of fabrics that I have. So I will be continuing to work down on my stash next yr.

Working to finish up UFO's and using my stash really feels good and I'm looking forward to making a visible difference next year!

Gratitudes -
1. I'm thankful for the 'pallette' that I have in my stash and that I'm still able to quilt even though I don't have a big income at this time.
2. I'm thankful for all that I do have and for the many blessings that God has given me.