Well in about 2 hours I managed to round up about 50-60 pieces that fit in 2 plastic bins. I had everything ranging from knits, to chiffons, stretch cotton and so on and so forth. Majority at which I bought at tremendously low prices. I dropped them all off at one of our newest local fabric stores--- 34 X 37 Fabrics (check it out here on FB https://www.facebook.com/34x37Fabrics). Nichele, the store owner is a wonderful woman and like myself has quite the "eye" for fabrics. Her specialty is home decor fabrics but she's expanding her inventory to include fashion fabrics as well. Well she was gracious enough to help me measure and bundle the fabrics. When it was all said and done I calculated about 150 yards of fabric. I think my jaw almost dropped. I had no idea. I actually felt very impressed. And truth be told that was only 1/3 of my fabric stash. Pretty amazing. Here's some of the fabric pile pics....
(table 1)
(table 2)
(extended view of both tables loaded with fabric)
And while I was at 34 X 37 Fabric thought I'd take some pics to share with you as well. Again it's such a delightful store. It's super spacious and houses some gorgeous fabrics If you're ever in the neighborhood definitely stop by and peruse the fabrics and tell Nichele I sent you:)
See what I mean? So very lovely!!!! So I have a question for you guys. Have you done a fabric purge before. What was the most you got rid of and how did it make you feel???
I did what I would call a mini purge this morning. Don't know how many pounds, but it filled a copy paper box. I feel slightly relieved to have lightened my load by that much.
ReplyDeleteI'm in the process of cleaning out my stash too - two massive bags have already gone and I'm well on my way to filling another. It actually feels good clearing out the fabrics that I won't sew with so that I can focus on the beautiful fabrics in my stash. I don't think I'll ever be a minimalist though!
ReplyDeleteWow, I have a stash as well. Nothing to the magnitude of yours, but I see it growing daily. I am seriously trying to use it by making something for myself weekly. But I know I will probably need to do a major a purge here soon too. Lovely fabrics and good for you.
ReplyDeletePretty fabrics and sure they will find welcoming homes. I have yet to fabric purge, but did yarn purge and end result yield a comforter bag of yarn... yikes.
ReplyDeleteI have reached a point of too much fabric (for me). I have 6 full totes and 4 boxes and a bag. I will do a purge in the next few weeks.
ReplyDeleteI have nowhere to take them though!
Donate it to a local church or other organization that has periodic tag/thrift sales. That way, it gets put out for the public, and other crafters, sewists and fabricaholics get a chance to buy it and the money goes for a good cause. My church, for example, makes almost $30,000 per year sorting and selling all its donations every Monday, and carting some of it over to a thrift shop it runs with two other churches and a local women's group. We send the proceeds from both ventures off to other organizations all over the USA in support of local disaster relief.
DeleteI hear you! I, too, am becoming more of a minimalist as the years pass! I've periodically gone through fabric and taken lots (not measured) to my ASG group so they could take some home and add to their stashes. I need to do that again. I have about 13 plastic storage bins and 2 closets still full of fabric! I'll never get it sewn in my lifetime!
ReplyDeleteI don't purge - not fabric anyway - but I'm in awe of the fact that you consigned 150 yards of fabric - AMAZING!!!
ReplyDeleteWow! I have a stash but only what I intend to sew and guess what, haven't sewed yet, lol. I have been working myself back to it and getting inspired by you and the others who sew. I see we share the same taste in fabric too. That pretty pink\black floral in the first pic, I made a high low skirt out of that one(Simplicity 1695). Came out really cute too. I plan to be back in full swing soon. It true as you get older you do start to minimize, keep things simple. My rule for sewing now is to sew up the fabric I have before purchasing anymore and I am doing good sticking to it.
ReplyDeleteI don't purge. Hasn't even crossed my mind, actually. I hover over my fabric and get very protective. I keep thinking one day I might need this. I am not exactly a contestant for 'Horders" because I've slowed down with fabric purchasing. Consignment selling is a consideration, though.
ReplyDeleteI have given away two full trash bags of yarn. I have also given away about 20 yards of fabric on a free cycle yahoo group for my county. I counted all my fabric because I wanted to go through it and see what I had. It amazed me that it totaled over 500 yards. I couldn't believe it! I have a problem with buying and not sewing. I am trying to remedy that situation. It's so hard though living in Atlanta, we met at the quilt show in March, and having Fine Fabrics and Fabric World in Stone Mountain. I mean how can you turn down viscose knit fabric from Elliott Berman for $2.99 originally $20.99 a yard?? Maybe I should look into a consignment place around here.
ReplyDeleteMy fabric was getting a little out of control - I had it stashed in bins and boxes anywhere I could find a space. It was becoming overwhelming when I was trying to find a specific piece of fabric and had to go through so much hassle just to find what I was looking for, so I did purge quite a bit a few months ago. I went through every piece in every bin/box and got rid of about half of my collection. I can now fit every piece of fabric I own on the four shelving units in my sewing room and can see every piece in my collection. I do miss having a larger fabric collection, but the reality is that what I purged no longer fit my taste or style and there was no way I was going to use any of it. I gave it all to a couple of girls I know who are learning how to sew.
ReplyDeleteMy stash is semi-controlled. I just picked up several more yards recently, though I intend to sew three pieces very quickly. Good on you for purging 150 yards. Maybe it's time for me to revisit the stash again.
ReplyDeleteI don't think my taste is minimalising so much as I'm getting more focussed on what I like. So I went through my stash about 6 months ago and pulled out things that just weren't my style anymore. Not only was it nice to send the fabric on its way to an op shop, but it's now really nice to look in my stash and see only fabrics I really really love and really want to sew up. No more wading through ho-hum stuff. It's definitely a good thing to do every so often!
ReplyDeleteI admire you for having the courage to do a fabric purge. As for me... I'm a fabriholic! There is absolutely no way I could do what you did without risking some SERIOUS withdrawal... no matter how much money was involved. One of my sewing buddies and I have a wager... whoever dies with the most fabric wins. My hat is off to you and anyone else who can do that.
ReplyDeleteI'm part of a stashbusting sewalong (for the second year now). Last year I pledged to not buy any fabric for personal use (almost made it), but found it too restrictive when I had an idea and no fabric to match. This year I have pledged to only buy enough fabric to replace half what I sew (so the stash should go down by 2 pieces for every 1 that I buy). I haven't done a half year tally yet, but I think I'd be lucky to break even. Oops!
ReplyDeleteI do have fabrics that I just have no idea what I would make, so maybe I should do a purge! (Although at last count I only had about 100 metres of stash). You have such lovely fabrics that you are de-stashing. What you have kept must be gorgeous! I'm never brave enough to buy bold prints.