sewhappy Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 I am participating in the Batik exchange and of course have gone thru my stash to see what I could use. I found myself unwilling to part with what I have as I did not purchase it knowing I would have to exchange it with to total strangers...LOL. Now we all know HAVING to purchase new fabric would never be considered a "chore" and most of the time we use any excuse we can to get back to the quilt shop, but it got me wondering if anyone else goes through this? Do you have to use "new fabric in an exchange? Or are you able to give up fabric you already have? After considering whether or not to post a new topic about this I realized that I am also unable to just give away or sell a quilt that I have previously made! I was recently asked to donate a quilt for a fundraiser as they thought I could just hand one over as I make sooo many. I found I could not but I would make them one!! That way I know not to get tooo emotionally attached to the quilt. Funny Huh? Any way just wondering if anyone else feels this way. Patty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollyrw Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 I generally feel exactly like that. If I've made a quilt for myself that I really like, I don't want to part with it. On the other hand, if I don't like the quilt, it's probably because there is something wrong with it and I don't want to "dump" it on someone. It's easier to make a new one with someone else in mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Front Porch Quilting Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Yes I have the exact same problem. I just love quilts and fabric. Otherwise I wouldn't look like the local fabric shop. But I have decided that it is because they bring comfort and I am a big fan of that. Never can have enough. So I say go ahead and keep your stuff;):) and let it make you happy!! They can fight over them when your gone...Mine too. Happy stashing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PamelaA Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Wow, you just described me. I have oodles of batik fat quarters. I belonged the the Keepsake batik medley of the month for years. However, when this exchange came up I didn't join as I didn't want to give up any of my stash. Also, I remember having someone trying to buy one of my quilts and I wouldn't sell. Later when I told a friend about the incident she commented "they just don't understand that these are our babies." Pamela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Gosh, I guess I'm more into the act of creating it than the love for it. I do have three here that I have made and kept, but most of mine get gifted to family members and friends. That little chicken quilt that is my avatar picture actually was given to one of my best friends when she moved to Colorado. Of all the quilts I've ever made that one was the most special to me because I made it with Phil Beaver in French LIck, Indiana. SOmeday I'll make a replica of it. The only ones I'm sure I will finish and keep for myself are our exchange quilts. I would never part with those because you are all my dear friends and you put your heart and soul into every block. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimmiequilts Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 I did the same thing, went up to the studio, quilted a row and then went to my stash and pulled out a 2yd piece of beautiful batik, um, sorry I can't remember what I bought it for but I surely can't share it! Guess I'll have to buy something just for the exchange! Uh oh another trip to the quilt shop... I don't sell any of my quilts but my new DIL has hired me twice to make quilts for her Mom & Grandma. I've got oodles of fabrics, grouped for 'someday' quilts( a hazard of working in a quilt shop for 6 yrs) these I was able to use to give away. It saved my DIL $$$ and I got to use some of my long ago ideas! This also made it easy to keep the cost down, I didn't want her to spend a lot of money and would never have charged her what it actually cost to make and quilt the quilts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 I'm with Teresa....more and more of my quilts are made and then either given as an emergency gift...or someone else needs it more than I do, (ie house burned down, someone sick and needs a picke up), so I only have about 3 of my own quilts in the house. I have to say I have a LOT of UFO's, but I can't say any of them will be sure to be mine. BUT when it comes to batiks....now that is a totally different question....I buy, stroke, and then stash those....I have some that are over 15 years old that I pull out every so often and then put back..they are just to gorgeous for even me to cut them.... Sad but true....:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarieBrewer Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 Bonnie, I've read that there is a 12 step program for batikaholics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boni Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 I've been pondering this question all day. I tend to horde fabric I like. I have a batik I bought in Hawaii in 2006. It is black with Hibiscus in gorgeous pink/yellow/red marble effect. I'll probably never give it away, and I just don't know if I'll ever cut it either. As far as the exchanges, I'm glad to reduce my stash so I can go out and buy more. I do not just give away fabric I don't like or that I think is inferior. I use leftovers from previous projects that are not big enough to make a new project with. The New Years Exchange sent me to the LQS because I didn't have a lot of 30's and what I did have was set aside for a project not yet started. Now I confess, I got carried away and bought way more 30's than I needed, but now I have enough to finish my exchange quilt and more to use in my Dresden Plate quilt. I believe it's OK to hang on to what you like. And it's fun to share what's in the excess bin. This picture does not do this piece of fabric justice. The colors are much more vivid. I FORGOT TO ADD: I also believe that fabric is therapeutic, not just to touch and feel, but the colors can be exciting, calming, soothing, stimulating, etc. I have some stashes that I just love to Look at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 I find that if I don't use it right away then it just hangs around. I have to come up with ideas for reducing my stash all the time. I don't like havin lots of fabric laying around. I think for me part of the thrill is going to the fabric store to find the perfect fabric for a specific quilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 Oh I have such a hard time leaving any quilt shop without buying fabric. Why do I make myself feel so guilty? I never walk out of a quilt shop empty handed... So, I always buy something. Needless to say, I have entirely way too much fabric in my stash. Ugh! Yes, I need to figure out what to do with it all. Some of this I can easily donate to my guild for community charity quilts, but a lot of it I have to keep and pet it occasionally because it's too pretty to cut up. When I do make quilts, most of the time they are given away to friends or family. I give most of mine away. I only have a few quilts that I've kept because they have special meaning to me and I could never part with them. Most of these are my first quilts. I don't care that they aren't perfect. I think that's why I love them so. Because nobody else would appreciate the imperfections like I do, and these imperfect quilts bring back some nice memories to me. I know, I'm weird. Anyway, to answer your question, I have no trouble going through my stash and pulling from what I already have for a fabric or block exchange. And, I go through my stash to make a quilt for charity or donation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirabelle Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 Does everyone remember when we first started patchworking and we would buy just the fabric we needed for our first and maybe second quilt. From then on we were hooked and everytime we saw fabric we just had to buy it. I had a New Years resolution not to buy any fabric this year, thought I would have to break it when I signed up for the Autumn challenge but noooo found what I needed in the stash. :o I find it really hard to cut into certain pieces, especially my preeettttty ones, I don't know why I am keeping them, maybe we do need some 12 step program:D:D I have been asked if I will sell a few of my quilts but I can't part with any of them. Some of them have taken me years to make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matildanme Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 5 friends and I are doing a Dear Jane and we are sharing fabric. All's good untill we come to a fat 1/8 that I received in a 1800's swap some time ago. I have no drama re giving away quilts I've made. I can chop into fabric that I have bought without much thought and swap it but I do have issues letting go of fabrics that have been sent to me in fabric swaps. They are special. They were sent to ME. When I read about folks selling blocks that they got from block swaps, I almost cry! Yep...I'm a sentimental sook. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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