Fabric Diet

Say it with me. “Fabric Diet.”

In reorganizing my sewing room (I’ll have pictures soon!) I found myself being pretty honest about the fabric that I have. I used to be a person who religiously did not buy any fabric other than what the pattern I had picked out required. I wanted no extra fabric just laying around waiting to be used. Ahhh….how I laugh at that person now. I didn’t know what I was missing. Although I also don’t think that there were so many lovely fabrics then like there are now. But I digress.

I have a lot of fabric. There I’ve said it. Admitting is the first step towards acceptance, right? My name is Angela and I have a lot of fabric.

Now, don’t get me wrong…I’m not ashamed of my fabric or my collection. I have some gorgeous pieces and some hard to find fabrics, but I also have some things that I don’t really think I need. (You know, because I need all of the rest of it!) It’s time to purge or swap things away and finally finish up all those quilts.

So I’m setting a goal for the new year. I’d like to try to go 2 months without buying any fabric. See, I’m not being overly ambitious. I know that my desire for pretty things and a fabulous deal will get to me. But I think by not buying any more fabric for 2 months I will be able to work on the projects that I have started and finish them. Which I personally find to be a great way to start off the year.

Now here’s my challenge to you all. Do you find yourself in the same predicament? More fabric than you know what to with and not enough finished projects? Well come join me and we’ll help keep each other accountable. I think we can check in each week and console each other over the fabric that we wanted to buy but didn’t… or even admit that we did buy something (we’re all friends, it’s okay if you cheat LOL). And just because I like to have a good time even while denying myself something, I think we should make a bit of a contest out of this.

Every week there will be a check in post where you can comment on your success with restraint. We’ll do that for 8 weeks. For each successful week you have, you get an entry. An entry for what you ask? Well for fabric of course! There will be a delightful prize or prizes of fabric at the end of this challenge. After all, we’re not saints. We should reward ourselves for a job well done. And you know that I’ve got some good fabric…I’m always showing you…and just think of what I haven’t shown you. LOL.

So, what do you think? Would you like to join me? You can join at any time and tell your friends. I realize that not everyone needs a fabric diet, but I have a feeling that there might be enough of us out there who could use a couple months of not buying fabric. 😉 Just so the rules are clear, batting is not fabric….so go buy it to finish up those quilts! Swapping fabric is not buying fabric. In fact, it’s a great way to get some fabric that you want and move along pieces that you are finished with. Also, selling fabric is clearly not buying fabric (just in case anyone was confused about that. LOL) And if you need to buy fabric for a project, that’s obviously fine, but you just won’t get an entry for that week. So plan your necessary purchases wisely for the most possible entries.

I was going to do a little quilt along with you all with a lovely set of fabrics that I know many of you are thrilled over, but we’ll wait to do that until after our fabric diet is over…and then you can guilt free purchase what you need to make the quilt. I’ll be sharing more about that in the future! I think that you’ll like it!

So we’ll start this on January first…just because that will be easier for me to keep track of (and so you all can rush out and buy fabric right before your diet…admit it, you know you will!). Then we will check in here every week…same bat time, same bat channel.

I really hope that you will all help me stay accountable!

79 thoughts on “Fabric Diet”

  1. I am in my husband and I each gave up our fun money purchases for January so adding in Febuary should not be hard, but I will need some batting! Great idea can't wait to play along!

  2. What a great idea! Considering the credit card bill I just got that was full of Paypal payments to fabric stores, I'm all for a fabric diet! Day 1, here we go! 🙂

  3. I'm in. I just bought some last week so hopefully I can hold out…although there is Christmas money burning a hole in my purse. Guess I can use that for a new ruler. This is just for fabric and not other sewing supplies…right????

  4. Congratulations on taking the plunge. My diet began in Oct with a slow but sure reorganizing. This was out of necessity to see what fabric I have and how much there is and sew on a clean table top. It's been exciting to find the fabric for making scrappy quilts – a new experience – and art backs in, of all places, 'The Stash'. Who would have thought! As in all diets, especially when on holidays, there has been slippage. But, the little voice kept reminding me so slippage was extremely minor and now we are back in the groove.

  5. I dont think I need a fabric diet (started quilting 2 years ago and havent built up a huge stash yet)
    But I will join 🙂

    I would love to follow your blog but I cant find your follow button.

  6. Wonderful idea –I'm in!

    I'm in the process of relocating my sewing area in my house and had a very rude awakening about the amount of fabric I owned in the last few days.

  7. Hi Angela
    I'm totally in on this one. I've just moved into my own sewing space – a real eye-opener for the amount of fabric I actually do have!
    Jules xx

  8. I'm in! AnNd I was very good this week – no new fabric – just now I moved all my basket items to a wish list page and shut down that fabric purchase for now! Now to get back to quilting those projects…

  9. A great idea! I am a new sewer and it's amazing to see how fast fabric comes into my house. I need to really start using all my stash, and what my mother has given me. Thanks for the incentive!

  10. There's a lot of dieting going on out there in quilting blog-land! My own group of RL sewing friends is doing a 3 month diet. Good luck to you and all of us trying to follow "the plan"!

  11. I'm a little late in the game, but I'd like to join in. I told my husband I wouldn't buy any more fabric for a while, but I think this challenge will keep me more accountable than just a promise to my hubby. =)

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