Saturday, January 8, 2011

Fabric Math

I've mentioned before that I have a lot of fabric scraps. Or what feels like a lot. I'm sure there are long-time quilters out there who would scoff at my paltry accumulation. But when you stop to think that the scraps, even the teeny ones, cost the same per yard as the big pieces, even a modest accumulation starts to wield some heft.

Last year I started sewing up some scrap blocks, which have eased the overcrowding in the smallest bits and the long strips drawers, but there's still a lot left. This year, in addition to bringing at least one scrap project to completion, I would like to use a bunch of the large scrap and fat quarter pieces. I've got two bursting drawers of those:


(I've left my feet in the frame for scale. You might not think we get winter in Hawaii, but it's been chilly enough for fuzzy slippers the past couple days: drizzly and damp with afternoon highs barely into the 70s.)

Yesterday I made the mistake of counting the FQs. There are 60 of them in that bottom drawer. That's 15 yards of fabric! And the "large scraps" drawer above it is the same size and just as full, so we'll call it an equivalent amount. That's 30 yards, just in those two drawers. At an average price of $6-/yard (based on 2009-2010 spending, although some is a lot older than that), that's $180 worth of fabric.

My goal for this year is to reduce this part of my stash by... I want to say half. Easily doable in a year, right?
I have in mind some scrap-busting projects like this, and this, or this.

Problem is, I've got a few other things in the works already (and by "few" I mean "too many"). I'd better stop blogging and go sew something...

2 comments:

  1. Love, love, love that kaleidoscope and the "saw blade" paper pieced quilts! What bravery to count and actually say out loud how much fabric is in those drawers!

    It's now day eight of my self-imposed fabric diet. So far, so good. But it's gonna be a tough three months!

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  2. I haven't counted my larger pieces yet, though I plan to. No promises that I'll be brave enough to either complete that task or go public with the results!

    The keys to a successful fabric diet are to have an abundant stash on hand before you start, and to spend lots of time playing with what you've got. Good luck with yours!

    Flickr is a terrible, terrible influence on my sewing plans. I find some new "wow, I'd love to make something like that" a couple times a week, which is much faster than I can sew!

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