After Christmas last year, I decided I wanted to start tracking my fabric. See what comes in and goes out. Angela, one of my fellow Sew Beautiful Bee mates wrote a post about tracking fabric and I wanted to see how tracking my fabric may affect my purchasing decisions. Here's a snapshot of my simple spreadsheet.
I'd like to call your attention to the section that lists my totals.
Holy crap. Nearly 273 yards of fabric. That I bought. This year. That's crazy. That total does include fabric that I received as gifts and didn't pay for. But still. 273 yards! (I tried counting my existing fabric when I started tracking, but I only got through one drawer - hence the 301 yards in my total stash.)
The other total that I want to point out is the total cost. This amount includes the price of the fabric plus shipping and additional sales tax for online purchases. I am a pretty thrifty gal and usually will only buy fabric if it's on sale. If I can't find the fabric that I want on sale, then I buy it online for the best price. I seldom shop at brick and mortar stores. Maybe 15-20% of the time.
Considering the amount of fabric I stashed this year, I was pleased to see that over 160 yards LEFT my stash. That's pretty good in my book.
Seeing these totals has made me realize that I shouldn't buy any fabric in 2013. I'm sure I have well over 150 yards to get through since I had more fabric in my stash before I started tracking my fabric. I also have a boatload of quilts that I've started that need to be finished, such as:
The Middle Child's Quilt
New Nephew's Quilt (like this)
The Mister's Quilt (like this)
So how about it? Who's with me?
8 comments:
You are very brave! The wake-up call would be a good reality check but I would rather be blissfully ignorant of my fabric addiction. I do not want Jeff to know how much I have spent in fabric or know how many yards I have. I am up for the challenge of using more stash in 2013.
I am so with you! I admire you're tracking. I'm afraid to know what my yardage # is for 2012. I tried really hard to only buy fabric I needed, but I know I failed several times.
But, yes. Stash busting in 2013! And if I don't love it anymore, I need to get rid of it. Otherwise I'm going to be buried alive!
In 2011 I shopped my stash, and at the end of the year I bought less than 10 yards of fabric. But in 2012, it was open game, since my stash my pretty slim pickin. I haven't added it up yet, but I know I am well over 500 yards in for the year. Now my shelves are over flowing, and it isn't even all on the shelves yet either. So in 2013, it is a major fabric diet for me again. Only buying what is necessary to finish a quilt top. I actually don't like have THIS much fabric. It is too much. SO I have to get it back down to a reasonable level. So I had better do lots of sewing in 2013 as well to sew up more than half of what I bought this year.
If I ever showed a spread sheet like that to my husband he might lay an egg (nice way of putting it!). Oh wow. It made me open my eyes to some of my purchasing in the past. Living out of suit cases that came across the ocean, I'll have to say that sewing out of your "stash" isn't too bad. :)
Oh I'm with you! But I have a hard time with sales!!! I should track my fabric
This is so cool! The math geek in me would love to give this a try, but the fabric hoarder in me knows it wouldn't be a pretty picture. ;) Maybe I could give it a shot for 2013? :)
Wow! I'm not brave enough to track my cost. But I have loved keeping an eye on yardage in and out over the last several years. The thing I find hardest when trying to use my stash is the neutrals/solids. I always seem to need more.
Holy moly! I admire your bravery. I don't want to face that I have an addiction so I'm not going to calculate it! And I laughed out loud at the earlier comment about showing the spreadsheet to husband. This would be one if those secrets in a marriage! Be very thankful that you can buy fabric at such good prices. In Australia designer fabric is $22 a metre approx. Hence my buying online from the US! Your economy needs the support, right?
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