YOTS2017 / Year End

Here we are at the end of the second year of Year Of The Stash! This project was started by xx in 2016 but when that project ended, and  xx did not continue, I still wanted to track my YOTS progress. I thought it would be harder to keep up with Year of The Stash when I didn't have any community support, but I feel like I had a really great year!

YOTS2017 started in January with my manifesto, gaols for the new year and a recap of last year's manifesto. 
For February I sorted some of the fabric I had been gifted and started my fabric added.fabric used tallies. 
I used the next month to talk about how and why I use some vintage, reclaimed, or thrifted fabric in all my quilts. 
In April I examined how my hand stitching has changed throughout the years and how I would like to improve. Around the same time I posted a video of hand sewing on the madcatquilts insta. My first ever video!
I added to my stash by buying some linen fabric in May. 
June saw my attempts to start and follow Stitched in Color's #30daysoffabricstacks. I didn't do great with that project, but I hope it returns next year so I can try again!
I started a new project in August and had some help!
For September I got out all my wrinkly WIPs. 
We went to a crazy rummage sale in October and my intake of fabric doubled for the year!
In November, I posted about improve quilting, which I had been planning to do since the beginning of the year. 

Here's what my YOTS stash report looks like this month:
Fabric Added Since Last Update: Approximately 0 yd
Fabric Added Year to Date: Approximately 42.75 yd
Fabric Used Since Last Update: Approximately .5 yd
Fabric Used Year to Date: Approximately 14.5 yd

I'm planning on continuing YOTS for 2018. Who else tracked their year of the stash in 2017? Who plans on joining in 2018?

YOTS2017 / Rummage Sale Finds

I wasn't thinking about fabric when we set out to a huge rummage sale in Far Hills NJ that we heard about earlier this week. I was actually in the market for a second hand water pitcher. And maybe some records...

So, I was happily surprised when my husband pointed out the linen tent which had a whole section devoted to fabric! There was a ton a apolsetry fabrics as well as weird synthetics for clothing or costume, but mixed in there was some quilty goodness!! And I was even more pleased to see that there was vintage fabric, not just newer items.  

Part of my Year of the Stash Manifesto always includes not buying too much new fabric each year. We're trying to use our stash, not increase it! But I do always allow for some shopping, especially when it's from finding vintage fabric! I try to incorporate some vintage fabric in all my work, so coming across a small jackpot like the Far Hills Rummage Sale is always exciting! I also love to get most of my fabric second hand even if it is newer. It feels good to use up what someone couldn't and it fits right in with my zero waste philosophies! 

Finding this fabric was bittersweet as it nearly doubled my intake for the year! But think of all the wonderful things I will sew!! And I got all 19.5 yards for only $27! That's approximately $1.38/yard! I can't wait to unroll all the bundles and take a closer look as I start putting this fabric to good use!

Here's what my YOTS stash report looks like this month:
Fabric Added Since Last Update: Approximately 19.5yd
Fabric Added Year to Date: Approximately 42.75yd
Fabric Used Since Last Update: Approximately 0 yd
Fabric Used Year to Date: Approximately 13.5 yd

Sadly, there isn't a YOTS link up this year, but I am linking up with Molli Sparkles Sunday Stash. Who else out there is still working on Year of The Stash? How's it going?

PS, I never did find a water pitcher. Too distracted, I guess!

YOTS2017 / Wrinkly Old WIPS

All year, I've been meaning to get out my WIPs out to take a comprehensive look at what I have. I kept putting it off, but knowing that I need to baste some quilts and a recent request from a friend, I was motivated to finally take them all out and have a look. It was a good opportunity to see a lot of what I've worked on over the past few years. I wrote down where in the process I am for each project and my goals and ideas for them in the future. Many, I put right back into storage, but some I was happy to see could be advanced to next steps.  

This project also fits in perfectly with YOTS (Year of the Stash), bc if it's still in the house, unfinished and unused, it still counts as stash to me! When quilts, minis, pillows, garments are finished, they go in a basket to leave the house, either to sell or give away, or they get used at home. Only at that stage do I reconsider their Stash Nature. 

I found I had WIPs in all stages, from just a few blocks to close to done. The following are the quilts that were pretty near to finished and that I definitely left out to work on.

We've all seen this quilt before which I call Maybe Lyz Quilt. I've been working on and off on this one for more than a year.  It's a big heavy quilt so it was hard to work on in the warmer weather. 

The front uses a lot of vintage fabric, all calicos! This was my first attempt at an all calico quilt and is a very old quilt top for me. I can't wait to have it finished and out of the house!

The back is also all calico, most a gorgeous tiny yellow rose print that I thrifted in Vermont. 

Tom's Mat is the closest to being done as a small project that I still really enjoy. This one will be good to finish before Winter so that Tom can enjoy it as well. 

Here the dark purple T and the yellow border are both vintage. 

I mentioned enjoying a project bc this one I hate! OK, I don't hate it, or I just wouldn't do it. But this little Flying Geese Mini is just totally meh in my mind. I do want to finish it, but it's been so long, I don't remember my direction. 

I loved this out of character pink leaf fabric and I think these are the last scraps I had. I made this mini to try flying geese, and i've never attempted them again! The red seersucker and pink floral square are vintage scraps. 

I stopped working on this Fat Little Cross pillow cover bc the tread was catching on the batting and it was absolutely frustrating. I still really like it tho and think it will eventually be a sweet pillow. Just got to get it done!

This top is totally vintage! Not sure what I will back it with to make the pillow but I really dig this top. 

These WIPs won't help me use up fabric from the totally unused stash I count each month (except the backing for that pillow!), but I did also do some sewing this month. Here's my stash report:
Fabric Added Since Last Update: Approximately 0 (I did buy a vintage sheet, but I think I'm going to use it instead of cutting it up!)
Fabric Added Year to Date: Approximately 23.25
Fabric Used Since Last Update: Approximately 1 yd
Fabric Used Year to Date: Approximately 13.5 yd

I have many more Wrinkly Old WIPs to show you, and some that I'm sure I didn't unearth. And hopefully some finishes to share when these are done and dusted! Where in the process do you consider a project no longer stash? Any WIPs out there to share with us?

YOTS2017 / Starting New

There is a pheonomonon in quilting, I'm sure you sewists know it, in which it is far easier to start a new project than to finish an old one. 

No matter how in love with a WIP I am, there comes a time in the project when starting something new becomes too appealing to resist. I love every part of quilt making, but starting something new is extra special. 

Starting a new work isn't bad, in fact for Year of The Stash, it's quite good!! For me, it means more stash is getting used. But if the abandoned semi-finished project still lingers in your home, is it still stash? I think for a project to be truly complete it must be used and useful. So while starting new isn't bad, it does drag out the finishes and that's not good.  

It's been a few months since my last update and I can't quite recall if anything new has come into my stash. Since there is nothing I can remember, I'm calling it zero! Here's what my stash report looks like this month:
Fabric Added Since Last Update: Approximately 0
Fabric Added Year to Date: Approximately 23.25
Fabric Used Since Last Update: Approximately 2 yd
Fabric Used Year to Date: Approximately 12.5 yd

What are your thoughts on starting a new project before finishing the old one? I know many quilters are like little butterflies, flitting from one project to the next with ease and grace. Are there any true blue one-project-at-a-time people out there? How does it effect your stash?

YOTS2017/#30daysoffabricstacks

On Wednesday, Stitched in Color announced her new challange, 30 Days Of Fabric Stacks. I read the post that morning and have been thinking bout it ever since. I don't usually go in for monthly challenges, but although this one is a 30 day challenge, you have more than 30 days to complete it! I love how she says:
"Would you like to explore the possibilities of your fabrics on hand, to rekindle that spark of excitement felt upon their first arrival?"
That line got me thinking about how perfectly this challenge fits in with YOTS (Year of The Stash)!

The first challenge prompt is True Blue and here's my Fabric Stack -

Tray as I might, I couldn't keep the cats from sitting on this stack. Cat hair!

I thought of a cloudless, fading-to-night sky while putting these fabrics together. I'm not sure if they will ever become more than a stack, but it was fun to imagine while putting them together. 

Racheal encourages you to do them in order, but at your own pace, and finish by Aug 6th. There's a contest and prizes, so you should check out her full post! Personally, I'm not sure if I'll finish this challenge but I plan to use it as some YOTS inspiration, for sure! Here are the rest of the prompts:

• Day 1:  True Blue
• Day 2:  Ethereal
• Day 3:  Orange
• Day 4:  New Fabric
• Day 5:  Baby
• Day 6:  Folksy Fall
• Day 7:  Yellow
• Day 8:  Hand Dyed or Printed
• Day 9:  Softly Against Black
• Day 10:  Fabric I Want

• Day 11:  Complementary Colors
• Day 12:  Green
• Day 13:  Scale
• Day 14:  Masculine
• Day 15:  Aqua/Teal
• Day 16:  Novelty
• Day 17:  Pink
• Day 18:  Clashy Bright
• Day 19:  Gray
• Day 20:  Fabric I hoard

• Day 21:  Purple
• Day 22:  Analogous Colors
• Day 23:  Teen
• Day 24:  Almost Primary
• Day 25:  Old Fabric
• Day 26:  Rainbow
• Day 27:  Brown
• Day 28:  Soft Botanical
• Day 29:  All Solids
• Day 30:  My Style

Are you joining in with #30daysoffabricstacks? 

YOTS2017/Sunday Stash

I've been pretty good about not buying much fabric this year. Except, the other day, I got a little stone in my craw about trying out some clothing patterns. So, of course I had to run out and buy some fabric suitable for clothing making.

I got soft, shear muslin to try out a few self drafted ideas I have. And some linen like fabric if those ideas go well. I wanted linen, but it's so expensive!! And it's all in the experimental phase....

Here's my month Stash Update for May:
Fabric Added from the Since Last Update: 10 (mostly for experimentation, but I picked up a piece or scrap and a vintage table cloth to use as backing at a rummage sale, too) 
Fabric Added Year to Date: Approximately 23.25
Fabric Used Since Since Last Update: Approximately 2 yd
Fabric Used Year to Date: Approximately 10.5 yd

Although I feel good that I haven't bought too much, my output is still about half of my intake! I have to do better at making!

How's your Year of the Stash going so far?

YOTS2017 / Evolution of a Stitch

One of my goals for this year is to be more mindful in how I improve my quilting craft. To me, this is a goal that coincides with Year Of The Stash. To be mindful of what fabric you use and how you craft it goes hand in hand!

One thing that I've been working on is the size and consistancy of my stitches. I'm completely blown away when I see the tiny stitches that many practiced hand sewists have. Being self taught, I really stumbled my way thru my first dozen years sewing and quilting. Now I'm finding my technique and style. 

After years of sewing and watching quilters, I'm trying to get my stitches small and even. This is a great collection of hand sewing videos. Practicing stitches is a great way to use my stash!

So far, my work isn't as precise as I'd like. But I'm trying!

Here's my month Stash Update for April:
Fabric Added from the Since Last Update: 0
Fabric Added Year to Date: Approximately 13.25
Fabric Used Since Since Last Update: Approximately 2 yd
Fabric Used Year to Date: Approximately 8.5 yd

What are some of the ways you practice your craft and use your stash?

YOTS2017 / Spotlighting the Vintage

I love to use found, reclaimed, vintage and thrifted fabric in my quilts. I love that these fabrics find another new home with me, and where ever my quilts end up. Some of the fabric become very dear to me. For my 2017 Year of The Stash manifesto, I included the fact that finding and using these materials should be a priority.  

I like to look back and reminisce about them when looking at my quilts. I thought my readers might, too. For this first (perhaps only) installment, I wanted to look back on a very old quilt I made. I no longer have this quilt as it was a wedding anniversary gift, but I dug out some old photos to show. 

Here are the quilt front and back after I photographed them many years ago before gifting. 

Below, the highlighted areas (in yellow) show vintage fabric I used to create this quilt. 

Most of the vintage fabric I used for this quilt came from mine or my mother's stash. I pieced this quilt a long time ago in Vermont and also used new fabric I had purchased there. This is an old style of squares and stripes improve piecing that I don't use too often any more. 

Here the yellow highlight was a vintage square. The red highlight is a piece of fabric that was part of a display at the wedding of dear friends. For this anniversary quilt I wanted to incorporate it. 

Using vintage and reclaimed fabric and participating in YOTS, for me, are both ways to be mindful  of what I'm sewing and why I'm sewing. 

Here's my month Stash Update:
Fabric Added from the Since Last Update: 0
Fabric Added Year to Date: Approximately 13.25
Fabric Used Since Since Last Update: Approximately 2.5 yd
Fabric Used Year to Date: Approximately 6.5 yd

I'm feeling pretty good about my sewing this year so far. I wish I was doing more, of course, but I feel happy about what I am getting done. I have a lot of BOMs and Projects going that are helping me shop and bust my stash. I really like seeing that fabric becoming blocks and quilts instead of just sitting on the shelves. 

Share your Year of the Stash progress in the comments!

YOTS2017: February / Gifted Fabric

YOTS (Year of the Stash) started in 2016 as a community project and link up to help quilters use up stash instead of buy new. There is no community link up for 2017, but I am continuing the challenge for myself anyway! I have written my YOTS2017 manifesto and am committed to another Year of the Stash!

I'm pretty lucky to have friends and family that know I love fabric and gift it to me from time to time. Earlier this year, my Brother In Law sent me some vintage fabric he found. 

I've been using them up when I can, especially as backing as there is a ton of fabric!! I love that I can incorporate a gift, vintage and reclaim fabric, and the thoughtfulness that came with it, into my work.  

My monthly stash report looks little different from last month. A little got used, but none came in so far!
Fabric Added from the Since Last Update: 0
Fabric Added Year to Date: Approximately 13.25
Fabric Used Since Since Last Update: Approximately 1 yd
Fabric Used Year to Date: Approximately 4 yd

So 2017 is rolling right along. Feel free to add your stash update to the comments or put a link to your posts!

Year Of The Stash 2017

Last year, Quarter Inch from the Edge started Year Of The Stash for a lovely year of stash busting in 2016! This year, I'm not sure what's happening with YOTS2017. I've reached out to her, and am eager to hear what her plans are. I know I miss her posts and encouragement as I'm sure many in the quilting community do. 

To start out last year's YOTS we made a manifesto of our pledge to use more stash. Here is my 2017 manifesto: 
1) Use as much stash as possible. Last year, I said buy less, this year my mantra will be use more. I will still try to buy less, of course, but 2016 really gave me a good appetite for not buying. 
2) Incorporate some vintage, reclaimed, and or repurposed fabric in all work. I feel more satisfied if I'm using vintage and reclaimed fabric in my work.
3) Sew, Sew, Sew. I'm starting off another year hoping for a finish each month. I have a lot of stash to help me with this.    

And here is my fabric intake/output so far: 
Fabric Added from the Start of the Year: Bought - 1.25 yd, Gifted - approximately 12 yd
Fabric Added Year to Date: Approximately 13.25
Fabric Used Since Start of the Year: Approximately 3 yd
Fabric Used Year to Date: Approximately 3 yd

Late last year and so far this year, I've been good about not buying new fabric. Since vintage and reused fabric can be hard to come by, I do not restrict myself where it's concerned. I've gone to quite a few shops, and only came away with a small handful. Pictured above is all I've bought in January so far (although, just today I've been contemplating an online purchase...). 
I've joined quite a few on line challenges this year, and so far have shopped my stash! I hope to keep this up all year!
My husband has joined some of these as well, and it's good too see the fabric he pulls going to good use. 

What are some of the ways you will use your stash this year? How do you plan on keeping yourself motivated to use up and not buy?

Here is 2016's manifesto:
1) Buy as little new fabric as possible. I won't say buy none. I want to be free to get a great new piece here or there, patron indy quilt shops, or buy backing when needed. I'll buy used, reclaimed, and/or vintage fabric when possible. I pride myself on using these fabrics in my quilts, and need to scoop them up when they preset themselves. But I want to be mindful not to add too much to my stash!
2) Use some used, vintage and/or reclaimed fabrics in all quilts. Last year was the first time I used all new fabric for some quilts and it just didn't feel right. As I said above, I pride myself to use these vintage items, and I need to get back to that. I have such a wonderful collection in my stash, it needs to get out into the world!  
3) Organize as I go. When we moved, I started folding and color coordinating my stash and discovered that I have far too much fabric!! I barely made a dent before I filled up the entire space I'd set aside. I'd like to utilize this space better this year. I want to use up, organize, and consolidate during The Year of the Stash!
4) Sew, sew, sew! One of my goals is to have at least one finish per month, I'd also like to make one new block per month. Sourcing from my stash will help me as I have so many wonderful fabrics at my fingertips!