It’s check in day for Stashbusters! How did you do this month? Was there progress on your projects? Did the sale table call to you? I was pretty good, purchasing a new ruler at my local quilt shop, and resisting the pretty new fabrics. At least for now, LOL!!
For new readers, every month we check in on the first Friday of the month. The goal is to have more ‘out’ than ‘in’ at the end of the year. No, you don’t have to inventory your stash, just keep track of what comes in and what goes out each month. I keep a clipboard in my sewing room with fabric in and out in columns, and make notes when I bring in fabric (purchased, gifted or nabbed from the free table at guild) and completed projects to count as out. Fabric out is counted when the project is completed, quilted and bound, or otherwise finished and ready to use, out the door, sold or given away. The idea is awareness, and no judgement when fabric from the sale table jumps into your bag, the perfect print shows up on a giveaway table, or retail therapy is needed.
Fabric out was great this month! Starting with my local guild area’s Sew Day at the beginning of February, I made 9 pillowcases that day, and one more a bit later after I fixed the bottom seam. Total out, 10-1/2 yards!
I decided to sell a fat quarter bundle that I’ve had for some time. Fabric out = 5-1/4 yards. I also sold a fat eighth bundle of Kansas Troubles fabrics, quite ‘vintage’ as well, LOL! Fabric out for that one was 3-3/4 yards.
I worked a bit more on the mystery quilt along Scrap Dance Quadrille, but it isn’t done yet. I got the top done for Oh, My Strippy Stars!, but it isn’t quilted yet so I cannot count it out yet either.
So, here is my Stashbuster report for this past month.
February Fabric IN = Zero!!
February Fabric OUT = 19-1/2 yards
February Net Total = 19-1/2 yards out
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = -26 yards Out!!
There is no deadline to post your progress. If you need to look up your year-to-date total from last month, click on Stashbusters February so you can find your comment.
Copy and paste, then fill in your totals in the comments
February Fabric IN = +
February Fabric OUT = –
February Net Total ( + In, or – Out) =
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) =
How did you do in February?
From My Carolina Home 
I’ve stuck to no fabric additions but haven’t moved much out this month. Lots of sewing and a closet full of tops with backings to be quilted but not many finishes. I went to a retreat this month so finished a sewing apron, a new machine cover / mat and donated a bag kit and strips / FQs to the games.
February Fabric IN = + 0
February Fabric OUT = – 7,5
February Net Total ( + In, or – Out) = – 7.5
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = – 23.5
I’m not doing an actual measurement this year but I am tracking fabric in/out in my project diary. My goal is to break even at the minimum with a stretch goal to get more out than in. I only took in a half yard, the award for completing my monthly club project & 2 wide backs that were immediately used. I almost went shopping but between bad weather one day & a visitor the other day I ended up shopping the stash instead & it worked out quite well.
February Fabric In: 4.5 yards
February Fabric Out: 10 yards
February Total: 5.5 yards out
YTD: 32 yards in (still recovering from a big sale in January)
Well, I’ve done a little better this month, but my totals are still small. I feel like I accomplished quite a bit in February, considering it is a short month. I finished two large projects at church, which freed up the last two weeks of the month for sewing! I made two table runners in pinks and purples as Lent décor at church, a pair of pillowcases, and made and finished a scrap quilt and matching pillow, which will be a giveaway at a scrapping retreat at the end of the month. I had to buy the pink/purples for the table runners, as theses are not colors I particularly like or keep in the stash. So, that project was a wash. I used all stash fabrics for the pillowcases, quilt and pillow tops, but had to buy the backing for the quilt and pillow. My main problem is backing fabrics. I have a number of quilt kits, a lot of leftovers and scraps, but no backings in the stash. However, since I need to buy backings, I am trying to buy smart at clearance racks or in sale bins online. Purchases are bad for the fabric totals, but good on the pocketbook! My totals for the month:
February Fabric IN = +10.75
February Fabric OUT = -13.75
February Net Total ( + In, or – Out) =3.0
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) =1.75
Foust had a sale. Sigh.
Grace, a good place to find backing fabric is at resale stores, Goodwill or others. Check out their bedding section and look for 100% cotton. I have found some good buys in these places. Another is Walmart and Target. Their sheets are cheaper than yardage at a fabric store. Sometimes not the biggest selection but it is another source.
Looks like you are rocking it in February!
After my many quilt finishes in January I decided to try a new technique. It was fun but did not use up much fabric. Scrappy applique in 4 finished projects took only 4 yards. When a quilting buddy brings in odd pieces of fabric from Spoonflower and another brings in fabric she got at Foust for sale at a very low price, you just can’t resist. 4 yards IN rounded up . Year to date is a wash from last month 13.2 yards out. I have 9 quilt tops to be quilted. That’s my goal for March to widdle that number down.
Feb fabric IN= +4. Feb Fabric Out=4 yds YTD Out 13.2
This month I’ve been playing with pattern ideas and trying to figure out what to work on for a retreat in April. I have a table runner nearly finished as a practice run. Snow days are great days to “play with fabric”.
February Fabric IN = +3
February Fabric OUT = -1
February Net Total ( + In, or – Out) =+2
Year to Date (net total for the year, + 3 In, or – 1 Out) = +2
The fabric fairy put me under her spell and I bought some gorgeous fabric after a spell of not buying new fabric. Is fabric binging a thing?
My biggest “out” this month was giving 19 yards to a local charity sewing comfort items for cancer patients. It felt good knowing the fabric was going to a good cause.
February Fabric IN = +16.75
February Fabric OUT = -40.25
February Net Total ( + In, or – Out) = -23.5
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = -40.5
Carole, thanks for administering Stashbusters! It keeps me mindful to use my stash fabric and motivated to complete projects!
I did better this month. I did buy backing fabric for one of my projects because I didn’t feel like piecing several smaller pieces together. I hope to get more quilting done this month since we got all our garden pruning done, so I don’t have as much must do projects in the garden.
So my totals are:
February Fabric IN = +4
February Fabric OUT = -5.81
February Net Total ( + In, or – Out) = -1.81
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out)
Stash report February 26, 2023
fabric added: 2 1/2 yards
fabric added year to date: 25 yards
fabric used: 22 yards I finished circa 1880
fabric used year to date: 78 yards
53 yards used more than bought
Busy month but not much time for sewing. Company here for spring Break Lots of excursions: beach, state park to see manatee, zoo, and of course Magic Kingdom at Disney. I did get to spend one day with great niece and neighbor’s little girl designing Barbie doll clothes. They went through a scrap box and created fashions as I sewed for them. A really fun day. I am going to count 1 yard of fabric out for this day. LOL. Then I had cataract surgery. Which is awesome, but another week on hold. So-o-o
Fabric IN: +1 yard
Fabric OUT: – 2 1/4 Yards
February NET TOTAL: -1/2 yard
Year to date: -5 yards
February Fabric in 12
February Fabric out 26.5
February total 14.5 out
Year total 21.5 in
Year total out 38.5
Yippeee only brought back 2 pieces of fabric from my 6 weeks in Hawaii.
Made 4 quilt there and left them LOL
comments
February Fabric IN = 7 yards
February Fabric OUT = 2 yards 😉
February Net Total ( + In, or – Out) = 5 yards
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) =
Bought more fabric for the scrap dance background. Working on my mothers 80th birthday signature quilt along with the scrap dance a few other small projects
Another good month! Only bought one piece of fabric from a local quilt shop that was closing. They had one fabric that I really wanted, so I ordered another piece to get free shipping…🙄. The one I wanted was OOS before my order went out, so I only got the fill in fabric and still had to pay shipping!😡. That will teach me not to order something I don’t need!!!
Even with that, mor went out than in….
I completed 3 donation quilts. Have 3 more ready to quilt next week. Just need to finish sewing the backing for one today. Looks like next month will be a good one too.
February in….7.5 yards (yes, you had to order the rest of the bolt)
February out…16.25 yds
Total out for February….16.25 yds out
Total out for the year…46.5 yds
February Fabric IN = ZERO!
February Fabric OUT = 49.6y in 12 finishes
February Net Total ( + In, or – Out) = -49.6y
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = 94.4 yards
How did you do in February? I had a fantastic quilty month! And sadly, the shelter took in a bunch of children from violent homes so a stack of 16 was delivered. I hope they feel the love and hope from a stranger.
More fabric in than out for me this month. We went on a vacation to Tucson, and I attended the Tuscon Quilt Fiesta while we were there. Beautiful quilts! And several vendors with Southwest style fabrics, my favorite.
Nothing out for me, still working on long-term projects. While I made good progress, I won’t have a finish anytime soon.
Feb in = +5
Feb out = 0
Feb net = +5
Year to date= +5
congratulations to all of your efforts ^^^ bloggers above as well, in
“processing” the stash.
I have not bought any fabric. I do not know how much fabric I have, but it is a lot.
I have started making scrap bags of fabrics for the grand kids to make art work with paper and glue, some pieces are bigger for what ever, you know, stuff like we did as little girls cut two arm holes in and make a sleeveless “coat” for a doll…. etc.
this is a very nice looking selection of fabrics for the sew day
February Fabric IN = 8.75 yards
February Fabric OUT = .50
February Net Total 8.25 yards
Year to Date 11 yards
I brought muslin to back my hand embroidy blocks before I embroidery. Without that purchase, my total would have been a lot better.
February Fabric IN = +15.36
February Fabric OUT = -24.06
February Net Total ( + In, or – Out) = -8.69
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = -10.11
February Fabric IN = + 4
February Fabric OUT = – 9
February Net Total ( + In, or – Out) = minus 5
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = 10-ish?
Does re-arranging count? LOL I make zip bags with pattern and fabric for my “to do” quilts, then rearrange when something else flits by and the quilts get made – about 2 twins a month for charity and the occational tablerunner, (they seem to magically disappear when my daughter comes over!) So the totals are fuzzy! But thanks for giving us the push to be responsible “owners”.
February Fabric IN = +zero
February Fabric OUT = –.5
February Net Total ( + In, or – Out) =-.5
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) =-2.5 out
I ordered a jelly roll for the quilt along. Since it hasn’t been delivered yet, I’ll count it for next month.
Hi, Sorry this is late-busy day!
February: Output: 17 yards/5 yards donated for chemo bags,2 yards for Hand Quilt, 4 yards Thread Bear’s 2019 FPP Block of the Month, 6 yards, JoJo Quilt
Input: 4 yards Harrisonburg Museum Quilt Along (kit/ yardage approx.), 2 yards for throw pillow, 2 yards Kit Christmas Wall Hanging
Total: – 9 yards
Well, February was very productive. Besides packing and moving everything in my house for paint and new flooring, I made quilts. SURPRISE!! No new fabric in again!! Quilt #9 for this year was Quatrefoil in Angels baseball fabric, #10 was big Block and 49’ers football, #11 is Indiana Star in Patriots football (all for special QOV awards), #12 was Five Oaks Scrappy HST quilt along for 2023, #13 was Missouri Star Disappearing Hourglass Medallion in black with white (sister to last month white and black), #14 was New Years Mystery from Craftsy and Rob Appell done in patriotic (all 2.5″ HST and QST!) #15 Boardwalk was patriotic with gold, #16 Streak of Lightning 2.5″ squares from Carol Thelan in reds and blues, #17 Wheels of Whimsy (a UFO like Drunkards path with 3 rings and some rings had 2 parts!) in batiks, #18 was a UFO of burgundy and dark green churn dash blocks. So 10 Quilts of Valor and backings at 10 yards each, means I used 100 yards this month. Add the 80 yards from Jan means I have used 180 yards this year!! WhooHOo, PS where is the dent in the stash/ curated collection?
February Fabric IN = + 3
February Fabric OUT = –3.25
February Net Total ( + In, or – Out) = -0.25
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = -3.75
No fabric purchased this month!!! Only 2 yards out, but two twin size quilts got delivered to my LA quilter, so March will have a higher total. Net for the year is 1/2 a yard in.
February In: 1 yd.
February Out: 9.3 yds.
February Net Total: -8.3 yds.
YTD Total: -12.05 yds.
WOW! That looks so great in print. Of course, it isn’t a dent in my stash, but I sure am having fun with it.
Connie W.
I did much better this month. Got back to going thru and figuring out what needed to be donated! 30 yds to Linus plus 1 yd made into dog scarves. Only 1 yd in! Totals for Feb. In – 1 yd; out 31!
Ytd In- 14.5
Ytd Out- 32.5
February Fabric IN = +13.5
February Fabric OUT = -19.75
February Net Total ( + In, or – Out) = -6.25 ( out the door)
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = – 11.75 (out the door)
Feb. fabric IN- 1 yd.
Feb. fabric OUT- 3.75 yds.
YTD TOTAL OUT- 4.25 yds.
+8 (108” backings)
-30 (3 finished quilts)
Net for month = -22
Net for year = -27.5
(Until my FQS order arrives next week 😂)
February Fabric IN = + 3
February Fabric OUT = -5
February Net Total ( + In, or – Out) = -2
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = -9
Finally found my way to the sewing room!! 🙂
Fabric In February +4.5 yards
Fabric Out Feb – 1 yard
February Net total = +3.5
YTD Net total +45.5
First report. Looks like most people had a good February!
February In: 0 yd.
February Out: 11 yds.
February Net Total: -11 yds.
YTD Total: -19.75 yds.
January was easy since it was zero fabric in and zero going out. February was 10 fat quarters in and 4 fat quarters out so total was 2.5 yards in and 1 yard out. Total thus far is +1.5 yds.
February Fabric IN = +0
February Fabric OUT = -14.5
February Net Total ( + In, or – Out) =-14.5
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) =37 7/8
Carole,
Another good month for stash busting. Sorry for the delay in my response but I have succumbed to Covid. Hats off to anyone who has managed having Covid while alone. I have never gone this long without being in my sewing room except when away. Thanks for the fun monitoring of progress.
I received three boxes of fabric from a friend, and have not had time to even guess the yardage, so I will track that separately until I figure out what I have! I’m guessing around 20 yards, but I could be way off.
Fabric IN = + 2.5
Fabric OUT = – 10.5
FEB TOTAL = – 8
Year to Date -16
Fabric OUT from the gift box = -2.25
TOTal OUT from the gift box = -2.25
Various small stash buster projects were finished 2.5 yds out and only one trip to the quilt shop with 1.5 yds in. Year to date 15 yds out and only 2.75 in
Fabric out this month: 3
Fabric out this year: 15
Fabric in this month: 0
Fabric in this year: 16.75
NET Fabric: 1.25 Still a little ahead but getting there!
Realized I hadn’t posted my February totals yet. Although, I am somewhat embarrassed to admit my intake for the month. I found some bargins so purchased some (wide) backing fabrics plus the background fabric which was 7 yards for the quilt. Also a friend and I decided to make the same quilt (which will be 80″ X 100″) so purchased the fabric for that too. All those big amount really added up. However, I did have some out though. I gave my mom’s sewing machine (which I had originally given to her so that is why I got it back) to a 12 year old family friend. She is excited to learn how to sew. I went through my scraps and gave her some to use as she begins her sewing journey. I was also able to complete a couple of quilts for charity.
February Fabric IN + 117.5 yards
February Fabric OUT = – 33.75 yards
February Net Total + 83.75 yards
Year to Date + 181 yards
March Fabric IN = +0
March Fabric OUT = -0
March Net Total ( + In, or – Out) =0
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) =-46.5
March was a wash. No fabric in or out…I have 5 quilts in the quilting queue and I’m hoping to get them finished this month. That will help April. I do have a scrap pack coming in April that is only 2.5 yards, so not bad…I’m really focusing on getting stuff out of my stash!..
I should have had 22+ yards out this month with a king size quilt I finished. But, I counted it in January when I sent it off to the quilter.🫣. Oops…