The Stashbusters Challenge has been fun for the past two years, and it is so easy to do that I decided to continue it in 2024. It is laid back, just report what you have brought in and sent out over the past month, keeping a year to date total. No, you do not have to take inventory of your stash. Today, for those participating this past year, report your monthly totals for December 2023, and your year to date final total. New participants, we’ll begin this year’s challenge today, reporting your January totals on the first Friday in February. There is only one rule, report as ‘out’ only what is completely finished, quilted and bound. For small items like purses or totes, they have to be finished and ready for use or gifting. The challenge is to finish projects, have them in use or out the door, not to create new UFOs for the closet. Fabric out can also be given away, or donated somewhere. I weigh my scrap bags and count one yard out for each pound of scraps.
For my reporting, I only finished one thing in December. I thought this embroidery was so cute, so early in the month I stitched it out and added some borders of a festive Christmas colors baking print.
I had a remnant of a bright Christmas candy print for the backing.
I did freehand stippling and meandering for the quilting.
Then I auditioned fabrics for the binding, settling on the red.
All done, it is the perfect size for the table next to my chair in the den. I enjoyed it through the holiday season. I think I may put some hanger loops on the back so it can go on my mini quilt stand next year.
Fabric In came from the Mystery Christmas Jolly Box from Fat Quarter Shop. It had thread, needles, pins, a cute candy cane zipper charm, a little hot pad kit, a pattern and a fat quarter stack. Fabric in = 2 yards.
Then, the big clearance sale at my local quilt shop, Beginnings, yielded just a bit more. OK, I couldn’t help it. But I’m counting it now as I got it prior to today. Three yards of this beautiful daisy print, plus a jelly roll. I count a jelly roll in this way – 2.5 inch width of fabric strips x 40 strips = 100 inches divided by 36 = 2.75 yards (plus one inch, but I’m ignoring that).
That is all I did in December. Total out, maybe 1/2 a yard with top, backing and binding. So, my totals for the year didn’t change much. I am delighted that it is pretty good for the year, and I need to get even more out this coming year. Here are my final totals –
December Fabric IN = +6.75
December Fabric OUT = -1/2 yard
December Net Total ( + In, or – Out) = +6.25 yard
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = -56.25 yards out
For new readers, my method of “fabric out” calculation for scrap projects is to count a yard of fabric as about 1440 square inches (40 inches wide x 36 inches in length). Apply that number to the square inches of the finished quilt. So if I have a finish of 60 x 72, that equals 4320 square inches, divide by 1440 and I get 3, so I count out 3 yards. Be sure to count out the same for the backing, and add a bit for binding. It is a rough estimate but good enough for this.
So, your turn. How’d you do in December? Leave a comment with your final totals for 2023.
December Fabric IN = +
December Fabric OUT = –
December Net Total ( + In, or – Out) =
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) =
We will start over today with a clean slate, and zero totals for in and out. Start keeping tallies now for the first report of 2024. We’ll report on the first Friday of every month just like previous years.
To help you get started, here are a few of my free patterns for some small projects that will jump start you on a year of using up your stash. This Blue and Yellow Table Topper was fast and easy, using some larger solid blocks. This topper has 25 6-inch blocks plus the border, backing and binding, that I would count out as a total of 3 yards. No, that isn’t a precise measure, but it is close enough.
This Road Trip Pillow case with handles and pocket is handy for traveling and will burn up about one and quarter yard. These make great gifts as well.
See my pages at the top of the blog, Sewing Tutorials and Quilting Projects for lots of ideas and free patterns. You can also use the categories on the sidebar of Sewing, Quilting, Scrap Crafting, Tutorials and Mini Quilts, to find more projects like this Low Volume Quick Quilt.
There are also many free projects with my annual Autumn Jubilee category on the sidebar. Looking back over the past several years, you can do any of these projects with fall colors, and many would be great in everyday, Christmas, or spring colors as well. This project could easily be done with spring flower embroidery and pastel scrappy borders, or a Valentine embroidery (or fussy cut center) with red and cream squares. Let your imagination run wild!
Here is a button for your sidebar, you can link back to this post. Just right click and ‘save image as’ to your computer.
Are you ready for another year of Stashbusting?
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From My Carolina Home 
I love your Christmas piece, Carole! And I can see where Stashbusters “keeps you honest!”
Thanks so much for keeping us accountable while having fun!
December Fabric IN = + 0
December Fabric OUT = – 17
December Net Total ( + In, or – Out) = – 17
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = – 162.75
I have several quilts in progress that will be donated as soon I can get them sandwiched and quilted.
Thanks for a wonderful year. I wish you and yours and Happy, Healthy & Fun 2024.
Nice job Nancy!
Your Christmas embroidery is so perfect for the season! It’s my excuse for not getting much done – although I finally got the Christmas flimsy that I finished last January quilted & given away so that was something out & nothing came in. I’m using your Stashbusting to keep me on track with my plan to use up what I have. Since starting your program, for the most part, all I’ve bought new has been background. The majority of quilts finished were for donation using either my stash or donated fabric. Fabric inventory has not grown so it’s working.
I absolutely love what you did with your embroidery project in December. Putting the batting behind your fabric, on top of the stabilizer, makes such a difference in the finish, eliminates any puckering and wrinkles. WELL DONE!! Silly me, I made a label in a big hurry and FAILED to do that. Sigh….
I’m going to try again with Stashbusters tally. I have a lot of OUT quilts for 2022, and that in itself is a big deal for me. FINALLY my Scrap Dance quilts all came off of hangers and are quilted labeled and bound. 🙂
Hi Carole! I’m so happy you’re continuing the Stashbuster check-in. It helps to keep my sewing goals real! After two months of no sewing at all, I’m happy to report a very busy December. I made a bunch of pillowcases and a couple of smaller gift items. I also asked for and received (for Christmas) a fat eighth bundle from my favorite designer. So the final tally for December was +5 yards In; -10.5 yards OUT, with a grand total of -25 yards OUT for the year. Not as good as I had hoped last January, but it’s a start! For 2024, I’m hoping to finish up more of those UFOs that have been hanging around (some for several years) and I have new quilts in the queue as well.
I have tried to start this in past years then got disgusted with myself when I bought so much more fabric, lol. I took some time to organize my ufo’s and prioritized my ‘want to make’ list, so I will try again this year. For some reason I lost a lot of my creative mojo in 2023 so I didn’t finish very much at all. But 2024 has started strong: 2 small embroidery projects completed and a couple of quilt projects that I began in 2021/2022 organized and ready to go by the machine.
Well…December caused me to end up with less out than I wanted.
December Fabric IN = +20 yds
December Fabric OUT = -0
December Net Total ( + In, or – Out) =+20
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = -20.5 yds out
Overall, it was good because more went out than in. This year, I’m working harder on using up what I have. Looking forward to 2024!
Thank you for hosting and I am glad to say I am down for the year!
Fabric in this month: 0 yards
Fabric out this month 2.5 yards
Fabric in this year: 89.25 yards
Fabric out this year: 118 yards
NET Fabric: -28.75 yards
I haven’t tried the Stashbuster before, but may give it a try this year! Looks like fun! Happy New Year, Carole!
December Fabric IN = + zero
December Fabric OUT = – zero (bringing 100 6″ blocks to a finished top though)
December Net Total ( + In, or – Out) = ZERO
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = 327.3 yards! Not my biggest year but this girl is happy with 45 finishes.
I am a “gatherer” of waste HSTs. They come in the mail in sandwich bags all the way up to 3 gallon bags. I’ve made a concerted effort this year to stitch/press/trim them so my “trash” is over 21 yards this year. Tiny trimmings really add up. As well, a considerable chunk of sewing time is dedicated to making blocks from them for various designs. One of these years, it will be “Waste HST” quilt year!
Happy New Year everyone 🙂
A stellar year for getting fabric out of my closet, stash and bins…well for me any way.
December Fabric IN = +0
December Fabric OUT = -18.75
December Net Total ( + In, or – Out) = 18.75
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = fabric out – 119.8!
Yeah and hip hip hooray. On to 2024 and I want to equal or better my “out”.
This monthly process is so motivating for me. Easy to calculate. I make a quick note in my quilt journal at the end of each month and away I go. Love your comments about calculations being “close enough” because it keeps it easy. And weighing scraps that are donated is such a good idea that just zoomed past my thinking. It is so difficult to calculate scraps as yardage. Now I can be consistent month to month.
Happy stitching everyone and thank you Carole for being here for us. Looking forward to new adventures in your yard, with you MINI group, cooking, stitching and donations.
Carole, Your Christmas table topper is so cute! Thank you for hosting Stashbusters. As I look at my year end total, it seems I’m on the Stash accumulation, not busting plan. What can I say? I love fabric! My bottleneck is definitely the quilting process, as I finished 3 tops in 2023 that are waiting to be quilted. I hand quilt some, not all, of my quilts, so it takes a while. I do think your Stashbusters reporting has helped reduce the amount I’ve brought in, by making me think about it.
I finished a small Christmas wall hanging in December, accounting for my out this month.
December Fabric IN = 0
December Fabric OUT = -3/4 yd
December Net = out -3/4 yd
2023 YTD = IN +61 5/8 yds
December Fabric IN = + zero
December Fabric OUT = –1
December Net Total ( + In, or – Out) = -1
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = +21
I did some knitting in December, no quilting. My husband’s niece asked for some bowl cozies, my only project for this report. I want to make some pillow cases using some border fabric a friend gave me. But I don’t have fabric for the main part of the cases. So I may need adding to my stash before long!
Happy new year
December fabric In= +10
December fabric Out= -14.5
December Net=-4.5
2023 YTD= -38.5
Pleased I have a higher out number this year. I am planning my UFO takeover this year and hope to quilt and bind a quilt each month. Just have to remain firm and stick with it. I enjoy Stashbusters and thanks for offering it in 2024. Your mini-Christmas project turned out so cute. Makes me smile.
2023 was an up & down year and somewhere along the line I had to let go of some things. I lost track of my sewing room activities but don’t remember buying much fabric until October when I needed several backings. But I can report my Stash Busting in December. A Quilt for 1 grandson, and a Quillow for another made a good dent. Add in several Christmas Eve pillowcases & some smaller projects and I am out Out 18.25 yards! Yay! I was able to use all fabric from my stash!
December Fabric In – +0
December Fabric Out – -18.25 yards
YTD ?
I did track the samples i made for a shop/pattern designer – 14,3-yard quilt tops.
YTD Sample Fabric in: +42 yards
YTD Sample Fabric out: -42 yards
I’ll try to do better in 2024!
2023 was my first year of doing stashbusters. One of my goals was to only use fabric that I already had and I did just that. One reason that was accomplished is because I no longer drive and we moved in with our daughter and son-in-law. My girls were laughing at all the fabric that I had. To be fair, I hardly have any compared to a lot of stashes. lol So, a total of 36.5 yards of fabric has been used from my stash in 2023 and I can tell you right now, I plan on acquiring some fabric this year. lol Thank you, Carole, for the opportunity of whining. 🙂
No judgement here. Every participant is a winner! Whether you ended up in the positive or negative, you persevered through the year with your totals. Great job, one & all!
December Fabric IN = + 0
December Fabric OUT = -1 1/2 yds
December Net Total ( + In, or – Out) = -1 1/2 yds
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) =. -13 yds
I feel good about using so much from my stash. Hoping to do even better this year.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!
Hurrah for another year of Stashbusters…it does help me keep accountable!
December In 4.5 yards
December Out 10 yards
December Net Total -5.5 yards
Year -52.75
Thanks for the reminders of the patterns on your website.
This will be my first time participating in Stashbusters. Now that I have a button for it on my desktop, there’s no excuse for not keeping track. Love the table mat you did for Christmas, and makes me think I want an embroidery machine again. Home projects first, then fun projects. Thank you, as always, Carole for the ideas, suggestions, and for sharing your talent and creativity.
Another month is behind us. I can see just a little progress in stashbusting here on Gobbler’s Knob.
December In: o yards;
December Out: 3.5 yards;
December Net Total: -3.5 yards;
YTD Net Total: -1.15 yards.
It’s not a big number but I am celebrating!
Connie W.
Oh my goodness I’m too scared to keep track of yardage. I’m sure I’m going to be in bad shape if I do. I’ve gotten better at not ordering fabric, but there still is a problem with me. I need a 12-step program!! Meanwhile, are you doing your safelight project again? Just wondering if I should get involved again. I love it but I know you put so much work and money into the venture. Just wondering. Meanwhile, Happy New Year!!
Dec was slow for me, but I was also out of state for 10 days to have Christmas with all 4 great-grandchildren! Quilt 69 was a scrappy 5″ quilt #70 was Starlight from Missouri Star done in patriotics. So, I used 20 yards this month and donated another 20. So total used or donated 1,000 yards this year. Amazing that our Quilts of Valor group made 423 quilts this year and 69 were from me. We did award aver 550 which depleted all the stockpile we had from Covid! I’m already busy on this year’s collection!!
Fabric is not the problem this week. I am finally getting a move on the Neck Tie Quilt. I collected ties from all the family for my nephew’s wedding quilt, he is the 5th to carry this name (won’t mention it here) and I have some from EVERY generation! But just found another bag, got it washed now to take apart, press and cut. But I think I’ll take this as an “out” when I finish this monster! Thanks!
December Fabric IN = + 4
December Fabric OUT = – 15.5
December Net Total ( + In, or – Out) = -11.5
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) =- 47.5