Today begins a new year of reporting on our Stashbusting efforts. On this post, report your fabric in and out for January. Every month we’ll check in on the first Friday of the month. The goal is to have more out than in at the end of the year. For new readers this is easy to do, just report what you have brought in and sent out over the past month, keeping a year to date total. No, you don’t have to inventory your stash, just keep track of what comes in and what goes out each month. 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 complete things for gifts, or to use, and wrap up the projects in progress, not to create more UFOs. Know that it is fine to buy fabric now and then. As Murphy’s Law of Quilting tells us, for every project you’ll probably need to buy something. It might be another print, or some blender or background neutrals, or backing. Fabric out can also be given away, or donated somewhere. The idea is awareness, and no judgement when the sale table calls, or retail therapy is needed.
If you did the challenge last year, we start over at zero for this year. 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) or complete projects to count as out. Sometimes it is hard to resist looking through the guild’s re-home table, lots to see every month!
For newer participants, here is how I calculate fabric out when using scraps instead of measurable yardage. 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. If you have a finished quilt that measures 60 x 72, that equals 4320 square inches. Divide that number by 1440 and you get 3, so I would 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 challenge. In general, layer cakes and jelly rolls are about 3 yards total if you use the whole thing.
So, I didn’t do that well this month, starting out in the red with a score on the freebie table at guild. The brown luxury fabrics in crepe de chine and a lovely taffeta are for another secret project, my challenge quilt for Worldwide Quilting Day. I had planned to hit the fabric store that day for this kind of fabric in just that color, and was amazed to find it on the re-home table. Woohoo!!
I cannot resist fall fabrics, especially ones with adorable little chipmunks, lots of pumpkins and pretty birds.
These just spoke to me too. They said “take me home, you know you need to!” What are my plans for them? No idea. Total in = 4 yards.
My only fabric out of any consequence was my pajama pants. Counting out 3 yards.
I did have my little tray as fabric out, but it only took two 10-inch squares, not even a fat quarter. Not really enough to keep up with at 1/8th yard.
So, here is where I stand for the first month’s reporting.
January Fabric IN = + 4 yards
January Fabric OUT = – 3 yards
January Net Total = + 1 yard
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = + 1 yard
OK, not too bad. I can make that up pretty easily. Well, if I am not tempted by the freebie table again, or at Foust Textiles later this month. Luckily I am going with friends who might split a bolt with me if we all like it. No promises!
Your turn, copy the list below, paste into a comment and fill in your totals.
January Fabric IN =
January Fabric OUT =
January Net Total =
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) =
Want a button for your blog? Here it is! Just “save image as” and use today’s post for the URL.
How’d you do for the first month of the year?
From My Carolina Home 
January Fabric IN = + 1 yard
January Fabric OUT = – .50 yard
January Net Total = + .50 yard
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = + .50 yard
‘Hope I did the math correctly..
I didn’t finish much for January, just 2 little kawandi table mats for the grandchildren, </= 1 yd used, and no incoming. I made lots of blocks & used a lot of stash/scraps but nothing else was brought to completion. I’ll do better next month.
Well Carole, it could have been much worse, you exercised excellent self control, and saved some $$ too!
Not a ton of sewing here, but I did have some completions at long last! I finished a quilt top kit that has been sitting in the closet since I received it, maybe 3 years. I finally finished quilting my anniversary quilt, Alaska and got it bound. Only the binding counts, but having it finished was a huge lift to my creative brain. Finally, I made a new wallet/purse using some much loved fabric scraps. This month I have a sewing project that might preclude much stash busting…I am copying my favorite pair of shorts that are 20 years old and no longer fit for the public. There will be a lot of paper used, but don’t know if I’ll get to any actual fabric! I am gearing up to quilt a top for my lone graduating senior, not sure I’ll get to it this month.
January In 0 yards
January Out 4.75 yards
January Net Total -4.75
Year to Date -4.75
Hi Carole! I didn’t do very well in January either! Both my husband and I work part-time for our church. He is the Church Secretary and also the Council Treasurer and I am the Accountant. January is always a very full and busy month, with End of Year/Beginning of Year accounting work. Denis had new schedules to make up for ushers, counters, etc., plus two larger projects that I also helped with. I was able to do a little sewing near the end of the month. One item was a wall hanging UFO finish from December. I was not at my best when I tried to quilt it…my lines were not straight and I wound up taking all the quilting lines out and starting over and working slower. It’s now quite presentable and is hanging in my craft room/office. It is a Christmas theme, but at least it is finished! My fabric In was a great buy on backing fabric! I have a nice selection of backings now, and I’m hoping NOT to have to get more anytime this year! Wishful thinking? I also bought a runner kit that I fell in love with! Anyway, here are my numbers:
January Fabric IN = +9
January Fabric OUT = -3.25
January Net Total = +5.75
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = +5.75
Oh, you will make that up in no time! I’ll bet your Christmas wall hanging is wonderful.
Lucky you! Shopping on a giveaway table is such fun!
I keep my in/out list for the current month on a small wipe-off board in my fabric storage area, and keep my monthly & yearly totals in a chart on OneNote. It’s helping me to see my purchasing trends and sewing completions at a glance.
January IN: 3 yds
January OUT: 1.5 yds
Total for month& year: + 1.5 yd
I did not get as much out as planned but… there is always February, March, April and onward. Plunging into clearing some UFOs and limiting new projects in lieu of moving starts to the finish line.
Thank you for the reminder of how to calculate particularly the yardage for jelly rolls and layer cakes. Moving ahead with…. positivity.
January Fabric IN =18.75
January Fabric OUT = 10.75
January Net Total = – 7.5
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = -7.5
January Fabric IN =+5.5 yds
January Fabric OUT =-20 yds
January Net Total =-14.5 yds
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = -14.5 yds
Had a few quilt finishes this month so my YTD looks great. Will see how February goes. Two quilt shows to attend. I have learned to take a certain amount of cash and leave the credit cards home for such occasions. LOL.
January Fabric IN = +2
January Fabric OUT = -0
January Net Total = +2
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = +2
It was a piecing month! I’ll have a terrific February report 🙂🙂
I’m starting out the year with a LARGE fabric purchase after finding an amazing clearance sale. This should keep me motivated to finish projects each month.
January Fabric In: 38.9 yds.
January Fabric Out: 3.9 yds.
January Net Total: +35.0 yds.
Y-T-D: +35.0 yds.
The local library opened its long arm quilting machine in January. I was able to quilt two tops already with another queen size in progress. February looks to help balance the books. Happy quilting, everyone.
Connie W.
Well, I did get a couple of small finishes squeezed in right at the end of the month. I had to have a finish this month!! So, 2 journal covers were made. Not only did I they give me a tiny “out” number, but I used some orphan blocks from my MIL in solids that I will never use in a quilt. Don’t like working with solids. But, I think of her everyday when I make notes in my quilting journal.
So, here goes….
January Fabric IN = 0
January Fabric OUT = – 3/4 yd
January Net Total = – 3/4 yd
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = -3/4 yd
I have wandered back into the longarm room and started playing with it. Hoping to get a couple of tops done this month. I have put myself on a “no spending” ban until at least June. I have 11 tops to get quilted and have everything to finish them already. Unless a new line comes out that I can’t resist, or a fantastic sale comes up on some of my favorite blenders, I’m hoping not to add anything to my stash. This year I want to focus on getting some of my cut scraps out the door.
Great plan, and fantastic goal. You are off to a good start!
i went back through my photos to remind me of finishes for January.
January Fabric IN = 0
January Fabric OUT = 2 yards
January Net Total = 2 yards out
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = -2 yards
This doesn’t reflect my actual work. I tested two patterns for Fabric Cafe which technically was 6 yards in & 6 yards out.
I hope to get a lot more of my stash out this year.
Yeah, you can make that up in a heartbeat. And those pants are darling and so is your new stuff!
January Fabric IN = +5,5
January Fabric OUT = -0.5
January Net Total = +5
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = +5.0
My guild is doing a block exchange in September with a fall theme. I purchased a fat quarter of browns and creams. My plan is to make pieced acorn blocks. So a bunch in, plus I needed backing fabric for a snowmen gathering disappearing four patch quilt. So here goes…
January in—16 yards.
January out—6.5
YTD balance— +9.5 yards
January In: 4.5 January Out: 8.25 Net: -3.75 I’m trying to keep my tops to quilt and bind under 5!
This summer I inherited over 100 yards of quilt fabric. Yep the garage was a tee-total mess. Now down to 6 plastic “bins” thanks to “K-9’s for Vets” and 2 other private organizations for children. Nothing fancy, just blocks. So I’m guesing my totals will be
IN: 100 yards – OUT – not enough. But it’s getting so that I can see over the wall of fabric, and that’s a start! Thanks for doing this. Keeps me more aware of all the many places I’ve stashed fabric. LOL
I finished a small quilt, and bought backing for larger one (with a finished top – yay). Rebooting my project to-do list for the year helped me resist buying anything for a brand-new project. Self-control was good for one month…hoping it will last a while!
January Fabric IN = 4.8
January Fabric OUT = 4.4
January Net Total = +0.4
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = +0.4
Carole, I think you had a great start in January.
I went to the Road to California quilt show in January, such amazing quilts and lots of great vendors. But I did the most damage on a side trip to a discount fabric store my friend wanted me to see. I knew I would buy some backing fabric, but the prices were so good I succumbed to the temptation to buy more than backing. $4 – $6 a yard for quilt shop quality fabrics from well-known companies and designers, just from collections that are 2-4 years old, not current releases. It will be a challenge for me to end with net zero this year!
January Fabric IN = +42.75 yards
January Fabric OUT = 0
January Net Total = +42.75
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = +42.75
January Fabric IN = 4.0 yards
January Fabric OUT = 4.5 yards
January Net Total =. -.5 yards
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = -.5 yards
I have more in the pipeline, so that is a good thing.
Carole-your pajama pants are very cute! There are so many temptations after the holidays! You will make that 1 yd up in no time!
I did ok moving projects along, completing two, and moving some fabric along to a lady who teaches others to sew. I did buy another 3yd 108 wide backing at a great price. And some of the other yardage purchased went right back out into finishing yh wed project it was bought for. I hope I can get more momentum on the “out” side in February!
January Fabric In +20yd
January Fabric out -21yd
net January -1yd
net 2025 -1yd
I’m a bit slow reporting this month, but did ok.
January Fabric IN = +3
January Fabric OUT = -23
January Net Total = -20
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = -20
January Fabric IN = +4
January Fabric OUT = -0
January Net Total = +4
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) =+4