It’s that time again! On this post, report your fabric in and out for February. 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. Remember that it is fine to buy fabric now and then, and our local quilt shops depend on this. 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, an adorable print shows up in the quilt shop, or retail therapy is needed.
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.
So, I just lost my mind this month, starting with Foust in mid-February. I went there purely to get a few non-fabric things, really, just a couple of things. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. I needed insulating batting for hot pads, plus I wanted to look at their threads and notions, and see if they had any novelty buttons. Right? A targeted list, but you know what is said about best laid plans. They had so many cute fabrics in short 6-yard bolts instead of the normal 15 yard bolts. I am so attracted to fabrics with bee and honey themes right now. You’ve already seen a couple of projects I am using these for. So, here is 18 yards in.
Then, they had 3-yard flat folds of a huge variety of food fabrics. These are perfect for hot pads and produce bags! I got cabbages and tomatoes. Another 6 yards.
Another short bolt of a really fun and colorful swirly print, some fabrics in the “by the pound” table and a length of white tone on tone along with the bolts and flat folds added up to 30 yards. The big white bolt at the top is heat resistant batting, doesn’t count.
The following week, I was at another area group to see their speaker, a friend who is an ace at applique. They have a re-home table just like the big guild meeting. I was doing really well, just looking, and managing NOT to pick up the bolt of fall leaf fabric on the bottom of the photo. It was tempting, but I reminded myself that I have lots of fall fabrics. But, see the box with the clear window on the top? That did me in.
I saw yellow and black through the window, and opening it up, there were daisies and some green. Oh, my!! These would go so well with the yellow honey and bee fabrics! I nabbed it. When I got it home it measured out at seven yards!! But I love it. Four of these prints are in the Kaleidoscope block.
OK, that should be quite enough for one month, right? Apparently not as there was still the matter of finding a gold to go with the Japanese fabrics, and now I needed netting fabric to make the produce bags. Off to Joann’s to see if they had those things before the store is totally picked over. And indeed, I found both. The metallic gold is just one yard, and the netting fabric was all that was left on the bolt, 3 yards. The black is interfacing, doesn’t count. So four more yards in. As an aside, Joann’s is still getting shipments as they empty out their warehouses, so stock will be good for a little while longer.
After all that, our guild meeting was canceled due to weather, so the fabric I planned to drop off on the re-home table is still sitting in my sewing room. I had also pulled three large pieces of fabric, intending to list them for sale on a forum, but I didn’t get that done. The yellow with blue roses and the blue under it are both 6 yards, and the leaf print is 3 yards. I’ll have to work on that this coming month.
I got precious little actually finished. I did this little bee themed thread catcher. Originally, it was a tray, but so little fabric that I didn’t count it out last month. Since I reworked it, I’ll count it out along with other little projects this month.
Then I finished this Sewing Coffee Chocolate thread tray.
Two mug rugs for Galentine’s day were finished and gifted.
So, a grand total out of 1/2 yard, and I am being generous with myself. Here’s where my totals stand now. I’m not going to fret, it will work out when I can get some fabric to the re-home table and maybe get the other pieces sold. Plus, I plan to head into production for items to sell at the Guild shop. Some may get sold before then. The flip side is I am very tempted by a new panel at my local quilt shop that has chickens on small square panels. They’d be perfect for my “Cluck It” embroidery. Thank goodness it is still early in the year! Retreat at the end of the month may see some things get finished with three days of non-stop sewing.
So, here is where I stand as of now.
February Fabric IN = + 41 yards
February Fabric OUT = – 1/2 yard
February Net Total = + 40-1/2 yards
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = + 41-1/2 yards
To help us out this month, I’ve scheduled another Virtual Retreat for March 19. Sign up HERE. Just $5. I need this day to organize some projects for our sleep at home retreat at the end of March, and maybe to finish up a project or two.
Your turn! Copy and past this form into your comment and fill in your totals. Indicate on the totals if the number is in (+) or out (-). If you need a reminder where you were last month, click on Stashbusters February and scroll down to your comment.
February Fabric IN = + ____yards
February Fabric OUT = – ____ yards
February Net Total = _______ yards
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = _____ yards
How’d you do this past month?
From My Carolina Home 
Sometimes a woman’s gotta do what a woman’s gotta do. I know you’ll use all that new fabric in no time!
I finished up care quilts and Hemingway bags at a guild retreat.
February Fabric IN = + ___0_yards
February Fabric OUT = – __34.75__ yards
February Net Total = ___-34.75____ yards
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = __-54.75___ yards
I had a terrific February and sew much fun making it happen!
February Fabric IN = +71 yards
February Fabric OUT = –113 yards
February Net Total = -42 yards
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = -42 yards
16 yards of my out went to a young Mom who makes/sell wheelchair bags which allows her to be stay-home-Mom to her son. Such an easy way to help her.
I bought a 3y piece to finish a quilt underway-I wasn’t sure how I wanted to finish it and promised to use it right away and I did. That quilt got finished last night! 🙂
I bought 4 15y bolts of tone on tone in colors I use a LOT! Who can pass up $2.15/y ?? And an 8y bolt of darling bright paw prints on white for an another amazing price of $4/y. No way I am leaving those unheard-of buys on the shelf!
I have a stack of 10 twin size quilts ready for pickup to go to our local Sleep In Heavenly Peace program. Our goal this year is 400 kids off the floor (23 and 24 got 300 kids off the floor each year).
Happy Quilting everyone! I’m off to assemble baby quilt #3 for the week!
Ah yes, best laid plans! It was destiny, they all selected you for their intermediary (or maybe permanent) home. I did better this month. No incoming fabric & while I’m still doing more piecing as I work on block a day & block a week projects, I did get 2 twin size quilts completed. I see another comment about the Sleep in Heavenly Peace program. Our group recently selected them for donation – time to go sew another twin.
February in—8 yards in for guild mystery quilt
February out—13 yards as I finished two lap quilts
February net—5 yards more out than in, a first for me
YTD in—24
YTD out—19.5
YTD balance—still more in than out. 4.5 but I’m totally happy with that
I have a hard time remembering to keep track!! I spent February playing with scraps. I made 38 placemats using scraps and leftover blocks for the front and cutting bigger scraps for the backings. A lot of fat quarters went out as the backs of placemats, along with some “vintage” fabrics. The placemats were a quilt guild project, and they went to Meals on Wheels for delivery with someone’s lunch! I also completed 2 reversible crisscross aprons. But then – there was that trip to JoAnn’s on the last day of the month where I stocked up on cuddle flannel!
February Fabric IN = + 22____yards
February Fabric OUT = – __24__ yards
February Net Total = ___-2____ yards
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = _-2____ yards
I was feeling that I had let myself down until I read today’s blog post. You came home with some terrific fabrics and I am sure, as you mentioned, that you will use them all before long. You know what you like and what you will use. That makes shopping easier, right? No or few random purchases. Everything with a purpose.
I purchased fabric to finish quilts, still at the LA so can’t count for February. All of the February “IN” was to finished projects at hand mostly backing. I took advantage of a 30% sale at lovely shop about an hour away from home in Amish Country.
But three cheers, I did finish a baby quilt and a chemo quilt for a young woman that is only 21. And I donated orphan blocks via a give away table at my quilt group in February.
But watch out March! I purchased basics from Joanns just because I could and more fabric to finish a quilt I took on for a friend.
February Fabric IN = + 12.75 yards
February Fabric OUT = – 11.5 yards
February Net Total = +1.75 yards
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = + 9 yards
It may take a few months to get my OUT to be greater than my IN but I will do it. Yes I will.
I love Foust! I went there when I lived in SC, and it resulted in many beautiful quilts! So happy to see they are open again! It is so practical to buy there, who can pass up their deals!
February Fabric IN = + 12 yards
February Fabric OUT = – 12.5 yards
February Net Total = – 0.5yards
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = – 15 yards
I was doing well until a quilty friend decided to clean out some stash and I inherited 9 yards. Will really have to work on some UFOs this month.
WhooHoo! I’m on the right side of the equation with the help of the library’s long arm. Two queen sized quilts were finished; one of these were a UFO of a decade or more! A few smaller ones were also completed for Comfort Quilts.
February Fabric IN = + 0 yards
February Fabric OUT = 57.4 yards
February Net Total = -57.4 yards
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = -22.4 yards
Connie W.
February Fabric IN = + _16___yards
February Fabric OUT = – _2___ yards
February Net Total = ____+14___ yards
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = __+19___ yards
In my defense, I bought a couple of wide backings for use later this year (hopefully)!
Carole, you found a lot of pretty fabric to add to your collection this month. It just makes sense to buy what you love and know you will use when you find it at such a good price.
I made a small wall hanging this month, based on a panel that says, appropriately enough for me, “Collecting Fabric and Quilting Are Two Different Hobbies”.
On the In side, I went to a nearby guild’s show and found a few fat quarters in their consignment shop that I felt needed to come home with me.
February Fabric IN = +3 1/2 yards
February Fabric OUT = – 1 yards
February Net Total = +2 1/2 yards
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = +45 1/2 yards
I didn’t buy fabric or finish anything in February… partly because my daughter got married out-of-state on 2/16! I made her veil, but that was tulle, not quilting fabric. I have a couple things to finish in March, which may offset the fabric I’ll need for a quilt workshop I signed up for. We’ll see…
February Fabric IN = + 0 yards
February Fabric OUT = – 0 yards
February Net Total = 0 yards
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = +0.4 yards
Still no fabric purchases…yay! Continued to work on a large bow tie quilt this month, so no quilt finishes, but I did get the blocks done. 2 pairs of fleece booties were the only completed sewing projects in February, but at least it’s something out. Working to eliminate my fleece stash.
February Fabric IN = + 0 yards
February Fabric OUT = – 1/2 yard
February Net Total = – 1/2 yard
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = – 1-1/4 yards
I managed to get some sewing done this month, amid several weeks of stress and turmoil in another area of my life. I did a small amount of purchasing, but was able to finish a quilt for me, a table-topper Christmas gift, two pillowcases and a cute little decoration for Valentine’s. My numbers aren’t huge, but at least I’m headed in the right direction. On my cutting table now: a gift quilt for a dear friend.
February Fabric IN = +3 yards
February Fabric OUT = -10.50 yards
February Net Total = -7.50 yards
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = -1.75 yards
In February I had one 5-yard pattern to test, so my numbers don’t reflect that (5 yards in & 5 yards out). But I did get the label & binding on a throw which was in my UFO pile and it will be gifted this weekend. I also pulled out a couple of WIPs and finished making 41 16-patch blocks. Now to lay them out & figure out what to make with them.
February Fabric IN = + 0 yards
February Fabric OUT = – 7.5 yards
February Net Total = -7.5 yards (Out)
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = -9.5 yards (Out)
Looking forward to another Virtual Sew Day! I may even be more organized & have my projects ready to stitch!
Hi
Is Foust just a local shop, or do they have a website? Sounds like an interesting place.
Carol
Love the bee and flower fabrics!!! That place is a temptation! A fun one, that is!!!
February In .75 yards
February Out 1.1 yards
February Net Total -.35yards
Year to Date -5.1 yards
Now to go back and read what you’ve been up to!
February IN +16.5
February OUT -2.66
February NET +13.75
NET 2025 YTD +12.75
You have a well thought out plan and I love the fabrics you picked up! Now you just need time to sew. Great bargains and wonderful finds!
I’m a bit late to our report-in, but we were traveling. Unfortunately, no quilt shops were on our itinerary. Before we left, I donated a bin of flannel scraps for charity sewing.
February totals:
In = + 2.5 yds
Out = – 15.5 yd
Feb total = – 13 yd
YTD = – 11.5 yds.
February Fabric IN = + __7__yards
February Fabric OUT = – __7.5_yards
February Net Total = __+.5__yards
Year to Date (net total for the year, + In, or – Out) = __+3.5___ yards
I just realized I didn’t do my scrap busters for Feb. Running behind and just realized I missed the s’ virtual retreat for Month. I need to park my emails accordingly. I just get too many of them daily!
Happy Sewing!