If you’re not a quilter, you may hear quilters talking about “stash” and “no buy”. When I walk through a fabric store, pretty pieces of fabric just jump into my hands and I take them home. And I create a stash. Pretty pieces of fabric waiting for me to use them. Of course, that’s both a good and bad thing. It enables me to make lovely quilts without buying much, if any fabric. But I seldom do that… because….I like buying fabric.
A few days ago, I decided to take the “no buy” challenge. These things have “rules” as most challenges do. Legal to buy is backings, borders, and backgrounds. And while those are legal, I’m going to try to make do without purchasing them. Because one challenge to myself is that I will go “no buy” for a year–or until I reach 100 yards, whichever comes first. Since I have a full-time job, and have other things in my life (running, dog rescuing, family, and home), I would expect that I won’t be able to use 100 yards of fabric in a year. And since I have set this up with legal purchases, my yardage count will be NET. So if I buy 5 yards of backing, which is entirely legal, I’ll have to use up 5 yards elsewhere to offset it on that 100 yards. And, I won’t count as yardage things I’ve already committed–like completed tops.
I don’t buy a lot of pieces 3+ yards. Heck I don’t buy a lot of pieces over a yard. So, if I want to not end up in the hole, I’m going to be piecing some backings.
I made this wonkly log cabin top before I got distracted last year. The top, obviously won’t count toward my new pledge. BUT, I pieced this interesting backing, and of course the binding will. So I will end week 1 with about 2 1/2 yards used. I’ve been a bad blogger this last year, but I’ll try to check in at least once a month with how my “no buy” pledge is doing.
What are you doing to simplify your life?
Life takes a turn 