My friend, Mar, named our August challenge, and what a great name it is!
I've been feeling foolish, glutenous, and, frankly, disgusted with myself for buying so much fabric over the past month or so, ever since The Fabric Patch announced its closing. I will admit that I tried to limit my purchases to backgrounds, backings and stash color enhancements, but even that doesn't justify the amount of fabric that followed me home.
So I had this idea of a challenge for myself and I announced it to my online quilting buddies. Quite a few of them decided to take the challenge with me. I was delighted because like Mom used to say, "If we hold hands and do it together, it won't hurt quite so badly." :)
The challenge is simple: No fabric purchases in the month of August!
If I can make it through one month, then I'll challenge myself to doing it in other months! Just need to break this I-gotta-have cycle I'm in!
What was funny with my online buddies is that there were immediate questions and what-if scenarios. What if I get to go to the quilt show in August? What about BOMs? What if I pass a quilt shop while on vacation? So a few rules were decided upon. Quilt shows don't count because they don't come along very often. Souvenirs while on vacation are all right. BOMs were technically commited to in a previous month so they're okay, too. Also if you're trying to finish up a quilt in August and you run short of something you desparately need, then that's an emergency and doesn't count either! God, we're so easy!!
I think there's about a dozen or so of us who are going to do it. If any blogging buddies want to join in, then the more the merrier! Jane and I were talking last weekend, and we discovered that we're both excited about truly digging in our stashes and getting creative with what we already have!
Anyway, I thought I'd admit to the world here my challenge. I decided that the more people that know about it, the more likely I am to stick to my resolution. I'd hate to admit defeat in front of everyone! LOL!
Gratitudes:
~ A great stash to tide me over for a month! :)
~ 4.5 drops of rain that hit my windshield just as I arrived home!
~ Cooler temps today - only 98 at the office!
~ Daisy's unconditional love, even when I fuss at her! :(
27 comments:
I'm in! Nothing -- no thread, no batting, no backing, NOTHING in August. I'm going to even say I won't buy any fabric at the AQS show in Nashville in August!! Thanks for the inspiration.
But . . I don't think you should be so hard on yourself because what you bought at FP on sale was such a good deal, I think you'd be kicking yourself in the butt if you had not bought it.
So, don't think twice about what happened up til August 1 . . new month, new commitment to stash busting.
Judy
I would be in except for the fact that I have another round robin to do and have very little, if anything, that this one will require--there are a lot of batiks in it and I only have a few fat quarters of those. SIGH but other than that, I believe I could behave myself. I honestly do not buy all that much anymore anyway.
I'll be on the sidelines cheering you on - "go Vicky go!" LOL I've been really, really good this year but I'm not sure I can be good for an entire month. Whew - I've got the shakes just thinking about it. LOL
And, stop fretting about your FP purchases - it was a different situation!
After 2 pretty good size shopping spress this past couple weeks I think I'd better join in. I do have fabric for a specific project I have to buy but I'll make sure I get that before August rolls around.
Funny thing, I was just thinking about that today myself. I was comtemplating all the fabric I have and why I keep buying more. I made a resolution no fabric the month of August, only thread if needed. Thanks for the conformation of my thoughts.
I've decided a slightly different route... I have put $40 cash in an envelope for sewing... nothing more... All thread, batting, books etc are to come from there in the next month. Nothing extra.... That'll be hrd enough I think for me :-)
Since joining the yahoo group Stashbusters I've been limiting my buying. Mom and I play this same game on a month to month basis. Good luck!
Okey-dokey! NO FABRIC ... but I'm allowing myself a disclaimer -- for batting cause I'm all out, but that will be with my Joann's coupon, and for thread that's already been ordered.
Jeanne
I'm in. I've done this before, but not many times. but warning: By the end on the month therapy could be needed....it's pretty depressing. The only thing that helps on my end is no quilt shop close by...Hang in there
P.S> I should but the money in a jelly jar for everytime I WANTED to by buy that fabric....
Good luck with your challenge. I don't have a car for the summer, so not going to a quilt shop is very easy for me right now.
But I'll try to not buy online either.
I'll join ya! Everyone knows I have enough fabric already!
Besides I need to save for the actual quilting!
& A house.....
I'm wtih you Vicki! I can safely say that since I went on my buying spree this past week :-) I'm going to the Pacific Northwest Quilt Show in Seattle in a couple weeks, which has a marvelous vendor mall. I'm going to try to stick to my guns even when I'm there - even though it's an "allowed" purchase since this show comes along only every other year.
I'm all for playing along - I really could probably go the rest of 2006 without buying any stash, but what fun would that be? It will be difficult in August when the APNQ show is in Seattle, but I will vow to try!
Great recruitment techniques Vicky! Watch out the Marines will grab you! Of course this blog group isn't aware of your Drill Sargeant capabilites :-)
xoxox
I am going to join also - but I had already planned to buy a bolt of batting -(batting doesn't count right?- August 1 (but I sold two old computers that were sitting around collecting dust to pay for it).
I'm in too... Add another Jane to your no fabric in August list. :)
Mar, I don't think I should sound the bugle here! LOL. I've hung up my drill sergeant's hat!! *sma*
I am in, sort of already ;-)
I have been doing this for a month already, all by my lonesome.
For me this goes for No Fabric Buying From Any Shop until...... (add personal reason)
I had to go batting shopping yesterday, to finish an Ufo, but nothing extra came home with me - not even a spool of thread.
I need more space in my fabric collection, as I have found for me, less is more and less is more fun :-)
I have 2 fabric memberships with approx 2 yards each which comes every 2 months. I will not beat myself with a wet FQ over them, but rather enjoy when they comes if my personal challenge is not over by then ;-)
We are in this quilting for fun, right ?
I was just driving through Paducah today and stopped at Hancock's of Paducah, and spent more than I should have, so I am in! I have to admit, I know I will not make it through the AQS show here in Nashville. So if I buy fabric there, I will extend my no buying through the first week of Sept. This way it kind of equals a month of no buying, right?
This will not be easy!
okay--I'm in..I wasn't very good on my trip to SC...I stopped on my way down and bought, bought while down there, stopped at a shop on the way back and bought, bought yesterday! So I think I can do it for one month! :)
Shoot, I would love to play but my local shopped announced a "Daily Sale" for the month of August in addition to the sale of the week they have all year long. The catch is they won't tell you what is on sale by any other method than stopping in the store. I'm sure I will not go each and every day, but ....
I'm a good cheerleader so I will be right there at the sidelines.
I'm in - except for the first week in August. I'm going to California to visit my stash, I mean, my best friend (who is the keeper of my stash) and we always go to Cotton and Chocolates and there's no way I can walk out of there without fabric!
However, that fits under the vacation rule, right? =)
I have been good the entire month of July and not purchased with money any fabric, except for the bom. (I get free fat quarters for buying other stuff, but kept that to a minimum too.) Since I haven't started any new projects, I haven't missed not having fabric purchases.
I guess I could do it again for August. I do have a $10 gift certificate from Joann which I will allow myself to use for fabric (it's on sale!), but no cash or credit fabric purchases.
thanks to another blogger for sending me over here - I have been pondering my stash and the abundance of it lately too so I am definately going to join you in this challenge. off to my sewing room to sort out some fabric for a new stash quilt to reinforce the feeling of already having enough.
having gain access back to your blog thanks to stash quilts ring being back working...I am in! I don't have a huge buying issue, but, I think support in doing this is a very good thing! thanks Vicki for getting this challenge rolling!
I just became aware of your challenge through Desertsky's blog. I need to join! Problem is, I'm signed up for a class 8/24, so I'll need to make that my "exception" since I don't think I'll need the other listed standard exceptions. What a good idea!
OK..a commitment in writing..no purchases in August..*VBS* I've been thinking about it since i read your post a few days ago.
I've been on the No Fiber Diet from Stashbusters and Dusting your Stash since 01/01, and am doing well. One new book and some fabric for the Civil War Diary quilt. Count me in..better on the first than never...LOL
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