Sunday 29 January 2017

I May have...an FQ Addiction

Been fairly quiet in my sewing room, while my machine was being repaired again I decided to do some much needed reorganizing. It is because of this 'reorganizing' that I came face to face with my little problem. Dear hubby and I went to Ikea looking for a new storage unit for my sewing room.

Ikea Kallax unit and one very helpful handy dude as he calls himself, he was helping grandpa install the draw inserts 
Once my two builders had everything together, I was doing the happy dance. You see I was still under the delusion that my fat quarters would fit in a few of the draws, there are 8 total. I had them stored in the plastic shoe boxes, man can you put a lot in those boxes... as I very quickly discovered. 

draw one and a bit

I have been organizing by colour or attempting too. They do look so nice, there may have been some fabric petting and dreaming of what these little beauties could grow up to be. But then this happened...

two full drawers
and more oh no!

third draw 

not done yet

four draws 
Now what I had two drawers already full of landscape fabrics, two with some FQ batiks...oh my! I did mention I may have a problem.

theses still need a place to be stored
No doubt about it, I may have a FQ addiction!! I wonder if there is a support group that helps with this type of an addiction? 

Maybe google can help? I found this article on Psychology Today and had a good chuckle with various comments. For example "Quilters can display many ‘habit-forming’ behaviors”. Well okay maybe that's true, but me with bad habits never. 
“It can mean an obsession to....buying large/medium/small amounts of fabric in general with no earthly idea of what to do with it – otherwise known as stash building!” FQ's are small and I had no idea what I was going to make with them when I bought them, so that MIGHT be an indicator. “Both the turning towards and the intensity of commitment to quilts may be expressed through metaphors of addiction, illness or affliction". Hmm still not completely convinced that I DO have a problem.
"In reading the academic papers on quilting, I got the sense that the word ‘addiction’ was being used in a non-clinical sense and as a metaphor for justifying the amount of time that quilters engaged in their passion and pastime. There was little evidence of negative detriment although some quilters clearly feel they need to lie about or hide away aspects of their hobby". Ahh there you have it I DO NOT have an addiction! Nor am I hiding my stash it is in plain site. I feel better already. Now back to that happy dance.

I may have to hold off buying anymore of those little lovlies however until I reduce the amount I already have. My next google search may well be fat quarter friendly patterns.

Do you have a quilt or stash addiction or are you like me in total denial of it? 

Craftsy last minute sale on classes ends tonight.

8 comments :

  1. Don't you love those storage units!! I bought one last year too. I got boxes to fill the last two rows of mine and use those to store my fat quarters. I usually only buy fat quarters too. I only buy large pieces when it's time for a backing or I need a specific solid for a project. I've been on a fabric diet too. I'm trying really hard to only use my stash and really limit my fabric purchases. Have fun with this. It really pushes your creativity.

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  2. So did you fill up all 8 draws with FQs? Regardless, your organization looks beautiful and I hope that seeing them grouped together helps inspire you in the future! :)

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  3. A varied palette is essential! I store yardage on shelves built in my walk-in. All fat FQ are visible & accessible near my cutting table, as well as scraps. This way I really do use the smaller pieces first. When shelves are too full, I begin to wonder if my addiction is outta control, then I'll do a quick destash & donworryboutit! I think you will enjoy having them sorted by color & find it easier to purchase less!

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  4. Those Fat Quarters look so pretty all organized and packed in there. :) That is a great shelf. I am hoping to get to IKEA sometime in the near future and get a bigger shelf for my room.
    I have trouble cutting into my FQs. I usually buy them with no purpose just because I love them and am sometimes tempted just to hang the fabric uncut up on my wall in a frame.

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  5. Bahaha! You had me laugh out loud at 'lie about or hide away aspects of their hobby'!! Nope no addiction here...just noticed take the 'c' away and you have 'addition'. You're doing a fine job of that with adding to your stash! Love how pretty it all looks too.

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  6. LOL I have a problem, but didn't realize it. I have a healthy stash in my sewing room. But forgot about the many piles of fabric downstairs in the laundry waiting to be washed. Ummm...think I need to stop.

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  7. I'm pretty sure I have a quilt magazine and pre-cut fabric addiction. I've silently sworn that I will not purchase any magazines this year. I've caught myself close twice already, but I put the magazine back and walked away. It was hard :( I am IN LOVE with that shelving system you purchased. It's probably a good thing there isn't an IKEA within any distance to where I live :)

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  8. See some lovely greens in the mix. May be a green quilt since Greenery is the Pantone color of the year. Love how you juxtaposed the problem (hoarding fabric) with temptation (Craftsy sales). Ha Ha Ha!!!

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