Fabric Points Challenge

Last week I posted a picture of my enormous stash of fabrics. 

I love it and I’m so excited to have it all out of storage and in the garage. My fabric stash is made up of at least 50 percent gifted fabric. I have been sewing for about seventeen years and throughout my sewing journey I have been blessed with boxes, bags and bins of fabric that others have given to me because they were getting rid of it or came across it at a yardsale and thought of me. I don’t keep everything that I’m gifted, but I do keep most of it and for a while it was accumulating faster than I could use it. I’m hoping to change that now that it’s easily accessible and I have a little more time for sewing.

I’m already excited to dig into my stash. It’s amazing to walk into the garage and find a veritable fabric store. Over the weekend my two youngest sewists said that they needed fabric to make capes for Red Ribbon Week and they were each able to find a fabric that worked for them right there in the garage. That, to me, is amazing. I love being inspired by what I have and the challenge of making things from materials on hand (thrown together meals are some of my favorites) BUT I also know that, especially in these somewhat depressing times, I really enjoy me some fabric retail therapy. So, in my effort to shift the balance of buying vs creating in favor of creating, I’ve come up with a little challenge for myself.

I’ve created a system of points based on finished sewing projects.  Every 10pts is worth $1 to spend on fabric of my choice.  I can earn extra points for more difficult patterns and, of course, for using stash fabric, trims, notions, etc. rather than buying it. Here’s what it looks like:

I mentioned the challenge to my mom and she came up with her own point system and criteria and will be earning towards another trip to the fashion district in LA, which is probably what I will be saving for as well. She also mentioned it to a quilter friend who has come up with a quilting version to participate in. I’m in the process of making one for my oldest sewist that will be based on skill-building, quality and working with patterns. 

It’s costume crunch time but I’m almost finished with a Wednesday Addams dress that should score me 70 fabric points, yeah!