The 5 Stages of Buying Fabric You Don’t Need

By Dori Simone – The Sewciable Quilter

Stage 1: Denial

You didn’t go to the fabric store to buy fabric. You went for ONE spool of thread. Maybe some batting. You had a list. You were disciplined. You were focused.

And then you saw it.

A bolt of the most gorgeous floral cotton you have ever laid eyes on in your entire life. Blush pink. Sage green. Little trailing vines. It was practically calling your name.

“I’m just looking,” you told yourself. “I won’t touch it.”

You touched it.

Stage 2: Bargaining

Okay so you’re touching it. That doesn’t mean anything. Lots of people touch fabric and put it back. You are a reasonable adult with a sewing room that is already — fine, let’s not talk about the sewing room.

The point is, you don’t need this fabric. You have fabric at home. You have a LOT of fabric at home. Your husband has mentioned the fabric. Your children have mentioned the fabric. The cat has given you a look about the fabric.

But here’s the thing. This print would be PERFECT for that quilt you’ve been planning. You know, the one you sketched out at 2am six months ago and never started? This fabric was basically made for that quilt. It would be irresponsible NOT to buy it.

And it’s on sale.

Stage 3: Anger

Why do they put the beautiful fabric RIGHT by the entrance? Who designed this store? This is a trap. This is absolutely a trap and you walked right into it and now you’re standing here with three yards of blush floral, a fat quarter bundle you spotted on the way to the cutting table, and some novelty print with little sewing machines on it that you don’t even have a project for but it was SO cute.

This is the fabric store’s fault. Completely.

Stage 4: Depression

You are at the cutting table. The very nice lady is cutting your fabric. You are doing math in your head that isn’t quite working out. You have approximately $4 more room on your budget than this is going to cost. You think about your fabric stash at home. The bins. The shelves. The folded piles on the chair that was supposed to be for sitting.

You think about how you told yourself — you PROMISED yourself — after the last time.

You watch her fold your beautiful fabric into a bag.

You feel nothing. You feel everything.

Stage 5: Acceptance

This fabric is yours now. It lives with you. You will give it a good home among the others. You will pet it sometimes and think about what it will become. Maybe it will be a quilt. Maybe it will be a jacket. Maybe it will live in the bin for three years and then one day the perfect project will appear and you will pull it out triumphantly and say “I knew I bought this for a reason.”

And you will be right.

You are always right eventually.

Welcome to the stash. It’s exactly where it belongs.

Sound familiar? You might just be a sewciable quilter. 🌸 Share this with a quilter who needs to feel seen — and don’t forget to check out the Handmade Shop while you’re here. No fabric required. Just love.